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Did you bought a new cat tree lately, assembled it and placed at the best spot in your house, but suddenly, your cat is not paying ANY attention to it? Or maybe he is even afraid? What a waste of money…
We recently bought a new cat tree as well, and at first, our cat sniffed around it, but turned away with no greater interest. However, not long time has passed, and she spends reasonable partition of her time, both active and sleeping, on her new cat tree. It's fun, comfortable and provides her a security when our two year old daughter is approaching to "hug" her.
Cats are natural climbers, and, if they do not enjoy lying on a cat tree in an indoor environment, probably there's something that distracts them. Whether it's stress, ennui, or maybe they just did not realize benefits it provides, yet.
Reconsider Positioning of the cat tree
Having a cat tree placed at a random spot may not give a result desired. Cat, probably, has already established his own preferences and a daily routine, and including a new object in it, is not what's in his mind.
The trick is integrating the new furniture into your cat's life. That is, a cat tree should be placed somewhere near the spot, where your cat is spending a significant amount of his time already.
Cats spend large fraction of their day napping and playing, and they usually have preferred locations for those activities. And here you have it. Place a cat tree in the same room, where your cat is enjoying those activities the most time, and as close to the exact spot where your cat already likes being. Example, if your cat sleeps on your couch, try placing a cat tree next to it. If it's not possible, don't worry, you may still find a perfect spot in the same room.
What are other thing to look after when positioning a cat tree? A possibility to observe his territory from the above is important for a cat. This means, a place round the corner, where he does not have an overview of the room, or a hallway, would not be a brilliant idea. If there's a possibility to place a cat tree next to a window, it's great.
Other things to consider is placing a cat tree in front of the places your cat is using his claws on the wall, or so the cat is able to climb somewhere else from the cat tree, like a window sill or top of some other surface (if he's allowed there, though).
Cat tree should also give a sanctuary to your cat. That is, is he usually disturbed by kids, dogs, guests or even his owners? If so, think of a place where he may enjoy annoying creatures not being present, or not being able to reach him. However, the spot should still meet the other requirements, and, stating that the cat is a social creature, some presence of his owners should be necessary, as cats love company.
Stuffing the cat tree in a basement would not be suitable, but if it's located in your bedroom, where you enter now and then, but the heaviest action happens somewhere else, might be enjoyable to your cat. However, in this case we'd still recommend placing a smaller cat tree in the "heavy action" room, as well.
And also remember, if you have more than one cat, a particular individual may not dare or want to climb on a cat tree in a specific location, especially, it's already "claimed" by the other cat. This may lead to a necessity having more than a one cat tree, placed in different locations. Of course, it's not true if your cats get along well, and do not mind the company of others at all. On the other hand, even cats who are friendly to each other will benefit from cat tree availability in alternating locations. Even a single cat household will benefit from it. Remember, cats love options.
Encourage your cat to use the cat tree step by step
Now you have a perfectly positioned cat tree, or even more than one in different, good locations. Now it's time to "make your cat love it". Of course, if placed properly, chances are high, your cat will discover the benefits on his own, but in some cases, an encouragement might be necessary. Especially, if your cat is afraid of the cat tree.
There are several forms of encouragement aids. Most popular, and effective, by no doubt, is treating. Others that work well are playing to or petting your cat. You must already now what works best for him.
1. Start by throwing few kibbles on the floor next to the new cat tree. Allow your cat to eat them, pet him and praise, and let him see that his new furniture is posing no harm. If your cat is not afraid of the cat tree, most likely you will not have to repeat this step. However, if your cat is stressed, then, depending on the amount of stress, you may want to repeat this several times, with a pause between.
If you use playing or petting, it's similar. Start this activity close to a cat tree, and act naturally, like if the furniture were not there. Make you cat accustomed to the presence of the new cat tree. And again, if your cat is not afraid of it, you'll be able to move on almost instantly.
2. Get your cat's attention on the treat and place it on a lower shelf of the cat tree. You may scratch a top of it with your fingers, pick up and drop the treat several times repeatedly, or call your cat. If your pet is still a bit afraid, you may even create a trail of treats leading to the cat tree. However, if he's not stressed at all, you may put him on a cat tree next to the treats, if nothing of the previous works. Though, if he's trying to jump off, don't stop him.
Treats may be replaced by playing, as well. Slide your cats favorite toy along the floor, place it on a cat tree, and position, so your cat does not have a direct view on it, but make sure, he was all eyes and ears before. This will raise his curiosity, and he may go after it.
If he's afraid, play as you normally would in a same room, but try sliding the toy over the lower part of the cat tree occasionally, and return to normal playing instantly. At some point, your cat will jump on the cat tree after the toy. Praise him, and depending on his stress level, continue playing on a cat tree, or get back on the floor.
3. After your cat has leaned to accept lower shelves, no matter, by eating treats or going after the toy, it probably will not make difficulties encouraging him to explore more of his new furniture gradually, if you apply the same approach each step forward.
Provide peace and security in a form of a cat tree
One of the most beneficial things why cats love heights is they provide security. It's true in nature, and it's true for household environment. While, in the household there is no danger in the form of death threat, cats are usually bothered by dogs, kids, other pets and other cats, as well.
It does not need to be something obvious, like a kid pulling a cat by its tail, or a dog chewing his ears off. In some cases, cat may be disturbed by the presence of someone in a slight manner, and may find climbing atop a cat tree solution easy enough.
Death treat from physical objects, like a vacuum cleaner may be also easily avoided, by climbing higher. This way, a cat tree will be his definite favorite spot in the house, if it provides a shelter and peace.
However, for this to be effective, you must ensure, that any possible bother will not reach the cat on the cat tree. In the example, with dogs or small kids, you may provide the cat tree located so the dog (or the kid) is not able to reach the top shelf, or place it in a room, where the dog or kids do not enter often. If your kids are larger (this includes your spouse, parents and grandparents) you may explain not to bother a cat, at times when he's residing on a cat tree, and make sure that everyone (including you) sticks to this agreement.
Petting, as long as it is kept to minimum and does not become bothering, is fine. It's actually necessary, but if a cat wants to sleep, or shows any form of aggression of aversion (like tail thumping, skin twitching or running away), activity should not be proceeded. A cat tree must be like a safe heaven in the eyes of your cat, and isn't it the reason you've got the cat tree in the first place?


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Northland Shopping Centre Gift Cards are the perfect gift solution at any time of year. Let them choose what they want from a large range of participating specialty stores – the gift opportunities are endless at Northland Shopping Centre!Northland Shopping Centre Gift Cards are very easy to use and are valid for 12 months, making them the ideal gift for anyone and any occasion. Give them what they really want with a Northland Shopping Centre Gift Card!
You can specify a value for Gift Cards and have them mailed directly to your chosen address. When selecting an electronic voucher, you may also choose the value, however please note that electronic vouchers must be presented at Customer Service or Centre Management to be exchanged for a Gift Card.
Please also note electronic vouchers may take up to 24 hours to process - and cannot be redeemed for 48 hours after time of purchase to allow for payment processing and confirmation.

subset: commoncrawl


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It turns out I did get a bit lucky and one day before the start of my official writing month, I managed to start writing this morning. I must have been really inspired because I woke up before 5 am and all I could think about was getting to write some words. I'm not going to lie, I was still pretty much asleep and in that state, the first words of Chapter 3 came to my head. Before I new it I had a bit over eight hundred words, it was time to take the dog for a walk and run to campus.
I feel like I cheated and now I have the advantage of it.


text: Undergraduate medical education has moved away from the former didactic style of teaching to one of problem-based learning. The specialty of Genitourinary Medicine (GUM) that includes sexually transmissible infections (STIs) lends itself to the latter; self-directed learning. This is particularly important as time allocated to the specialty in most medical curricula is short, and the student cannot possibly cover all the topics with which he/she is expected to be familiar. Several excellent textbooks on GUM exist, but they mostly follow the traditional format, with emphasis on individual diseases rather than case-scenarios. The books that follow a more syndromic approach do not pose questions to help the student understand how the material presented can be translated into clinical practice. As specialist clinics become more hard-pressed, family medicine practitioners are thus becoming increasingly involved in the management of STIs and there is without doubt now a need for a book specifically designed for problem solving in STI management.


text: Contents IT Operations Management Previous Topic Next Topic Filter software to discover Subscribe Log in to subscribe to topics and get notified when content changes. ... SAVE AS PDF Selected Topic Topic & Subtopics All Topics in Contents Share Filter software to discover Use the Discovery configuration console to filter the software you add to the CMDB. Before you beginRole required: discovery_admin, admin About this task The instance creates an update set record for any change you make to the console. Procedure Navigate to Discovery > Discovery Definition > Configuration Console. In the Software Filter panel, select the tab for the operating system you want, either Unix or Windows. Add or delete keywords for filtering software packages. To add a keyword, enter it in the field provided and click New Key. To delete a keyword, click the red + icon to the right of the keyword. Discovery looks for software packages containing these terms in the selected operating system and either includes or excludes them from the CMDB. The system does not provide default keywords for filtering UNIX software packages, but provides these default keywords for Windows: Hotfix Language Pack Security Update Select whether to Include or Exclude software packages with the keywords in their names. Include: Only add software packages that match the keywords. Exclude: Add all software packages except those matching the keywords. You can switch off the software filter for either UNIX or Windows. When the filter is disabled for an operating system, all discovered software packages for that operating system are added to the CMDB, with no filtering applied. On this page Send Feedback Previous Topic Next Topic


