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You are currently browsing the tag archive for the 'job interview process' tag.
I used to work at an agency that helped unemployed adults get back to work. Recently, I remembered a co-worker and I laughing uproariously with a client over a comment she made.
The client was trying to get a job at a well-known coffee shop. She'd just come back from an interview and was telling us how ridiculously difficult the application process was. She was frustrated and surprised because she was not looking for an upper management position. She wanted to get a job behind the counter, making coffee and working the cash register. Why was the employer being so demanding in terms of education, experience, and skills? "It's just coffee!" she exclaimed.
In this campaign season, much is being said about the income gap. Less is said about employers imposing unreasonably high standards upon job applicants. Employers forget that they're just trying to hire a worker, not get married.
As you watch the candidates and come to a decision, it's something to think about.
Rhonda Harrison has just completed her studies at CUNY SPS to earn her post-graduate certificate in Adult Learning & Program Design. She is a social worker with a background in workforce development and currently works as an Advisor at a community college.
"It's a bad economy."
"We're in a recession."
"You gotta take what you can get."
"Nobody is hiring anymore."
"Those old jobs are not coming back."
We are hearing a lot of negativity about the job market these days. The fact that the unemployment rate is hovering around 9% nationwide is not helping our general lack of optimism. While a 2010 map of unemployment shows a more reasonable unemployment rate of 2.8% for Billings Country, North Dakota, it shows a much more chilling realization for Imperial County, California where the unemployment rate was 27.6%. As anyone will tell you, this is an animal we've never seen before, and most of us are not quite sure how to deal with it.
In May, an article was published about the new rules for the job interview. I found these rules such as "research, research, research" and "ask questions" to be somewhat refreshing. Many of the online articles that give advice such as "always write a thank you note", is somewhat dated and doesn't work in every case. I've also discovered that these articles have gotten so many hits, that it seems everyone is taking this advice. If everyone is using the same advice, you can no longer fully distinguish yourself. If the employer can't remember you, then why hire you?
I am not pretending to be an expert on the job interview process, but I do have some insights that I picked up during my own search. Hopefully, these "rules" will be useful to some of you.
There Are No "Rules" For Every Job Search
This one is pretty hard to swallow. Most people just want to know what to do and how to do it. There are no hard and fast rules. Every industry is different and every company is different. Sometimes the hiring managers have the final say, and sometimes it is human resources. The person reviewing your work may not necessarily know the exact qualifications needed for the job and how to screen them. Some hiring managers appreciate thank you notes and some have no time to read them. Some allow follow-up phone calls and some prefer email. Your best bet is do to as much research as you can, and use networking sites such as LinkedIn to learn more about the company as well as the kinds of people that they normally hire. Are you similar to the typically hired employee? Does the company value diversity in interests and education? It is your job to find out these small details and make them work for you. It could give you an advantage over someone else who does not know these little bits of information.
Grammar and Tone Speak Volumes
Everyone knows that a well written cover letter and resume will help you not get disqualified as easily as poorly-written ones. Hiring managers get hundreds, sometimes thousands of applications for a single position. Having documents that are not perfect will work against you. However, many people forget about the tone that they use when write cover letters. Your voice and personality can really shine through when you use the correct words. Syntax and semantics can also reveal a lot about you. Do you write as if you are confident or entitled? Are you apologetic for circumstances in your work history or ready to prove yourself? These are subtle differences that can make all the difference in how you are perceived by a hiring manager. Be careful with your written language.
Don't Fool Yourself Into Thinking Interviews Are A Simple Process
So you landed an interview. Fantastic! Your work is not done. Depending on the industry and the amount of applications you may be subject to multiple interviews. This could be a good thing or a bad thing. It could indicate that they really want you or it could mean that they have several close candidates and they are unsure of who to pick. I was recently subjected to four interviews with nine different people over the course of several weeks. No one can tell you whether you should keep granting a company interviews or give up and move onto another company. It really is up to you. Use your discretion or your gut before turning down multiple interviews. It may not necessarily be a bad sign.
Know What You Can Offer The Company
Unfortunately, it is an employer's market. It's a potential employee buffet, and the employer can interview as many people as they want, and decide not to fill a position if they don't find the right person. It's up to you to let the company know what you can offer them. Are you good at driving up sales? Let them know that. Are you especially frugal and can save the company lots of money? They need to know that. Do you have some innovative ideas that can help them open up to a new market? They want to hear that from you. Don't offer up too many of your valuable ideas, so that they get free brainpower from you and you receive nothing in return. It is a give and take atmosphere, but at the end of the day, it's still business. They have something to offer you, and you have something to offer them.
Know What is Important to You About Compensation
Do you need to make a lot of money to pay off bills? Do you need health insurance to take care of yourself or your family? Do you need time off? Will flexible hours allow you to take care of a special needs child or an ailing family member? You need to know what your priorities are, and if a company can meet them for you. You should aim to be flexible, but it still is a business transaction. If work/life balance is important to you, do not be so quick to settle on a job if it will take away from that. While we cannot always have everything we want from an employer, it is important to maintain your health and sanity, not to sacrifice everything.
Just Be Yourself
This can't be stressed enough. These days, an employer can easily find out if you are lying about your qualifications. These things are so easily checked that you should not waste their time nor yours. You should always be on your best behavior when on an interview, but don't fake it. Employers want the most for their money, and if you have the qualifications it will help. But if your personality does not match up with theirs or their company culture, then they will be hesitant to hire you. Giving the most accurate yet best presentation of yourself will do you more favors than not. Always remember, just because an employer can't hire you for a position, doesn't mean that their other hiring manager friends at other firms can't.
Ebonye Gussine is a graduate student in the Master of Science in Business Management & Leadership Program at the CUNY School of Professional Studies. She loves writing, reading, and is an avid fan of John Steinbeck's works. In her spare time she sings off-key and travels to new places.


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I felt relief after elimination. It was my plan my, strategy to get eliminated. I convinced all the girls to vote against me because I was there only for face value and publicity and my funda was clear from the beginning only. I planned to attract the camera in my first week at Splitsvilla. In my second week I made my plan how to convince others to vote me out. I never came here to win because my race is somewhere else and that is only and only Bollywood.
Filed under: Latest, Minakshi Khanduri, MTV Splitsvilla | Tagged: Minakshi Khanduri, MTV Splitsvilla, MTV Splitsvilla Contestant, MTV Splitsvilla Videos, MTV Splitsville Images, Splitsvilla, Splitsville | Leave a comment »

subset: commoncrawl


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"A pair of lips so innocent and sweet should never utter such nasty words."
His tone held an edge of authority that made my body quiver. Direct and to the point, what he expected both thrilled and scared me. And yet, as he stood over me—towering over my much smaller frame, desire overrode all senses. I wanted him to take his pleasure and leave me a wanting heap at his feet.
To let me make his wildest fantasies a reality.
Could I be his dirty little girl and still keep that edge of purity that drove him wild?


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Natalie Catasús
Natalie Catasús is a Miami-born poet, translator, and essayist. At CCA she was a dual-degree Writing/Visual and Critical Studies student, and her creative practice and scholarly work remain in constant dialogue. Storytelling—whether in the form of oral history, experimental documentary, or the media representations that narrate daily life—is often at the center of her writings on power and displacement. Her current research looks at the visual and material legacy of the balsero (Cuban rafter) phenomenon. She writes with particular attention to geography, memorials, media representations, and the ephemera of the many balseros who have died attempting to cross the Straits of Florida.
Natalie currently works for the Voice of Witness Book Series and Education Program, a non-profit whose mission is to illuminate human rights crises through oral history. In the past she has served as the managing editor for Eleven Eleven Journal of Literature and Art, and she has extensive experience as a writing tutor. Her own writing has been published in Art Practical and Jai-Alai Magazine, and she has work forthcoming in Denver Quarterly. She holds a BA in Literature/Spanish Language and Culture from New College of Florida.
You can find Natalie's projects, résumé, and contact information at nataliecatasus.com.
Recent Happenings:
ECHOES OFF THE STRAITS: IMAGEs AND EPHEMERA OF THE LOST CUBAN BALSEROS
In the decades since the 1959 Cuban Revolution, tens of thousands of Cuban balseros have taken to the Straits of Florida by raft (balsa) or small boat, embarking on a precarious journey away from the island nation. As many as one hundred thousand balseros are estimated to have died at sea, though the exact number remains unknown. The Straits of Florida are a unique national border that subsumes the bodies of those who perish crossing it, while pushing their belongings to U.S. shores. Empty rafts, husks that bear the traces of the balseros who do not arrive with them, wash up constantly on Florida beaches.
Echoes Off the Straits addresses the legacy and representation of the balsero phenomenon in the United States within the realms of the spatial, the material, and the visible. It begins with a treatment of the Straits of Florida as a geographic and political site, attending to the ways both the body of water itself and the proliferation of photojournalistic images of balseros in the mass media obscure the visibility of the dead. Turning toward the material traces of the balseros, the legacy of the rafts themselves offers a view into the contemporary cultural situation of these objects and their complicated status as both relics and refuse. By examining how the balsero phenomenon persists in the visual and material realm, this essay endeavors toward a resistance of closure and argues for the need to mark erasure where it has occurred by treating absence as a site of potential.


