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If you want to redesign your home or office, we've taken a look at the very best home design software for Mac in 2020.
Whether you want a straightforward floor planner to map out an office layout or desktop interior design software for your Mac to create the home of your dreams, you'll find a tool here to fit.
It's important to be aware from the start that there's a difference between floor planning tools and interior design apps.
Floor planning apps like the excellent SmartDraw are for exactly that – mapping out layouts for offices, real estate, homes etc.
Home design software such as the impressive Live Home 3D go much further however and allow you to visualize interiors in 3D, choose materials and even do Virtual Reality walkthroughs in some cases.
There's also a difference between Cloud based apps i.e. those that are online and can be used in any browser and desktop software that work specifically on Mac. We've made it clear in these reviews which are Cloud based and which are desktop apps.
You May Also Like:
- Live Home 3D Review: Home Design Made Easy
- SmartDraw Review: The Ultimate Floor Plan Creator
- The Best CAD Software For Mac Users
The important thing to bear in mind is that whereas almost all interior design tools also do floor planning, most floor plan software doesn't do interior design.
However, floor planners have the advantage of being simpler, faster and usually cheaper if you don't need all the features of a home planner.
We've made it clear in the reviews below what each tool is designed for to make it easier to choose the right app for your needs.
Although some of the apps here are suitable for landscaping, we also recommend checking out our look at the top landscaping software for Mac as this area has its own specific demands and requirements.
With this in mind, here are the best floor planners and home design software for Mac of 2020 in order of ranking.
1. Live Home 3D (Home Design – Desktop)
Live Home 3D (formerly known as Live Interior 3D) is a powerful but easy to use home design software for Mac desktops.
The interface to Live Home 3D is perfect for beginners to floor planning as it's so clear and logically laid out without being overwhelming.
The graphics in general are also superb with high quality 2D objects and highly realistic 3D rendering. You can design in 2D and 3D with a selection of furniture and objects from the vast Trimble SketchUp 3D Warehouse which allows you to download thousands of objects and models.
You can switch between 2D and 3D at any time and with no waiting around to see how your floor plans look close up. Just click on "Walk" at the top of the interface to walk through your new office or home design.
The overall attention to detail in Live Home 3D is amazing with around 2,100 materials to choose from – if the building material exists then it's probably in Live Home 3D. If an object isn't in the library, you can also import them in Wavefront .OBJ format.
There are Arc Wall and Straight Wall tools for different shapes and you can easily drag and drop doors onto the walls to add them into your floor plans. You can also share designs directly to social media, as well as export to PDF, JPG, PNG, TIFF and HEVC encoding for making high quality videos.
Even more impressive is that you can export to USDZ format which means you can view any piece of furniture, a room or an entire house in AR using iOS Quicklook on your iPad or iPhone.
Live Home 3D is also very hot at keeping-up with the latest Macs and versions of macOS. It's the only floor planning software for Mac we're aware of that is optimized for using the Touch Bar in the latest MacBook Pros.
It's also fully integrated for saving to iCloud and to take advantage of 64 bit architecture in the latest versions of macOS. Live Home 3D also supports the Dark Mode in the latest version of macOS Mojave.
Live Home 3D is available in two versions – Standard and Pro but the Standard version is very basic.
To do things properly we strongly recommend going for Live Home 3D Pro as it includes essential features like unlimited floor levels, furniture and impressive full HD walkthroughs.
We also recommend buying directly from the developer rather than the Mac App Store because you'll get updates quicker.
You can also buy 600 additional add-on materials such as different types of carpet, wallpaper and bricks for a small fee.
You can find full details on Live Home 3D pricing here and there's a 30 day money back guarantee if you're not satisfied with it.
There's also our full review of Live Home 3D for a more detailed look.
You can watch how to create a floor plan in Live Home 3D below:
2. SmartDraw (Floor Planning – Online)
SmartDraw is a remarkably slick and easy to use online 2D diagramming software that's excellent for creating 2D floor plans and blueprints.
Note that unlike Live Home 3D, SmartDraw is Cloud based so there's no desktop app and costs $9.95 per month.
SmartDraw used to be a Windows only application but the release of SmartDraw Online Edition (formerly SmartDraw Cloud) means that Mac users can finally use it too in any browser.
SmartDraw Online feels like something that was designed for macOS which isn't surprising since the developers created it mainly using Macs as a user friendly alternative to Visio in mind.
SmartDraw is extremely slick, easy to use, logical and makes it very easy to draw floor plans on Mac. One of the things that's really impressive in SmartDraw is the sheer number of templates available.
There are literally thousands of templates including a huge number of ready-made floor plans which you can customize very quickly.
The other really clever thing about SmartDraw is that it automatically snaps objects and shapes into place to keep floor plans neat and symmetrical.
This is surprisingly time-saving rather than having to manually align and adjust shapes. If you want to import Visio floor plans on your Mac, SmartDraw will also import Visio VSD and VSDX files and it's the only tool for Mac that can export to the latest Visio 2016/2019 VSDX format if you want to send it to a Visio user.
Most recently SmartDraw's floor planning tools have has been updated to make it easier to:
- Set angles just by typing
- Show the distance between a corner and openings like doors and windows
- Print the grid
- Adjust dimension lines
- Adjustment walls easily
- Improve the rotation of shapes attached to walls
You can get started now with SmartDraw for free to judge for yourself.
You can also read many more reasons why we like it in our review of SmartDraw.
3. Lucidchart (Floor Planning – Online)
Lucidchart is another easy to use cloud diagramming software that makes designing floor plans very easy on all platforms.
Lucidchart is similar to SmartDraw although it has a Chrome extension which allows you to work offline as well. Although it has less templates than SmartDraw, it still has plenty to complete most diagramming tasks quickly and easily.
There are several Floorplan templates that you an customize and adapt for your own designs. You can also import and even export to Visio format although you'll need a Team subscription or higher in order to do this.
Lucidchart also has an iPad app which allows you to create floor plans on the move (see our review of the Lucidchart iPad app for more).
Overall, Lucidchart is a simple, convenient and fast way to draw floor plans on macOS.
You can read more in our Lucidchart review and you can also sign-up for a free account.
You can watch an overview of how to create a floor plan in Lucidchart below:
4. Homestyler (Home Design – Online)
Homestyler was originally made by Autodesk, the makers of the industry leading AutoCAD for Mac software and was an incredibly powerful floor planning software for Mac and PC.
It discontinued the product in 2017 but it has been continued as a somewhat lighter version under Chinese ownership by Easyhome.
The surprising thing is that Homestyler is still completely free to use but still feels like a professional floor plan app. The only requirement is that you sign-up for an Easyhome Homestyler account.
The latest version of Homestyler has recently been given a facelift with a new interface that's streamlined and more responsive than the old Flash based one.
Creating floor plans in Homestyler is simply a case of dragging and dropping elements in your web browser. You can add small details like grass, gravel and water elements to add realism to your floor plans. It even allows you to import and export DWG files.
When it was owned by Autodesk, Homestyler could even provide pricing for your mock ups although unfortunately that is no longer possible. However, the new owners have added some interesting touches such as 3D walk throughs, an enhanced furniture library and mobile apps with Augmented Reality.
These allow you to take a photo of a room and then start decorating it with products immediately from the Easyhome catalog which really brings things to life.
You can also share designs made in Homestyler to social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest etc.
It's really amazing that Homestyler is a free application and if you just want some fun redesigning your home, you can't do much better.
5. Floorplanner (Floor Planning – Online)
Floorplanner is a very slick dedicated online floor plan software that makes creating floor plans or redesigning your home fun. Floorplanner is designed with beginners in mind that need help creating professional and striking floor plans on Mac.
Floorplanner conveniently snaps items and objects into place to keep your designs both geometrically correct and tidy with minimal effort. There are even convex tools to help you create complex rounded walls and dividers in floor plans.
Like Homestyler, you create designs in 2D but you can render them in 3D. This is a really nice touch as it allows you to better visualize what your floor plans will look like if you were standing in the room.
The good thing is that you can use Floorplanner for free although this only entitles you to one saved floor plan. You then need to pay $4.99 for each additional floor plan or you can pay $14.95 which entitles you to 5 floor plans per year with additional floor plans at $2.99 each.
The Pro version is $29.99 per year and gives you 15 floor plans and additional floor plans $1.99 each plus it allows you to brand floor plans.
Floorplanner is great for beginners and professionals alike and although it's not the cheapest floor planning software for Mac, it's probably worth it for those serious about creating professional floor plans.
You can watch Floorplanner in action below:
6. Roomle (Floor Planning – Desktop)
Roomle is a very attractively made 2D and 3D room planning app for Mac and iOS that makes it very easy to create floor plans.
Roomle is very slick and extremely well thought out making it easy for beginners to floor design to create professional and attractive looking floor plans.
Roomle is free to use although you need to register in order to save designs, send directly via email and work on more than design at once.
For professionals or furniture buyers, there are also business packages available.
Roomle has a surprisingly minimal interface with very few visible tools.
Roomle puts a big emphasis on walls and floors giving you full control over the thickness, material and type of walls and floors in your designs.
You can very easily change floorings, wall colors and drop furniture from Roomle's extensive catalog of objects and materials.
The smart thing about Roomle is that it's integrated with the furniture catalogs of major manufacturers such as Ikea, Samsung and Vitra meaning you can use (and purchase) objects from these brands in your designs.
You can plan in both 2D and 3D and use the 3D orbit view to get a birds eye or ground level view of how your floor plan would feel like for real.
There is less detail in the 3D view compared to most of the other floor planning apps for Mac featured here
The export options are limited – there's no DMG support for example and you can't share directly to social media but you can save floor plans in JPG format.
You can also print them directly from your browser or the Roomle iPad/iPhone app. The Roomle iOS app is one of the best mobile floor planning apps we've tried allowing you to pretty much everything you can do in the web version.
There's even a Roomle Viewer VR app which allows you to view rooms with any VR viewer on iPhone.
Considering Roomle is completely free to use, it's an amazingly accomplished floor planning app for Mac users.
You can see Roomle's impressive 3D walk-through in action below:
7. OmniGraffle (Floor Planning – Desktop)
OmniGraffle is easily the best desktop diagramming software designed specifically for Mac and an excellent alternative to online floor plan software.
OmniGraffle is designed specifically for macOS (there's no Windows version) so it naturally looks and works great on Macs.
OmniGraffle is extremely powerful and is a popular alternative to Visio on Mac although you'll need to upgrade to the Pro version ($199) to get Visio import features and advanced diagramming tools.
However, the Standard version of OmniGraffle is more than enough to create floor plans.
OmniGraffle has a limited number of templates but the good thing is there is a mini-industry of user-generated OmniGraffle templates and stencils out there, many of which you can download for free.
Check out our review of OmniGraffle for Mac for more.
You can also watch how to create a floor plan in OmniGraffle below.
8. ConceptDraw Diagram (Floor Planning – Desktop)
ConceptDraw Diagram (formerly ConceptDraw Pro) is a professional drawing tool which is suitable for creating complex diagrams of all types including floor plans and building designs.
ConceptDraw has a wide variety of templates for things such as office layouts, piping and instrumentation diagrams, heating and ventilation systems, air conditioning (HVAC) and emergency exit plans.
You can also just have a bit of fun with it such as map out the floor plan for the apartments in Friends but at $199, it's an expensive tool to just indulge in a bit of doodling.
However, if you're looking for an all purpose diagramming tool or an alternative to Visio for Mac users, it's definitely worth taking a closer look.
You can check out our full review of ConceptDraw Diagram for more.
You can also try a free trial of ConceptDraw before buying.
9. SketchUp (Home Design – Online/Desktop)
SketchUp (formerly Google Sketchup) has evolved from a free online 2D design tool that was once owned by Google to a very powerful 2D and 3D modelling software that produces professional floor plans.
SketchUp might look familiar because it's used by Chip and Joanna Gaines in the HGTV show Fixer Upper.
SketchUp was known as Google Sketchup until 2012 when Trimble Navigation bought it and turned it into a powerful, professional 3D architectural software.
The professional version of SketchUp is SketchUp Pro which is a professional tool costing $299 per year and there's a more limited version SketchUp Shop which costs $119 per year.
However, there is also a basic free version for non commercial use called SketchUp Free which works online allows you to model in 3D for free with a generous 10GB of online storage.
There are also far fewer floor plan templates in the non Pro versions of Sketchup to get you going although it's very easy to create them from scratch. One thing that Google SketchupPro really excels in is furniture and objects – there's an enormous database of 3D models of just about any type of furniture or object – for chairs alone there are 35,000 choices.
SketchupPro isn't cheap at $695 but it's a very powerful professional floor planning and interior design tool. There are many SketchupPro video tutorials to help you get started and you can watch how to get started with Sketchup Pro below:
10. Ikea Home Planner (Home Design – Online)
It's hardly surprising that furniture giant Ikea has gone into the world of floor planning software and Ikea Home Planner is Ikea's way of helping you re imagine your home (and then buy its furniture of course).
Ikea Home Planner is actually a plugin for Chrome, Safari and Firefox that allows you to create floor plans in your browser.
Although it's nowhere near as advanced as most of the other software featured here, it is completely free to use and fine for creating simple mock-up floor plans.
Ikea Home Planner allows you to place objects around a floor space to rearrange your home in 2D and 3D. The smart thing is you can "look" around the room at ground level in 3D mode to see exactly how your new home design would feel.
Of course, because it's an Ikea product, you can get pricing for all of the objects so that you can order them in store or online where available.
Of course, you are limited to objects and furniture in the Ikea catalogue although as anyone that has been to an Ikea will know, that's pretty extensive. It's also limited to lounge and kitchen floor plans.
You can watch Ikea Home Planner for Mac in action below:
11. Sketch (Floor Planning – Desktop)
Sketch is a beautifully designed digital design application that's mainly aimed at user interface and UX designers but it can also whip-up some pretty good floor plans.
Some of the companies that use Sketch for web design include Google, Apple and Facebook so that gives you an idea of how highly rated it is.
Although it's not cheap at $99.00, it's definitely worth a closer look if you're a UI or UX designer or if you like your apps designed specifically for Mac.
Sketch is Mac only and features state-of-the-art boolean operations, multiple pages and boards and makes things quick and snappy when working on multiple projects with symbols and shared styles.
You can see how you can use Sketch to design floor plans when one Sketch user decided to redesign her apartment using it. She even created a useful free Sketch floor plan template to save you time creating your own.
There's also a growing collection of free Sketch plugins created by the devoted Sketch community to enhance your floor plans. You can try a free trial of Sketch before deciding whether it's the right floor planning software for you.
12. Sweet Home 3D (Home Design – Desktop/Online)
Finally there's Sweet Home 3D Which seems to have been around forever on Mac.
Sweet Home 3D is a free interior design application for Mac which allows you to create 2D and 3D floor plans. Sweet Home 3D is unusual in that it has both a Mac desktop client and a web version.
However, unfortunately we can't recommend using Sweet Home 3D anymore because both the web version and Mac desktop client use Java.
There are too many problems with Java on OS X, not least that it's impossible to uninstall Java on Mac that it's not worth the hassle anymore. Apple is gradually phasing out support for Java and so we don't recommend going for a Java based solution like Sweet Home 3D when there are so many other options available.
You can see Sweet Home 3D in action below:
Mac Home Design & Floor Plan Software Checklist
There are a few things to be aware of when choosing home design software on Mac.
- Most of the best floor planners and interior design software for Mac is online and although some have already moved to HTML5, the majority still use Adobe Flash. It's therefore recommended to use Google Chrome rather than browsers such as Firefox or Safari as it tends to perform better and be more stable with Flash based software. Although Firefox and Safari both work with Flash, they are more prone to block elements especially if your version of Adobe Flash needs updating. Chrome generally works better with Flash and is faster and more responsive when running Flash based applications such as floor planning software.
- Avoid Java based home design software on Mac. There are simply too many problems with Java on Mac, not least that its impossible to fully uninstall Java from Mac. Although there isn't much floor planning software on either Mac or PC that still uses Java, Sweet Home 3D still does and is one of the most popular which we mention at the end of these reviews.
- Floor planning software doesn't need to be expensive. The great thing is that some of the best software for creating blueprints on Mac is completely free to use. Homestyler and Roomle are perfect examples of professional 3D floor planning software for Mac which are professional interior design software for Mac which don't cost a cent. Others like Live Home 3D are produce high quality results and are very reasonable priced at around $30 while most of the rest use a subscription based pricing model. Some like Floorplanner offer freemium versions which limit you to just one saved floor plan and then charge you for each additional floor plan you create. The days of needing expensive CAD software or dated apps like HGTV Home Design For Mac are gone.
- Although VR is still a fledgling technology when it comes to floor plans, it's ideal for doing walk-throughs of 3D floor plan designs. So far however, only Roomle supports VR with a VR Viewer app for iPhone which works with any VR viewer. This is likely to change though as more floor planning apps embrace VR on Mac.
As we've seen, there's some really excellent and free floor plan software for Mac out there both desktop and online.
If you want a floor plan or home design software with a Mac desktop client, Live Home 3D is slick, easy to use and makes interior design fun.
If you're in a hurry and just want a 2D floor plan with nothing to download or install, you can't do much better than SmartDraw for its huge number of floor plan templates, ease of use and slick interface.
For professional floor planners, we'd have to say Homestyler is the best as it's made by the same makers of AutoCAD for Mac, is incredibly powerful yet is totally free to use.
Roomle is an excellent intermediate option and far more accessible for those starting out in floor design plus it has the best mobile apps for iPad and iPhone of any floor plan software out there.
Finally, Floorplanner is also really well done but it can be expensive as you have to subscribe to a monthly subscription fee and doesn't offer any major advantages over the other floor planning software for Mac featured here.
If you have any comments, experiences or suggestions for other floor plan or interior design software on Mac, let us know in the comments below.


