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As part of Money Week 2013, we are running a series of articles offering basic investment advice, written by Sorted.org.nz.
Earlier this year 113,000 Kiwis bought shares in Mighty River Power. Those investors now own a small part of the company and will share in any profit it makes. However, investors in Mighty River Power will also be aware of shares' potential to drop in value - MRP shares listed at $2.50 per share and are currently trading at around $2.24
This may sound like an intimidating prospect, but the flipside of risk is reward, and if you do your homework, investing in shares can be a good way to grow your money and accumulate wealth for your retirement. Consider the share market darling Xero, whose shares listed at $1 in 2007 and are currently trading at close to $15.
Shares, also called stocks, equities or securities, are mostly bought and sold on stock exchanges such as the NZX. You can buy or sell shares directly through a sharebroker registered with the NZX or indirectly through a managed fund and a fund manager.
By 2033 a typical outcome would fall within the green and blue areas.
The graph above shows historical and projected future returns on an initial investment in 1993 of $10,000. You can see how the market's ups and downs affect the value of the investment.
The nature and volatility of the sharemarket means that shares may not be for everyone, and it will depend on what type of investor you are: your attitude to risk, your capacity to invest, and how long you want to invest for.
In New Zealand, shares make good investments for those with a long-term timeframe and goal, such as saving for retirement. Investing for a period greater than 10 years will ensure your investments have time to ride out the volatile periods.
Sorted's Investment planner recommends that a balanced investor's portfolio include 41 per cent shares. This amount increases to 80 per cent for an aggressive investor and drops right back to 14 per cent for a risk-averse defensive investor. Compared to the projected returns on cash, bonds and property, nothing compares to shares, but it pays to keep in mind the associated risks and talk to a professional before making any investment decisions.


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The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run is the longest-running motoring event in the world. More than 400 pioneering veteran cars (built before 1905), their drivers and passengers gathered in Hyde Park on Sunday 5 November waiting for daybreak to signal the start of the annual Bonhams London to Brighton Veteran Car Run supported by Hiscox.
Participants headed off for a nostalgic drive to the Sussex coast, where I was waiting to photograph them cross the finishing line to the rapturous cheers and applause of the crowds at Madeira Drive, Brighton.
This year the Run featured the largest entry in recent years, staged as it has been since 1930, by the Royal Automobile Club. The route this year took a detour to avoid the roadworks in Brixton as the map below shows.
Although a number of cars were diverted following a road traffic accident involving one of the participating vehicles, 315 of the 401 starters made it to Brighton to claim a coveted finishers' medal before sunset at 4.30pm.
This year's Veteran Car Run marked 121 years since the original 'Emancipation Run', which was held in 1896 to celebrate the Locomotive on the Highway Act. This raised the speed limit for 'light locomotives' from 4 to 14 mph and abolished the need for a man to walk ahead waving a red flag to warn pedestrians and horse riders of its approach. The event's ceremonial start includes the tearing in half of one such red flag, a poignant reminder of the liberation we commemorate on this annual 'Emancipation Run'.
I particularly enjoy photographing this annual event because of the atmosphere and the fascinating history associated with each car, I have included some of the histories to accompany a few of the photographs from the day.
The maximum speed the cars can travel is 20 mph, the first car above, to cross the finishing line at 10.45am - number 111, a 1902 Oldsmobile, 1 cylinder 4.5 HP driven by Andreas Melkus from Austria.
Not far behind, above in car number 034, Robert Abery driving an 1899 Daimler, 2 cylinders 8 HP and car number 150 driven by Jiri Horice a 1902 Autocar, 2 cylinders 10 HP.
In all, 23 countries are represented in an entry list, which includes 34 new participants on the Run, while a further 18 have returned after missing the 2016 event.
John Dennis driving the car above number 125, knows exactly where he was on Sunday, 1 November 1959, he knows exactly where he was on Sunday, 6 November 1960, too.
In fact, he can pinpoint where he was on the first Sunday of November of every year, ever since - bar one year in the 1990s, when he was in America on a business trip. On the first Sunday of every November, Dennis has been behind the wheel of his veteran car, making his way from London to Brighton.
Not just any veteran car either, but one made by his grandfather's company 115 years ago. It's a 1902 Dennis Tonneau, 1 cylinder 8 HP, built by the Guildford-based Dennis Brothers, a company better known today for its buses, trucks and fire appliances. This year, John Dennis OBE drove the same car – registered P 26 – for the 58th time on the annual Bonhams London to Brighton Veteran Car Run. The car however, will be on its 66th Run, having completed eight Runs with John's father at the wheel in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
John and two other drivers who have taken part in 50 or more Runs are to be given special Gold Medals by the Royal Automobile Club in recognition of their remarkable achievements. John will be joined at the ceremony by John Kemsley and John Newens below driving car number 312, his 1904 Star, 2 cylinders 7 HP - who have participated in 50 and 61 Runs respectively.
Passenger, Charley Boorman TV presenter, travel writer and actor with driver Damon Hill OBE, British former racing driver, above in a 1904 Rover, 1 cylinder 8 HP from the British Motor Musem.
Above photograph of Malcolm Barber Co-Chairman of the Bonhams Group, driving car number 260 a 1903 Peerless, 2 cylinder 16 HP.
Guy Middleton above, has been the proud owner of car number 218, a 1903 Wolseley Tonneau, 2 cylinders 7.5 HP for the past seven years, and his father before him the owner since 1984.
Guy has taken part in the Run on and off since 1983 as a passenger, he then completed a series of Runs in a single cylinder Bare as the driver.
I asked him to share any special memories about any of the Runs, this is his reply: "The first Run we had a puncture in Croydon High Street. Fortunately, we had inner tubes, a jack and some tyre levers and when we got going again we received an amazing round of applause for changing a tyre in about half an hour! A few Runs later we hired mobile phones (the ones that look like a brick with a rat tail), we had to keep it in the umbrella basket!"
I was also curious to know if he owns any other cars, and if so which was his favourite and why, Guy explained: "No, this is the only one and I have to look after it. We used it on our wedding day, to go from the church to our reception, so it does have a lot of great memories. At one point we had three cars in the Run, including my mother in a 1901 Baker electric. I shall wait and see if my daughters get the bug!"
Guy above, driving with his friends.
Ms Quirina Louwman above with her children and with her father driving 'Genevieve' their 1904 Darracq, 2 cylinders 12 HP, from the Louwman Museum in the Netherlands.
This car was the star of the 1953 British comedy film 'Genevieve' - about two couples who took part in the Run. Always a pleasure to see 'Genevieve' and her faithful occupants at the Run!
Above a 1901 De Dion, 1 cylinder 4.5 HP driven by Jerome Stevens.
Following the Run were 60 auction winners who bid for a seat on one of three vintage buses.
The 60 Go Bonkers to Brighton auction was organised by BBC Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans to raise money for BBC Children in Need. In the three years Children in Need has been involved in the Run, more than £741,000 has been raised for the charity. Many congratulations to them for raising much-needed funds for such a worthy cause!
Above Chris Evans, seen here with Pudsey Bear, drove one of the busses - the passengers were the auction winners who bid for a seat to raise money for BBC Children in Need.
Above presenter Alex Jones from BBC One, The One Show driving one of the 1950s Bedford coaches.
(Photograph supplied by MPA Creative)
Although the Run is not a race, in recent years the Chopard Regularity Trial has introduced an additional interesting element to the Run.
The Regularity Time Trial starts halfway through the Run after participants have regrouped at the Crawley half-way checkpoint. The Time Trial starts at Crawley High Street and finishes 13 miles later at another checkpoint at Burgess Hill in Sussex.
Before the Run, each entrant will nominate the average speed they think they will maintain over the 13 miles – the options are 8 mph, 10 mph, 12 mph, 14 mph, 16 mph and 18 mph. If no speed is nominated, the default average speed is set at 12 mph. The car and driver that gets closest to its nominated average speed wins the watch.
This year's winner of a Chopard Mille Miglia Chronograph, worth £4,900 is Ymer Sletter, who opted for a 12 mph average between the two points and came closest to his nominated speed. Driving a Cadillac dating back to 1904 shown in the photograph above (supplied), Sletter's actual speed for the allocated section in the Sussex Downs was an amazing 12.01 mph.
The crowds gathered to cheer and applaud the participants and their wonderful array of veteran cars on a sunny, but chilly Sunday.
Above, an 1899 steam Locomobile, 2 cylinders 3.5 HP driven by Kempton Moody finished just before sunset.
Safely back on the trailer and homeward bound!
Thanks for reading, I'm already looking forward to Bonhams London to Brighton Veteran Car Run 2018!
To view more photographs from the day please follow this link to my website. I'll be back soon with more news in the next week or so.
Bye for now.