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When we were growing up, to make friends all you had to do was just be around other kids your age. There wasn't much of an effort to be made and if they were nice, they became your friend. Post-college is a difficult time not only for building your career and stabilizing your finances but also finding friends and maintaining those friendships. Even during college, making friends is pretty easy – you hang out with the people in your dorm, student clubs, Greek-lettered organizations and classes. But what happens when you graduate and it's no longer convenient to see everyone? That's when you realize who your real friends are and how much work juggling adult friendships is with work, school, or a family obligations. Having a healthy social life is directly correlated to a person's happiness but unfortunately friendships are often at the bottom of the list of our priorities.
Making friends in your adult life isn't easy but here's four things you can use to make it easier:
Meetup. Meetup.com is a site where you can sign up to receive information on events happening within your areas of interest. These "meetups" are ran by local organizations and are a great way to build a membership. When you entire the site, you can either create a new meetup or join existing groups based of your interests and hobbies including business, sports books clubs and more. Meetup is an effortless way to get information on events you'd be into and meet like-minded people. Building relationships and friendships take consistency, so being active at these meetings regularly is sure to make you some solid contacts.
Social Media. Social media is a great starting point for meeting new people, but you can't let the connection end there. To build meaningful relationships with people online you have to engage with them and take a real interest in their lives. This means commenting on posts, reading and reposting their work and even participating in Twitter chats. The key to making friends via social media is to eventually meet in real life, whether it be at a professional event or just for coffee – facetime with your new acquaintance is what will turn them into a trusted friend.
In the office. Many people say it's not good to mix business and pleasure but there is nothing wrong with hanging out with the people you work with. Especially if you're new to town, take the time to go to happy hour with your coworkers and make an effort to get to know them. The people you meet at your current job can become lifelong friends, and people you stay in touch with even after you leave the company.
Social Networking apps. Did you know there are apps for building platonic relationships just like there is for dating? Apps like Tinder and Bumble help you find dates but there are plenty of other dedicated to helping you find your new BFF. Try joining Bumble BFF, where instead of being matched with men for dating, you'll be matched with other women who they think you'd be great friends with. PeopleHunt also helps you meet people near you. This app is similar to Meetup by making events you'd be interested in visible to you by tapping into your Facebook groups and other communities. PeopleHunt gives you a platform to share your stories and experiences and look for others to learn and share with. What makes these apps great for making friends is that it uses digital platforms to help you make offline connections.
Friendships can be hard to maintain over long periods of time and even harder to enter new ones if you move around a lot. It may be completely normal to go a month without speaking to a friend but not a romantic partner, which makes it easier to put them to the side when life gets hectic. But by actively seeking new ways to strengthen your network, you'll never wake up one day when you're 40 and realize your friends circle is practically nonexistent.
What efforts are you making to expand your network?


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artsong at ARTHAUS
FRIDAY, october 18, 2012
A vivid evening of vocal music.
Piano professor Jessica Paul collaborated with six of Luther's top student vocalists: Adam Bradley, Alec Carlson, Molly Clementz, Kari Jensen,
Evan Mitchell, and Erin Persick.
With lyrical words and virtuosic accompaniment, art songs convey a range of emotions in a colorful series of short, imaginative pieces.


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Athea crowned Limerick In Bloom winners
ATHEA cleaned up at the Limerick In Bloom competition.
Last year the West Limerick village finished second in their category, but this week at an awards ceremony in the Woodlands House Hotel they scooped the top honour.
43 other community groups throughout County Limerick were also honoured for their participation in the annual competition, now in its sixth year. Last year's winner was Kilteely Tidy Towns. Chairman, John McCarthy declared: "It's like winning the All-Ireland!" And this year Athea gets to experience that feeling.
Limerick County Council, in conjunction with sponsor JP McManus Foundation, once again hosted this year's competition which serves as a motivational mechanism for small local-based groups throughout the county to enhance the visual impact of their settlements by means of flower, tree and shrub planting.
Along with being named overall winner, Athea Tidy Towns Committee picked up first prize in its category while Castleconnell Tidy Towns, Ardpatrick Tidy Towns and Cappamore Estates Committee were named winners of their respective categories.
Cathaoirleach John Sheahan thanked the Limerick In Bloom participants for making the competition a "real celebration" of community spirit, teamwork and awareness of the natural environment.
"Along with my fellow elected members, I wholeheartedly support this awards scheme as it gives official recognition to those who have contributed to making their community a better place to live in, work in and visit," said Cllr Sheahan,
Addressing those in attendance at last night's ceremony, Director of Services Josephine Cotter-Coughlan commented: "Even though Limerick County Council is experiencing difficult times due to ongoing fiscal constraints, I think it is vital that the local authority continues to support local communities."
Gerry Boland, of the JP Mc Manus Foundation, said the competition is an excellent example of the manner in which local communities can raise standards and continue to improve the environments in which they live.
"Good community spirit, teamwork and volunteerism is a must in these difficult economic times. I would particularly like to congratulate all who participated in this year's Limerick in Bloom Competition.
"We are delighted to recognise and endorse your efforts, we are very pleased to be involved and thank you for taking such a great interest in your own areas, and in working towards the improvement of the beauty and natural environment of County Limerick as a whole," said Mr Boland.
Limerick In Bloom adjudication took place during July and considered such factors as colour, size, variety, location and appropriateness of the various planting schemes along with the management of litter.
Competition categories are based on population size with a first, second and third prize in each category of €1000, €500 and €300 respectively.
Category 1 for community groups in towns and villages with a population of under 300 was won by Ardpatrick Tidy Towns followed by Kilteely Tidy Towns and Knockainey Tidy Towns.
Category 2 representing towns and villages with a population of 301-700 was won by Athea Tidy Towns Committee; second, Broadford Development Association and joint third, Pallasgreen Residents Association and Oola Tidy Towns.
Castleconnell Tidy Towns was named overall winner of Category 3, for towns and villages with a population in excess of 700, with Askeaton Heritage and Tidy Towns Association and Adare Tidy Towns finishing in second and third Place.
Category 4 for Housing Estates and Community areas was won by Cappamore Estates Committee; 2. Cloverfield Complex Daycare & Houses and 3. Gilmartin Park Residents Association
Each participant received a framed certificate of participation and the prize winners received a certificate, engraved plaque and a voucher. The overall winner received a voucher, framed certificate and the Limerick in Bloom Trophy.


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WASHINGTON — President Bush suffered the first veto override of his seven-year-old presidency Thursday as the Senate enacted a $23 billion water resources bill despite his protest that it was filled with unnecessary projects.
Other political news of note
Animated Boehner: 'There's nothing complex about the Keystone Pipeline!'
House Speaker John Boehner became animated Tuesday over the proposed Keystone Pipeline, castigating the Obama administration for not having approved the project yet.
- Budget deficits shrinking but set to grow after 2015
- Senate readies another volley on unemployment aid
- Obama faces Syria standstill
- Fluke files to run in California
- Animated Boehner: 'There's nothing complex about the Keystone Pipeline!'
The vote was 79-14 to pass the bill. Enactment was a foregone conclusion, but it still marked a milestone for a president who spent his first six years with a much friendlier Congress controlled by his Republican Party. Now he confronts a more hostile, Democratic-controlled legislature, and Thursday's vote showed that even many Republicans will defy him on spending matters dear to their political careers.
The bill funds hundreds of Army Corps of Engineers projects, such as dams, sewage plants and beach restoration, that are important to local communities and their representatives. It also includes money for the hurricane-hit Gulf Coast and for Florida Everglades restoration efforts.
The House voted 361-54 to override the veto Tuesday. Both votes easily exceeded the two-thirds majority needed in each chamber to negate a presidential veto.
The last such veto override happened when Congress dealt President Clinton the second of his two overrides in November 1998.
Veto watershed
Bush vetoed no bills during his first five years in office. He has since vetoed a stem cell research bill twice, an Iraq spending bill that set guidelines for troop withdrawals, and a children's health insurance bill. House and Senate Republicans managed to sustain those vetoes. But he had vehemently objected to the water bill.
But they broke ranks on the Water Resources Development Act, or WRDA, which Bush vetoed on Nov. 2, calling it too expensive.
His supporters have noted that the Army Corps has a backlog of $58 billion worth of projects and an annual budget of about $2 billion to address them.
The bill, the first water system restoration and flood control authorization passed by Congress since 2000, would cost $11.2 billion over the next four years, and $12 billion in the 10 years after that, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
Flood protection projects along the Gulf Coast, including 100-year levee protection in New Orleans, would cost about $7 billion if fully funded. The bill approves projects but does not fund them.
Some of Bush's most ardent allies argued for the override. "This bill is enormously important, and it has been a long time coming," said Sen. David Vitter, R-La., whose state was hammered by Hurricane Katrina two years ago.
The bill "is one of the few areas where we actually do something constructive," said Senate Minority Whip Trent Lott. R-Miss. What Bush sees as pork barrel items, Lott said, "are good, deserved, justified projects."
"Almost every president opposes this type of bill," he said.
Democrats are sure to remind such Republicans of their rejection of Bush's budgetary concerns when debate turns to several spending bills he also vows to veto.
The bill among other things would authorize the construction of navigation improvements for the Upper Mississippi River, at an estimated federal cost of $1.9 billion, and an ecosystem restoration project for the Upper Mississippi costing $1.7 billion.
The Indian River Lagoon project in the Florida Everglades would be funded at about $700 million.
The bill calls for an independent peer review process of all Army Corps projects costing $45 million or more, a bid to cut down on wasteful spending.
© 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Melissa & Eric got married at the Clubhouse Anaheim Hills Golf Course and it was awesome! I love shooting there, especially when it's a rad couple like them.
I say this after every wedding and it's always true, it was such an awesome pleasure being able to capture these newlyweds make it "official".
Here's some of what we captured.
For more information regarding pricing and availability, please contact me. I would love to hear all about your wedding.


