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Telescopic / Bioptic Eyewear
To magnify distance objects, telescopic systems are frequently used. These may be handheld or mounted in eyewear called bioptics. Thousands of mildly visually impaired patients in the United States use bioptics to drive, watch television or do other distance tasks. Beecher Research's telescopic system, the Beecher Mirageâ, is a lightweight binocular system that is worn like eyewear for distance viewing. We have found it to be an exceptional aid to view television even in patients with visual acuities below 20/600.
Telescopes may be attached to prescription eyewear to create what is called a bioptic system. Bioptic eyewear design has evolved from large telescopic tubes to smaller, more cosmetic telescopes. Modern bioptic design includes many, small lightweight systems that have improved patient acceptance such as the Vision Enhancement System introduced by Ocutech ten years ago.[i]
Recently, Ocutech has introduced an auto focus version, the VES-Autofocusâ. It is a monocular 4X bioptic telescope mounted above the eyeglass frame. Powered by a rechargeable battery, it contains two computer chips and an infrared focusing system similar to that found in an auto focus camera. VES-Autofocus can focus automatically from 12 inches to infinity in a fraction of a second, and has dramatically changed the purposes for which we prescribe bioptics. Rather than being used for one or two specific tasks, these systems are being worn fulltime and more importantly, the patients using this system regain a sense of personal space and an ability to better interact with people. They can again see facial expressions and notice body language, subtle yet important aspects of everyday communication.[ii]
[i] Greene HA, Pekar J, Brilliant R, Freeman PB, Lewis HT, Siwoff R, Paton C, Madden DJ, Westlund R. The Ocutech Vision Enhancing System (VES): utilization and preference study. J Am Optom Assoc 1991 Jan;62(1):19-26.
[ii]Greene HA, Beadles R, Pekar J. Challenges in applying t\Autofocus technology to low vision telescopes. Optom Vis Sci 1992 Jan;69(1):25-31.
Companies Fabricating Bioptic Systems
Note! Bioptic must be prescribed and fit by your doctor.
eyeFine Developed in Japan, eyeFine is a new type of auto focus eyewear. To learn more and see or listen to our movie click here. http://www.eyeassociates.com/eyefine1.htm
Ocutech Welcome to Ocutech,inc. on the web. Ocutech is a leading developer of optical low vision solutions for patients suffering from Macular Degeneration and other low vision impairments. The new Vision Enhancing System Autofocus Telescope is now in use around the world.
Designs for Vision, Inc. produces a range of microscopic and telescopic low vision systems for prescribing through doctors.
Edward's Optical Corporation (BITA Vision Enhancer), Attn: Jean Edwards, 2441 Windward Shore Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23451 USA Tel: 1-800-452-5988 or 757-496-2550 Fax: 757-481-3501 Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Vision Advantage. Vision Advantage Inc. was formed to provide dignified lifestyle enhancement for partially sighted persons through delivery of quality products and services. The company was founded in 1994 when it purchased a significant portion of Coburn Optical Industries' Vision Assist Products business unit, which had provided assistive technology since the 1970s.


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2010 Top ten UFO sightings in China
In 2010 many UFOs were reported to have "visited" China. Many people think China is the new UFO hotspot, so we have taken a look at the the first full year of UFOs that have a little time to register with people and to be debunked. While some of these sightings were clearly misidentified conventional objects or explainable events many remain a complete mystery!
Residents were thrilled to spot the shining objects that flew faster than something is suppose to, or just floated in the sky and disappeared in a heartbeat. Some were captured on video for further inspection, in the search box type in China UFO to see a full list with video when available.
We are of the mind that when a so called "expert" gives his/her explanation for a UFO sighting it is definitely not the end of the story, they have simply given their best "guess" as to what they think it might be.
We also believe that these experts only search in the data banks of their own reality, which is understandable. Something that cannot be explained within their set of realities is not even offered as a possibility. That being said take it for what it is worth when reading the experts dismissal of some of these events.
We also believe that these experts only search in the data banks of their own reality, which is understandable. Something that cannot be explained within their set of realities is not even offered as a possibility. That being said take it for what it is worth when reading the experts dismissal of some of these events.
1. Pujiang, Zhejiang province, Sept 3
Wang Chunlin, of Pujiang, Zhejiang province, told the local media that he had a video clip of a UFO sighting and he promised that the video was real. Another resident, Yang Zhenhai, saw the shiny object in the sky first and spread the news in an online chat group. Wang was also in that group, so he went to shoot the object on video.
Staff members at Hangzhou International Airport saw the object through their monitoring equipment about 21:00, and immediately shut down the airport and many flights were delayed. The airport staff said they could not look at the object directly, but some Hangzhou residents claimed they saw a UFO that day about 17:00. No evidence surfaced that what they saw was the same object that appeared near the airport.
3. Leshan, Sichuan province, July 26
Three shiny objects resembling the sun appeared in the sky about 8 pm and many Leshan residents reported seeing them. They lingered for more than 10 minutes. Wang Sichao, an astronomer from the Purple Mountain Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that may have been caused by refraction of the sun's rays.
4. Chongqing, March 21
About 8 pm, people began discussion on the local BBS about some shiny objects they saw. The objects were described to be two to four shiny objects moving swiftly across the sky. Local astronomers said that may have been caused by refraction of lightning.
It was a stormy day in Hong Kong, Sept 8, and many residents said they saw a UFO. The object was described to be round with a row of lights. Wang Sichao, an astronomer at the Purple Mountain Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that may have been caused by refraction of lightning.
6. Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, Aug 11
An extremely shiny object flew at a high speed and became a hot topic on local BBS. It was described to be "a diameter of 20 centimeters and a length of 120 centimeters, with a yellow front end and a light green back end." Some residents said that children feared the shiny object and cried. Some residents from Guilin and Nanning cities said that they also saw the object. Some astrophiles explained it was a meteor.
7.Taiyuan, Shanxi province, Oct 11
Local media said that two shiny objects appeared in the sky on the evening of Oct 11. One object was big and the other small. No reasonable explanation has ever been offered by the "experts".
8. Pingyao, Shanxi province, Sept 22-23
Two young photographers, Gu Peiwen and Sun Jiali, found in their photos a shiny object that appeared when they were trying to shoot some night scenes of Pingyao. A young woman who was just passing through also was sure that she saw the object in the photos. The object was flat with two light beams.
9. Baotou, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, Sept 11
Local air traffic management bureau saw a UFO through their monitoring equipment 40 kilometers east of Baotou about 20:00 and told the airport in Baotou to rearrange some flights. At 22:00, the flights returned to normal.
10. Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, June 30
In the evening many Urumqi residents saw a shiny round object flying slowly to the east, with a light behind it. The next day it became a hot topic on the local BBS. Some astronomers said the object actually was a missile launched by the US military.
Limited Source: China Daily

subset: commoncrawl


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From Library of Congress Name Authority File
Denktaş, Rauf R.
Instance Of
Scheme Membership(s)
Collection Membership(s)
- Denktash, Rauf
- Denktaş, Rauf
- D̲enktas, Raouph
Additional Information
Birth Date
- 1924
Death Date
- 20120113
Birth Place
- Cyprus
- male
Exact Matching Concepts from Other Schemes
Earlier Established Forms
- Denktash, R. R. (Rauf R.)
- found: His The Cyprus triangle, 1982:CIP t.p. (R.R. Denktash) CIP galley (Rauf Denktash, pres. of the Turkish Federated State of Cyprus)
- found: His The Cyprus problem, 23rd year, 1986:t.p. (Rauf R. Denktaş)
- found: Rauf Denktaş hatıraları, 1996- :v. 1, t.p. (Rauf R. Denktaş) p. 9 (Rauf Raif Denktaş)
- found: Zum Zypernkonflikt, c1988:t.p. (Rauf Denktaş) p. 1 (Rauf R. Denktaş) jkt. (lives in Lefkosa [i.e. Nicosia] Cyprus; pres., Turkish Republic of N. Cyprus; b. Jan. 17, 1924; formerly active as lawyer and solicitor general)
- found: Raouph D̲enktas, 2003.
- found: New York times WWW site, Jan. 17, 2012(in obituary published Jan. 13: Rauf Denktash; b. 1924, Paphos; d. Friday [Jan. 13, 2012], Near East University Hospital, north of Nicosia, aged 87; former leader of the Turkish minority in Cyprus, who for decades successfully opposed reunification of that divided Mediterranean island in his resolute pursuit of a separate state for his people)
Change Notes
- 1982-04-28: new
- 2012-02-19: revised
Alternate Formats


