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I joined a Facebook Group a while back called 'Chicks Who Lift'. I was trying to add some more weight training into my workout routine to help with my running, but I was struggling to really get into it. As the name suggests, this group is open to all ladies who love lifting or are looking to start working with weights, no matter what level they are at. It is quite a diverse group, so you are guaranteed to fit in, no matter your age, background or goals. You will find your tribe here whether you are a new mum trying to get back into pre-baby shape, looking to enter your first bikini body competition or are an aspiring power-lifter, a Crossfitter or a kettlebell queen. What the heck, there are even triathletes and runners in the group like me who weight train to improve their sports performance.
What I enjoy the most about being a member of this group is the engagement, and richness of the discussions. Whether you need advice on where to buy jeans that fit more muscular physiques, what to do if you fall for your PT or what exercises give you six packs, this is the place to come to. Here you will also find regular accountability challenges, plenty of inspiration, humour, as well as lots of practical tips, recommendations and advice – be it your lifting form and technique, or just trying to break away from a rut in your training. The doors are always open if you need a bit of encouragement or vent a bit about the curveballs life throws at you. You will soon realise that you are not alone on this journey and many people share the very same sentiments, aspirations and struggles as you do, both inside and outside the gym!
Most importantly, this female-only group is the perfect place to ask the questions you could not or did not dare to ask anywhere else… As I have been a member of this group for a while, I decided to do a 'best of' blog post, using the information I have found to be the most useful on this forum so far. Of course, I anonymised everything to protect the forum members' privacy and took out any information that may help identify the individual who posted the question or the answer. If you are a male reader, you may also find this article helpful if you want to better understand your female friends or clients (if you are a PT).
Biggest dilemmas in the gym
- If you see someone using the incorrect form in the gym, do you show them the correct way or keep silent?
- I think there is a fine line between telling somebody they are using the incorrect form and coming across as rude. For instance, somebody new to the gym will more than likely be lifting light initially and will probably take the advice with appreciation. However, a strongwoman/man will be lifting heavy and they know their form is awful but they don't care how the weight gets from A to B. So maybe be mindful as to where and when you give people advice – it may not be seen as polite.
- If you're a qualified PT and their form is very bad, then I think you can intervene. It's important that you know what you're talking about though. You have to be certain it is bad form and not just a modification to a movement. You also have to know how to fix it and be able to explain why they need to fix it. Nothing worse than somebody claiming, 'that's bad form and not being able to offer any constructive advice.
- Usually I don't. Because a) I don't think I am knowledgeable enough and I don't have any formal qualifications b) I don't know everyone's goals or history. Some people adjust form on purpose and while it may seem wrong, you don't know what injuries they may have that mean they have to adjust etc.
- I wouldn't dive in criticising someone's technique straight away… try to get to know people and build up trust and soon that will give you the opportunity to help without seeming as though you are just interfering.
- Every time I go to my gym, this PT keeps saying I don't work hard enough! I work my little socks off and push as hard as I can. Just by his attitude he totally puts me off.
- Sounds like he's trying to make you feel bad, so you'll think that you need a trainer like him… Eerrrmmm you don't… So not a way to get a client! Tell him you only train with steaks not beef burgers!
- I reckon he fancies you and is trying to get your attention!
- I usually find that a simple "whatever" and a smile keeps them at bay.
- Totally think women need to be trained with much more positive feedback then men. We are naturally more critical of ourselves and often need someone to enforce what we are doing right, not what we are doing wrong.
- I would definitely have a word with gym management. He could be a new PT trying to find his way but getting it awfully wrong.
- Just was wondering if anyone had a situation when they liked their PT. I don't know if it is professional to ask him out!
- At the end of the day, ours is an intimate profession where people confide in us, there is physical contact and someone sees you at your worst and tells you you're doing great. I don't blame you for having feelings – you're only human!
- Go for it! Life is short. Ask if he wants to go for a drink or lunch one day, what's the worst that can happen!? He'll say no, and you will feel a little embarrassed for a day or two, but you'll get over it and carry on as normal; or he'll say 'yes'. As they say, 'couples who train together stay together'.
- Ask him out, but mention it in a jokeycomment, therefore if he says no, you are not left feeling silly and no harm done!
- If you start dating though, he will need to pass your training on to someone else, as it's against the professional code of conduct.
- Why don't you wait until your program finishes with him? Then that way it's not mixing business and pleasure, and also less awkward if things don't work out.
- Is it wrong to have a personal trainer when you also are a personal trainer?
- Not at all wrong – we all need pushing and taking out of our comfort zone.
- I don't think it is. Sometimes after training 10-12 clients per day, I'm just not motivated enough to do my own training, that's when another professional is really handy.
- Definitely not. A personal trainer will make you do workouts that you would avoid yourself, it also makes you a better PT, as it introduces you to more variety and different styles. It's good research, motivation and can inform you of current trends.
- As a client I would probably be more willing to trust a personal trainer who used a personal trainer. Kind of like 'they think having a PT is SOOOO important that even they hire a PT?' Cool, I'm game. (…) It shows you believe in your profession!
- Everybody needs a mentor and needs to experience what it's like to be on the other side. I would argue the best trainers have their own coaches.
- Sure I could write a programme for myself but there's nothing quite like learning from others and just switching off, letting someone else take the reins.
Gymtimidation: how to tackle embarrassing moments
- I've just got some new leggings and I get camel toe with them. Any solutions?
- Apparently, a panty liner horizontally across the gusset works.
- Wear a longer top, I do this for the ones I have that aren't quite 'squat proof'.
- I pull the seam to the left.
- I only get that if I pull them too high.
At the end of the day…
- Tight workout clothes and female anatomy means you will see some lips. You can't change nature, so just wear what you're comfortable in and don't worry about the rest.
- Anyone else nearly pee when doing heavy squats or deadlifts?
- It's very common in power lifting, competitors don't even blink when it happens on the platform, they just chuck some chalk over it and carry on.
- Unfortunately this is common but not normal, seek help from a pelvic floor Physio/trainer [to get personalised advice]
- This is a clear sign that your pelvic floor muscles are not as strong as they should be and need work. (…) Do some pilates (…) to strengthen your pelvic floor and core muscles which will help in big lifts.
- I'm literally sponsored by Tena – anything over 150 on deadlifts I don't stand a chance!
- Core bracing techniques can help [could be down to] a weakness in the core rather than bladder. It's not necessarily a sign of weak pelvic floor – sometimes it can be the opposite i.e. a really strong pelvic floor can make it worse.
- Whenever I'm exercising, I tend to get erect nipples. Does anyone else happen to get this?
- I have the same issue – if anyone really looks, I just say something about 'bionic boobs'. Or 'nipple gains' tends to break the tension a bit.
- I have to wear a slightly padded sports bra for this reason!