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Here I am, proudly showing off my loaf. I think it's a good size, right? :)
Here it is, a little closer. This was before I had brushed on olive oil and sprinkled a little salt on top.
In case you were wondering, I went with this recipe but amended it a little because I wouldn't have been able to eat two of these bad boys. Also, I couldn't find any sage, so my herby fougasse only has rosemary and thyme in. It tasted really yummy - crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside, and had a buttery flavour to it, despite not having any! I will be making these again! :)
I like all these little baking challenges. Maybe after Bake Off ends, I'll have to just outsource my baking challenges to the general public to keep me baking! :) Interesting idea! :)


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France's Emmanuel Macron discussed increased pressure and sanctions on North Korea on the telephone with U.S. President Donald Trump and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday, the French president's office said.
The three leaders stressed the need for a "united and firm" reaction from the international community toward Pyongyang, Macron's office said.
South Korea was bracing on Saturday for a possible further missile test by North Korea as it marked its founding anniversary, just days after its sixth and largest nuclear test.
The French presidency said North Korea's "repeated provocations" were a "threat to peace and international security". It also said Macron had expressed France's "solidarity" with Japan.
Tension on the Korean peninsula has escalated as North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un, has stepped up the development of weapons, testing a string of missiles this year, including one flying over Japan.
Experts believe the Pyongyang government is close to its goal of developing a powerful nuclear weapon capable of reaching the United States, something U.S. President Trump has vowed to prevent. Source: Reuters


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It is a famous proverb that "God helps those who help themselves", and this is quite true when we are going to discuss volunteering.
The people who sacrificed their lives for some better cause of society, or in helping the needy remain alive in the hearts of people and their name is written in Golden words in history. Volunteering is also such an activity which can keep a person alive throughout his life and also after his death. It is also an act that will help the doer in the world thereafter.
Different people or groups provide different kind of volunteering services keeping in view the needs and wants of the society. Volunteering can be done part time and also full time. Most of the people do it part time during the days of their freedom from routine activities of life.
Depending on the kinds of services volunteering is divided into following types.
It is the most common type of volunteering which has its origin from the past. In this type of volunteering, one works with an NGO without knowing the beneficiaries details.
This type of volunteering may either be short term or may go long. Their duration usually is defined by the duration of the project. If the project is short term, their duration will also be short and if the project is long term their duration will be long. It's called traditional because of its origin from the past. Even in the old days, people used to help each other by volunteering.
This type of volunteering is usually served by the students during their period of gaps in the studies. These are also called gap time volunteering because of their being done in spare time.
Students take much interest in volunteering to gain experience and to test the application of their studies practically. These types of volunteering are served in some special services that are related to the courses of study.
For example, a student studying medicines will do this volunteering service in some hospital or maternity home. This will give him much experience and knowledge of the field. The students with such volunteering will surely excel than all other students because of this volunteering. His level of confidence and perception will be much higher than others.
Another very good type of volunteering is online volunteering which is carried out through internet. These are one of the latest volunteering services because these were introduced after the invention of internet.
The invention of World Wide Web has bridged the gaps between all the peoples across the world. Now it is possible to carry out an online volunteering service by sitting in your home or office. This type of volunteering service includes writing, proof reading, making a website and many others without demanding the cash.
These types of services are also offered by high qualified professionals to earn fame. This experience of online volunteering, later on, helps them for doing proper online jobs on some platform and earn handsome amount.
As the name suggests, this type of volunteering involves working on small projects. It is actually a sub category of online volunteering which involves micro projects. These projects may include online lickings, and clicking and many more. Sometimes, these small actions make very big impacts.
Long term volunteering means the volunteering services that continue for long time. These may include any type of volunteering going for long period. These are performed, usually, by the retired people or by the people who are absolutely free and want to do full time volunteering.
These are mostly related with educational and medical fields. Another volunteering that is also included in this category is that related with social lives of the people.
This type of volunteering involves tours to different areas or regions for the purpose of helping the community. It is actually a combination of tourism and volunteering.
It teaches a lot more than other types because you get an opportunity to live with the people of that particular area and see their lives closely and help them. This increases your knowledge of the world.
It is another kind of volunteering that is related with a particular project. It automatically ends with the end of the project. For example, during the earthquakes, many volunteers offer themselves to organizations to help the distracted people.
This type of volunteering will only last until the rescue continues. When all the rescue activities are completed, the volunteering closes.
In the end, we can say that volunteering, in all its forms and types, is good for the sake of humanity and should, therefore, be encouraged.


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by Olivia Cunningham
Eartha Kitt is my spiritual Auntie. Growing up as a dancer myself, I looked to Auntie Eartha as an example of intense charm, blatant resolve and physical strength. Even in her late 70s, already diagnosed with colon cancer, Eartha made sure to walk two to three miles every day. If she couldn't get outside, she would wear weights on her wrists and ankles. She raised chickens and grew fruits and vegetables on her 77-acre Connecticut farm. All of this while taking acting roles and vocal performances. Now as a twenty-something attempting to get my life together, I've found a new appreciation for "the most exciting woman in the world." Auntie Eartha serves up so much wisdom for those who feel stagnant in their personal development. These are three of my favorite Auntie Eartha motivators.
"I fall in love with myself, and I want someone to share it with me. I want someone to share me, with me."
There are plenty of love clichés that can drive the perpetually-single-people crazy. This powerfully self-aware quote from Auntie Eartha is not one of them. Self-love is preached by many, but what sets this sermon apart is that loving oneself isn't a prerequisite to be loved. Loving yourself is a continuous process, even within a relationship. In fact, being in a relationship is just sharing your love of yourself with some[lucky]one else. I've never been comfortable with the idea of relationships that blend people. I can see the beauty of "two becoming one" but I'd rather the two become us, me and you together, still very much individually ourselves, and enjoying every second of loving ourselves loving ourselves. Does that make sense? Well, Eartha says it best.
"I'm a dirt person. I trust the dirt. I don't trust diamonds and gold. I know how to survive in dirt."
Here Auntie Eartha refers to her love of the country, and the care she put into her Connecticut farm. As a corn-fed girl myself, I too appreciate nature, but I also apply her words to how life should be looked at. Dirt is dirt, but sometimes what looks like a diamond is really a rhinestone, and sometimes gold is just painted metal. It's very easy to get caught up in the glamour of lives we don't live. I often idolize those living the life I wish I had. I grow envious, and while I lust after all that glitters, I start to lose the very ground under my feet; all that keeps me grounded and content, all that remains when everything else reveals itself to be insufficient, goes ignored. Nothing is wrong with aspiring to diamonds and gold, and there's nothing wrong with having diamonds and gold, but everyone needs dirt. Indeed, we do all know how to survive in dirt.
"My recipe for life is not being afraid of myself, afraid of what I think or of my opinions."
I think we become fearful of ourselves when we first realize we don't fit the description of that person we're "supposed" to be. That perfect person prescribed to us by parents, peers, or the media. Even our imperfections are supposed to be tailored to a specific set of acceptable quirks. But despite all our efforts, we will never be that person. I am always just me, but that's nothing to fear. I continue to grow and develop every day by embracing myself. As I get better understanding my thoughts and feelings, I learn how to express myself to the world. I become more and more articulate in who I am. Auntie Eartha was very clear that if asked, she would always speak her mind, boldly and honestly so. No matter how much we deviate from our "supposed selves" we should always speak our minds.
Olivia Cunningham is a student, a blogger and raconteur brought up in Nebraska. She ventured to Chicago, the city that raised her parents, to study journalism and seek new inspiration in a place with the versatility and ability to change completely from one block to the next. This weird black girl has a passion for clever writing, creative storytelling, social justice and peanut butter. Peanut Butter is delicious. She is twenty-something and her dream is for you to do better and love yourself, if only just enough - herself included.


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Sometimes I see an exquisitely landscaped garden, by most people's standards, but somehow when I look at it, it just leaves me cold. It has no personality, no depth. It might just as well have been a movie set for all of the authenticity and personality it reflects. Who are the people who own this garden? What does it tell me about them? Are they the old-fashioned, English country garden type? Do they love tropical plants and warm breezes? Are they committed to sustainable, organic gardens, or do they just hand over some money and tell the landscaper, "Make it gorgeous so the neighbors will rave?"
I think what a garden looks like says a lot about the people who planted it. When you take away all the frills and do-dads, all that really remains is the love that is put into it. With each rose, with each tomato, with each hummingbird feeder, the love of the earth, and of all of us who live on it, reflects out from the garden to all who see it.
Isn't that a great metaphor for life? When you strip away all of the fancy outer layers - the cars, the clothes, the makeup, the houses, etc - all that remains is the pure, authentic person underneath, and the core of each and every one of those authentic people is love. When we love ourselves full out, with no reservations or stipulations, the outer self blossoms. Our smiles are beautiful, our joy is palpable, and our thirst for life is contagious. When someone passes us on the street or sees us in a store, they are drawn to our energy like a bee to a flower. We don't need all of those outer trappings that our culture says we need to shine. Self love has more power than a roof full of solar panels! A beautiful rose starts from the same kind of seed as every other rose. Whether it grows or doesn't grow only depends on the amount of love and attention it gets from Mother Nature and the one who planted it.
So I guess my question for you is this: what are you planting in your inner garden? Are you loving all that good, rich soil in which to plant your field of dreams? Are you reaching for the sun with your face turned up in expectation? Or is your garden a cold copy from a magazine just like a hundred others? The love you give your inner garden will yield bounty in your outer garden beyond your wildest expectations!
And so it is.