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In order to get the most durable finish, you can set your body paint designs with translucent powder. You can also use it as temporary hair highlights by using a sponge or a coarse brush for an instant application. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. Professional Body and Face Artists love its ease of application as well as its ability to have full control on the depth of the colors. Bring on the rain or shine, you can count on us to show up with players such as these.
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Klute (1971)
"What I'd really like to do is be faceless, and bodiless, and left alone."
Response to Peary's Review:
Indeed, many have noted that a more accurate title for the film would be Bree, given that she, rather than Klute, is really the central protagonist; Klute himself (Sutherland gives a mellow, restrained performance) is merely a catalyst in Bree's well-ordered life — someone who subtly "convinces" her to open up emotionally to a man for the first time, and take a risk. Bree's sessions with a psychotherapist (Vivian Nathan) — which were apparently semi-improvised by Fonda — are particularly revealing, and help us understand that Bree finds "her job liberating because she feels in control in her life only when turning tricks"; thus, her "movement toward real-life liberation takes a dramatic leap when she learns to trust Klute". Fonda's vulnerable, nuanced performance is the primary reason to watch this flawed but engaging and atmospheric film.
Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
Must See?
(Listed in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die)
Posted on July 14th, 2009 by admin
Filed under: Response Reviews
One Response to "Klute (1971)"
Very much a must!
I fear I must disagree that a) "the plot itself is needlessly confusing", and b) the film is "flawed".
Though I've seen 'Klute' quite a few times (my first time at 16, at a drive-in), I hadn't seen it in several years, until now. It continues to hold up remarkably well. Watching it now, I tried to erase previous viewings from my mind to see if, in fact, it *was* hard to follow or less than perfect. But what came back to me was my experience the first time round: that it is all of a piece and masterfully crafted.
Special mention, in fact, must be made of screenwriters Andy and Dave Lewis – who both worked in tv a lot but have only this as a major screen credit.
I don't know that it would have helped the film by calling it 'Bree' instead of 'Klute'. Doing so may have made Sutherland's character something of a non-entity in a way – and I think it's vital to emphasize (as the title does) the importance Klute has in Bree's life, and vice versa.
I love the way the film unfolds; the scenes even before Fonda enters. The opening scene of the film does become creepier on a second viewing – perhaps the only scene that really *does* become creepier the second time around, because of what we know will happen later.
If the film has a flaw…to me, it's the scene in which the character Arlyn Page is found. I find it hard to believe that the two main characters would have so little sympathy for Arlyn's pathetic plea when they're trying to get information out of her. BUT – the scene, flawed as it is, is there for a reason. I just wish it worked a little better. Still…a small gripe.
This really is Fonda's show most of the way – and director Pakula is in full understanding of her and in full control of what surrounds her. Bree is among the most interesting and complex characters to emerge in a '70s flick. You just want to go back and watch her again, and find more in her the next time. The performance is that good. …That said, tho…I still think Fonda should've gotten the Oscar for 'They Shoot Horses…' instead.
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It is hard to imagine President Donald Trump having a worse week than the one he had three weeks ago. This was when he was hit by a double whammy of his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort being found guilty of financial fraud at about the same time that his former lawyer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to tax evasion, unlawful campaign contributions, and falsifying bank records.
But what may be the worst week ever in his less than two-year-old presidency occurred in the week just passed. It is hard, almost impossible, for anything to top the two hard strikes that stunned the Trump presidency following revelations from the book – Fear: Trump in the White House — to be released this week that was written by arguably the country's best investigative reporter, Bob Woodward, followed up by the New York Times op-ed written by an anonymous senior administration official showing just how chaotic a state the Oval Office is in now.
It is impossible to fathom how stressful the situation must be for all the men and women working in close proximity to a president under such overwhelming pressure. Already there has been growing talk of fear and paranoia reigning in the White House, which the president has described as a "smooth running machine."
It is not. At the onset, it was clear that Mr. Trump would run the White House the same way he ran his various business enterprises, some of which succeeded spectacularly and some of which failed miserably.
His management style was under question as running a business empire is far different from heading the country. This we all found out in the weeks and months since he assumed the presidency. While he may have had some measure of success as chief executive of the nation, he has also had massive failures.
The earliest warning sign was the unusually fast turnover of men and women whom he had recruited to be part of his administration. There were whispers that grew louder and louder that the president was in over his head.
The book and the op-ed piece merely confirmed what many already knew.
Mr. Trump is reportedly so upset that he wants to ferret out the mole who wrote the damaging piece and throw the book at him or her. As such, he has engaged in some sort of witch hunt to find out who wrote the damaging piece.
Obviously, Mr. Trump is so focused on finding the culprit that he may be forgetting that he has more pressing matters that need to be addressed.
The day-to-day business of keeping the country safe and the economy marching forward has to go on.
His fellow Republicans are also concerned about the party's fate with the mid-term elections just two months away.
Ultimately, Mr. Trump's presidency will be judged by the electorate in November. He has become the central issue, which should not be the case. But it is what it is and if the downward spiral continues, the 45th president of the US may follow in the footsteps of the 37th.
We all know what happened to Richard Nixon, don't we?