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I went to a couple of car dealerships last week. At first I stopped at was Kia. Well nothing caught my eye, but the price was right.
Then I went to a Ford dealer. I didn't really find anything I liked, but every car had a pair of shoes in the trunk.
At last I went to the Chevy dealer. Well I see one that I like. The dealer does the once over with me, then he pops the trunk. Disapointed, I looked at the dealer and said: "Well, theres something missing."
The dealer puzzled asks: "What?"
I said: "At the Ford dealership I checked out, they had a new pair of shoes in the trunk of every car!"
Smiling the dealer says: "That's so they can walk home!"
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It was this morning, while on the elliptical machine, that I heard the 20th (when I began counting) reference to Bush having "injected" foreign policy, via his raising of "appeasement" before the Knesset, into the Democratic campaign debate.
Aside from the fact that a Bush injection would likely require more investigation from the FDA and CDC than vaccinations laced with 50% thimerosal, the discussion, which has shown surprising legs, has revealed a remarkable lack of basic knowledge about the distinctions between negotiation (e.g. Nixon's intervention with what was, at the time, a rogue Chinese state, which largely prevented conflict and helped to usher China into the family of nations) and appeasement--ranging from the Kevin James school of international policy negotiation based upon an utter lack of knowledge, to more informed but still significantly incomplete or incorrect understandings of appeasement as it has been used in this context.
Therefore, I provide you with a brief, fully accurate history of the "appeasement" that has been raised in these debates, so that those who wish to use actual fact in advancing their arguments can do so (For those who wish to continue to rely on insinuation, distortion, or the ritual, repetitive, seemingly talismanic use of the cry "He's an appeaser! You know! Like Munich! Like Chamberlain!" without knowing what this actually means, please proceed to Remedial History, room 101B. No gum).
The Munich Agreement:
The Brief Pre-History of Munich:
Hitler, levered into power in January of 1933 (ironically after the Nazi's first significant national election outcome decrease in 1932, after which they very well may have faded into their earlier insignificance) through the dramatic miscalculations of former Chancellor Von Papen (who, in his proposed role as Vice-Chancellor, hoped to be the "power behind the throne", and to return to the Chancellorship) and prominent Nationalist Alfred Hugenberg, among others to isolate and co-opt Hitler in a cabinet of Conservative Nationalists ("We've hired him"--Von Papen; "We've boxed him in"-Hugenberg), who persuaded the reluctant, aging President Hindenberg to accept this agreement, soon gained primacy and control over the cabinet, government, and increasingly the nation, through a series of questionable legislative (e.g. "The Enabling Act") and viciously revolutionary and counter-revolutionary (i.e., the elimination of other political parties, the Rohm Purge, brutal and cynical anti-Semitic actions by the SA, the Gleischaltung or "Coordination" of virtually all German organizations and press in 1934) actions.
After gaining such control, and with an autarkic economy that, from the start, invested huge sums in rearmament, Hitler brought the German military into coordination as well, under the aegis of the compliant General Blomberg, and with a shared mission of challenging the restraints placed upon German armament under the Versailles Treaty which followed World War I (Hitler's railing against this treaty had been a key element in the rise of the Nazis to power, particularly in the most dire economic phases of the Weimar Republic). In a series of shocking and escalating violations of this treaty, Germany announced the reestablishment of the German Air Force (1935), the reoccupation of the Rhineland (1936) and the Anschluss of Austria (1937); Hitler began an express drive for expansion conveyed as a correction of the Versailles Treaty, but in fact a clearly stated intent to increase the "living space" (Lebensraum) of Germany, and to attain hegemony in Europe (and, eventually, beyond).
In 1938, under the pretext of incorporating the Sudeten Germans who lived in Czechoslovakia (and utilizing Czech Nazi sympathizers to provoke manufactured "incidents" among this group), Hitler continued this expansionist drive by threatening, beginning in the famous "Weekend Crisis" of May 20-22, 1938, to attack Czechoslovakia on behalf of the Sudetens. Months of anti-Czech propaganda created by the Goebbels-controlled ministry continued through June, July and August. Following a vicious tirade at the conclusion of the Party Congress against the Czechs on Sept. 12, Hitler threatened action if the "issues" regarding the Sudetenland were not resolved. This provoked a wave of fear and disturbance across France and the Sudetenland.
As a result, on September 15, Neville Chamberlain flew to Munich to meet with Hitler. Hitler, in this first meeting, presented Chamberlain with an apparent fait accompli, stating that he would settle the matter himself "one way or another", clearly implying force. Chamberlain met this with the remark that under such conditions, there was no further point in talking--after which, Hitler tactically receded and stated that if the question of incorporation of the Sudetenland was open, discussions should continue. Hitler's ultimate goal here was to use the tactic of Sudeten independence to force Czechoslovakia to cede the Sudeten potion of its nation to Germany, claiming that "we want no Czechs"--e.g., the remaining part of the country--and that without such an incorporation, he would attack--thus unleashing the protective guarantees of France to Czechoslovakia, and thereby, a second World War.
Under such pressure, France and Britain placed weight on Czechoslovakia to cede the Sudetenland. Hitler, Mussolini, Chamberlain and Daladier (the French premier) provided the basis for the Munich Agreement--which indeed carved off the Sudetenland, leading to Chamberlain's notorious statement of "peace in our time"--set along side Goebbels statement that "We have achieved everything we wanted according to the small plan, while the big plan is...for the moment, not realizable".
Hitler, in fact, intended to incorporate the rest of Czechoslovakia--and was described as disappointed that the agreement had denied him the opportunity for a war against the Czechs that would allow him this full territorial conquest in a single step. In March of 1939, following a similar propaganda barrage regarding Slovakian nationalist independence, Hitler threatened the Czech President Benes with invasion should he not cede the rest of the nation. Under such threat, Benes collapsed, and the Germans seized the remaining portion of Czechoslovakia without resistance.
Ironically, these constant risk-all gambits led Hitler to his fatal mistake--the conquest of Poland, which, although "victorious", led Britain, France, and ultimately the USA to enter the fight against Germany, and Germany to seek to end the battle against these enemies by removing their most likely ally--the Soviet Union--a combined two front battle which led to the downfall of Nazi Germany.
Appeasement here was agreeing to give away Czechoslovakia. It was shameful--and wrong.
Negotiation: Talking To Leaders
Two examples:
Nixon's Rapprochement With China:
Despite the well-known failings of the Nixon Presidency, Nixon's engagement with China remains a signal achievement. Note that Nixon, throughout his career, was an ardent fighter of Communism. Thus, we might have fully expected him to take the "negotiation is weakness" position with a country that, at the time, was regarded as a rogue nation in the West.
Nevertheless, this fervent anti-Communist chose to negotiate--a marked change from previous U.S. policy--and continued to do so even as highly inflammatory border attacks occurred between China and the Soviet Union in 1969, stating that "We simply cannot afford to leave China outside the family of nations." (a statement that would likely draw the errant fire of commentators from the Right if it were uttered today). With a persistent diplomacy through 1969-1972, culminating in a meeting with Chou en Lai, these negotiations led to a dramatic thawing of relations with both China and the Soviet Union--where, in meetings with Leonid Brezhnev, an anti-ballistic missile treaty, a trade agreement worth a billion dollars, and a SALT treaty were signed.
Reagan and Gorbachev:
Reagan, of course, was noted for referring to the Soviet Union as the "Evil Empire." Despite this stance, he too was willing to negotiate with Gorbachev in the interests of nuclear disarmament --and despite the objections of many on the Right, whose statements at the time regarding the weakness of negotiation could be easily grafted onto the present debates.
As we know, Reagan's meetings, according to Alan Greenspan, "started the sequence of geopolitical initiatives that led Mr. Gorbachev to figuratively tear down the Berlin Wall", and contributed to the break up of the Soviet Union.
Many from the right called for aggressive military action--for missiles first, rather than negotiation. Reagan, in negotiating, was proved right.
Note that in each case, the President talked with a leader who they regarded as hostile--in the face of those who argued then, as they do now, that talking--negotiation--signifies weakness.
In each case, talking--strong, informed negotiation--did not result in appeasement of the aggressor, but instead resulted in the desired outcome--in one case, the component breakup of the aggressor nation--in another the end of a threat of nuclear conflict--without a single loss of life.
Negotiation is not appeasement.
When negotiation is chosen, however, it will be the case that those who simply wished for the visceral strike--the simplistic first solution of subduing an enemy through the use of might--will not find satisfaction. We have seen the results of this position, throughout the years--from the events recounted in the first section, to the present.
Perhaps, in negotiation, it is *they* who have been appeased.
If so, given history--this was a favorable outcome indeed.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Hot Bush "Injection": A Brief History of Appeasement--What It Is, And What It Is Not
It was this morning, while on the elliptical machine, that I heard the 20th (when I began counting) reference to Bush having "injected" foreign policy, via his raising of "appeasement" before the Knesset, into the Democratic campaign debate.


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Shorts Season
How ridiculously bulky is this sweater, I love it. It feels like ages ago that I did this shoot, probably because I just got back from a two-week vacation in China and Thailand. I finally had an excuse to play around with my DLSR, and while I'm still learning, I think this is the start of an amateur photography addiction.
Also, exciting news: I just penned a new article for The Bold Italic on reverse culture shock (ironically on the eve of my first trip back to China)! Take a look and let me know what you think!


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Design Service
Providence Design Ltd.
At Providence Design, we value authenticity. That's why most of the spaces we design appear to have been created over time. As a client of Providence Design Services, we will introduce both old and new to your project in an effort to create a space that compliments your personality and is comfortable to live in.
So contact us! Tell us all about you and your style. Tell us about your family and how you live. Dreams you may have for your current house or possibly a new one and.....
We'll guide you home.
The Design Process
I. Phone Consultation
We will have an initial phone conversation to determine your needs and understanding your vision.
II. Visiting Your Site
In order to grasp the full scope of your project we visit the site to take pictures, measurements and discuss the process.
III. Letter of Service
A letter of agreement helps us both to understand the overall service provided and details of payment. Once all the terms are agreed upon the Design process begins!
IV. Design Proposal
We present our Design plan to you. Depending on your project we will provide- as needed floor plans, fabric swatches and paint and material samples. Anything else necessary to your plan will be added!
V. Start of Project
Once the design plan is approved we can start work on your project.
VI. Finishing Touches & Completion
The most exciting part of the process is in the tiny details. Your project is not complete until the last accessory is placed and all candles are lit.
Contact us
It's your turn. Let's talk!