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It was a photo which changed the way people looked at the Vietnam War. The sensational photograph of a totally naked little Vietnamese girl scampering for safety, with her skin on fire from napalm shocked readers around the world. Visuals profoundly affect us, but what makes photojournalism so arresting is its capacity to capture the intensity of the action. Henry Luce the founder of LIFE magazine, always insisted that photographs must be taken using "mind-guided cameras". Obviously newspaper photography is different from say wedding photography or fashion photography. In all other kinds of photography, the accountability of the photographer is to their subjects. But in photojournalism, his accountability is to the public and to ensure that the photo conveys the news as accurately as possible.
Selection of photographs is on the basis of certain criteria, like timeliness, accuracy and objectivity of presentation. There is also a fourth element namely narration, which means the photos, should match the news content.
Growth of photojournalism is closely linked with the development of camera and the mind guiding it. The first great impetus was the introduction of Ermanox cameras in 1924 and the Leica in 1925. The Leica was particularly useful to capture the unfolding action. Realizing the potential of news photos Life, Sports illustrated, and the Daily Mirror began to make extensive use of it.
For the first time, photojournalism helped in conveying not only the sedate political actions around the world but also the more brutal wars fought elsewhere. It was the Crimean war which was first frozen into pictures. But the American Civil war had many chilling moments to show. Alexander Gardner had photographed the execution of the prisoners of civil war. The most interesting was the hanging of Mary Surrat, the first woman in America to be executed. It is a hot day and they show her waiting with other prisoners facing the gallows but with a parasol to shield her from the hot sun. There were others too who had photographed historical moments for posterity. Jimmy Hare documented the Spanish American wars. Horace W. Nicholls the South African War, Luigi Barzini, the Russo-Japanese War and Augustin Victor Casasola the Mexican Revolution. The First World War though well documented was censored, and so we may never know its more poignant moments.
The decades between 1930's and 50's is usually called the golden age of photojournalism. Some of the photographs of this period were in fact representative of the era and some even iconic. For example Dorothea Lange's photograph of a migrant mother beautifully captured the desperation of the masses during the great depression. Closer to our time who can forget the piercing gaze of Shargat Gula, the Afghan girl who stared out of the covers of National Geographic magazine's June 1984 issue.
By the 1970's photojournalism was recognized as an art. There were numerous galleries showing exhibitions of the works of photojournalists, and museums having retrospectives. Works of news photographers like Don McCullin were shown in galleries around the world and people's interest in this genre increased rapidly. With the advent of digital photography and citizen journalism, I believe that the golden age of photojournalism is yet to come
Interesting presentation of photojournalism and intriguing comments too. Looking at photojournalism as an art probably seems strange to some readers and I like your explanation with sense of aesthetics. I would also like to add aesthetics is not the only criteria.
In my opinion the most important part of art is ability to transfer feelings, emotions, cause reaction ... If we look at these factors, it is art without a doubt.
Do you consider the photojournalist to be an artist? If so at what point do you think photojournalism evolved into fine art?
Do you think sensationalism plays a big role in photojournalism?


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Paper quilling is addictive , it is amazing to see simple strips of paper turning into gorgeous artwork . These quilled pieces can be used as candle holders, table decor or wall art! Nowadays people prefer to use smoke free LED candles and these paper quilled candle decoration are sure to enhance the ambience of any room . The quilling design has cardpaper for support at the back.
These quilled mandalas can also be used as interesting wall art with thread or ribbon.
Materials used - . 5 mm quilling strips, glue and card paper .Approx 3" in diameter.
Please connect with us on our FB page Craft World featured on the sidebar or leave a comment here for custom orders and queries.
Thanks for visiting, have a nice day !


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The Whitehall Juvenile Junior Music Club has become an outlet for musicians ages 6 to 18 from Whitehall, Walnutport and Cherryville.
The club, affiliated with the Pennsylvania Federation of Music Clubs, formed last October after Mrs. Ruth Bittner, a Whitehall music teacher and church organist, contacted area music teachers for potentially interested members. She found a good response.


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I pulled these colors from the Basic Grey patterned paper that I used on the card. I made this card with a light house image and sentiment from the new Beacon of Hope set from the new Scene it line from CHF.
I am so excited about this new line. This set is only $14.99 and it comes with 17 images/sentiments! Isn't it awesome!
I'll be gone with the kids at a marching competition in Corona all day (and night) on Saturday but am hoping to stamp all day on Sunday. See you then!


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Contributor Page
Withers & Rogers
By Karl Barnfather
Sometimes with a relatively intangible and complex product, such as innovative software or a new business method, it is difficult to identify precisely the inventive elements which require protection. This is where collaboration between the Patent Attorney and Inventors is particularly key.
Contributor's Topics


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Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI)
- What is Stress Urinary Incontinence?
- What are the Treatment Options for Women with Stress Urinary Incontinence?
What is Stress Urinary Incontinence?
Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a leakage of urine during moments of physical activity that increases abdominal pressure, such as coughing, sneezing, laughing, or exercise. SUI is the most common type of urinary incontinence in women.
SUI can happen when pelvic tissues and muscles, which support the bladder and urethra, become weak and allow the bladder "neck" (where the bladder and urethra intersect) to descend during bursts of physical activity. This descent can prevent the urethra from working properly to control the flow of urine. SUI can also occur when the sphincter muscle that controls the urethra weakens. The weakened sphincter muscle is not able to stop the flow of urine under normal circumstances and when there is an increase in abdominal pressure. Weakness may occur from pregnancy, childbirth, aging, or prior pelvic surgery. Other risk factors for SUI include chronic coughing or straining, obesity and smoking.
It is important for you to consult with your health care provider for proper diagnosis of SUI.
Image Source: National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse
What are the Treatment Options for Women with Stress Urinary Incontinence?
Women have both non-surgical and surgical options to treat SUI.
Not every woman with SUI will need surgery. Some factors you should consider before deciding whether to undergo surgery include:
- the severity of your SUI symptoms and their effect on your daily activities;
- your desire for future pregnancy as vaginal delivery can cause recurrence of SUI symptoms, which could require future surgery
Examples of nonsurgical treatment options for SUI include:
- Pelvic Floor Exercises: A type of exercise to strengthen the pelvic floor by contracting and relaxing the muscles that surround the opening of the urethra, vagina, and rectum. These exercises, commonly referred to as Kegel exercises, improve the muscles' strength and function and may help to hold urine in the bladder longer.
- Pessary: A removable device that is inserted into the vagina against the vaginal wall and urethra to support the bladder neck. This helps reposition the urethra to reduce SUI.
- Transurethral Bulking Agents: Collagen injections around the urethra that make the space around the urethra thicker, thus helping to control urine leakage. The effects may not be permanent.
- Behavioral Modification: This includes avoiding activities that trigger episodes of leaking.
Surgery to decrease or prevent urine leakage can be done through the vagina or abdomen. The urethra or bladder neck is supported with either stitches alone or with tissue surgically removed from other parts of the body such as the abdominal wall or leg (fascial sling), with tissue from another person (donor tissue) or with material such as surgical mesh (mesh sling).
Surgical mesh in the form of a "sling" (sometimes called "tape") is permanently implanted to support the urethra or bladder neck in order to correct SUI. This is commonly referred to as a "sling procedure."
The use of surgical mesh slings to treat SUI provides a less invasive approach than non-mesh repairs, which require a larger incision in the abdominal wall. The multi-incision sling procedure can be performed using three incisions, in two ways: with one vaginal incision and two lower abdominal incisions, called retropubic; or with one vaginal incision and two groin/thigh incisions, called transobturator. There is also a "mini-sling" procedure that utilizes a shorter piece of surgical mesh, which may be done with only one incision.
Image Source: National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse


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Food Bank of El Dorado County's Annual Holiday Outreach – December 16
The Food Bank of El Dorado County's Annual Holiday Outreach is a favorite event every year in El Dorado County. Teamed with hundreds of caring Individuals, Families, Businesses, Service Clubs, Faith based Groups and more, the community comes together in one common cause – procuring and providing all the fixins for a Holiday meal to over 1,000 local families that might otherwise go without at Christmas! The El Dorado County Sheriff's Departments Star Volunteer Program will also get involved by delivering meals to homebound residents in communities throughout El Dorado County. Add in a special delivery to at risk Veterans by VFW 10165 Camerado Post and you have a massive collaborative outpouring of compassion and good will right here in our own back yards. Christmas means many different things to many different people. Here at the Food Bank it's a time to recognize just how fortunate we really are and help out our less fortunate neighbors that struggle daily to make ends meet. Local at risk Children have a lot to worry about during the Holidays, Christmas dinner should not be one of them. No pre-registration require. Eligible individuals just need to come to the Food Bank's distribution center at your allotted time based on the first letter of your last name. A, B, C, D, E, F Saturday, December 16 8 am – 10 am G, H, I, J, K, L Saturday, December 16 10 am – 12 pm M, N, O, P, Q, R Saturday, December 19 12 pm – 2 pm S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z Saturday, December 19 2 pm – 4 pm For more information on how to Get Help or Give Help please visit the Food Banks website www.foodbankedc.org.
Date & Time
December 16, 2017
More Info


