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Monday, November 23, 2009
and i'll be willin' to be movin'
Anyway, I am happy with how things are in the new place, everything fits (kind of) and everything looks good (mostly). Basically I have FAR TOO MUCH CRAP, and am planning to cull some of it over the next couple of months. One of the problems with living in large houses, as I've done for ten years, is that I never threw anything out -- consequently, I found a lot of things while unpacking that I thought "What??" Stupidly, one of the things I found was my quarter-written book about I. Oliver, and even more stupidly I re-read the thing and no doubt that contributed to my slightly dark mood. Decent writing, but such a sad time in my life.
We don't have internet connection at home yet, so I am having to check emails, blog, etc from work, so forgive me if I'm not around as much. I also am having issues commenting on Blogger blogs, for some strange reason - it comes up saying error on page. Hannah and Ruby Tuesday, I particularly wanted to send big loves to you both but have been unable ): I also can't seem to comment on my own posts, hence the clumsy edit situation on my previous post. Is this why people have been abandoning Blogger for Wordpress?? Can't say I blame them, as it's driving me to distraction.
(Linda Rondstadt - "Willin'")
Monday, November 16, 2009
meditating in the mosh pit
Here's the product description from Amazon:
"If you have introvert inclinations and are doubting yourself, this is a must read. Or if you know someone who exhibits introvert symptoms, read this book before calling the shrink."
- Bhante Yogavacara Rahula, author of One Night's Shelter: An Autobiography of an American Buddhist Monk
Are you an introvert? Psychologist and introvert Laurie Helgoe reveals that more than half of all Americans are. Introverts gain energy and power through reflection and solitude. Our culture, however, is geared toward the extrovert. The pressure to enjoy parties, chatter, and interactions can lead people to think that an inward orientation is a problem instead of an opportunity.
Helgoe shows that the exact opposite is true: Introverts can capitalize on this inner source of power. INTROVERT POWER is a groundbreaking call for an introvert renaissance, a blueprint for how introverts can take full advantage of this hidden strength in daily life. Supplemented by the voices of several introverts, Helgoe presents a startling look at introvert numbers, influence, and economic might.
Revolutionary and invaluable, INTROVERT POWER includes ideas for how introverts can learn to:
- Claim private space
- Carve out time to think
- Bring a slower tempo into daily life
- Create breaks in conversation and relationships
- Deal effectively with parties, interruptions, and crowds
QUIET IS MIGHT. SOLITUDE IS STRENGTH. INTROVERSION IS POWER.And a quote from inside the book:
Introverts generally prefer a rich inner life to an expansive social life, we would rather talk intimately with a close friend than share stories with a group and we prefer to develop our ideas internally rather than interactively.
Hooray, I actually feel like someone out there, maybe lots of "someones" understand me. I know from my friends here in the "madosphere" that there are a lot of people struggling with the pressure to be constantly "up" and "on" in our lives. Laurie Helgoe's book is written in a light-hearted yet forthright way, and was an easy read as well as an interesting one.
I'm currently reading "The Dance of Anger" so maybe that'll be my next "non-review" lol...
For some reason Blogger won't allow me to comment on my own posts today, so here's what I would have said in response to the comments below!
Firstly, how thrilled am I that Laurie Helgoe visited my blog and made a comment! Thank you so much Laurie. One of the things I loved most about Introvert Power is the personal tone she uses, with many anecdotes from her own life and relationships as well as quotes from other introverts. Brilliant book, I have already ordered two more copies for friends.
Coyote - I thought of you often while I was reading, there are a lot of correlations between things Laurie mentions in the book and situations you and I have experienced and discussed. Definitely look out for it.
Dreamwriter - thank you for dropping by, I always enjoy your reviews!
Lady Amanda - I know what you mean, I am more talkative than some Introverts (Laurie Helgoe calls us Socially Accessible Introverts) but definitely prefer the company of other Introverts who tend to understand my need for quiet time. I think you'd get a lot out of the book! Hugs back x
Sunday, November 15, 2009
between fight and flight is the blind man's sight
My grandmother is home from hospital, and much better. The infection has cleared up, and with its passing has come the welcome passing of the dementia (apart from her normal 91- year-old befuddledness). The Aged Care Assessment Team have recommended, though, that she be placed in permanent care now her health is deteriorating, unless one of us can be home with her at all times. That's just not financially possible as we aren't entitled to any carer's allowances from the government, and both my parents are still working. Usually Nanna is only home one or two days a week on her own, but that's too much now. So we've started the process of finding a decent nursing home for her. She's quite happy about the idea, as she gets lonely here on her own and while she was in hospital she told us she enjoyed having other people around all the time. There are a few places locally, and we'll try to get her in to somewhere nicer and newer with a good reputation. Aged care seems to be one of those areas that there is a major difference between the top and bottom "levels" even though it's supposed to be regulated and checked by the government.
In the midst of all this, Michelle and I finally heard on Friday that we got our house! We're signing the lease on Monday, and I have started the daunting task of packing. So far, there are 11 boxes OF BOOKS ALONE! We have a study nook/office area at the new place which Michelle has suggested I set up as a reading room - which is a great idea and such a relief as I wouldn't know where to put all the darn books otherwise. I can't part with them, though, they have been my best friends through the years. What is weird, given my bizarre childhood and tenuous relations with family, is that it seems strange and scary to be moving away from my mom. We've only become close in the last few years, partly through living together and sharing the care of nanna. Especially in the last 12 months, during my breakdown, we've actually connected on an adult and non-angry level. I hope that doesn't change once I'm gone from here. She's been supportive and positive about the move, which is awesome. For the first time in 12 years I'm going to be living solo, albeit with a roomie!
Mostly, I am thrilled about the opportunity to form my own independent life again and to live with Michelle will be a lot of fun. We have a lot in common and are more like sisters (she's 13 years younger than me). I can't wait to be closer to the city, and to my workplace, and to be released from the watching nanna, cooking, cleaning regime. Obviously my own place will need cleaning, and my own meals need cooking, but not in the same institutional way! I bought a new washing machine and a vacuum cleaner as well as some of the boring domestic supplies. The big moving day is Saturday 21st November. Wish me luck!!
Health-wise, I am still thriving on the current med combination and am managing to sleep well. I have my neurologist appointment tomorrow to find out more about the Borderline Chiari Malformation that showed up on my MRI. The headaches are still there, but I'm dealing with them, so if nothing comes from the specialist then it's no big deal. I'd rather avoid the "removing part of my skull" operation if at all possible LOL.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
turn and face the change
Speaking of decisions, three days ago my mum and I took my nanna to the Emergency Department as her pulmonary infection was not improving, even with antibiotics and (even more alarmingly) she was showing signs of delirium. She is usually quite lucid and aware, even though she is almost 91, but Thursday she began to act strangely (like sitting in bed in the dark trying to read and telling us about apparations she had seen, flowers on the ceiling etc). Her GP Doc thought it might be delirium caused by the chest infection so we took her straight to the ER on Friday when she was no better. Six hours later she was admitted to a ward and it seems now that she has sudden onset dementia which may or may not improve once the infection is cleared up. My brother works in aged care and he seems to think that sometimes, often, that kind of mental deterioration is permanent. In a way, it's okay because she actually seems very happy and relaxed in her "new world" whereas usually she would be angry and stressed about being sick. She recognises us but doesn't really have any "context" for things, and is content to sit beside her hospital bed gazing out the window. We were really concerned that she would be frustrated at having to stay in hospital, but that hasn't happened at all.
It's disturbing, having had a mostly coherent grandmother for almost 40 years and now, practically overnight, seeing her change into a muddled childlike person. I'm surprised by how upsetting it is. I can't stop thinking about all the things I shared with nanna that she will (probably) now forget, leaving me as the only "keeper of the memory". We were very close when I was growing up, she was a substitute for my own mother whom I was not close to, we would cook and play cards and watch TV. I especially loved the TV as my own house didn't have one until I was 14 (stupid intellectual parents LOL).
Mr Ex usually comes over to see the dog and cats on Sundays and this morning he texted me to say he couldn't make it. I called him back to tell him about nanna, as he was close to her when we were together (having never had his own grandparents around). I was irritated with myself as I teared up and then cried while telling him, and allowed myself to be comforted by him, and then I was angry because I let myself be vulnerable. He was understanding and kind, basically he is a decent person, and I suppose it's hard to break the habit after ten years of being supported by him. Such a lot of mixed emotions today and it's not even 10am haha!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
six months on, the winter's gone*
It's a small-ish, grotty-ish duplex, with two bedrooms, fairly big living area and a small study nook type thing. Crapola backyard. Has my main requirement - a bath tub. One addiction I don't need to get rid of - phew. It's a mauve-lilac purple bath, actually, tres posh. The place also has ceiling fans (bonus, as jeez it's getting hot in here), a new stove, built-in robes and is 30 mins from my workplace. Currently I spent 1.5 - 2 hrs travelling each way, and oh man am I OVER that. There's a lot to be positive about, even though Michelle and I jokingly call it the "Juliette Lewis skanky duplex". It's also extremely cheap - $260 a week (for my O/S friends that's approx 138 GBP, $230USD) which is $40 a week less than most of the places we've looked at. 80% of places in Perth are over $400 a week these days, which still freaks me out. Rents have doubled in the last ten years, and I can guarantee that my wages certainly haven't increased by that much.
Anyway, apart from that there's not much news. My nanna is fairly ill with a pulmonary condition and has pretty much been bedridden all week. Am fighting the guilt about the chance of me moving out and leaving her... I have a bastard head cold, which is annoying me, and it's hot again - yuck. I've been doing well on my current medication (40mg fluoxetine a day, 10mg amisulpride, plus supplements) and Dr A told me last week he was proud of the way I had managed my work issues and was moving ahead. I know he gets paid to "validate the Borderline" but it was still nice to hear. My family are also being extremely supportive, even though me moving out will leave them financially and logistically in a hard place. My mom especially will miss me, as I share cooking, shopping, supporting roles with her. But we are looking to the future, and I need to step out from under this codependency umbrella, ella, ella....
* Belle & Sebastian - 'My Wandering Days Are Over'