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Jump to navigation Jump to search
ambigender (not comparable)
- Of both male and female genders.
- 2008, Lorilee Craker, A Is for Atticus: Baby Names from Great Books
- Instead of just listing names (yawn), each name selected for A is for Atticus is profiled for its uniqueness, image, and whether or not it is up-and-coming or more stale than last week's doughnuts. Some listings include other pertinent, real-world info, such as ambigender options, cultural spins, and nicknames.
- 2014, Manivong J. Ratts, Paul B. Pedersen, Counseling for Multiculturalism and Social Justice
- Androgyny—the presence of male and female characteristics in one individual. Androgynous individuals describe themselves as ambigender, polygender, or genderless.
- 2008, Lorilee Craker, A Is for Atticus: Baby Names from Great Books


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Meet the Maker - Melanie Abrantes
For our first Meet the Maker, I'm pleased to introduce the work of Melanie Abrantes Designs. a fellow Oakland local, Melanie has captivated the hearts of the design community and just celebrated the 3 year anniversary of her business. Melanie, A creative entrepreneur is a perfect pairing to Lemay shop, Melanie Abrantes Designs is a female owned business, all products are handcrafted, and every piece is responsibly made with local and sustainable materials, We can't get enough of this work!
One of the most exciting things about opening this shop has been having a platform to bring my favorite designers work together. This grouping of work creates a dialogue amongst the objects that although very distinct when shown together speaks to what is coming out of the West Coast, and more importantly, at least to me, what is coming from female designers. Melanie's work is a perfect example of the preference for pieces that are handmade by an independent designer. If you're looking for one-of-a-kind, you've come to the right place. Each Bud Vase is made to order, hand turned by Melanie on her lathe in West Oakland.
A graduate of Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, Melanie studied product design in school. Before graduating she began experimenting on a lathe turning wood into curvaceous designs that have transformed over the years into the beautiful bud vases I now carry at LeMay Shop. Each object melanie designs is created using domestic hardwood purchased locally in California. Although her work expands beyond wood vases, the simplistic shape and delicate curve of these pieces have made them a long time favorite.
Growing up with a Portuguese / Brazilian father has influenced Melanie's designs significantly. Spending summers in Portugal living with her grandparents, Melanie was exposed to products created from cork, a material with a profoundly different use than here in America. It wasn't long after learning to lathe that melanie realized the possibilities the material had, she immediately absorbed cork into her design practice reinterpreting for an american audience what was possible with this portuguese tree bark. each unique object is a modern heirlooms, using both cork and wood Melanie has built a business that embodies handcraft.
Photography by Melanie Riccardi, styling By Genevieve Bandrowski


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Forum » Learning Russian
Languages: English-Russian Category: Learning Russian
Learning Russian
carolgreen737 - Aug 29, 2012 at 03:17
Is there a large Russian community in Dubai? I noticed some Belarussian ladies but I think they were more 'ladies of the night' I'd like to improve on my basic Russian and at this stage I'm not sure if my employer will have measures in place to assist with tutoring.
Learning Russian | EN-RU
0 comments


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want to collaborate with the world's most innovative companies?
you need to be here.
A unique coworking and events space connected to Unilever's regional headquarters at Mapletree Business City, Singapore, LEVEL3 brings together startups, corporates, and ecosystem partners to drive innovation and create new partnerships that deliver meaningful business impact.
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Ecosystem by padang & co
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Get your copy here.


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On Saturday morning we are leaving Louisville and flying to Jonny's homeland.
Via a seven hour layover in Chicago,
followed by a flight to Dublin,
a bus to Belfast,
and then to Bangor.
I normally don't look forward to the weather in N. Ireland,
especially in the summer when you sorta expect it to be warm...
but it's not... and I usually need a jacket.
But this time it's different.
The heat in Louisville is killer, like outta-control, can't breathe,
Don't get me wrong, I've dealt with some heat in my day.
I did move into my dorm freshman year of college,
in 115 degree heat,
in August, in Oklahoma.
that. is. hot.
But what I'm feeling this summer is different.
It zaps all my energy.
I tell ya'.
All that to say,
I eagerly welcome a break from this heat.
Here are some pictures from past visits.
And I plan on taking more this trip.
We are especially excited for the actual reason we're going,
(no, not just to beat the heat)
to see our friends Clarky & Nicky get married!


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The Rat Pack in Vegas, the days of the legendary Cave in Vancouver, and the general era of dine and dance Supper Clubs sparked the desire in Federico to re-introduce the concept of dinner, entertainment and dancing. And so, in 1999 he established Federicos Supper Club in Vancouvers popular Little Italy district; a restaurant offering authentic inspired Italian cuisine in an old school atmosphere, complete with entertainment, live music and dancing. The combination of his Italian heritage and an iconic era of music and yesteryear nostalgia today represents an award-winning business, which celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2014.
Federicos love for elements of yesteryear nostalgia and music, along with strong ties to his Italian culture and long line of family entertainers, are the basis of what motivates his desire to perform for audiences and recreate special moments.
Taking the stage at an early age with his father, Federico was significantly influenced by an era of music that surrounded him growing up in the 60s and 70s: Dean Martin, Louis Prima, Tom Jones, and Elvis Presley are just examples of a period which represented the magic of more than just the music, but also everything affiliated with a lifestyle and philosophy of entertainment during that time. Feel good, make you want to dance, soulful and strong vocals are elements which to this day characterize the wide range of music in Federicos repertoire: crooning standards, legendary pop favourites, Italian and latin.
Crowned the Knight of Clubs by the Globe and Mail, Federico offers music that has no age or cultural boundaries. Besides nightly performances at his Supper Club, Federico has headlined some of the largest charity events, including The Crystal and Diamond Balls, as well as the Michael Cuccione Foundation events. Since 2010, he has also been the headline act for Italian Day, one of the largest cultural street festivals in Vancouver, celebrating all that is Italian. Having opened for acts such as Umberto Tozzi, Albano and Romina Power and Massimo Ranieri - he is no stranger to the realm of Italian classics, pop and contemporary.
In 2014, under his F2 Productions, Federico was successful in sharing Italian Rock & Blues superstar, Zucchero, with Vancouver fans by securing and presenting a Vancouver concert as part of Zucchero's Americana Tour. Later that same year in October, Italian legends Umberto Tozzi, Nicola Di Bari, Gigliola Cinquetti, Amedeo Minghi and I Cugini Di Campagna thrilled Vancouver in a group tour as Federico, for the 2nd time in 2014, was able to secure a concert in Vancouver as part of these artists' North American concert tour. His concert promotions then took off offering Italian celebrities Pupo and Ricchi e Poveri in 2015, showman and 70s icon Tony Orlando (2016), Canadian artist - Gino Vannelli (2017) and Italian legend, Massimo Ranieri in 2018. We are eagerly awaiting who is next for 2019!
Actively involved as a Director of The Commercial Drive Business Association and overseeing the Drive's historic Little Italy initiatives, as well as Past President for the Italian Day Festival Society, Federico aims to maintain the heritage of an area in which he grew up, performed and fondly recalls as a special gathering place for friends and family. Whether culturally or via the magic of music, Federico seeks to pay tribute to an era which represents what he considers to be..simply...the best.
604 251 3473


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I have really done my homework on these – because believe it or not, it isn't so easy to find great rain boots which look great and are of great quality. So here we are – from £60 to £450, perfect for the countryside or the city, here are 5 of the best rain boots for Winter, Mrs. O Style.
Burberry House Check Fringed Rubber Boots
Cost £220 from Burberry (out of stock). International readers can get them from Farfetch, Nordstrom or limited availability at Zappos (US only).
I think Burberry are doing some of the best rain boots currently – and I am very happy with mine (which are no longer in stock). All Burberry boots have the same boot base and just the top bits change. They are incredibly comfortable and bonus points for one being able to remove them using only your feet (tried and tested), which makes them perfect for travelling. Please note that they 'bloom' – I shall explain this below.
Le Chameau Andalou Ponti Lined Boots
Cost £125 from Le Chameau
Also with top marks for comfort, I really like these Le Chameau riding boots, which can be worn as if they were leather (I do have a similar Tod's pair). They have a back zip which makes them super easy to wear and they don't lose their shape if you bend them. Please note that they 'bloom' – I shall explain this below.
Aquatalia suede boots
Cost from £400 from Farfetch. Currently on sale ($200/£175) at Nordstrom (which now ships globally). Also available in brown.
Suede boots? Am I crazy? Nope. I am slightly obsessed with Aquatalia's range which is 100% weatherproof (and highly popular in very cold places like Canada). When I got mine, the shop assistant poured a glass of water on them (and I screamed). They are perfect and I love how they look super stylish 'and normal'.
Sam Edelman Tinsley Rain Boot
Cost from £60 (including duty and transport) shipped from Amazon's Global Store, or $50 directly from the USA (colours affect price – some start at $30).
I bought these for practical reasons – and because I wanted options which were not in black. They are not the best boots in the world (you are getting what you are paying for), but they are pretty good. They are waterproof, but benefit from warm insoles which I have added and they are much better. Good for countryside walks and city visits – and they look just like normal boots (because some times we do not want big chunky ones).
Sorel Caribou Slim Boots
Cost from £125 from Net-a-Porter (Global), Amazon UK (£75), Amazon US (£100).
I had featured Sorel's Caribou snow boots on a previous article (must have apres-ski items for your ski trip) as they are excellent – and I was surprised by this 'slim' version which still has some decent grip and are perfect for the rain. Top marks for comfort too and they are available in 3 colours – and, I am sure you can guess, do not require cashmere socks as they are lined and SUPER warm.
When rubber boots bloom
Occasionally, you may notice a white powdery "bloom" on rubber boots. This is because rubber is a natural product and in certain conditions, insoluble particles may rise to the surface. This is a common process, characteristic of high quality, natural rubber and nothing to worry about. There are a number of remedies available on the internet (just search for it), but I found that rubbing olive oil helped. I used a clean cloth which I dipped into Portugal's finest olive oil (ha ha) and rubbed them all over the Burberry and Le Chameau boots. I repeated it after a month and happy with the results.
I hope you like my selection of 5 of the best rain boots for Winter. You can also check out my top 5 lip balms to protect you from the cold.