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Image Gallery
2 Lovely Gays
Embossed Silver
Size120cm x 180cm £900.00 Available to Order160cm x 230cm £1,500.00 In Stock200cm x 300cm £2,450.00 Available to Order
Embossed is inspired and excited by the old embossed wallpaper discovered when stripping back walls in their 19th Century home, Jordan and Russell have created a beautiful relief.
2LG has embossed the pattern in a higher pile from bamboo, giving an enticing depth and luxurious gloss-like feel. In a nod to 2LG's eye on design, Embossed is deliberately off-centre, though this only helps to make it even more unique.
Construction: Hand Tufted
Made in: India
Material: NZ Wool & Bamboo Silk.
Custom sizes: from 8 - 12 weeks.
It can be made in almost any size and also available in bespoke colours. Contact email@example.com for prices and lead times.
Delivery & Returns
We offer FREE UK DELIVERY by tracked courier on all our rugs. Standard delivery takes 2-3 days. For Europe and Worldwide delivery, please contact us for a quote.
If you are not completely satisfied you may return your purchase for a FULL REFUND.
For full details & conditions please see our Delivery & Returns page.
Care Information
Regular vacuuming using just the suction nozzle is recommended to keep your rug in best condition. If you have any spillages or stains, please refer to the JAMES Stain Removal Guide for advice and products.
Need some advice?
Call 020 7871 3013 or contact us with any questions and we'll be pleased to chat it through.


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I've just put out my newest, and most intense, show yet. It's all about the history of woman from the beginning centuries ago. I've represented several famous femminine figure from the past, including Cleopatra, Marie Antoinette, and Marilyn Monroe, in what I call the "second look." We all know each famous woman for the reasons that we learned about in school and from books; here I've tried to represent them from the other side, the private side, the darker side...
A Side Ways Glance.
The Show will be up in The Bottega dei Briganti from 2 May until 2 September, I encourage you to come along and check it out, as the printed images are quite different than these, but at least you can see a preview of the images here.
(Thanks to all the models and assistants for the project.)
Le Donne hanno fatto la Storia.
Questa mostra propone i due lati della Storia della Donna:
La Donna come abbiamo studiato sui libri di scuola, e l'altro
lato, quello privato, sconosciuto, oscuro...
...Uno Sguardo di Donna.
(Per chi è interessato a comprare le stampe oppure le versioni digitali ad alta resoluzione delle foto mandatemi una mail firstname.lastname@example.com)


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Vegan (with dairy-free cheese)
Recipe adapted from Eating Well
{For the bean spread}
1 1/2 cups black beans (or a 15 oz. can rinsed and drained)
1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp salt
{For the pizza}
3 roma tomatoes
4 green onions
Shredded dairy-free cheese
Whole wheat pizza dough
Cornmeal, for sprinkling
Optional: black olives, pickled jalapenos, corn, guacamole
Prepare the bean spread: rinse and drain black beans, chop red pepper. Place all five ingredients in food processor and process until smooth.
Preheat oven to 475.
Dice tomatoes and green onion.
Roll out pizza dough. Sprinkle cornmeal on pan (we use cast iron) and place pizza dough.
Evenly distribute the bean spread around the dough. Top with cheese, tomatoes, and green onion.
Bake for about 15 minutes, more or less depending on oven.


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Plan 025M-0003
Click to enlarge. Views may vary slightly from working drawings. Refer to floor plan for actual layout.
Click large image to zoom.
Plan Details
Plan Features
Plan Description
Entering through majestic columns into the traditional foyer, you instantly feel the grandeur of this traditional neighborhood multi-family home. Imagine an evening of exquisite cuisine as you entertain your close friends and neighbors in the elegant dining room enhanced by ten foot ceilings and beautifully crafted columns. A grilling porch, located off the spacious kitchen and breakfast room, allows occasional backyard barbecues with your neighbors. After long workdays, retreat to a private master suite and relax in your whirlpool tub. This splendid duplex home plan offers great street appeal and comfort.
Units A & B: 1698 sf, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2-car garage
Reproducible masters are printed on bond paper and come with a copyright release.


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About The Club: Ethan by Jenna Elliot
On sale for only $.99 from September 27th to October 3rd!
Her name was Mia. Rich girl, law school drop-out, smart, crazy sexy, and in over her head with me from the moment I rescued her on the side of a South Florida road.
She's going to require some delicate handling on my part. Maybe that's what challenges me about her. Her innocence.
She'll play my games. They all do. I train them, and they love what I give back. I need them, too, but only the sex; it keeps the nightmares away. I'm addicted to the game, to the action, to the control.
I'm good at what I do. I own a piece of Command Performance, one of South Beach's hottest sex clubs.
But no one owns a piece of me. Not the army. Not anymore.
Not even Mia. Not yet.
What formats is your book available in? eBook, Print


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Caught in a current. It happens so suddenly. You are swimming along just fine. Body wrapped in the coolness of the sea. Rolling with some waves and diving under others.
Floating, swimming, surfing. Enjoying the light flavor of saltwater on the lips. Just you and the vast ocean. Adventure. Peace. Place. It hits you.
The towels, umbrellas, kids running around on the shore all look small, too small. The shore is a ways off. Much further than what you feel comfortable with.
Your eyes scan the shore to find your lifeguard tower, chair or something familiar and realize you have not just drifted far out but far away from where you started.
You drop under the water to touch your toes to the ground and gauge the depth.
Your feet reach and flail desperately as you sink but they are nowhere near touching the ground.
It's deep.
Too deep.
You start to swim in.
Try to ride the next wave and get some momentum towards the shore.
In the back of your mind you know it is too late.
All the warning signs start flashing through your mind.
The flags on shore cautioning of a strong current that you brushed off.
The way the waves were crashing against each other at angles instead of rolling in on smooth lines.
You feel stupid for ignoring all the warnings but hold on to denial for a bit longer as you dive under and swim a bit harder and faster to shore.
The waves are rougher now.
Your body senses your weakness; you feel your fatigue. How long have I been out here?
The salt on the lips reminds you of your thirst. When did I last drink fresh water?
The harder you swim to shore the more violently the current sucks you out to sea.
Rip tide. You are caught in a current.
You feel helpless, scared, small and can't help but fear the worst.
Why did I go out this far? Why didn't I pay more attention to the warnings?
I was just going for a short swim. I was having so much fun.
What was I thinking? What am I going to do now?
Caught in the Current
American Christianity is caught in a current. And pastors are leading the charge. This current seems harmless and the drift happens in small doses, but it is deadly nonetheless.
It is a current that commodifies Christianity. A current that packages, markets, and sells discipleship. A current that finds its way through the lure of performance, approval and comparison. A rip tide of celebrity pastors, conferences, twitter, blogs, promotion, numbers, always numbers.
It starts with a warped view of success. A plundering of other whys. Why do we do what we do? This view of success gets hijacked to be the same why of Hollywood, Silicon Valley, and Wall Street. The same strategies used to make it in a dog-eat-dog world are the same strategies used to make it in the church world.
Performance. Approval. Comparison. Numbers.
Churches don't have meaningful partnerships or friendships and certainly would never sacrifice for the other church in their neighborhood. It is never stated, but we are both swimming along in the same current and looking out for number one. Striving for the same view of success to be bigger, better, and more known and the truth is there isn't room for both of us.
Western Christianity is caught in the current. We are drowning. Some are swimming to shore, some are loving it, but more should cry out for help.
Help us God. We are drowning!
Pastor, are you caught in the current? Is your church?
We didn't start out this way. We fell in love with Jesus. We fell in love with his Word. We felt his presence. We hungered for others to taste and see the goodness of this true, life-giving, world shattering reality of the gospel. We wanted more time with Jesus and for others to meet and know and follow Jesus!
We never thought it would go this far. We just wanted to dip a toe in the water. We saw the warnings, but thought it couldn't happen to us. We couldn't get caught in this current. We saw the danger from afar but up close it didn't look so dangerous.
Surely, this small compromise is worth the growth. Certainly, the lead pastor needs to be shielded a bit from the people to focus on "vision." It's ok to build my platform, it's for Jesus, right?
I need to be known, so I can make him known. If we got bigger, we could have more influence. If we could just get to that church size, or get that band, or that building then we could really do God's work.
You're swimming along and everything seems fine until you realize how far you are from shore. Your relationship with Jesus is strained. Your prayer life is dry. You are only available to your celebrity Christian posse on social media. You feel lonely in the church, lonely in your home. Old addictions that you thought were long gone are starting to creep back in. You try to swim to shore, you try to manage it for awhile, hide it, change it. But it is too late.
Rip tide.
Heed the Warning Signs
This pull away from shore in churches happens all around us and inside of us all of the time. Pastors, the warning signs are everywhere. Pastor wakes up and can't get out of bed. Pastor has moral failure. Pastor can't sleep with or without sleeping pills. Pastor blows up on his staff. Performance. Approval. Comparison. Numbers, always numbers. Burnout, moral failure, blow up. Rinse and repeat.
And it is not just pastors. Church members, deacons, volunteers, leaders. All following us pastors onto the same treadmill of performance until we have to get off and the only way it seems to get off is to leave the church, the ministry, and often the faith all together.
Pastors, what should we do?
An emergency sabbatical. Pay a bunch of money to celebrity Christian counselors. Schedule in some hobbies, change our diets, get better work rhythms, get a masseuse, hire an extra assistant, etc. We figure out how to solve it, manage it, and get back to it so our performance, approval, comparison, and numbers are not too damaged. Hobbies, vacations, sabbaticals, counselors are all great ideas and helpful. I am not hating on any of those things. My problem is what we do next!
We get right back in the exact same current.
Maybe this time we have a nice boogie board or a quality wetsuit to help us float a little longer, but it is the same current. Pastors, church, Christians, have we ever thought that maybe, just maybe we should avoid this current and swim somewhere else?
An Invitation to Swim in Another Current
That is why I am writing. I have been caught in the current and seen other pastors, Christians, and churches caught in the same current and I want to invite us all to swim somewhere else.
To recognize and heed the warning signs and choppy waters that are all around us proclaiming the danger of performance, approval, comparison, and numbers.
- What if ministry is not about us?
- What if we have everything backwards?
- What if the least are the greatest in his Kingdom?
- What if the greatest commandment was to love God and love others more than our platforms?
- What if NO one could come after Jesus without denying himself?
- What if we had to become a no name unrecognized servant to become great in his Kingdom?
- What if we are supposed to avoid the crowds and seek his presence?
- What if we are swimming in the wrong current all together?
I know that after calling out to God for help he is rescuing me and showing me a new path. It is a narrower path and it doesn't make much of me, yet each step is so life-giving even if it often feels like I am learning the same step over and over.
It is not about me.
Nearly everything I do naturally is the opposite of what Jesus proposes and models in his Kingdom.
I can do things with Jesus and for Jesus in secret and with no need to broadcast it.
His ways are often secret, hidden, and small (Matthew 13).
If I am going to swim in this current it is going to have to be prayerfully and patiently.
There is no room for ego here.
He must increase, I must decrease.
Follow me. Follow me. Follow me.
He cares more about me being a follower who makes followers than being a leader who makes leaders.
Pray. No really, pray.
He has me right where he wants me.
The time, place, and size of my ministry is beautiful.
Contentment. Formation. Presence.
Jake Chambers is the husband to his beautiful bride Lindsey, and a daddy to Ezra, Roseanna, and Jaya. Jake is passionate about seeing the gospel both transform lives and create communities that love Jesus, the city, and the lost. He currently serves Red Door Church in San Diego through leading, preaching, equipping, and pastoring.