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Nancy Kerr Curling Team
The team of Nancy Kerr (skip), Linda Burnham (third), Kendra Richards (second), and Gertie Pick (lead) won the SaskTel Mobility Provincial Senior Women's Curling Championships in Weyburn. The team then went on to win the Canadian Senior Women's Curling Championships in Lethbridge. Gertie Pick was also named to the All-Star Team. Due to their accomplishments, the team will compete at the World Senior Curling Championships in Winnipeg. The team was nominated by the Saskatchewan Curling Association.
The other nominees were: Kelsie Hendry, Saskatoon, University of Saskatchewan; Dustin Johnson, Moose Jaw, speed skating; and Jesse Laframboise, Balcarres, boxing.
Junior Men's and Women's Curling Teams
The Steve Laycock and Marliese Miller Curling Teams won all three final events to win the Canadian Curling Championships in Ottawa, Ont. The men's team finished first overall and the women's team was second overall after the round robin play. Due to these accomplishments, both teams will compete at the Junior World Championships in Switzerland. The teams were nominated by the Saskatchewan Curling Association.
The other nominees were: Brooke Ellis, Assiniboia, figure skating; and Kerry Simpson, Melville, speed skating.
Kerry Simpson
Saskatchewan Speed Skater, Kerry Simpson of Melville is the recipient of the Sask Sport Inc. March Athlete of the Month Award.
Kerry Simpson, 21, finished first overall at the 2003 Olympic Oval Finale in Calgary by winning all the 500m, 1000m, 1500m and 3000m events. She also set a new Canadian record in the 1500m and achieved two personal bests. Simpson competed against 100 athletes from six countries in this competition. Due to her accomplishments she was named to the 2003-04 National Speed Skating Long Track Team. Simpson was nominated by the Saskatchewan Amateur Speed Skating Association.
The other nominees were: The Balfour Redman Senior Girls Basketball Team, Regina; Belinda Chou, Regina, Wrestling; and Meaghan Koshman, Regina, Gymnastics.
Bruno Junior Axemen
This broomball team consists of 19 players and coaches Ray Bender and Mark Weiman. The team captured its second consecutive national title by winning the gold medal at the Canadian National Juvenile Broomball Championships (19U) in Montreal. Six provinces and 10 teams competed at the championships. One member was named a First Team All-Star and two members were named to the Second Team. The team was nominated by the Saskatchewan Broomball Association.
The other nominees were: Team Saskatchewan, wrestling; Nigel O'Quinn, North Battleford, taekwon-do; and the Saskatoon Aqualenes, synchro.
Viola Yanik
Viola Yanik of Saskatoon is the recipient of the Sask Sport Inc. May Athlete of the Month Award.
As a member of Team Saskatchewan, Yanik, 20, won a gold medal in her weight category at the Senior National Wrestling Championships. She now qualifies for the Senior World Championships in New York in August and the 2004 Olympic Trials. Yanik was nominated by the Saskatchewan Amateur Wrestling Association.
The other nominees were: Kris Nichols, Regina, baton twirling; the Golden Mile Senior Boys 5-Pin Bowling Team; Stacie Hogan, Regina, gymnastics; and the Saskatoon Aqalenes Varied Synchro Team.
Kalim Keays
Kalim Keays of Tisdale is the recipient of the Sask Sport Inc. June Athlete of the Month Award.
At the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Dublin, Ireland, Keays, 21, won the gold in high jump, silver in shot put, and sixth in the 4 x 100 relay. Due to these accomplishments, Keays will compete in the Zone Qualifying Championships and the Provincial Championships. He was nominated by Special Olympics Saskatchewan.
The other nominees were: Kahl Boll, Fillmore, trapshooting; Chad Hankewich, Saskatoon, swimming; and Jean-Pierre Séguin, Saskatoon, fencing.
Howard West
Howard West, 90, of Saskatoon is the recipient of the Sask Sport Inc. July Athlete of the Month Award.
Competing in the 90-94 age category at the World Masters' Championships held in Carolina, Puerto Rico, West set a new Canadian record and won the gold medal in the throws' pentathlon event. He also won the bronze medal in both the javelin and the 200 metre race. West is entered to attend the National Masters Championships in Richmond, B.C. this month. He was nominated by Saskatchewan Athletics.
The other nominees were: Saskatchewan Soccer Association Under 14 All Star Team; Melanie Miazga, Saskatoon, volleyball; and Casey Berry, Saskatoon, baton twirling.
Kia Byers
Kia Byers, a canoeist from Regina, is the recipient of the Sask Sport Inc. August Athlete of the Month Award.
At the Western Canada Summer Games in Manitoba Byers won individual gold medals in the 200m, 500m, 1000m and 6000m. As a team member, she won gold medals in the K2-200m, K2-6000m and K4-500m, K4-1000m, and War Canoe. She also won team silver medals in the K2-500m and K2-1000m. Byers carried the Saskatchewan flag during the closing ceremonies.
At the National Sprint Championships in Welland, ON, she won gold in K2-1000m midget, silver medals in the K2-200m juvenile, and a bronzed in the 1000m midget. Due to these accomplishment, she will compete at World Cup events in Europe next year and at the 2005 Junior World Championships. Byers was nominated by the Saskatchewan Canoeing Association.
The other nominees were: Kelsie Hendry, Saskatoon, athletics; Richard McBride, Saskatoon, skeet shooting; Sydney Byrns, Saskatoon, sailing; Saskatchewan Baseball Team, Western Canada Summer Games; Cam Baerg, Saskatoon, rowing; Lindsay Cargill, Regina, synchro; and Elizabeth Collins, Regina, swimming.
Morley Shanner
At the World Masters Weightlifting Championships, Shanner, 37, won the silver medal in the 35-40 year old, 105 kg weight class. Due to this accomplishment, the Estevan resident will compete at the Senior National Championships in Valleyfield, QC, in June, 2004.
The other nominee was Tara Eckert, Saskatoon, rugby.
Chelsea Stone
Chelsea Stone of Regina is the recipient of the Sask Sport Inc. October Athlete of the Month Award.
At the Pan Am Championships in Orlando, Florida, Stone won a gold medal in sparring and a silver medal in patterns. She also won gold medals in sparring and patterns at the SaskCup in Regina. Stone was nominated by the Saskatchewan Taekwon-Do Federation International Inc.
The other nominee was Tyler Siwark, Prince Albert, football.
Justin Warsylewicz
Justin Warsylewicz, 18, of Regina is the Sask Sport Inc. November Athlete of the Month.
Warsylewicz set three Canadian Junior Men's Olympic Style records and finished third overall at the Can Am Long Track Speed Skating Championships in Calgary. He set a Canadian junior record in the 3000m, eclipsing the previous record by over five seconds. He also established the record in the 5000m, which resulted in a new Canadian Junior record for All Round Long Total Points. Warsylewicz was nominated by the Saskatchewan Amateur Speed Skating Association.
The other nominees were: Simon Bairu, Regina, Saskatchewan Athletics; Brian Guebert, Saskatoon, Football Saskatchewan; and Jan-Michael Pelechytik, Regina, Swim Saskatchewan.
Nicole Cargill
Cargill, 19, was named to Canada's Olympic Team this month by placing ninth at the Synchro Canada 2004 Athens Olympic Team Trials in Montreal. Her path to the Olympics began in November 2002 when she competed at the Synchro Canada National Team Trials. After the final swim she was ranked ninth nationally, which enabled her to join the National A team and qualified her to compete at the Olympic Team Trials. Cargill was nominated by Synchro Saskatchewan.
The other nominee was Keith Roney, Regina, lawn bowling.