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You're cruising home from work on the highway, looking forward to a good meal and a relaxing evening.
The next thing you know, your enthusiasm for the night ahead has caused your foot to get a little heavy and a police car, blue lights flashing, is signaling you to pull over.
You get off the road and watch in your rear view mirror with dread as the patrolman saunters to your car. Looking up, you see a guy in blue wearing a baseball cap. Is it someone playing a joke? A cop who lost his hat?
No, chances are it's a West Palm Beach policeman wearing the latest in police fashion.
City officers recently received the OK from their department to join a trend sweeping the nation's police forces and purchase the baseball caps. The caps are dark blue and emblazoned with a police badge, as the regular hats are, but they still look like baseball caps.
Police rallied for the baseball caps, saying they are more comfortable and cooler than the heavy, thick formal police caps. The baseball caps also are close to the head, unlike the formal caps that protrude six inches beyond the top of the scalp. That's a definite plus in the smaller new cars the force has, police said.
Police had been wearing the baseball caps for a couple of weeks when they got word to temporarily retire them to their lockers. City Manager Richard Simmons claims responsibility for the early retirement of the caps.
"I didn't like them. They were very informal and make the police officers look like they were going to play catch or something," Simmons said.
Simmons said he moved to put the caps away not so much because he didn't like them but because police started wearing them just before the new police chief was to arrive.