subset: commoncrawl


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Pro-Life Egg Challenge
What is the Pro-Life Egg Challenge?
The Pro-Life Egg Challenge is an attempt to raise awareness and funds to support pregnancy resource centers as alternatives to Planned Parenthood.
This challenge is not a "holier than thou" snub at women that are currently pregnant without support or against women that have had abortions. We have friends and family that have been in challenging situations from unplanned pregnancies. Women are not hopeless! In any circumstance women need unbiased care and compassion, both of which Planned Parenthood has lost credibility to offer. Let's do something about it!
How do I participate in the Pro-Life Egg Challenge?
1. ACCEPT: Accept the challenge;
2. RECORD: Take a video of you or others smashing an egg over your head to increase awareness;
3. UPLOAD: Upload your video to social media, tagging/challenging at least three of your friends;
4. GIVE: Make a donation to a pregnancy resource center or home for single mothers. You can donate money, gifts, or volunteer your time. Find one near you here.
How did the Pro-Life Egg Challenge start?
Undercover investigator David Daleiden has shared four (so far!) undercover graphic videos of Planned Parenthood leaders talking about harvesting fetal tissue for financial gain and some showing the process of selecting organs and limbs of a post-aborted baby. The videos have been accused of being edited to trap Planned Parenthood but the content is the same in the full length videos. In one video they even identified the gender of one baby. A boy! May his short life not be in vain. I have decided to not share the videos here because of their graphic content. If you would like to view the undercover videos click to see number one, two, three, and four.
I have seen requests for people to sign petitions and letters to defund Planned Parenthood. 48% of their funding comes from tax payers. There has to be something more that we can do.
One year ago Facebook was filled with 17 million videos of kids and adults pouring buckets of ice water over their heads raising awareness and donations for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge was a trend in social media unseen like anything else before.
What if we could do something on a similar scale to the ALS challenge that can offer direction to women in need? a guilt-free future for herself? a life for her baby?
There have been over 58 MILLION abortions in the US since 1973: Roe vs Wade. In one year there are at least 300,000 abortions performed by Planned Parenthood. Our challenge is to match that number with the amount of Pro-Life Egg Challenge videos from those that support babies lives at all stages. Life begins at conception. The egg is either fertilized or it is not!
Will you submit a video and give a voice to one of the 300,000 voices unheard from this year?
Besides sharing the video what are other ways I can help?
1. Find a Pregnancy Resource Center to donate your time, money, or gifts to. Often, those that are pro-life are criticized for not having realistic solutions for women's health as an alternative to Planned Parenthood. If Planned Parenthood goes, where do women go? Time to put money where our mouth is. Join me in finding health centers that support life from conception and direct our money to them instead.
Women that are single and pregnant may feel guilty, afraid, lonely, and defensive. What we say online and in person has an impact on how they view Jesus. We should be a safe-place for them and shame on us for not doing a better job listening and supporting them.
Other ideas include: homes for single moms like New Beginnings help women finish their education and get an established job, help a Mobile Pregnancy Resource Center Clinic campaign, or the Open Ultrasound program for pregnancy centers in need of ultrasound equipment.
2. Do not be silent. Give voice to the unborn! Those that are for abortion seem to be in the majority. The media may ignore the issue in favor of Cecil the African lion. The President may choose to not watch the videos. It can be intimidating to even think of sharing a social media post in defense of the unborn. Our friends may not agree! They may not like us anymore. We may feel uncomfortable.
What is more uncomfortable? Feeling the push back from our social media friends or watching the video where true innocent lives are being pulled apart limb by limb? That baby was more uncomfortable than any of us. That baby didn't have a choice but we have a choice to speak up for them in their place. We are responsible to do something!
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.
Proverbs 31:8-9
3. Send a letter, an email, or call your state's two senators here.
4. Sign petitions to help defund Planned Parenthood. Here are several petitions from Planned Parenthood Exposed, American Center for Law and Justice, & Life Petitions.
5. Consider foster care or adoption. "In the U.S. there are over 400,000 children living without permanent families in the foster care system. 101,666 of these children are eligible for adoption, but nearly 32% of these children will wait over three years in foster care before being adopted." Source: AFCARS Report, No. 21
You can do a great deal of research on the internet, but we found the best way to find out more was to go to an informational meeting. You can find these through your local Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) in your county. These meetings give a good overview of what foster care is, what the different types of foster care are and what the next step in the process would be. For more information about getting started, read here.
6. Talk about sex with your daughters AND sons. Even when we don't expect a pregnancy, babies are not a punishment. How would the following impact a teen's attitude towards unplanned pregnancies?
"Don't have sex before marriage because you will get pregnant. If you have a baby you can't finish school. How are you going to work and support the baby? Consider your life over if you get pregnant!" Talking this way to sons and daughters makes a baby seem like a punishment and a hopeless future.
My mom was a teen mom. Far away from home and at seventeen she married my dad, gave birth to my brother and had my sister a year and half later. She did not finish high school but earned her GED later. She worked hard to help support us and still obtain her goals. My mom built her way up the mechanical engineering field starting from the factory floor, owned her own business, has her master's degree in education, and is a mentor to teen girls and boys as a high school STEM teacher. I am incredibly proud and honored to call her mom.
I have grown up with children being described as a blessing, a gift, a treasure. My mom chose the way that wasn't easy but the way that was right. She has been rewarded. She is a mother to three and a grandmother to six.
What would happen if your daughter got pregnant? Does she know that you would be supportive of her and the baby? Will your son have a say in seeing his child ever? Can they trust your reaction so that they can come to you instead of thinking they have to solve the "problem" on their own? You may not be able to control the world or even your own child but we can control how we respond to challenges. With judgment alone? or with grace?
7. Do not be overcome by evil. But overcome evil with good.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary:
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12: 17-21
If Planned Parenthood can't be responsible we should be! Mothers and their unborn babies' futures depend on it.
Will you submit a video and give a voice to one of the 300,000 baby voices unheard from this year?


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Valid Park admission is required for each tour in addition to the cost of the tour.
Premium VIP Tours
Walt Disney World is massive and Disney virgins & veterans might find it difficult to navigate efficiently. Well don't fret Disney can take that worry away- for a little extra cha-ching, O.K. a lot of cha-ching. Imagine the experience of WDW with perks such as; door-to-door transportation preferred event seating and expedited entry to select attractions. I just wish we had Prince Charming to pick up the tab, lol. Here is a list of what Walt Disney Walt offers. Up to 1o people per group- For more information, please call (407) 560-4033.
Hourly Rate per guide Hourly Rate per guide (holiday)
Resort Guest- $315.00 $355.00
Non-Resort Guest $340.00 $380.00
Disney's Keys to the Kingdom Tour
Location: Magic Kingdom® Park
Price: $79.00
Guests must be 16 years of age or older
Want to see the (not so secret) Utilidors of the Magic Kingdom, learn secrets & tips about Walt Disney & your beloved attractions. Then you'll enjoy this 5 hour walking tour that includes lunch at Columbia Harbour House. For more information, please call (407) 939-8687.
Backstage Magic
Location: Epcot®
Price: $249.00
Guests must be 16 years of age or older
Discover Walt Disney Nursery & hit all four theme parks in one day on this magical 7 hour tour. Lunch is included at Whispering Canyon Café at majestic Wilderness Lodge. Please call (407) 560-4033 for more information.
Disney's Family Magic Tour
Location: Magic Kingdom® Park
Price $34.00
Guests ages 4-10 years old with paying adult
Guided 2 hour walking tour filled with adventure. Find hidden clues & complete the quest. For more information, please call (407) WDW-TOUR or (407) 939-8687.
The Magic Behind Our Steam Trains Tour
Location: Magic Kingdom® Park
Price: $54.00
Suited for tweens, teens & adults
Step aside Mickey Mouse, Walt Disney had a love before you were imagined and it was steam locomotives. If you are a train enthusiast join Disney engineers for this in-depth 3 hour tour which includes backstage access of the roundhouse. Please call (407) 560-4033 for more information.
Walt Disney: Marceline to Magic Kingdom Tour
Location: Magic Kingdom® Park
Price: $30.00
Guest ages 12 & older
Like many of you- I love Mickey Mouse; it was love at first mouse ears, until I learned about the kid-at-heart behind the mouse. If you admire Walt Disney as much as I do, you will definitely enjoy this delightful 3 hour walking tour. Learn about Walt's childhood in Marceline, Missouri and enjoy an early arrival into Magic Kingdom for photo opportunities. For more information, please call (407) 939-8687.
Behind the Seeds
Location: Epcot®
Price: Child $16.oo & Adult $20.00
Guests of all ages
This is a one hour educational tour which features a peek at the four greenhouses that makeup the Land pavilion. Learn about hydroponics and more efficient ways to garden. Call for Reservations (407) 939-8687
There are so many terrific Walt Disney World tours, I couldn't list them all. Disney's made it difficult for you to select just one. Have fun choosing the one that's fits your family! Woot.
Previously published on http://www.disneygals.com/


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Prosecutor Seeks to Padlock House Under Nuisance Statute
Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton filed a public nuisance action on Wednesday against a residence on Flint's west side where authorities recently discovered a methamphetamine lab in operation.
Four individuals were arrested in connection to the lab at 338 Allendale, near Flint's McLaren Hospital. Late Wednesday, at Prosecutor Leyton's request, Genesee County Circuit Judge Joseph Farah issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting further unlawful activity.
"This is the first step toward padlocking this house," said Prosecutor Leyton. "We will not allow drug dealers to take over our neighborhoods and endanger our safety and security. If drug dealing is discovered, not only will the perpetrators be arrested and convicted, they will also lose their homes and possessions through the laws of Michigan."
This house has been the site of four separate incidents of drug dealing in 2012 said Leyton. "There were busts at this residence on January 18, 26, February 7 and May 22. Because of the frequency of the criminal activity, we were able to use the public nuisance statute to begin padlocking procedures."
The next court date in July 2nd at which time Prosecutor Leyton will ask the court to convert the TRO into a preliminary injunction.