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I've written about giving advice before (Dishing out cancer advice) and I realize that a blog post giving advice on how not to give advice seems a bit hypocritical, but bear with me. We encounter advice all the time, especially unsolicited advice, and as cancer patients, the amount of advice we receive seem relentless. The… Continue reading How not to give advice
Author: Christa
Love takes courage
Valentine's Day is a commercial holiday, usually focused on romantic love. But I wanted to write about love that is more universal. Courage is a word that comes to mind when I think of love. Wearing your heart on your sleeve. Heartbroken. Lovesick. That's the downside. But it takes courage to love. To love people,… Continue reading Love takes courage
Open your door to your village
A neighbour met me on the sidewalk and shared that her spouse has bone cancer and will be having surgery. My first thought was, "Rally the neighbourhood. Let's pitch in with food and fun ways to pass the time, like scratch tickets (which I always lose!)." She was whispering the news in a hushed voice… Continue reading Open your door to your village
What fills up your cup?
You can't pour from an empty cup is a saying that's resonated with me, so much so, that I've written about my own need to fill up my cup in a prior blog post here. There are things that replenish our cups and others that deplete them. Often it's the small things that fill up our cup. A… Continue reading What fills up your cup?
Love prevails.
Today was the best day of my life, which is hard to say after having the hardest days and scariest weeks up until now. I'm only in my 30s. How do you live AFTER being at your worst? It's time to take the medication to reduce the swelling on my brain. And pills to ease the insomnia caused… Continue reading Love prevails.
Not everyone grows old
Youth is wasted on the young. Young people often fail to realize how lucky they are. Good health. Energy. Optimism. Smiling without wrinkles. The ability to start their night out at 11PM and wake up, mere hours later, to go to work. We glamorize looking young. Our cupboards are full of anti-aging lotions and foods that will… Continue reading Not everyone grows old
Living with purpose
What is my purpose? This question always plagued me because I never knew the answer. I used to think it was linked to my job, but once I got knee deep in my profession, I wasn't finding the meaning I had hoped for. When I was young, people would ask, "What do you want to… Continue reading Living with purpose


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Experiencing a mental illness is like a journey through a series of stages.
Understanding the different impact of these stages helps to manage them better and move towards recovery.
Measure whether you have been affected by depression or anxiety.
Focus on to how you've been feeling over the past four weeks. Answer each question that best reflects your thoughts, feelings and behaviour.
Behavioural or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning.
Mental disorders are usually defined by a combination of how a person behaves, feels, perceives, or thinks
The experience and display of severe change in thoughts, mood or behaviour.
Drinking too much, isolating, ongoing crying and significant behaviour or mood change are tell-tale signs wellness decline.
Holistic wellness increases mental effectiveness, productivity, energy understanding key strategy principles is beneficial.
Discover the strategy areas and related strategies to enhance wellness.
Discover your self-sabotaging behaviours, so you can focus on the critical areas for behaviour change.
Answer the questions authentically to enable you to target the drivers that limit your mental wellness + life's possibilities.
Mental illness can be treated. Through treatment and with time, it is possible to recover, manage and completely overcome.
Find treatments to assist your wellness goals.
Strategies that can be implemented and used with identified wellness challenges.
Discover strategies, and associated tips, videos, locations + more.
Resilience is a mix of learnt traits and skills that can be practised + developed. Measure your resilience levels.
Identify how to bounce back from problems + setbacks in work + life. Answer each question on how you would really react.
Wellness support services, helplines, online chats, forums and websites to assist with wellness recovery and management.
Find services based on your condition, age range, population demographic or wellness goals.
Risk factors are those that contribute to a person's psychological vulnerability, mental illness and even relapses.
Understand risk factors and what to mitigate assist your wellness goals.
Everyone deserves to feel safe + have healthy connections. Is your circle of relationships/networks healthy?
Be honest with yourself and answer truthfully, to identify areas to focus on; or change who you connect with.
Reminders of past trauma. These can cause a person to feel overwhelmed, have anxiety, or panic. It may cause someone to have flashbacks.
Understand what may trigger your emotions and impact negatively on your wellness.


