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TW: self harm, emotional abuse
My parents are coming back in a month. Mum made it very clear they can't afford to stay in a hotel. I was very lucky to be cast in a movement piece that could be customised for my particular braind of disability. Under the guise of "coming up to see your show" they are ensuring that I will have to quit, because it is very clear that having them here will prevent me from being able to participate.
I have DSPS. They have to be in bed by 11pm. I normally go to bed at 6am. That's eight or nine hours, by the time they sit around drinking, fold out the bed, sit around drinking, that I can't use my television, my kitchen, my laundry… I am stuck in my sleep room or my room, and I can't put on music (I need music). I can't sleep when they're here, because if I do, I get up to find things have been rearranged and occasionally that strangers have been in the house. The day/night/day before they come is invariably spent curled up somewhere, bawling my eyes out and reminding myself of all the reasons why barricading the door is bad and I have to be good.
Naturally, the house wasn't clean when they got here. "I will help," Mum said, and I tried to stop her. Instead, she rearranged my kitchen, making things harder. Then she walked out. She came up again a few hours later, asked what she could do, and then walked out. I didn't finish doing the dishes until well after I had also had to cook tea.
"I'm sorry I didn't help, I feel bad." Mum said. Dad took half the recycling down. Two days later they asked about the rest.
"Don't bother," I typed. Because, really, what does it matter if I've already spent half the time walking on empty PET bottles if they have a neat room to live in. I sure as hell don't want them in here, where I stash everything I don't want coated in nicotine and passes as objectionable.
Naturally, Mum 'forgot' that she'd promised to let me get takeout. She started planning meals, then complained that she's "not this organised at home" when I pointed out, again, the meal plan stuck on the front of the fridge. I've been making a meal plan every time they come for two years now, since Mum chucked a fit about cooking because she "never gets a break". Now I don't, and I don't even have an oven, and I went two visits without any food at all because I wasn't included in her meals. She decided on having lunch out before the show, bought meat and complained that the cheese wasn't nice. Then she shoved the meat in the fridge, then watched me running around the house trying to find it. "Obviously you're looking for something," she said.
She didn't think, she said, after confessing she put it in the fridge without it even being wrapped. I'm vegan. I am vegan because meat makes me violently ill, I'm anaphylactic to dairy (so of course she brings her own dairy milk from home, as well), and when I started cutting things out (after being forced to eat them until I moved out), I started reacting to everything else. They can't even keep the dishes separate, so I have to wash their dishes in disinfectant to keep contamination to a minimum.
"It's very nice," she said about tofu scramble, entirely forgetting that she's had it before. Not like I asked.
Same like every time I was dressed in outside clothes. "That looks nice." I didn't ask. My outfit is not up for comment.
Tuesday we went into the mall. Mum kept running off. Dad had to chase her once. Another time I did, and I had to grab her jumper and pull her back. She says it's because she can't hear. Instead of staying with me, she can be 20 or 30 metres away while I'm waiting outside a store. I tried to take them back to the car and they wouldn't get in the lift. "I thought you didn't want to go," she said. Then they told me they got lost trying to find the car on their own, because I hadn't shown them the lift.
We went for fish and chips, and I was so grateful that the fish and chip shop people know me, because we ate there and they brought out two plates of chips, so that I could have chips which weren't served with their fish. I nearly cried.
"How do they know you, though?" they kept asking. Never mind that we've been going there for twenty years.
Wednesday we had the show. I had prepared as best I could. I managed to convince them to prebook parking and explained how it worked. We took a picnic instead of eating at home first, so it was very rushed, as I had booked the carpark later to accommodate, knowing it would be very busy there and that the earliest I would be able to leave, given that I had actual work to do prior, was 11am. Eat lunch, go in, park, go to show, sneak in snacks.
Except I went to put the serviettes, cutlery, and bags for the snacks in the bag, and the bag was gone. We ended up in the city, only able to eat half of lunch, because there was no way to cut the apple and no serviettes for the blueberry danish. The bags had been snatched from me when we got out of the car, too, so I had to arrange them as I limped, one starletto stuck on the bottom of the car, my wallet left on the back seat, while I was being yelled at for limping and being in pain. I ended up taking my shoes off to walk, because without the starlettos the heels got caught in each gap in the footpath.
"We need to eat now; we don't have time," I tried to say.
"Let's go eat on the river! It's so nice today!" And so, I had to sit outside, the sunlight stabbing my head.
When we got inside, finally, Mum ran off again. I found the very last seat and tried to arrange everything. Every time I put something on the floor, my Dad grabbed it and put it on the chair or on the table.
"No, Dad, I'm sorting, I need them down here."
It took Mum half an hour to get a coffee. "I didn't think it would be so busy," she said. "I'm going to complain."
You wanted to go to a matinee because you thought it would be less stressful.
Then I got yelled at in the show. Turns out, unsurprisingly, that a show that spends ten minutes establishing that people don't like to be called by a whistle is rather triggering for someone who had to walk out of their previous employment, in part, because one of their direct supervisors used to call them by whistling.
"Stop moving," I was told. Never mind that I'd already scratched through the skin on my hand, and I couldn't have my snacks because the picnic meant I'd had to make a show of eating, while in my corset, and Mum had staked mine out for her own anyway. We were in the front row, so I couldn't do anything else with my hands or I'd distract the performers.
"Oh, you left your wallet in the car too!" Mum said, when we finally got back to the car, after we'd stood around waiting for her to finish smoking. Despite it being illegal to smoke within three metres of a covered bus stop, you know. "We could have come back!"
We didn't have time, because you wanted a picnic. And Dad had decided to have someone come inspect the garage door, and broke it, because he decided I (despite being perfectly capable for the four months they refused to have it fixed) wasn't able to put it up myself. Also, that it didn't need to be unlocked first.
But you know. I looked nice, whatever.
Then I had to remind then that they'd promised takeout. "That was so nice! That was so easy!" they said after. But I was exhausted from reminding them, again, of how to order, that it was possible to order… I put on a miniseries, and fell asleep on the floor, having argued about where I would get to lie down, because Dad now also refuses to sit on the couch, and won't move his chair to see the TV. It was the only peaceful sleep I got all week, and only because somehow my brain sees Sean Bean as safe and I always sleep through everything he does. We were going to finish it the next day.
I made the mistake of showing Dad the overlocker I'd bought. He promised, when my handbags all broke, months ago, that he would bring up his overlocker and fix them. I bought one on sale, so he wouldn't have to bring it, and then he could FINALLY show me how to thread it and I could line things properly rather than spend three hours hand-sewing lining on everything. So when I got up on Thursday, after getting an hour more sleep, he'd taken it outside, unpacked it, and set it up on the picnic table. Outside, you know, where there's sun. He took my fabric, a 1m remnant meant for lining glasses cases, and started making corset bags. Without me. And he finished two, entirely too large and along the wrong grain, without the ribbon channel, before he tried to interrupt me cooking lunch to ask if they were what I wanted.
I wanted to spend time with him, like when I was little, and he would make one half to show me and then I would make the other half. I wanted him to show me how to thread the machine instead of teaching myself from YouTube and the instruction book (which is now missing, thank you). I was going to set up the table inside and put on Sean Bean and it was going to be a Good Day.
Ended up my day off was an emergency trip to Spotlight, because he needed the sewing machine as well, and in getting it out, managed to lose half my thread and my special red buttons, which magically, I needed, because Mum wanted a gift for my uncle. And, because I had asked and before Dad started, he had not cut me a square for lining the glasses case I was making, I needed new lining as well.
When I got back, the overlocker was packed up, and Mum and Dad were fixing the toilet, because Dad finally noticed it was broken, and Mum had finally snapped and made him do it. Or something. So much for Sean Bean; I ended up chucking on an anime just to make sound, and that's when everyone sat down to watch it – except it was yaoi. Yeah.
Then Mum got upset because my favourite player was injured and dropped from the team since she'd come up especially to watch him, and then that we lost. I was upset that I'd spent half the day making a blueberry bread pudding, soaking it in rice milk and everything, only for Mum to refuse to eat it because it was "too hard" and that they'd decided to eat their very not vegan pizza off plates rather than paper towelling, so I had to run around washing up as well. I would get them their own plates and cutlery, but they'd either not use it, or wash it all together anyway.
They left on Friday. Mum started crying, because she didn't want to leave. I hadn't been able to sleep. I kept hearing them in my head. I was hallucinating them, little versions of them walking on my desk as I tried to write. It is still so cold in here, because I had to have all the windows open for the smoke. Mum had yelled at me for that too; I had one window a little bit open and she had trouble closing it. She couldn't find Dad, and wouldn't ask me, even though she saw me open it.
The absolute most hurtful thing from Mum was when she was complaining about Dad. I'm in the middle of whatever domestic they have going, all the time.
"He's like you," she said. "He can't adjust to losing his job. He won't even talk to anyone from work, even to be polite."
Because my brain disorder, disproportionately presenting because of PTSD from being systemically bullied, a situation which she repeatedly told me was my fault and she wouldn't help me leave, is comparable to whatever my dad's got going on? It's not even hereditary. She says she can't cope with him either, but refuses to leave.
I have a very tiny amount left in savings, enough for food for two months. If they can't afford a hotel, if that's their excuse, I will book them a room and go without food. They won't take it, though.
Meanwhile, I'm being sent for a psych eval for disability. I need to prove my PTSD is bad, so they're sending me to a psychologist, who probably has no idea how my brain is actually broken. They sent me a letter about it. I hid the letter before my parents came, so they wouldn't find out and insist on staying "to be supportive". (They've done that before actually. I had a psych eval for workers comp, the psychologist yelled at me for not being able to talk, then was very contrite when he realised that I wasn't just faking it, and suddenly, the next time I had an appointment they were here. To be supportive. And they were rather pissed when I chose not to attend. Or rather, their presence made attending need more spoons than I had. Like performing will.) Now, of course, because I hid it while I was having a massive breakdown, I don't know where it is, so I don't know where the appointment is. Funnily enough, all the searches I have tried have no record of the psychologist. It's not in my online services account as a mandatory appointment. But, the letter was very carefully vaguely threatening – if I don't go, I don't get disability. If I don't get disability, I'm not eligible for priority government housing. I can't access emergency housing because to do that I have to call them using a paid phone number, which I can only do with the relay, who yell at me for not being fast enough and then harass me all night if I end the call.
When I was making food today I saw the corset bags and started crying. I tried to unpick them, but I ended up having to cut the seaming off. The fabric is now useless for anything, because it's cut to such a weird size. I tried to get the overlocker out, but it's stuck in the foam, the book is missing, and I have to remind myself that I went without food for two weeks to buy it so that I don't smash it. I don't want it in the house, because it's a ball of dark negative energy. I tried to put it outside, but then I kept thinking 'what if it rains it's too expensive to get rained on'. I was keeping it in the garage, but I have to put the bin out, and it was on top of the bin.
But I don't want it in the house. I don't want to look at it. It's contaminated, for me, because it was meant to be mine and instead my dad was just like 'oh shiny! i want to play!' and took it and now it's set up for him, the same way I can't use the sewing machine because 'there's a trick to it' because instead of threading it, the thread has to be pulled in some arcane way that puts more tension on it. I suppose I should be grateful he left it threaded, except the threads are so tangled from the spindles being removed and shoved in a box under foam and then thrown around when I tried to get it out, that it needs to be rethreaded.
And now that the book is gone, I literally have no way of working out how to fix it.
Except, you know, waiting a month for them to come back and mess things up some more. Which is, obviously, the very last thing I need.
Now, of course, I have to go to the psychiatrist tomorrow. He will tell me it's not so bad, express confusion that I'm not getting better because I'm not at work anymore, even though the actual situation is ongoing. He will offer to have his secretary call to find out the psych eval appointment for me, because he doesn't know that she hates me and is a rather insensitive person (she yelled at me for forgetting my glasses, after making me drop everything to sign the forms, while I was picking up my bag first because trying to put a broken bag over your shoulder is ten times harder when you're holding two pairs of glasses, an mp3 player, and a teddy bear – literally less than a minute after I put them down in the first place, after not being able to sit for one minute to put anything even in my pocket. And! She yelled at me for arriving while she wasn't there. Seriously.) or understand that the problem is that it's at 11am and that I had to hide the letter in the first place. He will also yell at me for not going to the neurologist appointment, which I was never informed about in the first place.
Then, on Tuesday, I have to go to class, put up with my teacher complaining about other students, and asking how everything went.
And of course, being here isn't as comforting when I go to get something and it's not there because I had to hide it/put it away/it was moved for me because "it was in the way"/they were just here.
Mum broke my blocking board which I made especially for the blanket she demanded – a 160cm x 160cm monstrosity I've been working on for a year already. I finished another square to put on it, after I spent half an hour fixing it and sliding the squares on the new needles.
"You finished another one!"
Yes, Dad, it's so obvious you don't even need to comment on it.
I have been crying for four hours straight now. I don't know what else I can do. I'm sure it all seems so little to everyone else. It all adds up, though. My brother moved to Germany to get away from it. I had plans for London. Unfortunately, they make you pass a medical exam and have employment and a ton of savings before you move there, to prove that you won't need any assistance. My brain means I will need the NHS. Bye bye London.