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As a blackberry user i do know that, most times, you might be challenged with the issue of unsuccessful transaction while trying to apply or subscribing to a new BIS subscription after the data limit of your current plan has been reached.
|MTN, Airtel, Glo, Etisalat Nigeria Bis Subscription
To stop this error, you have to cancel it expire your existing BIS subscription. This article will help you do that on all the four major mobile networks we have in Nigeria.
Also see: Deactivating MTN, Airtel, Glo, Etisalat Nigeria Mobile Plans
For Airtel, send an SMS with the word deactivate to 440
Etisalat Dial *399*2#
Glo Text cancel to 777
MTN Text expire to 21600
Kindly use the comment box below to ask your questions.

subset: commoncrawl


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Casa Gabriel is supported by the donations of many individuals and organizations. We would specifically like to thank the following:
Education Equals Hope
Their mission:
To provide for the education of children in desperate and difficult places. We are bringing hope to children of Ecuador, Haiti and Uganda by providing an education and spiritual mentoring, empowering them to break the cycle of poverty, and impact the next generation.
E = H partners with Casa Gabriel by providing funding for the majority of our education needs, which includes our Academic Coordinator and all the school supplies and fees for the boys. We are so thankful for their support and the investment they make in the futures of our boys through education, and thankful to everyone who donates through them to us.
Website: http://educationequalshope.org/
We receive support through various short-term teams, in the form of financial contributions and work projects. You can find out more about Quito Quest and Short-Term Teams at their website: www.quitoquest.com
You can also check out Living and Learning - a study abroad opportunity for college students to spend a semester in Ecuador - by visiting the Living And Learning International website: http://livingandlearninginternational.com/
We are always blessed by the individuals and churches who support us both through monthly gifts and donating towards one-time projects. We are especially thankful to First Lutheran Church Of Fargo North Dakota, who has supported Casa Gabriel since the beginning, along with the following and others:
Woodbury Lutheran Church
Marion Christian Center
L.B. and Helen Charitable Trust
Martel United Methodist Church


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Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens are just ten minutes' drive from Penzance, Cornwall, on the southwestern tip of England. The Gardens opened in 2012, the loving creation of a local doctor, Neil Armstrong (no relation to the astronaut). In 1997 he purchased the neglected, overgrown property, which once had been owned by the monks of St. Michael's Mount, and has taken a strong personal interest in the Gardens' development. He has turned Tremenheere into a magical faeryland of large-scale exotic and subtropical plants and monumental sculpture, tucked into a sheltered valley looking out towards St. Michaels' Mount in Mount's Bay, near Marizion. It is a glorious venue for an evolving collection of contemporary art installations. A friend dropped us off at the must-see locale. As we approached we were greeted by Penny Saunders' "Restless Temple" kinetic installation, which opened in May 2015. It resembles a miniature Greek Parthenon with 10-foot high pillars located on a hill above the café. Each pillar is supported on a separate weighted pendulum that allows it to move independently of the others. They sway and careen, moving in surreal motion that is either very subtle if there is little breeze or a full-out dance if there is a gale. Words can't do this piece justice. You must look at video footage shot on the site (CLICK).
Leaving the swaying temple and café behind, we wound our way along the woodland path to the entrance shed. A very helpful guide gave us a map complete with directions to new acquisitions drawn in, and advised us how best to approach the sculptures. We walked beside a babbling brook through a wilderness of mature trees and giant ferns. I am a dowser, and over the years I've become increasingly sensitive to subtle energies. I noticed several energetic gateways on the path as we moved deeper into this faeryland world. The aura around a huge oak tree provided another source of subtle energy. Thoroughly enchanted, we followed the path up into the sculpture garden proper.
Our first stop was at James Turrell's "Tewlwolow Kernow" or "Skyspace," which is a chamber designed for viewing the sky, especially at dawn and dusk. It was completed in June 2015. We walked through a dark hallway into the large all-white elliptical space with an oval hole in the ceiling, and sat on a built-in banquette. The seating made looking upward easy and comfortable, but the effect of the moving clouds made us slightly queasy and we quickly exited.
Walking further into the trees, we passed David Nash's "Black Mound," a collection of upright charred oak trunks in the middle of the forest. They reminded us of a mini-Stonehenge transformed into rich black wood. We tried counting them, getting numbers anywhere from 16 through 22. They stubbornly refused to be counted.
Coming out of the woods we came upon two huge angular metal sculptures called "Howling Beast" and "Crouching Beast." They are impressive new additions by sculptor Lynn Chadwick and will be in residence in the Gardens for several months.
While strolling along one of the paths we met David, a grounds keeper, who proudly announced that Dr. Armstrong is his physician. He said they were preparing the gardens for the upcoming wedding of one of the doctor's daughters.
Other sculptures include Tim Shaw Ra's "Minotaur," a life-size bull-like ceramic piece that expresses something fundamental about being; "Skhimza," an installation by Ken Gill, using glass inserted into a natural crack in a boulder; and Richard Long's "Tremenheere Line," a line of plants terminating in a park bench on a hillside. Somehow we missed Billy Wynter's "Camera Obscura," so we must return another year to see the Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens as they develop. Although only 20 acres in size, the Gardens appear much larger because they are divided into different ecozones, which vary from wildlife ponds and swampy bogs to exotic woodlands and dry, arid settings.
The deep valley provides several microclimates, which accommodate an amazing array of plant life, including huge cactus, giant rhubarb, banana plants, palm trees, oak forest, and grassland. All this, plus an excellent café and a flower nursery adds up to a wonderful half-day outing for families. And not a garden gnome in sight!
Dr. Armstrong has purchased an adjoining area and is at work on a further expansion. Stay tuned to see what develops. (CLICK)


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Many young people are burning with energy and enthusiasm to pour into creative projects that will make a difference. Here are a selection of ideas to engage young people with digital projects that you can run in your church.…Read more Less…
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Weather and Harvest Conditions
The 2000 vintage was preceded by a cold, wet winter. Stormy weather during the flowering season resulted in a very low fruit set, culminating in a low yield. After this, the summer was perfect in regards to rainfall, sunlight and warmth. What fruit there was became incredibly concentrated in complexity, sugar and flavours. A stylistically similar year to the 1998 vintage.
Quality of Vintage
Tasting Notes
Harmoniously exotic nose of perfume and vanilla. Medium ruby in colour. The palette presents fresh, vibrant, complex fruit balanced by delightful earthy tannins that give the wine fullness in the mouth. Chocolate and cinnamon contribute to a long, delicate finish. Gloriously harmonious in fruit and tannin with great finesse and clarity. Will develop gracefully for a further 10+ years.


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Stable Channel Update
15 comments :
great news ! keep godd work, google chrome team! Best browser ever
Is this suppose to be available now?
I'm getting a "Update server not available (error:7)" message.
Never mind, working now.
Love you, love chrome.
everything you do is Awesome.
I haven't updated yet, I have the Stable on my Laptop, Beta on my Desktop and Developer's on my USB Stick.
Portable Chrome: http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/google_chrome_portable
- This comment has been removed by the author.
Great Job on updates, love the speed of Chrome. However, still waiting for Print Selection to come around.
@Blewby, the fixed to print selection is provided only for the version 6 of the browser.
Don't ask me why....
Love chrome but how do I turn OFF the automatic translation!!? Please help
You have blown my Internet Banking Service out of the water. Don't you think it would have been a good idea to let NatWest Online Banking know you were updating your software. Please don't get like the other 'you know who' browser and get too arrogant. I shall download Opera until you bring out a fix! You have been my browser of choice since launch. Ex-IBM softie.
There is still probably a small problem regarding styling. Default look ok, but Grayscale looks like this:
The update is not working for me.
I keep getting a "Update server not available (error:3)" message.
I have a problem when I access any sites.
I Reported the problem:
I want to solve the problem.
When oh when will there be a Google Toolbar addon for Chrome? I travel all over the world and work in the net and I must have the security of the portable Bookmarks. I love Chrome but I cannot use it because I must be able to keep my bookmarks with me. Sad....
I chanced upon to view your blog and found it very interesting. Great ... Keep it up!
application development
How can one determine the version of Chrome without running it? When I right-click chrome.exe and select Properties, the version number listed is 0.0.0.0 regardless of which version it actually is. I'm trying to get a handle on the status of chrome versions installed on my network. By file size and date it is apparent that there are multiple version out there (some doubtless vulnerable) but no way for me to derive the version number without going to each PC and launching Chrome.