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Christopher Burnett | Staff Writer
Four soldiers from Fort Leavenworth's Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers program visited David Brewer Elementary School in Leavenworth Nov. 14 to start a new mentoring program initiative targeted to serve school-aged students in the area.
"This is a brand new initiative at our school," said Lesley Morey, school counselor. "We decided over the summer that we wanted to have more positive mentor influence involvement at David J. Brewer. We contacted the BOSS organization and asked if they wanted to connect with our school. The idea is to have soldiers come in and visit with our students, read to classes, interact with students during recess and share knowledge as mentors."
The mission of BOSS is based on three pillars — community involvement, quality of life and organized recreational activities. BOSS plans different activities throughout the year to support these pillars, including an Angel Tree, community council meetings, themed parties, lake trips, snow skiing, road side clean up and fundraisers.
Pfc. Stephanie Jackson, a member of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 40th Military Police Battalion (Detention), is originally from Chino, Calif., and has been president of BOSS since October. She said the group of visiting soldiers would be engaged in various activities with students at the school for the entire morning.
"Some of our organizational goals are first to maintain the current number of volunteers we now have, and then to grow our membership by getting more soldiers involved," Jackson said. "Outreach initiatives like this one are important. We want to also serve our off-post communities. Each of us is looking forward to working with the students and will even stay to eat lunch with them before we go."
BOSS soldiers talked about the benefits of having professional soldiers volunteering to serve in the communities near their military post.
"I originally got involved with BOSS to just get out into the community, do constructive things and make friends," said Spc. Rachel Thorpe, of Carmichael, Calif., who is currently assigned with Company C, 308th Military Intelligence Battalion, 902nd MI Group.
Spc. Benjamin Watts, vice president of the BOSS program and a radiology specialist at Munson Army Health Center is from Atlanta and said he joined BOSS to get involved in community service.
"We do lots of work in the community and on post. So, we wanted to work with Ms. Morey and the administrators here by mentoring and helping out in any way we could," Watts said.
Spc. Elliot Robinson, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, has only been in the service for 18 months. Also from Atlanta, Robinson said he enjoys participating in BOSS for the volunteer opportunities that allow him to interact constructively with the elementary students as a mentor.
Page 2 of 2 - "As an active-duty soldier, it is not only important to provide service at the federal level, but to also provide service at the local level in communities where we live," Robinson said. "This program helps ensure that our presence is known to our fellow citizens in other positive ways besides the obvious primary military mission of national defense we all have as soldiers."
The first stop for the BOSS soldiers inside the school was the fourth-grade classroom of Debbie Crabill, who asked each solder to share an example of a patriotic tradition.
"Our students are a learning community," Crabill said. "Having the BOSS soldiers help us reinforce something like the reasons we say the Pledge of Allegiance each morning helps our students develop an understanding and perspective that enhances their comprehension of the meaning of those words. It also helps put the reasons we willingly show such respect into objective context."
More information about the program is available by contacting BOSS at the Resiliency Center, 600 Thomas Avenue, (913) 684-1703. Also visit the BOSS page online at the FMWR website at http://fortleavenworthfmwr.com/index.php/recreation/better-opportunities-for-single-soldiers-boss.


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The other day I got a hankering for a good old pot roast, of the beef variety. I can't recall the last time I made a pot roast and I don't have a go-to recipe for one so I turned to these two sources and constructed my own dish.
I made a dry rub of flour, dry mustard, garlic powder, crumbled up bay leaves, salt and pepper, and then I generously applied it to my blade roast.
After searing the meat I plunked it on top of some coarsely chopped carrots, potatoes and leeks that I'd arranged in the slow cooker. Then I poured a can of beef broth into the pan I seared the meat in so that all those crispy bits wouldn't be washed down the drain. I also added a squirt each of Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste. This was added to the slow-cooker pot and then I turned it to high and went on about my day.
Six hours later, the house was filled with the most wonderful smell.
Beast (getting home from work): What did you make? It smells amazing in here!
Foodie: It's a pot roast! It was so easy to do! Why aren't we eating pot roast every day? Or at least every Sunday. I see you've come around on the Nudie jeans I handed down to you.
Beast: They're okay I guess. I still think they look girlie.
Foodie: They're actually men's jeans.
Beast: You wore men's jeans?
Foodie: Yes. Oh shit–I forgot about the asparagus roasting in the oven!
Beast: Asparagus? That's a little surprising coming from you.
Foodie: What's that supposed to mean?
Beast: You won't buy strawberries for me because they're not in season but the last time I checked asparagus isn't growing right now in Ontario.
Foodie: You're right. You're absolutely right. I just really wanted asparagus. Oh shit–I almost forgot something else! Look at this! (Starts pulling pants down.)
Beast: Why are you taking off your pants?
Foodie: Because I discovered something new today! Look! (Pointing to an incredibly faint line defining the mark between her rectus femoris muscle and vastus medialis muscle on her right thigh.)
Foodie: Do you see it?
Beast: Yes, I see it.
Foodie: Isn't it amazing? I mean, I can't find this line on my left leg yet but it's not just in my head, is it? You can see it too, right?
Beast: Yes I can see it and it's disgusting.
Foodie: What do you mean?
Beast: I don't like muscular women.
Foodie: I'm not muscular but this is a fucking thigh let me tell you! (Banging fists on flexed thigh.)
Beast: I don't like hanging out with hunters.
Foodie: What?
Beast: Hunters, or people with leg muscles like that.
Foodie: I think it's awesome to find a new muscle.
Beast: The muscle has always been there–it's just more defined now.
Foodie: That's what I meant.
Beast: Can we eat now?
Foodie: Yes! I just have to slice the roast.
Beast: I'll slice the roast thank you.
Foodie: Fine (handing the Beast the knife.) Why is it that men always seem to do the meat carving?
Beast: I don't know. How's this?
Foodie: Um, those are pretty thick slices. I think I would have sliced it thinner.
Beast: No, you wouldn't have because we don't have one of those carving forks to stabilize the meat. This is as thin as it gets.
Foodie: I really think I could have sliced it thinner and I wouldn't need a novelty size fork to do it either.
We each prepared our plates and made our way to the living room.
Beast: Is the movie all ready to go?
Foodie: Yes it is.
Beast: I'm really shocked you chose "Howl". You do know it's about a gay Jewish poet who hung out with a bunch of beatniks, hippies and drug addicts, and who was middle-class, right?
Foodie: (Pause) Yes.
(Five minutes pass.)
Beast: I'm turning this shit off. Is that okay?
Foodie: Only if we can watch the end of Rocky III! I was watching it before you got home and if we're lucky it's right at the part where Rocky hits rock bottom and Apollo and Adrian have to give him the talk and then it's the training sequence part that is simply the best part of any Rocky movie.
Beast: (finding Rocky III on the television) WOW. Why don't men wear athletic gear like this anymore? I would work out if I could dress like that.
Foodie: You would, wouldn't you? If you could wear little shorts like that and little tankini tops, you'd be an athlete. You're so odd.
Beast: I'm odd because I like good fashion? You're the psycho taking off her pants in the kitchen!
Foodie: Did I ever tell you that when I was a kid, my brother and I used to watch the Rocky movies quite frequently? Even number IV with the Russian guy, Drago I think. Anyway, after the inevitable training sequence, which was always set against an inspirational soundtrack, I'd be overwhelmed with the urge to just, you know, run. So I'd go outside and run around the perimeter of our house over and over again. Fuck it felt good. Were the Rocky movies an important part of your youth too?
Beast: Yeah, big time.
Foodie: They were!?
Beast: Of course not dummy–I think they were before my time.
Foodie: That's a shame.
Beast: This is one of the best dinners you've made.
Foodie: Yes it is. And if we play our cards right we can stretch it out over two nights.
Beast: Great. There you go with your portion control again.
Foodie: There's over four pounds of meat! It should serve a family of six, at least! I'm asking that it serve us two for two consecutive dinners. That's not portion control–that's just me not wanting to make dinner tomorrow night.
My plan worked: all I had to do the next night was make a batch of buttery mashed potatoes to soak up all the goodness of the leftover pot roast dinner.
Foodie: ***
Beast: ***
Categories: At Home


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If you haven't already, don't forget to enter my Buddy Fruits giveaway via this post. You have until Monday, January 30th, to enter.
I am having trouble sleeping lately. I don't know why, it might be because I am afraid that I will be visited by the whistling hell child again. I think it is mostly because I haven't been consistent with my eating habits. I am going to have to sit down and come up with a strict pattern and then stick to it. I am seriously thinking about going to a registered dietician, but I really can't afford it right now. Why doesn't health insurance cover their customers trying to be healthier? You think it would be quite a boon to their business.
I am trying to have a healthy snack at night (around 8:30) that will sustain me throughout the night, but not do harm. I have been eating a spoonful of whatever nut butter I had on hand, but I tried a few different things this week. First up is the "necessity is the mother of invention" snack:
Banana smeared with Nutella.
While not a terrible idea, I did get too liberal with the Nutella. The stuff isn't really all that healthy. Behind the scenes fun fact: seconds after this photo was taken my copy of the Help was covered in Nutella. For some strange reason I thought the book that I carry around all day was more sanitary than putting my peeled banana on the bare countertop.
The next night I tried this:
An apple & strawberry liquid fruit pouch by Buddy Fruits. While delicious, this is not a 8 hour sustaining snack. I think I shall revert to spoonfuls of natural peanut butter. Any other suggestions?
As you can probably tell from the photo above, I have been reading The Help. I was reading Working Out Sucks (and really enjoying it) when my wife and I decided to watch the movie version of The Help. It was a very good movie, and I would recommend it anyone. The main reason I agreed to watch the movie was that it stars Viola Davis and I would watch her make origami swans for two hours. Maybe three. In my humble opinion, she is the best working actress out there today. If you doubt my assertion, go rent Doubt and you will be convinced (see what I did there? Sneaky!) The good news is that she was nominated for an Oscar for her performance in The Help. I went to all this effort to say: I am now reading the book at the urging of my wife.
To go out on a light note, I'll tell you a secret about me. During the day I am mild mannered Heavy Evan. But, at night I turn into….