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About a month and a half ago, I posted an essay about my experiences with depression. A surprising number of people read it (more than five times as many as my next most popular essay). Nobody left a comment on the actual essay, and very few people responded to the Facebook and Twitter posts I made to share it.
However, a significant number of people have contacted me directly. I've received Twitter DMs and Facebook messages, had lengthy IM and face-to-face conversations, and even gotten snail mail about it. I've drawn a few conclusions from this:
- A surprising number of people are affected by depression. I never would have guessed that any of the people who reached out to me had also dealt with depression. I also talked to several people who had never personally been depressed, but had watched helplessly as their friends dealt with similar problems.
- Nobody wants to talk about it publicly. Many of the people who contacted me said things like "thank you for writing this" and "you're brave for sharing this". A lot of the people I talked to had (legitimate) fears that they would be penalized, socially or professionally, for discussing their experiences with depression in the open (I assume it only gets worse for other mental health problems). It's really unfortunate that this is the case, and I've been pondering how we can create safe ways for people to share their perspective.
- My network is more supportive than I expected. The fact that people reached out to me to say that my post resonated with them was great. The fact that people reached out to me to say that they had never been depressed and were grateful that I had shared my perspective was amazing. I knew that I had good friends, but I was genuinely surprised by my friends who talked to me with the intention of learning how to better support their friends. I don't know how well this generalizes to other social circles, but my working hypothesis is that if you're having a tough time, your friends care and want to help you.
In short, talking about depression matters. I'm not entirely sure where to go with it, but it's clearly important. If you have thoughts or ideas, I'd love to hear them!

subset: commoncrawl


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About Our Homes
Each Habitat home is designed with quality, cost, energy efficiency and accessibility needs in mind.
The size of homes we provide depends on the size of applicants' families. Explore the tabs below to learn about our primary floorplans. Some homes may differ from floorplans show due to lot selection and other construction considerations.
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We're proud to build our homes to top energy-efficiency standards while also reducing waste and being environmentally friendly. How? Through our choice of construction materials, reconfiguration of our building plans to reduce waste, and continued research on updated materials and practices in home construction.
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LEED — Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design is helping to deliver energy and water-efficient, healthy, environmentally-friendly, cost-saving buildings, homes and communities. Our Towns Habitat has built two LEED homes, which earned Gold and Platinum certification levels.


