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Monday, August 23, 2010
Mystery door
32 comments:
- Jennifer Shirk said...
Oh, that's so true. I don't think I spend enough time on those little details but I really appreciate it when an author does. :)
- August 23, 2010 at 6:05 PM
- Claudia said...
Hi Tricia,
Thanks for sharing this story. I absolutely love Spanish-style houses/buildings, especially those with the courtyard in the middle and big porches or terraces. The mystery door, hmmm, as a writer, I could come up with a dozen ways for usage. Life is a mystery itself and if we could unlock all its secrets then it wouldn't be life. But your explanation of how this small door was used at the beginning of the 20th century makes sense. ;)
Claudia @ www.claudiadelbalso.blogspot.com
- August 23, 2010 at 6:35 PM
- Char said...
i've heard that before about the doors. it makes sense - i love your pondering about it.
- August 23, 2010 at 7:02 PM
- Stephanie Thornton said...
I love this post Tricia- your questions just prompted a detail for one of my secondary characters.
Minutiae can be important for world-building. I'm guilty of ignoring them until I have to fact check- did the Egyptians have candles? Did they sleep on mattresses?
- August 23, 2010 at 7:52 PM
- Wen Baragrey said...
For some reason, and I know it's miles off, but your apartment building reminds me of the Mission Hotel in Riverside. Not sure why, probably just the shape. It looks gorgeous though!
I love mystery doors. We had one in one of our apartments when I was a kid. It turned out it led into the attic, but we hadn't realized. It was definitely the coolest door ever!
- August 23, 2010 at 7:59 PM
- Tricia J. O'Brien said...
Jennifer: I was recently listening to the audio version of Neil Gaimon's Stardust, and I kept being blown away with the wonderful detail that pulled me deeper into this other place.
Claudia: Hi and welcome. This apartment is so lovely inside, too, with hardwood floors, arched doorways and tiled areas.
Char: I lean toward pondering. ;)
Stephanie: Yay! I love that I promted something with my ponderings. :D
Wen: Not miles off at all! I live just blocks from the Mission Inn. How do you know that hotel? It is truly an amazing place.
As for mystery doors, there are some crazy ones at the Winchester Mystery House in California. It was built by an heiress to fortune made from guns. She kept trying to outrun and outsmart the spirits with crazy building.
- August 23, 2010 at 8:34 PM
- VR Barkowski said...
How could I resist a mystery door? Love the idea it's for milk. Did you open it? Is there just a cubby? It is just this sort of detail that intrigues and brings a story to life.
- August 23, 2010 at 9:36 PM
- Unknown said...
This is just such a cool post.
And I love how you related it to writing. Writers do that all the time, don't they?
I've been reading historical fiction the last two days, and thru that novel I realized the point you're making here: the details, the details.
Thanks for posting this.
- August 23, 2010 at 10:05 PM
- Jade said...
I was hoping it was for leprechauns. Oh, well.
- August 24, 2010 at 4:14 AM
- Paul C said...
Wonderful post. It's the small details that can bring richness and depth to writing, and possibly a great image.
- August 24, 2010 at 5:23 AM
- storyqueen said...
Love your little door! I remember the milk man leaving milk when I was little....now we all just have to go to the store.
You are right, of course, it's the little things that often make a story ring true.
- August 24, 2010 at 6:18 AM
- Tricia J. O'Brien said...
VR: Isn't it fun? I tried to open it but it's sealed in some way--probably because the doors aren't used anymore or for safety precautions. The inside wall is plastered over it, but it's near enough the floor that there could have been a ledge or the bottles could have been set down without problem. Of course, this is a guess on my part. I'm letting my imagination fly.
- August 24, 2010 at 6:36 AM
- Tricia J. O'Brien said...
Damyanti: Thank you so much! There is so much to juggle when writing a novel, it makes my head spin. While the plotline and character development are the most important elements in keeping a novel strong, the details make it rich and real.
Jade: Ha! Of course, they might curdle the milk. :D
Hi Paul: Thank you. You're so right.
Shelley: Isn't the door a wonder? I loved that moment of spying it and thinking, 'whatever can that be?'
- August 24, 2010 at 6:45 AM
- Jemi Fraser said...
My grandfather used to deliver milk (via horse and buggy no less) in Scotland. Every home had one :)
- August 24, 2010 at 7:13 AM
- Tricia J. O'Brien said...
Jemi!!!! Really? So the little doors are for milk? I'm quite excited. And I love that bit about your grandfather. I think you should write some story surrounding that. :D
- August 24, 2010 at 8:17 AM
- Davin Malasarn said...
That's so cool, Tricia! I remember once I was at a friend's house and we found a little door like this inside that he had never noticed before. It was so odd to open it and reach inside and try to think of what had been in it before. I'm often jealous of the times when people had milk delivered to them in glass bottles every morning!
- August 24, 2010 at 8:20 AM
- Bish Denham said...
It's an Alice in Wonderland door. It could go anywhere, even into another universe or a different dimension. And you are so right about paying attention to those little details.
- August 24, 2010 at 8:47 AM
- Tere Kirkland said...
Thought provoking post, Pat. It's funny how something like a door can act as a window to another time. Better yet, it can spark the imagination of tons of writers, all in unique directions!
- August 24, 2010 at 9:02 AM
- Tricia J. O'Brien said...
Hi Domey aka Davin: You had me going for a minute. I thought does Davin have a brother? I like you by any name. :) And how cool you found a little door, too! I love exploring old buildings.
Bish: It is at the moment a sealed door,which makes it more intriguing, doesn't it? The little passage to another world. I love that.
Tere: Great way of putting it--a window to another time. It's one of the wonders of being a writer, exploring all these possibilities, isn't it?
- August 24, 2010 at 9:34 AM
- MG Buehrlen said...
I love this post. It's so true. And I immediately went through your checklist and patted myself on the back for already knowing those things about my world. (I don't give myself pats on the back very often, so this deserved a comment.) Your building is beautiful!
- August 24, 2010 at 11:09 AM
- Donna said...
Lovely doorway to mystery.
- August 24, 2010 at 11:12 AM
- Claire Dawn said...
This is something that's missing from my work. I always notice when other authors casually mention passing things. It fleshes out the world so beautiful. My world is sadly, still black and white.
- August 24, 2010 at 5:33 PM
- Tricia J. O'Brien said...
MG: Ah, gotta love the pats on the back, and good for you!
Donna: Thank you.
Claire: Awareness is the first step. I find that there is plenty of time in revision to add layers and bring the reader deeper in to story.
- August 25, 2010 at 6:59 AM
- Linda Kage said...
There's this door set in the side of a small hill and half hidden by some trees along a roadside about 30 miles from where I live. Every time I passed it, I always wondered what that door led to.
My husband finally told me the area is full of old mine land, and it probalby led into a mine from the early 1900s.
- August 25, 2010 at 7:00 AM
- Angela Ackerman said...
I love doors, I really do. They are often story sparkers for me. You should find the landlord and see if he knows for sure, or if he can open it. I like your explanation tho--that makes perfect sense.
BTW, I am still revising and just had to stop by and make sure you and everyone else was aware of your awesomeness. Thank you so much for your crit on my WIP. I don't know what I would do without you!
Angela @ The Bookshelf Muse
- August 25, 2010 at 7:04 AM
- Tricia J. O'Brien said...
Linda: OOoooo, I love secret doors in hillsides. I found one in San Clemente. It's a rusted mesh door in a sandstone cliff. I'm sure there's some logical explanation, but I prefer to imagine something magical. I have a photo on this blog of it called Secret Door Too.
Angela: There's something about a mystery door that does spark the imagination. That little door is sealed, though, probably after they stopped using them.
Thank you so much for such kind words. *blushes*
- August 25, 2010 at 7:20 AM
- Robyn Campbell said...
Dang it! You live in a beautiful area, Pat. I loved looking at the red-painted path and thinking about how many times you walk down it musing.
The little door is very interesting. And I would love to wake up to a fresh milk delivery every morning.
And you're right on about creating authentic environments. That is something I have had to work on repeatedly.
I hope the little door will make me more attentive, too. Thanks, great post pal-o-mine. ^_^
- August 25, 2010 at 11:39 AM
- Tricia J. O'Brien said...
*waves at Robyn* pal-o-mine, ha! Do you have horses on the brain, my dear?
I do love the beauty of this apartment but the area is toooooo hot. Today is about 108. Yuck.
But I have little doors to escape into and a trusty AC unit.
- August 25, 2010 at 1:34 PM
- Suzanne Casamento said...
First, your building is gorgeous!
I love the idea of fresh milk in the morning! I think your milk theory is a strong one regarding use of the little door.
And I love how you related the door to your writing. You're absolutely right about the importance of details. Thanks for the reminder.
- August 25, 2010 at 9:01 PM
- Paul Greci said...
I like that little door!!
I think those little details can help ground the reader in a story.
- August 27, 2010 at 9:23 AM
- Tricia J. O'Brien said...
Suzanne: Thank you. I love the building and just wish I could transport it closer to the beach. Le sigh.
Paul: Thank you, too! It is grounding, for sure. It gives a sense of a real place.
- August 27, 2010 at 9:41 AM
- Barrie said...
There's something very intriguing about that little door.
- September 2, 2010 at 1:28 AM