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As the idea of a connected car continues to develop, applications and software will become the focus of the Internet of Things in the automotive space. At the 2014 LA Auto Show Connected Car Expo, industry leaders convened to opportunities for and impact on developers.
Featuring Scott Burnell, Global Lead, Business Development & Partner Management of Ford Developer Program, the Automotive IoT: What Developers Need to Know panel, sponsored by the Application Developers Alliance and Ford Developer Program, asked questions currently on the minds of developers and consumers alike.
Watch the panel below, and remember these key takeaways from the discussion:
- Application developers are just beginning to take advantage of the connected car idea. The conversation and applications around the connected car will mature quickly, which will lead to diversity in apps and market availability.
- Software will go through multiple iterations before developers will truly be able to take advantage and begin to innovate.
- Who are the early adopters and what features are they looking for? User experience matters! Consumers will not use a feature they don't enjoy, regardless of innovation.
- The feature should be seamless to the point of the consumer not even having to think about turning it on. They should also be able to take the feature from the cars they are driving now to the new cars they will own in the future.
- While the hardware of a feature may be easy to come by, the software is what really distinguishes a product from its competitors.
- The faster developers can engage the user, the better. Not only will this minimize the market-to-user timeframe, but quick delivery also provides valuable feedback on the feature for developers.
Connected car innovation starts with app development for smartphones, as developers learn the intricacies of the automotive space. Opportunities for developers are growing as companies begin to release SDKs and information to fuel the connection between applications and the connected car.
Also view the Driving Innovation: Where We're at and Where We're Headed panel hosted by the Application Developers Alliance and Ford Developer Program at the Connected Car Expo, and see demos from the top 10 Ford App Pursuit Challenge finalists.
The Connected Car Expo (CCE), a one-day conference and three-day expo with a dual mission – to showcase innovative companies designing the future of the connected car space, while serving as an open forum for attendees to connect with top media and key players shaping the identity and ability of mobility. See more at: http://connectedcarexpo.com/about-us


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by Nina James
This prophetic word was given by Nina James at a Prophets Hui in Auckland in November 2012.
I saw in the skies, a wind and on the wind, the people of God. They were sitting back on the wind which was almost like a cloud carrying them. I could see angels underneath these pockets of wind, who had been assigned to carry the wind. The Lord said to me, "The wind is my Spirit." I could see some of His people wrestling, but others were lying back, just being carried by the wind. Their arms and legs were limp because they trusted the wind. They trusted the blowing of the Lord on the wind to be able to carry them into the places He was wanting them to go. I could see the ones who were wrestling, the ones that hadn't fully laid their lives down for the purposes of the King, because they were still struggling to do the things of their own choosing.
But it was the ones who were limp and were able to trust God and relax on that wind that the Lord would be able to come and breathe on. As He breathed into that wind, as He breathed onto that cloud-like thing, the people were carried into the places throughout New Zealand that He wanted them to be. They stepped out of that wind into the spheres of influence that the Lord had for them. They stepped onto the ground and gold emanated from them. The presence of God was carried out of them. Everywhere they went, they transformed the place because of the presence that came out of them. The key thing the Lord said to me was, "Many wrestle on that cloud; many wrestle in that wind because they haven't fully got themselves to a place where they trust me flowing through them and blowing them into those places."
I could see some of those people wrestled because they thought, "God I thought you wanted me to go this way, I thought you wanted me to do that, I thought you wanted to send me here, I thought that you were going to call me there," and because of the wrestling God was unable to take them exactly where He wanted. It was the difference between fully laying down their lives and trusting God, to half-pie doing it.
"God I pray for your sons and your daughters in this nation, that they would fully lie down on the cloud, that they would trust You even if they heard You call them one way, one moment and then if You brought about a change in the next week, that they would be open to hear and to flow with You. God, that if You've sent them somewhere one moment, but then changed and sent them another place another moment, that they would be free to follow Your Spirit, free to hear Your voice and to fly and to flow wherever You want them to go."
David and Nina James pastor the Mission Fellowship and oversee the local church in Nelson. They have three daughters. David and Nina are a diverse mix of apostolic and prophetic gifting. David comes from a creative industries background and carries an anointing to build and advance the local church. Nina clearly speaks the Word of the Lord into the life of the church and saints. She also continues in successful business as a real estate agent. Both are invested in the move of God that affects and influences every sphere of society.
Website: the-mission-fellowship.myshopify.com/ Click here for more info...


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Long Beach Golf Course
Something fun for everyone with a 9-hole championship course, driving range and mini golf.
Keep reading for more information on rentals, memberships, to book a tee time and more.
Green Fees
9 Holes: $24.00
18 Holes: $36.00
10 Round Punch Card: $190.00
Book a Tee Time: 250-725-3332
Club Rentals:
- 9 Holes:
- 18 Holes:
- Storage:
Power Carts:
- 9 Holes:
- 18 Holes:
- Storage:
- Pull Carts: $5.25
Corporate Member: $2,500.00
Couple: $1,299.00
Senior: $749.00
Single: $799.00
Driving Range
Our full length driving range with 9 hitting mats provides an excellent facility to practice all your shots from your wedge to your driver. Interested in improving your game? Our friendly staff can arrange lessons for you. No reservations required.
- Bucket o' Balls: $5.50
Come enjoy 18 holes of family fun at the Long Beach Golf Course and Campground Mini Golf.
- Kids: $5.00
- Adults: $7.00
- 2 Adults + 2 Kids: $20.00
Pro Shop
Our professionally run Golf Pro Shop is fully stocked with Callaway, Titleist and Taylormade as well of other top named golf brands. Our friendly staff will be happy to assist you on club maintenance and can arrange lessons for you. You can reach the shop at 250-725-3332.
Or stop by and say hello.


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You'll notice that the Tampa Tree Map is looking quite different! Since we launched the first version of the Map, there have been big changes in technology, and we're ready to incorporate them into our software. Here's some of what you can expect.
The new version of the Map uses "responsive design" tools, so it changes to suit the screen you're using–phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop. The way you add or edit trees has been streamlined too, for fewer clicks.
Now you can do more than add and edit trees. New features allow you to track stewardship by logging the trees you've watered, pruned, or mulched and you can map trees using either an iPhone or Android App.
The City of Tampa, University of South Florida and University of Florida are actively mapping trees. Tree specialists are identifying the exact location, species and size of trees. We're publishing that data on the Map as it comes in.
Don't worry! We greatly appreciate the work you've done, and we've preserved all the data entered by users like you. All of the information you have entered is part of the new version, except in those areas were professional urban foresters have updated the trees. We hope you'll keep contributing!