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Melanie Mah (2007 cohort)
In April 2007, I was in Japan on holiday and my life was about to change in colossal ways I wasn't aware of at the time. Earlier in the year, I'd applied to master's programs in English lit, journalism, and creative writing. I was going to try being either an academic, a journalist, or a writer. With regards to the first option, I already had areas of interest I was passionate about and profs in mind who I thought could help me learn about them. For the second, I had a dream—to be a radio producer—and ideas about what I was going to produce radio about. For the third, I had an idea for a novel, some pages written, and a different sort of dream altogether.
I'd heard back from most of the universities I applied to earlier in the year. Some of the envelopes I'd received had scholarship offers enclosed. By the start of April, the best offer I'd gotten was from Ryerson; they were offering me five figures to come do my masters of journalism. So why was I standing outside a shopping mall in the Akihabara district of Tokyo, plugging hundred yen coins into a payphone calling the University of Guelph? Because my dream of writing seriously was one I'd had since I was a very small child, and I still didn't know if the Guelph MFA would have me. Before I left for Japan, I had called them. "You've been waitlisted," the person on the other end of the phone line said.
So I waited. I kept calling. The deadline to respond to Ryerson approached. A couple days before the deadline came, I got the news that I'd been accepted to Guelph. Thank fucking god.
Not everyone needs to get into an MFA program to write seriously, but I did. As far as my writing went, I have always been, at least until about a year ago, riddled with doubt. Back in the day, I barely submitted to magazines, I'd never published anything until my novel in 2016, and anything that required a portfolio to get in was daunting. I kept asking myself questions about my writing. Was I any good at it? Was this something I should pursue? Every time a sign from the universe that I should continue writing came, I was grateful and incredulous. So you can imagine how it felt to start the MFA at Guelph with its faculty filled with famous, excellent writers.
In workshops, I was surrounded by super talented colleagues. Did I really belong amongst them? I guess I must have. Did one of those super talented people just say something nice about a piece I was workshopping? I heard them, so they must have! Those few years I spent at Guelph were some of the best years of my life. Being there was one of the first times I consciously felt a really strong sense of belonging. I'd never been somewhere where in some basic but important ways, so many others were like me. We loved reading; a lot of us loved solitude, stories, ideas, details. I think most of us shared a sense of ambition, of wanting to craft and recraft our work until it was as good as we could make it. In class, it felt like my brain and talents were vibrating in tune with so many others.
It's been eleven years since I was admitted to the program. Man, time flies! But things have been going pretty well for me. I have a published novel—it's a version of my thesis, something I may never have finished if it weren't for the MFA. I got the book deal because one of my instructors recommended me to my publisher—such a great turn of events for someone who has long been bad at networking and self-promotion. But now I have an agen; I'm more sure of myself as a writer; I've published essays; I get grants; I'm partway finished my second manuscript—a memoir: scary!—and I may well be on my way to what one may deem a successful career in my dream field of writing. Of course, things are still hard, but now things are hard and wonderful. The latter I attribute in large part to my time at Guelph.
Novel Excerpt: Rice Paper magazine, 2016
Interview: Rice Paper magazine, 2016
Interview: Brick magazine online series, 2018
Interview: CBC Books online series, 2017
Melanie Mah won the 2017 Trillium Award for her debut novel, The Sweetest One. The Trillium Prize jury citation reads: "With lines and imagery that are as unique as they are beautiful, Melanie Mah has crafted a story of under-told Canadian experience with deft, humour and so much grit… Mah's work is exciting and exacting and precisely what was missing from CanLit." Melanie was included on CBC Books' 2017 list of writers to watch and the Sweetest One was on the Writers' Trust of Canada's list of the best books of the year. She has performed at festivals and reading series all across Canada and has been interviewed on TVO and by the CBC. Her work has been published in Brick, Prism International and Ricepaper, and she is currently at work on an intergenerational memoir inspired in part by the wild lives of her parents. Originally from the foothills of Alberta, and now based in Toronto, Melanie holds an MFA from the University of Guelph.
Paul Vermeersch (2009 cohort)
When I began my MFA studies at the University of Guelph, I was just putting the finishing touches on my fourth collection of poetry, The Reinvention of the Human Hand, for McClelland & Stewart. I was also nearing the end of a decade-long tenure as the poetry editor for Insomniac Press. Everything in my life was about to change. I was heading back to school. I sensed that a chapter in my writing life was coming to a close, and I was looking for new creative challenges. Though I didn't know it at the time, I would soon be starting up a new publishing imprint with Wolsak and Wynn Publishers. That's the thing about a life in the arts—things can change quickly. You never know what will set you down a new path or what you will find there.
I can't tell you what kind of writer I would be today if I hadn't taken an MFA in creative writing. I would still be a writer—we can be absolutely certain about that. Undoubtedly, I would be a different kind of writer, perhaps on a different creative trajectory, or perhaps on a similar trajectory but at a different point in my development. Who really knows? That writer, that other version of me, exists in an alternate timeline, on an alternate Earth, where I never enrolled in the MFA program. What else would be different about that other timeline, I wonder? Is Hillary Clinton the President of the United States there? Would my last book have been a collection of limericks about common ailments? Are mosquitoes extinct? We can only speculate.
Allow me, then, to speculate about how Guelph's MFA program may have altered my creative DNA. It is possible that studying creative writing in a scholarly setting allowed me to experiment with poetic forms and styles in ways I mightn't have otherwise. Very likely, I was exposed to influential texts, ideas and people at the optimal moments of receptiveness, allowing new approaches to writing and heightened ways of thinking to inform my creative process. Perhaps, had I enrolled in a different program at another institution, I would have written "praxis" just then instead of "process," and I am forced to imagine that such a thing could only happen in a dystopian timeline on some abject version of Earth where ice cream was never invented and everyone vapes.
Beyond this speculation, is there anything else about which we can be absolutely certain? Well, certainly the MFA program did not turn me into a furry woodland creature. That much is indisputable. Furthermore, the program has not, so far, caused any of my poems to turn into furry woodland creatures (though I promise I am working on it). We can also say with certainty that the program was a personally and creatively rewarding experience for me, and that it provided useful professional development opportunities to me, not only as a writer, but also as an editor and educator. My studies have helped me in the operation of my imprint with Wolsak and Wynn Publishers, as well as in my teaching career, all of which I see as extensions of my practice as a poet.
So no, I can't tell you what kind of writer I would be today if I hadn't taken an MFA in creative writing at the University of Guelph, but perhaps this offers some insight into what kind of writer I did become because I had.
Three poems by Paul Vermeersch:
"Grendel's Mother" (Globe and Mail)
"The Modern Novel" (Hazlitt)
"Standing in Front of Antlers Mounted on a Wall so They Look Like They're Growing from Your Head" (Cordite Review)
All three poems in Spanish translation:
Periodico de Poesia, No. 102, September 2017
In his human form, Paul Vermeersch is a poet, professor, artist and editor. The author of five collections of poetry, including The Reinvention of the Human Hand, a finalist for the Trillium Book Award, and Don't Let It End Like This Tell Them I Said Something, he teaches in the Creative Writing & Publishing program at Sheridan College and is senior editor of Wolsak and Wynn Publishers where he runs the Buckrider Books imprint. His next collection Self-Defence for the Brave and Happy will appear with ECW Press in 2018. He lives in Toronto. In his digital form he can be found at www.paulvermeersch.ca.
Ayelet Tsabari (2009 cohort)
In the winter of 2009 I was in a beach hut in Belize, run by a local named Ignacio who was known to chase trespassers with a machete. One morning I found a Wi-Fi signal for the first time in days and opened my email to find an invitation to attend the University of Guelph Creative Writing MFA. I grabbed my partner's thigh and dug my fingernails into it, pointing at the screen without speaking.
Enrolling in an MFA program had been a dream of mine; one I'd thought was beyond reach. I had been taking part-time writing courses for a couple of years and I wanted more. An MFA seemed like a natural choice, an opportunity to immerse myself in my craft, learn from established authors and professionalize my writing. But I was ineligible for most programs: I didn't have a BA, had never gone to university, and at thirty-six didn't see an undergrad in my future.
One day, I met my friend Janet for coffee to celebrate her good news: she had been accepted to the new University of Guelph MFA program in Toronto. You should apply too, Janet said. Apparently, she had never completed her BA. Suddenly, a glimmer of hope. When I came home I read about the program and the fantastic writers who taught in it, found that "a limited number of students may be admitted to the MFA without having satisfied the degree requirement…based on other experience and practice." It seemed too good to be true.
Enrolling in the MFA was everything I wanted. Still, that first semester I was often riddled with anxiety and doubt. Because chasing your dreams and committing to life as a writer is frightening, because I'd only been writing in English for about three years, because as an immigrant and a minority I feared my writing was inherently different, not Canadian enough, because I had been a waitress for thirteen years and was afraid to hope for a different life. And because I had never gone to university and felt intimidated, outside my comfort zone. But of course, being forced outside my comfort zone was exactly what I needed to grow as a writer.
A month after I defended my thesis, a collection of stories titled The Best Place on Earth, I signed a book deal with HarperCollins. The collection was envisioned, created, fostered and edited during my two years in the program. I had initially planned on writing a different book, felt too daunted by the idea of writing about my messed-up homeland, unprepared for the responsibility, despite the strong pull I had felt toward the subject. It was during "Writers in the World," the plenary course taught by Catherine Bush, that I began to reconsider the way my writing engaged (or rather didn't engage) with the world. Reading work by authors who wrote bravely about their own messed-up homelands, and participating in the classroom discussions they spurred, inspired me to try. I was fortunate to have Camilla Gibb as a mentor and a thesis advisor. Camilla pushed me to work harder than I had ever worked before—we referred to the mentorship as Fiction Boot Camp—while encouraging me to own my voice. She made me believe there was room for my fiction in the world.
I walked out of the program with another book in the works, a collection of essays I had worked on during the creative non-fiction workshop. I walked out with better job prospects (upon graduating, I got work as a creative writing instructor at two continuing studies programs), and I walked out with a supportive writing community, close friends from my cohort, from other cohorts, and amongst the faculty as well. Six years after graduation, these are the friends I turn to for feedback on my writing, career advice, or for literary hangouts.
Website: www.ayelettsabari.com
Essay: Why I Chose to Write in English, Literary Hub, March 2016
Essay: What Nobody Tells You, The Afterword, The National Post, March 2013
Interview: An Interview with CWILA, February 2014
Audio: Interview with Marrie Stone at Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM, Southern California, April 13, 2016
Video: The Best Place on Earth Book Trailer
Ayelet Tsabari was born in Israel to a large family of Yemeni descent. Her first book, The Best Place on Earth, (HarperCollins) won the Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature and the Edward Lewis Wallant Award, and was long listed to the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award. The Best Place on Earth was a New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice, a Kirkus Review best book of 2016, and has been published internationally to great acclaim. Excerpts from her forthcoming book of essays have won a National Magazine Award, a Western Magazine Award, and The New Quarterly 's Edna Staebler award. In 2014, she was awarded a Chalmers Arts Fellowship. She is a graduate of the Creative Writing MFA Program at Guelph and lives in Toronto.
Photo of Ayelet Tsabari by Jonathan Bloom. Below: covers of the Estonian, Canadian, and Hebrew editions of The Best Place on Earth.
Sheniz Janmohamed (2006 Cohort)
I keep a chunk of quartz on my desk—a reminder to observe from all angles, to deepen, clarify, and sharpen the edges of my words.
A few days ago, while I was gazing into my quartz (not writing, of course), I remembered. I remembered David Young telling us that he kept a chunk of amber on his desk to inspire him during the writing process. He encouraged us to keep something magical, weird and unique on our desks.
I'm not sure when I picked up his advice, but there it was—something magical, weird and unique—right in front of me.
On the first day of playwriting class, David lay down on the floor, took off his shoes to reveal multi-coloured striped socks, and read from his play with his feet up in the air. All the stress I felt about writing a play faded away in that moment. He created a safe space by being silly. He created a safe space by inviting us to his home to nibble on expensive crackers and cheese, while he casually introduced us to Bruce MacDonald, Atom Egoyan and other luminaries, who joined us in honing our work. He opened his door and his heart to us—sharing his vulnerabilities, challenges and triumphs as a writer. It was a pivotal class for me because it stripped away at the romanticism of being a writer and gave way for the deeper work of understanding what it takes to work as a writer.
Janice Kulyk Keefer invited us to write and share our stories around hot cups of tea and bowls of fruit. I still remember one frigid day when I walked to class with a very pregnant Soraya Peerbaye next to me, as we chatted about the challenges of writing as women of colour. These bonds of community are still strong.
Dionne Brand taught us poetry from all traditions, including the ghazal as an English form. My first ghazal was one of the worst pieces of writing I have ever produced. I wish I still had it—I would frame it as a reminder. Despite my atrocious ghazal, Dionne encouraged me to keep writing. I worked at the craft, researched it under the mentorship of the late Kuldip Gill, and produced my first book, Bleeding Light, as a result of my studies in the form. I have built my writing career around the ghazal—both of my poetry books have been written in the ghazal form. I've taught the ghazal, performed it, collaborated with musicians because of it. In 2012, I was invited to the Jaipur Literature Festival to speak about writing the ghazal in English. My entire life's work as been a result of Dionne Brand nudging me to pursue the ghazal. To say I owe her would be an understatement.
The impact of these experiences is undeniable—instead of just reading about writers, I was sitting with them. Talking to them. Breathing the same air. Instead of signing books, they scribbled notes on my crappy poems and condemned my mediocre stories. They shared their lived experiences, tidbits of advice, and living rooms with us. Now, when I step into classrooms, I bring those precious teachings with me. I see my experience through the lens of the mentors who have taught me, and try, in my own way, to give back what they have given me.
Sheniz Janmohamed is an author, artist educator and spoken word artist. She has performed nationally and internationally for over 10 years, including features at the TedXYouth Conference (Toronto, 2010) the Jaipur Literature Festival (Jaipur, 2013) and the Aga Khan Museum (Toronto, 2015). Her first book, Bleeding Light (Mawenzi House, 2010), is a collection of English ghazals that explores a woman's journey through night. Sheniz's second collection of poetry, Firesmoke (Mawenzi House, 2014) traces the inception and annihilation of sacred fire and explores the meaning of truth and the self, finding them both in form and emptiness. Sheniz also visits schools through Mariposa in the Schools and the League of Canadian Poets, and has travelled as far as Nairobi, Kenya, to share her poetry with young audiences. She is also a Mentor-Artist with the Royal Conservatory's Digital Media Arts program.
Website: www.shenizjanmohamed.com
Audio: Sheniz Janmohamed on Soundcloud
Anna Chatterton (2009 cohort)
I credit myself as being a "playwright, performer and librettist." However, before coming to the University of Guelph MFA program, I hadn't written a play on my own in almost ten years. I'd spent the last decade co-writing and performing five plays with my theatre company (Independent Aunties), writing librettos for opera, and being involved in multidisciplinary creations.
I was quite busy outside of school while doing the MFA. I premiered and performed in two shows and was running the Write from the Hip program for emerging writers at Nightwood Theatre. It was important to me to be able to integrate my school life and my work life in the professional theatre and opera world (and not have to "stop" my career to get my masters). The program is set up to make this possible, and our cohort was a wonderful mix of writers fresh from their undergrads and mid-career writers.
An incredibly valuable aspect of the program for me was the close mentorship of the masterful Colleen Murphy, and my thesis advisor—a longtime hero of mine—Judith Thompson. With these two powerhouse playwrights, I was able to intimately discuss my work and also the business of playwriting. Mentorship is more often thought of when you are an emerging writer, but to have a mentor when you are older is an incredible gift and one that I recommend. I developed two plays during the program, one of which recently premiered at Tarragon Theatre; the other was picked up by another company and will premiere next fall in Toronto.
Peers in the program are also a great resource and support. I became close friends with a non-fiction and fiction writer (Ayelet Tsabari, author of The Best Place on Earth) who was incredibly generous with her time and gave me close feedback on all of my prose writing while in the program. I learned so much from her, and I loved our intense discussions about craft. Her perspective was incredibly helpful. Though I haven't yet gone back to prose writing, which was an entirely new experience for me, I do intend to, and I now feel I have the tools to to explore that path when I have time.