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Comiket and other events news. Not listing them here. Some new tapestries from various magazines. And the failure of my 2018 savings target. Oh and one last route for Floflo.
- Kinkoi tapestry by BugBug. Max lewd (almost). And expensive because mail order.
- Alcot's Shogun FD. Finally open.
- Muririn tapestry by Moeoh. Hmmmmmmm. Print quality from Moeoh has been questionable but shall I make this exception? Probably not. Also some other Moeoh goods from this month's magazine.
- Next Argonauts title, will be a 3P. I wasn't expecting this.
- Sofmap tapestry in C95? I don't remember they ever had comiket booth before.
- 9-haruiro website open. Scheduled for April.
Non-news links
- DMM ero genre popularity statistics (doujin).
- RIP Gridman doujins in Melonbooks (and maybe others?).
- Fapping party.
New stuff
Nothing! Whee. Come back next week.
Eroge playthrough
Finished Nanao route. Or almost, because I haven't done the extra H-scene and append scene.
Continuing to final route for now though. Was hoping to finish it yesterday but of course that didn't happen. Also helped delaying this post.
Most likely will play Kinkoi next.
Non-eroge stuff
Nothing. No FGO event either.
Daily life
Sold three items with about 100% original cost (total). One item helped increasing that percentage because the other items were sold at loss.
Previous auction went mostly well if not for one item I handled poorly. RIP my perfect rating.
On spending, it looks like I'll be spending about 50k for comiket. And probably about 10-20k for other events. At that number I can questionably fit in Minato pillow cover. Well, assuming the queue is doable, that is. Probably not so it won't happen. Or will it?
Apart of that, it looks like I'll go under 450k total from my savings target for this year.
Need to do better next year. And stop buying so many crap.
Events starts
tomorrow today. Will star with K-Books, then check Popfes a bit which then followed by checking Denkigai. Hopefully 9:00 is early enough for K-Books goods.
As for comiket, probably I will only do first train day 3. I'm also considering a late day 2 though probably won't happen because I'm lazy like that.
Closing words
Need to sleep ASAP so I don't die at the event today.

subset: commoncrawl


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Lynn Belt Schuppert '78
Doctor of Jurisprudence from The University of Alabama School of Law.
After law school, I clerked for the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals, then returned to Decatur and joined the firm of Blackburn and Maloney (now Blackburn, Maloney and Schuppert LLC). I've been there since 1983.
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Seeing Beauty in the Ordinary
We all know how it feels. The second we open our eyes in the morning, our minds begin to fill with ideas, plans, worries. While brushing our teeth, our minds are at the office. While eating breakfast, we scan e-mail on our smartphones. While driving down the street, we hear the computerised voice of GPS and dream of getting away from it all. A Caribbean island, perhaps...
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Is There a Feeling that Lasts Forever?
Another way to shift our perspective is the consider the possibility that no feeling lasts forever. Even many of our troubles from last week, now that they have been dealt with, seem far away. This is even more true when we consider the past year, or decade, or century. Statistically speaking, most of our worries amount to very little! What seems to be hugely important one day is all but forgotten the next. When we see our everyday obligations from this larger perspective, the beauty of the ordinary finds a space to shine through.
How can I Live Without Plans?
In this world, there will always be a practical need for thinking ahead. Fortunately, we are equipped to deal with this while also living in the moment. The trick is to understand that who we really are is bigger than any of our worldly concerns. When we live for the future, our problems and concerns seem bigger than us, and the beauty of the ordinary is hidden from our eyes.
Is the cure gradual, or instantaneous?
Making a New Year's resolution to live in the moment is a problematic approach! It could be that the only way to access the beauty of the present moment is to plunge in right now. Unlike earning a degree or leaning a foreign language, living in the moment is better described as jumping immediately into a pool of clear water withing yourself. This wisdom has been repeated countless times, but perhaps no one said it better than Albert Einstein: "Life is a preparation for the future; and the best preparation for the future is to live as if there were none."
Author: Barney


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Tickets for the 2nd annual Leprechaun Chase on St. Patrick's Day in Blackrock Park were snapped up within days with over 500 children and 350 adults registering to take part. Many more turned up on the morning to queue for last minute tickets and join in the fun. While, it may not have been quite as sunny as last year, the atmosphere was even better. From 11am the crowds started arriving to check in for the Chase. DLR Parks Department had Blackrock Park looking splendid. Comhaltas, ably led by Micheál McCabe entertained the crowds with traditional Irish music from the newly refurbished bandstand, while the kids took photographs with the Leprechaun and played in the playground.
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Last, but not least, we must thank our Duracell-bunny Leprechaun who kept going all day, putting a smile on every child's face, and every adult's too!
More photos on Flickr.