- I also tend to wear two layers in the gym, one tight and one loose, which hides it a bit.
- Maybe invest in a T-shirt which says 'If you're looking at my nipples, you're obviously not working hard enough.
- Darker coloured tops hide them better, and the thicker bras. Just try to make sure they're pointing in the same direction… that's more embarrassing one going south and the other east!
- It must be the aircon. You are hot and sweaty and the aircon steadily breezes cold air on you. What nipple can resist a cold breeze? I'm surprised I haven't poked holes into my gym shirts yet!
Problems only us women have
- Is weight training actually bad for your breasts?!
- You have to go to the boobie shop when you start weight training!
Or a more cost-effective solution:
- Padded vests for the gym!
At the end of the day, always look on the bright side:
- They haven't gone… they've just relocated:
- My muscles look great.
- I can now get away without wearing a bra.
- Do you NEED big boobs to compete? I read an article from a trainer who said you need boobs (preferably big and perky or fake boobs) to compete.
- Bodybuilding, even bikini competitions are not about boobs. A lot of girls get boob jobs because you go quite flat in prep (…) and also I guess a lot of these girls model as well, so they might do it for that. Plus it is a personal thing, confidence or whatever. Your bikini maker will put plenty of padding in the bra to help with the situation if needed.
- You don't need big boobs but they do help. Not saying you can't win boob-less, but it is a plus mark or however many marks (…) I compete with a flat chest anyway.
- I would not succumb to pressure to having a boob job unless that is what you want. At the same time, being in the industry a bit, I KNOW big boobs are an advantage. Just like having a nice tan, a nice costume, a nice hairstyle are a plus. It doesn't make or break, but every little helps and contributes to a nice and shapely 'package'.
- Boobs aren't judged, they aren't a muscle don't even worry about it…just make sure you get a bikini to complement their shape, and work the rest of your body to fit the criteria.
The big debate
- Does body pump count [as lifting]?
- Body pump can be a nice starter, but you will only get so far due to it being lower weights and high reps. That said, it all depends on what your goals are.
- It's a great class for toning and sculpting. However, if you want to get strong and build muscle, you'll need to lift heavy weights (…) at roughly 70% of what you can lift maximally Body Pump can do that for beginners so it is a great start.
- I teach Les Mills Body Pump and it's (…) great for fat loss and sculpting (…) most of us instructors hit the gym too!
- It's good for endurance. The squat tracks kill me – I can squat over 70kg, but in Body Pump it's so much less weight, but I die!
- It's great when you want to workout with more people and challenge yourself in different ways. The feeling when you are done is amazing.
- It's more cardio than heavy lifting, but it's a nice change and work on all parts of the body.
Life-saving hacks
- Anyone have any tips on how to get the putrid smell out protein shakers?
- I sterilize mine with Milton solution.
- Try running half a cut lemon around the inside – it's nature's natural steriliser.
- Rinse with lemon and very hot water, then re-wash.
- Fill with hot bleachy water and let it stand for at least 5 mins. Then wash and rinse as normal.
- Use some baking soda.
- Hi ladies, any advice for DOMS?
- Make sure you foam roll after your workout, have a hot bath soak with Epsom salt, keep hydrated and enjoy the feeling of hard work.
- Hahaha, we all do the robot and the crying when trying to sit on the loo but some try and style it out.
- I always do warm up and cool down stretches, so I rarely get sore.
- Turmeric is a good anti inflammatory, but (…) it needs pepper in it to work. I found the paste recipe on YouTube containing both, and I just keep it in a jar in the fridge and just add a teaspoon to my food or have a turmeric latte made with it.
- Try to keep moving, otherwise you will stiffen up.
- I've found that having a protein shake with BCAA after every session has said 'bye bye' to serious DOMS.
- Magnesium spray! Magnesium is also good for sleeping.
- Any tips on how to drink more water?
- I try drink at least a pint as soon as I get up.
- Try plain sparkling water with ice and a slice of lemon.
- If u can find some sort of water bottle that you can easily carry with you wherever you go, it will really help.
- Try a fruit diffuser (…) For example, put slices of lemon, cucumber and mint in it.
- Herbal teas with no sugar also contribute to water intake.
- I have one glass of water before and one after every meal, plus a glass of eater before I have any coffee in the morning.
- Download the WaterMinder or Hydration coach smart phone app, and have a reminder set.
- I am struggling to find everyday clothes to fit me. I find trousers that fit me in the waist but they feel really tight on my quads [and bum]. Any recommendations which are not too pricey?
- Clothes makers, fashion designers need to stop thinking one size fits all!
- I hear there are some top shop jeans made perfectly for girls who lift.
- Primark skinny fit jeans work well – cheap too!
- I buy my jeggings from M&S – they are perfect and last a lifetime.
- Barbell apparel for on trend jeans/chinos!
- I found some super stretchy skinny jeans by Quiz in Debenhams.
- Top Shop's Joni Jeans – they have stretchy legs and a small waist. The best thing for us with big quads!
- I buy jeggings from Miss Selfridge. They are flattering and look just like jeans.
- Sainsbury's TU skinny jeans are soft, stretchy and great value.
- Try Asda wonder fit, I have actually found those to be the best.
- Asos are great for stretchy jeans.
And if all else fails…
- I've had to baby oil myself into mine today – I refuse to admit defeat.
- Mums who work – how do you fit it all in?!
- Many of my work-outs are only 15-20 minutes at a time and split up depending on when I have the time!
- I have got a bench at home because I've got a toddler and an 8 month old. I'm breastfeeding and I don't drive, so I would never leave! I do my squats, deadlifts and bench presses, and that's it good enough for me.
- I scheduled my workouts on the same family planner as the kids'. I put the same priority on myself as I have with the kids' activities. Otherwise I'm bottoms of the pile. Some weeks it's a workout at 6am, or if it's an evening, my hubby picks up the slack with the kids' hobbies.
- I do what I can with weights at home – for example, dumbbells in the dining room, more weights and bench in the kitchen, machine in the family room, and a pull-up bar attached to a door frame. I'll do a few pull-ups when I'm cooking dinner! I have a Smith machine in my garage for when I can manage more than 15 minutes of workout time.
- You just have to go when you can go. Do your best and don't stress about missing a day. When I stress about missing the gym, it makes it no longer fun.
- Just chill about it a bit and just learn to appreciate and enjoy the small time you get to train and keep telling yourself it won't be like this forever. Eat well and do the things you can do to look after yourself in all the chaos.
Do you belong to an online community? Who are your 'tribe'?
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Drinking Seven or More Cups of Tea Everyday Can Cause Prostate Cancer in Men: Study
Researchers warn men, who drink a lot of tea, of danger of contracting prostate cancer.
A new study has found that men who drink seven cups or more of tea every day are at 50% higher risk of developing prostate cancer than others who have less than three cups a day.