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Game Credits
|Wangan Midnight: Maximum Tune 6 (2018)
|(Chief Director)
|Wangan Midnight: Maximum Tune 5DX+ (2016)
|Wangan Midnight: Maximum Tune 5DX (2015)
Quality Assurance
|Ace Combat: Assault Horizon - Enhanced Edition (2013)
|(QA Testers)
|Ace Combat: Assault Horizon (2011)
|(QA Testers)
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It's twelve years since Dad's been gone,
I wonder why it all went wrong,
He was so kind and loving too,
Him dying kind of made me blue.
I miss him oh so very much,
No more to have his tender touch,
To hear him say come on old girl,
You make my mind go in a whirl.
When we made love there was no caress,
And he'd always get you in a mess,
And that's the way my Johnny was,
Right to the point without no fuss.
There was no other man for me,
He always filled me up with glee.
Although his ways were strange and funny,
To me he always was my honey.
And now twelve years I've walked alone,
Well meet again when I'm called home,
And by you side as God has planned,
Treading the clouds just hand in hand.


text:
Healing Pain with Magnetic Fashion Jewelry
One of the things we pride ourselves on at Zadic's Fashion & Magnetic Jewelry is our selection. When you come to us for fashion jewelry, you will find something for just about any occasion. Whether you are looking for fashion bracelets you can wear on a daily basis or charm necklaces you can wear on special occasions, we have so many different pieces of magnetic therapy fashion jewelry and are a trusted online seller.
At Zadic's Fashion & Magnetic Jewelry, we are constantly updating our award-winning designs and can provide you with an art necklace, fashion bracelets, charm necklaces, earring sets, and so much more. We can also tell you more about the benefits of using magnetic therapy fashion jewelry to get rid of your aches and pains. Our jewelry is designed to make you feel as good and promote healthy and happy living.
The magnets in our fashion jewelry are effective in treating pain in various parts of the body. You might not realize it, but by simply putting on an art necklace or wearing fashion bracelets, you can reduce and even eliminate bodily stress. Magnets have healing powers, and you will find out just how powerful these magnets are after you purchase our charm necklaces, earring sets, or other magnetic therapy fashion jewelry.
Browse Our Collection


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On Saturday 21 January, West Wolds Branch of the Labour Party held a street stall in Pocklington as part of a national day of action in support of the NHS.
We spoke to many local residents with serious concerns about the present Government's commitment to the NHS, and serious concerns that the Conservative Party wants to gradually privatise the health service.
The branch members would like to thank all the residents who spent time talking to party members, and took away postcards to send to Health Service Minister Jeremy Hunt, expressing those concerns.
The NHS is a vitally needed national institution, and is the envy of many other countries, but it must get the funding it deserves and needs.
The Labour Party created the NHS to care for us all, now it's time to care for the NHS
Richard Bryon
Chairman, West Wolds Branch of the Labour Party


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The Painting, Drawing + Printmaking Studio offers classes in drawing, oil and acrylic painting, watercolor, collage, printmaking and related 2-D media, and art history.
Thanks to the generous gift of a printing press by Gerson and Judith Leiber, we are able to offer the rare opportunity to learn the basic principles of printmaking.
Learn how to use all the features on your DSLR or point and shoot camera to capture beautiful images, then learn to edit your digital photography with skill in our Photography + Digital Media classes.
All photography classes requiring computers are taught in our digital lab equipped with 14 Mac computers using Adobe Lightroom software unless otherwise specified. Printing resources will be discussed in class.
For the first class students should bring their camera, cables/card readers, manuals/software, memory card, and a USB drive. Please remember to charge your camera battery.
Students provide their own paints, brushes, canvases, palettes, and specialty papers—which will be discussed in class. Most drawing supplies provided by the JCC.
Photography classes take place in The Andy Kates Multi-Media Center.
Help us continue to ensure accessible programming for everyone. Please support Arts and Ideas at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan.


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8:00am PT by Sophie Schillaci
Tate Stevens' Debut Album: Track-By-Track (Exclusive)
Tate Stevens is no Melanie Amaro.
Sure, the 38-year-old country crooner might have followed in Amaro's X Factor USA-winning footsteps, but when it came down to writing and recording his debut album, Stevens wasted no time.
"We had to jump on the momentum of the show," the Belton, Mo., native tells The Hollywood Reporter. "I didn't want people forgetting -- you know, 'that's the fat ugly guy who won that show,'" he adds with a chuckle.
PHOTOS: 'The X Factor' Finale in Pictures: A Country King, a Teen Diva and a Girl Group
Modesty looks good on Stevens, who surprised viewers and judges Simon Cowell, L.A. Reid, Britney Spears and Demi Lovato alike by consistently placing in the top two each week during the Fox reality competition. His legions of fans -- Tate Nation, as they're called -- phoned in week after week to see Stevens replace his signature cowboy hat with the X Factor crown and land a $5 million recording contract with Syco Music and RCA Records Nashville.
And while Amaro, who won The X Factor's first season prize in December 2011, has yet to release a full-length debut, which seems to have been all but shelved at Epic Records, Stevens managed to put the finishing touches on his self-titled release a mere four months after his December 2012 win. Not only that, but Stevens had completed recording all 11 tracks on the album in half that time.
"It was tough," Stevens allows. "It was a lot of work, but it's awesome. It was a great experience, and I think we've done a really good job on this album of letting people know who I am as an artist. I'm really proud of it and I'm very excited."
Stevens shares a writing credit on the album's first three songs, but counts "Ordinary Angels," by Victoria Banks, Phil Barton and Emily Shackleton, as his favorite track.
"It has such a huge message and the tragedies that happened [last] week, not only in Boston but also in Texas … it's like, the people who help and get involved, they're angels," he says. "They're the ones that make this world the best place to live."
And while Stevens leaves his X Factor days behind, so too does his mentor Reid, who returned to his "day job" of running Epic Records opting not to participate in the series' third season. Asked who should fill the void left not only by Reid, but by exiting judge Spears, as well, Stevens is stumped.
VIDEO: 'X Factor' Winner Tate Stevens to Debut New Song in Grammys Pepsi Ad
"You're going to have to get up really, really early if you're going to fill L.A. Reid's shoes," he jokes. "That's going be be tough, but I'm sure they'll do it. And to fill Britney's shoes, I mean, she's a pop icon. It's going to be tough on them to fill both those spots. I have no idea who they're going to get."
Just as tough? Finding contestants to fill Stevens' fan-favorite shoes.
With a new single ("Power of a Love Song") and a Pepsi commercial (featuring "Holler If You're With Me") already under his belt, Stevens tells THR, in his own words, what each cut means to him.
Tate Stevens is out Tuesday, April 23.
"I Got This" (Tate Stevens/Joe Diffie/Wade Kirby/Phil O'Donnell)
"I got to write with my hero Joe Diffie on this. Phil Billy, Wade Kirby, Joe and I wrote this song and it was a blast to write just because Joe was such a big influence on me and the way I sing and everything. So, it was a lot of fun. We went in with this idea; I think it was Joe's idea, about 'hey I got this.' Everyone says it: 'hey I got this,' or 'let me do it, I got this,' - so that was it. We just started writing from there, and it was great. I'm happy with it. I think it's a great song. I love it, actually."
"Can't Get Nothin' Done Around Here" (Tate Stevens/Ashley Gorley/Wade Kirby/Phil O'Donnell)
"Phil Billy, Wade Kirby, Ashley Gorley and I wrote this one, and it's one of those things, man, that happens to all of us. We all have those 'honey-do lists' and we all wanna put 'em off as long as we can, and that's what this song's about. This is our version of it."
"Ride It Out"(Tate Stevens/Shane Minor/David Lee Murphy)
"I had a writing session with David Lee Murphy and Shane Minor, and we went in and we were all kicking around ideas and another thing you hear people say a lot is 'Man, just ride it out, it'll be fine, it'll all work itself out." And I went in and I was like, what you think of this idea? And you know, it's just a life lesson kind of thing, just 'ride it out.' And they were like, 'love it, let's do it.' So we started writing and had that, that intention in mind the whole time we were writing it. But I wanted to make it kind of universal and put some hidden things in there so, you know, with the 'ride it out you' you know, gotta dig your heels in, pull your hat down. When it starts to spin, ride it out. That kind of rodeo, cowboy influence is in there, and it's just an upbeat, rockin' song that's just a lot of fun. I dig it."
"Power Of A Love Song" (Jeremy Bussey/Bradley Gaskin/Marcus Franklin Johnson)
"These are the kind of songs that I love. You get to wail away at it. I love the song, I really do, not just because it's on my album and my first single. The first time I heard it I thought, I have to cut this song. I'm a big fan of love songs, and this song just kind of wraps it all up and explains the power of a love song. 'It can make you cry,' 'it can make you laugh,' 'it'll give you feelings you've never had.' All very, very true statements. I hope people get it. I love listening to it and I typically don't love listening to myself sing but on this song I do. It's a true song."
"Sweet" (Kelly Garrett/Kendell Marvel/Tim Owens)
"When I heard this song I just started gigglin' because my wife doesn't cook; she actually burns water and, so [laughs] the part in there 'She can't boil a pot of water' really hit home, and I started laughin'. But if I was single and I had to go out and do it again, I would find me a sweet one, definitely. You know if my wife listens to this, I would never wanna be single! [laughs] Yeah, but this song really is sweet. It's just kind of tongue-in-cheek thing. It's fun, and it's one of those songs that's gonna be great to play live."
STORY: 'X Factor' Winner Tate Stevens Sells Out Hometown Show
"That's Where We Live" (Carson Chamberlain/Wade Kirby/Phil O'Donnell)
"This song jumped out of the hundreds, literally hundreds, that we listened to for this project. The first time I heard it I thought, this fits everywhere in America. It doesn't matter if you live in New York, if you live in Florida, if you live in Tennessee, live in California -- it doesn't matter. This song fits everywhere in the country because it's just about, wherever ya live. It's that place where you grew up, that when you go back, it's still a part of you. And when I heard the song I said 'Man I gotta cut it. I think that's a big ol' hit.' Ya know, I don't know much about hits but I know this is a big one. I truly got fired up when I heard the song. I was like 'man, this is so cool.' It reminds me of home. It reminds me of where I grew up."
"El Camino" (Chris Hennessee/Donny Lowery)
"You know when I heard the song, I just instantly I thought, 'man, how much fun is that?' How many times are you sittin' around, going 'man, it's hot'? It's, 'let's go party,' 'let's go to the lake' or 'let's go to the river' and do whatever, whatever it is that you do. It's just that fun, havin' the fun party and, there's some other things in there that, if you listen close, you might be able to pull outta there. And, you know, they're bringin' em back. GM's bringing the El Camino back, so, we all might be driving El Caminos soon."
"That's How You Get the Girl" (Dallas Davidson/Ben Hayslip/Rivers Rutherford)
"This is another one of those songs that, when I heard it, I just thought, 'man, that is so cool.' It's one of those life lesson things; you gotta stand up, love her like a man. I wanted songs that represented my personality for this album. I love having fun, just being goofy and so songs like this are great tunes. Plus, I think women might like this song a little bit, because it's kind of an insight into what they think and how they feel about things."
"Ordinary Angels" (Victoria Banks/Phil Barton/Emily Shackleton)
"I remember the first time when I heard 'Ordinary Angels' it just blew me away. And I thought, 'ya gotta be kiddin' me -- no one's cut this yet?' This isn't a big hit already? And fortunately for me it was not cut. And I got to cut it. And, the song is one of my favorites on the album. I wish I wrote it, because it's one of those really strong message songs and I believe in that. This song is great. I can't say anything else, but it's just a great tune."
"The Last Thing I Do" (David Lee Murphy/Kim Tribble)
"When I heard the lyrics I immediately thought -- fun. I know I keep saying that word, but my attitude on this first album keeps going back to having fun. I want people to really enjoy listening to it; I want it to put them in the mood to go out, have a beer, do whatever it is that you do when you have fun. I want you to be able to put this album on and just have fun, because that's what I do! But, that's [chuckles] "The Last Thing I Do," one of those songs that I heard and I thought, this is gonna be great, I love the message. How many times do you call your wife, 'Hey, honey, I just wanted to call you and tell you what I've been thinking'? ... Hopefully you've been thinking that too."
"Holler If You're With Me" (Jeremy Bussey/Drew Davis)
"This is the anthem, call to party, this is it. You're gonna crank this up, and hopefully it goes to eleven on your dial. It's, about, man, "Holler If You're With Me," 'let's party', and, 'who's down?' Who's ready to throw down? Again, one of those songs that fits. It fits my attitude, it fits my personality, and I jumped on the chance to cut it."
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com; Twitter: @SophieSchillaci
Sophie firstname.lastname@example.com @thr