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The Three Rules of Writing
I'm not fond of rules and regulations but they are there for a purpose. These three basic rules will help you write with confidence.
- Be Honest. Bare yourself on the paper. No, don't give me all the intimate dirty details of your past or present. What I want is your feelings, your emotions, presented as actions, in a way that makes me feel them, too. Like Eliza Doolittle, in the musical "My Fair Lady," I say, "show me." Let your characters experience pain and heartbreak, because I want to see how they deal with it. Let them grow on the page so I can grow along with them.
- Be a Duck. Ducks sit in the stream or pond and groom or feed or sit no matter what the weather: storm or sun. Whatever you write will offend someone, if it is well written. You need to be able to sit in the stream of your work and let the shouts of acclimation and disdain roll off your back as you continue writing. I recently read two book reviews written by two different authors with very different perspectives. The book they reviewed was David Mamet's new book based on his "conversion" from screenwriter and playwright with leftist politics, to one aligned with the political right. The first review by Christopher Hitchens leaves the reader with no doubt that the book is worthless. The second review by Andrew Klavan, is personal, thoughtful, and makes me want to read at least parts of the book. You can expect both reactions from your writing and a duck-like attitude will take you far.
- Revise. No one's first written effort is good. No matter how good it looks to you, it isn't. Check spelling, grammar, sentence structure, transitions. If you pick a simile or metaphor that works, make sure the others you use are consistent with your character and his environment. Are you deliberately using non-standard structure, non-standard grammar, non-standard spelling? Why? In a few cases, there is good reason to break the rules. But, only if your readers can follow your line of thought. For most purposes, use correct spelling and grammar, concise sentences, and logical transitions. When you have read it over 20 or 30 times, let someone else read and edit it. I can guarantee you that they will find mistakes.
Now that you know the three rules, what happens if you violate them? Violate Rule 1 and no one will care about your writing. Your characters will be cardboard cut-outs, two dimensional representations, shadows of reality. If you violate Rule 2, you will soon stop writing because you can't stand up to the hurtful comments or you will be so enamored with the positive reviews, that you will never grow as a writer. Finally, if you violate Rule Number 3, no one will read your writing. If it requires too much effort to follow your inconsistent usage of grammar, sentence structure, spelling, it will not be worth the reader's time. So be honest, act like a duck, and revise, revise, revise and you will soon have writing that is worth reading.


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With the recent Google Penguin updates, buying backlinks just isn't the same anymore. No longer can you rely upon various spammy and low-cost services to get the job done. Hiring such businesses will only harm your sites for both the short and long term. Since you know what Google is capable of, wouldn't you want to be ahead of the SEO curve?
That's what Adblaze SEO Solutions is all about. We're not like other backlink providers out there. Most of the services readily available lack in comparison to our high PR backlinks that stand the test of time. Just like you've heard over and over again, manual and high PR dofollow blog comments continue to produce results after all of Google's algorithm changes. However, most people are either too lazy or don't have the time to build these links themselves.
Buying backlinks from Adblaze is your answer to this problem
We have you covered on all SEO fronts, with our high-quality blog comments. First of all, these links are dofollow, so you know that you're getting the link juice necessary to push your site up the rankings. The Page Rank for these links is applicable to the actual link and not simply the entire domain. Many services out there try to push for their cheap, "high quality" services, only to mislead consumers with PR0 links from high PR pages. We would never do that to our beloved customers. There's a reason they keep buying backlinks from us.
Our blog comments get a 100% approval rate
That's right! Imagine trying to do all of this yourself? Even if you did, you would probably only get a fraction of your blog comments on these high PR targets. All that time spent doing this manually can be used on other things, right? Also, your targets might have high OBL (outbound links), which would decrease the amount of link juice going back to your money site. This is another thing you might have seen before. Even if you get a link on something like a PR5 page, there are thousands of other blog comments linking out to their own sites. That means you're splitting the PR5 link juice with thousands of other sites! Those pages are spammed to death and won't do much in helping you rank. We only drop your link on pages with a low number of outbound links, thus preserving the amount of authority pointing to your money site. That's how you really get the best bang for your buck through our backlink service.
For these reasons and more, buying backlinks from Adblaze SEO Solutions is one of the best things you can do for your websites and your online businesses. High PR blog comments are here to stay, but they're just so time consuming. Since there are many other responsibilities that go into running an online business, finding these high PR blogs and posting on them manually is not worth your time. Just think about how much your time is worth to you.
The alternative to buying backlinks
The other route would be to hire a virtual assistant, although you'll still have to invest time and money into training him. Also, you won't know if your VA is right for the job until months down the road.
With our services, you won't have to deal with all of these problems. Our prices are affordable, our high-quality links are effective and we finish your orders within three to five days. We also include a detailed Excel report of your links.
Buying backlinks from Adblaze SEO Solutions will help your sites outrank your competition with ease.
If you are confused as to what a DoFollow and a Nofollow backlink is, check out this handy guide.
What are backlinks and why you need them
Helpful Backlink Infographics