What I really appreciated about the MFA instructors was that they wanted to communicate and share every aspect of what they knew and did with their own writing, which felt like such a generous act. When I think of my time doing my MFA, I think of the generosity of all the writers I met.
Anna Chatterton is a playwright, librettist and performer. Her play Within the Glass was recently produced at Tarragon Theatre where she is a playwright in residence. Anna co-writes and performs with the acclaimed theatre collective Independent Aunties. Their sixth play, Gertrude and Alice will be produced with Buddies in Bad Times Theatre in March. As a librettist her work has been produced by Canadian Opera Company (Swoon), World Stage/Harbourfront Centre/Urbanvessel (Voice Box), The Banff Centre (Crush), and Theatre Centre/Urbanvessel (Stitch—Dora award nomination for Best New Opera). Upcoming: Rocking Horse Winner in May (Tapestry Opera), and The Man Who Married Himself (Toronto Masque Theatre). Anna is also the playwright in residence at Nightwood Theatre this season and was recently invited to be a playwright in residence at the National Theatre School of Canada.
Urbanvessel's opera Stitch: text & music
L-R: Within the Glass (Tarragon, 2016); Gertrude and Alice (Buddies in Bad Times, 2016); Stitch (Theatre Centre, 2010)
Andrea Thompson (2010 Cohort)
The other day, someone asked me what it was like to go back to university after being a working artist for over two decades. The word that immediately came to mind was: luxury. There was something very luxurious about declaring that for two years I would immerse myself in the study and craft of writing. My reasons for going back to school were also practical — I wanted to get a graduate degree to boost my teaching credentials, and I wanted to learn how to write a novel. I had made an attempt at a novel a few years before, but had become quickly overwhelmed at the size and scope of the project. I knew I'd benefit from the structure and accountability of a writing program, and decided that an MFA would be my best bet.
Catherine Bush's plenary turned out to be one of my favorite classes. It caused me to think about the art of writing at a deeper level than I had before, and the essays gave me the opportunity to research and write critically about topics that interested me. In my first year, I studied poetry with Lynn Crosbie, who introduced me to Sonia Sanchez, and sparked my fascination with the relationship between the jazz poets of the Black Arts Movement and the evolution of literary performance in Canada. This led to my writing a paper called "Spoken Word: A Signifying Poetic", which was revised and presented at the annual Canadian Creative Writers and Writing Programs Conference, and more recently at the South North Griots' Summit in Toronto. I also took two fiction workshops, which helped me understand the fundamental elements of the form, and during the summer mentorship, I began working on the first draft of my novel with Jeanette Lynes. I was able to complete the novel as my thesis, instructed by Kathryn Kuitenbrauer, who helped me edit and shape my fractured, chaotic first draft into a coherent whole.
In the end, the experience of working towards a MFA in creative writing was one of the most rewarding journeys of my life. I was not only able to complete and publish my first novel and enrich my spoken word practice, I was also introduced to a new community of colleagues and friends along the way.
Writer and spoken word artist Andrea Thompson has performed her work at venues across North America and overseas for the past twenty years. A pioneer of Slam poetry in Canada, Thompson's work has been featured on film, radio, and television; and included in magazines, literary journals and anthologies across the country. Thompson's poetry is hybridist and unique — blending elements of jazz, dub, hip-hop and traditional literary verse. In 2009 she was awarded the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word's Poet of Honour: For Outstanding Achievement in the Art of Spoken Word, and in 2005, her spoken word CD One, was nominated for a Canadian Urban Music Award. Thompson is the co-editor of the anthology Other Tongues: Mixed Race Women Speak Out (Inanna, 2010), the author of the novel, Over Our Heads (Inanna, 2014) and the poetry collection Eating the Seed (Ekstasis, 2000). Thompson currently teaches Spoken Word through the Ontario College of Art and Design University's continuing studies department and Creative Writing through Workman Arts.
Interview: Firelight Interview series with Lauren Carter
David James Brock (2006 cohort)
I was finishing an undergrad in creative writing at the University of Victoria in 2005, when a professor of mine, playwright Joan MacLeod, showed me a print out of an email announcing a new creative writing MFA at the University of Guelph. At the time, I was focusing almost exclusively on playwriting, and though I'm paraphrasing, Joan said something like, "a lot of playwrights live in Toronto at some point." A year later, I was on the other side of the country in the Toronto living room of Connie and Leon Rooke at a meeting for the first 15 Guelph MFA candidates. Instant community.
Ten years later, the impacts of that community are still with me as both a writer and teacher. My writing focus has broadened to poetry, something that was certainly inspired by the incredible gang of poets who were present in my Guelph MFA community (poets are a contagious bunch), and I started to take a genre other than playwriting seriously. In fact, the high level of thought that permeated the classes, workshops, reading events and social atmosphere connected with the Guelph MFA made me take everything a little bit more seriously.
Since graduating (I was the first to defend a thesis, by the way!), in addition to plays and poetry, I have been fortunate enough to travel and work on opera projects around the world. Tracing it back far enough, I can attribute the writing I do now to a draft, an idea, or a person directly connected to my time at Guelph.
Picking up and moving across the country for "more school" was a scary prospect. There are always expectations as to what an MFA will bring. Yes, there are the practical aspects: elevation of craft, networking, teaching opportunities, but there are also surprises: the fellow writers that nudged me in new directions, the new little paths that revealed themselves, paths that begged to be taken.
David James Brock is a playwright, poet, and librettist whose plays and operas have been performed in cities across Canada, the US, and the UK. He is the winner of the 2011 Herman Voaden Canadian National Playwriting Award. Brock's debut poetry collection, Everyone is CO2, was released by Wolsak & Wynn in spring 2014. He is co-creator of Breath Cycle, a multimedia operatic song cycle developed with cystic fibrosis patients that was nominated for a 2014 Royal Philharmonic Society Award. He lives in Toronto and teaches writing courses at the University Guelph, University of Victoria, Humber College and Young People's Theatre. Learn more about his work at www.davidjamesbrock.com.
Review: William Kemp on Everyone is CO2
Interview: in The Puritan's Town Crier
Elisabeth de Mariaffi (2007 cohort)
When I came into the Guelph MFA in 2007, mine was only the second cohort to begin the program. I was thirty-three years old—a little older than the average—had two small children at home, and had been writing and publishing poetry in magazines for about ten years, off-and-on. I applied and was admitted as a poet. Two years later I completed my thesis in poetry under the guidance of the estimable Dionne Brand. I tell you this because now, in 2015, I sometimes wonder if I'll ever write another poem.
That's the exciting thing about those focused years. I walked out of the program with a new society of friends and colleagues, many of whom are my all-time favourite people to this day. I also walked out as a fiction writer. Part of the beauty of a two-year program is how it forces you to expand outside of what you know. While I initially signed up to take a creative non-fiction course in my second semester, on the strong recommendation of a new friend (and on a bit of a whim, let's face it) I switched over to Michael Winter's short fiction workshop at the last minute. Between that workshop and a summer mentorship, I put together half a manuscript's worth of short stories and sent them out for publication while I got down to the business of writing my poetry thesis. When the thesis was done, the stories I'd sent out had all been placed in magazines and I spent my post-MFA year tenderly juggling freelance money-jobs with real writing time—time I used to keep pushing at short fiction, until I had a whole collection's worth of stories ready to be seen.
Writing a first novel felt very much like that big leap—poetry to fiction—all over again. A novel is nothing like a short story: it's tangly and full of strings. It's a mess. It feels like a mess until pretty much five minutes before you're done with it. I know this now, because my first novel, a literary thriller called The Devil You Know, has just been released. Since my time in Guelph's MFA, I've moved to the far edge of the continent, re-married, and worked and quit two full-time day-jobs. I'm back at work now as a writer again, tiptoeing into a new novel.
I wish I could tell you about it, but it's a mess.
Elisabeth de Mariaffi is the author of one brand new novel, The Devil You Know (HarperCollins, Canada; Simon & Schuster, USA 2015) as well as one book of short stories, the Giller-nominated How To Get Along With Women (Invisible Publishing, 2012). Her poetry and short fiction have been widely published in magazines across Canada. In 2013, her story "Kiss Me Like I'm the Last Man on Earth" was shortlisted for a National Magazine Award. Elisabeth now makes her home in St. John's, Newfoundland, where she lives with the poet George Murray, their combined four children and a border collie—making them CanLit's answer to the Brady Brunch. [featured: spring 2015]
Check out our news item on The Devil You Know, and connect to essays, reviews, and more...[linked here]
Interview: 19 Questions with Christopher Evans
Review: Emily M. Keeler on How to Get Along With Women in the National Post
Matt Lennox (2009 cohort)
Initially I had some reservations about applying for an MFA in creative writing. I'd had some short stories published and had just signed a contract with Oberon to put together a collection. What, I thought (young grasshopper that I was), could I possibly learn in a master's level programme? On the other hand, at the time, I was serving with the army in Afghanistan and I didn't really have much of a plan for my life post-tour. So I put together the application package and took it over to the Canadian post office and sent it to the University of Guelph. A while later — I can't remember how long — I received an email telling me I'd been accepted into the programme. As I read into the accompanying information, I started to get genuinely excited about it. The curriculum and the authors already attached to the MFA buoyed me through the last few weeks of my deployment.
Without question, the programme was one of the best moves I've ever made. I knew that on the first day of the plenary session, and I've never doubted it since. One aspect of it was technical — having a chance to develop my craft under the mentorship of some of Canada's finest writers, as well as alongside peers whose careers I'm excited to watch even now. But, for me, beyond the technical training was the wider dialogue the MFA introduced me to. Vibrant discussions ranging from gender issues to social justice to cultural identities to everything in between – a host of topics I'd never really thought about before, but are nevertheless vital components of the purposes literature must serve.
Now, I won't get too lofty and serious here. While my peers, since our time together, have gone on to well-deserved acclaim as poets, playwrights, and memoirists, among others, I'm still a guy who primarily likes telling simple good-guy-bad-guy tales. Small town noir, I guess you could say. And I'm not always eager to consider my responsibilities as a writer — it's a lot of work, after all, and it doesn't always lead to comfortable places — but I can't shake those responsibilities either. The University of Guelph MFA is directly responsible for that.
Matt Lennox is the author of Men of Salt, Men of Earth and The Carpenter. His next novel, Knucklehead, is due out in May 2015. He has had short fiction and non-fiction published in The Walrus and Toronto Life. Outside of writing, Matt has served in the Canadian Army Reserves since 2002. His service included one tour of duty in Afghanistan from 2008-2009. Matt enjoys carpentry, amateur boxing, and travelling. In 2014 he married Natalie Jacyk, a Toronto-based lawyer. [featured: fall 2014]
Memoir: The Informer, Toronto Life
Fiction: "A Speaking Engagement" in The Walrus
Review: Steven W. Beatty on The Carpenter in The National Post
photo of Matt Lennox by John Brisbane
Jael Richardson (2008 cohort)
I didn't plan on becoming a writer. When my siblings and I set out to create a book about my father's life story, it was simply decided that I would do the actual writing. I was the artsy one, after all.
I applied to the MFA at the University of Guelph because I figured the workshops and the thesis would provide me with the deadlines and accountability I would need to finish an entire manuscript. But the program did far more than that. By taking three different genre workshops, I learned that I had more than one story inside of me.
The MFA plenary classes forced me to wrestle with important questions that continue to shape the stories I tell and the process I use to arrive at a finished product. But the most meaningful part of the program was the workshop discussions with peers, facilitated by talented established writers. I got hard questions and helpful advice. I also got positive feedback and encouraging advice that I still think about when my own self-doubt is overwhelming.
With my Masters degree, I was able to secure a position as a part-time professor at Humber College. I am currently working on a novel. I am also starting a new kind of project that will give other diverse stories a well deserved and much needed platform for promotion and discussion.
Jael Richardson is the author of the memoir The Stone Thrower: A Daughter's Lesson, a Father's Life; a children's picture book of the same name is due for release in February 2016. Richardson recently served as one of the Toronto District School Board's Writer-In-Residence and continues to speak in schools about the challenges and joys of writing, and about writing diverse stories as a Canadian woman of colour. She received a My People Award as a new writer of merit in the African Canadian community for her work on The Stone Thrower. Excerpts from her first play my upside down black face are published in the anthology T-Dot Griots: An Anthology of Toronto's Black Storytellers. Richardson currently teaches at Humber College and is working on plans for a literary festival that celebrates diversity. [featured: summer 2014]
Article: The Stone Thrower in Quill and Quire
Review: Lawrence Hill on The Stone Thrower in The National Post
Q+A: on her novel-in-progress for the Passing the Baton Blog Tour
Jael Richardson
Laurie D Graham (2008 cohort)
I landed two jobs (to my shock) after completing my MFA: one at Humber College and one at Brick magazine. My life has since become truly three-pronged—writing, editing, teaching—and I see this as a happy and rather direct outcome of completing a Master's degree. To sit on various sides of a piece of writing, to have various roles in bringing a piece of writing to completion or publication, is a true education, and that education started in the workshop environment. I chose to pursue a Master's degree for the simple reason that it would give me time to write, and I chose the Guelph program because of its faculty, but I came away with a much more broad set of experiences and knowledges than I could have expected.
One thing that differentiates the Guelph MFA from other programs is its summer mentorship. I produced an enormous amount of work in those few summer months, more than I thought I was capable of, and I came away from my two years in the program with a poetry manuscript, two-thirds of a novel, and ideas for further projects. Not only did those two years show my work a way forward, but they helped solidify a writing practice.
Laurie D Graham is a writer, a book reviewer, an instructor at Humber College, and an editor of Brick magazine. She is a regular reviewer for Brick, The Malahat Review, and The Fiddlehead, and she has had poems, short stories, and essays published in journals across the country, as well as in the anthologies Best Canadian Poetry 2012, A Crystal through Which Love Passes: Glosas for P.K. Page, and Poems from Planet Earth. Rove is her first book of poetry, published by Regina's Hagios Press. Prior to receiving an MFA from the University of Guelph, she received a BFA in writing from the University of Victoria and a BA in English from the University of Alberta. Laurie grew up in the suburbs of Edmonton and now resides in London, Ontario. [featured: spring 2014]
Review: of Lisa Moore's Caught for the Malahat Review
Interview: Zinio - on the editorial process at Brick
Laurie D Graham
Sandy Pool (2006 cohort)
When I was accepted into the MFA program at Guelph, I truly felt like I'd received a golden ticket. The opportunity to write solidly for two years was such a gift. When I look back on it now, I realize that I produced a great deal of work in that short period. The MFA was fundamental to my becoming a professional writer. The high quality of instruction I received, as well as the excellent peer feedback, provided me with the skill set and confidence to put out my first book of poetry, and begin what would later become my second collection.
Since then, I've gone on to complete PhD in English, and have been teaching at various academic institutions across the country. I really believe that I could not have accomplished these goals without first completing the MFA in Creative Writing at Guelph. I was lucky to be mentored by such talented writers, and I'm confident that the program will continue to provide students with the high caliber of instruction and pedagogical initiatives I received while studying there. The program not only provided me with a much-needed community of writers to engage with, but was an excellent overall introduction to the writing life.
Sandy Pool is a writer, editor and Creative Writing instructor. Sandy holds a degree in Theatre Performance and English from the University of Toronto, as well as a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University Guelph. Currently, she is a holder of the prestigious Killam scholarship in poetics at the University of Calgary, where she is completing her PhD. Sandy has been published in various literary journals and was most recently anthologized in The Best Canadian Poems in 2011, published by Tightrope Books. Her first book Exploding Into Night, published by Guernica Editions, was long-listed for the 2010 re-lit award and short-listed for the 2010 Governor General's Award for poetry. Undark: An Oratorio was published this fall with Nightwood Editions and was recently short-listed for an Alberta Book Award for Poetry and the Trillium Book Award for Poetry. [featured: fall 2013]
Interview: The Toronto Quarterly
Discussion (with fellow Trillium finalist): The National Post
Sandy Pool