text:
Public Engagement
Jennifer McClearen
Street Address
City, State, Zip
Phone Number
Your Custom Text Here
Jennifer McClearen
Public Engagement
My teaching philosophy views students as knowledge creators and not merely knowledge receptors. Consequently, it is my role to provide the scholarly resources for students to introspectively apply course concepts to their lives and communities. Central to this approach is the fact that students learn best when they are actively engaged in the classroom, when content is relevant to their lives, when they draw on their own ideas and experiences, and when they work towards social change around issues meaningful to them. My teaching strategies draw upon critical media literacy, experiential learning, and community engagement to implement a student-centered classroom.
Critical Media Literacy
I emphasize
critical media literacy
competencies that decode media messages and empower students to speak back to dominant ideologies using digital media technologies. Students learn the methods of textual and discourse analysis so they may make evidence-based claims about media. I began implementing digital writing skills components in my courses after I noticed that students were often dissatisfied with merely analyzing media and wanted practical strategies for confronting dominant media ideologies. I now teach students how to create and circulate blog posts, photo essays, video essays, wikis, and social media projects critiquing ideologies of race, gender, class, ability, and/or sexuality in the media. The benefits of teaching digital competencies are two fold: digital media technologies are useful skills for a variety of 21st century jobs, but I also teach them as a means for civic engagement online.
Experiential Learning
I design courses using
experiential learning
strategies that allow students to learn from the process of doing. I believe that students should be encouraged to learn from real life experience and need a forum to reflect on accomplishments and areas for improvement. For example, in an interviewing course, I required students to interview a professional mentor, reflect on their interviews after the experience, and summarize the professional insights gained. One student observed that "This wasn't my first informational interview, but I did feel significantly more confident and prepared for this one than ones in the past. What's more, I walked away with constructive advice and insight from an individual who has 'made it' in their political work. I hope to continue talking with professionals, expand my network, and someday provide the same service to someone else down the road." The students in the interviewing course made a real connection in their career field that, in many cases, led to other professional opportunities. Students were also able to reflect on their interviewing practice in order to improve a useful professional skill.
Community Engagement
My courses promote community engagement outside the university. In race and public scholarship course that I assisted, I mentored
students as they interviewed artists and created podcasts
to accompany an exhibit at the
Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience
in Seattle. The students gained practical skills in interviewing and technical skills in podcasting that contributed to a community-based project. (View
the video I created
for a summary of the students' engagement with race and public scholarship in Autumn 2013). Additionally, in a critical media literacy course,
we collaborated with the Wikimedia Foundation
to engage the Wikipedia community and improve entries relating to feminism and technology.
The project
understood online communities as cultural spaces where social change can and should occur.
Each of these teaching strategies illustrates the active, engaged, and media savvy pedagogies I employ in my courses. My formatting decisions are dictated by content, class size, and objectives, but are all predicated on the belief that students learn best when content is relevant, when they are prompted to apply theory to their lives, and when their contributions are valued and encouraged in the classroom and in their communities.
Recent Courses Taught
Media and Society (2017)
Gender, Race, and Sexuality in Sports Media (2017)
Screening Race (2017)
Sports Media Culture (2017)
Critical Media Literacy (2016)
Media Convergence (2015)


text: Well JasonTapp.com has reached an all time high, so far for the month of August I have served out 989MB of traffic, what has been going on. Though that is still 1/4 of the amount im allowed monthly. Lets try a little harder next month to bring it furthur. Now on my Local-Tech.ca server thats another story that thing somehow has pumped out close to 200GB of data, maybe I should close off the FTP, but what do I care.


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So excited for these songs to be available today!
I pray that they would inspire and encourage you!
Download here: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/gb/album/awaken-to-love/id1133677613?app=itunes
So excited for these songs to be available today!
I pray that they would inspire and encourage you!
Download here: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/gb/album/awaken-to-love/id1133677613?app=itunes
Blessed to have another great review
Thank you Geoff at NFN
LINK: https://neverfornothing.wordpress.com/2016/09/06/the-review-zone-ian-yates-awaken-to-love-ianyatesmusic/
So great to see a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review from Louderthanthemusic.com
Checkout the review here:
Received a great review from Emily Rose Massey
Checkout the review and her site:
Awaken To Love has had a super review from Tony Cummings at Cross Rhythms
Check it out here:
'Dream Again' is the second single from my fourth album 'Awaken To Love'
Born out of a difficult season of questioning and feeling like I couldn't keep going with music anymore. I felt God speak so strongly to dream again. 'I have given you a unique gifting and message, start to Dream again.' I began to dream again for his city Liverpool, his songs and that history can be made.
With it's prophetic voice 'Dream Again' encourages, inspires and challenges the listener to dream again. To lift up their heart from disappointment, lift up their head from broken dreams and go after all God has called them too.
I pray this song is like touch paper and begins to set alight dormant and broken dreams. So many of us lay down our desires and passions through fear, the busyness of life and difficult circumstances. I firmly believe God is telling us to dream again, to see the kingdom of heaven touch earth. You are unique. You are His child. He has called you for greater things
It will be available for free download from Noise Trade July 15th
Production / Engineer: Trevor Michael (Martin Smith, Matt Redman, Tree63)
Bass: Simon Francis (Ellie Goulding, The Pierces)
Drums: Paul Evans (Delirious, Tim Hughes, Cathy Burton)
Guitars: Jonny Bird (Martin Smith, Matt Redman)
I'm really excited to announce 'High Wire' is out today!
'High Wire' is the first single from my fourth album 'Awaken To Love' released September 16th. I think it's my biggest song to date and is available for download from all digital sites.
Huge huge thanks!
Excited to announce the new single 'High Wire' written with Nick Herbert will be out May 13th on 7Core Music. Can't wait for you to hear it
In Jan we recorded vocals at The Shack in sunny Eastbourne
In December we started recording the new album.
From 93 songs we got it down to 15.
We recorded drums, bass and guitar at Martin Smith's studio in Brighton. With Paul Evans on drums, Si Francis on bass and Jonny Bird on guitar.
You can download DNA EP for Free