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Healthy Gut Flora = Healthy Human
Promoting healthy gut flora is common knowledge among holistic health professionals and becoming more a part of mainstream thinking. The gut lining*, and the gut's flora, is the seat of healthy digestion, healthy immunity, healthy nervous system function, and ultimately healthy human bodies.
Healthy gut micro-organisms help to create and maintain the bodies various immune cells and keeps the immune system balanced. 80-85% of our immunity is located in the gut wall. It just makes good sense to maintain healthy gut flora!
90% of serotonin production happens in your gut. Serotonin is one of the happy chemicals your body makes to regulate mood and keep that smile on your face. Anxiety, depression, and negative moods are not in your head. They are in your gut. Maintain healthy gut microbial balance maintains happy, smiling faces.
Our gut flora help to: digest food so we can absorb and use nutrients (we are what we eat but even more importantly we are what we can digest, absorb into our blood stream, and deliver to our cells. Yup, cellular health again!), manufacture nutrients necessary for health & life, maintain healthy bowel function to avoid constipation or diarrhea, prevent digestive tract symptoms and illnesses, prevent invasion by pathogenic organisms, neutralize toxic substances, maintain a healthy nervous system (think about the saying "gut feeling"), manufacture neurotransmitters that regulate and maintain happy moods, and many, many more crucial functions in the human body. Healthy gut flora is essential to and synonymous with good health.
Taking probiotics to re-establish your gut's microbial health is one part of the equation. *You must heal the irritated & inflamed gut lining before re-establishing the microbial colonies. *Gut lining & healing the gut lining are both marked with asteriks to highlight this point to you: healing the gut lining comes first before trying to alter gut microbial populations.
What compromises healthy gut flora? Some examples:
1. Manufactured, processed 'foods' are devoid of nutrition, they lack beneficial microbial flora and are high in sugar and refined grains that feed unhealthy gut bacteria. Unhealthy gut bacteria compete for space with and can destroy healthy gut bacteria. Manufactured 'foods' are also high in chemicals that destroy healthy gut bacteria: preservatives, artificial flavors & colors, and food 'enhancing' chemicals (MSG, etc.) to name but a few food additives. Recent (and actually evidence that is decades old) evidence has pointed to food additives like carrageenan causing disturbances in gut lining health and gut microbial health. Make note: this is often used in gluten free products to make the free gluten flours bind better. Whole foods are always your best bet for cellular health.
2. Antibiotics destroy gut bacteria. Antibiotics are the prescriptions you take as well as in the food you eat such as factory farm raised chicken, beef, pork, fish and dairy.
3. Drinking chlorinated & fluoridated water. Purchase a filter and use it so you are not drinking, cooking with, and showering in chlorine and flouride.
4. Aspartame and other artificial sweeteners destroy healthy gut bacteria.
5. Genetically modified (GMO) foods disrupt normal healthy gut flora. The human body does not recognize GMOs as nature made foods because they are not!!
6. Drugs, Prescribed & Over the Counter: birth control pills, all hormonal methods of birth control, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), chemotherapy, and many-many prescription drugs (over the counter medications do as well: pain meds, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory meds NSAID, etc.)
7. Agricultural chemicals used to grow produce in non-organic farming methods.
8. Stress: real & perceived. Turn your distress into eustress! Try yoga or some form of mindfulness activity. Gulping down food, not chewing well, is stress! Hanging around negative and unsupportive/unkind people is stress.
9. Antibacterial products: soaps, hand sanitizers, and lotions. Antibacterial anything... household cleaners, etc.
10. Environmental Pollution: we are the microcosm of the macrocosm. What pollutes the earth, pollutes your body, your gut, and your body cells.
11. Sugar! Sugar you add to your food and sugar in manufactured food. Sugar feeds the unwanted gut microbes so they over power the healthy gut microbes
12. Vaccines: many ingredients in vaccines, including the vaccine viruses themselves, are disruptive to healthy gut flora.
13. Inhaling our food without properly, slowly, mindfully chewing it into luiquid consistency. Chunks of food in the digestive tract do not digest well. This sets the stage for feeding the unwanted gut microbes so they thrive and starving the healthy gut microbes we want to grow, prosper, and thrive.
What builds healthy gut flora?
1. Eat WHOLE foods! Get rid of anything that nature did not make or animal products that were not raised naturally. Chew your whole foods well. If you do not adequately break down the whole foods you have invested $$$ in, your body can not use the nutrients for whole body (including gut microbe) health. Chew well My Friends! http://www.paulayoumellrn.com/blog/2015/5/6/you-are-not-what-you-eat
2. Avoid antibiotics unless it is a life saving thing. Learn to use natural methods of healing. If you must use an antibiotic make certain to follow the course of antibiotic therapy with vigorous methods to re-establish healthy gut flora. See below.
3. Avoid factory farmed meat and animal products as they use antibiotics in the animals feed. Opt for naturally raised animal products from grass fed animals.
4. Eat organic produce to avoid the chemicals used in non-organic farming. Eat organic animal products. If the animal ate pesticides, hormones, etc... those chemical substances are in their meat, eggs, and dairy.
5. Avoid genetically modified foods. They are NOT whole or natural, need I say more?
6. Drink water that is pure, no chlorine or fluoride added.
7. Avoid antibacterial products: soaps, lotions, hand sanitizers, household cleaners, laundry detergents, etc.. Learn natural ways to keep your immune system healthy.
8. Learn natural and non-hormonal methods of birth control. Synthetic hormones disrupt healthy micro-flora and have a host of other dangerous side effects.
9. Eat fermented foods: yogurt, kefir, real sour cream & cultured butter/buttermilk, sauerkraut and kimchi. Make sure they are raw; have not been pasteurized or heat canned to seal their packages.
10. Make healthy lifestyle choices around stress, exercise, time outside, getting natural sunlight* and fresh air, avoiding the news as it is negative and stresses your very being, avoid negative people.
11. Read labels: learn every sneaky way food corporations dump refined sugar into your food. Stop buying sugar laden foods.
12. Make & drink bone broths: See my bone health page for bone broth making instructions.
13. Vaginal births and breast feeding contribute to healthy gut microbes from day 1. As babies pass through Mom's vagina they naturally pick up microbes in their mouth that go on to colonize the gut. C-section? No problem, just swab inside the mom's vagina with your fingers and rub on your infants skin and in infants mouth right upon delivery. When babies nurse the breast milk supports healthy gut microbes and Mom's skin microbes enter the babes mouth through sucking at the breast contributing to the healthy gut colonization. You cannot get these life giving factors from a bottle of factory made formula.
14. Chew, chew, chew... As Dr. Christopher said: "Drink your solids and chew your liquids." Dr. Christopher was a natural healer from the early 1900s to 1983.
*FYI: Sun exposure is NOT bad, we need it to thrive. Over doing sun and burning is not a healthy choice. 15 minutes of naked full sun everyday would benefit body, heart, mind, & soul!
Regaining healthy gut flora
1. Eat WHOLE foods! Get rid of anything that nature did not make or animal products that were not raised naturally.
2. Do not use antibiotics unless it is a life saving thing. Learn to use natural methods of healing. If you must use an antibiotic make certain to follow the antibiotic therapy with vigorous methods to re-establish healthy gut flora. See below.
4. Take probiotics. A brand I recommend, only because I have had personal success with re-establishing healthy gut flora, is Pharmax. I advise using a whole food diet as your source of nutrients. However, after a round of antibiotics, a good probiotic supplement, for several months, helps re-establish the normal gut flora to ensure good health. After finishing one quality brand of probiotics, switch to a different brand to vary the gut bugs you are exposed to in the supplements. Continue to maintain healthy gut flora with whole food eating and a whole health lifestyle.
Many companies have multiple formulas that each have a different blend of gut microbes. You can switch products within the same company. For example, the Toddler probiotic by Flora has bifidobacterium infantis, which is good for skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis, but most adults would not gravitate towards a toddler's formula.
Flora Health's Probiotics (Some varieties are available at Nature's Storehouse, Canton, NY)
Nature's Sunshine Probiotic 11 (This product is available in the Massena, NY health food stores.)
Pharmax HCL products (Amazon.com)
Mercola.com Complete Probiotics (I recommend the pet ones as well when you have to give your pet antibiotics for something like Lyme disease)
Renew Life is another good manufacturer of probiotic supplements and their kid's formula also has the bifidobacterium infantis for eczema / psoriasis (adult or children)
Wholistic Botanicals Probiotic Formula also contains bifido infantis for eczema / psoriasis
5. Eat root veggies grown in organic soil. Gently wash dirt off so you do not destroy all soil microbes and eat the peelings!
6. AVOID the above known gut microbial killers at all costs. Your gut health is your whole body health.
7. Eat fermented foods: yogurt, kefir, real sour cream & cultured butter/buttermilk, soft cheeses not heated, sauerkraut and kimchi. Any fermented food that has not been heated after fermentation, heating destroys the good bacteria. An example of this is canned sauerkraut. The canning process destroys the good micro-organisms. Raw sauerkraut maintains the healthy organisms. Wild fermented foods are preferable as in making your own sauerkraut.
9. Raw apple cider vinegar contains the mother, the culture that ferments cider into vinegar. Use raw apple cider vinegar to make your own salad dressing, sprinkle over veggies or use as a rejuvenating drink in water mixed with raw, local honey.
10. Understand the risks involved in vaccination. Read ingredients. Read the vaccine product inserts. Do your research, know & understand what you are injecting into your body.
Fermenting your own veggies is a great way to get healthy microbes into your Gastro-Intestinal tract. Here are some general guidelines:
1. Shred and cut your favorite veggies into very small pieces.
2. Juice some celery to use as the brine. Celery is very high in natural sodium and keeps the vegetables anaerobic, eliminating the need for sea salt. Salt prevents growth of pathogenic bacteria.
3. Pack the veggies and celery juice along with the inoculants (starter culture, such as kefir grains, whey, or commercial starter powder all of which can be used for vegetables) into a 32 ounce wide-mouthed canning jar. A kraut pounder tool can be helpful to pack the jar and eliminate any air pockets.
4. Top with a cabbage leaf, tucking it down the sides of the jar. Make sure the veggies are completely covered with celery juice and that the juice is all the way to the top of the jar to eliminate trapped air.
5. Seal the jar and store in a warm, slightly moist place for 24 to 96 hours, depending on the food being cultured. Ideal temperature range is 68-75 degrees Fahrenheit; 85 degrees max, as heat will kill the microbes.
6. When finished fermenting, store veggies in the refrigerator to slow down the fermentation process.
7. Caution: resist the temptation to eat the veggies right out of the jar. You can introduce mouth organisms into the jar. Use a clean spoon to take out what you're going to eat, then, making sure the remaining veggies are covered with the brine solution, recap the jar.
Culturing your own foods is rather easy, especially once you get into the swing of things. Some just do not have the time or interest in home veggie fermentation. That's just fine but learn to understand and appreciate the value of fermented foods. Several companies make delicious versions for you!!
I do recommend buying locally….The Potsdam Food Coop now carries Wild Brine, a raw, cultured sauerkraut and pickles. Nature's Storehouse carries a raw brand as well, Hawthorne Valley. I am certain Bing Thomas's Natural Way in Massena also carries a good fermented veggie product. Perhaps Denise Thomas's, Herbal Thyme in Massena, does as well!
To view some of the product's pictures, click here.
With the ever increasing realization that gut microbes are important for the health of every cell in our bodies, more and more brands of raw, fermented veggies will hit the market. It IS how our culture functions… when there is a need, it gets filled with the products needed! In this case, it is a good thing!
Try special ordering Deep Root Organics products from the Coop. Here is the product names & information: (you have to order cases, not single packages).
Deep Root Organic Grated Beets, 6/7 oz packages
Deep Root Organic Red Cabbage, 6/7 oz packages
Deep Root Organic Grated Carrots, 6/7 oz packages
Deep Root Organic Daikon Radish with ginger, 6/7 oz packages
Deep Root Organic Green Cabbage Sauerkraut, 12/14 oz packages
I have tried them all, they are very yummy!
Another brand that can be special ordered is Rejuvenate. Information is:
Rejuvenate Organic Kimchi, 6/15 oz jars
Rejuvenate Organic Sauerkraut, 6/15 oz jars
Rejuvenate Organic Vegi-Delite, 6/15 oz jars
Other brands:
Hawthorne Valley, from Columbia County NY http://hawthornevalleyfarm.org/artisen-foods/sauerkraut-cellar/
Wild Brine, http://www.wildbrine.com/
Have fun eating good gut food. Remember to be able to best digest, absorb, and utilize whole food nutrients we must chew our food well. Your mouth is where all the good cellular health action starts (well, after your mind selects the whole foods to indulge in!).
Gut Healing Simplified PDF file https://issuu.com/paula754/docs/gut_healing_simplified
**Click here to invest in the Gut Health for Lifetime Vitality eCourse: http://www.paulayoumellrn.com/online-classes-1/ A 2 hour in-depth look at your gut health (video slide show) from a functional medicine's perspective with a pdf file of gut healing product links, yoga poses for gut health, and so much more.


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Come check out your friends from East Side Mags at Garden State Comic Fest! We'll have wall books you haven't seen at the store, tons of comics and guest artist Brian Smith (Spongebob Squarepants, Stuff of Legend, Voltron Force, Intrepid Escapegoat, etc.) will be at our table along with Stephen Coughlin, writer/artist for Sanctuary, will be with us on SATURDAY (JULY 25TH) ONLY from 12pm-3pm. Both gentlemen will be signing copies of their works and sketching for fans! Don't be the one who misses out!
ALSO - tickets for Garden State Comic Fest are available in-store right here at East Side Mags! More info on tickets below:


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Back To The Beers/
As much time as I spend thinking about the business part of the brewery, I spend at least as much time thinking about the brewing part of the brewery. That's what this is all about, right? I'm thinking about recipes to the point that it's actually become a stress point in my life. I really, really want to make phenomenal beers but my recipes are just not there yet. To add context to "not there yet", I should cautiously note that I've had many craft beers over the years, both production and brew pub sourced, that I would also describe as "not there yet". I think we all have and I don't want to be one of those breweries making those kinds of beers. That's my biggest fear of this whole business.
Almost all of my brewing starting from the last few months of 2011 through the present has been about recipe formulation and experimentation. Lots of experimentation. Up until the end of 2011, most of my brewing involved making mostly classic styles (usually based on recipes from "Brewing Classic Styles") and honing my processes. Then in late 2011 I began to brew using only my own recipes, no training wheels. It's been incredibly freeing, but equally frustrating. Now here we are in January of 2013 and what have I learned? Well, a lot actually. I've learned a lot about what doesn't work and a few things that do work.
2012 was definitely the most prolific brewing year I've ever had but it also represented the year of more dumped beer than any other. That's one thing I've learned: don't be afraid to dump beer. I only have so much space, so many kegs, and I learned that holding onto a substandard beer just delays the inevitable. So I got VERY comfortable dumping corny kegs of beer that just weren't up to my expectations.
I've learned that yeast doesn't like to be messed with. Once you make a starter, use it, don't store it for a couple of weeks, remember to build it up again, delay more, build again. I brewed a bock/doppelbock at the end of September, 2012. The poor yeast used in that beer (Wyeast Bavarian Lager) was abused as described and then just to add insult to injury, I damn near froze one of the starters which most certainly damaged some of the yeast cells. Did I dump the yeast and start over? No, I had to find out if the yeast would produce good beer. Despite all my usual careful fermentation process, that bock was easily the worst beer I made in 2012. It was fermented precisely at 50 degrees, it was lagered for several weeks, it was kegged, it was tasted, it was given a chance, then it was dumped. Lesson learned.
I learned that dry hopping with U.K. Fuggle hops requires a delicate hand. I dry hopped an English bitter with far too much. Combined with the over bittering of the kettle additions created a completely out of balance ale.
I learned that my hop bittering formulas in my brewing software (BeerAlchemy/BeerAlchemy2) were set incorrectly in preferences. Specifically, first wort hopping was set to below 1.0 x kettle hopping. It should've been set to at least 1.0. I'm now using 1.1 as a multiplier. The consequence of this was what should've been a beautifully balanced, hoppy pale ale became an overly bitter, hop cloying mess. My single biggest disappointment of the year, for sure. As a side note, I'm will be brewing this beer again this coming weekend and it WILL be much improved, come hell or high water.
That brings up another lesson. It's one thing to follow formulas and recipes, it's quite another to use....artistry? Yes, that's it. Artistry. We brewers are artists, are we not? Or at least artisans. It's very easy for me, with my engineering and computer programming background, to look at things very analytically and to not stop, take a step back and ask myself, "does this make sense as a brewer and not a technician?". This, I feel, is my biggest weakness as a brewer, and one I've been working on for months to improve.
I learned that using high alpha hops, like Warrior, has no place in pale Belgian beers. Even if precisely calculated to the correct IBU's. I made a Belgian rye ale that would've been really nice, dry, and tasty, but the bittering just killed it. Why did I use Warrior? Because I had to try it. I was thinking on the pro scale and wondering if using high alpha hops for bittering would work, thus saving lots of money on hops, as opposed to using lower alpha hops classically used by Belgian breweries such as Saaz or Styrian Goldings. Not so deep down, I knew this was a bad idea, but I had to try. Better to do it with 5 or 10 gallons rather than 15 bbl batches, right?
I learned that trying to fix the aforementioned beer by blending with a 2.5 gallon batch with no bittering hop additions doesn't work. Again, I didn't think it would, but I HAD to try. Dumped.
One thing I've very recently started doing is keeping an eye on the BU:GU ratio. I've known about this number for a very long time (first brought to the mainstream by our local Chicagoan, Ray Daniels) but never paid much attention to it. It's not a perfect representation of the perceived bitterness of a beer, but it's a great data point. Again, artistry will trump analytics, but I feel this number helps improve both. If nothing else, it's a sanity check, and one that had I paid attention to more last year, I would've learned a lot about where bitterness should live in a given beer. (Update 1/8/2013: I forgot to include a link to this website I just discovered in the past week. Great chart representation of BU:GU ratios for all recognized BJCP styles. Great resource for sanity checking bitterness. But wait, there's more! The author has expanded on the BU:GU concept with something he calls "Relative Bitterness Ratio" (RBR) which includes apparent attenuation in the formula. There's also a chart for that too!)
I could go on and on but that's the gist of things. Lots of experiments, lots of failures.
But wait, there were successes too! Version V of my Belgian Wit was fantastic. I split a 10 gallon batch into two 5 gallon fermenters and used different wit strains. One was noticeably better in my opinion which just happens to be the same yeast strain that I've always preferred for wits. I brewed my first Russian Imperial Stout and am about to enter it in a large competition here in Chicago. Again, my own recipe, but I did a lot of research first to get an idea of percentages of specialty malts to add. It turned out great (just brewed it in November and will be kegging/bottling today!) and I'll definitely be tweaking it along the way for a debut at
Panic Alarmist some day. Some day.
That's all from the beer front. Lot's going on on the business front. More updates coming.


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Achieve picture-perfect shine at any time with this season's gilded accents.
The New York Public Library is the perfect setting for our new-season picks.
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• Ceramic
• Dishwasher safe
• Microwave safe
• White, glossy
We print on everything! In our shop you will find our designs mostly on short sleeve shirts, but since we use Printful's printing services we can print any design on any type of shirt or item you can see here: CUSTOM PRODUCTS You are welcome to send us a message if you want a design printed on any of the items on the BelDisegno website. This premium quality 11 / 15 oz ceramic mug is printed in USA, in a special laser printing. It's dishwasher and microwave safe. The imprinted design is printed on both sides of the mug and guaranteed to last. This cup is very durable, and can be used as Coffee, Tea or any other beverage cup, and also to store things like pencils, pens and office stuff. A funny and original gift to make the point of being unique. Affordable price and elegant at the same time.
ShippingWe print and ship our products in 2-7 days. Most products are shipped within 5 days, but in some cases we manage to do that even faster - around half of our products are actually sent out within 3 days.
You can add the estimated shipping time on top of these fulfillment times to get an idea of how fast you'll receive your order.


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Merry be you enjoying fine ale, but beware, in the darkness at the base of your pewter tankard may be lying a shilling of the Monarch. Accepted the Monarchs shilling you have, bargain concluded. The glass bottom tankard was developed to combat this.
Features a real shilling in the glass base.
- Brand
- Classic Collection
- Model number
- Height
- 13 cm
Delivery & Returns
At H.Samuel we offer a range of delivery options to suit you:
- Free Standard Delivery available on orders of £49 or more
- Free Express Delivery available on orders of £500 or more
- Free Click & Collect to over 300 H.Samuel stores in the UK
For more Delivery Information click here
Returns policy: you can return items to us by post or in store within 30 days for a full refund or exchange.*
*We cannot refund or exchange pierced jewellery, e.g. earrings, if they have been removed from the original sealed packaging due to hygiene reasons.
For our full returns policy click here.
Help Centre
For assistance with your purchase, visit our help centre for advice & tips so you can buy confidently with H.Samuel.