The study was conducted by the researchers at the University of Glasgow, who tracked the health of more than 6,000 men for four decades. The study results negated previous studies which claimed that tea drinking reduced the risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and Parkinson's disease.
For the study, which was led by Dr Kashif Shafique in 1970, participants between the age of 21 and 75 were asked to fill out a questionnaire which asked about details pertaining to their tea consumption habits, smoking habits and general health. They were also asked to undergo a screening.
The results revealed that out of the heavy tea drinkers (more than 7 cups a day), 6.4 percent contracted prostate cancer over the period of 37 years.
Apparently, the people who developed the disease lived a healthy lifestyle and most of them were teetotalers, and thus had lower risk contracting the disease from other "competing causes," the journal Nutrition and Cancer reports.
"Most previous research has shown either no relationship with prostate cancer for black tea, or some preventive effect of green tea. We don't know whether tea itself is a risk factor or if tea-drinkers are generally healthier and live to an older age, when prostate cancer is more common anyway," Dr Shafique was quoted as saying by Mail Online.
He also said that people who consumed more tea were less likely to be overweight or drinking and mostly had healthy cholesterol levels.
"However, we did adjust for these differences in our analysis and still found that men who drank the most tea were at greater risk of prostate cancer," he said.
He added that his team, however, was "unaware of any constituent of black tea that may be responsible for carcinogenic activity in prostate cells," said the report.
"Whilst it does appear that those who drank seven or more cups of tea each day had an increased risk of developing prostate cancer, this did not take into consideration family history or any other dietary elements other than tea, coffee and alcohol intake. It is therefore unclear as to whether there were other factors in play which may have had a greater impact on risk," Dr Kate Holmes, head of research at The Prostate Cancer Charity, said.
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Rebecca Slayton, The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 226 pages, plus end notes and references. ISBN 978-0-262-01944-6, hardback, no price stated.
As the title suggests, this book is not an easy read. Although it is not "technical" in the sense physicists are used to (that is, using mathematics to explain concepts), it is very technical as a historical reference book. The author's goal is to document and explain the complex and "messy" (author's term) interdependencies between high-level physics and engineering advisors to the U.S. government, and the emerging and evolving fields of computer hardware and software engineering, in the context of efforts to develop air and missile defense systems for the country. This obviously is not an easy task, and the author cites a tremendous amount of reference material and first-person interviews to buttress her arguments. I can foresee this book being used as a textbook for a graduate course in the history of technical policy-making in the U.S.
With such wide-ranging goals dealing with both political and technical subjects simultaneously over a 63-year time period, the author has a challenging task indeed. One method she uses to address this multiplicity of subjects is repetition of key points as she jumps back and forth between the three narratives of missile defense, policy advice, and evolution of software engineering. A major theme throughout the book is the impossibility of creating "perfectly reliable" software for extremely complex systems, and the way physicist and engineer advisors to the Federal Government consistently underestimated (or were oblivious to) this problem over most of the 50 years from WWII to the mid-1990s. A companion theme is how the search for provably reliable software for missile defenses during this period drove government, industry and academic software developers to evolve the discipline of Software Engineering. The author does an admirable job of showing the difficulties inherent in creating a technical discipline from scratch, as was the case with computer programming between the late 1940s and the late 1990s. Within this theme, the differing viewpoints on the reliability issue held by those who stood to profit from government contracts or who were "true believers" (my term) in missile defense, versus those who felt they were "objectively" analyzing the reliability problem are thoroughly reported and carefully referenced. A consensus that seems to emerge from the Software Engineering Community, is that the reliability of the software for most systems of "arbitrary complexity" can be improved to "almost perfect" through continuous repair of glitches, even (perhaps especially) after the system enters use. The author quotes expert claims that this real-time improvement was/is not possible for nuclear missile defense systems, because those systems are intended for one-time use, and cannot be realistically tested beforehand. While that may have been true in the past, I am not sure it is generally true today, given the variety of missile defenses (for different types of threats) the U.S. has deployed or has in R&D at present.
Another key point the author argues effectively is that complex technological systems of all kinds, not just missile defense systems, by their nature, have social and political components. These components introduce "arbitrary complexity" into the software of these systems, in the sense that in the real world, final, fixed requirements for the software are impossible to define. This is because these requirements are ever changing with the whims of politics, history and technology itself. The author shows that the professional computing community itself is divided over the eventual outcome for this issue: Will "perfectly reliable" software forever be out of reach due to fundamental constraints, or can best practices, continual testing and hard work create reliable software for at least some complex systems?
One addition that would improve the book is a glossary of acronyms. The author is faithful to define every acronym when it is first used, but may not repeat a given acronym for 20 pages or more, and by then the reader has forgotten its meaning. I have spoken in Government acronyms for 50 years, and still would have appreciated a listing for some of the acronyms the author used. The book's detailed index helps in this regard, but a separate, single glossary would be an improvement.
While historians are the primary audience for this book, it does contain a cautionary lesson for physicists. When providing analysis and advice on complex, multi-disciplinary systems, we should never assume that the physics is the most difficult or limiting component. Other, possibly newer, disciplines/technologies/human factors may limit a system more than the physics.
Ronald I. Miller
DoD/DIA/Missile & Space Intelligence Center (Retired)


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Citizens' initiatives and community spirit were this year as well in the focus of major projects aimed at bringing people closer to culture, but also closer together.
Citizens' initiatives and community spirit were this year as well in the focus of major projects aimed at bringing people closer to culture, but also closer together. Some of them were fostered by the Home-Made Culture non-governmental organisation, which in recent years has specialised in staging theatre plays in unconventional venues, such as private homes in apartment buildings. This autumn, 7 different events were staged on 7 different evenings in the stairwell of an apartment building. The programme for the events was chosen with the audience, that is the occupants of the building themselves. This was part of a broader project called Generator whose aim was to encourage citizens propose activities that would meet their socialising needs.
After several attempts, the initiators of the project found an apartment building in the Crangasi district in Bucharest whose occupants were open to their idea. Cristina Epure, a member of the Home-Made Culture Association, told us how this initiative was received by the people:
"People were very open at first, which is not something you see every day. Before choosing this building, we spoke to the people, we went from door to door, but most of them were reluctant. It was something new to them. Besides, people weren't exactly close to each other. So they saw everything new as a potential threat. Not to mention that the stairwell in an apartment building is often a no man's land. No one claims this space, but if someone wantsto do something there, all of a sudden people start claiming ownership of it."