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Ravry Medical Group is a full service practice specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of illnesses and conditions in the broad field of internal medicine. Led Dr. Mario E. Ravry, Ravry Medical Group's experienced staff provides patients with the most comprehensive and excellent care possible in a personal and caring environment. With diagnostic services available onsite as well access to immunizations year-round, Ravry Medical Group is proud to provide patients with the full-spectrum of medical care. Ravry Medical Group currently accepts all insurances (including Blue Cross Blue Shield Open Access).
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Phone: (404) 459-9340
Fax: (404) 459-9347
We require a minimum of 24 hour notice for cancellations. Failure to do so may result in a charge for the missed appointment.


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Ok, it looks like a few of you liked last week's Monday Motivation Mix to help get your workouts in gear, and a couple of you even got on board and decided to follow the mix on Spotify. I like that. Let's do that again.
As someone who will consider myself a hard rock enthusiast until I die, one of my favorite go-to's when I need to kick in some power is a list of some of my hard rock favorites. This was further punctuated yesterday, when I was in Dana's Soul Survivor class at SoulCycle West 77th Street and I started headbanging to "Whole Lotta Love," a Led Zeppelin tune that is included in the live track from the band Foreigner on the mix below.
Most likely because Jason Bonham, the son of Zeppelin's great drummer John Bonham, was playing drums for Foreigner on that tour, but that's a different post for a different blog. Like I said, fan for life.
And when I say "headbanging," I mean that I was running on the bike, throwing my head up and down with one hand in a devil horn formation in the air. Yep, I'm the crazy girl who gets way into her workouts when they're good, and Dana's class is always that good. I ride in the back row so I won't hit/maim/scare people.
Inspired by that experience yesterday, I thought I would compile a good hard rock playlist of my own, and I'm pretty excited to share it with you. Even if you're not into hard rock, give it a listen and see if it won't motivate you to kick in just that little bit extra when you think you want to quit this week. This week's mix includes some classic star turns from Ozzy Osbourne, Foreigner, Hole, and Marilyn Manson, but there's some Eminem in there with a touch of Motley Crue, and it ends with some good classic Stevie Nicks.
Try it…you might like it. All abooooooaaaaard!


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Floris van Breugel
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering & Integrative Neuroscience
University of Nevada, Reno
Reno is a growing hub for science, technology, art, and the outdoors. We do all four. Join us!
Flies, Robots, and Data
We study insects for inspiration in designing robust and novel control systems for robots. Our lab uses real-time tracking, high speed video, and virtual reality to study freely moving animals. Then, aided by modern machine learning tools and control theory, we analyze the behavior, and implement the principles on robotic systems. Along the way, we use genetic tools available in the fruit fly to gain insight into how brains function.
Floris van Breugel earned his PhD from Caltech in 2014 in Control and Dynamical Systems under the support of NSF and Hertz graduate fellowships while working with Michael H Dickinson on insect flight biomechanics, control, and multi-sensory integration. He subsequently went to the University of Washington to work with Jeff Riffell and J Nathan Kutz as a Postdoc to work on insect search strategies and machine learning approaches to system identification of complex systems, supported by a Sackler Fellowship in Biophysics and a Moore-Sloan-WRF Fellowship in DataScience. Floris joined the Dept. of Mechanical Engineering at UNR in January 2019.


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Book Review: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up
You know how I was talking recently about buying a little home, a sweet cottage, somewhere in Germany, Denmark (or possibly the Dutch/German border near the coast) that we could visit some weekends and in the summer? I still haven't decided where and when yet, but I stumbled upon this sweet and very tidy example of a cottage that could be a nice option only this one is for rent via Red Cottage Inc. and it's a tad far from home now because it's in Freehold, New York! But wow, doesn't it look so European, like it's been plucked straight from the French or English countryside? And so simply decorated.
Seeing this place and thinking further about buying a cottage has made me think that when I do find the perfect place, it needs to be decorated very simply and definitely uncluttered. In fact, I've been reading a great book about organizing and removing clutter from the home that my former book publicist, Lorraine Woodcheke, sent to me now that she's working for Ten Speed Press called The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Japanese de-cluttering expert and cleaning consultant Marie Kondo and I just love it. I'm working currently to apply it to my great annual spring clean that I'll soon get started on.
This little book is already an international bestseller with millions of copies sold and is a best-seller in many parts of the world like the UK, US, Japan and Germany. Wow, I can see why the moment I started reading it back in October! It's so easy to follow, compact and you get through it quickly -- plus the most important part is that I found so much of what Marie said both practical and necessary.
Marie's tips on sorting papers and storing books are ones I really need to listen to. Marie believes that, "Letting go is even more important than adding," and "The fact that you possess a surplus of things that you can't bring yourself to discard doesn't mean you are taking good care of them. In fact, it is quite the opposite".
She also believes that the things that we own, when we look at them, evokes emotion within us and that these very real feelings give us the energy for living and that putting your home in order can create a vibrant and happy life. I absolutely agree. Her book is so popular in Japan that it was turned into a television series. I had no idea that Japanese society had a problem with clutter!
Have you read The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up? What did you think?
(images: red cottage inc. and seattle refined)


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You guys, I think I'm a little too verklempt for intelligent commentary on today's episode. So we're going to mark the occasion with a straight up recap:
We open on Epiphany talking on the phone to someone named Doris about someone named Frank while an extra carries a portrait of Steve Hardy out to display in the lobby.
Meanwhile, Patrick is about to give the new group of interns a tour, as the Chief of Staff is nowhere to be found. Of course, that's because Monica is right where we left her — at home fighting with Tracy. Suddenly, they both see Alan appear.
(Note that by this point, I am already crying. It just goes downhill from here.) Continue reading


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GW ACM Workshops give members a chance to get personal experience with software they'll likely encounter in the workplace, and Professor Talks are a great way to learn more about something you're interested in from a real expert!
Our events bring students and professors together to get to know each other and share valuable knowledge. Almost all of our events have a few professors in attendance, which is a great way to get to know the department!
No matter what we're doing we always strive to make sure our group members and intrigued and enjoying themselves!