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"S.E. Shires instruments are ideal for who? Everyone!"
I am currently working on my DMA in Trombone Performance at the University of Texas at Austin. While finishing my doctorate I have the privilege of working part-time at Music & Arts in Austin, Texas.
In the past year Music & Arts has been incredibly fortunate to begin stocking several models of S.E. Shires trumpets and trombones in our store in South Austin.. and wow the word is out! I frequently get inquiries from fellow musicians and colleagues from around the country and also from Europe!
Music & Arts serves the musical needs of all level of players; ranging from young musicians in school band programs all the way to career professionals seeking the finest of handmade instruments. But the majority of the store's customer base is school age musicians and their families.
So do I only speak about S.E. Shires instruments to professionals? Heck no!
While the sublime character of our Shires instruments may not yet be appropriate for most school-age musicians, these young players always have one placed carefully in their hands! What fun it is to see their expressions transform when the Shires' trademark engraving catches their widening eyes! I say, "Practice everyday, prove to yourself, and to mom and dad that you love music and love playing your instrument, then come see me when you're ready!"
So yes! Everyone! Everyone is the ideal person for our S.E. Shires Instruments!
I am so grateful to be able to work closely with the Shires team in Boston and with my Eastman reps locally—always so amazing and helpful! The people at S.E. Shires are truly looking out for you! The company's logo "quality without compromise" is more than a slogan; it is truth.
-Jamey Van Zandt
Music and Arts-Austin, TX


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Paramedical technologies
Beyond massage therapy and esthetics, our paramedical treatments put at your disposal the cutting edge of technology to provide the best treatments and technologies for the body and face. See our selection of devices and services available.
Our IPL machine. It provides permanent hair removal, rejuvenation, erases spots, rosacea and acne on the face and body.
Permits destocking fat, smooth cellulite, firm skin and reshape the forms. Eliminate fat resistanting to exercise and diets thanks to Lipomassage. Also allows Endermolift: clarification of complexion, fill wrinkles, firm outlines. Anti-aging, 100% natural technique to re-densify the skin deeply and erase aging.
Compu Lift
Machine with "smoothing" effect without surgery using low intensity microcurrent.
Manufacture ilhouettone
Micro Dermabrasion
Microdermabrasion is based on a technique of mechanical exfoliation and the results are immediate and visible from the first session. The skin is smoother, softer and complexion clearer.
Infusion allows rejuvenation and wrinkle reduction, collagen regeneration, hydration and toning of the skin, redefining body contour and cellulite reduction and ultimately reducing stretch marks.
Cel.lux is a device that uses LED lights to correct and improve the appearance of the skin. Leading to a more soft and delicate skin, this procedure is completely painless and natural.


text: What Constitutes as an AC Emergency Published on May 13, 2016 Summer weather on its way. You have probably already booted up your air conditioning system to make sure everything is running properly. But what do you do if it's not? It's getting warm, your air conditioner is not cooling, and you want to contact someone but it's after 8 p.m. and you aren't positive this is considered an AC emergency that comes with an upcharge. You might have heard that Parker Pearce Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning is available all day every day for emergency AC repair, but what actually counts as a 24 hour AC repair emergency? And how much will is cost? Keep in mind, you can always call Parker Pearce Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning, no matter what time, every day of the year. Our customer service team is available live, 24/7 to help decide if an expert needs to come to your home ASAP or if it's something that will be okay to wait until morning. When trying to check the severity without an expert, here are some cases where you should go ahead and call us. Squeeling SoundsThere are several reasons that your AC system might be making unusual, shrieking noises. One common problem could be that the fan belt became loose. Seasonal maintenance can help avoid this problem, but sometimes things happen and you need to call for an AC repair appointment. Another reason your AC system could be making a loud, squeeling noise is that the compressor is working at a high level of pressure, which can be unsafe. If a sound seems excessive, turn off your air conditioner immediately and call Parker Pearce Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning for an emergency AC repair job. Strange SmellsA burning odor coming from your air conditioning unit is generally a sign of an electrical malfunction or a part has become so overheated that it's truly burning. If your air conditioning system smells like it's burning, that is definitely an emergency AC repair. Call Parker Pearce Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning immediately for 24/7 AC repair.No Air FlowIf your air conditioning unit doesn't seem to be running at all, or you can't feel any air blowing, this could be a sign that the cooling system has failed. The culprit could be a poorly calibrated thermostat, an issue with the blower, or your air conditioning unit could have finally kicked the bucket. If the AC isn't generating air flow, or the air that's blowing is too hot, go ahead and call Parker Pearce Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning, especially if there is extreme weather, so we can get a technician out to make sure your home is safe and comfortable. Not having cool air in severe weather absolutely constitutes a 24 hour AC repair. Back To BlogContact Us


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Advance work to upgrade junction to begin 7 February, with main works beginning in April. Work will see the junction improved and new pedestrian crossings installed. Project funding secured following Government Comprehensive Spending Review. This scheme has been prioritised because of the broad range of benefits
A major scheme to dramatically improve traffic flow at Henlys Corner junction will begin early next month Transport for London (TfL) announced today. The work on the A406 North Circular Road, beginning in early February, will provide much-needed and long-anticipated improvement to the busy junction.
Right turns, which currently cause significant queues on the local roads, will also be upgraded, allowing cars to move forward and queue in a central area of the junction. This will increase the number of vehicles that can pass through the junction, helping to smooth traffic flow through the area.
New signal-controlled crossings will also be installed, making crossing the road easier for pedestrians and cyclists. The crossings will be automated during the Jewish Sabbath due to the proximity of Finchley Synagogue.
Preparatory works on the footways and grassed areas around the junction are set to begin on 7 February, with the main carriageway works starting on site in April. Work on the £8m scheme is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Find out more
TfL is currently working with Barnet Council to minimise as much as possible any disruption during these works.
Letters will be sent to local residents and businesses during March, explaining more detail about the work phasing and the measures TfL will be putting in place to reduce disruption while these improvements are taking place. A public exhibition about the scheme will also be held, allowing local residents to find out more about the works from TfL officials.
Kulveer Ranger, the Mayor's Transport Advisor, said: 'The Mayor showed his determination to protect these vital local transport improvements by securing crucial funding from the Government during the Comprehensive Spending Review. This scheme has been prioritised because of the broad range of benefits for pedestrians, cyclists, traffic flow and improving the public realm. The people of Barnet can now look forward to this busy junction being greatly improved."
Safer crossings
David Brown, Managing Director for Surface Transport at TfL, said: 'The important works at Henlys Corner will bring huge benefits to all road users along the A406 North Circular Road, and deliver smoother traffic flow along this key arterial route. Working with our contractor and Barnet Council, we will as far as possible make sure that any disruption caused by these works is minimised."
Leader of Barnet Council, Councillor Lynne Hillan, said: 'I am delighted that Transport for London, working alongside the council, has given the Henlys Corner scheme a high priority despite the current pressure on resources. The council has been lobbying for this scheme for some time. The benefits of improving this junction – which currently sees 94,000 vehicles pass through it daily – are many, from providing a better traffic flow, improving the quality of our signals and roads, to providing safer crossing conditions for pedestrians and cyclists. We look forward to working closely with Transport for London in the future as work progresses on this major improvement project."
Find out more about the scheme, the contract of which has been awarded Tarmac Ltd


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Saturday, 31 January 2015
48 Hours in NYC... New Years Edition
WOW times flies, it has already been a month since I was in New York for New Years. Looking back on it I'm amazed at what we accomplished in a short amount of time. Because my mom, Alyce and I had already all been to NYC, we got to skip some of the more time consuming tourist attractions. This meant we had time to do some of the things we missed last time like finding the Sex and the City house and we also got to check out some of New York's Wintery attractions. Here's what we were up to for our 48 Hours in NYC!
Day 1: Dec 30th
Morning: We arrived in NYC - at the hotel around 11am or so. We quickly parked the car, brought the luggage to the room, freshened up and out the door we went!
Noon: PIZZA... what else could you have for your first meal in NYC. We stopped at a little pizza joint called New Pizza Town (7th AV and W 30th ST). It was good NYC pizza
1pm: We hunted down Carrie's house from Sex and the City.
1:30pm: Just around the corner from Carrie's house is a store called Accessorize. It is a shop that my friend and I loved from when we lived in the UK.
2pm: After leaving Accessorize the Sales Associates guided us to The Magnolia Bakery. The bakery was used in an episode of Sex and the City but is also famous for really yummy desserts. The line up was out the door and around the corner but we braved the wait and it was defiantly worth it!
2:30pm: On our walk back to the hotel to get ready for dinner and a show, we made a pit-stop to take pictures of the Empire State Building
3pm: At the hotel getting ready for the show.
4pm: TAXI... We got a Taxi to take us to the Radio City Music Hall for our 5pm show
5pm: Showtime - Radio City Music Hall - Christmas Spectacular with the Rockettes!
7pm: After the show we wanted to see the Rockefeller Christmas Tree all lit up at night and take some pictures of the skating rink as well!
8pm: Dinner time finally! TGIF was one of the first places we came across that didn't have over an hour wait so in we went... although we got a seat right away we ended up waiting way over an hour to get our food.
10pm: Times Square at night is always a delight - as is late night shopping. First stop Sephora!
11pm: After some shopping we noticed that the Times Square ball was all lit up and that they were doing practice runs, so we watched that for a while. We also got our faces on a big screen in Times Square and checked out the stages.
12am: Bed time
Day 2: Dec 31st (NYE)
9am: Breakfast at Café Duke
10am: Shopping at Tiffany's
11am: Central Park for skating and a little walk around!
1pm: Lunch
2pm: Headed back to the hotel (which was a bit of a hike from Central Park)
3pm: Snacks and Getting Dressed
4:30pm: Headed out to Times Square
5-6pm: Somewhere in between 5-6 we finally got through security checks etc and we were into our section for the night.
6pm - 12am: Waiting for the ball to drop!! We talked, did exercises to keep warm... lots of lunges, watched someone get proposed to right behind us, and other time passing things for 6 hours!!
12am: HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! The wait is finally over!
12:30am: Back to the hotel for Champagne and sleep!
2 comments:
That sounds like a lovely time in NYC! I have also gone to Café Duke a few times, it is pretty great! By the way, I have just nominated you for the Liebster Award! Check it out:ReplyDelete
With love,
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What: Checkers and Cheese
When: Saturday, September 27th from 3-5pm
Where: Gantry Plaza State Park @ 4-09 47th Rd, Long Island City, Queens (by the Concrete Chess stumps seats near the park's iconic Pepsi-Cola sign)
*** Important: Enter into the Park at 46th and Center
#queensishome: neighbors who play together stay together will invite neighbors and the general public to drop by and get to know each other in a playful and fun way. From an unconventional picnic to a remixed checkers game, participants will help create a collect narrative and story of "home" in the borough of Queens.
As NYC experiences rapid gentrification, how does it impact working class and immigrant communities in Queens? What challenges are New Yorkers faced with? What do you love about your neighborhood? What do want to change about it? What are your hopes, dreams and possibilities? Come and add to this collective memory, narrative and story of "home".
Participants are encouraged to drop by and stay for at least 20 minutes to play a game and contribute to the joint piece.
Lights snacks will be provided.
To see the full line-up of Art Interventions go to:
Made possible by a grant from Rego Park Green Alliance.