Slowly but surely, the stairwell turned into an area that has a little bit to offer to everyone. The organisers staged here theatre plays, opera shows, origami demonstrations and drawing and collage workshops. All the events had free access, and occasionally some of residents would bring a snack. Therefore a community developed around this event and people learned that they can have a really good time together, even with a limited amount of resources. Cristina Epure again:
"Jean-Lorin Sterian, who set up our association, is a visionary man who is very familiar with the art world in Romania. He encouraged people to implement projects with a social and educational impact. We didn't just focus on the artistic element. The first play we staged, for example, was an educational performance called Bad Children featuring Katia Pascariu. We wanted the performances to speak to everyone, both children and adults. The project didn't last long, but we felt it had an impact. I hope that when people enter the building or take the stairs, they remember these events and realise there is more to do than stay at home in front of their TVs or computers."
It's not just educational and socially-engaged
theatre that can encourage community spirit, but also architectural projects.
This is what two young architects have been doing for many years now. Together
they own StudioBasar, and in 2016 they continued working together with the
Metropolitan Library in Bucharest. They believe public libraries are among the
few existing resources that can be instrumental to boosting community spirit,
which is something that has been missing in recent times, architect Alex Axinte
from StudioBasar told us:
"I believe this is an effect of post-transition, something we've lost along the way, and now wonder why our food is tasteless. We don't know it lacks the salt. The two of us at StudioBasar, as architects, thought that this is something we can work on. Architects have to act with the means at their disposal in order to identify whatever remains of community spirit."
This summer, the architects from StudioBasar together with students of architecture and sociology decorated the façade of one of the buildings of the Metropolitan Library located on one of the most crowded streets in Bucharest so that it may stand out more. Also, they helped open a new Metropolitan Library branch in the Militari district, an area known for its large number of apartment buildings built during the communist period. For the latter project, the inhabitants of the area were also consulted and all said they were happy the library on the ground floor of their apartment building would reopen. Alex Axinte told us more:
"We talked with the users of the children's branch, which is next door, we talked to the librarians and specialists. We all agreed that the library needs to be expanded for activities, without sacrificing the book storage area. Socialisation associated with cultural activities is a huge necessity for an area of 300,000 people. The research project our students put together before the project kicked off shows that people usually meet each other in supermarkets or in the building. Therefore, there is an urgent need for venues where people should be able to socialise and the people are happy a 40-square-meter library will soon open nearby."
Public libraries can fuel community spirit as
long as they are not just associated with reading, Anca Rapeanu, the director
of the Metropolitan Library says. Apart from reading clubs, the Metropolitan
Library also hosts knitting workshops and IT and foreign language classes, all
free of charge, available in the library's 33 branches in Bucharest. Moreover,
last summer, the Story Caravan was initiated, also in cooperation with Alex
Axinte, who provided organisers with a do-it-yourself trailer, which can be
easily turned into a multipurpose space. Anca Rapeanu described how a normal
day unfolds for the people involved in the project:
"We wake up at 6 in the morning. We take out the toys, crayons, markers, balls and puppets from their boxes and put them in the trailer in such a way as to know where everything is. The caravan then sets into motion and, once it arrives in the park, the boxes are unloaded, the props are arranged and we start the workshops at 10. These are either do-it-yourself or drawing workshops or outdoor games. At 11 we start playing the skipping rope or the duck hunt. Meanwhile, my colleagues talk to the parents and explain what we do at the library and with our caravan. At 7 in the evening, we have puppet shows, then a zumba workshop. Late at night we pack everything up and head home".
The main purpose of the project is to prove that libraries are first and foremost public spaces and secondly cultural spaces, which is something the organisers hope will become clearer in 2017.
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Abdul Wahab
Abdul Wahab [Northern Wind , Suriya , Suzlon , Ruhida]
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A lot of praise and admiration I got when I was full of innocence
Now, I am under crook clumsy seductive adolescence.
Keeping head straight, running life difficult a lot
Sensing the senses makes me a bewildered pot.
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Nicoletta Ceccoli has been one of my favorite Italian painters and illustrators since I first saw her work at the Bologna Children's Book Fair (her art has been selected seven times for the annual exhibit). Ceccoli is actually from San Marino, a small enclave on Italy's Appennini mountains which happens to be the world's tiniest republic and oldest sovereign state. Most of her mysteriously surreal images depict variations on a recurring theme of beautiful, melancholy and ethereal child-girls accompanied by or metamorphosing into various animals and fairy tale creatures.
In an interview on Arrested Motion, Nicoletta cites influences from artists like Remedios Varo, Domenico Gnoli, Paolo Uccello, Stasys Eidrigevicius, Mark Ryden, Edward Gorey, Winsor McKay and Ray Caesar among others. She also mentions being at work on a book about mythological creatures, which I imagine is going to be awesome. Especially after having seen the following works, recently shown at Roq la Rue gallery in Seattle, featuring complex and dynamic compositions and a brighter, vibrant pastel color palette...


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I celebrated my birthday earlier this week. In the world we live in it is hard not to look at birthdays as a scourge, something that forces us to come face to face with our own mortality. Long gone are the days of joyful anticipation, counting down to this special day just for you. Now we are bombarded by anti-aging serums, featured in ads showcasing models and celebrities airbrushed to resemble something that doesn't actually exist. But you can rest assured that it looks really young. And pore free of course.
This year I have made a conscious decision to take a different approach. I choose to express gratitude for every second I get to spend on this beautiful planet. I choose to embrace the craziness, messiness and chaos of life because underneath it all lies a beautiful opportunity for growth and spiritual development. I choose to see the challenges in my life as growth experiences that help make me a stronger, more spiritually evolved person. I celebrate the lines on my face as a reflection of the wisdom I have gained through life experience. I still have my challenges in making peace with myself (who doesn't?) but at least this process of choosing acceptance brings me one step closer to living my life from a place of peace and contentment.
Longevity is a hot topic these days. There are so many studies and articles popping up all the time, with the promise of a holy grail of health and vitality. For longevity advice I tend to gravitate towards David Wolfe. His energy level is unreal, and his enthusiasm is infectious. I am working on his Nutrition Certification through the Body Mind Institute at the moment, and enjoy participating in his conferences. I have not made it to either the Longevity Now or Women's Wellness conferences in person yet, but definitely have plans to do so in the future. In the meantime I appreciate having the opportunity to participate virtually, thanks to an online access pass. I really enjoy being able to watch at my convenience, and my husband and kids get in on the action, making it a family affair.
This year's lineup of speakers was incredible (as always) not to mention highly inspirational. One of the people we listened to was David Asprey, founder of Bulletproof Coffee. I had heard about bulletproof coffee before, but hadn't paid much attention, as we don't eat butter and I am not a coffee drinker (two pretty basic requirements – or so I thought). Through the course of the talk I discovered that an important component was coconut oil, due to its medium chain triglycerides that help to kick start your metabolism (while also keeping you nicely satiated due to its status as a healthy fat).