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A few days after graduation, we went a little non-traditional and flew to Guinea for our post-grad travels. We partnered with International Medical Corps (IMC) to conduct our second round of field-testing and validated the changes we made to Highlight after our last stint in Liberia. Over two weeks, we completed two simulations with the Rapid Response Team at IMC, a simulation with the Screening and Referral Unit at Donka Hospital, and met with key stakeholders including the French Red Cross, MSF, ALIMA, USAID/Guinea, and the National Coordinator for the Ebola Response in the Ministry of Health. The results and feedback were very positive and we're currently continuing our collaboration with IMC to get Highlight adopted by the Ministry of Health.
Traveling to Guinea was a bit daunting since none of us speak French, but we're proud to say we can now order from a menu and generally know what we're getting. We owe much of our success to IMC for their incredible hospitality, and in particular we really want to thank Oscar, Laura, Will, and Francois for always being there for us. The trip wouldn't have been possible without their help, and we're glad we were able to make so many amazing memories. Laura also wrote a great article about our trip, which is on the IMC website here.
For all the teams out there who are thinking about field-testing for the first time, our key takeaway is to choose your partners carefully. We've been extraordinarily blessed to have worked with two great organizations in Liberia and Guinea, and their willingness to help can drastically change the outcome of the trip. Something else to keep in mind is to make the effort to get to know your partners on a personal level. It's easy to go back to your room and check out after a mentally and physically exhausting day in the field, but we've never regretted saying yes to an invitation or making plans for dinner. Not only did we leave Guinea with great feedback, but we made some great friends too.
Another important takeaway is to be resourceful. We knew we wanted to meet with as many stakeholders as possible while we were in country, but scheduling meetings in advance (and especially through cold emails) has a very low hit rate. Most of our meetings happened by reminding people that we were in country and asking if they might know anyone, and getting contact information or a warm intro. Having Oscar call these stakeholders directly in French and name-dropping our connection worked like a charm. Being able to then have a conversation in person and describing Highlight has gotten us far further than a phone call ever has – sometimes we still wish we were in Guinea. Make the most of your time while you're there or plan to stay longer than you think you'll need.
After our trip abroad, we flew directly back to Boston in time for the Lemelson-MIT EurekaFest. We got to spend time with previous Lemelson-MIT Student Prize winners (one of them makes flying cars!), demo Highlight to talented high school inventors (they're honestly killing it), and Katherine gave an amazing talk about inventing which you can see here. It was humbling and inspiring to see so many young students working on such important problems, and it gives us faith that there are only good things to come in the future. This was one of the most fun weeks we've had in a while and some of the best hor d'oeuvres we've had too!
Last week, Jason traveled to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit at Stanford to meet entrepreneurs from all around the world. With the conference located in Silicon Valley, it was interesting to see that the majority of start-ups at the event were not necessarily strictly tech but rather emphasized social impact, ranging from teaching women to code in Egypt to fortifying rice in Thailand. It would seem that the US Government wants to present the message that the future depends on solving problems that impact people on a daily basis – equality and opportunity, health, and energy – and we would not disagree. The conference also brought in a lot of big names, and it was nerd heaven and Jason was very happy (see selfies below).
As we're currently building our board of advisors and figuring out sourcing and manufacturing, GES was a great place to network. It's not always easy to put yourself out there and strike up a conversation with someone you don't know, but it does get easier and you learn that most people like to talk if you're willing to listen. Some of the most relevant connections we made came from randomly sitting down at a table for lunch and introducing yourself.
This summer, we'll be working with IMC and MSF on several projects and prioritizing building our board and planning out our next funding round. We'll be in Boston mid-July for the VentureWell ASPIRE workshop and move into Columbia Startup Lab the first week of August. Until next time!