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Easy-to-use math and crystal clear instructions make it an industry favorite. New material arranged with even greater clarity. Learn it from the source! Basic elementary arithmetic does it! Includes basic non-technical formulas and tables that unlock the secrets of pinpointing bending.
Using simple formulas, tables and diagrams, this method works with any make of bending tool found on any job. The magic formula works even if bends are made in the knotch of a tree or a hole in a wood block!
Contents include:
- Bending PVC Conduit
- Bending 90° Stub-ups
- All about Offsets
- Back-to-Back Bends
- Utilizing the Gain
- Three & Four Bend Saddles
- Bending with Hickeys, Variable
- Radius Bends
- A Review of Conduit Bending Tips


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Join the biggest Berlin cloud community in the journey through the containers and NoSQL universum.
• Chris Kühl will talk about advanced usage of rkt containers.
Learn how to use containers to improve your infrastructure's security.
• Felix Gilcher will give an introduction to Elasticsearch – the store behind Kibana.
Apply your brain a green, healthy, solid knowledge cocktail prepared by Germany's top Elasticsearch expert.
19:00–19:20: Eat, drink, mingle
19:20–19:30: Introductions
19:30–20:00: "The rkt Container Runtime: Beyond Basics" by Chris Kühl (@blixtra), Co-Founder of Kinvolk GmbH
20:00–20:30: More eating, drinking, and mingling
20:30–21:00: "Elasticsearch Introduction" by Felix Gilcher (@xylakant), Co-Founder of asquera GmbH
At the last DigitalOcean meetup it was discucced what rkt is, why it exists, and the basics of using it. This talk will dig deeper into the basic functionality and cover subjects like networking, volumes and mounts, using rkt and systems together, and so on.
Save the date in your Google Calendar
July 13, 2016
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Rheinsberger Straße 76/77
Partner Event


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By Lorraine Allen
We shouldn't have to bribe anyone, ever, least of all our underage family members during the holidays, for crying out loud. But we moms have so much additional responsibility this time of year. As soon as Thanksgiving arrives, we become hostesses in addition to being chefs, caregivers, and peace makers. We're the 24/7 extended-family toilet-plungers, housecleaners, cheerleaders, dog-walkers, diaper-changers, and so much more. And let's face it, we sometimes need to resort to some extreme measures to get our kids to behave and help out when we're this maxed. Just think of these as smart, strategic incentives for the kids – and for you!
Image ©iStock.com/Susan Chiang
An Extra Treat
If kids keep all their toys, clothes, and stuffed animals off the living floor and furniture over the holiday weekend, then they'll get an extra treat at the end of each day (this is a great way to use up some Halloween candy you might still have hanging around at home).
Image ©iStock.com/MihailUlianikov
An Allowance Bonus
If kids do their chores without constant reminders, and take on a couple extra during the Thanksgiving break (like feeding pets, raking leaves, or washing dishes,) they'll earn an extra or more as a special Thanksgiving Holiday Allowance Bonus that they can use however they choose at the end of the weekend. Make it worth their while, depending on their age. For kids 5 and under, or so is fine. For older kids who can do more helpful chores, bump it up a bit. Teenagers, who can be as helpful as an adult, if not even more so, should be rewarded accordingly if you really want them on your side. Consider what it's worth to you, and your sanity, and pay them a decent incentive at least. Don't skimp – YOU deserve this too, moms!
Image ©iStock.com/Fertnig
Extra Screen Time
If kids are on their best behavior on Thanksgiving Day (including helping to set or clear the table, sitting still at least most of the meal, and NOT picking their noses or making fun of Grandpa's dentures or Auntie's mothball perfume) then they'll get some extra screen time or favorite game time as a reward. You can even devise a secret hand signal with them (I like the peace sign, which doubles as rabbit ears,) to use as a reminder throughout the meal for little ones. This keeps it fun and helps them keep it together. Hey, whatever works, right?!
Image ©iStock.com/kate_sept2004
Movie Night
If your kids don't fight, whine or complain, then they'll get extra family movie nights in the coming weeks, and they can each pick the movie – and the takeout food you order for dinner – on their assigned night. Peace, people. It's what this time of year is about.
Image ©iStock.com/Susan Chiang
A Fun Surprise
If kids practice a random act of kindness of their choice to someone in the family and/or someone in need, they'll receive a surprise random act of kindness from Mom or Dad in the next few weeks. (This might be a fun outing, like ice skating, a surprise playdate or sleepover with a bestie, or their favorite dessert.)
Image ©iStock.com/lcodacci
Quiet Activity Supplies
If kids help entertain guests and make them feel comfortable and welcome, then they'll get a new book or art materials to enjoy some quiet downtime and unwind after all that hectic activity. Think of something they've been really wanting that's entertaining, yet calming. Win-win, all around.
Image ©iStock.com/ArtMarie
A Free Pass for Post-Holiday Chores
If kids step up and make themselves helpful when they see you need a hand during the holiday week – whether it's opening the door when you're struggling with arms full of grocery bags, helping fold those 10-foot-tall piles of laundry, or mopping up a mess when someone spills – then they'll get to skip their regular chores for a few days after the holiday as a reward (but they should still receive their allowance, if they get one).
Image ©iStock.com/Susan Chiang
An Extra-Special Gift
If the kids by some miracle truly take on the spirit of Thanksgiving, by not demanding extra attention of their own and generally being good sports all around, then they'll receive an extra gift as a thank-you to them (it can be given right after the holiday, or during the winter gift-giving holidays just ahead). Kids love getting gifts, of course, so this incentive is pretty golden. Make sure you note that it will be wrapped with a bow.
How do you encourage your kids to be good and helpful over the hectic holidays?
Lorraine Allen is a writer and mom to one spunky first grader and one squirrel-obsessed dog. You can follow their allergy-friendly cooking adventures at Feeding Lina.
Image ©iStock.com/noblige


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Click on the following link for previous layout and posts: https://helpfulinspirationalblog.wordpress.com/
DAILY DEVOTIONAL – Monday, May 23, 2016
Today's scripture reading:
The disciples had been given the authority to do the healing, but they had not yet learned how to discover the power that God has given us to do things. Jesus' frustration is with the unbelieving and unresponsive generation. His disciples were merely a reflection of that attitude in this instance. Jesus' purpose was not to criticize the disciples but to encourage them to greater faith.
The disciples were unable to cast out this demon, and they asked Jesus why. He said their faith was too small. It is the power of God, plus our faith, that moves mountains. The mustard seed was the smallest particle imaginable. Jesus said that even faith as small or undeveloped as a mustard seed would have been sufficient. Perhaps the disciples had tried to cast out the demon with their own ability rather than God's. There is great power in even a little faith when we trust in God's power to act. If we feel weak or powerless as Christians, we should examine our faith, making sure we are trusting God's power, not our own ability to produce results.
If you are facing a problem that seems as big and immovable as a mountain, turn your eyes from the mountain and look to Christ for more faith. Only then will you be able to overcome the obstacles that may stand in your way. (NLT)
Matthew 17:14-20 – When they arrived at the foot of the mountain, a huge crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, "Lord, have mercy on my son, because he has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn't heal him."
Jesus replied, "You stubborn, faithless people! How long must I be with you until you believe? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me." Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well.
Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, "Why couldn't we cas out that demon?"
"You didn't have enough faith," Jesus told them. "I assure you, even if you had faith as small as a mustard seed you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible."
Jesus looked at [the disciples] carefully and said, "It's impossible for human beings. But all things are possible for God." — Matthew 19:26 (CEB)
John Bown (Minnesota) titled his story "GOD'S POSSIBILITIES;" here is a portion of John's story:
". . . We often limit our vision to what we believe is possible. But God's realm of possibility is very different from ours. I know that God will not grant us everything we ask for, but I have seen God respond to people who ask with faith. No request is too big; all things are possible with God.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY – No prayer request is too big or too small for God.
Prayer: Dear God, thank you for listening when we ask for your help. Help us to serve others as a way of serving you. Amen.
To read the rest of the story in The Upper Room, click on the following link: http://devotional.upperroom.org/
For more Helpful Inspirational Material:
May you find comfort, encouragement, guidance, hope, inspiration, love, and peace – https://helpfulinspirationalblog.wordpress.com/. May you also find answers to your question(s) through the Scriptures that address every situation you face, and help with your problems: https://helpfulinspirationalblog.wordpress.com/topics-a-g/ ; https://helpfulinspirationalblog.wordpress.com/topics-h-n/ ; https://helpfulinspirationalblog.wordpress.com/topics-o-u/; https://helpfulinspirationalblog.wordpress.com/topics-v-z/


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Price: $100.00
Quantity: 1 available
Book Condition: Very Good -
Yellow cloth with gold lettering, no writing in the book, boards a bit warped, cloth wrinkled on front and rear boards, Library of Congress Surplus/Duplicate stamp on half title page, one-half inch piece missing from dust-jacket at head of spine, 141pp. Full refund if not satisfied. Rare.
Title: A Line in Water (First Edition)
Categories: Fiction & Classics & Literature,
Edition: First Edition
Publisher: New Delhi, India, Arnold-Heinemann: 1975
Binding: Hardcover
Book Condition: Very Good -
Jacket Condition: Very Good -
Type: Hardcover
Item: 0.00 Item
Seller ID: 025657


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How do I assign suppliers to my items?
Select Assign Supplier to Products from the Suppliers drop down menu. You should see on this page a list of all your items with their corresponding information. On the left page, you'll see choices that you can use to filter
How can I add a new supplier?
You can add a new supplier by clicking on the Suppliers drop down menu and selecting Add Supplier from the list. Fill out the first tab with your supplier's contact information. You should have this information handy in case you'll be
How can I complete the supplier light box?
A supplier light box is a useful feature within the app wherein you can enter your suppliers' contact details, restock information, and notes or terms that you might have with them. To complete a supplier light box for an existing supplier,
How to Read the Inventory List
The inventory list section is a vital element within the Sales by Product dashboard. It is important to understand all the information detailed under the orders list, so you can effectively utilize the data to your advantage. The ASIN Details column
Understanding Filters on Sales by Product
The carefully-selected filters available on SellerMobile's Sales by Product allows you to specify the orders you wish to see. This powerful feature allows you to filter your data using the following variables: Listing Status Active: Inactive: Incomplete: Stranded: Deleted: Check All:
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Step 1: Create an account on SellerMobile To start, you must create an account on SellerMobile by visiting sellermobile.com. Step 2: Connect your MWS to SellerMobile Input the credentials for your Amazon account and allow for SellerMobile to connect to your Amazon Seller


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Beady Beats Boom Box broadcasts a bunch of black music across the spectrum of sound, traversing eras, genres and places on the planet, a global sound. International Flavors including World Music, Beats, Soul, Dialogs, Talk, News and Insights highlights the diversity of independent radio. Beady Beats Boom Box broadcasts, Liberation Sounds. A reliable source for unheard, upcoming, underground and independent artists.
Beady Beats Boom Box official website address is www.beadybeatsboombox.playtheradio.com
Please Click On To Play Button And Wait For 10-20 Seconds!
Most of the radio should work fine in IE./Firefox/Chrome/Opera. If it doesn't running download Adobe Flash Player. After installing the plugin "refresh" your browser.
If radio doesn't start itself, select the different browser or If the Radio is extremely choppy and stops every 5 seconds, try listen to this Radio at different time.
Not all Radio Stations function for 24 hours everyday. If you can't listen to any Radio, try to listen at different time, as the Radio Station may stop during midnight according to its own country time zone.