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Often people think that being a psychic means you're able to throw people onto walls with telekinesis, read minds word by word, see colourful psychic energies all over the time, communicate with spirits on daily basis etc. Honestly, as psychic I can't agree – being a psychic is and always has been about small things.
To better describe these small things, today I'm going to share some of my own psychic experiences with you, so you will gain better picture about being psychic.
Most popular psychic experiences in my case are related to psychic empathy, or in other words – sensing emotions. To give out few examples. One day I was passing by a mother with young child – and I sensed strong emotional bound between her and her child. Such pleasant energies these were.
Other time, I was standing in queue in a store, and there was that lady, a mother of older man -30+ he was I believe. He was mentally handicapped – and I was able to sense strong, negative emotions – sadness and fear, that his mother projected. She was already an older lady and she was worrying what will happen to his son after she will pass away.
Another time my buddy from dormitory was preparing for a date, and I was able to sense cool positive, powerful energies – he was so happy then.
Being psychic is also about sensing psychic energies. How many times I was able to sense the storm coming, I have lost count. During winter time, I'm able to sense energies being transfered by snow crystals. Or, the closer the Halloween is, the darker the energies become – which is kind a cool, as they make me very productive.
One day, my girlfriend's mother decided to visit our flat – and she asked Annette to go to a doctor with here. At least, we thought it was about doctor. But I received psychic impression – fast one, that just hit me within single second – it was no doctor they were going to visit – I instantly knew Annette's mother is taking here to a psychic! Sufficient to say, I was right.
One time the phone rang, which wasn't a surprise for me – for at least 5 minutes I psychically knew my boss is calling. Another time I was passing by a man, about 40+ I guess, and as I walked by him, I instantly knew that his digital camera was a gift from his child – it just hit me.
As you can see – psychic experiences can be big (visions, precognitive dreams, poltergeist effect), or quite small, like these I have described above. Of course, some psychics and energy workers can do more, some less, perceive more or less. It all depends on experience and one psychic development. What I want you to know is – do not try to become superhero when developing psychic abilities – being psychic is about small things.
What about you? Can you share some of your psychic experiences in the comments to this post below? Do this, I enjoy it :).
Don't forget to follow A State of Mind on Twitter and get new posts via RSS or via email.
Be sure to add your own comment, feedback, opinion and/or suggestion :).
Too True. It's always the stuff you mistake as common knowledge too until you take a moment to think "how do I know that" and then it comes to you… Technically you don't know, no one told you… and it's not something you can just tell. This is usually the point that one might start asking simplistic questions that lead to the same answer, but in a more acceptable fashion. Plus verification is always needed in situations like these or one might think they are going crazy.
Wow. Where to even begin! I have small and big experiences, myself; some of which I've blogged. Many I've yet to write about. It's true that if you pay attention to 'the little things' you eventually realize it was no coincidence that you already knew; before it happens!


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Voome 4 Retail
Voome 4 Retail is a comprehensive solution for digital signage management in retail stores, malls, bars, restaurants, hospitality places, wellness centers, real estate agencies, car dealers, advertising and others. The system allows the customer to create his own playlist using professional templates specifically designed for the retail market. The platform makes available contents and archives directly on cloud or on premise, without the need to install anything on one's PC. The contents can be managed and controlled from anywhere: mobile, tablet and desktop PC. You just need an internet connection, user name and password. It becomes easy to manage the contents, rotate the monitors and the graphics in the window of every store, both separately and as a whole, updating the distribution of content in real time in all the chain's stores. Voome 4 Retail is the first true multi-user, multi-site and multi-content solution for digital signage.DOWNLOAD PDF
The Solution
The design of innovative retail spaces cannot be done without eye-catching
visuals and dynamic messages. Voome 4 Retail is the perfect solution for
creating and managing exciting and eective messages on retail digital signage
displays. Inside a real multi-user, multi-network and multi-application environ-
ment, you can easily control advertising displays, promotional campaigns, menu
boards, infotainment screens and many more. Voome 4 Retail leverages on the
latest web-technologies, enabling infinite possibilities.
Key Features
User-friendly upload of single or batch media files with automated
media format control.
Ready-to-go templates with easy wizards for data entry
Central repository with media files described through tags and
organized as folders.
Dynamic data fields and automatic behaviors
Interaction through touchscreens or external devices (tablet and
Advertising customer database and campaign manager with exportable "as run" reports (needs the additional "Voome 4 Advertising" module)
Easily manage price lists and menu boards; information on screens are updated in real-time.
Fast messaging on screens in real-time or on schedule.
A library of professional layouts for retail communication,
such as images or video sequences, immediate promo, welcome templates, ticker
information services, news/weather/stock quotes/live streaming, video-wall
layouts, news on product categories, live on-screen text.
Show information on screens coming from Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Pinterest and more.
Using webservices and XML data feed you can easily integrate
external systems such as ERP, CRM, data warehouse.
Assign permissions through a 2-level hierarchy of user roles
The Hyper Media Players from SpinetiX are fully supported.
Complete remote control and diagnostics for
media players and displays
Media players are organized in a 3-level hierarchy (area,
branch, zone).
Both push and pull mode are supported.
Extend the functionalities of the system with the
additional Plug-ins
add check points and authorizations in the process.
No executable files or flash are required.
Install the platform on your servers or simply connect to
the cloud release.
Additional Plug-Ins
- Personal Shop Assistant
- Menu' Boards
- Voome 4 Advertising - Campaign Manager
- Queue Management
- TV Channel Manager
- On Demand Remote Controller
- Interactive Catalogue
- Interactive Directory For Malls
Technical Specification
Supported media file formats: Images: JPEG, PNG, GIF, SVG Audio and Video: AVI, WMV/WMA, VOB, AIFF, WAV, MP4, MOV (Quicktime) with following codecs: MPEG-2, H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC, MPEG-4 ASP, MJPEG (up to 720p), Windows Media 9 (up to D1/SD), MPEG audio layer 1/2/3 (MP3), ITU G.711, G.726, PCM, Microsoft WMA, AAC
Streaming: MMS, RTSP, RTP, SDP, HTTP; Uni- & multicast
Supported web browsers: Firefox 3 and later; Chrome 10 and later; Opera 10 and later; Safari 5 and later; Internet Explorer 7 and later;
Minimum Server requirements (On Premises): Windows 7 or Windows Server 2003, Server 2008 (32 or 64 bit); Dual Core processor 2GHz, 2GB RAM, 500MB of available space on disk; ".NET" Framework 4; Ethernet network.
Network Requirements (Cloud): Internet connection available to the media players


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New record 2019
Download "Oxford Street" now:
Campbell Woods' songs call to mind Townes Van Zandt, and show the influence of mentors like Lynn Miles and Al Tuck. Story songs, road tested and time worn, resonate with familiarity. Instrumentation using mellotron, Wurlitzer, vibraphone and pedal steel in innovative ways make it all feel contemporary yet universal, even when the subject matter is one hundred years old. A genuine, honest delivery creates a sense of being a part of each song as it comes. Woods' vocals remind you of John K Sampson or early, solo-acoustic Luke Doucet. Teardrops on the Table, a duet with Jadea Kelly, full of longing and sadness is worth the price all by itself.
– Tanya Corbin, Penguin Eggs Magazine
"Campbell Woods writes songs that sound just like like real life, in all its messiness and beauty. As a songwriter, he's kind of like a Persian miniaturist, capturing a moment in time and space in such fine detail that you almost see yourself in the picture. Add in a sweet high tenor and some fine guitar work, and you've got yourself an evening to remember.
-Si Kahn
Great Dark Wonder – Interview: Campbell Woods "Oxford Street"
Grayowl Point – Review – "Oxford Street" – Campbell Woods
FATEA Magazine – Review – "Oxford Street"
Americana Uk Review of "Oxford Street"
Exclaim! Video Premiere: Campbell Woods "Van Gogh"


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- English
With more than 178 participating countries and over 2000 project submissions annually the Energy Globe Award is today's most prestigious environmental prize worldwide. It distinguishes projects regionally, nationally and globally that conserve resources such as energy or utilize renewable or emission-free sources. Award ceremonies are held all over the world. Prominent personalities as well as Energy Globe Ambassadors in 90 countries support the mission of Energy Globe. The activities of Energy Globe attract worldwide media attention - international TV stations report each year with approximately 1,000 hours of broadcasting time. The aim of the Energy Globe is to raise global attention on sustainable, everywhere applicable environmental solutions and to motivate people to also become active in this area.
National ENERGY GLOBE Award United States 2017
Global Paint for Charity is a NGO that recycles paint to change lives and beautify the underserved communities around the world.
Initial situation
Many people cannot afford to paint their houses due to poverty or natural disasters. It is estimated that 80 % of the world´s school face a dreary reality or unpainted walls, and more than 70 million families have never had access to a painted house. If paint is not disposed in the right way it can lead to serious environmental problems.
Global Paint for Charity selects paint leftovers to distribute it to people who need it. It has mobilized over 200 companies across 25 states in the U.S. and 5 countries to donate their non-consumable paint for humble cause. This is an efficient way to get rid of unwanted or unsold products while taking advantage of a tax-deductible status.
As many as 5000 to 6000 gallons paint have been shipped at a time to 18 countries in West Africa, Central America, the Caribbean, and war-torn areas of the Middle East and beyond. GPC believes it is their mission to keep these hazardous materials out of their landfills and make this valuable resource available in areas where paint is scarce.
Capital: Washington, D.C.
Official language: English
Total area: 9.826.675 km²
Population: 313.224.000
GDP/Capita/Year: $48.147
Source: Wikipedia 2012


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St. Joseph's is a specialist secondary school for young people who have recently arrived to Australia and for those who have disengaged from mainstream education.The school works with young people to develop essential literacy, numeracy and social skills as well as establishing real pathways to employment and further study. I've been working with students, teachers, and staff at St. Joseph's the past few months and it's been fantastic; I'm very grateful. We'll be working to plant a garden that the students and I have been prepping for weeks!
Meet at ArtsHouse, we'll walk to location: St. Joseph's Flexible Learning Center