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All 3rd and 4th grade children and parents are invited to BINGO at the Manhasset High School Cafeteria on
Tuesday, November 10, 2015 7-8:30 pm
Prizes and Refreshments
Bingo cards 3 for $10.00 or 1 for $5.00
Cards may be purchased at the door or payable by check made out to the Tower Foundation.
The Tower Foundation of Manhasset, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation. Your donation is tax deductible as allowed by law.
Sign up Form: http://bit.ly/Tbingo34


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Search by Keyword
Product Categories
Cell Phone Holder
--Turns cup holders into cell phone holders.
--Ideal for golf carts and also for cars, boats, and RVs.
--Cell phone can be positioned horizontally or vertically.
--Works with hands-free cables and charging cords.
--Available in charcoal and black ONLY.
Dealers who bought golf cart cell phone holders were also interested in club and ball washers and grocery & utility bags.
Granby Trading Co., Inc. offers a full range of golf cart accessories and golf cart parts. The golf cart cell phone holder can also work in boats and RV's. Don't let the cell phone rattle around in the golf cart! Click on any of the golf cart products on the left to get full details and descriptions. We work with golf cart dealers only and provide responsive, quality service.


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On Friday, I received Melissa's "Save the Date" -so excited! I get my bridesmaid dress in July!
On Saturday, Cameron and I headed to Connecticut for the day. We ended up stopping at some of my favorite consignment stores and seeing our best friends, Brittany and Adam, for dinner.
Westport was gorgeous as always.
Before dinner we stopped at Anthropologie's Terrain store. It was gorgeous - so many things on my wish list.
These mint glass dishes and marble charges are on the top of my list.
We have some good looking best friends.
Confession: I've been watching Youtube tutorials on eye make-up. How did I do?
They had the BEST cocktails at Mecha Noodle Bar in Fairfield.
...I may have had one too many...
On Sunday, we lounged in the morning and worked out in the afternoon.
Rather than fight the crowds at the beach, we decided to accomplish little tasks on Monday - such as hanging this new piece of art. I love the colors!
Of course, I took advantage of Nordstrom's Clear the Rack Event.
You can find NYX products for half price!
These may be the most comfortable heels I've ever tried on - future reviews to come!
Lastly, I added a new pair of pointy toe heels to my collection. I have the same Charles David heels in the nude color. These cobalt ones were only $34.97!
How did you spend the long weekend?


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Christians Can't Ignore the Uncomfortable Reality of Mental Illness
Last weekend, the nation, and particularly the evangelical community, was stunned by the news that Rick Warren's youngest son, Matthew, had died by suicide after a lifelong battle with mental illness. We can't say what Matthew Warren—a young man with access to mental health care, a loving family, and a relationship with Christ—was thinking and feeling as he took his own life, but we can honor this family's pain by considering how we interact with the people in our own lives who suffer from mental illness.
In the wake of his son's death, Rick Warren has already addressed the "haters" who celebrate his family's loss and blame Warren himself. For most people, such a response is unfathomable. To celebrate a person's tragic death takes a special kind of evil. But in responding to mental illness, even well-meaning people can do harm so easily.
Experts say more than 90 percent of people who die by suicide have a mental disorder; while most ...1


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Voxare Albums
Voxare: Mix Tape, 2017
Release date, 2017
Riley, Glass, Metallica, Rolling Stones, Lang, Vrebalov
Nowakowski: Complete String Quartets (Naxos), 2017
Get it for your favorite platform here:
Nowakowski: String Quartet No. 1
Nowakowski: String Quartet No. 2
Nowakowski: Blood, Forgotten
Nowakowski: Lullaby
GRAMOPHONE REVIEW: "The performances, vivid and articulate, seize the attention. Ondracek-Peterson and her colleagues in the Voxare Quartet are piercingly alert to the expressive needs of Nowakowski's bold and empathetic art." (August 2017)
David Del Tredici: String Quartet No. 1 (Albany), 2017
Release date: October 1, 2017
Spinei: Music for Dance (Toccata), 2016
***Numerous top-10 lists, 2016.
NASHVILLE SCENE REVIEW: "The members of the Voxare String Quartet give this music an impassioned reading." (August 2016)
Moravec: Shakuhachi Quintet (Naxos), 2016
***WQXR Album-of-the-week


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News from 2013
20th December 2013
Christmas and New Year TimetablesWe will operate a normal timetable for both the 121 & 123 services throughout the holiday period except on 25th & 26th December and 1st & 2nd January when there will be no service.
19th December 2013
Our latest Newsletter:- Merry Christmas and a look back at 2013
- click here to read it
10th December 2013
This is our new infomercial, and in what is an industry first it's filmed entirely in 3D. The film is set to our latest East Coast FM radio advert, which you can hear on 107.6 FM, and was filmed using the Go Pro 3D camera system.
This links two Go Pro's together in a special housing to create stunning visually deep 3D video.Click below to view -
10th November 2013
We were visited a few weeks ago by Tim Deakin from Route ONE magazine to conduct a road test on our new Volvo Plaxton Leopard as it is the first of it's kind on the road
Click on the image to read the full article
31st October 2013
We're going to need a bigger trophy cabinet!!
It's with great pride that we can announce that last night at the annual MEL Chamber of Commerce awards we were presented with the 'Best Family Business' award.
15th October 2013
Our latest new coach, the first of the new Plaxton Leopard's to take to the road!!
We were sworn to secrecy for many months after ordering this brand new model of coach, which has a Volvo B9R chassis. Plaxton asked us not to reveal anything about it until they launched it at Coach & Bus Live 2 weeks ago. Ours was the second one built, but is the first one registered and on the road.
It is not the first time we have bought a brand new model. We did so in 2001 buying the first production Dennis / Plaxton R-Series coach and again in 2007 when we bought the first 33 seat version of the new Cheetah 2 body.
We bought our first new Plaxton just over 15 years ago, it was a Dennis Javelin with a Premiere 320 body, and since then have bought another 16 new and several second hand models of various different bodies.
As well as giving our passengers the very latest coaches we are proud to support British industry, in our own small way. It is a matter of great pride that our entire coach fleet, with the exception of our Mercedes Vario 24 seaters, are bodied by Plaxton. We have lost so many skills in this country over the years and it would be a tragedy if we lost our ability to produce our own coach bodies.
8th October 2013
Today we released a press statement Press Statement and our latest newsletter both announcing our success at last weeks 'Operator Excellence Awards' click here to read it
5th October 2013
It is with immense pride that we can announce that on the evening of 2nd October we won 'Small Fleet - Coach Operator of the Year' at the RouteONE magazine Operator Excellence Awards 2013 which were held at the Hilton Metropole in Birmingham and attended by 720 guests.
This is the second year in a row we have won one of the operator awards, which is unprecedented, after winning the 'Medium Fleet' category at last years awards.The award was presented to us by former BBC newsreader Angela Rippon, Route One editor Mike Morgan and award sponsors Volant Commercials Mark Baker.
These are the judges comments as to why we won - Standing still is not considered an option by our winner. It has innovated and invested with the best of them, adding live tracking enhanced by a mobile phone App, while adding a colourful QR code to its vehicles. It has seen truly impressive organic growth as a consequence. However, what singles out this operator is the way in which the personal pride expressed by its owner is translated into excellence in all aspects of the business.
To make the night even more special our friends at Perryman's Buses won the 'Small Bus Operator' category.
Click below to see how we found out we had won -
26th September 2013
Our latest You tube clip - Refreshing the brand
A short time lapse film showing how we changed the logo's on one of our Enviro 200's to our new design which were designed and made in house.
25th September 2013
Our latest Newsletter:- A new coach, updated logos and livery and an awards dinner to attend!!
- click here to read it
29th August 2013
Last week we were asked at short notice if we would consider sponsoring a raft which pupils from Knox Academy were entering in the annual North Berwick RNLI raft race.
As well as raising funds for the RNLI it was to raise money for a trip to China in 2014 by pupils from the school.
We were delighted when we were told that the two rafts had come 3rd and 5th in the race and that they had won the trophy for the most sponsorship raised.
5th August 2013
The latest addition to our fleet, a 29 seat Mercedes Plaxton Cheetah, is now in service. It is the first vehicle to feature our new logo and striking new livery, which we have started applying to some of our recent vehicles as well.
It features 29 reclining seats with 3 point seatbelts and has Air Conditioning as standard. There is more information about the coach on the 29 seater page in the 'Our Coaches' section of thsi site.
22nd July 2013
We are proud to have supported East Coast FM for the last few years on the internet and now on 107.6 FM. We have sponsored the 'School Bell' show, which is presented by a different High School each weekday evening between 6 pm and 8 pm, for over two years and recently agreed to sponsor 'Afternoon Live' which is on Saturday between 2 pm & 4 pm
To listen to the jingle press play below