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Sonic the Hedgehog Movie Trailer #2
Pages 1 2 3 NEXT
well the redesigns finally happened. discuss.
Kinda looks like that character from a video game.
You know, the one with the trailer panned for the character design, set to gangster's paradise? Yeah, they just dropped a new trailer with the updated design.
And credit where it's due, that looks a lot better. I'm still definitely not the target audience, but my compliments to the redesign team all the same.
I dunno. Sonic has improved, sure. But Robotnik still looks way off. Did they not re-CGI him too?
Even if I were a fan I would give this movie a pass just for the way Jim Carrey acts in the trailer alone. It's like he's playing this character as Ace Ventura but an evil scientist with robots. The last time I found Ace Ventura funny, or even tolerable, I was twelve at the absolute oldest.
Hey, the talking cartoon animal looks like a talking cartoon animal, and not some horrifying blue hogchild. It's a little different from the actual modern Sonic Design, but still instantly recognizable.
Pretty sure the movie's still gonna suck tho. None of the jokes landed for me. Watching Jim Carrey voraceously chew scenery might be entertaining tho.
Now people are complaining that it no longer will be a "so bad it's good" movie, but just a "plain-flavored bad" movie...
It's stil a Sonic the Hedgehog movie though.
2 threads merged.
Can't please everyone. Honestly, I never cared for people who go way overboard on the I like it ironically, or "so bad it's good". Even "so bad it's good" can get boring or aggravating at times.
I think the movie will be just okay, but it should have been animated. I'd prefer 2D, but we all know that is not going to happen, so 3D would have been fine. Imagine this, but on the big screen:
Well that looks terrible, but at least Sonic isn't a horror movie monster now.
Honestly, they probably had this design in the movie the entire time and just made up the monster design for the trailer to get people talking.
Why they don't just make these things animated when it would be 100 times better received and just as much cheaper to do in the bargain I have no idea. Whenever something that wasn't to begin with is made into live action it's always considered decent at best and absolutely horrible at worst and in either case nowhere near as good as the source material. Plus there's the fact that they can never and likely never will even with the absolute best of effects do anything in live action that animation 2D or 3D couldn't do better, and that's if it can be done in live action at all.
I think a few others had the same idea as me that this was the best marketing campaign that ever was. And here we are, with the pay off.
Millions of people are going to go see this. Me, as a Nintendo Fanboy growing up feel nothing for it. But there are so many people praising the new redesign that I feel this is going to be one of the most successful video game movies of all time just due to a crappy trailer a few months back.
Manipulation at its finest.
Still looks bad, but now everyone is tricked into thinking it is not so bad because it is not as bad as it was, but it is still bad.
Cartoon characters should have cartoon movies.
I give it a B-. Not an outstanding grade, but considering the last one was a solid F it does show a large amount of growth.
Granted I'm still not watching the movie because everything about it looks like it was designed for pre-teens in terms of humor levels and it feels like I was never the target audience.
I raise you "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" and "Mary Poppins".
... Actually, I might fold on Mary Poppins. I remember being bored as a kid.
I raise you "Who Framed Roger Rabbit".
God, that was a good movie.
I call. "Dragonheart." Absolutely beautiful movie, amazing CGI for its day, still holds up now.
We're going to need a ruling from Saelune. 'Cartoon characters' were specified here. Dragonheart be a bad ass dragon. Sans cartoonism.
So, on one hand, Sonic looks much better, and I think the trailer is better overall.
On the other, I have to admit, if you asked me whether I'd be interested in the film if not for Sonic, the answer would almost certainly be no.
2D or 3D, I think it would be better animated. Plus, why is this set on Earth? Clearly Green Hill exists in the movie's universe, so why not have a movie there?
Would've been far more interesting had this movie choosen for an actual (traditional) cartoon/live-action hydrid style. Instead were left with this Smurfs looking shit. Speaking of, this movie still looks awful.
Mary Poppins was dumb, and the cartoons were ancillary. And Who Framed Roger Rabbit was still a cartoon movie.
Neither tried to make the cartoons not be cartoons. Really they only support my point. Hell, the singular 'cartoon character' turned 'live action' in Roger Rabbit was the insane, disturbing villain who horrified many a child.
Because it's made by a mostly creatively bankrupt industry. Do you know how many animated cartoons went live action and have them mainly in the "real world", modern times, or focuses more the human characters? Sonic X is actually guilty of this too, which is why a lot of people don't like it. Well that, the 4kids dub/censorship, and Chris Thonrdyke. Oh, you have people that enjoy it now, back then, there was a divide. And me, I don't even bother trying to look at the series again. There are times where I almost prefer watching Underground over X. Almost.
According to Word of God from Sega, Sonic and friends do hop dimension in the games. Sometimes it's obvious, other times it's all there in the manual. Also, Sonic hopped plenty of dimensions in the Archie brand comics. But I agree with you, another human focused adaption is pointless.
The original design was bad, the movie is still 99% likely to end up bad, but Paramount caving to internet outrage is a worrying sign. Internet discourse on movies has been terrible since it started and only gotten worse over time. I've seen a fair share of online comments already talking about Paramount 'listening to the fans' as justification for why every other studio should cave into every other idiotic fan demand. Focus testing has already ruined enough movies without the internet becoming a single live focus test for the studios to caper to in the vein hope that they can stave off being bought up by Disney for a few more years
Ehh, fair enough. I was just thinking "blended mediums".
It's hard to get consensus from Sonic fandom, but my understanding was that people dislike Sonic X now, but it was popular when it came out, at least initially. I don't recall the censorship issue ever really being a thing until season 3 where the dub literally edited Molly's death out from ever happening.
That said, I like Sonic X overall. Which may seem odd since I've just complained about Sonic being on Earth, but among other things, Sonic X actually did the legwork of how the world would react to anthropomorphic animals and a doctor turning up with said doctor having superior technology to anything on Earth. Even Chris I didn't mind, because I can understand why he was there as an audience surrogate, and he does provide a 'window' into the world for the main characters. On the other hand, stating that the reason the movie is set on Earth because of budget or lack of creativity is a plausible one.
But we agree that Sonic Underground lurks at/near the bottom of Sonic cartoons, so there's that I guess.
Oh yeah. That. There's actually contradictory information there, but the idea of different dimensions in the game doesn't hold water because as early as SA1, Mystic Ruins is located along the train line from Station Square. The best explanation I can go with is the notion is that on Earth, there's a "human world" and "animal world" that are largely separate from each other, each doing their own thing. Which actually got me wondering what GUN was doing during Sonic Forces. Looking to their own borders maybe?
As for Archie, yeah, Sonic did dimension hopping, but humans were part of the setting before SA1, so it's kind of a non-issue. STC actually brought humans in like that when the (UK?) Army invaded Mobius because their commander was evil or something. Heck, it's been awhile.
I can't speak for the UK comics as I never read them. Archie comics had Overlanders (humans with distinctly 4 fingers) with most of them wiped out. I just remember the retcon they did to bring regular humans in to Sonic's world to tie in with the Sonic Adventure games. I found it hilarious, as the story was "oh, (five-fingered) humans were always in Sonic's world. They were just hiding in cloaked civilizations. One that looks like San Francisco for some reason." It was one of the times kid me saw the writer pulling things out of their asses.
Simply put. Marketing.
Marketing a Hollywood film can cost as much as the film itself, so the cost of the film doesn't really matter. The entire reason this film exists is to cash in the recognisable IP of Sonic the Hedgehog. It doesn't matter if the film is good, you just need to market it heavily and people will see it just because they know the IP.
Having recognizable actors in a film who you can put in trailers or or posters is better for marketing than having CGI characters.
Again, the point isn't for the film to be good or even to make it look good, the point is to activate that little part of the brain that thinks "wow, I recognize that" so that when parents are choosing which film to take their insufferable child to they choose this one.
It's the same cynical process that gave us the Smurfs movies or the Garfield movies, because literally any old IP can be marketed this way to children and make some money.
Focus Testing and Internet Fan Demands is the reason why we went from Batman v Superman to Shazam.
I kinda think that this movie would make a lot more money if they casted Chris alongside Sonic to defeat Jim Carrey. It would make a lot of ironic money.
Are they going to remake the gangsters paradise trailer with the new model?
Is it weird I'm actually excited for this? The redesign looks a LOT better and the new trailer has a fun road trip vibe.
If course, I'm someone who didn't mind Sonic X, so I don't have what you would call "good taste"...
The bad guy from Roger Rabbit scared the shit out of me as a kid. It's like Hitler, if Hitler was a Nazi.
I don't see that as a retcon - not unless you go by the literal definition of a retcon (i.e. "retroactive continuity"). That said, what struck me as odd wasn't that the city was hidden, but that four fingers were a thing. Like, I'd never even noticed it before with any of the characters, and it struck me as such a bizzare distinction. What's more, given how Overlanders were portrayed up to that point, with their multi-coloured hair, I figured that you'd already have some distinction between Overlanders and regular humans through the aesthetic differences.
...and? One of those films is much, MUCH better than the other.
Beat you to it.
No...but why is Sonic going on a road trip anyway? He certainly doesn't need help moving around in the film.
Well, as someone who likes Sonic X and regards it as the #2 Sonic animated media, you're not alone.
If it's anything like the Monster Hunter movies reasoning it's because the directors want an "every-man" character that outsiders of the franchise will be able to "relate" to because actual fans apparently aren't enough to rely on.
I'd maintain that:
-Sonic is far more well known in the general populace than Monster Hunter - a lot of people will have at least heard of him.
-Having Sonic interact with a human makes sense if he's brought to Earth (see Sonic X), but again, why rely on that plot point in the first place?
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Considering the committee's interactions with the board, management, and auditors as well as its composition.
The chair should consider the dynamics of the AC. An important question for the AC chair is, "how do AC members interact with each other, with the chair, and with the board, management, and auditors?"
The chair should also consider the overall AC composition (ensuring the committee includes the "right" mix of people with the appropriate mix of hard and soft skills).
The AC chair needs to work closely with the chair of the nominating/governance committee in the AC member selection process to assess:
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As I mentioned before in my Beauty Packing for Travel post I'm staying with my family and only for a week so I packed really light clothes wise. This meant enough space for my considerable travel stash in my fav toilette bag with tiny whales (yeah, you read right!!!) and hearts from Women's Secret. Be forewarned, this is not the lightest I have ever packed I could definitely downsize more but this time I didn't have the space constrains so I was able to pack a little bit of everything however no make-up brushes this time. I decided to go with the hands are your best tools approach… it's a first but I'm not complaining yet.
What's in my bag then? Well, there were a few essentials that I did not bring like shower gel, shampoo, toothbrush and paste. These were and are provided by my sister so apart from these I packed one side full with skin care, hair care and random travel bits while used the other side for strictly make-up.
Skin and hair care: (From left to right and top to bottom row)
Thinking about travel disasters I always prepare wet wipes, painkillers, plasters and cotton pads to help with any unexpected problems. Next is my skin care routine lineup for morning and evening: Sephora Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover, Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser (substitute for my balm cleanser in a small bottle), Caudalie Beauty Elixir, Josie Maran 100% Argan Oil, Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream, Origins GinZing Energy-boosting Moisturizer.
This time I also brought a relaxing face mask, Aura Manuka Honey Mask from Antipodes. It's one of my favorites and travel always brings a lot of change for my skin that is hard to cope with so even if it is not essential it is still something I like to have with me. The Body Shop Body Butter in Peach, a Travalo full of my scent of choise, Tommy Girl from Tommy Hillfiger, Bumble and Bumble Thickening Hairspray, a no-name razor and comb are other important pieces that I will need away from home.
I always pack one portable foundation that is hard to smash, my Giorgio Armani Lasting Silk UV Foundation and one good for all areas concealer, my NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard and to finish it of an Urban Decay De-slick Makeup Setting Spray for during the day oil-control I use Boscia's Clear Complexion Blotting Linens (I prefer these with GA foundation then a powder that always feels too much on my skin). For brows I use my compact little eyebrow kit. It's from Catrice (a popular, European drugstore brand) and contains a mirror, a pluck, a tiny spoolie with a brow brush on the other side and two brow colors, a lighter one exactly like M.A.C.'s cult eyeshadow, Omega that is a popular eyebrow for lot of bloggers and a darker close to M.A.C.'s Mystery. Last in line is my favorite seasonal blush, theBalm's Instain in Toile, that is a pretty rosy pink perfect for spring when I like more muted colors on checks and lips.
For lips I have to confess, I did go a little overboard, but lipstick is one thing I like with a wide variety. I love to know I have several to choose from depending on what mood strikes me so I packed a broad selection of spring and winter colors from sheer to opaque including lip balm, gloss, pencil and lipstick from creamy to matte. From left to right I packed NARS Dolce Vita Velvet Matte Lip Pencil, my my-lips-but-better favorite, NARS Moscow Pure Matte Lipstick and NARS Gypsy Sheer Lipstick (not on the picture because I forgot it in my coat pocket) are my two wearable daytime reds, M.A.C.'s See Sheer Lustre Lipstick, my favorite pink for spring. My three drugstore offerings are L'Oréal no. 176, Sunset Angora, a delightful peach, Maybelline's no. 080, Captivating Carnation that I bought under influence (my favorite blogger Essie Button wears it basically every day) and Burt's Bees Hibiscus Tinted Lip Balm, that I use to hydrate and wear with the NARS matte lip pencil. Last one paired with the eye palette is Chanel's Rouge Coco 25, Vendome lipstick. I have no rationalization for this one, it's just LOVE!
For eyes I decided on my newish Chanel palette in Charmed (limited edition, 😦 I'm afraid…), it has all the colors I would need, my new Stila Liquid Liner in Jet Black, a Clinique High Impact Mascara and an Estee Lauder Double Wear double ended eye pencil in Onyx and Coffee.
I'll be soon back with some Toronto shopping and sight seeing. See you soon!