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Article: Language Mecánico - - - mechanics understand their own language, and some people use these words without knowing it.
Gonzo, in AutoShopOwner Articles
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By Elite Worldwide Inc.
Let's say you're looking to hire a superstar technician. You find one who has a proven track record of success, and put them through a well-constructed interview process. You decide that the person sitting in front of you is the perfect fit, and you make them a formal job offer in hopes that they will agree to join your team. They agree, and for the first time in a while you're able to sleep throughout the night, because you know you've done your due diligence, and have finally found the top tech you've so desperately been needing. All good so far, right?
Your new hire comes to work on Monday, and you're off to a great start. And then…. it happens. Within the first few weeks you start to get the sinking feeling that you may have hired the wrong person. There's no question that they can fix cars the right way, and they do it quickly. They also show up every day on time, and they keep their workplace clean. The problem is, they don't follow your procedures very well. Your key employees are telling you that the new guy seems to complain quite a bit about meaningless things, and they're sad to report that he's not very social either.
You start to hope that he'll either "adjust or come around", or that he's just dealing with some personal issues that will soon pass. But after a month or two you reach the inevitable conclusion – this guy doesn't like to follow rules, he has an attitude that doesn't fit well in your shop, and your other employees are not very pleased that he's working with you. After many sleepless nights, you decide to let him go, and you start the process all over again.
Unfortunately, many shop owners live in this world of high employee turnover, or end up telling themselves that they'd rather keep someone who's not a good fit than run the risk of simply swapping out one bad employee for another. If this sounds all too familiar to you, then consider this:
The trap most shop owners fall into is they hire people for what they know, and they end up firing them… for who they are.
To put it another way, shop owners often hire people for their skills, and they fire them for their behavior. So, the best-kept secret to hiring superstar techs and advisors? It's going a step beyond learning about their skills and experience, and learning more about who they are as a person. As someone who has grown some of the most successful shops in America, I've learned over the years that in order to hire top employees that my entire team will really enjoy working with, I have to pay very close attention to their personalities and behaviors during the interview process. I do that to this day with Elite, and it's been one of the most important keys to my hiring success. However, I also know that my perception of someone's personality will only take me so far, so I have every applicant complete a 45-minute online behavioral assessment before the first interview. Here's why.
An assessment can tell us whether an applicant has the propensity to follow rules, how social they are, their level of optimism, how open they are to constructive feedback, and a whole lot more. Not only do these assessments help us conclude whether the applicant is even someone we should interview, but they also give us direction on where we should dig deeper, and the questions we should ask during the interviews. For example, if the assessment suggests they are not very social, then you know you need to ask questions about how they worked with others in the past so you can discover if there were personality conflicts, ego issues, etc. If the assessment suggests they have a propensity to ignore rules and procedures, you can ask them specific questions about how they inspected and repaired cars, and how they interacted with the advisors.
So here's what I'm going to ask you to do. First, think about the people you've fired. Hopefully it hasn't been many, but I suspect you will discover that with rare exception, the reason you fired them had little to do with their skills, but was because of who they were as a person or how they behaved. Secondly, I'm going to ask that you accept the fact that there are many behaviors (and propensities) that will show up on behavioral assessments that you or I would never be able to detect during an interview, no matter how thorough we may be. And lastly, consider that if you do the math, hiring the wrong person is going to cost you at least $5,000.
If you now agree that you need to dig deep and learn more about who the person really is before you hire them, you need to do what Fortune 500 companies and the top shop owners in America do, and have every applicant complete a behavioral assessment before the first interview. There are many companies that provide such services, such as Predictive Index, Berke, and Myers-Briggs, to name a few. We use Berke, and have been quite pleased.
If you do begin assessing the people you may hire, then you have my promise: You'll have a much higher probability of hiring the techs and advisors that your other employees will enjoy working with, they'll follow your rules, and you'll be able to go to sleep at night knowing you have an incredible team…of superstars.
"Since 1990, Bob Cooper has been the president of Elite (www.EliteWorldwide.com), a company that strives to help shop owners reach their goals and live happier lives, while elevating the industry at the same time. The company offers the industry's #1 peer group of 90 successful shop owners, training and coaching from top shop owners, service advisor training, along with online and in-class sales, marketing and shop management courses. You can contact Elite at [email protected], or by calling 800-204-3548."
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By Joe Marconi
My son was an accomplished wrestler in high school, competing in the New York State Championships. He continued competing during his college years. At a major tournament, in which my son was ranked No. 1, the coached worried about his first match. In tournaments, the No. 1 ranked wrestler competes against the bottom-ranked wrestler in the first round. When I asked the coach why he worried about the bottom-ranked opponent, the coach replied, "Tough competition keeps you sharp. Weaker competition makes you complacent."
In business, as in sports, complacency occurs when you fail to recognize the strengths of your competition—even if the competition is considered weaker than you. Complacency is caused by many reasons. It could be the result of being successful, which gives you a false sense of security that the good days will continue forever. Or, it could be that the business owner is so entrenched in the day-to-day operations that he fails to recognize the world around him. Complacency also lowers your drive and your focus. It spreads to your employees. Eventually, this will have a detrimental effect on your business.
However, loss of business due to complacency doesn't happen overnight. It's a slow, painful death. One day you realize that your car counts are down, your customer base is dwindling and your new customer acquisition is declining too.
Today, consumers have choice and competition is fierce. Every segment of the auto repair industry wants a piece of the service and repair pie. You need to take a long hard look at your competition, analyze it and study it. Then build a strategy around what you bring to the marketplace that will set you apart from the rest.
One thing to keep in mind: In the business world, competition is everywhere. And it's not just other repair shops, dealerships or the tire store down the road. Your business is being judged and compared to by every experience the consumer encounters. In other words, if your customer had an amazing experience at a local restaurant, your business will be judged against that experience, too. But the question is: How should you compete?
In his book The Purple Cow, author Seth Godin makes the point that your business needs to be so remarkable, people will stop in their tracks to learn more about you. To make the cow comparison: Cows are essentially boring. They really don't stand out. But, if you're driving down a road and see a purple cow in a field, you'll more than likely stop your car to take a closer look. Now ask yourself: Is your business boring? Does it have the look and feel as every other repair shop in town? What can you do to make your business so remarkable, so different, that people will stop in their tracks and take notice? This is a powerful marketing strategy.
No matter how successful your business may be, it's wise to look at all prominent businesses in your area. Find out who they are, how they market themselves and what makes them stand out. Then, create a strategy that differentiates your business from the rest. By the way, never compete with another business by copying what it does or by the benefits it offers. Copying the competition is what many businesses do, and it's a mistake. Studying the competition is more about learning what they do, and then finding out what makes you different. What can your business bring to the marketplace that will make people take notice? Think about the company Harley Davidson. When you drive a Harley Davidson, you drive a Harley. It's not a motorcycle—it's a Harley. Harley Davidson is a brand so strong, people will actually tattoo the Harley logo on their bodies. Consider Starbucks. People don't say, "I'm going to get a cup of coffee." They say, "I'm going to get a Starbucks." These two companies have a unique brand identity. They stand out among the rest.
Competition is a good thing. It makes you stronger. It makes the entire business world better. It forces you to think about yourself and your brand. And by improving your brand, the customer benefits also improve, which, in turn, makes your business more successful. Never fear competition; rather, you should embrace it. Learn from it. But, remember, look for ways to set you apart from other businesses.
One last thing: Don't focus on what you do. We all essentially do the same thing—oil services, brake work, suspension, tires and more. Think about why you are in business. It's your culture. Think about what makes you special and communicate that to your customers and potential customers. Make that special something your purple cow.
By the way, my son took first place in that tournament. Although every match was a challenge, the two toughest matches were the final round and (you guessed it) his first match against a weaker opponent.
This story was originally published by Joe Marconi in Ratchet+Wrench on July 31st, 2019
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By Joe Marconi
There's a lot of talk these days about the effect Amazon is having on businesses. Even Google has taken a hit. More and more people simply go straight to Amazon, instead of using Google's search engine when looking for an item or product. Once-dominant brick and mortar stores are now ramping up to compete with Amazon's online ordering service. Just look what Amazon did to the book industry. There is no doubt that Amazon has changed the way the typical consumer buys and searches for just about anything.
But, can Amazon ever really become a major competitor with us; the independent repair shop? My conclusion is no. Let me tell you why.
It was the Saturday before Christmas, roughly 12 years ago. A man walked in my shop, visibly upset and holding an old Lionel train transformer. I asked him if I could help him, and he replied, "I was wondering if you could check out this transformer. This transformer has been in my family for over 50 years. Each year the family gets together to decorate the Christmas tree and set up the Lionel Trains. It's a tradition we started a long time ago."
I stood before him a little confused, not really knowing what to say. Finally I replied, "Sir, I repair cars, not toy train transformers." Getting more upset, he said, "Toy train transformer? This is a rare, vintage Lionel Duel Transformer, Type ZW!" I replied back, "OK; no promises. Let me take a look"
I set the transformer on the back bench and plugged the cord it into an outlet. The man frantically said, "See, there's no light; it's not working!" I turned the transformer over, and took the screws out to disassemble it. The man watched me as if I were a surgeon operating on his child. I poked around a bit and inspected the cord leading inside. I could clearly see a break in the wire. I cut the wire, stripped it back, attached the wire back to the terminals and reassembled the transformer. I plugged it in and the power light came on. "It working! It's working!" the man said. He thanked me over and over and asked me what he owed me, and I told him, "It's Christmas; just become my customer." And he did.
Another time, a young woman in her early twenties and her father came to me with an unusual problem. I could see that the daughter was crying and the father was trying to console her. The daughter told me that she was recently engaged. As she was driving this morning, her friend reached over and tried to take off the ring. As she pulled her hand back, the ring came off and flew across the top of the dashboard and disappeared. The father said, "Joe, could it have gone down the defroster vents?" I said, "It's possible, but if you didn't see where it went, it's going to be a big job to find it." The girl began to cry again and said, "Please, can you get the ring back?" I looked at her and said, "Sure, it will take time. It's almost the end of the day. Let me clear up a few things and I'll get to it."
About an hour later, I brought the car in and begin taking apart the dash. The father and daughter stood there watching me as I carefully took apart the dash, piece by piece. After 40 minutes I had just about every piece of the dashboard apart, and no ring. I climbed out from under the dash to take a break and asked the daughter, "Are you sure the ring landed on top of the dash and disappeared?" She replied, "Yes, I'm sure. It has to be there. It must!"
I went back to work, removing more parts of the dash. I finally got down to the lower center of the dash where the ducts split off and go to the floor vents. As I removed the left side floor vent, I heard a rattling sound. I carefully picked it up, turned it over and out came the ring! The daughter burst into tears and laughter and gave me a big hug. The father told me, "Joe, I will never forget this—never."
These two stories are true. And I'll bet a year's pay that you have similar stories. Each day, we put our hearts and souls into helping people. We create a customer experience that sets us apart from most other businesses. We go above and beyond what's expected of us, and we succeed.
Let me ask you; could the "Amazon effect" ever compete with you? The only effect you should focus on is the effect you have on your customers and your community. This will always be your competitive advantage. Use it wisely.
This story was originally published by Joe Marconi in Ratchet+Wrench on July 1st, 2019
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By Joe Marconi
Roughly a month ago, two events happened on the same day that reminded me that there are things that are so precious, you cannot put a price on them. Those events also reminded me that some of the things we stress over, really aren't as important as we think. And in the end, it all comes down to the importance of life itself.
I got a call that day from Paul, the person who picks up our scrap metal. He asked if he could speak to me in private. Now, being a seasoned business owner, that's usually not a good sign. But, this had nothing to do with business. I met Paul in my office a few hours later. He appeared very uncomfortable and upset. After exchanging a few words about business and the weather, he told me that his brother died last year. He was one of three other brothers that died within the past five years. He went on to tell me that none of his brothers had any savings or insurance, so it was up to him to take care of all the burial expenses for all the brothers. As Paul spoke, I could see that he was emotionally drained. Then he said to me, "Joe, I really hate to ask you this. I am tapped out. I cannot support all my financial obligations at this time. Would it be possible to lend me the money to purchase the gravestone for my brother? You can make the check out directly to the gravestone company, not to me."
I have known Paul a long time. He's one of those hard-working, tough-talking guys that you would never imagine asking for a handout. I didn't hesitate and wrote out the check and handed it to him. He held back the tears as he shook my hand and told me, "Joe, I will never forget this, and I will pay you back."
About an hour later, the owner of a local tow company walked into my office manager's office to pick up a check we owed him for last month's tows. I wasn't paying much attention until I overheard my office manager say, "Oh, my God, I am sorry, Dave. I didn't even know you were sick." Dave is 42 years old, married with kids, and has brain cancer that is not responding to treatment.
Dave has a great attitude, but understands the reality of his illness. He's doing his best while on the treatment, but admitted that, some days, he finds it hard to function. He told us how he started his tow company right out of high school and has worked hard his entire life. As he was leaving, I told him to reach out to us if he needs anything. He told me prayer might help. I told him I would do that.
Before the two events that day, I was dealing with a few business problems. And I need to be honest: I was not in the best of moods. After speaking to Paul and Dave, those issues that seemed so daunting before, didn't seem all that important anymore. I sat back in my chair, looked over at a photo of my grandkids on my desk, and told myself that I need to do a better job at arranging life's priorities.
As shop owners, we get caught up in the day-to-day struggles of running a business—sometimes at a cost to our families, friends and ourselves. We anguish over bad online reviews, disgruntled employees, slow days and declining car counts. We sometimes find it hard to sleep at night, reflecting over and over again in our minds, the problems of the day. And we repeat this cycle over and over, year after year. Let me tell you, no business issue is ever all that serious that it cannot be overcome. But, when life throws you a curveball, as in the case with Paul and Dave, those problems are not so easily overcome.
There are many reasons why each of us go into business. For many of us, it's the passion for the work we do. For others, it's the burning desire to improve the automotive industry. While I cannot say that we are in perfect alignment in every area of business, I do know one thing with certainty: We all need to stop and reflect from time to time on all the things that have nothing to do with business, but everything to do with life itself. Those are the things that no amount of money can ever buy. Those are the things that are priceless.
This story was originally published by Joe Marconi in Ratchet+Wrench on June 1st, 2019
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By CAR_AutoReports
Another acronym being thrown around is ADAS, short for Advanced Driver Assist Systems. I think everyone is stuck staring at those four letters without understanding the liability that those 4 letters represent for the future of the automotive industry, regardless of how much safer they make vehicles on the road. As one of the first facilities in NJ to purchase and utilize the ADAS calibration system from Autel, we have some really unique experience with it and want to pass on some information you should be aware of when considering whether or not you want to jump in.
Facility Is Too Small - Size matters, A LOT with ADAS calibrations and if you have less than 2500 sf of space with a booming business... chances are you don't have the room to perform calibrations. Your exact business configuration will help determine this, but you ideally need a location where you can pick up 10 feet of open space all around a vehicle for most calibrations, but some calibrations may require 20 feet or more. Floor Isn't Level - If your floor is uneven, you can't perform ADAS calibrations, period. Can't Program? - If you are not experienced with programming modules or updating vehicle modules, you will not be able to perform a fair amount ADAS calibrations. Can't Diagnose? - If you don't have a team that can efficiently and accurately troubleshoot the vehicles already coming into your shop, ADAS isn't going to be any easier, it's going to be significantly harder. Who Needs OE Information, I have "X"! - Replace X with All Data or Mitchell or even the instructions in your scan tool. What happens when the manufacturer updated the information on the procedures yesterday and they didn't share that information with anyone yet? We've already encountered steps missing from the Autel scan tool... Minimum Insurance Policy Is More Than Enough - We have more than double the minimum and we are worried it's not enough. With lawsuits that settle into the tens of millions of dollars, we're not sure what enough is anymore. Don't Document Your Process? - This is where a lot of people will scoff. Who has the time? Save pictures and files, where am I supposed to do that? Who's gonna pay for this? We've figured this out and more importantly... we get paid for documenting. Do you? Mobile Calibrations? - Besides the fact that you're trying to transport $20,000 of equipment needed for calibrations in a van, this one is so serious... we couldn't give you a 2 sentence paragraph, read below. How are mobile glass services, like Safelite, performing calibrations on the go? We don't know, but we have A LOT of questions surrounding this. A recent calibration of a 2019 Toyota C-HR, after a windshield replacement, has some really interesting requirements. Requirements which we are used to, but we want to know... how is a mobile tech handling this? These are the requirements that must be met prior to starting a calibration:
It is our experience that once a windshield has been replaced, the vehicle should not be moved for a period of at least 2 hours (weather dependent) in order to allow the glue to harden properly. So, what's going on? Is the mobile glass tech filling up the vehicle prior to replacing the windshield? How many of you had a windshield replaced and a vehicle calibrated with a fuel tank that was not full? We don't know how many corners are being cut and where they are being cut... but what we do know is that the above requirements have been there in every vehicle we have calibrated at this facility thus far.
Lastly, pay particular attention to this requirement in this photo...
*Calibration should be performed in a window-less environment with no bright lights or reflective materials. Ensure no other black and white patterns similar to the calibration pattern should be behind the calibration pattern.
In a world where reducing liability is at the forefront of most public discussions, there are sure a lot of companies undermining their insurance policy in the field.
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Have an announcement or news you'd like to share?
If you would like to contribute to the FOM Newsletter or this website, please submit it to firstname.lastname@example.com.
Please join us for a Book Gathering at the Montserrat Building featuring Montserratian writers David Bradshaw & Dorine S. O'Garro.
View the flyer
This year, the Society is proud to have in attendance, the following dignitaries from Montserrat:
His Excellency, Governor Peter Waterworth
The Honourable, Reuben T. Meade, Chief Minister
David Osborne, Parliamentary Secretary for Diaspora Affairs.
REMINDER: Members who pay their dues on an annual basis should submit membership renewals ASAP. Most memberships expired Dec 31, 2009. Please contact Maudelyn Johnson, Financial Secretary, regarding your financial status.
We would like to thank everyone that helped to make the 95th Anniversary Show and Dance a success.
Please indulge us as we bring back the enthusiasm of our anniversary dance. We hope it doesn't take too long to regain its former glory. If you are aware of facilities (Bronx or Harlem, NY) that would allow us to do the dance as we used to, please contact Bernie Callender. We need a venue that allows us to stay as late as 4:00 A.M. and accommodate large numbers of Montserratians and friends!