In the spirit of personal experimentation (after all how can I recommend or dismiss something if I haven't tried it myself?) I did some internet research and found some plant based interpretations of bulletproof coffee. We went high octane to start (using Organic Longevity Coffee) and then I decided to branch out into coffee free alternatives, for the sake of my poor, already overworked adrenals. David Asprey suggests using green tea on his website, but I prefer to combine Dandy Blend, a great coffee subsitute and Kickstart, an amazing blend from Harmonic Arts.
My husband and I have been really enjoying our not so bulletproof morning ritual. We have found that Kickstart gives us a gentle energy boost, while Dandy Blend provides a rich, coffee like flavour. I appreciate that this coffee free alternative helps us take advantage of the detoxifying benefits of dandelion root, the immune boosting properties of chaga, and the antioxidant benefits of raw cacao, all while providing much less acidity than a cup of coffee. We have also found that we are pleasantly full until lunch, which I was highly skeptical about as I tend to have a pretty healthy appetite. Will we continue to do this every day? I am not sure, variety is the spice of life after all. But for now we are really enjoying our morning ritual. Here is our current recipe (feel free to modify to taste).
Not So Bulletproof "Coffee"
2 cups hot water
2 tsp Kickstart
1 tsp Dandy Blend
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp coconut manna (aka coconut butter)
A small handful of cashew nuts or hemp seeds
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp vanilla bean powder
Combine all ingredients in a blender, and process until smooth. We use a Nutribullet or Vitamix, but a regular blender works well too. If you like your beverages super smooth, you can strain the liquid through a mesh sieve, or blend it a bit longer until no chunks remain. Skipping the blender step doesn't work so well – instead of a frothy, creamy drink you will likely end up with oil floating around in your cup. Not so appetizing!
If you want to add a sweetener of choice, feel free – although I personally don't think it needs it. Some of my personal recommendations would be coconut syrup, maple syrup, honey or stevia.
If you don't have Kickstart on hand, you can swap it out for 1 Tbsp raw cacao and 1 tsp maca powder for a gentle energy boost. Or you can go the traditional route and use regular coffee – organic of course!


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Susan is teaching her wonderful bracelet here at Anthem at Merrill Ranch on February 26th. Some of you from the doll club are taking the class, too. My address, for those of you coming, is 6601 W Sandpiper Ct., Florence, AZ 85132. You will stop at the clubhouse on Sun City Blvd. where the class will be held. Susan is generously teaching the class for $35.00 person if anyone else is interested. This is an all day class.
Some of us are also interested in having her teach her cabochon class. Perhaps there is a more central location for that? Or we can do it here, also. Who else is interested?


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I'm at the Indy airport, playing playing Civ 6 on my laptop, and that's the least nerdy thing happening on the concourse.
Author: The Critical Miss
Llama Do the Thing…
So this popped up in my FB newsfeed, shared by a friend.
My question is, can I rent llamas (or alpacas?) just, you know, because? Without the pesky nuptials? I'd say I was asking for a friend, but we ALL know that I want to take them to a Magic tournament or the Farmers Market or Sonic or something.
One Girl's Opinion
I got a phone call from my parents after the last round of cleaning:
Mom: Did you label a box in the garage "Stupid crap they wouldn't let me throw away"?
Me: ….that doesn't sound like something I'd do.
Mom: Laura.
Me: What? You guys labeled a box containing a flip phone with a pull-up antenna, a something MEGABYTE SD card, a coily extension cord for a wall phone, a comb(?!), a camera that requires flash cubes, a modem, a portable cassette player, and mouse with a BALL "Useful Electronics." I feel like I have the moral high ground here.
Serial Killers or Hoarders?
I feel like that should be a reality show.
You go through a family's house and see what you find – you just show the audience and let them vote on whether they think they're serial killers or hoarders. Because sometimes those are the only two logical options.
I was helping my parents clean up again – more basement / garage stuff.
First, I found a lock of hair tied with a faded ribbon in the bottom of an otherwise empty oldey-timey briefcase.
Next, I found a box labeled "doll parts" sitting next to a machete. A FOR-REALSIES machete!
I looked at my dad, holding the blade aloft, saying "For the vast jungles of Independence?"
Dad laughed and said "No. I just needed it."
…that was not comforting.
"Needed it?"
"….NO. What does that MEAN? Dude, I'm about two seconds from calling – is that guy still doing unsolved mysteries? Imma call him."
My dad said "Lauraliz, it was for a costume."
"…I don't think you'd lure anyone into your van wearing this. You need a better costume. And chloroform. Where is THAT box?"
Master Debater
So I was in high school debate for four years. And I cannot tell ONE MALE PERSON that without getting the question "were you a master debater?" Not one. Not ever.
And for the record, yes. I was really good. I earned a Triple Ruby at the time, though I had enough points that when they did the big conversion to a new system I'd actually have been a Quad Ruby. So……you can, you know, be impressed. Or something.
Occasionally I go back and judge tournaments. Because I can and because they need good judges and because it's kinda fun.
But. BUT. It also means hanging out with other former debaters. And let's be clear – WE ARE TERRIBLE. I mean, just really really insufferable. We were the WORST when we were self-congratulatory, too-clever-by-half teen assholes quoting Kant and Maslow and Nitezsche. Imagine that, but all grown up – and in many cases, NOT having become an attorney or whatever. In my case – well, I'm not bad. I'm successful (by a certain value of success – good job, own my home, uhm…I have a dog….you know) and relatively well-adjusted. Not everyone gets there.
So I was sitting in the Hospitality Suite, and I recorded some of the nonsense spouted by my fellow ex-debaters.
"I'm a writer at the moment. I was living in Turkey. You know how it is. Now I'm trying to join the military, but there are some impediments to that…"
"I was going to go to law school, but you HAVE to take the LSATs…"
"It's hard to get a career started when you keep getting fired, you know?!"
Sigh. I kind of hate us.
Origin Story
Dunno if I've mentioned it before, but my dad collects rare books. And coins. And stamps. And gaming materials. And…..just stuff. Mom collects yarn and needlecraft supplies and – look their basement is full of boxes of junk.
So they had a plumbing problem a month or so ago. That led to another plumbing problem created by the plumbers who went out to fix the first problem. Yet a third plumbing problem – which was now a disaster – resulted from that attempt at a fix.
They finally called me almost a week after all the plumbing stuff.
First, I forbade them to ever use that plumber again – and no, I didn't care that the company was owned by some kid my mom taught once when she worked at the school. Next I drove out there to assess the damage.
The water had seeped up through the carpet into boxes that held some of Dad's books, which had caused those to fall over, sending more books into the water – you get the idea. It was a mess. But I vowed to help them clean stuff up and re-box everything and set it up so that it would be less likely to happen again. I've been going out there once a week on Saturdays for just that.
I'm going to catalog some of the things I find. Because……you'll see. Basically, I think that the experience will help shed light on the dark carnival that spawned the person I am today.