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Conventional Christmas tree
On Sunday we went out to get the tree. It was our first priority following the girls' arrival from New York. They arrived, as they have on several earlier occasions, in a large, beautiful shiny black SUV driven by Mr. Singh, the proprietor of a Manhattan car service. This is no big deal for my granddaughters, in fact no deal at all, and I have learned to take it in stride myself. But the shiny metallic blackness still triggers in my mind a phrase from my high school history text book: "the rise of the Middle Class," a phrase vaguely suggestive of hot air balloons or perhaps bread dough, though harder to visualize in concrete terms. As some wit pointed out, the Middle Class has been rising for so long in history texts that it should now be visible only with the help of powerful optical instruments.
To set out to buy a Christmas tree four days before Christmas might seem to be cutting things a little fine even for those who live by the procrastinator's creed: Never put off until tomorrow what you can put off until the day after tomorrow. But on this question everything depends upon whether you view Christmas from the perspective of the red or from that of the black. I allude of course to the chromatic shorthand of the title of a famous novel by Stendahl in which those colors suggest the tensions between secular and ecclesiastical values still very much alive in post-Revolutionary France and not quite finally settled even today.
Not quite, but almost. According to the American commercial calendar, which is redder than the star on Trotsky's cap, the Christmas season begins no later than the Friday following Thanksgiving, which is somewhat confusingly called "black Friday." Black Friday, which this year fell on November 28, is the official beginning of the shopping orgy. On the basis of black Friday sales grim number-crunchers are able to predict, before a week is out, whether or not American commerce will exit the celebration of the birth of the Prince of Peace in the red or in the black.
According to the old really black calendar, however, Christmas began on, well, Christmas, December 25, and extended through the twelve-day period until the Feast of the Epiphany, which is its thematic and theological complement. Vestiges of the medieval importance of Epiphany as the culmination of Christmas are still prominent in various parts of the world, including multicultural America, in celebrations of the "Day of the Kings"—i.e., the kings of Orrey and Tarr.
If you think that Christmas ends rather than begins on December 25 you are going to miss out on everything except the partridge in a pear tree. All the really good stuff—golden rings, geese alaying, lords aleaping, etc., comes later. But historical sensibility, supplemented by a raised liturgical consciousness and about three dollars and a quarter, might get you a small latte at a central Jersey Starbucks. My tardiness in the tree search, though ideologically justified, was practically motivated. After all the essence of the tree search is the active participation of the grandchildren.
The girls arrived only about three o'clock, and they needed at least a brief period of decompression and refreshment before being packed into another vehicle to be carted back to the arterial highways of central New Jersey. Sunday was, as it happens, the day of the winter solstice, alias "the shortest day of the year". That meant that the shades of night were threatening to fall even as we got on our way. To give the girls due credit, however accustomed they have become to black late-model SUVs, their spirits rise noticeably when they are riding around in a faded red Ford pickup somewhat older than their own combined years. Most of the actual Christmas tree lots and "cut your own" farms having packed up by then, we made a beeline to the belly of the nearest big box beast—in this instance the Lowe's on Route One in West Windsor.
Co-conspirators with the Delivery System
It was not a good omen that the sliding mesh doors of its horticultural division were closed, though our hearts leapt up when we got within reading distance of the affixed sign, which promised that ingress was possible via the main entrance to the huge store. We hurried through aisles bustling with prospective buyers of snow blowers and toilet floats to the Garden Shop. It was not quite empty. There was a young couple—of Rumanian Orthodox confession I conjectured on the basis of my awesome deductive skills—and a middle aged woman with a small, electric-powered chainsaw. She was cutting three untidy inches off the withered trunk of the tree the Rumanians had just purchased.
That left six trees for us, now the sole customers in that barn-like place, to choose from. All of them were special trees in the recently acquired sense of that adjective as exemplified, for example, in the phrase Special Olympics. And we bagged the most special one of all. The bagging was literal. The Chainsaw Lady had a cunning apparatus that wrapped the tree in a giant hairnet of strong but nearly invisible webs, thus accommodating suburbanites with shiny black SUVs who, unlike us, have to strap their booty to their shiny black roofs. Among the other advantages of buying special trees four days before Christmas is an apparent discount of about ninety-five percent. In practical terms that means that you get change for a ten dollar bill. Our gorgeous tree is now in place awaiting the first day of Christmas and young and vigorous enough to flourish for the following eleven without needling us.
Special Christmas tree


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alana bograd
Alana Bograd received a BFA from The School of Visual Arts and an MFA from The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts with a focus on Studio Art and Painting. Some of her exhibitions have been at The Painting Center in New York City, Vox Populi, Slought Foundation, the Hunterdon Museum, and many more.Alana currently lives in Philadelphia and works as an artist-teacher for various programs throughout the city.
Past work at Little Berlin:
May 2012: PEEP
August 2013: Growth and Decay


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Gay Marriage as a Distraction
Unlike Barack Obama, I have been an unwavering public supporter of gay marriage since first writing on the subject on my blog almost ten years ago. I remain so today. It is a clear human rights issue to me.
That said, I think same-sex marriage is being shamelessly exploited by the president whose constant vacillations on the topic are the stuff of farce -- first supporting it, then not, then "evolving" a policy, then being absolutely against it (only a year ago, according to a spokesperson) and finally, May 9, 2012, claiming to have sufficiently "evolved" to be for it.
Barack Obama has been for same-sex marriage (to the extent he is for anything other than himself) since he declared himself a supporter back in the nineties in Chicago. He just changed his mind publicly for electoral expediency. Now he is changing his mind back for the same reason, but it's amped up. He wants to put Mitt Romney – who polls are showing to be a formidable presidential opponent – on the spot on an issue the governor would rather not talk about (and probably shouldn't).
Obama and his people are seeking to change the subject of this election from the dreadful financial condition of our country to same-sex marriage or anything else that sticks.
Don't fall for the bait.
In Romney's words: "It's the economy -- and we're not stupid." (We better not be!)
Keeping the focus, however, won't be easy. You can bet the media will be beating the drum constantly on this one, gay marriage being a far more emotionally potent issue than the trivial nonsense they've been flogging of late, dogs on car roofs, etc.
Moreover, our gay friends and relations are going to be angry about being asked to have their rights put on the back burner again. It may be of little use to remind them that they too are suffering from the unending economic meltdown whose greatest indicator is the similarly unending decline in the Labor Particiption Rate. More and more people of all sexual orientations have simply given up on finding a job. Even the high 8.1% unemployment rate is a fake. The real numbers are staggering.


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5 chemicals that could be making you fat
See Gallery
When we talk about the epidemic of obesity in the U.S. (and it is an epidemic, with 35 percent of adults and 17 percent of kids now obese), we typically go straight to talking about diet and exercise as both culprit and solution. But increasingly there's evidence of another player in the mix: a cluster of environmental chemicals now collectively known as obesogens.
Every month, it seems, more evidence emerges linking these toxins to our growing national problem with fat and related ills such as diabetes and metabolic syndrome. And the list of implicated chemicals is growing as well, now extending to flame retardants, pesticides, plasticizers, and industrial by-products.
How do chemicals trigger our bodies to gain weight? The exact mechanisms haven't yet been identified; much of the research is still in early stages. But the gist is that certain chemicals appear to set the stage for obesity by priming cells, both in utero and after birth, to be more fat-friendly.
According to Jerry Heindel, leader of the reproductive and developmental toxicology group of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, more than 15 chemicals and classes of chemicals have been identified as potential "obesogens."
"We have 57 separate studies under way and can expect a huge increase in the amount of data available," Heindel said.
In other words, what we know today is just the beginning. Of the toxins under study, which are the worst offenders? It's early to make predictions, but here are five chemicals or groups of chemicals that recent studies have found to be potential fat triggers.
See what choices can help curb childhood obesity:
More from TakePart:
5 Nasty Ingredients to Avoid When Buying Green Beauty Products
The 6 Scariest Chemicals in Your Food
The 10 Most Toxic Fruits and Vegetables


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If you want to buy investment property, financing-free, there is no actually large secret. Beneath the present Federal and most state income tax legal guidelines the amount of curiosity you pay in your mortgage and property taxes you pay yearly can be deducted from revenue for tax purposes. So, whereas renting includes interest and tax expense, only house owners of their residence get to take this deduction. While there are lots of bills associated with residence possession and the funding in the house is not going to result in a stream of earnings, there are monetary advantages to proudly owning a home.
I think the advantages outweigh the risks, and the investment opportunity you have got when owning a house is great, as long as you might be artistic and innovative. Mortgage insurance is deductible however not all of sudden and is often amortized over the mortgage time period as a part of borrowing bills. There are some essential restrictions on who can buy an funding property in Australia.
Please take into account this is simply an introduction to the investment property tax technique. Choose any of our 17 simple-to-use interactive calculators and tools under to help you mannequin any advanced mortgage and investment associated eventualities. A further price or larger interest rate might apply to loans if application is accepted however does not meet the standard lending standards.
Funding property loans sometimes have higher interest rates, bigger down funds, and different approval necessities. Though the lease individuals pay to rent houses or flats, is set excessive sufficient to cover their unit's portion of the owner's mortgage curiosity and taxes on the structure it's the landlord and never the renter who gets the tax break.
This calculator provides indicative estimates (with some rounding used), and ought to be treated as a guide solely. Earlier than making any investment choices it's best to consult your financial adviser. Deductible expenses from borrowing embody mortgage insurance, title search charges, registration of mortgage, stamp obligation on mortgage and loan establishment fees.