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My Current (Female) Fitness Inspirations
It is very important to have fitness inspirations on your fitness journey. I decided to share my current female fitness inspirations in order to inspire other women to work on their physical fitness. All of these strong women inspire me to be healthier and I hope they will inspire you too.
- Miranda Kerr
Miranda Kerr was one of my first health and fitness inspirations. I don't draw inspiration from her as much as I once did, but her healthy lifestyle and attitude still inspires me. She is very committed to eating healthy and staying fit.
2. Daisy Ridley/Rey
Daisy is one of my biggest fitness inspirations at the moment. She is so strong in real life and in the Star Wars movies. She focuses a lot on gaining muscle and doesn't starve herself. I like that instead of focusing on weight loss for her movies, she focuses on gaining strength. I think this is a very healthy attitude to take when exercising. I also saw her costume from The Force Awakens and noticed how thin she was. We are around the same height, so I knew it must be possible for me to be about her weight as well. This motivated me to eat healthier, so I could lose the extra fat I have on my body. I am still working on finding a balance that will allow me to lose weight and will keep me from getting my severe migraines, but hopefully I will have a body similar to hers someday, so my muscles can pop as much as hers do!
Daisy Ridley also struggles with PCOS and endometriosis. These conditions can cause women to gain weight, but can be improved by losing weight (I know, it sounds super difficult). Daisy seems very committed to taking care of herself, which I admire very much.
3. Joja (Jasmine Tookies and Josephine Skriver)
These models are very committed to fitness and show it on their Instagram page (@joja). Their workouts are fun and effective, and some of them can be done with a partner! I enjoy doing these workouts with my sister when we work out together.
4. Gal Gadot/Wonder Woman
Gal Gadot was SO inspiring in Wonder Woman and she made me want to work out more. I often put on Wonder Woman music while working out, which helps me to push myself. Her strength and toughness really inspire me to stick to my exercise program.
5. Margot Robbie/Harley Quinn
Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad really inspired me. She was funny, cute, and girly, but she could still kick butt and do flips in high heels! To top it all off, we have a similar body type. Seeing an athletic girl in a movie was really inspiring for me and helped me feel better about my size. Only seeing stick-thin girls in movies can get a bit annoying when you're a muscular girl, so seeing the gorgeous Margot Robbie kicking butt and looking good while doing it was so amazing for me.
6. Taylor Swift
I didn't pay too much attention to Taylor Swift's body when she was stick thin. For me, it was just more of the same in the entertainment industry. However, she gained some weight during her "reputation" era and now looks super healthy and amazing! She seems to have so much more energy since putting on a little bit more muscle as well. She has been spotted going to the gym often, which has inspired me to work out more often.
7. Natacha Oceane
Natacha Oceane is one of my favorite fitness YouTubers/Instagrammers. She has a lot of muscle and you can tell she works hard for it. I really like stealing workouts and fitness tips from her.
8. Alicia Vikander
This girl is RIPPED. Alicia Vikander used to be a ballet dancer, but quit to become an actor. She began working out for "Tomb Raider" and any dancer could tell that she still has the discipline of a ballet student. She gained a lot of muscle for her role as Lara Croft and her workouts were shared on Instagram by her trainer. She is so hard-working and looks so strong, so I am very inspired by her.
That's all for today! I hope y'all liked this and find these powerful women inspiring as well. Happy healthing!
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It's all about optimism. Not the 'walking about with a mindless grin on your face' sort of optimism. Not the Pollyanna version either. It is the kind of optimism that underlies the belief that I can probably solve this problem, and even if I don't, I will have learned a lot along the way.
When my daughter was six she went through a tough time at school. It was no different from the kinds of problems most children face as they learn how to get along with people. Every day we would ask her about the problems she was having. And things kept getting worse.
As a circuit breaker we decided that from now on we would not greet her with questions like "Did Christy give you a hard time today?" Instead we would ask her to tell us some of the good things that had happened. Only when we had a couple of those on the table would we give her the opportunity to explore any of the problems. It worked. Gradually she began to enjoy school again and the morning grizzles disappeared.
I started thinking more about this a few years back. I was attending a couple of lectures as a wifely duty. You know the sort of thing – it's important to him so I must fly the spousal flag. Sitting in the lecture theatre it occurred to me that I had a choice. I could maintain my 'bored but supportive' stance, or I could look for something interesting. I could make a choice, and I did. There was a lot that I didn't understand, but within that unfamiliar territory I discovered several fascinating way points. And it got me wondering.
Why do we bother? What is it that makes some people bound through life while others lurk in the shadows? Why do some kids stride forward bravely at every challenge and others stand at the back, scuffing their feet and looking at the ground? Maybe it is because they have lost their optimism, the belief that they will succeed and even if they don't they will have enjoyed trying and will have learned some new things along the way.
As adults we can help our kids preserve their optimism. They certainly come with it into the world. No baby ever doubted he would talk, or walk, or run. Watch the determination of the toddler to climb up on the couch and you see optimism in action. Our five year olds enter school filled with optimism and eagerness to learn. When I taught a combined grade one and two I used to think I could walk into the room with large sheets of newspapers, tell them we were going to spend the next half hour tearing them up into tiny bits and they would all cheer. They were enthusiastic about everything in life, so optimistic. It's around grade three that we start hearing them say "I can't do that". What goes wrong?
I think one of the things that goes wrong is that we start to focus too much on the end products of kids' efforts, rather than on the processes. We do the same thing with adults. By doing this we create too many failures. Too much failure makes us into pessimists.
I am trying hard to be an artist. Not all my paintings work. Sometimes the best thing I can do with a finished work is to paint over it with white paint and start a new one. What was that painting? A failure? If that's the case then I ought to put away my brushes because I have a lot of 'failures'. But I learned so much about composition, about mixing colors and about what not to do next time. So the end product may not have been a success but the process certainly was. I learned stuff and kept my optimism intact.
A class of seven year olds has just had a spelling lesson that focuses on the spelling pattern 'ph'. They have made lists of 'ph' words, and looked for 'ph' words in their reading. At the end of the week there is a spelling test and one little girl spells the word like this: ellephant. The teacher marks it incorrect and the tally of failures for the week goes up by one for that child. If mention had been made of the correct initial letter, the correct number of syllables, the correct terminal letter and the correct use of the 'ph' she would have had a 4:1 ratio of successes over failures and come out way ahead. Optimism preserved!
If we want our kids to become skilled thinkers, to exercise the Habits of Mind that characterize successful people, we need to ensure they remain optimistic thinkers who believe that they will gain as much from the acts of thinking and trying as they will from the end product.


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Recent Posts
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- mel on Those Sunny Days
Monthly Archives: January 2014
Running To The End of Time
It's become apparent to me that I've haven't yet blogged about one of the things most dear to me: running, that is. For me, the oft-heard refrain that 'university is a time for exploration' takes on literal meaning. What better … Continue reading
Posted in Random Meditations, Running and the Great Outdoors Tagged forest trails, nature, Running, Wreck Beach Leave a comment
Living For Infinity
Alas, after a long, looong (admittedly unintentional) hiatus from blogging, I'm excited to be back in the thick of things! And there was certainly no better way to get back into the student mindset than to attend UBC's 2014 Student … Continue reading
Posted in Motivation, School life Tagged guest speakers, Infinity, motivation, SLC Leave a comment


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Landscapes in bold colors express my vision of subjects that inspire me, among them the waterfalls and beautiful scenes around Ithaca. Some of my paintings are representational, most are expressive, some more abstract, some pure fantasy. Archival giclee prints and notecards of most of my paintings are available.
I have lived and worked in Ithaca since 1964, for 39 years as a scientist in the Physics Department at Cornell and now, retired since 2003, I am active as a painter. I am catching up on all the painting and music that I missed in those busy years. Now I take my paints when I travel and have my eye open for subjects large and small everywhere. My paintings have been exhibited in most of Ithaca's galleries and shows, and are in private collections from San Francisco to Savannah, GA and even in Australia.
A keen sense of observation has always inspired me to express my feelings and reactions to my surroundings through painting. Landscapes, realistic or abstract, make up most of my work. My paintings reflect my fascination with the theme of water in the natural landscape and I continue to paint a series of watercolors of the scenic beauty of Ithaca and surroundings. I try to use expressive bold colors to represent the subjects that inspire me. Some of my paintings are representational, most are expressive, some are more abstract, some are pure fantasy. I learned watercolor techniques through practice and observation, inspired especially by the watercolors of Winslow Homer, John Singer Sargent and others. Oils and acrylics were learned more by trial & serendipity!
Although my painting has been mainly representational in an expressionist style, I also like doing more abstract work in acrylics, experimenting in brilliant translucent color fields using pure pigments.Commissions are welcome.
Studio Location Details:
Our house is about 1.25 miles from East Hill Plaza on the right. Please open the fence gate and drive in!