For example:
Dad: Do we want this box of vhs tapes and cassettes?
Me: No.
Dad: they're store-bought.
Me: No.
Dad: Bobbie, are you going to fight us on this?
Me: No, she's not. *covers mom's mouth* 'throw them away, Chuck.'
Mom: I want to give them to a woman at work!
Me: unless she has a time machine or just got here from 1987, she doesn't want them!
Mom: Its for in her car.
Me: …. She better drive a DeLorean.
A Balrog's Bargain
I stopped in at a bakery the other day to get a couple of desserty things. As I was paying, the girl asked me if I wanted to try the Southern Pecan bar samples – and OF COURSE I said "YES!" I had just popped it in my mouth when she pointed at my shirt and said "Oh! Is that Lord of the Rings?" I nodded and made an affirmative sort of noise.
Holy cow was this pecan bar good!
Then she says "Yeah, I thought so. It's that elf guy, right?"
I again nodded and smiled and made a noise – both because she was right and because the caramelly, nutty yumminess was amazing. Then she said "Yeah! Thorin…din? Legolas' brother."
I stopped chewing, my mouth suddenly full of ashy sadness. I now had to either keep eating this delightful confection and let her wrongess stand, or… I took the only real action open to me. I swallowed. "Thranduil. Elvenking. Ruler of Greenwood the Great. Legolas' dad. Uhm….thanks." I took another sample.
Here's the shirt, if you're curious: http://www.teefury.com/king-in-the-woodland-realm


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When your business depends on heroes, villains and monsters, it really pays to stay on the cutting edge of technology. Just ask legendary Hollywood special effects studio Legacy Effects. They've been using Stratasys 3D printing to create memorable characters for such blockbusters as Avatar, Pacific Rim and Iron Man.
This year's RoboCop movie, where man and machine become one, brought 3D printing again to the big screen. Using Stratasys' high resolution Objet Connex multi-material 3D printing technology, Legacy Effects produced every aspect of the RoboCop suit – from helmet to boots – as master mold patterns. These pieces were then molded and cast into other materials to create variants of the suit depending on the requirements of each scene.
But you'll also see actual 3D printed parts in the film, which is now available on DVD. Some versions of the suit used in the movie were composed of as much as 90% actual Stratasys 3D printed parts. For example, the striking visor, which forms part of the helmet on the black version of the RoboCop suit, features a gleaming red strip which was 3D printed using Stratasys transparent VeroClear material.
Stratasys 3D printing technology the only option for reproducing fine detail
According to Jason Lopes, Lead Design Engineer, Legacy Effects, RoboCop's chest-armour piece perhaps best exemplifies how the use of 3D printing technology overcomes certain challenges that can affect production methods.
"First, in terms of the size of RoboCop's chest piece specifically, only Stratasys' 3D printing technology would allow us to print something at the actual size; the part virtually fills the entire build-tray," Lopes explains.
"Second, the same part comprises a blend of smooth areas, as well as other areas that feature an extremely high level of detail, such as the police badge and other logos, which we needed to retain for the molding process. There isn't a technology currently available beyond that provided by Stratasys that affords us this level of intricate detail, together with the hard surface modeling of the shells all together in one print."
Smoother workflow and greater flexibility over traditional production methods
Using Stratasys' 3D printing technology the team at Legacy Effects is able to work much faster and more efficiently than it could in the days when it produced parts by hand.
"Doing everything by hand meant that we couldn't run tests as it would have taken forever," recalls Lopes. "Also, 3D printing allows us to work in symmetry, which enables us to build an entire left side of a suit, then mirror it and output the right side as well, all from one file with the click of a button. You can't do that by hand."
"Legacy Effects' use of our multi-material 3D printing as its solution of choice is indicative of how the technology is becoming increasingly integral to film making," says Bruce Bradshaw, Director Marketing, Stratasys North America. "The ability to rapidly 3D print all different materials together in one single print run meets the film industry prerequisite to save time and money. But the real showstopper is Stratasys' ultra-fine 16 micron-layer 3D printing. In the special effects world, fine detail and true-to-life models are the industry standard and our Connex multi-material 3D printing technology continues to be a top performer among designers and engineers."
Watch an exclusive interview with Jason Lopes from Legacy Effects describing his experience creating the suits and helmets for the RoboCop movie using Stratasys 3D Printing.
Related Post
Superheroes, Monsters & Props: 3D Printing Goes Over the Rim with Sci-Fi and SIGGRAPH
Using Stratasys 3D Printers (both PolyJet and FDM technologies) has been a part of Los Angeles-based Legacy Effects' creative design process for several years. Legacy Effects, under the stewardship of lead systems engineer Jason Lopes, has had a hand in video games like Halo, the Wired Robot from Comic-Con, and movies such as Jurassic Park, Avatar, the Iron Man series and this summer's blockbuster Pacific Rim. Over in London, FBFX Ltd. used a Stratasys Objet30 Pro 3D Printer to create custom costume pieces for the hit science fiction film Prometheus.
This post is also available in: Chinese (Simplified) Japanese Korean Portuguese (Brazil)


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Returns Guarantee
Every outdoor adventurer knows that Mother Nature can be unpredictable, especially when you're out on the water. Stay prepared for the unexpected with the Storm Whistle. By keeping this whistle within reach at all times, you'll be equipped to signal distress in the event of danger, unruly currents or even a rip tide.


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Welcome to Ballistics Technology International, Ltd.
Ballistics Technology International Ltd. provides facilities and structures that provide dynamic, modular, and scaleable solutions to fulfill various aspects of urban operations training. We help you design training elements that range from squad to battalion sized training. Scenarios can include close-quarters, on foot movement and control, and can incorprate light mobile, mechanized units up to and including armor elements in our live-fire facilities. You can train and perfect skills safely in facilities that are firing capable 360 degree inside and out.
Our modular panel system enables BTI to provide training facilities that change and scale with your training needs. BTI can provide entry trainers, grenade houses, and shoot houses for squad and small unit training. At the company level, we provide full live-fire villages with specific realistic building types and styles. On range, BTI provides protection for targetry, backstop blocks, baffles and protective walls to improve the SDZ's.


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Pelican Inn wedding: Angela + Karl
You've totally been in this situation, yes? You get engaged (or know someone that just did), then all your other friends start hopping on the bandwagon. Angela + Karl know all about that – it's basically why they started their planning by choosing a venue close to their hearts that was true to them to share with their guests. Pelican Inn, a historic English building on the coast just a short walk from Muir Beach was it. Rustic, sophisticated, surrounded by a breathtaking coastline and forest. Yep, sounds magical.
Beach wedding approved. These sandals are gorgeous!
Angela's a graphic designer so obviously she couldn't help herself when it came to designing all their printed goods. She even tried her hand at some ink drawing, as you can see on their invite.