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522 – Dragon came from afar!
Chapter 522: Dragon came from afar!
Living, this word transcends all the norms and codes of the world.
Lu Lin felt Li Muyang's hesitation.
He knew that what he said is exactly what he was worried about.
He was chased by countless cultivators, fled in a wounded state, and before his injuries had recovered, he had come to Wind City to save his parents and family——All he wanted was it not just to let his parents and families live, let them live well?
If he dies, then his parents and family were all going to die. It was impossible for even Li Muyang to escape the combined assault of those people and they will be buried with him.
Li Muyang was not a fool; he knew well what choice he had to make.
"Li Muyang, you're an intelligent man, you've concealed yourself very well before, you know what choice to make——I don't want to die, and you don't want to see your family die. Isn't that right? Put me down, and I'll take you to your parents. Also General Xuda and the others who escorted them here, I can leave them all to you."
"My father only has one son, and in order to protect my life, he would be willing to accept any of your demands——Whatever you need, just talk to him——Li Muyang, let's make a deal——" "
"Li Muyang, let's forget about the matter today——life is more important——Li Muyang——"——
The more Lu Lin spoke, the more nervous he was, and the more nervous he was the more he wanted to convince Li Muyang.
Originally he thought that he could persuade Li Muyang with reasoning and move him with emotion. He thought that Li Muyang would certainly accept his deal that no one will have to die.
However, he found that Li Muyang's face did not relax in the slightest, instead there was a mocking expression spreading across his face.
And his eyes——his eyes were like those of a beast, chilling and full of killing intent, blood tumbling inside. There wasn't any intent to compromise or negotiate, nor was there the slightest mercy.
"He's going to kill me." Lu Lin thought. His body tensed up, heart violently pounding non-stop.
"You are making a deal me?" Li Muyang hissed. The voice was biting-cold and ruthless, mixed with a hint of ridicule.
"Yes. I think——it's a win-win situation." Lu Lin finally let go of his young master's pride, let go of all his arrogance, and also let go off the backbone and self-respect that a human should have. "Li Muyang, in your eyes, I am just an ordinary human being, no, just a small ant——I cannot do any harm to you. When we first met, from the way you looked at me I already knew that you don't attach any importance to me."
"Li Muyang, your opponent is my father, the cultivators and senior generals around my father——It was they who decided to betray the Lu family after consultation. It was they who surrendered to the Song family and the Imperial family for their own benefit. They imprisoned your parents and family——These things have nothing to do with me. I have done nothing."
"If you bring me to make a deal with Lu Wuyong, he's going to be in pain and struggle——but in the end he will have to agree to all your demands——isn't that what you want? Li Muyang, look, I really have nothing, why stain yourself with the blood of someone like me?"
"I'll also make a deal with you too." Li Muyang's voice was icy-cold, without a trace of human emotion.
"What deal?" Lu Lin exclaimed in joy. He thought that there was finally a turnaround, and Li Muyang was finally willing to compromise.
"Do you want me to break your neck or sever your legs?"
"Li Muyang——" He didn't expect the 'deal' that Li Muyang mentioned was to make him make such a difficult choice. In other words, despite his persuasion for half a day, he had not listened to any of the words he had said.
If his neck was broken he would die, if his legs were chopped off then he would live no better than dead.
"Li Muyang, you don't——"
"If you don't want to choose, then I'll choose for you." Li Muyang said out loudly.
"Shinian——Miss Shinian——" Lu Lin wailed. As the son of the Lord of Wind City, as a huge branch of the Lu clan, how many times in his life had he been threatened like this before? When had he ever been through such torment? "Miss Shinian, save me——considering my kindness to you these days, considering my hospitality, considering that I didn't kill you, please say a word for me——Miss Shinian——"
Lu Lin sobbed, begging Li Shinian constantly.
"Do you think you can summon someone here by shouting like this?" Li Muyang sneered: "I've put up a sound barrier in this room, no one else can hear your scream——"
Li Shinian had already quickly dressed herself, tied the waistband, and was ferociously staring at Lu Lin with infinite hatred: "Lu Lin, during these days, I was indeed grateful to you, because you did not directly kill me like the bad guys I know, did not kill my parents——because I know that, there is hope as long as I am alive. I know that it's possible——it's possible that our family can be reunited one day and we can live together happily again. That was what motivated me to hold on in these days."
"But then the situation changed dramatically, the Lu family collapsed, Grandpa Lu died, my brother was described by you guys as a dragon, and then was hunted down——I know, you kept us here to lure my brother over, you set up a net here to kill my brother, and then kill us all——"
"I've begged you countless times to kill me——but you had the illusion that I'm going to compromise to the cruel reality, or obey to your abuse of power——Lu Lin, I only have hatred towards you and towards your family."
"If you and your father had not made that stab in the back, how would the situation come to this? If it wasn't for you guys——how would the Lu family collapse? How would Grandpa Lu die in battle? And Aunt Gongsun and Tianyu——how would their whereabouts be a mystery? It is unknown whether they would survive——"
Li Shinian sobbed, tears falling like rain.
She had spent a long period of time in Tiandu, and had developed a deep relationship with the Lu family. In particular, Gongsun Yu took great care of her and treated her as her daughter. Lu Tianyu at the beginning only wanted to play tricks on her but after Li Shinian saved him, he was obedient and respectful towards Li Shinian.
Thinking of the little fatty who would bring fresh melon and fruits over to her every day was being chased and possibly killed——
Li Shinian felt her heart being pierced by a knife.
Why did two good families become like this?
Li Shinian's heart was full of hatred. She hated all the people and things that took away her quiet and peaceful life, and her everything.
"If my brother had not arrived in time, I would have been assaulted by you. I would have been more miserable than dead——Lu Lin, you still have the face to ask me to speak for you? You still have the face to say you treated me with kind hospitality?"
"Miss Shinian, Li Shinian, save my life, I am willing to be a slave to repay you——" Lu Lin howled sorrowfully.
"Break your neck, or you chop off your legs——have you decided?"
"Li Muyang——"
"Then I'll choose to break your neck." Li Muyang's began to exert force to his grip on Lu Lin's neck.
"Leg. I pick my legs——" while still able to speak, Lu Lin shouted.
If his neck was broken, he would be dead.
If his legs were chopped off, although his life would be miserable, he would still be alive——
Li Muyang, after a thought, said aloud: "I don't think you made the right choice."
As he was speaking, he hurled Lu Lin's body into the air.
Then, grabbing Lu Lin's hand in one hand and his foot in the other, he forcefully pulled in opposite directions.
Blood splashed, flesh splattered.
Lu Lin's body was torn in half, before he was tossed to the ground.
His face, hands, and clothes were covered in blood.
"Brother——" Li Shinian was frozen where she was, staring at Li Muyang with a horrified expression.
Li Muyang grinned at her, "When I saw what he tried to do to you, I had already thought what to do——"
"Brother——" Li Shinian's tears fell like rain, pouncing over to hug Li Muyang. "Brother——"
"In order to save Mother and Father, I did hesitate for a moment, but I decided to do it in the end——because if the bad guys go unpunished, the good guys will live very differently."
"Yes yes——" Li Shinian nodded frantically, tears streaming down her cheeks. "
"Don't cry, don't cry——" Li Muyang felt his lapel soaked in tears, which was warmer than Lu Lin's blood that splashed onto his body. "Don't cry, you know, growing up, I am most afraid of you crying——"
"I won't cry." Li Shinian's face was buried in Li Muyang arms, shaking her head frantically, she said: "I won't cry. We'll go save Father and Mother——I don't know where they are being locked up, they didn't keep us together——" —"
"Don't worry." Li Muyang gently patted Li Shinian's shoulder, and comforted, "As long as they are alive, I can certainly save them."
"Unless I die."
Li Muyang didn't say this out loud.
His physical condition made it hard for him to be optimistic.
In the stone chamber, there was a small stone coffin.
On top of the stone coffin plate was an instrument made of unknown ore that was shaped like a wine bottle.
The instrument was adorned with various symbols, as well as depictions of mountains, turtles, birds, and animals. The instrument was attached to eight giant lions, each with a silver bead in its mouth.
Facing the lions' mouths were eight toads squatting on the ground, each with their head lifted up, mouth opened wide, ready to receive the silver bead.
—— Clang——
Following a loud clank, the silver bead in the mouth of the lion on the southeast side fell after a violent shaking.
The toad below leaped up, mouth widening and swallowed the silver bead into its stomach.
With a deeply satisfying belch, the golden toad crouched back where it was.
"Isn't it a delight to have a dragon come from afar?" A bearded elder who was resting opened his eyes and stared at the place where the silver bead fell, twirling his beard and smiled.