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'American Idol' to Refocus on Talent
"American Idol" will refocus on strong talent in this coming season as it looks to revive its ratings, Michael Ferrel, CEO of owner CKX Inc., said Monday.
"We want to refocus 'Idol' on its talent," he told analysts on the company's quarterly earnings call. He highlighted that ratings, particularly among the key 18-49 demo, declined more strongly at the end of the previous season.
The audition process for the coming 10th season that started last month has averaged 13,000 candidates, executives said.
Overall, Ferrel said he feels that "Idol" is better positioned this season thanks to the return of Nigel Lythgoe as executive producer and a new deal with Universal Music Group, which will help with music selection and the like.
CKX management also said that talks with various candidates for the role of "Idol" judges and with possible acquirors of CKX continue.
An announcement on the judges front is likely to come no later than mid-September, they suggested without discussing specific names.
Discussing a possible sale of CKX, CFO Tom Benson said dialogue with several potential suitors, including founder Robert Sillerman, are ongoing. He didn't mention whether "Idol" creator Simon Fuller was still in the running, but said a decision should come in the "not too distant future." Sources have said that CKX could decide on a sale by November.


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I've just discovered fairy gardens. Slow, I know.
What a delightful way to captivate the imaginations of young children!
A fairy garden can be in a small patch of garden bed, or they are just as effective in a largish pot or planter, making them ideal for smaller spaces.
Take a look at this one from The Magic Onions:
Fairy Gardens don't have to be elaborate or even permanent.
I like this arrangement of different sized pots at different levels:
Fairy gardens work best alongside already established small plants or herbs, to create some atmosphere.
Planting suggestions include:
- lavendar
- rosemary
- sage
- chives
- geranium
- fuchia
- asparagus ferns
- mosses, lichen
- african violets.
Or perhaps some dinosaurs, small animal figures or dolls furniture to inspire imaginative play.