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For today's blog post, I wanted to take you all on an updated room tour.
As most of you would know, I moved recently from a townhouse to an apartment. I love my new place. A real upgrade as it's completely new and really fresh looking. My old bedroom was bigger but less cosy and had these horrible yellowy walls. This new room is completely white which serves as a great base for my minimal design. One thing I really like about my room design is the big window. The view is beautiful and makes me feel like I'm in a city apartment because of all the tall buildings and lights. It's definitely a mood. The sunsets are beautiful from this angle too.
In my room, I've got my queen bed, mirror, desk, armchair and plant stand. These are all from Ikea, of course. It's got to be my favourite shop because of the quality and how well the furniture fits my aesthetic. I've also got my chest of drawers which doubles as a dresser. From Urban outfitters, I've got my lilac linen pillowcases, cream cushion and pom pom/tassel rug. For decoration, I've got some pretty vases with dried reeds and lavender. I love adding these small touches because I think they really tie the room together and add a pretty whimsical touch. My posters are from Frankie magazine- I wanted to keep wall decorations fairly simple, so they're unframed. I really like how it turned out! On the wall opposite my bed is my macrame tapestry. It's a natural colour and has cute geometric boho kind of details. I've also tucked in some dried flowers at the top. Across my room, I've got crystals too. Amethyst, rose quartz and a few others for all those good magical vibes. I've also got geodes in a pretty deep purple which I keep on my desk. The last decorative item I've got is a gold framed botanical print in the most gorgeous mustard shade. It makes me happy every time I see it!
Enjoy the pictures darlings x


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What will you see when registering for a Chrome River Splash?
As Chrome River continues to innovate and make strides in expense management and invoice automation, we aim to partner with you for success and give you insight into how your financial processes can be improved with time-saving features that are added to our products on an ongoing basis. These short recordings (15 min or less) will give you insight into the future-ready technology you need to let business flow.
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I never thought it would hurt me this much. I know the day is coming but not this fast. Not even after I watched their concert in Jakarta just a few weeks ago. I still feel like flying over the moon each time I recall the unforgettable moment. But this morning I and millions of Westlife fans across the world may share the same thing: so deeply absorbed in a sadness that tears hardly run down from our eyes.
After 14 years together, the Irish pop sensation finally calls it a quit. Shane Filan, Kian Egan, Nicky Bryne, and Mark Feehily choose to go on their own separate ways. I find out in Twitter that they actually agreed to split up three months ago. That means the decision is concluded before they embark on Gravity Tour in Asia.
It's like a thunder in a very sunny day. I am so much shocked once I open Westlife official fans page in Facebook. At first, I disbelieve the news. But then I check the boyband's website that confirms the saddest entertainment news ever for me. Still stubborn, I open the band's members official Twitter accounts. I am a bit relieved since they have yet to post anything in regards with the news. But then I google about it and see a bunch of news, mostly from UK and Ireland-based media.
I keep opening Twitter with "Westlife" as the hashtag. Thousands of fans cry due to the information and send massive reactions for the boys but no response so far. I myself emotionally share with hundreds of Westlife fans in Indonesia. We are all so devastated.
Shortly, many Westlife fans in Indonesia tweet some promotors and beg them to bring the boyband for the last time next year when they officially leave their lovable fans. I spend most of the day by wishing upon the stars that it is just a hoax. But tweets from the wives of the members implicitly tell me that my dream need miracles to make it happen. They say thank you for all Westlife fans who support their husbands in the past 14 years. So sad but time has changed.
This piece of crap may sound so trivial but I can't help my heart is falling into pieces knowing I will no longer be able to listen to their new songs and sing along with them during shows. I miss them already so much. Their break-up leaves a kind of small hole in my heart I do not who and when it will be a whole again. I just realize that they are my sole idol who have inspired me to put so much love into English language. Their songs make me to get everything right at the beginning before I choose then pursue my career in related with the subject that brings so many happiness in my life. So, the sweetest memory from my teenage period are waving their hands at me.
It's so hard to believe. Even one million words will never be able to tell how miserable I am. Music is no longer a mean to escape from stress and pressure without them. I know I will get over this and let them go sooner or later. Whatever venture each of them will take, my support is and has always been for them. At the time being, however, this is just too hard to bear. I admit I "abandon" them for a few years and start listening to new singers and bands but I never fail to notice their amazing songs. In these past few months my love is growing so much stronger thanks to Twitter. Reading their tweets and looking at their pictures make them look like normal human beings, far from arrogance. Their attitudes during the show proves me that they indeed love their fans.
Lately, I love watching their kids on the stage: Nicole, Shane Peter Junior, Patrick, Rocco, and Jay. From the clips, I am amazed to know that Shane and Nicky are kind fathers, just like any others. It's obviously seen from their interactions with their children.
Dear Alloh swt, thank you so much for Westlife. This is just too painful. Such a hard day. And may be long time ahead to fully accept everything. I strongly hope they will drop by in Jakarta for the Greatest Hits Tour as their latest farewell concert.
Ok, better leave the note at this point.


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When I was a lad growing up, I dreamed of being many things: an astronomer, a pilot, a gynecologist. But of all my many childhood dreams, the one thing I never expected to become in adulthood was a Belgian. Nevertheless, a few years ago I signed up to become a Belgian. And, now that I am a national of this delightful little country, I can publicly proclaim that it is appalling at how easy it is for clowns like me to acquire Belgian nationality! We need to do something about this!
In fact, there is surprisingly little fanfare to becoming a Belgian if you've lived and worked in the country long enough. I simply waddled down to the Gemeentehuis (Town Hall) and said in Dutch, "Please, madam, I wish to become a Belgian." A few days later, I met with the Burgemeester (mayor), signed some forms and from there it was a mere administrative process to gain a new nationality. Belgian bureaucrats, like bureaucrats everywhere, love administrative processes. So, not only was I becoming a Belgian national, but I was making a civil servant or two happy.
A few months after meeting the mayor, I received a letter asking me to make my way back to the town hall with a couple of passport photos for my new identity card. That was it. I had apparently become a Belgian on that day. No "congratulations, Jeffrey, you are now a Belgian!" No champagne. Not a single congratulatory kiss from the mayor's daughter. Just an ID card that indicated − and still indicates − that Jeffrey Paul Baumgartner is a Belgian, thank you very much. Frankly, I was a little disappointed. Then again, patriotism is not a Belgian thing.
I've heard that when you become an American citizen, a choir of Angels led by Jesus, holding a ceremonial machine gun, sings the national anthem to celebrate.
Belgium is a curious little country which most of the rest of the world ignores. Indeed, I am often asked, especially by non-Europeans, what language we speak in Belgium. I often say, "Belgian" and then make funny grunting noises, claiming it is the national language. This is usually a great deal funnier after several Belgian beers.
In fact, the country is divided into three language regions. The Flemish (which is a Belgian way of saying "Dutch") speaking region is in the north (where I live); Wallonia, in the South, which is French speaking; and a tiny piece of Belgium that is German speaking. The Brussels area is officially bilingual Dutch and French, though French speakers dominate.
Fortunately, in spite of the language and cultural differences, the Flemish and French speakers adore one another and are often seen spontaneously hugging each other in the streets of Brussels where the languages meet.
Actually, that's not true. Not even a bit.
The Flemish consider the Walloons to be useless, unemployed layabouts living a life of welfare luxury supported by Flemish tax payers' hard work, while the Walloons perceive the Flemish to be pompous, uptight and lacking even the rudiments of culture. The Flemish say that, "well yeah, if we sat around on our arses all day, we'd have time to get more culture ourselves", to which the Walloons stick out their tongues and say "nyah nyah nyah" − in French, of course. The German speakers, small in number, hide quietly in their bit of Belgium, trying to avoid being brought into the battle.
These days, the Flemish side of Belgium is far wealthier than the Walloon side, so some particularly uptight Flemish politicians regularly talk about splitting the country along the language divide so that they (I should say "we" as I live on the Flemish side) can keep our tax money to ourselves and maybe support a bevy of cultured Flemish layabouts.
These politicians claim that the only thing stopping Flanders from seceding is Brussels. Belgium's capital city and home to the European Institutes rakes in money by the truckload. However, it is officially bilingual, its population is largely French speaking and it sits (geographically) in Flanders. So, neither side has a clear legal claim on the city. When politicians talk about separation, they like to use the analogy of divorce, with Brussels as the child that belongs to both sides. Brussels, the pundits like to say, is the only thing keeping the country together.
I disagree. I believe the confusing matter of custody of Brussels presents a marvellous and entertaining solution. In Belgian divorce cases, custody of the children is normally split evenly between the two parents. The children are with the mother one week and the father the next. The idea is that both parents should have equal participation and responsibility when it comes to raising their children.
So, why not do this with Brussels? It couldbe French speaking one week and Flemish speaking the next. You would have separate Flemish and Walloon city councils that would also change weekly. All the street and road signs, which are now in both languages, would switch language at midnight on Sunday. So the "Chaussée de Louvain" would suddenly become "Leuvensesteenweg". "Grand Place" would become "Grote Markt". Even shops, restaurants and cafés would be encouraged to change names according to language. Can you imagine? It would be a great tourist draw. People would come, from all over the world, to Brussels to watch the street signs switch over. Wouldn't that be a hell of a lot more exciting than watching the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace?
Sadly, whenever I suggest this idea to Belgian politicians, they grumble about the need to make it harder for foreigners to become a Belgian. I heartily agree!
Note: since I became a Belgian, the country does seem to have made nationalisation more difficult. I guess they did learn a lesson from me.
© 2015 -1019 ungodly.com