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Ascension Seton is a faith-based nonprofit health care system founded in 1902 by the Daughters of Charity. Called to be a sign of God's unconditional love for all, Ascension Seton strives to expand access to high-quality, low-cost, person-centered care and services. Ascension Seton is a part of Ascension, the largest nonprofit health system in the U.S. and the world's largest Catholic health system.
We believe in showing everyone dignity and respect while providing the best care possible. It's how we're healing healthcare—one human at a time.
Ascension Seton operates more than 100 clinical locations, including four teaching hospitals that will be training sites for Dell Medical School at The University of Texas starting in 2016.
One of those training sites is Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas, a world-class pediatric medical center with its own Level I trauma center. Another is the new Dell Ascension Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas, which opened in early 2017. The other two teaching hospitals are Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin (#1 Ranked Austin Hospital in U.S. News & World Report), the region's largest medical facility, and Ascension Seton Shoal Creek, the area's only nonprofit mental health facility.
Ascension Seton Earns Texas Business Star Award
Ascension Seton conducts research in the prevention and treatment of stroke, traumatic injury, epilepsy and cardiovascular disease. It collaborates with employers, commercial insurance companies, community physicians, nonprofit agencies and government entities to create clinically integrated systems of care with providers throughout its 10,000-square-mile service area. We also maintain an active community presence in smaller ways, like providing the Ascension Seton Comfort Zone at area events throughout the year.
Partners in providing healthcare include the Austin Independent School District; the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians; and Central Health, Travis County's health care district. An example of innovative health care delivery is Ascension Seton's and Central Health's Community Care Collaborative, a unique and ambitious integrated delivery system for Travis County residents living at or below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.
Ascension Seton employs about 12,800 and is a major contributor to the Central Texas economy. Over the past decade, Ascension Seton has donated $2.9 billion in care with help from generous donors and volunteers.
About Ascension
Ascension (www.ascension.org) is a faith-based healthcare organization dedicated to transformation through innovation across the continuum of care. As the largest non-profit health system in the U.S. and the world's largest Catholic health system, Ascension is committed to delivering compassionate, personalized care to all, with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable. In FY2016, Ascension provided more than $1.8 billion in care of persons living in poverty and other community benefit programs.
Ascension includes approximately 150,000 associates and 36,000 aligned providers. Ascension's Healthcare Division operates 2,500 sites of care – including 141 hospitals and more than 30 senior living facilities – in 24 states and the District of Columbia, while its Solutions Division provides a variety of services and solutions including physician practice management, venture capital investing, investment management, biomedical engineering, facilities management, clinical care management, information services, risk management, and contracting through Ascension's own group purchasing organization.
Ascension Seton Family of Hospitals, part of Ascension, includes Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas, the region's only comprehensive children's hospital and pediatric Level I trauma center, and Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas, the region's only Level I trauma center for adults. Ascension Seton partners with Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin and shares a common vision of transforming healthcare through a focus on quality and value. Serving Texas for 115 years, Ascension is a faith-based healthcare organization committed to delivering compassionate, personalized care to all, with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable. Across Texas, Ascension Provided approximately $260 million charity care in fiscal year 2018. Ascension is the largest non-profit health system in the U.S. and the world's largest Catholic health system, operating more than 2,600 sites of care – including 151 hospitals and more than 50 senior living facilities in 22 states and the District of Columbia.


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That's what The Overwhelmed Bride is all about! We talk about relieving stress or avoiding stress altogether. But have you ever really thought about why you are stressed as you plan this big day? It may stem from the fact that there are just too many items on your to do list, you can't seem to find that perfect dress, or every vendor you love is far over your budget.
There are far too many forms of stress that enter into our bodies and minds as soon as he pops the question. "Everyone is asking when our wedding is and we haven't even discussed a date! Am I already behind before the planning has even started??" Believe me, I was there too! The second you call your friends to share the exciting news, the first question is always, "When is that big day??"
Really?? I said "yes" only a couple minutes ago and the whole world expected me to have my wedding planned!
Are you nervous?
A couple weeks before my wedding day, I remember a conversation I had with my dad on the phone very vividly. He asked me, "Are you stressed? Or nervous at all?" Not thinking much of it, I chuckled and responded, "Of course not! I've got it all under control."
Obviously my dad knows I am a wedding planner so it seemed like such a silly question, one that was just a normal question for anyone to ask me. It came along with the territory of being an almost Mrs. I didn't think much of it...until I heard his response.
"You know, it's a good thing to be a little nervous. Yes this is a wedding and there many things going on. But more importantly, this is a marriage. A marriage is a huge decision so some nervousness would be good for you."
While the conversation didn't go much further, I began thinking about the purpose of this blog and how I am always telling brides to calm down, without realizing that I may actually be in the wrong!
The Origin of Stress
There are two different origins of stress when it comes to planning a wedding:
1. The bad kind of stress: This is the stress that comes from planning a "wedding" rather than a "marriage." If you are stressed about the napkins or the floral or your makeup, then I will continue by telling you to calm down. This is the kind of stress that is bad, that makes you unhappy and that ruins the positive experience that planning a wedding should be!
We worry far too much about what others will think, trying to make our wedding better than any wedding we've ever been to, and are nervous about the "event" or the "party" we are throwing. We stress about something going wrong on that one day. While I know it is overwhelming and you often can't help it, by all means, do whatever you can to contain this type of stress.
2. The good kind of stress: The good kind of stress stems from planning your "marriage" rather than your "wedding." Marriage means the rest of your life. It is a huge decision and although you love this man or woman with all of your heart, there is nothing wrong with a little nervousness when you think about the huge commitment you will be making. This is not just a one day event - it is forever.
Living in a world full of divorce, I think that a little nerves and stress are a good thing. And if you don't feel these feelings, then you may need to do a little thinking about your life and the vows you will soon be taking. Marriage is not something to be taken lightly and while you may know deep down in your heart that he or she is the one, no matter how perfect we are for each other, we will all run into bumps along the way. And no matter how deeply in love we are at this time, we see so many deeply in love couples that don't work out.
Embrace the Nerves
While this may be the craziest thing you've ever heard me say, as it is defying The Overwhelmed Bride's ultimate purpose, I want you to embrace those good nerves and the stress that comes along with your marriage. This is one of the biggest (if not the biggest) commitment you will ever make, so soak it all in and just know that those nerves are what allow you to know that you are taking this seriously. You are thinking about your future. Your life. Embrace it.
So what about the bad stress?
Stay tuned for our very exciting new blog series called "100 Stress Free Tips & 100 Vendors Who Will Get You There" that will start tomorrow!! The series will go over many unique ways (very very unique ways) to handle that bad stress and will feature many of our favorite vendors! Can't wait :)


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Lviv, 37 Staroevreiska Str.
+38 (050) 370 38 63
Mon – Thu 11:00 - 24:00
Fri - Sun 11:00 - 02:00
"At the Golden Rose" Galician Jewish Restaurant
Galician and Jewish restaurant is located in Lviv historic Jewish quarter near the ruins of the "Golden Rose" synagogue. Visitors are met with Jewish customs here.
The menu is without prices and the cost of the dishes depends on customer's skills to bargain.


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Exponential Regional - Chicago
THIS JUST IN: NewThing has a few discounted tickets ($159 value) for only $49!!!
As you know, Dave Ferguson and NewThing Network care deeply about multiplication and church planting. So we wanted to let you know that one of our partners is Exponential and they are offering a regional conference in Chicago this year!
The theme for this year's conference is "Becoming 5," which is based on Dave Ferguson and Todd Wilson's book, Becoming a Level Five Multiplying Church. As a part of this theme, Exponential produced a podcast episode which features a Chicago church planter, someone who was sent out from Bob Roberts' church.
Listen to and download this podcast episode here:
"E01: Bob Roberts's Journey to Multiplication"
Take a listen and join us this November 15-16 at the regional conference.


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Photo by ANDA CHU
Is there ever a legitimate reason to raise the price of a life-saving drug 5,556 percent? Probably not. It's not unheard of though, and some high profile cases, such as pharmaceutical company Mylan and the EpiPen, or Martin Shkreli and Daraprin, have many people asking how it can be possible?
But are we asking the right questions? In demonizing companies that price-gouge, are we treating symptoms without even giving the condition a proper name?
When drug company Mylan acquired the patent for the EpiPen in 2007 the price was around $100. Nine years later the price has risen to about $700 for a set of two life-saving syringes. A class action lawsuit has been brought against the company with so many people joining that the law firm that represents the claim has had to create a website just for its action against the pharmaceutical company. Petitions are circulating with hopes of forcing the company to lower the price, gaining hundreds of thousands of signatures in a matter of days.
Anaphylactic shock is one of those phrases too clinical to describe what it is actually like. Perhaps "mother nature's rear naked chokehold" is too wordy, but it has a certain ring for the MMA fan. "Epic Immune System Fail" perhaps?
In any case, the Mayo Clinic's website describes anaphylactic shock as "a severe and often life threatening allergic reaction." These episodes cause a drastic drop in blood pressure and windpipe constriction, sometimes in seconds. They can be caused by venomous stings, food allergies (including the increasingly common tree nut allergy), and even latex, just to name a few.
Dawn Omorodion, a NCC general studies major and mother of four, recalls the first time she went into anaphylaxis caused by a shellfish allergy. She was out at dinner "When I felt my throat swelling I went into denial. Once I was sure that I could not breath my boyfriend rushed me to the E.R. I reached the hospital door barely able to catch my breath. By the time he parked the car I had received those lifesaving shots."
Since the incident, Omorodion keeps a stash of epi-pens, not only for herself, but for her teenaged son who is deathly allergic to peanuts. It's a life and death necessity for both, and she just hopes that consumer pressure, new legislation or perhaps a change of heart from drug manufacturers will bring the price down to a manageable level for the consumers who need it.
Call it what you will, but if the appropriate medication is out of reach, most likely the job of summing up the experience will be left to witnesses and or next of kin. That medication would be an injection of a drug known as epinephrine, and the EpiPen brand is as synonymous with the drug as Band Aid is the adhesive strip. And if your EpiPen is out of reach, drastic price hikes might be to blame.
But whose fault is it when drug prices increase drastically, seemingly exponentially? The consumers blame the drug companies, but the drug companies often point the finger at the insurance companies and the government. The government has on occasion blamed the drug companies. The insurance companies, as far as I can tell, remain conspicuously silent. All parties involve say it would be against their best interest to budge even an inch, while the consumer prays for good health or a winning Powerball ticket.
Recently Joseph Khan, founder of the innovated internet education program Khan Academy, interviewed Dr. Laurence Baker from Stanford Medical School to discuss and diagram the process pharmaceutical companies use to price medication. A company spends hundreds of millions of dollars to produce a single drug, and then hundreds of millions to get the drug approved by the FDA, and many of these drugs never make it to market. A company will spend billions producing multiple drugs just to get one on the market.
That one drug has to cover the cost of numerous others and pay healthy dividends to investors or else no life-saving drugs get produced in the first place. However, when a drug makes it to market, particularly if that drug is unique and in high demand, insurance companies have little choice but to pay whatever pharmaceutical companies insist on being paid.
The other side of this outrage is a nation that is uncomfortably, and perhaps irreconcilably, divided on state-funded healthcare. Doctors, hospitals and medicine must be in the domain of free market capitalism if it is to be effective and trustworthy, is the opinion of enough Americans for our federal legislature to be at a near total standstill over the somewhat less than radical, albeit progressive, reforms known as Obamacare. We almost lost Texas over affordable healthcare, no exaggeration.
John Sands, EMT and Computer Science student, has seen the direct impact of the EpiPen price hike. The cost of an ambulance ride in Fairfield County would already run you thousands of dollars, but if the epinephrine costs not $100, but $700, it can make debt add up in ways that most of us cringe to even think about. Still Sands feels that countries with socialized medicine cannot compete with the quality provided by our corporatized system. He suggested that there should ideally be some way to find a balance, but then he, like many of us, just trails off.