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Sue Higgins Park
Deerfoot Trail & Southland Dr SE
Sue Higgins is the mother of all dog parks. At 62 hectares, it's the largest off-leash area in the city, and it's fully fenced. Most anything a dog or guardian could want is provided: weave poles and moguls for playing and training, open fields for unlimited fetch, shady trees, open sun, quiet, seldom-used spots and busy populated areas for seeking animated play partners. For water babies, there are four different access points to the Bow River. For waders there are shallow calm water areas. For dock dogs there are two points accessing deep water with strong current.
The City of Calgary generously services ample waste bins sprinkled throughout the park, so you hardly need carry a poop bag for more than five minutes. If you forget bags, supplies donated by users are located at each of the five entrance gates. Human washrooms are available in the parking lot. Two big notice boards provide communication opportunities.
My favourite features of the park are a training ring and Nora Tuckey's Grove. These are fenced, quiet areas perfect for training. Nora Tuckey's Grove has picnic tables and can be used for activities for families or groups of dog lovers. I also love the path that parallels the river. The scenery is sublime through four seasons and the sound of the river is peaceful. Les Deux Chiens Assis, a pair of bronze sculptures crafted in the late 1800's by Parisian artist Henri Alfred Jacquemart, are a beautiful recent addition to the park.
I adore the fact that this phenomenal public amenity is named for a civic legend who self-described as an "Alderbroad".
Update December 2016: The pooches are LOVING the BP Forest, now that it's been opened to the public! Also the City has been busy upgrading pathways, levelling them with gravel and addressing water ponding areas. They've also added more waste bins to the east pathways (YAY!) and added recycling bins throughout the park. Sue Higgins just keeps getting better and better! :-) Now, if only my dream of installing solar lights could be realized . . . for the long winter days when it's dark in the mornings and way too early in the evening . . . just a few, sprinkled in the south loop, which is the most heavily used area . . . no electricity required . . . properly tented to avoid light pollution . . . hint, hint.