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Since its $384.1 million river improvement project in 2013, San Antonio has revitalized 13 miles of the San Antonio River by reintroducing native vegetation to improve the area's natural ecosystem.
"As a result of these efforts, wildlife, including a large number of avian species, and plant life native to south Texas, began to inhabit the area. This stretch of river runs through the heart of the city, connecting downtown to the San Antonio Missions National Historic Park, which along with The Alamo, is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site," says a Visit San Antonio representative.
The improvement project led to the Mission Reach Avian Study, which currently reports more than 63,000 birds from 197 bird species along the Mission Reach of River Walk, including rare and endangered species.
"For more than three centuries, the San Antonio River has played a crucial role in the survival of the city's inhabitants, including the lives of plant and animal species that flock to its banks," a Visit San Antonio representative says. "In today's modern world, a renewed focus on nature is of the utmost importance in San Antonio as evidenced through recently completed and ongoing projects."
The birding program was inspired by the desire to create a sustainable ecosystem for birds and other wildlife in a culturally significant area of San Antonio, which was previously largely uninhabitable by native species. "The area is also a major draw for the public, offering them a beautiful recreational space to learn more about the incredible ecosystem that surrounds them," says a Visit San Antonio representative.
The overall mission of this project is to enrich and sustain life in the San Antonio River Watershed, and residents and visitors are encouraged to get involved by tracking the flora and fauna that they spot along the Mission Reach using the iNaturalist app.
For visitors, the San Antonio River Authority occasionally offers public birding activities along the Mission Reach of the River Walk. Planners can check the Visit San Antonio online events calendar to see if any events coincide with their meetings. For private birding tours, groups are encouraged to contact the San Antonio River Authority, and advance notice and a private tour fee are required.