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What Our Clients Say...
"Jeanie & Elizabeth were a blessing to have on our team. They made buying and selling as comfortable and smooth as it could have been. Jeanie was very available when we had questions or concerns and both women were a delight to work with. I will definitely be referring them business in the future."
Daniel and Sarah V.
"The world needs more women like you. You are just wonderful and successfully facilitated the purchase of my new home while I lived in another state!"
Brigitte H.
"Elizabeth and Jeanie were knowledgable and fun to work with and got my home sold quickly! No compliants here."
Joan B.
"The enthusiasm, drive and professionalism displayed by these girls: outstanding job!"
Ray R.
"Very responsive, professional, knowledgable, and an overall pleasure to work with! There was never any pressure, they were honest and always available to us."
"We did so appreciate your always optimistic attitude, your hard work, your knowledge of people that could fix our house problems and arrange for them to do it! Especially, we thank you for your thoughtfulness and courtesy with our unique needs. You are such a joy to work with."
"It was such a good experience working with you guys, we are going to tell everyone we know to call you! Thanks a million for all your help! We are so happy in our new home!"
"There is no better realtor than Elizabeth Hall and no better company than Lovell & Hall!"
"Excellent friendly service. They make you feel like part of the family! We highly recommend their service."
"I felt that you genuinely cared. You were respectful of our home."
Kathi H.
"Your personalities really compliment each other. You're a great team."
Mark and Marlo F.
"Elizabeth was extremely helpful, courteous, and extremely professional from the first contact we had with her. She helped us find exactly what we wanted in our second home and was a pleasure to be around!"
John and Christy L.B.
"Jeanie is a great representative. She is calm, firm, and knowledgeable."
Sarah C.
"Elizabeth was extremely helpful in this process. This being our first home, we knew very little about the process. She helped us out on every question and responded right away!"
Shannon C.
"This is the second time we worked with Jeanie and we are always amazed with the service provided. Both processes have been really easy to handle."
"Elizabeth was professional and fast. She always knew how to best proceed. I couldn't be more satisfied with the service I received."
Joshua B.
"Easy to talk to, kept us up to date as much as possible and was willing to meet us on our schedule."
Rick and Devin H.
"They will keep you in the loop at all times, so that you will know what is going on with your property at all times!"
"I really appreciated that Elizabeth was available at all hours to answer any and all questions. I really liked how approachable and hardworking Elizabeth was. I really feel like she cares about her job and her clients! She is the only realtor I will use!"
"I liked their willingness to take the lead and drive the process forward. Jeanie and Elizabeth are professional and responsive, spot on with their pricing and market analysis! They coordinated with the tenants to facilitate the transaction successfully."
Curt and Sam
"Amazing and Excellent. Jeanie was on top of everything! I couldn't be happier with her!"
Ian and Kristen R.
"Elizabeth's objectivity when looking at properties, and her ability to ballpark potential renovation cost and times was what I enjoyed most about working with her."
Matt and Jessica C.
"We most enjoyed your responsiveness, enthusiasm, and willingness to pitch in and get things done. It was a pleasure working with you."
Karl and Haydon K.
"Elizabeth was super flexible. Whenever we needed her, she was there for us."
Jackson Family
"They took the time with our listing, so we didn't feel rushed or in a hurry."
Steph and Les C.
"Amazing diligence on an almost impossible sale and held the utmost professionalism."
Happy Client of L&H
"Made us feel like no question was too small, listened, explained the process in great detail as many times as we asked. Love her!"
J. Buswell
"You did great Jeanie! We will definitely refer you and use you again. Thanks again!"
I. Carlson
"Jeanie is consistently the best agent we have worked with. She outperforms every other agent in professionalism and attention to detail. I felt she worked VERY hard to sell our home."
S. Lundy
"What I appreciated the most was your timely & clear responses to all my questions as a first-time homebuyer. I felt confident I could ask anything I needed to ask. Thank you Jeanie!"
Happy Client of L&H
"Elizabeth was friendly, knowledgeable, professional, and very caring and involved!"
Mark G.
"For buying my first home you made it a lot easier by always getting back to me ASAP. You're Johnny on the spot!!"
J. Swensen
"You did a great job! Your communication, efficiency & advocacy were top-notch!"
Happy Client of L&H
"A wonderful experience. I greatly appreciate your combination of professionalism, charm & fortitude!"
L. Schulmeister
"I can't say enough about how happy we were to work with you Jeanie. You made everything so easy – you were so helpful and easy to get a hold of, professional, friendly – we just love you!"
T. Mach
"Thanks to Elizabeth's marketing savvy, our house sold in three days."
Richard and Kim G.
"Thank you again for being the type of Realtor that genuinely cared about our needs and wants. You always got back to us right away, you took your time with us when I had a zillion questions or wanted to see one more house around the corner, you were thorough and competent in all the legal aspects, you explained everything to us, and you were very professional. You went above and beyond with making sure the whole process was easy (and fun!). I doubt many agents would spend time helping their clients get rid of the crud piled up in the yard, take them to the dump, and then stop for milkshakes afterward. You truly were wonderful!"
Tyler and Sally C.
"Best Real Estate service we have ever seen or experienced!"
Buck and Julie W.
"Elizabeth has a strong ethical base and is truly motivated to do the best job for her clients. It's quite refreshing!"
John and Amy M.
"Elizabeth's high standards and personal interactions help ease all of the worries of buying and selling a home! Her enthusiasm is contagious and her work ethic is inspiring! We are indebted to her for life! We love Elizabeth!"
Barry and Lori L.
"If clients need a sincere and readily available agent who has the finesse to execute the deal, they need you!"
Tanveer and Asia B.
"Elizabeth found the perfect home for me and handled every detail of the transaction with professional competence and cheerful patience."
Vada J.
"Elizabeth's level of professionalism and effort far exceeded my expectations. I'm glad I selected such a hard working real estate professional to sell my home in this difficult real estate market."
Thomas C.
"Jeanie Lovell provided our family with the right combination of professionalism, attention to detail and individual attention that made our home selling experience wonderful. Throughout the process, she took the time to educate us on how to appraise our home and discussed current market conditions which helped us to develop realistic expectations. In the end, the home sold quicker and for more money than we thought. Jeanie was recommended to us by a friend and I would highly recommend her to anyone considering buying or selling a home in the greater Portland area."
W. Shepherd
"Fantastic. Knowledgeable of Canby area, understands how to work respectfully and tactfully with the other agents, returns all communications immediately, and generally works harder and beyond what we could have asked for. We felt perfectly cared for throughout the whole process. She has our highest recommendation."
J. Flanagan
"Jeanie was simply amazing. She not only did her job well, she had to jump in and guide me during the lender process. She always answered her phone and was very prompt in follow through. Jeanie clearly knows all aspects of her profession and was really fun to work with! I do not think I could have received better service from any other realtor."
A. Harris
"Jeanie did a great job getting my house on the market quickly. She took care of numerous items helping with meeting inspectors and workers etc. at my home. She always kept me posted on what was happening and when, and made sure everything was taken care of."
J. Floyd
"Jeanie is fantastic, she made the whole process seem effortless!"
T. Pillars
"Jeanie was amazing in helping us get our house!! She was patient as we asked her about multiple listings, arranged multiple showings, and gave us excellent advice in making our offer. I wouldn't hesitate to use her services again, or to recommend her to anyone needing a Realtor. Thank you so much, Jeanie!!!"
S. Shoemaker
"Jeanie has an enormous talent as a real estate agent. I have worked with her on both buying a house for the first time and selling a house (also first). Each time, she has been incredibly helpful and thorough; she followed up on every detail. She is very informative and creative. She goes the extra mile and then some. She made what could have been a tense process enjoyable. I highly recommend Jeanie."
T. Smyth
"She really knows what she is doing and is completely in touch with the real estate market conditions. Excellent advice and she knows how to sell homes."
Relocation Seller
"I felt like your response time and up to date info about whats going on was second to none. I felt like I was your only client, and I was your priority regardless of what ever else you had going on. You helped keep me informed so I didn't have to worry about the house, and I could focus on other things."
T. Medford
"I have never experienced a Realtor with such attention to detail and willingness to put time into helping our transaction go as smoothly and quickly as possible."
Dale & Michelle M.
"Can't find words to express how much we appreciate all the work you've done. You made this a wonderful experience."
Diane & Dennis F.
"You guys have to be the coolest real estate agents ever!! Pilots, wives of race car drivers...You guys are awesome. Not to mention you got us a beautiful home."
Tyler & Nicole I.
"Elizabeth made selling my property as smooth and low stress as possible. She explained everything until I was comfortable with it, and I would never use any other Realtor. I feel so fortunate to have been recommended to her by a dear friend."
Cory G.
"Friendly, caring, ethical and listened to my needs."
Jeanette P.
"We were so happy with the service you provided. It was always timely, friendly and professional. Thank you."
Kara & Jon
"Loved the flyer layout and presentation, the staging was simple and nice. Provided great feedback for showing when we started (clean this, fix that, change that, etc.) Thank you!"
Christian & Chris
"Hands down the best Realtors we have ever had."
Thomas & Mary E.
"She does an exceptional job handling delicate issues professionally. She makes it easy!"
Ryan & Andrea A.
"Demonstrated unflagging commitment + support, plus unparalleled responsiveness."
Chris & Nikki D.


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Bill Belichick changes into gray hoodie for second half
Sometimes, you just need to make a change.
The New England Patriots offense got off to a slow start during Sunday's AFC Championship Game against the Denver Broncos. And head coach Bill Belichick couldn't have been happy.
After his team went into halftime down by eight points, Belichick came out for the second half with his trademark gray hoodie on.
Bill Belichick ditches the windbreaker for his trusted old hoodie to start the 2nd half. https://t.co/G55xRt7Rlg pic.twitter.com/bmygtElhSI
— theScore (@theScore) January 24, 2016
Maybe it just got a little too cold for the future Hall of Fame coach. Or maybe he was looking for a little better luck.
It didn't end up making a difference. The Broncos held on for a 20-18 win to advance to the Super Bowl.


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Since 1997, an interactive forum for the discussion of musical instrument design, construction, and repair
Barry Daniels wrote:Is it possible? Most likely. I used some cedar siding for a dulcimer once and it worked fine. How many grain lines per inch is it?
Barry Daniels wrote:Looks pretty decent to me. Does it have a tap tone?
Clay Schaeffer wrote:With tight straight grain like you have, flipping consecutive pieces can give you close to a book matched effect. Could make a very nice top.
Alan Carruth wrote:Note that cedar often is less dense than most of the spruces. In softwoods the Young's modulus along the grain pretty well tracks density, so you may want to leave it a bit thicker than you would a spruce top to keep the stiffness up. Since the relationship between density and Young's modulus is linear, while the stiffness goes as the cube of thickness, making a low density piece of wood thick enough to get the stiffness up usually results in a lighter top than a thinner, denser piece.
Jason Rodgers wrote:"Tonewood" is what you make it. Build something beautiful, and be sure the first thing you tell people after "Look at this guitar I built," is "... and the top came from a piece of siding."
Randolph Rhett wrote:Alan's way is definitely the simplest and easiest to understand. A far more complex way that some luthiers have used is to mill it a little thick, join it, and flex it long and cross with your hands. Compare it to other tops you've done. If it feels a little stiff, maybe thin it a little. But don't let me over complicate it for you.
Alan Carruth wrote:So, suppose your cedar has a SpG of .35. That implies that the lengthwise Young's modulus is around 8300 mPa. Dividing 250,000 by 8300 gives 30.12. The cube rot of that, which is the suggested top thickness in mm, is (drum roll) 3.11, or about .125". Given the way the numbers usually work out, that's got a better than even chance of being pretty close to the 'correct' thickness, and only about a 20% chance of being too thin (and probably not by too much if it is), assuming you use a brace pattern that's similar to mine and so on.
I hope that makes some sense. Gore gives a much more complete treatment of this in his books: my method is pretty simplified, but has worked fairly well for me and my students.
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In this fascinating piece, senior editor Chuck Salter explores how technology is being used to decrease the number of head injuries in the NFL. Salter speaks with Jeff Miller, senior vice president of Health and Safety at the NFL, on what technologies are being used now to lessen the number of concussions professional athletes experience while playing football. Find out how the NFL is working with outside firms and even the U.S. Army to bring the latest and best technology to protect NFL players.
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Best Practices for Using Template Difficulty Ratings
Each template within our System Templates has a difficulty rating assigned to it. This is measured based on the content of the email and estimates how easy it will be for your users to detect that the email is a phishing email.
You can use these difficulty ratings in a number of different ways. For example, following Security Awareness Training, you can start with one or two star difficulty rating templates to "ramp up" your users' ability to detect the red flags of social engineering and prepare them for more difficult (four to five star difficulty rating) tests.
System Templates sorted by Difficulty Rating
How can I use templates based on difficulty ratings?
When setting up your phishing campaign, you can limit the campaign to only include templates with specific difficulty ratings you want to use. We recommend that you choose multiple template categories to increase the variety of templates that you are phishing your users with before doing so.
We also recommend ramping your users up with easier templates at first and increasing difficulty as they become better and better at successfully identifying these emails as phishing emails.
Modifying Difficulty Rating when Creating Phishing Campaign
How do you rate your templates?
Our templates are rated on a basic scale of one to five stars. We use a number of different factors to figure how to rate each template, such as grammar, spelling, punctuation, use of targeted user information (for example, templates utilizing placeholders for the end-user such as first and last name), or visuals (use of logos/overall design).
- 1-2 Stars: An example of an email rated at this level may have lots of spelling errors or misuse of punctuation.
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- 4-5 Stars: Emails rated at this level are designed to appear more authentic, with very few red flags for the user to spot. They may utilize targeted user information. An example of this style of email could be a well-crafted internal style message, such as from HR or IT from your domain.
You can also rate any templates you design yourself, using the Difficulty Rating drop-down within our WYSIWYG editor.