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Harrington upbeat despite FedEx flop
Padraig Harrington blamed his poor play on the par-fives for a second successive missed cut in the FedEx Cup play-offs.
The double Major winner, who celebrates his 37th birthday today (Sunday), sliced 10 shots off his first round effort with a sizzling six under par 65 in the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston.
But a missed birdie chance from 14 feet at his final hole meant he missed the three-under par cut by a shot and is now in danger of failing to qualify for next month's FedEx Cup finale, the 30-man Tour Championship.
Projected to slide from 23rd to 45th in the FedEx Cup points list, Harrington was still upbeat afterwards and looking forward to next week's BMW Championship in St Louis, where he needs a top finish to make the top-30 who qualify for the Tour Championship.
Harrington said: "It's always nice to shoot a good round. But it's always disappointing when you're not going to win. You come in to every event wanting to win.
"That's not going to happen this week, so you've got to focus on next week. There's always next week. It's not like the Olympics. We don't have to wait four years."
Harrington felt he would make the cut when he carded his sixth birdie of the day on the fourth, his 13th, to get to two-under.
And while his caddie, Ronan Flood, told him he needed one more birdie to make it, his aggressive play over the last five holes failed to pay off.
Harrington explained: "I found out it wasn't (enough) with about five or six holes to go. When I got to 6-under, my caddie told me, 'You need to get to 7.' "
"I just played the same way I played all day. You've just got to go for it. It's a lot easier to play golf like that. It's easier when there's no downside (to an aggressive shot)."
Harrington saved par from ten feet at the sixth, but then missed chances from 22 feet, 42 feet and 14 feet on the last three greens.
He added: "On the last, it was close, but I didn't hit a great putt. I just played the par 5s badly. In two days, I was two-over on them, when they were all reachable. You're going to struggle when you do that."
A triple-bogey eight on the par five 18th in the first round was to blame for back-to-back missed cuts - his first double failure since he missed out in the St Jude Classic and the US Open last year.
But Harrington was looking forward to a few days off, explaining: "I can do with a couple of days off. So that won't do me any harm."


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1. Crystal Cove Marine Conservation Area Citizen Science Monitoring
2017. Crystal Cove Alliance. Crystal Cove Conservancy operates the Crystal Cove Marine Protected Are Citizen Science Cruise in partnership with Newport Landing ... UC Irvine.
2. Vegetation Change in the Natural Reserve of Orange County
2017. Suding, Katherine, Dickens, Sara Jo, and Bedgood, Samuel. This data set describes vegetation change in 109 areas in the Nature Reserve of Orange County. The authors of this data were mainly ... UC Irvine.


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Deconstructed modernist traditional: Venice-vibe, in prime Sunset Park. Be the first to live in this designer residence since it was expanded and completely remodeled. A vintage bungalow originally built in 1923, redesigned by award winning Architect Lincoln Chung, to be appreciated by buyers who have passed on soulless flip/remodels and prefer a home that is eminently warm, yet sleek and sophisticated. Enter this 'Dwell' styled, front-cover worthy residence via a generous ipe-clad front porch, to daylight streaming into an open concept floorplan, featuring a vaulted ceiling living room with fireplace, very large dining area and newly constructed kitchen with stone counters, stainless steel appliances, extra storage and access to the yard. The main residence features 3 bedrooms, 2 new bathrooms, including master suite with luxurious bath offering double sinks, concrete floors and large marble shower. In addition to the main house, there is an incredible guest house featuring great room with vaulted ceilings and adjacent kitchenette, separate bedroom, new bathroom and hardwood floors, all overlooking the yard. Multiple outdoor areas include front and back grassy yards, patio and deck space, plus a 2-car garage. A special turn-key offering, mid-block, yet moments to everything and in the coveted Grant Elementary School District. Nearly every system updated: new ducting and AC, new windows, new doors, new lighting, new flooring, new irrigation, new roof on main house, new tankless water heater, and new electrical panel. Main house approx 1,532 sf; guest house approx 500 sf.
- Status: Sold
- Address: 2312 29th St
- Location: Sunset Park
- Price: $1,879,000
- Bedrooms: 3
- Bathrooms: 2
- Square feet: 1,532 appx sq. ft.


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Earlier this week I visited the new Pacific Werribee, (it's actually only 29 kilometres from Melbourne CBD), the new go-to fashion destination of the west which has just finished its $400 million redevelopment.
Those who live over in the west (myself included) now have access to a pretty impressive line-up of global and leading Australian fashion brands such as H&M, Uniqlo and an expanded Myer (which includes TopShop). The new Centre even includes Seed Heritage, Sportsgirl, Peter Alexander and a Mecca Maxima which is opening on the 9th of September.
Pacific Werribee is filled with natural light, marble floors and polished concrete. A little highlight for me was also the new relaxed seating areas that are equipped with their very own usb ports – the perfect finishing touch.


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Spirits of Aleister Crowley's Illustrated Goetia
Rank: Duke
Degree: 20 – 30
Zodiac sign: Virgo (day September 12 – September 23)
Tarot: Ten of Disks
Alchemical sign: Venus – Copper
Bathin is the Eighteenth Spirit, and a Mighty and Strong Duke. He appears like a strong man with a serpent's tail sitting on a pale horse or ass. He knows the virtues of herbs and precious stones and can transport men from one country to another. He governs 30 Legions of Spirits.
Crowley, Aleister, Illustrated Goetia, DuQuette, Hyatt, Wilson, Temple, Arizona, New Falcon Publications 2000


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9 Brow Tools from Tweezerman./
When you hear the name Tweezerman, you undoubtedly think of eyebrows, right? Well, that is because Tweezerman is the original brow authority. They have made brow tools for over 30 years and have won many awards because of just how great they are. From tools to get your brows in shape to enhancing them, Tweezerman has it all.
Take a look at some of the great tools Tweezerman has to offer.
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Outfitted with sharp, ulta-thin precision blades so you can isolate each hair with optimum accuracy and control.
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Made of stainless steel, this award winning slant tweezer for precise brow shaping is recommended by top makeup and brow artists. Embossed with a zebra print makes this an updated, fun version of the original.
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Use this mousse to keep brows in their perfect shape all day.
4. Pointed Slant Tweezer
This uniquely designed tweezer with perfectly aligned hand-finished tips combines the easy handling of the Slant tweezer with the precision of the Point tweezer.
5. Point Tweezer
Made of stainless steel, this is famous for its' precision. The Point features perfectly aligned hand finished tips that grab even the tiniest of hairs with ease.
6. Brow Brush
Use this brush to get brow hairs into place before trimming or tweezing.
7. Slant Tweezer
The original stainless steel tweezer is the easiest to use tweezer to date. Hairs are targeted, making tweezing simple and precise. It is an award winner and has been the choice among top make-up artists, model, celebrities, and those of us who demand the best in eyebrow shaping.
8. Special Edition Pop of Op Mini Slant Tweezer
This smaller version of the award-winning original Slant tweezer, this is the ideal size for travel and makeup bags.
9. Eyenhance Pencil
This dual-ended pencil features both a universal brow color Brow Pencil and Highlighter. Fill in and redefine the shape of brows with the Brow Pencil and highlight it by using the Highlighter lightly directly beneath the brow.
For more information or where to purchase Tweezerman brow tools, visit them at tweezerman.com.