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If you are a budding wedding photographer and you've been asked by your best friend to take their wedding photos then these tips are for you on wedding photography! It can be a daunting task taking wedding photos as it's not something that you can do all over again the next day. So here are 10 tips on wedding photography to help you.
Tip 1:
Learn the basis of your camera and wedding style. Visit websites and see how other photographers are doing it. See what appeals to you. Of course you can put your own spin on it but why not learn from others when trying to find your own style?
Tip 2:
Plan, plan and plan some more! Don't just go on the day and expect to go with the flow of what is happening. Weddings need to be planned and you need to be prepared. Go to the venue in advance, see where the best place to take photos is, who needs to be in the photos, what happens if it rains. Planning will ensure you get all the important shots.
Tip 3:
Ask your client what they want. What group shots do they want – this is important in case there are some guests who don't talk to each other! After all it's their day so make sure you get what they want.
Tip 4:
Know the schedule for the day. You may need to go to different places for photos so plan your route and how quickly you can get there. You need to be in the right place at the right time.
Tip 5:
Consider your family compositions beforehand. After talking to your client and you find out what they want and what group photos they require consider your compositions and how you will fit everyone in. At the same time consider more relaxed compositions too.
Tip 6:
Direct your subjects. Don't be afraid to tell your subjects where to stand and what to do! Giving direction and being firm will make sure the photographing goes smoothly and gives them confidence in your ability.
Tip 7:
Tell your clients about Wedding Photo Swap. Which allows all photos taken at their wedding to be collected and shared via an app. This will give them a live feed of photos of the important day and make even more special memories.
Tip 8:
Pre-set your camera to ensure you are capturing the best high resolution photos you can and consider taking your photos in RAW format. This will allow you to make adjustments later on if you haven't captured the moment perfectly.
Tip 9:
Use the camera you are familiar with. If you use one that is new to you, you may find that your photos are not what you expected. If you do get a new camera make sure you practice beforehand to get used to it.
Tip 10:
Back up your photos. Do this several times during the day. Change memory cards often and keep them in a safe place.
Above all have fun on the day, after all you are capturing treasured memories of a wedding. Embrace the day and smile when you are doing it too.


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EGM96 (Earth Gravitational Model 1996) is a geopotential model of the Earth consisting of spherical harmonic coefficients complete to degree and order 360.
EGM96 is a composite solution, consisting of:[1]
- a combination solution to degree and order 70,
- a block diagonal solution from degree 71 to 359,
- and the quadrature solution at degree 360.
This model is the result of a collaboration between the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA), the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), and the Ohio State University.
The joint project took advantage of new surface gravity data from many different regions of the globe, including data newly released from the NIMA archives. Major terrestrial gravity acquisitions by NIMA since 1990 include airborne gravity surveys over Greenland and parts of the Arctic and the Antarctic, surveyed by the Naval Research Lab (NRL) and cooperative gravity collection projects, several of which were undertaken with the University of Leeds. These collection efforts have improved the data holdings over many of the world's land areas, including Africa, Canada, parts of South America and Africa, Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, and the former Soviet Union. In addition, there have been major efforts to improve NIMA's existing 30′[clarification needed] mean anomaly database through contributions over various countries in Asia.
NIMA also computed and made available 30′×30′ mean altimeter derived gravity anomalies from the GEOSAT Geodetic Mission. EGM96 also included altimeter derived anomalies derived from ERS-1 by Kort & Matrikelstyrelsen (KMS), (National Survey and Cadastre, Denmark) over portions of the Arctic, and the Antarctic, as well as the altimeter derived anomalies of Schoene [1996] over the Weddell Sea.
PGM2000A is an EGM96 derivative model that incorporates normal equations for the dynamic ocean topography implied by the POCM4B ocean circulation model.
The official Earth Gravitational Model EGM2008 has been publicly released by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) EGM Development Team. This gravitational model is complete to spherical harmonic degree and order 2159, and contains additional coefficients extending to degree 2190 and order 2159.
See also[edit]
- ^ Lemoine, F. G., S. C. Kenyon, J. K. Factor, R.G. Trimmer, N. K. Pavlis, D. S. Chinn, C. M. Cox, S. M. Klosko, S. B. Luthcke, M. H. Torrence, Y. M. Wang, R. G. Williamson, E. C. Pavlis, R. H. Rapp and T. R. Olson (1998). The Development of the Joint NASA GSFC and the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) Geopotential Model EGM96. NASA/TP-1998-206861, July 1998. Partly available online.
External links[edit]
- EGM96: The NASA GSFC and NIMA Joint Geopotential Model
- Earth Gravitational Model 2008 (EGM2008)
- GeographicLib provides a utility GeoidEval (with source code) to evaluate the geoid height for the EGM84, EGM96, and EGM2008 Earth gravity models. Here is an online version of GeoidEval.


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& Me
As moms we have so much on our plates. We work (if you stay at home believe me I know you put in plenty of work), we take care of the kids, and we try to take care of ourselves. Unfortunately self care often becomes last on the list of things to do. Is it our fault or are there just not enough options that take parenting into account? Also, is it really self-care if you're running yourself into the ground trying to do it? For some moms getting up at 5:00 am to work out, or going for a run after the kids are in bed, works. For others, we just need another option that fits into our life as it is. Phia is here to offer some of those options for the busy moms of Gloucester!
Mommy and Me Fitness
Wednesdays 10:00 - 11:00 am
Moms and their kids (ages 0-3) will have a blast dancing to fun music in this energetic fitness class. For the moms each class will include body weight movements such as crunches, lunges, and push-ups with a fun twist that gets the kids involved. Children who can not sit up on their own should come in their car seat for easy mobility. We have a separate, comfortable area available for breastfeeding mothers to nurse. Bring water, towel, your little one, and your sense of humor!
Cape Ann Mothers Group
Thursdays 4:00 - 5:00 pm
This FREE mothers group is for the mothers of Cape Ann and surrounding areas to socialize, find support, ask advice from other mothers and make connections for play dates and new friends. This group is currently open to mothers with children of all ages and is intended to foster a community of support, camaraderie, and friendship.
Tuesdays 5:30 - 6:30 pm
Fridays 9:00 - 10:00 am
Phia is now offering child care during select classes. We have a separate, fully equipped child care room that has toys, activities, and wonderful staff.
All children must be signed up for childcare 24 hours prior to class time and arrive at least 5 to 10 minutes before Mom's class.
To sign you child up for child care you can call or text us at (978)491-9112. In you message provide the child's name, age, your name, and the date and time of the class you'd like child care for. You will receive a text confirmation that your child has been signed up.The first time you bring your child for child care you will have to fill out some paperwork so allow for extra time before your class begins.
Our staff does not change diapers or give bottles so please bring your child freshly changed and fed. If your child needs a diaper change, or is inconsolable for more than 10 minutes our staff will come to get you from your class. Non-peanut snacks are allowed for older children.
There is a maximum of five childcare slots open during each class. Slots are first come, first serve.