My Mom works for a florist/event designer and so this was a no brainer to have her do the flowers. My bouquet was made of small white roses, lissianthus, freesia, blue hydrangia and ivy. She did an absolutely amazing job and she even decorated the cake with the same flowers used in my bouquet.
My advice is probably going to sound like everyone else's advice, but that's because it's good advice! You really, really need to focus on simply having fun. If things become too much for you to handle, ask for help! And if this is your first experience planning an event, you should seriously consider shelling out the cash for a wedding planner. One last thing. Your fiance is probably not going to get as involved with the decisions as you might like him to. Most likely, he won't care about the flowers. In fact, he may even ask why you need flowers at all? When this happens, just remind yourself that he is very excited about one thing for sure. He is marrying you!
Just a little tip on those burlap runners. If you are considering burlap, just keep in mind that it's not the easiest fabric to work with. It stinks pretty badly until it airs out eventually and you'll have fibers floating around your house everywhere. This was by far the most difficult of the projects! But in the end it was great.
So beautiful. Congratulations you two!
photography: Brown Butter Photo / venue: The Pelican Inn in Muir Beach, CA / cake: Sweet Adeline / coordinator: Andrea Papadopulos (Pelican Inn coordinator) / musician: Richard Wormstall / bride's dress: Peter Langner purchased at Glamour Closet sample sale / bride's shoes: Steve Madden (for the beach), Eric Michael 'Paloma' Espadrille (for reception) / groom's suit: Brooks Brothers
Social Love
Carolyn on Sep 20, 2012
wow! the bride dress is just stunning!!!! LOOOVEEEEE
Tenerife Total Party Plans on Sep 20, 2012
Wow, What a lovely fresh looking wedding. Wonderfully fantastic.
Tan on Sep 20, 2012
I'm curious what's in the favours? We also did stamped muslin bags and filled them with seed bombs
Tailored Engagements on Sep 20, 2012
The sandals are so unique for a beach wedding! It is a great alternative to going barefoot.
Clif on Sep 20, 2012
These photos are stunning! Nick and Tara of Brown Butter Photography...YOU ROCK! I love how you capture all the loveliest little moments. Can't wait to see what you've done with our wedding!!!
Toni@WeddingsForYou on Sep 23, 2012
I just love the brides sandals! The photo's are beautiful.
Kristina Juarbe {Thirty Three and a Third} on Sep 24, 2012
Amazingly stunning pictures!
Australian Wedding Venues on Sep 24, 2012
Seriously some people just have so much style when organising their weddings. Gorgeous set up and the bride looks spectacular in her wedding gown.
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23 "When you come into the land and plant any kind of tree for food, then you shall regard its fruit as forbidden. Three years it shall be forbidden to you; it must not be eaten. 24 And in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, an offering of praise to the Lord. 25 But in the fifth year you may eat of its fruit, to increase its yield for you: I am the Lord your God.26 "You shall not eat any flesh with the blood in it. You shall not interpret omens or tell fortunes. 27 You shall not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard. 28 You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the Lord (Lev 19:23-28).
Porter reports that in pagan societies in the ANE worshippers bore marks on their bodies as a sign of being devotees of a particular deity. J. Currid, Leviticus, 260-61.


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I'm still healing from a crash last week, so I have decided to avoid riding on rough trails or single tracks at the moment to let my shoulder heal.
Today I rode to Mount Pleasant in the hills behind Dayboro. This rural area is nestled in a valley created by the North Pine River between Mount Mee and Mount Byron.
What I enjoyed most was having a few hours on the bike on quiet rural roads to daydream and get in "The Zone" while covering a reasonable distance (80km). The hills were mostly gentle, although I managed to ascend a total of 1,048m during the ride.
Andrew Petrie reported a stand of Bunya Pines in this area when he visited it in the 1830's. I've got some ideas about where that stand might have been. As you ride along the road, there are some quite mature specimens poking out from behind the hills about 300 metres from the road. These two Bunyas are quite young – perhaps 60 to 70 years old.
Some time in the next year I hope to come back here again and ride through the rainforest up to Toogoolawah in the Brisbane Valley. But the management roads in the rainforest are closed at the moment due to damage from a lot of the heavy rain we've had lately.
I'm happy to wait 🙂
Max elevation: 178 m
Min elevation: -8 m
Total climbing: 1123 m
Total descent: -1071 m
Average speed: 19.81 km/h
Total time: 04:53:22
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Nitrogen cycling between sediment and the shallow-water column in the transition zone of the Potomac River and estuary. I. Nitrate and ammonium fluxes
Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science
By: N.S. Simon
- The Publications Warehouse does not have links to digital versions of this publication at this time
- Download citation as: RIS | Dublin Core
A three-year study of seasonal variation in water-column and sediment nitrogen species was conducted in the transition zone of the Potomac River 35 m from the Virginia shore at a site with an average water-column depth of approximately 1 m over sandy sediment. A diffusion-controlled sampler was used to collect water samples from the water column, at the interface between the water column and sediment, and at several tens of centimeters into the sediment. Nitrate was the predominant dissolved nitrogen species in the water column. The importance of denitrification was inferred by nitrate fluxes which were directed into the sediment from the water column during approximately 75% of the sampling periods and ranged from 0??02 to 0??69 mmol m-2 day-1. Flux of nitrate from the sediment into the water column, ???0??1 mmol m-2 day-1, due possibly to nitrification in surficial sediment, occurred during one spring and two summer sampling periods. Ammonium fluxes were less than 0??1 mmol m-2 day-1 during 90% of the sampling periods. Of the ammonium fluxes that were >0??05 mmol m-2 day-1, all were fluxes into the sediment during sampling periods when sediment resuspension occurred, and all were into the water column during periods of calm. The mean value of ammonium flux (0??005 ?? 0??05 mmol m-2 day-1) from the sandy, shallow-water sediments was two orders of magnitude less than the ammonium fluxes from the deeper, silty channel sediments in the same reach of the river. Diffusive flux calculations suggest that approximately one order of magnitude more nitrate than ammonium is cycled between the shallow-water column and the sandy sediment in the transition zone of the Potomac River. ?? 1988.