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Saturday 19 March / 12 midday / Portland Place, London W1A
Stand Up to Racism has called a national demonstration on UN Anti-Racism Day to restate that refugees are welcome in Britain, against the spiteful appeals of the rightwing press and the Conservative government. With others across Europe, we'll stand against racism in all its forms, including antisemitism and Islamophobia.
Transport from Cambridge is being provided by our friends in the local Stand Up to Racism campaign, leaving from the Backs on Queens' Road at 9.30 a.m. To book a seat for £10 (waged) or £5 (unwaged), write to Cambridge Stand Up to Racism or book online through the Repeat fanzine site.
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My Aunt Kelly's Fight Against MS
I created this blog to share my life with all of you. Therefore, this includes sharing more than just stories about my time on The Voice and my music career. Although I just posted my first blog last week, sometimes sharing my life with you might include posts that have nothing to do with music, but everything to do with life and the world we live in.
Family is a very important part of my life and something that I will write about often.
My Aunt Kelly was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in September 2010. MS is a chronic, progressive, and often debilitating autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. More than 2.1 million people worldwide have been diagnosed with MS.
Until recently, only my Aunts immediate family and friends even knew she had MS. Heck, I wasn't even aware of her diagnosis until 2-3 years ago. Other than back pain, numbness and tingling from her waist down and memory issues, she didn't have any visible symptoms that would have caused her kids, nieces and nephews to be concerned.
Unfortunately, over the last few years my Aunt's symptoms have advanced. She now experiences frequent pain in her upper back, shoulder and arm, decrease in left hand dexterity, a left leg drag, and other symptoms.
My Aunt has always been an incredibly energetic, fun and active person, so as you can imagine, these advancements have forced her to completely change the way she lives her life.
When I was younger birthday parties were a BIG deal in my family. As some of you know, I'm a triplet so the party always included tons of family and friends, games, prizes, lots of food and most importantly THREE birthday cakes.
Lets get real.
Three little kids were not going to share the same birthday cake without someone crying. Samantha might blow the candles out before Chris and Emily get a chance to, and then Emily might blow out more candles than Chris, so then Chris might get upset and throw himself head first into the cake just to prove a point. It's a birthday nightmare.
Anyway, there were a few parties where we had surprise guests come and join the fun. One year we had Barney visit our party and another year we had Elmo show up. As you can imagine, being tight with Barney and Elmo definitely impacted our social statuses in preschool and grade school. Once we grew up and realized that Elmo and Barney didn't exist in real life (a heartbreaking day for my sisters and I), we learned that our Aunt Kelly was the one dressed up in the costumes. She did this so that we would have unforgettable birthday memories. To this day, I still remember and talk about those parties.
It makes me extremely sad to see my Aunt struggle through her symptoms brought on by MS. In return, I am reminded of the millions of other individuals struggling with MS every day with worse or similar symptoms as my Aunt.
Throughout this past year, I've grown a lot in my faith and spirituality. I've often found myself wondering how God could allow diseases like MS or even cancer to impact the lives of so many individuals. I can't say that I've found the exact answer because there are some things that we will never understand during our time on this Earth. However, through prayer and the wisdom and knowledge of close friends, I've come to this conclusion:
Some people will say that God doesn't give us more than we can handle. I disagree. The world that we live in is way more than we can handle and the everyday struggles and hardships of life are more than any single person can bare. However, we are never given more than what God can handle. When tragedy or sickness enters our lives or the lives of family members, we need to seek God and his guidance and love. I'm not saying he will instantly heal you, but he will lift the burden and weight of the tragedy or sickness you may be carrying.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for you souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30)
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10)
There may be times when you think that no one could possibly understand what you are going through because you can't describe you're feelings in words. But God doesn't need words because he knows you and everything about you. He created you.
Aunt Kelly, I love you and will be praying for you. You are strong, inspiring, and courageous. Thank you for all that you have done for our entire family, and thank you for dressing up as Elmo and Barney for our birthday parties. You are the greatest Aunt a kid could ask for and I am blessed to be your nephew.
My Aunt is heading to Mexico tomorrow to begin a treatment program that will span over approximately 3 months. You can show your support for my Aunt by following the link below to help offset the cost of the treatment.
My Family and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Keep singing,
Proverbs 16:9


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These are some of the creative works I have done over the years. Some were contracted works while others were things I did for my family and friends or simply for fun. Unfortunately, there were many more creative things I did, but I no longer have accessed to those files after my main storage drive crashed.
Research Posters
Facebook Games Research Poster at HFES 57th Annual Meeting
Video Games Research Poster at HFES 56th Annual Meeting
Web Pages Research Poster at HFES 56th Annual Meeting
Video Games Research Poster at 8th Annual GRASPS
Website Designs
Gallery 1
Digital Media
Gallery 1
My Beach
Pre-Wedding Photos 1
Pre-Wedding Photos 2
Wedding Photos
Miscellaneous Photos 1
Miscellaneous Photos 2
Pencil & Paint
Gallery 1


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Monday, November 30, 2009
So much better than a big party!
But July turned into August and August into September and well, you get the drift.
I convinced Peter that he didn't need a big birthday sleepover with lots of kids and a pinata(kids birthday parties are so overrated if you are the parent who is hosting it). Instead we took Peter and his BFF Colton to the Lego store where they could attend a class and afterward we would go to dinner and Colton could spend the night.
The moon and stars aligned properly and we finally got Peter to the Lego store 4 months after it opened and a mere two weeks after his birthday.
I do not recommend setting foot in a mall on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and if you do, please steer clear of the Lego store. That place was packed. It was wall-to-wall kids, parents and of course, Legos.
But we knew it would be and the boys didn't seem to mind searching for the perfect Lego set in a crowd.
And even though the store was packed, they were the only two kids in the class they were taking. And there were two instructors! So for one hour, they worked hard to figure out the best way to combine a pile of Lego gears, handles and bricks and make it into a working bubble beater. They each came up with different beaters and I think they both had a great time.
It was loud. There were cars hanging from the ceiling. They had great kid's meals that came with Twizzlers and they comped us a big ole hot fudge brownie with ice cream.
Peter didn't even miss the pinata!
15 comments:
- Merrily Down the Stream said...
Boy Nirvana it sounds like!
- November 30, 2009 at 12:45 PM
- Laura said...
Sounds like someone had a great birthday - one that was worth waiting for :)
- November 30, 2009 at 12:59 PM
- Colleen said...
My sons birthday is in 3 months, are you available to plan that one for me??? :)
- November 30, 2009 at 1:06 PM
- Aimee said...
That sounds so fun!!
There's a Lego store about an hour away from us, but we haven't even told Fiver that it exists. He would have a heart attack! :)
- November 30, 2009 at 2:12 PM
- RR Mama said...
Sorry I have been out of touch for a while. Tree looks beautiful. Some of my favorite ornaments are the ones the kids make or with their pictures. I do the redistribution thing to so don't feel bad. R2 would have 10 items to one branch. The Lego store looked like a lot of fun. Thanks for the idea. And just so you know I was one of those CrAzY nuts shopping on Friday...for 11 1/2 hours to boot!! Have a great week!!!
- November 30, 2009 at 4:03 PM
- babyyahyah said...
I have been to lego stores before...they are nice. But packed all the time.
we have Quaker state here too but I thought they were only in PA. I guess I didn't know they had them elsewhere.
- November 30, 2009 at 4:17 PM
- Totallyscrappy said...
Lego class/birthday. Now, how cool is that!!
- November 30, 2009 at 5:56 PM
- Jaina said...
Sounds like a fantastic birthday! Such fun :)
- November 30, 2009 at 5:58 PM
- rhemashope said...
Wow, what a memorable birthday. I know some kids who would think a Lego class was the best thing that ever happened.
- November 30, 2009 at 8:43 PM
- Denise said...
Sounds really fun.
- November 30, 2009 at 9:00 PM
- Alicia, The Snowflake said...
Sounds like a great way to spend a birthday. Big bday parties are way overrated!
- November 30, 2009 at 10:34 PM
- Tracy said...
Trying to do the same "convincing" here. Preston's bday is in 2 weeks and convincing him a "family fun" day is WAY better than a kids party!!! :)
- December 1, 2009 at 4:19 AM
- jennwa said...
Colton had a blast, he can not stop talking about it. It was the perfect birthday party.
- December 1, 2009 at 9:20 PM
- Jac said...
In my opinion that is a FAR better birthday than any big party!!
I love the Lego store, LOVE it. My husband and I actually spent a "date night" there once. LOL! I just wish we had one closer to home...
It looks like the boys really had a great time.
Jac @ Wuzzlemakesthree.com
- December 2, 2009 at 8:27 AM
- Tracey said...
Sounds like they had a great time! That's a wonderful birthday idea.
- December 5, 2009 at 1:36 PM


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My love for cocktails and mixology is relatively new found, but I cannot imagine not having it as a hobby. Mixology speaks to my scientific inquisitiveness, my curiosity regarding the synergy of flavors, and, most importantly, my enjoyment of alcohol! Many cocktail enthusiasts fall into one of two camps: (1) having a predilection for overly sweet, unbalanced drinks, like those found in most chain restaurants (e.g. TGI Fridays), or (2) being so snobby that they make cocktails unapproachable for most others. I do not fall into either camp and instead just enjoy well made (and well balanced!) drinks without pretentiousness. I want to share my interest and enjoyment with others. I recently hosted some friends and made them some cocktails. It was a great night of drinking and debauchery (see picture above), but also a night filled with the sharing of knowledge.
With all that in mind, and with the help of some great friends who not only happily drink my cocktails but also lend me their photography skills, I decided to begin this blog. Enjoy! And may you never have a poorly made drink again.