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What is CInstaller?
As it sounds, it is a pay per install affiliate network which is being run by CliQ Media. You're paid for every installations you generate.
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That's all. Now wait for the approval. Usually, they approve publishers within few hours, but in some cases it can take up to 48 hours.
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Final verdict:
Among all the PPI ads networks, CINstaller is known as Best pay per install ads, and it also provides maximum payout. Personally, I like CINstaller for two things; one is that you can request your payments at anytime once you have reach minimum payouts, and the other is their support. If you've any doubts regarding this, do lemme know in comments, and don't hesitate to share your experiences too. Happy Earnings!!


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There are dozens of hidden nooks here in Sonoma Valley; perfect little spots for heartfelt nuptials and today I'm letting you in on my new favorite secret spot! The Vineyard House is a 1940's era ranch-style home completely modernized with all of the comforts and amenities that we love while still keeping that old world charm. The home offers stunning (and up close) views of Pinot Noir vineyards, a tucked away nook for your celebration, cozy accommodations for up to 7 guests, and all of this just steps from the famed Cornerstone Gardens. It's a remarkable property and full of options; whether you're quietly eloping on a whim, escaping to renew your marriage vows, or planning a wedding bash with 20+ of your closest friends!
Please inquire for the (very reasonable) package rates and details. meg(at)mclouse(dot)com


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There are many things I love about the holidays, but at the top of my list is baking cookies with my mother. Now that I am home, this will be at the top of my list. Two years ago, she taught me how to make candies from her shop. This year, we will be baking at my sister's, balancing a baby in one hand and a cookie tray in another.
These Cornmeal and Cherry Shortbread Cookies are the first of many cookies that I'll be baking here soon. They're a taste of home, and one that I have used a couple times before (here and here). I didn't want to reinvent the wheel, but I wanted to share my world with Rachel of Bakerita, as part of our blogger cookie exchange that was coordinated by one of my absolute FAVORITE blogger friends, Rebecca of Displaced Housewife. See the rest of those participating by following the hashtag #holidaycookieparty2016 on Instagram!
Cornmeal and Cherry Shortbread Cookies
Makes roughly 18 cookies, depending on your cutter size.
- 16 TB unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cup AP flour
- 1/2 cup fine cornmeal
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 TB dried cherries
- 12 oz good quality white chocolate, melted
- Preheat oven to 350*F and prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper
- In a food processor, pulse together butter, sugars, flour, cornmeal, and salt until it is fine and crumbly
- Dump out onto a floured work surface and knead in dried cherries
- Pat into a rectangle
- Using a floured rolling pin, roll out until dough is about 3/4 inch thick
- Cut into desired shapes and transfer shapes onto your prepared baking sheet
- Bake for 15 minutes or until golden and edges are only slightly browned
- Allow to cool, then dip in chocolate and sprinkle with a bit of white sugar or salt
- Can be kept for up to 5 days or a week in an airtight container
And here is the list of everyone else participating this year!
Wife Mama Foodie | Gluten Free Icebox Cookie
Now Forager | Vanilla Bean Marshmallow & Pink Peppercorn Shortbread Cookies
DisplacedHousewife | Chocolate Peppermint Crinkles
Tutti Dolci | Brown Butter Chai Snickerdoodles
The Daley Plate | Romany Creams
Cloudy Kitchen | Anzac Biscuits
The Beach House Kitchen | Double Chocolate Peppermint Sugar Cookies
Vanilla and Bean | Cocoa Nibby Pecan Shortbread Cookies
Chez LaRae | White Rollout Cookies
Husbands That Cook | Apple Cider Snickerdoodles
Rainy Day Bites | Melody Cookies
Bakeritablog | Brown Butter Shortbreads With Dark Chocolate
The Jam Lab | Thandai Shortbread Cookies
Katie Clova | Espresso Caramel Thumbprint Cookies
Food Fashion Party | Stuffed Shortbread Cookies
My Kitchen Love | Chocolate Toffee Shortbread


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Asus P5E-VM HDMI motherboard
Integrated DX10 graphics from Intel. Who'd've thought it
Finally, we had a go with Crysis, just for larks. The frame rate was desperately slow - 4fps - as you might expect, and while the screen grabs show that image quality is superb they don't tell the whole story. The screen grabs are pin sharp because they were rendered at such a terribly low frame rate while the grab from a PC with a decent graphics card has motion blur but looks superb during game play.
Crysis on a G35 (top left), G965 top right and Radeon X1900 (bottom)
Click any thumbnail for the full-size image
Two of the game tests failed to complete and, ironically, they were both on the G35 chipset on Vista, exactly where you might hope that they would shine, not that it really matters as no one in their right mind will run FEAR or Crysis on these integrated GPUs.
3DMark06 Results
Longer bars are better


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We Are One Family // Monday, October 20
Posted: Monday, October 20
One Year Bible Reading Guide:
Jeremiah 35:1-36:32
1 Timothy 5:1-25
Psalm 89:14-37
Proverbs 25:25-27
Verse of the day:
Never speak harshly to an older man, but appeal to him respectfully as you would to your own father. Talk to younger men as you would to your own brothers. Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sisters.
(I Timothy 5:1-2)
I love my daddy days. We run errands, go to a park, and usually hit up a fast food restaurant. One specific memory was a year ago at a Chick-fil-a in Bixby, Oklahoma.
My boys were playing when I ran into one of my wife's friends with her 3-year-old boy, Jess. One minute later, the crying starts; better yet, the screaming starts. Jess is deconstructing in a tube three feet above my head. I switch over to hero mode, climb up the play place, and rescue the traumatized boy. Jess has been injured—more specifically, bit—fresh teeth marks on the arm.
Jess' mom jumps into action. "Okay let's sit right here, and when the kid who did this comes down the slide, YOU POINT AT HIM." Three other kids were pardoned until my youngest son, Ryder, reluctantly slides down. GUILTY! My own son was the culprit. You can imagine the awkward apologies that then ensued. Grace was given and received. One principle was clear: we love our own. We protect our own. We respect our own.
Herein is Paul's reminder: we are one family. I am challenged to love every member of Christ's family as my own flesh and blood; we do share a common blood line. Christ bled for the unity of His holy family, and we are joined together in Him.
Pastor Dan Wootton // Worship & Music Pastor


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Smoke is seen following what police said was an Israeli air strike in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip July 9, 2014. (REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa)
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Israeli air strikes shook Gaza every few minutes Wednesday, and militants kept up rocket fire at Israel's heartland in intensifying warfare that Palestinian officials said has killed at least 43 people in the Hamas-dominated enclave.Other communities near Tel Aviv in central Israel and in the south, closer to Gaza, were also targeted. In the longest-range attack since Tuesday, when Israel stepped up its offensive, a rocket hit near Zichron Yaakov, a town 115 kilometers north of Gaza. The build-up to the most serious hostilities between Israel and Gaza militants since an eight-day war in 2012 began three weeks ago with rocket attacks following the abduction and killing of three Jewish seminary students in the occupied West Bank.The rocket fire from Gaza began after Israel arrested hundreds of Hamas activists in a West Bank sweep it mounted in tandem with a search for the youths, who were found dead last week.While threatening an "earthquake" of escalation against Israel, Hamas said it could restore calm if Israel halted the Gaza offensive, once again committed to a 2012 ceasefire truce and freed the prisoners it detained in the West Bank last month.