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God works in mysterious ways. Man, the monster in his image. What a dark creature he calls to work his will.
The bathwater, warm and red, lapped pleasantly against their bodies in the dimming light. Was that the candle dying, or his eyesight fading? The Priest could no longer tell as his eyelids fluttered slowly. So slowly. It was as if the world slowed, as if time ground to a halt, but he knew it was mere perception as life trickled from his veins and into the overflowing bath. The rosewater trickled and splashed onto the tile floor, the water made rose by the lives of the two men within. Yes, the Priest thought again, God works in mysterious ways.
He recalled the first time he was commanded by the Lord to serve.
The Priest was a child, no more than 5, a yowling biting rebel, a terror to his poor parents and siblings who watched over him with the fraying patience of the most tested saints. He was a terror, that is, until one night he dreamt of desert. One he had never seen in life, of endless sand, of dunes that twisted in the wind, where piano music played in the distance, carried to his diegetically by the breeze. Satie's 1st Gymnopedie, a favorite of his mother to play while she stroked her swollen belly where the Father-to-be waited for his moment to be born.
Come to me.
And so boy walked towards the call, in his dreams a hobbled old man with aged face and weathered hands, until he saw before him a figure. A formless shadow whose dark hands danced effortless across a piano perched delicately in sand. Its eyes were two lights that hung in the dark where a face should be, which held no other features that the Priest could see. The piece finished, though the notes lingered in the air long after its hands left the keys. The figure turned to face the Boy-cum-Old Man, who somehow knew he was in the presence of his Creator.
"Oh my God…" He whispered in a voice creakier than he remembered. Knees shaking, he fell prostrate on the sand, suddenly feeling all 70-80 of the extra years the dream had placed on him. "Oh my God. Oh my God. God. God."
Honor thy father and mother.
Like the music, the voice seemed to come from the air. A dark and heavy thing, yet not unkind. Not demanding, but with the plainness of one who knew their commands would be obeyed.
"God, I-"
Honor thy father and mother.
And suddenly the Priest saw himself, as the Creator saw him, as his parents and loved ones must have seen him. As ungrateful and angry, a whirlwind of destruction. He wept. Only five and already his life was so steeped in sin.
"Yes Lord," He sobbed. "I shall. I shall obey. I will be your light in the world."
And he woke in his bed, seeing his room, the world and himself as if for the first time. And from that time on his was the model son and sibling.
One night, ten years later, after a night of shameful fumbling with his own most private of parts, fantasizing about formless darkness, the teenager met the Lord again in his slumber. Again he was an old man, falling at once prostrate on the hot sand. Again the soft piano tremored music through the air. There was no doubt in his mind he would serve, whatever his God asked.
You must serve me and no others. The darkness commanded.
"Yes Lord," The old man acquiesced in a phlegmy tone, as his unnaturally aged joints throbbed rheumatically. "If I may, God…" He began, not lifting his eyes.
Silence was his only answer.
Licking his lips to moisten them in the dry-heat of his dreamscape, the Priest to become continued. "If I may… how do you want me t-"
You must serve me, and no others. As the Lord responded, the Priest saw in his mind's eye the man he was expected to become. A serious man. A somber man in the trappings of piety, who had forgone the needs of the flesh to serve the aesthetic vision of God. He was to take the sacred oath.
"I see my Lord, I see your will. And I will become it."
And so he studied the good book, consumed Augustine, Tertullian and the exegeses of Origen. He forgot desire, or suppressed the remembering of his youthful and became a man of the cloth. One known as the most pious and most high.
And for a time, he was content. And the Lord was silent.
Then, 25 years later, a young man walked into his confessional. One he had seen in his church, lurking at the beginning of a service the week before, but had left. Something about the young man, his shock of curly black air, his soft brown eyes, his full lips, his troubled innocence, captured the Priest. He was striking, beautiful even. The color of his oak pews, and skin just as smooth as those varnished seats. He could tell by his darting expression that this young man, still mostly a boy, was in a dark place. Maybe it was a place from where he and the Lord still could pull him out. He thought of counseling the man, and something in him stirred. Something long forgotten. Desire.
Standing before a crowded congregation in that moment, the Priest was desperately glad he wore a flowing robe.
The priest tried to put the 'man' out of his mind then. Some dark force was testing him. Until that fateful night. When that beautiful boy walked back into his church and entered the confessional to lay bare his sins.
"Forgive me father for I have sinned. It has been… well, I've never confessed."
The Priest coughed to clear his throat. "I'm listening my son. Tell me your sins."
Tell me your sins. Why did the prospect of sin suddenly excite him so? The Priest shifted uncomfortably on the bench, needing to adjust himself. Afraid that the boy would see. Thrilled by the chance that he might.
The man, eager to unburden himself, started right from the beginning. "Well, as a child, I was terrible to my parents. I lied often. I stole. I-"
The Priest, he tried to listen, but was too captivated by the hint of the boy he could see through the wooden slats. His well-formed body. His mouth that listed a litany of horrors, yet beckoned him toward unknown pleasures. He closed his eyes, and felt himself back in the heat. In the dying wind. The quiet notes of Satie called to him on the breeze. Unlike in his previous dreams, it was night, and the soothing music took on an ominous lilt in the darkness.
The night sky held no stars, and it was almost impossible to see the Lord, a shadow against absolute black. The music this time, it felt like a parting, a mournful goodbye to the dreams that had come before.
The aged priest, still so far from the man in his dreams, yet much older than the boy who first became God's servant, took to his knees. "What would you have me do? Are you… testing me my Lord? How can I serve you? How do you want me to serve you?"
The shadow did not stop playing, yet the music grew more distant. The sand between them seemed to stretch and grow, an expanse of death—the gulf, so vast, that has always separated God from humankind. The Priest never felt it more acutely than he did in that moment.
"I want to serve you, oh God. But I also want-"
Sin. The desert grew so wide between the two that the Priest could no longer see the dark God he served. So much sin. You humans steep yourself in it, bathe in the filth like fleas. You want to serve, boy?
The world grew so dark, the Priest could not see his own hands pass in front of his face. The music faded, the only notes those of his breath—ragged and shallow. "Yes, God, you know it."
Then purge yourself. And suddenly the Priest saw a window into the asked-for future, he and the boy embracing. First in the church, then unclothed in bed, then in the bath… their eyes vacant and unseeing. Crimson water spilling out from the bath all around them, pooling around them on the floor. Flooding the room with their spent lives.
Purge yourself of sin, and come to me.
The Priest opened his eyes, and shook his head, back in the world, back swimming in his latent desires.
"Father? Did you hear what I just said?"
"Sorry my child, please say that again."
The Priest could see through the slats as the young man licked his full lips in fear, trepidation… anticipation. The man of God knew what was coming, he feared it. But knew he dare not defy the Lord All Mighty, the darkness who directed his light.
"I was speaking, Father, of my most recent sin."
"Go on, my son."
"One of desire… forbidden desire."
"And who did you desire, my son?" The Priest asked, hearing the answer before it was spoken. A Man of God.
"A Man of God, Father." The young man, the boy, was now quite boldly meeting the Priest's gaze through the lattice slats of the confessional. And somehow the Priest knew without looking in a mirror that the hunger he saw there was reflected by the need in his own. He rose, left the confessional, walking back through the oak pews to his door of quarters hidden behind the altar. He ignored the judgmental gazes of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, the silent admonition of the Mother and the Whore. He did not need to look back to know the boy followed; he could hear his steps echo on the stone.
They entered the small room, empty but for a desk and small mattress that lay on the floor covered in fraying, threadbare sheets. The boy closed the door behind them and for a while they did not speak, staring at each other, consuming each other. Silent but for heavy breaths.
Then they came together, and, after a fashion, came—together.
They lay together on the bed, and The Priest savored this moment. The glow he felt unmatched by anything except that first moment in the Desert with his Dark God: who spun Satie gently into the air; who spoke him into a humble life of devoted service. One of servile delight that now found a dark end. He rose, still naked and still tumescent, and led the boy by the hand, docile after their coupling. Perhaps in awe of a man of God who could ravish him thus. Perhaps at some level aware that he was but an offering.
He led him down a corridor and into the bathroom. He filled the tub with hot steaming water; got in, and beckoned the young man to sit in the scalding water. And as he did so took him into his arms. The boy's eyes were closed, lips spread into a grin of guileless bliss. As if he too had been unburdened of his sins. His eyes were still closed when the Father picked up the straight razor he always left by the tub so he could shave as he watched. His body barely jolted as the Priest drew a wider, redder smile into the soft brown flesh of his neck. The boy shook only a few times before lying still in his Father's arms, his life quickly spent in the dirtied bath water.
"I'm sorry my boy," He whispered, running the razor up the veins in both his arms, spilling his redness into the water, which quickly ran the color of the darkest rose. The waters-displaced by their slackened bodies—tumbled over the tub's edge, staining the church bathroom's tile with his final sin.
As he lay there, as time flattened and wound to a halt, as his days of service came to their close, again he heard the music. It drowned out all other sound, that quiet piano, that holy musing of Satie, that call of his dark Lord
What a dark creature he calls to work his will. Man, the monster in his image.
Yes. The Priest thought. God works in mysterious ways.
Then at last, he closed his eyes.