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Happy Holidays Utah 2010!
Welcome to the page about all things Holidays!
Browse through the list below to check out all the fun things to do this holiday season.
If you have an idea for a Holiday activity that we have missed, please email us at email@example.com . Thanks, and Happy Holidays!
Holiday Events In Utah 2010 - November AND December!!!!
This is where you want to go to check out all of the special Holiday events happening in Utah in 2010! This list grows each day, so make sure to check back often!
Daddy It's Cold Outside - FREE Download
This is the CUTEST song! A cute rendition of Baby It's Cold Outside.
Christmas Sweaters!
Send us pictures of your AWESOME Christmas sweaters!
Capture Santa On Camera!
Prove that Santa exists by capturing him on camera in your very own house!
Christmas Music and Stories
A complete list of FREE Christmas music and stories to get you in the mood!
New Years Eve Celebrations
A growing list of events going on for New Years Eve 2010/2011
Holiday TV Programming
Thanks to the Deseret News for this awesome list!
Track Santa!
Keep track of Santa's wherabouts!
Our Magical Elf
A cherished family tradition at our house
Check Santa's Naughty and Nice List!
See what Santa has to say about your behavior this year.
Send a FREE Phone Call From Santa
A few different options for you when sending a Santa call.
Let's See Your Snow Creations!
Visit this page to see all the snow creations submitted to us by our readers, and submit your own! This is going to be a winter-long collection.
Receive a Letter Postmarked From The North Pole!
This is a FREE service that the post office in North Pole, Alaska, offers!
The Christmas Chronicles: A Radio Christmas Drama
Go back to "the good old days" when families would gather around the radio every evening and listen to their favorite "radio program". An 8 part Christmas series.
Video Message From Santa
Send a personalized video message from Santa to anybody on your list!
Homemade Hot Chocolate
Stay warm this winter with yummy homemade hot chocolate!
Ice Skating In Utah
Winter is a magical time for ice skating in Utah! Here is a list of places you can find for indoor and outdoor ice skating.
Sledding and Tubing In Utah
A beloved winter tradition in Utah is spending the day on a sled or innertube from a tire! Here are some of the best places for sledding and tubing.
Christmas Stories - FREE and safe downloads
Download favorite holiday stories from StoryNory. FREE and safe! Read online, listen to online, or download the mp3 and add to a CD or your iPod.
Cold Weather Means Movie Time!
Check out this page for all your movie-watching options from the comfort of your own home.
Favorite Holiday Movies
Here is an ongoing list of favorite Holiday movies. If you know of one that we have forgot, please email us at email@example.com so that we can add it to the list!
Christmas and Holiday Music
There's nothing like music to set the tone for your holidays! Click the link above to hear some of our favorites.
Christmas Music With Munchkin Radio
There's no doubt Munchkin Radio will be playing some awesome holiday music for the season!
FREE Veggie Tales Christmas CD
Download this entire album for FREE!
Christmas Neighbor Gifts
Ideas from various places on gifts to give your neighbors or teachers
No-Bake Gingerbread Houses
Studio 5 did a GREAT segment about No-Bake Gingerbread Houses.
Cut Down Your Own Christmas Tree
Here is a great resource for where to go to choose, cut down, and take home your own Christmas tree.
Historic Utah Winter Storms
A list of some noteable winter storms in Utah


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Wall Street for Main Street
Debt and Structured Finance | Private Equity | Mergers & Acquisitions | Real Estate
Global Access
We operate across all major global financial centers.
Bluebox RE
Real Estate financing, done better, done right.
Investment Banking for SMEs and Unlisted Companies
Debt & Fixed Income
Private Equity & ECM
Real Estate
Transaction Services
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Submit Deal Summary
Thank you for your interest in our Investment Banking services. Due to the complex nature of capital market transactions, we need to study the proposal thoroughly before taking on the engagement.
Please fill out the initial form below and share any information you can.
All information shall be strictly private and confidential.


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How do I buy something?
How does payment work?
How can I contact AppliancesDelivered.ie?
When will my order be delivered?
Where do you deliver?
How much does delivery cost?
What if I miss my delivery?
How can I get rid of my old appliance?
I have changed my mind, how can I return my order?
My order was broken/damaged/not the product I ordered when it arrived. What happens now?
What do I need in order to make a purchase?
Can you post my invoice to me?
Are products or prices different for someone who is buying a product over the phone?
Can I use a discount code when ordering over the phone?
What happens if my appliance is not working?
What do I need to pick up my order at the Click&Collect point?
How does the Price Match Promise work?
Can I collect my order?
What are your opening times?
Do you provide installation
How far in advance can I order?
What's the cut off time for next day delivery?
How do I know if an item is on stock?
Which payment methods can I use to place my order?
Where do I enter my discount code?
Can I choose a delivery slot?
When I order more than one item, will they all be delivered at the same time?
Can I speak to my driver?
Can I place a FlexiFi order on the phone?
Do you offer Click and Collect?
Buying your appliance with AppliancesDelivered.ie is simple. Once you have chosen the product you would like to purchase simply select the 'Buy Now' button and proceed to payment.
We accept payment via Paypal, as well as Visa, MasterCard, and American Express cards.
Any credit card or debit card method which may be used on the website must have a valid billing address and valid card issuing bank.
We use Stripe as our payment processor which is a secure way of protecting your data online.
Please visit Contact us
Maximum delivery time is up to 5 working days depending on your area. For more information please see our Delivery Information
We deliver to anywhere within the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Delivery costs vary depending on the goods purchased and your location. For an accurate price of your delivery, please see our delivery information page.
You can rearrange delivery online, simply fill in the form to organise it.
When delivering a new appliance, please request to take away your old appliance and then we will collect your old one for free and recycle it. Please ensure it is disconnected, clean, dry and ready to go with our driver. In relation to fridge/freezers these must be disconnected, fully defrosted, clean and dry or they will not be collected.
Please visit our Returns & Cancellations page, fill in the form and one of our After Sales Team Members will be in contact with you.
Any damaged/broken or incorrect deliveries must be reported to Appliances Delivered within 24hours from receipt of delivery. Please visit our Returns & Cancellations page, fill out the form on the left and a member of our After Sales Team will be in touch shortly.
You will need a valid credit or debit card and a valid email address.
Invoices from AppliancesDelivered.ie will automatically be emailed to you following a purchase. We do not post invoices. If you have not received your invoice please contact us here
The price and service will not differ if you choose to buy over the phone or online. Online prices will always be the most update prices and AppliancesDelivered.ie recommend that you check the website for updated prices as these can change regularly.
Yes, you can. Please inform our team that you have a valid discount code before they proceed with processing your repayment. Once payment has been processed it is final.
If your appliance is not working please firstly troubleshoot your appliance using the user manual in case it is just a common problem that is resolved easily. Please visit our Returns & Cancellations page, fill out the form on the left and a member of our After Sales Team will be in touch shortly.
You must provide all of the following documents at the collection point, when using our Click&Collect Service. Items will only be released to the card holder when the below documentation is shown to a staff member.
The AppliancesDelivered.ie Price Match Promise is valid at the time of purchase and depends on a valid offer online.
Please note:
For more details, please check our Price Match Promise page.
Yes, to place a order for collection please contact our customer support team
Yes – we provide installation in Dublin and parts of Meath, Kildare, Laois, Wicklow, Offaly and Westmeath.
You can place your order at anytime and choose your delivery date for up to a month in advance.
12 midnight within the greater Dublin area.
All items on our website are in stock!
At your basket, just before checkout.
Unfortunately, we cannot provide delivery slots. Your driver will call you in advance of his arrival.
Where we can we try to deliver everything at the same time. Sometimes this is not possible; if your items have to be dispatched separately we will let you know.
We cannot give you the driver's number but they will call you in advance of delivery. If you have any additional notes or directions, lets us know and we can add these in for you.
We cannot process FlexiFi applications via phone.
Yes, if you would like to place an order for collection, please give us a call on 01 531 2270 and place your order over the phone. Our warehouse is located in Citywest, Dublin 24 and open for collection Monday to Friday, 10am to 3pm.