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Finding Marianne Behn
In August 2011, I was in Munich, Germany, after failing my first Ironman triathlon attempt barely a year of learning to cycle a road bike. It was mighty ambitious of me, to progress that quickly from running six miles everyday to running a marathon, then a triathlon and a full Ironman in less than a year.
My husband comforted me repeatedly during that rock bottom period.
We took a train from Munich to Lake Tegernsee, located 31 miles southeast of Munich. Germany has a highly intricate and efficient train system that connects its far flung provinces together, enabling easy commute to faraway towns and resorts in less than an hour on most trips.
After a short tour of the lake by boat, we hopped onto shore and strolled to a lakeside cafeteria for some afternoon sweets. The weather was gorgeous, to say the least. We found a table under the windy shade of a huge tree that dug its roots vicariously by the banks of the lake. I looked around me as I always do in a cafeteria. Holiday makers, families, couples filled most of the tables. An elderly lady in large silver-rimmed glasses, short-sleeved pink tee shirt and a blue cotton hat sat by herself at the table next to ours. She was enjoying a slice of cake and tea. I kept looking over to her table, and after ten minutes, I could tolerate no more.
I've always had an unease with people hanging out by themselves. My memories of childhood were those of me returning home from school to an empty home; I'd have lunch, shower, do my homework, read, and head out to play. I only saw my parents for an hour or so each night after they got home from their second job as private tutors in an English school. For their main jobs, they were a teacher and a nurse respectively. Most of my life was shrouded in a sense of loneliness, thus I have a keen observation and affinity for people whom I detect to be alone by themselves.
I smiled and waved to her to join us at our table. She smiled, shrugged as if to say, 'Alright, what's the harm? I guess I will' and brought her cake and tea over to our table. She spoke not a word of English; we spoke no German. To communicate, we'd type words in English and have Google Translate flip our message into German, which we would show her. She would then utter a string of incomprehensible German words which fortunately, my husband could make out a word or two of. He had studied German briefly in university.
We must have looked like a comical trio; talking, gesturing, mimicking, acting just to get our message across to each other. But we understood each other alright. We spent a lovely afternoon getting to know Marianne. Formerly a waitress, Marianne Behn was retired and lived alone in Munich. Her husband had been deceased for a long time and they had no children. Marianne didn't drive. On weekends, she would explore Germany by train and busses, heading to different places of interest or resorts for a day. Marianne had never flown in a plane or travelled out of Germany.
After our afternoon siesta, we strolled the provincial neighbourhood. Many times I would walk a few steps behind so I could snap back shots of Marianne and my husband walking and chatting with each other. I love taking back shots of people. Marianne appeared to be both lonely and friendly. She would smile and greet anyone that crossed her path, and chatted at length with anyone who would afford her time and attention.
We took the train together back to Munich, after which we parted ways. Marianne didn't look like she owned a computer or was technologically savvy, and I wasn't confident that she would be proficient with keeping in touch via emails, so I didn't ask for her email address. To this day, three and a half years later, I regret not keeping in touch with Marianne. I think of her constantly and wish I have some means of reaching her, because I desire to buy her an air ticket so she could fly, after she told us she had never flown in a plane or travelled out of Germany. I tried to find her on the Internet, using any and every possible combination of keywords to locate her, but failed. She's not on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. I don't know who in Munich I could reach to get a hold of her.
I miss Marianne terribly. Why would this be so when I barely know her save for a short afternoon together in the summer of 2011? Is it love, sympathy or compassion crying out here?
How strange is must be for Marianne, that someone thousands of miles away, in a different continent and country, with the oceans between, would think of her constantly and wish her well and hope to see her again?
Marianne was 85 when we met her. She must be 89 now. I pray she's still alive and well and that I will see her very soon.
Here is an account I wrote in August 2011 after my encounter with the beautiful country (scroll down to point number (5) to read a brief account of my encounter with Marianne at Lake Tegernsee, Munich).


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Black Ocean author Zachary Schomburg will be touring the midwest during September (and beyond for a few dates in October) with some great readers--Jenny Zhang, Nate Slawson, Jesse Malmed, Joyelle McSweeney! The tour dates from his blog are listed below, and you can also visit his Tumblr for updates.
9/18. Iowa City, IA. Prairie Lights Bookstore. w/Jenny Zhang. 7pm.
9/19. Minneapolis, MN. Our Flow is Hard Reading Series w/Jenny Zhang. Harriet Brewing. 3036 Minnehaha Ave. 7pm.
9/20. Racine, WI. Bonk! Reading Series w/Jenny Zhang & Nate Slawson. Black Eyed Press. 312 Sixth Street. 7pm.
9/21. Madison, WI. The Project Lodge. 817 E. Johnson. w/Jenny Zhang, Anna Vitale, & Adam Fell. 7:30pm
9/22. Chicago, IL. Dollhouse Reading Series w/Jenny Zhang & Jesse Malmed.7pm
And a few October readings:
10/4. Portland, OR. Marylhurst University. 7:30pm.
10/11. Tucson, AZ. University of Arizona Poetry Center. Next Word Reading Series. w/Joyelle McSweeney.
10/18. Seattle, WA. Seattle Lit Crawl. Comet Tavern.


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I am always amazed at how the media covers mob trials.
There are so many expert commentators. They all report on the mob like they have been covering them for years.
Actually, some reporters have been covering for them for years. One reporter was on the payroll of a mobster for years. Every reporter knew but no one said his name, because the mobster was an alderman and committeeman.
No. I'm not talking about Fred Roti, the kindly alderman of the First Ward who was the City Hall representative for the Mob's political enforcer, John D'Arco Sr.
When I first arrived at City Hall in 1976, as a freelance writer doing my first interview with the first Mayor Daley, "da Boss," to the time I left in 1992, it was obvious that many reporters knew a lot more about the Chicago mob than they let on.
The only time we write about them is when one of them decides to squeal, or is brought before a court. And then the reporters, hypocritically, pontificate about the ills of the Chicago Outfit, the Mafia, la Cosa Nostra.
Hypocrites because all of the reporters, including me, knew which ones were the mobsters and which ones weren't. We knew which powerful aldermen and committeemen were the lackeys of the Chicago mob, and who were their attorneys, too. Yet, we never exposed them. These mobsters walked into the Chicago City Hall Press Room all the time. They attended meetings of the Chicago Democratic Organization, all the time.
They buddied up to even the Republicans out in DuPage County and stood next to Cook County State's Attorneys.
When I left newspapering for a brief sabbatical into the dark and seamy world of Chicago politics as a consultant, some of my clients were, in fact, mobsters. The most notorious were those in the Town of Cicero.
I was always amazed at how reporters called Betty Loren-Maltese asking for favors on one hand, and, maybe not getting them, sat back while their newspapers pummeled her in their coverage on the other.
I'm not defending the incarcerated mob heiress and vicious Town President who relished in destroying lives and careers and lying. She deserves her prison sentence and far more. But let's not pretend that the news media in Chicago isn't cozy with the mob or that just Mayor Richard M. Daley is afraid to talk about the topic.
The mobsters have been crawling around Chicago City Hall, and Democratic and Republican politics in Illinois, for generations and we only address it when it becomes the headline and can't avoid writing about it.
I won't spill any beans. Why should I be any different? The Chicago news media doesn't care and I doubt that most Chicagoans really care either.
We know they are there. We voters elect them to office. And we elect their political pals, cronies, lackeys and funders to government office, too.
So, as we listen to the sordid and grisly tales offered by Nicholas Calabrese in the highly touted "Family Secrets" mob trial now taking place and filling our front page headlines and columns and the TV reports of overly tanned and hyped up TV reporters, remember, the mob is there because we all allow them to be there.
I wonder if Chicago politics depends on them being there.
Thanks to Ray Hanania
Mafia News Archive Covering Both Current and Historic Mob Articles Focusing on Organized Crime, Mobsters, Gangs & Gangsters, Political Corruption, Clout and the Legal System.
Friday, July 27, 2007
News Reporters on Mob Payroll?
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- Joseph Chilli III, a Reputed Bonanno Crime Family Soldier, Hits Court in Tracksuit with Crocs #Mobster
- Judge: Basis for Appeal in 'Mafia Cops' Trial
- I Heard You Paint Houses: Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran & Closing the Case on Jimmy Hoffa - Inspiration for the @Netflix Fiilm #TheIrishman
- Attend a One-Day Conference "The Summit" to Discuss the Mob in Las Vegas at the @TheMobMuseum


text: An independent Garden Centre established in 1946. The family run business with an enviable reputation for top quality and service. Why not visit Parker's Garden Company for an inspirational garden and leisure shopping experience. There are a great selection of plants, shrubs and trees; everything you need to create a beautiful garden or enhance an existing one. The outdoor plant area has an excellent selection of stock, from the traditional to the more unusual and exotic species. Many of our bedding plants, are grown locally in Thorpe at our sister company Parker's Nurseries. We also offer a fantastic selection of indoor and outdoor furniture, giftware, clothing and food. Why not visit us for the day and enjoy lunch in The Applegarth Coffee Shop followed by a stroll along Frinton's beautiful unspoilt beach.