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The molecular weight of ammonia is 17.03052 grams per mole. To compute the molecular weight, the atomic weights of all the atoms in the ammonia molecule are added together.
One molecule of ammonia (NH3) is made up of one atom of nitrogen and 3 atoms of hydrogen. From the periodic table, the listed atomic weights of nitrogen and hydrogen are 14.0067 grams per mole and 1.00794 grams per mole respectively. To compute for the molecular weight, the atomic weights of one atom of nitrogen, which is 14.0067 grams per mole, and 3 atoms of hydrogen, which is 1.00794 grams per mole multiplied by 3 or 3.02382 grams per mole should be added. The answer to the equation is 17.03052 grams per mole.


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DOOLEYS Metro League will make a triumphant return to Genea Netball Centre in 2017, with the teams returning to court from Monday 3 April to contest Round 1.
After re-branding from DOOLEYS State League thanks to the introduction of the Samsung Premier League in 2016, Metro League will once again see the competition divided into six Divisions of 10 teams each. The weekly competition will be held across three nights, with teams contesting 18 rounds plus a three-week Finals Series.
For those anxiously awaiting the 2017 Fixture, you don't have to wait long – Netball NSW will be releasing the draw on Monday 20 March…that's just over one week away!
And if you're keen to catch every minute of the 2017 competition, you can now secure your Season Passes via the DOOLEYS Metro League page; starting from $68 for Concessions and $86 for Adults.
See you courtside for the 2017 DOOLEYS Metro League season.


text: We are deeply saddened to hear about the passing of our friend and collaborator Andrew MacNaughtan. For those who don't know, Andrew designed and shot the cover of our album Den of Thieves. We have also done several other photo shoots with him throughout the years. He will be greatly missed. The trews.


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Is there a way you can set an alert for another user? I'm on page 443of the Resource Kit and it doesn't seem likely but it would be helpfulto know.
Do a Google search for UserAlerts. This is a free web part created byJan Tielens of Lead-It that will allow WSS site admins to subscribeother users to alerts.The user interface is a little awkward, particularly if you have a lotof users on your site. But he includes the source code, so you canrevise it to suit your needs.
I ran it and it errored out. It told me to check a specific logbut that was blank. I sent Jan an email through his blog. Maybe I'llhear back? I'll letcha know what I found out.
Also, it might be a little premature to purchase (uless you are onlyrunning WSS) because: (from their forums)"SPS alert Manager will be available in the 2nd Quarter of 2006. SPSAlert Manager will provide SharePoint administrators with the abilityto add Area, Document, Folder, List, Listing, List Item, Person,Search and Site Registry alerts to one or more user profiles. Inaddition, the ability to specify an e-mail address that is differentthan the recorded address for a user profile will make the SPS AlertManager more flexible and powerful than our current WSS Alert Managerproduct."So I'd be interested on the pricing for that puppy when it comes downthe pike.


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Let me begin with a quote from Maria Rossbauer's report Unproven stem-cell therapy ban published in Nature journal on Aug. 20:
"The Bulgarian deputy minister for health has resigned over the country's decision to ban the use of a controversial stem-cell therapy to treat neurological disorders. The therapy, which since 2005 has been carried out on around 250 patients at St Ivan Rilski Hospital in Sofia, contravenes European Union regulations and is of unproven value, the Bulgarian health ministry ruled on 8 August."
Subscribers to Nature can read the whole text here.
I wasn't going to blog about the stem cell controversy, after it had a relatively happy ending, but on Oct. 3 our Faculty Board decided to "condemn the unethical and unscientific statements of members of our community (Prof. Bobev, Prof. Svinarov, Prof. Kremenski) in the campaign against the (Department of) Neurosurgery on the occasion of stem cells". Bulgarian readers can find the protocol of the Faculty Board session here. The three condemned professors apparently blew the whistle and this led to banning the therapy.
I am not a doctor, let alone a neurosurgeon, but let me share my thoughts on the subject.
First, bone marrow contains hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells. Both belong to the connective tissue, which isn't close to the nervous tissue, so I think it isn't very likely for these stem cells to "convert" and differentiate into neurons. Therefore, to my opinion, this low probability hardly justifies injecting bone marrow stem cells into the brain or the spinal cord, which is invasive and (I guess) not 100% safe procedure. At least not until the treatment has been shown to work in an animal model.
Second, after this experimental treatment has still been given a try, I think that after a reasonable number of treated patients (much fewer than 250) the results must have been submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication, no matter whether they have been negative or positive. The team claims positive results - improvement in as many as 50% of patients. However, without a publication it is unclear whether this improvement has been detected in a "blind" manner (i.e. by people unaware of the treatment) or by the treating doctors or even by the patients themselves. In the latter cases of course we cannot distinguish real improvement from placebo effect.
Third, what I disapprove most in the story is that the patients have paid for the therapy. I think that people undergoing experimental medical procedures must never pay (in some cases they may ever receive payments).
Still, I wouldn't like to condemn anybody because I want to believe in the good intentions of all people involved. However, I don't understand why the Faculty members haven't given such a benefit of the doubt to their opponents. So I wish to express solidarity with the three condemned professors.
Thanks to the colleague who informed me about the above cited documents (you know who you are).


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Once insurance has reviewed your application you will receive an automated message confirming your eligibility. This process should take no longer than one week, however, contact Boatsetter Support if you need to expedite the approval process.


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I am attempting to understand municipal bonds. It has been a couple of years, I thought I understood what my father's tax preparer told me. Either I didn't, or I have forgotten. 1.) Are fees for the purchase of a tax-exempt bond deductible? They weren't deducted. At the time, I was unable to find the documentation for the fees. I believe that I was told that it didn't matter because the fees are not deductible. 2.) If a premium paid for a secondary market tax exempt bond, it is amortized over the remaining term of the bond. If a bond is called before maturity, is remaining value of the premium a deductible loss? 3.) The cost basis for an inherited bond is greater than face value. The bond was called, and paid at face value. Does the cost basis over face value need to be amortized, the same as if a premium was paid for the bond? The bond was called in 2012, less than a year after it was inherited.
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We Have a Farm Bill in the Senate!
On June 21, 2012 the Senate passed the Agriculture Reform , Food and Jobs Act otherwise known as the Farm Bill. This past Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday our US Senators worked diligently through 73 amendments to pass a farm bill that protects sustainable agriculture. Now that the dust has cleared take a look at who sponsored the various amendments by visiting http://farmbillprimer.org/senate-farm-bill-amendments/. More important look to see how your Senators voted on key amendments. From this chart you will be able to view all of the 300+ amendments that were initially introduced, the 73 amendments that were voted on and which of those amendments were key votes.
Now on to the House of Representatives!


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Lomography Petzval Artist: Portraits from Photographer Adam Bronkhorst
OK i'll admit it.......I'm a very slow blogger.
I'm sorry.
This article first appeared on the Lomography website at least six months ago. Just after I was lent a prototype Petzval lens, which is based on a very old Russian manual design, to road test and give my thoughts on.
Adam Bronkhorst is a Brighton-based photographer who focuses on people and portraiture. He teaches all kinds of photography through different means – using a DSLR, studio lighting and even film cameras. His portfolio of work is so stunning, we decided to crown him as one of our Petzval Artists. We let him test the new Petzval lens to its full potential and the results are just beautiful.
Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into photography.
My name is Adam Bronkhorst and I shoot (photograph) people for a living. I LOVEportraiture and interacting with people. It may be through corporate head shots, weddings or editorial portraits for magazines. Either way I'm happy shooting people and finding out their story. I've always loved photography ever since I was a kid. I loved playing around with my mum's SLR, and trying to focus it as a little boy; photography has always been a part of my life since then. I've written a couple of books about photography (one on phone photography and another on lo-fi film photography). I regularly shoot for newspapers and magazines as well as big name brands and I teach photography workshops as well.
How was it shooting with the New Petzval lens?
It took me a while to get used to the lens, as it's a really unusual lens for me. It got a lot of attention at first when I started to use it, which was good in a way as it broke the ice and got me chatting to people, and gave me an excuse to take their photo. I like working close to people and really interacting, so the 85mm focal length was a bit out of my comfort zone as I really had to stand back, but I love pushing myself so that was all good. It also takes a while to get used to the sweet spot of focus smack bang in the middle of the frame. I spent most of the time shooting without the aperture rings in, as the images look so great with such a shallow depth of field and it's got great focus drop off, although you really need to be spot on with your manual focus. I really experimented when I was away with my wife and kids, but also managed to use the lens for a few portrait shoots including a studio shoot and I took it to a wedding, I'm really pleased with the results and got a load of varied images from different situations, so it was a great 'road test' and brilliant fun.
What do you love about film photography?
To be honest, I know I shouldn't say this, but I've fallen out of love a little with film photography. Don't get me wrong – it's a fantastic medium and capable of incredible results, but I'm just loving digital at the moment. Which is why I was so pleased that the lovely people at Lomography have introduced the Petzval lens that I can use on my camera. This way I get the best of both worlds.
In your opinion, what makes the perfect portrait?
Well I think the perfect portrait captures a little of the subject's personality and makes the viewer want to find out more. The image has to be interesting and from a photographers point of view, it should be good fun to shoot and you should have more of an understanding about the person after you take the image, than you do before.
Have you had any difficult or challenging situations throughout your photography career?
I think in any career / job / shoot there are always challenging situations, but it's how you overcome them and what you do to get the shot that sets the great photographers apart from the good photographers.
What piece of advice would you give to someone wanting to become a professional portrait photographer?
This is a tricky one, because being a professional photographer is a hard way to earn a living. There is just so much competition out there. Don't get me wrong it's lovely being my own boss and taking photos for a living. But like any one running a business it's 80% running the business and 20% photographing. I have to say though, that if you enjoy your photography, you'll have much more fun if you're not a professional and shooting what you want and when you want.
Thank you, Adam, for taking part in this interview.
Well there you go, only six months late.
A massive thank you to the wonderful folk over at Lomography especially the lovely Liana.