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Hope? Of what? My future? The future of mankind? Relief of my IBS?
Gonna go with Life After Life. It relieved some of my crushing fear of Death when I was a kid. (More on the eclectic book choices of my youth can be found here). My own death and my parents' death and everybody I loved was going to DIE! I don't know if religious little girls have an easier time with the concept of Death, with Heaven in their future, but I can tell you it wasn't easy for this agnostic one. Well, at least I didn't have to believe in Hell and sin and all of that, so that was the upside of that upbringing.
This book made me have hope that I would not spend eternity rotting in a coffin, fully conscious of the process. (Still, I'm getting cremated, just in case.)
Maybe I am only remembering this because my 10 year old has woken me up twice this month, crying, because everybody he loves is going to die. This irritates my husband, who just wants to go the fuck back to sleep, and my 14 year old has never seemed to have gone through this phase, but it breaks my heart because I remember how horrendously scary a concept Death is when you're 10 and it's dark out and you're all by yourself staring at the ceiling of your bedroom.
I think I'll order a copy of this book for him. Maybe it helps him too.


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Michelle Moran is a partner in the firm's London office, where she is a member in the Investment Management, Hedge Funds and Alternative Investments practice group.
Ms. Moran advises European and U.S. clients on the establishment, authorization, and management of retail and institutional investment funds in the UK, Ireland, Luxembourg, and Jersey. These include UCITS, hedge funds, private funds, investment trusts, real estate funds, segregated institutional portfolios, and exchange traded funds. She has worked on a wide variety of transactions involving investment managers, brokers, custodians, fund service providers, and operating platforms.
Ms. Moran's extensive regulatory experience includes having participated on the EU Commission working groups responsible for formulating proposals to change UCITS legislation as well as representing numerous financial institutions on sensitive issues involving EU regulators in both contentious and non-contentious matters.


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As promised I was going to cover some of the products that you can find at the Dear Planet Pop Up Store (Mechelen) here in a blog! It took me longer than hoped, but boy oh boy it has been already busy in the shop. Not complaining! I met so many wonderful people the past three weeks… All enthusiastic about a greener lifestyle. It's amazing how much we can learn from each other.
Today I want to cover the products in my shop that focus on a plastic free lifestyle.
SWAP 1: plastic foil
Insane how much plastic foil there is used in one household. Wrapped around sandwiches and over every single freaking bowl. There are so many reusable and easy alternatives! Using plastic foil is even more of a hustle than these products 😉
I don't know about you, but I often only need one half of a lemon or cucumber. Then I put it back in the fridge and the next day it looks like mummy skin, all dried out. Well I present to you Foodhuggers. But let us be honest, we all call them foodcondoms. Don't you dare to deny it! You wrap them on your half fruit/veggie and after use, you can put these cuties in the dishwasher. Anyway, no excuses left to wrap plastic foil around your cucumber, no no, you have a silicone hugger (*cough* condom *cough*) for that!
Beeswax wraps
So beeswax wraps is a piece of cotton covered with beeswax. You can put these wraps over your bowls or wrap food inside before putting it in the fridge. To clean them you just wipe them off with a cloth and cold water. After months of use, you might experience that the wax is disappearing. No need to repurchase a wrap. You can just treat them again with some beeswax.
Silicone covers
Okay all good, but you want something more airtight or handy? Or you are vegan? I've got your back. The silicone covers are pretty awesome. Silicone is totally fine with the oven, the microwave, the dishwasher, the fridge and the freezer. You can put it on a bowl of food in the fridge (it even gets airtight), you can put it on a pot while boiling water for pasta, a plate to keep your meal longer warm, your drink to keep the flies out. And. The design is in daisies, watermelons, poppies, sunflowers and poppies. I mean. Pretty cute, right?
SWAP 2: Freezer bags
If your still use freezer bags to put food in the freezer, or even to put your lunch in… Please stop. I mean, it is extremely unnecessary. Every single use plastic is unnecessary, not healthy AND even worse for our planet. So I've got another silicone solution for you. Again this bag is okay for the fridge, oven, freezer, dishwasher,… And the possibilities are endless. You can use this bag to store leftovers in, freeze something in, to put chopped veggies in. But also if you eat fish or meat you can put it in the bag with a marinade. You can take it to work/school as a snackbag for your sandwich, cookies, nuts or fruit. You can use it as a travel bag for your cosmetics and makeup. Some ladies even use it for the transport their washable menstrual pads.
You can be creative with this amazing bag! Let me tell you, if you store everything in boxes in the fridge, you know how much space that takes up. Use these bags instead, compact storage.
SWAP 3: Plastic bags
The big plastic bag
BYOB! Read: Bring Your Own Bang.
Here in Mechelen, almost every person that came into my shop had their own bag with them. I do have paper bags just in case, but I rarely need use of them. One time someone came in with a plastic bag from the market and he asked 'Am I allowed in with a plastic bag?'. So cute.
But people without a bag also have the option to buy the Dear Planet totebag! Let's face it, you can never have enough totebags in your life! For daily use or groceries. And yes, it is just such a pretty bag 😉 *wink wink*
Produce & vegetable bags
When doing groceries, stay of the plastic produce bags. You don't need them. You can put your veggies just loose in your cart or you can bring your own cotton produce bags. It's as easy as that. I have vegetable bags, bulk bags (for seeds, rice or nuts) and bags for bread.
SWAP 4: plastic bottles
Make it a habit of leaving the house with a filled water bottle. Such a small effort, saves you money and A TON OF PLASTIC. Don't reuse a plastic bottle, the plastic releases toxins with reuse.
In the shop you can find two options. Stunning glass bottles or stainless steel ones.
This glass water bottle is a fancy pants one if I might say so. Some people prefer not to take a glass bottle in their bag. But they use it at home or at work, so that they would drink more in a day.
But if you prefer a bottle during commuting or traveling that can handle more situations, you might prefer a stainless steel one.
SWAP 5: Take away packaging
Always leave your house prepared: Filled water bottle, container, snack bag, coffee mug,…
Coffee cups
Getting every morning a take away coffee? They will happily fill your own cup. If they response annoyed, just throw a smartypants fact to them like '16 billion coffee cups are thrown away every year. No thanks, I'll pass'.
At Dear Planet we have two options. Cups made of bamboo or handblown glass. Bamboo is biodegradable and glass is recyclable.
Grabbing a quick take away lunch somewhere? Make sure to bring your own container/lunchbox. You can find stainless steel ones at Dear Planet. I love steel because it is the material that gets most recycled. Besides that I also have a few bamboo lunchboxes.
If you are still using plastic straws, WHAT ARE YOU DOING. It is the easiest thing to say no to. There are so many plastic straws in the ocean killing sea life and releasing toxins. You can simply sip from your glass or cup. But if you just looove a straw (or you have kids), well there are alternatives for plastic straws.
Numero uno. Bamboo straws! These are biodegradable. Yihaa! No indestructible waste!
Or you can go for a stainless steel straw with a silicone mouth piece. This way you or your kids don't harm their teeth on the steel.
Meet the Spork. Yes, a spoon and a fork in one. Genius. Am I right? This tiny thing is your new handy handbag/backpack friend. You'll never have to say yes to plastic cutlery ever again, because – tadaaah – you have you own Spork. No more excuses!
Prefer to take your normal size 'tools' and a knife? Then you can opt for a washable cutlery wrap to put your cutlery in. This wrap comes with a napkin, two metal straws and a straw cleaning brush! The wrap is decorated with funky lobsters. Pretty neat.
SWAP 6: Period products
Ladies, you throw away 10.000 to 15.000 tampons/menstrual pads in your lifetime. I mean. THAT IS A LOT OF TRASH. Also it can't get recycled and those products are so bad for you. Tampons & menstrual pads contain plastic, pesticides, chlorine, … Loads of harmful chemicals. So do yourself a big favor and a bigger one to the planet by using reusable period products.
Menstrual cup
For some people this still might be a new discovery. But you see this silicone cup? You bring it in and it collects the blood instead of absorbing it. Then you can empty it, rinse it & reuse it. For around 10 years. Yes ma'am. 100% silicone is save for your health and it is durable.
Washable pads
If a menstrual cup still freaks you out, you can always start using washable & reusable cotton menstrual pads. After use, put them first in cold water before you put them in the washing machine. This way you make sure it won't get stained. At Dear Planet you'll find regular and night menstrual pads, but also panty liners for daily use.
SWAP 7: Dental hygiene
For my male readers, thanks for reading through the menstrual part. You made it. It's over. You're save.
The next swap is about toothpaste and how it always comes in plastic tubes. You can easily swap to toothpaste that comes in a glass jar. The brand you find in my shop is an all natural toothpaste. Not only toothpaste, but also mouthwash in tablet form (in glass jars) & compostable dental floss (again, in a glass jar).
Another swap is to ditch the plastic toothbrushes and go for a bamboo toothbrush. These are biodegradable!
SWAP 8: Deodorant
Most deodorant are extremely harmful for your health. I won't go into that now, this could require a blog post on itself. But the message here is to opt for a natural deodorant. A plastic free one. A chemical free one. And one that works.
I tried a solid deodorant in the past, but it didn't work for me. Rubbing it under my armpits also made my skin irritated. So I tried cream deodorant. And, I am sold. Not only does it feel awesome to smear it under my armpits, it doesn't irritate my skin AND I SMELL GOOD ALL FREAKING DAY LONG. I remember the days of having to spray 2-3 times a day. With this babies, I am good to go only once in the morning.
I have them in a tin or in a cardboard stick (which you have to push up, not twist). Personally I have never liked the use of a stick, so the tin is my hero.
SWAP 9: Razors
Okay shaving. Men shave beards, but let's be honest, most of you boys also shave much more than only your jawline. And boy oh boy, ladies, society today made us shave our whole freaking body. It's weird if you think about it, because hair grows for a reason, I guess. But still, I too will always shave because it just feels more hygienic and… soft? BUT, I still hate shaving, it's time consuming and I have sensitive skin. It has never been my favorite part of the bathroom routine. But ah well.
The problem with shaving these days are the razors. They are made of plastic AND the blades (that your throw away every several weeks) are also covered with plastic. Years ago, people shaved with a normal steel safety razor. No need for plastic. It not only looks strikingly fancy, but it gives a wonderful clean shave. You do have to get used to it and shave a bit slower. You can't just go "yolo" with a safety razor.
SWAP 10: Diapers
Moms, dads, is there a baby in your life? Don't put your money in single use diapers. For 4 years, you need around 7300 of them. That is not only 7300 freaking stinky diapers on the landfill, it also costs you like €2200 or more.
Investing in a few washable diapers sounds pretty good now, doesn't it?
SWAP 11: Cotton pads
Removing make up with single use cotton pads is just silly. You use it a few seconds and BAM, it's in the bin. What a purpose they served for those 3 seconds. More the reason to do an easy swap to washable cotton pads! You can reuse these babies every day! Et voila. No problemooo.
SWAP 12: Cotton buds
Another unnecessary bathroom item is the cotton bud to clean your ears out. These single use buds with a stick made from plastic are thankfully already getting replaced with a bamboo stick instead of the plastic one. But they are still used just once. So let's skip that step and go for a reusable option. Like a bamboo ear cleaning spoon! You just, you know… -spoon- the earwax out of the entrance of your ear and then you simple wash it off. It is a simple as that. And no it is not disgusting.
There you go, 12 easy swaps for your journey to a plastic free life. The products that I showed here are the ones I sell at Dear Planet. But there are so many alternatives. 🙂 Be creative!
Have an amazing day!