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Raise war crimes committed by Sri Lankan President
"According to a UN Internal Review Report, Sri Lankan troops killed over 70,000 Tamils in five months and raped hundreds of Tamil women"
- Urged to raise the plight of 90,000 Tamil war widows and their daughters.
- Raise the issue of sexual violence by the Sri Lankan armed forces against the Tamil women.
- Allegations of Chemical Weapons use.
- Urged to raise the plight of those surrendered.
- UN Internal Review Report: 70,000 Tamils killed in five months.
( August 29, 2013, New York City, Sri Lanka Guardian) As the the South Korean Prime Minister Chung Hong-Won begins his State visit to Sri Lanka, the Prime Minister of the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE), Mr. Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran, urged him to raise war crimes and genocide committed by the Sri Lankan President.
"According to a UN Internal Review Report on Sri Lanka, troops under the Sri Lankan President's command, killed over 70,000 Tamils in five months and raped hundreds of Tamil women," said Mr. Rudrakumaran.
"Tamils were singled out to face these abuses simply and solely on account of their Tamil nationality."
"There were allegations that Chemical weapons were used by the Sri Lankan security forces"
Mr. Rudrakumaran also urged the South Korean Prime Minister to raise the plight of 90,000 Tamil war widows and their daughters during her visit to Sri Lanka. "We urge you to remember that while you are meeting Sri Lankan President, several women are facing rape and sexual abuse by the Sri Lankan security forces."
According to a May 2012 report by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office on Human Rights and Democracy; there are up to 90,000 Tamil war widows in the North & East of Sri Lanka.
"We also urge you to raise the plight of thousands who surrendered to Sri Lankan Security Forces in May 2009, like a group led by Rev. Father Francis Joseph and Ehilian. Several witnesses saw Fr. Joseph and others surrendering to the Sri Lankan Security Forces. For the last four years no one has been allowed to meet them, he continued.
The appeal to South Korean Prime Minister also explained that Tamils have faced repeated mass killings since 1958 and that the killings in 2009 prompted UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to appoint a Panel of Experts to report on the scale of killings. According to this UN report tens of thousands of Tamil civilians were killed in five months due to deliberate and intense shelling and bombing of areas designated by the government as "no-fire zones", where Tamil civilians had assembled for safety.
"The Sri Lankan Government also restricted food and medicine for Tamils, resulting in large numbers of people dying from starvation and many of the injured bleeding to death," noted Mr. Rudrakuamran.
According to the UN Panel, the killings and other abuses that took place amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. Independent experts believe that there are elements of these abuses that constitute an act of genocide.
"According to Bishop of Mannar, Dr. Rayappu Joseph, 146,679 Tamils went missing when Sri Lankan forces attacked Tamil people. Members of the Sri Lankan security forces are almost exclusively from the Sinhalese community and the victims are all from the Tamil community," Mr. Rudrakumaran concluded.


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I've been bad. Not posting as much as I should have...oh well...A bunch of music videos have been released lately. SNSD (Girl's Generation Paparazzi), Boyfriend (Love Style), and U-Kiss (Believe). None of them I'm really crazy about, but f(x) just released their new album and single "Electric Shock". I am more crazy about their concept photos than their actual song. The music video isn't very creative, but the song still gives you a beat to dance to! Amber is still my favorite out of the group, I was surprised she didn't do any rapping, but actual singing.
Visual Concept: ♥♥♥/5
Video Concept: ♥♥♥/5
Singing Talent: ♥♥♥♥/5
Music/Sound: ♥♥♥.5/5
Dancing: ♥♥♥.5/5
English Usage: ♥♥/5
Overall Rating: ♥♥♥/5


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Because our office is located in Sunnyvale, CA, all orders shipped i the state of California are charged a 9% sales tax. If you are a tax exempt organization, please contact us at 408-490-3085 for assistance. We will ask you to fax us a copy of your tax exempt certificate to 408-516-8168 and you can place the order with us over the phone.International Orders
Orders shipped outside of the US will be charged customs fees (taxes, duties, processing fees, brokerage fees, etc.) upon arrival. We have no control over these fees. If you are not familiar with the customs laws and fees in your country, please check with your local customs office for more information. Also, because we are a retail store, we are NOT able to mark orders as 'Gifts' for customers to avoid paying these fees.


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Phillip Schofield 'cried eyes out' watching final Dancing on Ice
- Bang Showbiz
- 13 March 2014
Phillip Schofield has revealed he "cried his eyes out" watching the final episode of 'Dancing on Ice', which ended on Sunday (09.03.14)
Phillip Schofield "cried his eyes out" watching the final episode of 'Dancing on Ice'.
The 51-year-old TV presenter - who fronted the ITV skating competition for nine years - has admitted he bawled like a baby as he relived the emotional ending of the series earlier this week.
'Dancing on Ice' came to an end on Sunday (09.03.14), with Ray Quinn besting Beth Tweddle and Hayley Tamaddon to be crowned champion of champions.
Phillip told BANG Showbiz: "It was weird on Sunday, because I wasn't terribly emotional during the show because, of course, you've got to hold it together and concentrate. It was a smart show, I'm really proud of the show on Sunday - I watched it back on Monday and cried my eyes out!"
Phillip and co-host Christine Bleakley took to the ice themselves for the final show and the silver-haired fox was thrilled to have Olympic ice skating legends Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean personally coach the duo.
He said: "When it was suggested we do it, we both looked at each other and went, 'Well, I'm up for it - let's do it then.' We got what the celebrities normally get, which is time on the ice with Jayne and Chris, so Torvill and Dean coaching us and you've got the pros there as well giving us their tips. It was a lovely thing to remember. It was a lovely way to finish."
And the 'This Morning' star feels 'Dancing on Ice' has bowed out at exactly the right time and has praised ITV for allowing the show to end on a high.
He explained: "We could have all got a call in August saying, 'We don't want to do any more', but there was none of that. This was such a dignified way to do it.
"You run out of people who are prepared to do it, Jayne and Chris have other things they want to do and it was the right time for them - it was the anniversary of bolero - so it was a very neat bow to tie up.
"I'm so pleased we got the opportunity to finish it the way we wanted to finish it.
"I was also pleased that on Sunday, we presented our best ever show - that's the legacy Jayne and Chris were talking about, what a way to go!"


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The Monsoon Session of Parliament begins today in the national capital. This will be the first parliamentary session after the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in India. The onset of the Monsoon Session also coincides with the voting for the coveted post of President of India. PM Narendra Modi, in his customary speech before the session begins, said that this session was important because India would elect a new President and Vice President. He also said that in August India would complete 75 years of the 'Quit India Movement' and seven decades of democracy.
Here is the full text of the PM's speech
Monsoon Session of the Parliament gets underway today. After summer, the advent of first rain brings in a fresh new smell into the soil. Similarly, this Monsoon Session will bring in a new spirit after the successful implementation of GST. Whenever the Political Parties and the Government take decisions keeping in mind the national interest, it shows their commitment towards the larger public good. It has been proved successfully with the implementation of GST. The GST spirit is about growing stronger together. I hope the same GST spirit prevails in this Session. The Monsoon Session is significant on several accounts. Nation completes seven decades of Independence on 15th August, 2017. Quit India Movement turns 75 years on 9th August, 2017. During this Session, the nation gets an opportunity to elect the new President and the Vice President. In a way, this period is full of many significant events for the nation. Therefore, it is natural that the public attention will be focussed more on the Monsoon Session this year. As the Monsoon Session of Parliament gets underway, we salute our farmers who have been ensuring food security for the country with their hard work. It is my firm belief that the Monsoon Session will provide an opportunity to all the Political Parties and the MPs to enter into a dialogue of the highest quality with value addition for taking major decisions in the larger national interest together.
Many many thanks to you.