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I have many friends who write blogs, and poems and songs, but very few who write actual published books. I am always super supportive of those self-disciplined individuals who take their time to write something cohesive and put it out there for others to critique and share.
I especially find it amazing when they write something deeply personal and confessional as opposed to just some head knowledge hypotheticals that they may or may not have any personal experience with. I have found that most the folks I know who write theological or philosophical books tend to know more than they have experienced. They are often educated beyond their personal experiences and thus end up writing conjecture and rhetoric that really doesn't speak to a person's heart and soul.
So when my friend Molly told me she was writing a book about her brain injury and the recovery process, I was excited to read her story more in depth. I was familiar with what had happened to her as she had told me the story a few times and my friend Will Foster made a video of her for a neuro-surgery festival.
Yet, I was so surprised when I read her memoirs. The emotion and depth behind her story and the pain of experience draws you in. I began to see Molly as a miracle. She mentioned that it was a miracle that she was alive, but her articulation of the event made it real clear.
The way she writes from the heart brought me into the situation as if I was there feeling, processing, and understanding with her. Everything was new for her she had to learn everything all over again, while part of her knew she had done this before. I can't imagine not remembering myself or anyone else and beginning all over again with walking, talking--even thinking.
I was drawn in to somebody else's living nightmare, hellish pain, while at the same time seeing hope and peace through the entire ark of her story. This is a book for anybody who has any empathy for others. It is one that will help you see what it could be like to meet those suffering where they are at without prejudice or assumption. Molly has a unique voice with her writing style. She adds depth and complexity using metaphor and emotion to bring you closer to the reality of the situation she has experienced. It's as if you are in her head.
This book may be written to encourage brain trauma victims, but I think it is a story that all of us have something to learn from. Whether it be the way you perceive others or just a simple reminder of how quickly your entire life can change, you should read it.
Keep up with Molly on her site: http://www.mollymiltenbergermurray.com/


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One of Jesus' main focuses was meeting the physical and tangible needs of the people He encountered during His time on earth. As Followers of Christ, we believe we should do the same. That's why we provide opportunities to ENGAGE by serving the church, our community, and the world.
We believe that engaging is the outward expression of the inward gratitude we feel for Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. Engaging doesn't just mean we go on mission trips—it's truly a mindset that every facet of our lives is about being on mission and engaging people and opportunities every single day, allowing those around us to see Jesus in us by the way we love and serve them. Where is God inviting you to join Him at work?
There are many ways to serve through missions at First Baptist Clarksville – locally, nationally, and around the world! From mission trips to mission projects, there is something for everyone. Is God calling
you to be on mission with Him?


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Moth Apron
This clean, fresh 100% cotton apron, features a beautiful hand drawn image of a privet hawk moth Sphinx ligustri. A perfect gift for lovers of baking or those with a fondness for moths, butterflies and nature.
Designed and made in England.
Machine washable at 40oC.
Size: 83cm x 57cm with adjustable neck strap and large front pocket.
10% of the purchase price will be donated to Butterfly Conservation.


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I'm not a huge soup person but when the days grow short and the temperature drops, it does sound good. I wanted to make broccoli cheddar soup the other day; I couldn't remember which recipe I had used last time, but I remembered liking it. As it turns out, I somehow failed to find the Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe I had posted to this very blog just a little over a year ago. SO, I did the work all over again to create a new recipe. I remembered that recipe I liked called for cauliflower in addition to the broccoli, so I made sure to pick some up when I went grocery shopping. From there, I decided I'd turn to my trusty friend, AllRecipes.com to get me started. It wasn't long before I stumbled upon this recipe for Potato, Broccoli and Cheese Soup – and it sounded intriguing. If you don't know, potatoes are one of my favorite foods, so obviously this recipe had some appeal. Only, this recipe didn't call for the cauliflower which I had already purchased with the intention of using it in my soup. So…I added it! I ended up with a sort of blend between that recipe and what I could remember of the last time I made some sort of cheesy broccoli soup.
- 4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 head cauliflower, chopped
- 6 small broccoli crowns, chopped
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cans vegetable stock
- 2 cups water
- 3 cups cheddar cheese
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- Ground black pepper
- Garlic powder
Sautee onions in butter in a large stock pot. Cook until onions are translucent. Add vegetable stock, water, potatoes, cauliflower and broccoli. Simmer until potatoes are soft. Blend or process soup until mostly smooth (I used my super nifty Ninja handheld blender that my husband so lovingly gave to me as a very early birthday present!). Return soup to pot and stove (if you needed to remove to blend) and heat over medium-low. Add spices to taste. Add cheese and stir until melted and well mixed.
*Note to self: next time look harder on your own blog if you think you might've posted a recipe before
**Note to reader: you now have two very similar recipes to choose from – take your pick!
Hi there! My name is Dana and I live in West Michigan with my husband, Tom and our dog Copernicus. I created this space as a place to share the things I learn along this journey I call life. I work in marketing and I'm a sort of Jane of All Trades, interested in all things nature, gardening, cooking, exploring and learning new things. This blog is a conglomeration of my interests, hobbies, life and life lessons. Thanks for stopping by!


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Under construction
The majority of the dives around the Gili Islands, are drift dives. We glide with the current and get picked up by the boat. All the dive shops dive the dive sites around the three islands.
Our favorites
Hans Reef / Frog-fish point
If you love macro, you will love Hans reef. Located north of Gili Air, just 5 minutes away by boat from our dive shop. The slope takes you down along a sandy bottom, to different pinnacles.
This dive site is suitable for all divers. Maximum depth can reach around 23m, On the other hand the average depth is 12-14m.
The marine life here is abundant! The pinnacles are packed with reef fish, camouflaged scorpion fish, cuttle fish, octopus,… Our popular turtles are often around. Blue spotted sting rays are hiding under the sand, with as only give away there eyes and the tip of their tail.
The highlights here are the pipe fish, the frog fish and the occasional eagle rays or others amazing creatures passing by!
Halik/ Coral Fan garden
Halik often has a good current pushing us forward along the reef, the dive ends on a turtle garden.
Average depth is 9-12m, with a maximum depth around 25m. The slope is full of reef fish, giant moray eels and banded sea kraits hiding in the hard corals. The high light on this dive is the occasional black tip reef shark coming up for a visit through the upwelling cold current.
Turtle City/ Shark Point (Deep)
Located off Gili Trawangan. Shark point is where we go looking for sharks! Considered as one of the best dives of the islands. With as main attraction the black tip and white tip reef sharks. Drop down on the deep side, and descend 30m to arrive where the sharks live. Or start in the shallow at turtle city and work your way deeper to observe the sharks escaping the divers from the deep. You can also observe some big schools of barracudas and snappers. Several turtles and blue spotted stingrays. There's also a leaf scorpion fish, if we can find it ;).
Takat Penyu
Drop in the middle of the ocean, in between Lombok and Bali. Drop down on 26m and descend into the deep, to find a reef that hides pygmy seahorses! Where corals are still untouched.
Gili Air Wall
This wall dive descends from 6m, over a turtle garden into the deep until 28m. In the wall, many creatures are hiding. Lobsters, moray eels, reef fish are circling the wall in schools.
Sunset/ Manta Point
Located on the southern side of Gili Trawangan. Pristine, like diving in an aquarium! White tip and black tip reef sharks, turtles, schools of snappers, sweet lips, butterfly fish, soldier fish, squirrel fish, But mostly appreciated for its variation of hard corals. Large beds of stag-horn corals.
Big extravagant leafy crater corals, that look like underwater cauliflowers, in vibrant pink. Complimented by the asymmetrical goat fish and his "buddy" the red snapper. Along sunsets slope the bold purple and maroon stag horn coral is an ideal nursery for schools of juvenile big-eye cardinal fish, box fish and the long- nose file fish. Into the deep, various big fish flock to sunset for its famous efficient cleaning station!
Sunset has a play full surge, and is mostly protected from the Gili's strong currents. with a calm relaxing dive. As you're peacefully drifting along, the sunset reef, you are pleasantly taken by surprise, by a resting white tip or a racing black tip.
Located in the Lombok straight, it makes for the opportunity to witness the larger pelagic.
Related articles
- Scuba Diving – Lombok (scubasurfinlombok.wordpress.com)
- 3 things to do in the Gilis (travelsupermarket.com)


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[WSO] – GoofBall's Guide to Email Marketing
How a complete email marketing moron went from burning out lists to cracking leaderboards, driving big commissions and then got recruited by an IM legend to manage his lists.
Build an amazing relationship with your list.
It is going to show you how to connect with your list for a long term, profitable relationship.
Purchase premium accounts in order to enjoy unlimited downloads with resuming support
***If link dead, please leave a message, we will update immediately***


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With Valentines Day upon us, I'd like to share the love from Tiffany and Jake's Wedding Day. It was just about a year ago we were sitting around planning their wedding photography. It all came together so beautifully! The venue they chose was the Zenith Vineyard, in Salem, and we loved photographing there. We explored their vineyards, the fountain, the beautiful old barn and many other unique backdrops, which contributed to some lovely photos. Tiffany has wonderful taste and I just loved her accents, from her beautiful eucalyptus flower crown to her flowing wedding dress. And Jake had some awesome accents too, a lego boutonniere & a cool tie. And who didn't love the Mexican hats for the Groomsmen, after all it was May 5th, Cinco de Mayo. After all the excitement they drove off in a gorgeous orange Corvette. Doesn't it all sound so romantic…It was a fantastic day and it didn't rain! Check out their awesome Wedding Day.
In case you missed it, please click for our January Newsletter