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We all know you are serious about your singing career. You've spent the money, gotten the training necessary, practiced for hundreds of hours. Don't let anyone tell you you can't do it. Whether you are singing classical music, folk, pop, or K-pop, HUSTLE is the name of the game. You need 10,000 hours of performing and that is going to take at least five years of performing daily so why not get out there right now?
Here are three ways you can get started with the talent, repertoire, and resources you have right now.
1. BUSKING - Check with your city to see what the busking regulations are and then get out on the street and start singing. You can bring something as easy as your portable speaker and a couple of accompaniment tracks. Set out a container for collecting donations and get out there. Make an intention for your performance and take it seriously. Warm up. Don't stay out longer than 90 minutes or so. Make it a habit to get out there a few times per week and you'll start to get some regular fans. Take a video of yourself singing for your little crowd and post it on YouTube. This is free, easy, and fun. Go do it!
2. HOLIDAY SERVICE - Ask your local stores if you can set up outside their or in their mall to do holiday songs while people are holiday shopping. This can go for any holiday really though the winter holidays are the most crowded. Patriotic songs for the 4th of July sale or Memorial Day sales will do very well. Halloween songs for the halloween season. You get the idea. You'll have to speak with a store owner in your local area or to the management of the mall. Libraries, art museums, and community centers are also good places to ask if you can set up and play. You may need to show them a clip of your music and also your repertoire sheet. If you want help with your pitch, take my "Ace the Aud-PITCH-ion" course! It's under the tab: TOOLS.
3. HOUSE CONCERT - House concerts are all the rage these days. Many young musicians do house concert tours. They contact people online or simply contact family members and offer to do a concert in their house if they invite a few people. You can travel the world doing this and make enough to do the travel. Maybe even more! I usually take a collection at the concert to cover my expenses and usually I get more than I need. Try it!
OK, so there you are. Three free, easy, and effective ways to jumpstart your career. If you never sing, how can you have a singing career? Conversely, singing anywhere leads to singing everywhere. Get started now.
If you've made it to the bottom of this post, congratulations! You must be serious about your career. Let us know what you are doing in the comments section below.
Happy singing! ~SMK


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Another great ride today, thanks to Tyler who tried out his newly acquired Pugsly. We went up glacier creek road till the end and rode the 4-wheeler trail to Stewart River valley and the Sinuk river. It was 31 miles and a lot more mud than I wanted on my drivetrain. Nevertheless a good forage.
|We stopped at our friends camp who happened to be enjoying the weekend too. Thanks for the orange!
|Tyler on a small snow section.
|Looking at Tigaraha Mnt. and the kigs
|Creeks were part of the trail not just crossings.
|A little creek running through the 4-wheeler track. Tyler's Pugsly getting a good intro to riding.


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Orbis 2019 Catalogue
By Nicky Grant June 27, 2019 July 30th, 2019 Product News
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Author Nicky Grant
Nicky brings over 15 years of graphic design experience to Panadent. She has been working with Panadent since 2009 and is now part of their in-house design and marketing team. She works with Panadent on all aspects of design, including brochures, exhibitions, flyers, packaging and identity design.
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3BT for 11/1/07
1. Trick or treating. I passed out the candy at Miranda's mom and dad's house last night. It is always entertaining to see all of the costumes. Some are scary, some are funny, some are unoriginal... but then there are some that are so creative that it takes me off guard. There were three such costumes last night. One kid was dressed as a box of Sugar Pops and his brother was a discover card. Both looked cool. The best of the night was a kid dressed like a monk and he had empty potato chip bags attached to him. What was he? A Chip Monk. :)
2. It is November 1st. What does that mean? Apart from the fact that the banks and WalMart will be busy tomorrow it means that we've officially entered the "Holiday Season". Halloween is too scary/dark/pagan to be part of this awesome part of year. You'll see more and more Christmas things up in the stores, and the entire feel of the season will be in full force. Plus November means elections. Super Tuesday is next week!
3. Messin' with Sasquatch. Those commercials are hilarious. You can watch them at http://www.messinwithsasquatch.com/.


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Meet Jaleesa McCreary
Tiffany Wade
Tell us your name and how you define beauty.
I'm Jaleesa and I define beauty as confident humility. When someone owns who they are and the good design God has for their life, while also believing that they can learn from and grow from anyone they meet...that's beautiful.
Tell us 3 things that have inspired you recently.
1) I went to a Sigur Ros concert and it was so beautiful and engaging! Definitely inspired me as a creative.
2) natural light - can that inspire? It just opens me up!
3) my roommate - she sees something she wants to do and does it well! She opened a leather business and she is amazing to me.
What is the best thing happening in your life right now?
That God keeps giving me opportunities to serve His church. I get to lead worship in many places for all types of people. It's a great honor and blows my mind when He moves!
What thing in your life is the hardest for you to see beauty in and why?
Personality is a tough one for me. Sometimes I look around and think that to be feminine is to be soft-spoken, compliant, and weak. I'm not those things....I'm bold, opinionated, and sassy. I fight to believe God had a very intentional design when He did those things in me, and I want to honor Him for it.
How do you fight to see beauty in your life?
Sharing my fears and insecurities with trusted girlfriends helps me fight to see beauty! They remind me of the truest things about myself! And because they are all different from me, I see different expressions of beauty.
What are some daily rituals that make you feel beautiful?
1) Healthy meals make me feel fueled and refreshed.
2) Washing my face makes me feel ready for the day.
3) Prayer! It connects me to the Lord.
What is your favorite accessory and why? (earrings, watch, purse, etc.)
My denim jacket!!! It was a surprise find, and I had been wanting one FOREVER! I just feel really good about it!
Tell us about one of your favorite adventures.
I once had a girls day in London with my friend Liz! It will always be one of my favorite memories! We went to an art museum, ate amazing food, laughed A LOT, wore red lipstick, and walked in the rain. Seriously, one of the BEST DAYS EVER!!!
What advice would you give your younger self?
BE KIND! I spent a lot of years being unkind to people because I felt threatened and unworthy. You don't gain confidence or love living that way. Love people, respect their experiences, and BE KIND!


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The CoreOS rkt container engine is designed for security and production deployment scenarios.
This video shows how to use rkt's modular stage1 isolation mechanism to choose the process isolation model that makes the most sense for your application. By executing alternate stage1s, you can either expose more host resources to your application, or segment it away from your host further by running it inside of a rkt-managed virtual machine.


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Sydney Cole is a Porn Star from United States. She was born in San Francisco on November 2, 1995. She is listed on FreeOnes since 2015 and is currently ranked 150th place. She currently has 513 gallery links and 105 videos in her own FreeOnes section.
Our records show that Sydney Cole is currently active which means she is still making movies, doing live shows and/or doing photo shoots.


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Divine Designs & Delights
1045 Thomas Jefferson Road
Forest, VA 24551
(434) 525-2406
(434) 316-6050 (fax)
10:30AM-5:30PM Monday thru Friday
10:30AM-4:00pm Saturday
10:30AM-4:00pm Saturday
Gifts from the Heart. Special gifts you can't find anywhere else. Custom gift baskets, UVA/VT, purses, jewelry, scarfs, beer & wine, wreaths and more
Corner of route 221 (Forest Rd.) and route 811(Thomas Jefferson Rd.) Bottom level 2 story brick building with with columns


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Fred Perry
Posers Hollywood is the largest stockist of Fred Perry clothing and accessories in the world. We carry everything from the collaborations with Raf Simons, to the collaborations with the late Amy Winehouse. We carry all of the accessories as well, everything from the shoes and the wallets, to the purses and braces. Looking for a polo from last season? Give us a call and we'll check if we have it for you.
Fred Perry launched at Wimbledon in 1952, and it has been a core item of clothing in the closets of fashionable men and women ever since. Fred Perry is known best for their pique cotton polo shirts. Made in England, the twin tipped Fred Perry shirt hasn't changed since it was originally designed by Fred Perry in the 1950s. The Laurel Wreath has been at the heart of British youth culture and music for over 60 years. Made from combed cotton pique and featuring the trademark details; twin tipping detail on the collar and cuffs, two-button placket and embroidered Laurel Wreath.


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Direct people through your building, campus, factory, airport or other facility with clear, expertly crafted wayfinding signs. Based out of Calgary, Alberta, ASAP Signs Inc. creates custom wayfinding signs for businesses throughout Canada.
These are the signs you see when entering a building that list the businesses or organizations found within the property. These are common in office buildings, mall and on college campuses.
We can custom make signs for individual business doors within an office building or for individual staff members within your organization. Other applications include signs that designate specific rooms or areas.
This is a modular extruded aluminum sign system with a changeable message area that can be used in many wayfinding situations. Learn more about this system and let us know if you have any questions.
Need Directional Signage? We Can Help!
Talk to the designers at ASAP Signs Inc. about how we can make your facility more accessible through the use of wayfinding signs — call ASAP Signs Inc. today!


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just over 8 years ago i made my first acquaintance with LA. it was summer of 2006 when me and my (then boyfriend) rented a car and drove cross-country. my main goal was to get to venice beach where my brother and his girlfriend (now wife) lived. it was a land of sun, sand, beachy laid-back vibes, and i was totally in my element. it had been a few years since i was there last, and i was super eager to bring my husband to some of my favorite places to eat and visit. but i found that after just a few years my diet had changed, almost completely, and the food i was so fond of was no longer an option for me.
i'm trying to refrain from calling this a "healthy, mindful eats" list, but it kind of is i guess. so, i've rounded up some of my new favorite restaurants/cafes/coffee shops/markets in LA to eat, check out, and that are just generally fun! hope you enjoy!
good eats
superba snack bar - offers a bunch of various dinner toasts, snacks, and mains. not the best in terms of food substitutions, but definitely a fun place to check out. offers brunch, lunch and dinner.
cafe gratitude - first of all, i wish i could eat here everyday of the week - it's that good! their menu items include: elixirs, gluten-free options, vegan options, nut milks, awesome coffee. open for breakfast, lunch + dinner!
moon juice - fresh-pressed juices, small bites - all around clean, earthy vibe for your everyday balance!
axe - organic, seasonal, and all that good stuff. plus, vegan + gluten-free options - open for lunch and dinner and weekend brunch.
gjelina - didn't actually make it to eat here. BUT, they have a ton of veggie options, really good coffee with homemade almond-macadamia milk which was quite awesome! plus it's a really cute spot.
intelligensia - a super-future coffee shop, with many cool kid customers (er, hipsters).
venice canals
abbott kinney
venice boardwalk (for laughs), and the venice skate park to watch some serious shredding!
beach activities, etc.,
silver lake area
food + lab - yes. yes. yes. all day everyday! i wish we had a spot like in nyc. awesome for breakfast and lunch with delicious sandwiches and salads. they also have fresh pressed juices, snacks and side salads.
cookbook - a great little grocer/farm market with fresh produce, and made-fresh-daily food. not to be missed, even if it's just for a visit.
sqirl - so much hype about this place. we went early on a monday morning to avoid the crowds. i thought it totally lived up to my expectations. great breakfast options - gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan items - awesome cold brew iced coffee.
pot - roy choi's new spot in koreatown. we waited for our table at the bar which had a really good selection of cocktails, japanese whiskey, beers, and bodega snacks. food was awesome, fun vibe too. it can get crowded so try to get there on the early side.
guisados - for the BEST tacos i have ever eaten. go!
broome street general store - a cute place to check out, with various housewares, clothing, food, knickknacks, etc. very "cool kid" vibe though, beware.
hollywood farmers' market - not really in the silver lake area, but if you have access to a car i would suggest visiting on a sunday morning. one of the biggest markets i've been to, with tons of awesome street food, spice vendors and tons of awesome produce.
farmshop and the brentwood country mart - definitely need a car to get here, but it's totally worth checking it out. farmshop is a market and restaurant, with a bakery/coffee counter open in the morning and afternoon. the surrounding, brentwood country mart, has a small bookstore, clothing boutiques, a gift/card shop, and a chocolate shop.
manhattan/hermosa beach area
the source - located in hermosa beach. so many awesome breakfast and lunch items, i literally wanted to order everything! plus, they have fresh-daily gluten-free, vegan baked goods, fresh juices, and again, really good coffee. love this place to pieces!
manhattan beach post - awesome brunch and dinner spot with some really good options as well as some awesome cocktails!
pelican cove (pictured below) for hiking trails and general sightseeing. totally beautiful!
manhattan beach pier - for sunsets