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Ordinary toilet soaps can be harsh on pimples and can also increase them. Himalaya Purifying Neem Face Wash is 'soap free', and hence, not harsh. It has the antibacterial goodness of Neem and Turmeric that helps remove pimples.
No More Soap on Pimples!
Neem is an excellent skin care ingredient known for its antibacterial properties. It improves general skin health and combating bacterial infections such as acne.
Turmeric has been used as an antiseptic for centuries, and it is regarded as one of nature's most powerful healers. The herb helps to even out your skin tone and color, making it an excellent ingredient in a face wash.Turmeric has strong anti-inflammatory properties, which help soothe your skin.
What it does:
Himalaya's Purifying Neem Face Wash is a soap-free, formulation that cleans impurities and helps clear pimples. A natural blend of Neem and Turmeric known for their antimicrobial properties helps combat and prevent the recurrence of pimple over time.
Moisten face, apply a small quantity of Purifying Neem Face Wash and gently work up a lather using a circular motion. Wash off and pat dry. Use twice daily. Suitable for all skin types. Best for pimple-prone skin.
The Himalaya Drug Company,
Bengaluru - 562162


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Cover up those chilled arms with this beautiful 3/4 sleeved swing dress made out of a soft, stretchy red velvet fabric.
Classic and comfortable this dress boasts a beautiful collar with button option. This dress one of the most classic 1950s looks, the fabric is soft and the stretch hugs curves beautifully. Add one of out petticoats to create the perfect silhouette.
Contents: 97% Polyester, 3% Elastic
Wash Care: 30c Hand Wash
Cerys Says... This is my favorite Winter dress, I love it because it is so versatile! I wear it with a fluffy white petticoat for Christmas and call it my 'Mrs Claus Dress' My nieces and nephews love it.
I also wear this dress without the petti as a day to day dress - shopping, out for coffee or dinner with friends etc. It is comfortable and warm, and the splash of colour is amazing during dreary, rainy days. People will often stop me and compliment the dress.
Create an account with us and you'll be able to:
Fill in your email below to request a new password. An email will be sent to the address below containing a link to verify your email address.


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Personal Branding Session
How do you make your first impression? What does your profile picture say about your business? Personal branding photography sessions will bring out your best, show off your unique personality and attract your ideal clients. Skip the boring, posted headshots, nix those selfies (seriously!), and book your branding session today!
Personal branding sessions are 1-2 hours in length. These sessions showcase your personality and brand, and are designed to be used for a variety of purposes – business, social media, PR and your website. We'll talk through all the ways you plan to use these photos during the pre-session consultation!
Personal branding sessions start at $450 for 30 high-resolution images. Hair and makeup services can be added for an additional cost.
Contact me at heather @ heatherleetrimm.com (remove the spaces) to get started!