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Just a note and photo to let you know about our trip. We had a great time in LA, but unfortunately was not selected as a contestant. We were in the audience for the taping (supposed to air 11/15/13) and the weather was unseasonably cool, never went over about 75 degrees.
Thanks for your help in putting our trip together - we had a great time !!!!
Thanks, Glynda & Jim Oliver
Fairmont Travel
(281) 487-4800
Pasadena, TX 77504
Copyright 2015. All Rights Reserved.


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Four Areas For Spiritual Growth
Contributed by Andy Grossman on Sep 27, 2017 (message contributor)
Summary: If we are spiritually alive we will grow spiritually
"Four Areas for Spiritual Growth"
September 24, 2017
"Then he (Jesus) told this parable: "A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?'
"'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.'"
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."
Do you know what the oldest living thing on earth is? It is a Great Basin bristlecone pine. It was measured by ring count to be 5067 years old. This is the oldest known tree in North America, and the oldest known living individual nonclonal tree in the world, meaning that the trunk itself is the same age as the root system. I have had the privilege of seeing this tree, and I have seen many others like it that were near its age. They are located in the White Mountains overlooking Owen Valley near the town of Big Pine, California in the Ancient Bristlecone Pine forest at Schulman Grove.
Bristlecones are hardly worth a glance and you probably wouldn't give them a thought if you came across one. They aren't large and green and beautiful in the sense we normally think of trees. They are stunted and warped and gnarled and look half dead – and they are! They have their own unique kind of beauty – like a gnarled up old man or women. Their claim to fame is not size or how much fruit they produce or their magnificent beauty; it is longevity. They reach the age they do by clinging to life in drought or flood, fire or famine, in the harshest of conditions. They adapt by dying a little. As the tree ages, much of its bark may die. Very old specimens often leave only a narrow strip of living tissue to connect the roots to the handful of live branches. It prunes itself, so to speak, and rids itself of all unnecessary branches that would sap its strength and make it unfruitful.
It kind of reminds me of Jesus' parable when He says "He cuts off every branch that is unfruitful." The bristlecone pine continues to be fruitful and is able to reproduce itself even though it is gnarled and old. Being fruitful and growth is expected in a bristlecone pine - and in the Christian, as well. We are to keep growing; keep striving; keep living spiritually in spite of our external circumstances. The winds of life may be harsh; the soil may be lacking; our experiences may be devastating – but we are to endure anyway. Jesus said, "They that endure to the end will be saved." We need to, not just hang on, but grow and thrive.
Last week I mentioned four things that help us grow spiritually. These four things help us to continue to keep spiritually alive. This morning I want to revisit those four important things and expound on them a little more. God said, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13
Whenever you learn or grow – attitude is key. I know that personally. When I was in high school I was a very poor student. My attitude and purpose was to go to school so I wouldn't have to go work in the woods – like my Dad and big brother. I did just enough to get by. And I did graduate from Grand Rapids High, certainly not one of their best students.
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OUR VALEDICTORY year of 1982, Saint Jude Catholic School (SJCS) batch 82 was caught in a perfect storm of defining actor and unique moment.
Our hormones-gone-haywire and fascination with puberty was the unstoppable force that moved into the immovable object that was the set-in-stone policy of our Beloved Leader/s, principal Fr Peter Yang, to implement boys-only (and girls-only) classroom plans and chuck in the garbage the co-ed environment that had served SJCS's students so well the previous dozen years.
Out the window went the soiree-like atmosphere that kept the inmates normal; preserving the reality that you grew up with members of the opposite sex (as well as yours); that you could eat, speak and act better and more sensibly if the fairer (or stronger) gender made you conscious; and finally that being around people other than those of the same sex prepared you to be a normal member of civilized society. We were the convenient guinea pigs in a social experiment : separate the yins from the yangs, don the safety goggles, step back and see what happens.
Three decades later, no one's the wiser, we can't qualitatively or quantitatively determine if separating the boys from the girls did any of us a world of good, if teaching us the way they did in Ateneo, Xavier, Miriam, St. Scholastica's or any of the other so-called "exclusive" schools made us more focused, less naughty, or less predisposed to fornication, which was (and remains) probably the prime directive of all Catholic schools and their downstream industries.
The only thing that remains crystal-clear from that senior year so many years ago was that, from Day One, with very few exceptions, in Section B ( of which Your Loyal Blogger was a member ) from 7.30 am morning prayers till 4.30 flag retreat, we joked about, thought about and of course, talked about sex and most everything related to it.
By sex I don't mean graphic images of sex acts, pornographic material or obsessions with sexual dysfunctions, but how we perceived the forbidden world of sexuality and how soon we would enter it. Some of us, obviously the ones who had matured sooner, had already entered such world and were naturally the sort-of authority on the matter. Others, like me, were late bloomers who didn't have a clue on why this or that was sprouting out of our bodies or why some "default settings" were springing to life whenever certain persons, images or memories were brought to our attention.
By the way, I'm talking about these things because I heard on one of the thousands of mass media outlets we're desensitized to, the oft-repeated urban legend that men think about sex every seven seconds or that only :07 separates one sexual thought from the next in the average man's brain.
While it's not an outrageous stat, personally I think there are too many other things that occupy modern living for us men (incidentally, your crazy blogger happens to be a circle-and-arrow) for us to think of doing the nasty every-so-often. A more revised number, around 19 times a day, seems a bit more plausible.
But back to our St Jude days. We were a disparate and motley crew of neophytes to the world of the worldly, each one of us harboring a unique universe of preconceived ideas regarding sex. The only common ground among us was that each was insatiable in our thirst for knowledge about what was happening with our rapidly evolving hearts and minds (and other organs). Well at least, that's how I saw it.
On the one hand, you had classmate X, taller and bulkier than the rest, who knew almost everything that you needed to know as a man on the cusp of young adulthood. Then there was comrade Y, who was brooding and thoughtful, but also athletic and creative, and so attracted admirers like ice-cold Coke attracted thirsty construction workers in the middle of the summer day. Seatmate Zwas the wholesome boy-next-door and was humble as pie, but already had a pair of relationships under his belt, so he knew what he would be talking about every time he opened his mouth. And then there were wide-eyed babes-in-the-woods like me who were just tagging along for the ride.
Every time a joke was cracked, a double entendre was uttered, or a popular girl's name was mentioned, you would expect the usual gaggle of snickers, follow-up jokes or punches-in-the-arms to follow, but more than that, the discussions generated would likewise never end. Why was the joke funny? (if you have to ask…) Are they really an item now? (What planet have you been on?) Or I get the joke, but can I repeat it to the girls or the folks? (better not.)
All in all, it was a time for secret thoughts, forbidden jokes and hurried peeks at verboten pictures that we dared not think, laugh or stare at, but when you think about the mind and sense-numbing of our culture today, hardly elicit more than a chuckle or twinkle in the eye now.
It was the age of magical mystery, wonderment and discovery, when everything was new to the eye and hot to the touch, and not just the obvious enticements. Higher knowledge, sophistication, financial independence and of course, sex or sexuality. They were all part of the intensity of adolescent attention. And depending on how we turned out as scientists, fashion gurus, captains of industry or oversexed suburban dads, the charter members of Batch 82, section 4B, the very first gender-separated SJCS class, are probably as OCD when it comes to their favorite distraction, as they were 30 years ago. Seven seconds, far from being the new normal, is the old normal.
Thanks to all my 82 kabatch, especially 4-B, and thanks for reading !