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Eric Andre and Marc did not like each other. An incident from when Eric first started doing comedy in LA kept him from doing WTF for seven years. Marc and Eric talk about their beef and also dive into Eric's background in music, his rejection of another career path and his desire to destroy all expectations of talk shows with The Eric Andre Show. This episode is sponsored by ZipRecruiter, Spotify Discover Weekly, Squarespace and Audible.
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Thursday, September 1
September Challenge
12 comments:
Thank you for the paper and the images. Looking forward to creating something with them this month.ReplyDelete
Gorgeous card! Love that digital paper. The colors are some of my favorites. I have a baby boy in my future (an a baby girl) as my daughter is having twins soon. Great image for a baby! Thanks so much.ReplyDelete
Such a gorgeous rocking horse and paper, can't wait to play with them, thank you. Love your card too.ReplyDelete
Hugs Christine
Lovely card Beccy, the rocking horse is gorgeous.ReplyDelete
I love it, thank you : )
Thank you Beccy for the lovely image and paper. Ursula xxxReplyDelete
I do not take part in the challenge because I'm in the design team.ReplyDelete
These are just idea cards.
Super cute rocking horse, thanks Beccy!ReplyDelete
Papers and image is so adorable how can you not use them l'm only playing for fun this time Beccy xxReplyDelete
Slow slow internet. Hope I'm home soon to participate...so sweet!ReplyDelete
Lovely card. Thank you for the free image and paperReplyDelete
SUPER CUTE card Beccy :)ReplyDelete
LOVE the rocking horse and pretty patterned paper, sending a big Thank You for this freebie!


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Derrick Adams is a multidisciplinary New York based artist working in performance art, painting, sculpture, music and collage. His practice is rooted in Deconstructivist philosophies and the formation and perception of ideals attached to objects, colors, textures, symbols and ideologies. Adams' work focuses on the fragmentation and manipulation of structure and surface, communicating and exploring ideas of self image and forward projection. Adams received his MFA from Columbia University and BFA from Pratt Institute, and is a Skowhegan and Marie Walsh Sharpe alum, as well as a recipient of a 2009 Louis Comfort Tiffany Award, and a 2014 S.J. Weiler Award.
Since 2001, Adams has exhibited extensively, both nationally and internationally. His exhibition and performance highlights include: Open House: Working in Brooklyn, Brooklyn Museum of Art, 2004; Greater New York, MoMA/PS1, 2005; PERFORMA '05 & '13 (commissioned by the Calder Foundation); The Bearden Project, Studio Museum in Harlem, 2011/12; The Channel, BAM Fisher Theater, Brooklyn, 2012; Radical Presence: Black Performance in Contemporary Art, and The Shadows Took Shape, both at the Studio Museum in Harlem, 2013; and Black in the Abstract, Part 2: Hard Edges/Soft Curves, CAMH (Contemporary Art Museum Houston) 2014; and The Entertainer, The Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham AL, 2015.


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It's 2017. I'm doing things!
2016 (aside from being generally terrible) was relatively productive for me musically. I released my first album and did a livestream show with some of my lovely friends. Both good things!
But I definitely neglected my social media and have not been updating anyone about what's developing behind the scenes. So here are the three most important updates as of right now.
1. Creative Commons
Starting immediately, all of my work will be available under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. This means that anyone can:
- Share: copy and redistribute my music in any medium or format
- Adapt: remix, transform, and build upon my music
And this is for ANY purpose, even commercially. But, you must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made.
Why? Honestly, because I read this article. And it made sense. More than money, I just want people to hear my music. And if distributing it for free and letting people use it to make more art is what does that, then they have my blessing. Lord knows I've pirated some music in my day. Who am I to judge?
In addition, all the stem tracks of each of my songs will be available here and on ccMixter, which is a Creative Commons remix site. I'm looking forward to seeing what comes out of that.
And of course, if you still WANT to pay me money, please don't let this stop you. Seriously.
2. "Flesh" Music Video
Back in June, I was featured on Enter the Shadows, a Brazilian internet radio station specializing in triphop, darkwave, synthpop, etc., which was really cool. And featured in the same block as me was an amazing electronic artist from Berlin, Naadyn. I reached out to her, and as luck would have it, she was incredibly nice!
In October, she asked if she could produce a music video for me. In her spare time. For free. I obviously said yes, and so she's been puttering away at it for the last couple months. I can't say exactly when it will be finished, but she's sent me some clips that I'm really jazzed about. Here are a few snapshots below.
3. Second Album
And finally, I've begun sketching out ideas for my second album. I don't want to divulge too much info, but it's going to be a lot bigger in scope than "Fen", more 80s in style and sound, and with a major twist I think you all are really going to like. Needless to say, I'm beside myself.
Exclusive Stuff
If any of you want to see some footage from the music video or hear a little preview of the new album, subscribe to my new newsletter down below and check out March's issue. You definitely won't regret it probably.


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An offering of focused Pathways that support Wisdompreneurs in cultivating, and sustaining wisdom practices, creativity, diversity/inclusion, business practices, purpose, social impact, collaboration and more...
How does this work? Each participant will self-select one of nine Pathways they would like to explore.While the invitation to focus on what calls our attention individually, we will also be working with a 'together is better' model. One that facilitates group cohesion, collective learning and community building.
Our curated team of facilitators, presenters and guides will engage participants through a combination of experiential and interactive exercises, guided practices, and personal insights that will offer participants the opportunity to explore the intersection of wisdom and entrepreneurship.
Pathway I
Experience how we can all unashamedly bring more heart into our business; and how to safely free ourselves from business "front" which disconnects us from others and limits our creativity. Whether global corporation, edgy entrepreneurial start-up or solopreneur enterprise – your business will thrive more when the people within it can be fully themselves and express their love for life, for other people and for the planet.
While Wisdompreneurs generally have a plethora of heart, creativity and intention, they sometimes lack the bare bones and brass tacks necessary to successfully run and scale a business venture. What basic tools and best practices are essential to the success of our businesses? How do we cultivate awareness regarding our blind spots in business, success and money?
Claim, distill, and amplify a fuller expression of your purpose and impact in the world. Tap into inner wisdom and intuition; experience our synchronicity and interconnectedness as a tribe of Wisdompreneurs to nurture collaboration and mutual support; and; build physical and virtual communities to deepen and grow our collective impact.
In a safe, comfortable environment, we will explore diversity and inclusion by working to Build an Inclusive Mindset and then working to Develop an Inclusive Culture. Intrapraneurs and entrepreneurs alike will come away with a better understanding of your own path toward inclusion, and how you can bring inclusive change to those around you.
Many of today's business leaders and brands are leveraging creativity for ingenuity and innovation. How do we: cultivate and sustain creative potential; transcend troubling business obstacles; create collaboration with the other members of our team, organization, and brand?
As Wisdompreneurs living a life of wellbeing is essential to being in alignment with that which we hope to bring into the world for others. How does attention toward wellness and wellbeing serve as a vital foundation for effective business that evolves our understanding of the bottom line to include a life well lived?
Each of us has a perception of social impact that influences the path we take towards affecting social impact. What factors are important when designing projects and initiatives around social impact that are also in alignment with our brand, our vision and sense of purpose? How can a focus on social impact be a direct contribution to our bottom line?
Many people do not have access to the technology and digital information that is changing the very fabric of our evolution as a species. How can we, as global citizens, foster inclusion and accessibility to resources while maintaining deep respect for existing ecosystems including those who are not interested in being infiltrated by technology and digital interaction?
In a dynamic daylong process utilizing inner work, paired sharing and group exercises, we look deeply at the forces moving us through life. We will develop the skills of receptivity and inner listening needed to create alignment of Body, Mind and Spirit. This is a chance to reconnect with your inner world and reset how you show up in the world.
Alison Raby and Paul Zelizer - Co-Founders of Wisdompreneurs. Alison and Paul have built one of the most dynamic brands in the conscious entrepreneur space - with a highly engaged online community of over 11,500 and growing. They were both part of the team that grew Wisdom 2.0 from 650 to 1800 people in one year
Nick Jankel, Steve Dewart, Belinda Liu, Laura Gates, Nancy Larocca Hedley, Wayne Sutton, Melinda Briana Epler, Sumayyah Emeh Edu, Dave Zaboski, Andrew Hewitt, Jessica Hansen, Justin Hilton, Greg Berry and more…