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Mutoh Provides Most Versatile Printer On The Market
Mutoh, an industry leading manufacturer of wide-format printers and plotters, believes they hit a home run with their new 64ʺ 1627MH Hybrid printer.
The printer has quickly become a favorite among customers due to the extreme versatility this hybrid provides. The term "hybrid" is used because you can easily switch between roll-to-roll and rigid substrates by quickly adding or taking away the included flatbed tables to the front and rear of the machine. Not only that, but the ink technology provides the best of both worlds with its exclusive MP-31 Multi-Purpose ink with the benefits of both eco-solvent and UV/LED Technologies.
Mutoh's new MP-31 ink was designed with the environment in mind. Their multipurpose ink is made of 60% BIO-based materials. MP ink is mostly plant derived and made from renewable sources that help reduce dependence on petro-leum. The ink has outstanding weather resistance, adhe-sion and color gamut while providing resistance against abrasions. The ink was formulated to penetrate the media's surface and preserve the texture of the substrate, making printing on synthetic materials, shrink film, PET, and other unique textures possible. The Ink is available in CMYK+W in 500 ml bags.
The ValueJet 1627MH is a perfect match for the PSP that has a wide range of client demands. In the morning you can be printing rigid media for a political client, then roll away the tables to print backlit for a storefront by afternoon, then print a commercial vehicle wrap over-night, ready for lamination by morning when paired with the optional take up system. Nothing else on the market today allows you to accept a more versatile list of jobs and get more completed in one day than the 1627MH, all while saving you valuable floor space.
• Hybrid printer for printing rigid and "roll-to-roll" media
• Mounted head protection sensor to avoid bumping with media
• Up to 20% increase compared with the previous models
• Improved user interface and ease of use
• Includes "Layout Application" + Windows Printer Driver
• Maximum head height is 0.629 inches
• A new 88 lbs. take-up system is optional
• 1 year onsite warranty
• Sai Flexi RIP Software — Mutoh edition
• KCMY + white bulk ink
• The improved white ink with its high density brings out the primary color of the ink regardless of the printed material's base color
• The MP31 ink is environmentally friendly
• Tough against heat and elongation, which allows PSPs to print and process on PET material for vacuum and thermo-forming.
• Excellent choice for vehicle wraps, indoor/outdoor signage and prototype packaging.
To get more information or order a free print sample visit www. mutoh.com or call 800-996-8864.


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Enroll in a NAUI Advanced Diver Course to explore new dive sites and undertake exclusive activities under the supervision of a NAUI Instructor. This course allows individuals to learn about specialties and diving activities of particular interest. Your confidence and skill as a diver will increase while you experience the excitement of learning more about the underwater world.
During training, students complete a minimum of six open-water dives, including two required dives, navigation and deep diving, plus four additional dives based on your individual preferences and available options.
Possible activities include:
|NAUI Advanced Scuba Diver
|Advanced Scuba Diver Starter Kit


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On Labor Day, we decided to have a simple family meal before my daughter headed to color guard practice. We always seem to have something going on. Simple family dinners where we can spend more time talking than in the kitchen can be very important. Labor day for us signals the signs of Fall our headed our way from Friday night football to Saturday competitions to my son's gigs. It all seems to be non stop so it's great to have a family dinner. This Five Cheese Tortellini Bake makes dinner oh so simple!
Try Mezzetta Napa Valley Homemade pasta sauce, so you are able to spend less time in the kitchen, and more time at the table with your family and friends! My husband and I did a short video below on how simple it is to put this five cheese tortellini together. Best thing is you don't have to bake it! You simply broil the cheese on top.
I'd love to hear about how you would use the new Mezzetta Napa Valley Homemade sauces in your own recipe creations below!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 Servings 1x
Three cheese tortellini's topped with sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan.
- 2 lbs tortellini's
- 1 jar Mezzetta's Napa Valley Homemade Sauce; Roasted Garlic and Caramelized Onions
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese
- ⅓ cup parmesan; shaved
- Boil tortellini's according to package directions. Drain.
- Heat sauce on low in a pan.
- Pour tortellini's into a casserole dish and top with the warmed sauce.
- Cover with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.
- Broil on high for about 2 minutes until cheese is melted. Serve.
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Italian


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Nine Lives (2016) – You've Never Seen Spacey Before
And like that, Kevin Spacey became a cat for his daughter's birthday present. I don't even believe why I say that. More importantly, what exactly is this film? Who is this film for? Is this film trying to reach the Razzie awards or intended for those of you who love cats? What and why? Why is this movie so matter? Just enough for all my complaints. I don't even know why I'm watching this. I don't believe Kevin Spacey and Christopher Walken, two Oscar-worthy actors, want to cast in this film. Who spends the full hour for more? But for me? I don't even know why a middle-aged lady acts like a four-year-old girl and vice versa.
The story is supposed to be a family comedy in the 90s. You still remember it, right? Too many films such as "Air Bud", "Baby Geniuses", or films about a dog acts like a human. One odd thing after I realized at this age is why I watched it first and why did I like it? Even childhood is full of lies and deception of humanity. I've never, at all, expected this film to be like films like those. And I don't care, Barry Sonnenfeld once worked on "Men in Black", "Wild Wild West" or "Addams Family" franchise. And one more thing: why aren't there many films about cats? I'm not American, but are cats not really attractive at all? Like, come on. Everybody love cats besides dogs. But, it doesn't mean this film is good as well.
Cliches are not a bad thing but this film modifies its term worse and ruins it. This is not 80s where we deal with like a "Big" movie or any body-switching story. In fact, for some reason, I don't believe Kevin Spacey really wants to be in this film or even he just doesn't want to. Is he threatened or what? Or what if he has another reason? Come think of it, if he becomes a cat and everyone likes cats then everyone will touch the cat. Even children really like cats. Is there anything strange? Actually, not really. Anyway, he acted like a capitalist bad guy who was more concerned with his company's project than his daughter's birthday.
Spacey's character seems to be a scumbag besides being a guy who convinced the world or the guy who designed the seven deadly sins. Who is he really? He is more of capitalism who hates everyone, is very selfish and a quite manipulative, obsessed with his job, and has a wave of anger. Spacey as Tom Brand finally bought a cat for his daughter's birthday present. Guess who is the cat shopkeeper? Correct, it's Christopher Walken as the cat philosopher. From here, his body exchanged with cats as a result of being struck by thunder. That's Spacey is more narrated using voiceover instead of putting his acting through a screen. And it didn't really go smoothly.
I hope this would be something that can be watched by children or families. Unfortunately, this is 2016 but it's not really the problem. I don't understand whether cats are obedient animals. For me, they are cute but they are lazy. So, I see behind the scene of this movie and how the cats used in this film are mostly in their own shots. The rest, they use CG creation for the cats to be more active. We talk a lot about Spacey and Walken. Now, onto the next actors. Jennifer Garner as Lara Brand is just… I don't know. It still doesn't expect much even I don't want to comment much. My mind hurts with that poop jokes because this is a PG-rated movie which is a fine movie. Yeah, a fine movie for cat gets drunk.
It's not really much to say with this masterpiece of a pussy movie. Pussy movie? What a bad day. I know, body-switching is a unique concept if the execution was perfect. "Big" is a good body-switching movie. Or even though its genre is different, "Mulholland Drive" is also pretty good. It's very strange to compare this film with David Lynch's piece. Very silly.
One question, who is this movie for? Is it for cat lovers which is me as? Nope. Is this film trying to understand that the cat is immortal because they have nine lives? Nope. Did Christopher Walken prefer to look ordinary instead of the man who played Russian roulette? Nope. So, what was this? I mean, this is not the worst of all because I've seen much worse than this. Just a bad movie which you care so much when you watch this as a kid but regret it when you remember it.