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Monday 12th FebruarySunday 11th February Tuesday 13th February
Yoga @ Arundel Scout Hall
Arundel Scout Hall, 8 Green Close, opposite doctors surgery, BN17 6LT
Guided Yoga session for all abilities. The aim is to enjoy how balanced yoga makes you…
Tony Pudwell Exhibition, Arundel Museum
Arundel Museum
The Tony Pudwell Exhibition Tony Pudwell; One Man's Legacy to Arundel Tony was a passionate local…
Dusty's Puddle Jumping Championships
WWT Arundel Wetland Centre
Grab your wellies and get outside to have a splashing time at Dusty's Puddle Jumping Championships!…
Yin Yoag
The Victoria Institute, Tarrant Street
Yin yoga is practised sitting or lying on the floor. There are no planks, no warriors,…
Get Fit with HIIT this January in Arundel
Arundel Football Club Function Room
Martin & Emma from Your Next Move Fitness Training are launching in our new home town…
Yoga @ Arundel Scout Hall
Arundel Scout Hall, 8 Green Close, opposite doctors surgery, BN17 6LT
Slow Flow yoga
Slow Flow Yoga Class - Monday
The Victoria Institute
A slow flow yoga class suitable for all experience levels including beginners. Message me to book…


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Montauk was a television sci-fi horror concept created by the Duffer Brothers, and the original iteration of their hit Netflix series Stranger Things. This early version has much in common with Stranger Things, but differs in various ways; most notably, it was planned to be set in Montauk, Long Island rather than the fictional Hawkins, Indiana.
The Duffers produced a script for the show's first episode, a 20-page Stephen King-style pitch booklet, and a mock trailer used in pitches to television networks to help illustrate the intended tone and feel of the series.
Montauk is introduced as an eight-hour sci-fi horror epic taking place in Long Island in 1980. It's detailed as a "love letter to the golden age of Steven Spielberg and Stephen King", drawing inspiration from the supernatural classics of the era.
Pilot Script
The Montauk Pilot is the original script for what would eventually become the first episode of Stranger Things. The script is divided into five acts and contains similar scenes to "The Vanishing of Will Byers", as well as "The Weirdo on Maple Street".
Pitch Book
The Montauk pitch book was created by the Duffers to help pitch the series to networks alongside the original pilot script. Created with the intention of resembling a Stephen King novel, it also contained images and story element comparisons to classic '80s films, such as E.T., Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Stand By Me. The book's cover was created by taking the paperback cover of the Stephen King novel Firestarter and placing an image of a bicycle over it.[1] The specific version used was a rare black variant of the novel's first edition. The book gives a basic outline of the show's original plot, as well as short descriptions of each of the major characters.
Mock Trailer
In addition to the pilot script and pitch book, the Duffers created a two-and-a-half-minute mock trailer. The trailer was composed of 20-30 movies, including Let Me In, E.T., Halloween, The Nightmare on Elm Street, and Poltergeist. [2] The trailer was overlaid with music from John Carpenter, specifically music from The Fog, and a song titled "Dirge" from the synth band S U R V I V E. Two members from the band, Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein, would go on to compose music for the series. The trailer has yet to be released to the public.
The following is Montauk's story verbatim from the pitch book:
- We begin at Camp Hero in the fall of 1980, a few months before the base will be shut down by the U.S. Government. A mysterious experiment has gone horribly awry. And something has gotten out.
- On this very night, a young boy, Will Byers, vanishes into thin air. His disappearance has a potent effect on the small town community, particularly on his best friend, Mike Wheeler, his brother, Jonathan, his mother, Joyce, and the reluctant chief of police, Jim "Hop" Hopper. We will follow each of these characters as they grapple with and investigate Will's disappearance.
- As they peel back the layers of this mystery, they will all arrive at the same shocking conclusion: Will was abducted by supernatural entities which were inadvertently released during an experiment. These entities exist between dimensions and have begun to feed on life from our world – Will's disappearance is only the beginning...
- Over the course of the series, the "tear" or "rip" that separates their world from ours will begin to spread across Montauk like a supernatural cancer. This cancer will manifest itself in increasingly bizarre paranormal ways. Electrical fields will be disrupted. Strange fungi will grow on structures and people. A heavy fog will drift in from the Atlantic. The temperature will plummet. Food will rot. Gravity will fluctuate. People will glimpse bizarre entities in their homes and businesses. There will be an escalating number of "vanishings." The entire town will become "haunted" – and in grave danger. If people can disappear... can an entire town?
- In order to save Will and the town, our heroes will have to outsmart Federal Agents, and tap into the preternatural abilities of a mysterious child telepath named Eleven, who has recently escaped from Camp Hero. Eleven will ultimately give them access to this "in-between" dimension, a nightmarish reflection of our own, where they will find themselves face to face with unimaginable horrors – horrors from which some of them will never escape. Those who do will be forever changed.
Short descriptions are given of each of the major characters, giving details on their backstories in addition to a basic outline of each character's arc. The characters are categorized into four groups: The Kids, The Outsider, The Teenagers, and The Adults.
The Kids:
- Mike Wheeler is twelve. He is a cute kid, but a birthmark on his left cheek leads to much bullying and near-crippling insecurity. He has never had a first kiss, much less a girlfriend. He escapes his insecurities through reading fantasy novels, spending time with his three best friends (Lucas, Dustin, and Will), and retreating into his own vivid imagination. The Dungeon Master of his Dungeons and Dragons group, he writes sprawling adventures with fantastical monsters. When he finds himself on a real adventure, facing real monsters, he will discover a courage he didn't know he had. By the end, he will even kiss a girl.
- Lucas Conley, twelve, is Mike's best friend. He lives only a few houses away. He is scrawny, short, loudmouthed. Initially a source of comic relief, his character will darken and deepen over the course of the series. His wealthy parents are in the midst of costly divorce; vitriolic arguments are a daily occurrence. As a result, he will grow angry, and destructive. His attitude will land his friends in danger more than once and put his friendship with Mike to the test.
- Will Byers, twelve, is a sweet, sensitive kid with sexual identity issues. He only recently came to the realization that he does not fit into the 1980s definition of "normal." His innocent choices, such as colorful clothes, prove a constant source of bullying. Like Mike, Will escapes through fantasy gaming, where he can be himself, uninhibited. He has a close relationship with his mother, Joyce. His brother, Jonathan, helps raise him in lieu of their father, who abandoned them four years ago.
- Dustin Henderson, twelve, is the "King Geek." He is overweight and wears oversized glasses. His supportive parents are nerds themselves and are supportive of his choices and hobbies. However, Dustin finds less acceptance at school, where he is often bullied for his weight and interests. He frequently bickers with Lucas; their arguments are good-natured at first, but escalate as the stakes rise.
The Outsider:
- Eleven was an orphan with telekinesis. Her preternatural abilities have been linked to genetic mutations caused by her mother's drug use. When she was just two years old, she was taken for experiments by a clandestine faction of the U.S. Military. She has subsequently lived out a majority of her life in a small cell beneath Camp Hero. During this time, she and a group of other children (One to Ten) were subjected to a series of painful, dangerous experiments. Her powers proved greater than the other children, and she began to receive special attention from Agent One. Outside of Agent One, she has little experience interacting with others and has no memory of the outside world. When she escapes the laboratory at the start of our series, she finds herself experiencing real life for the first time. This proves both terrifying... and thrilling. If Mike is the Elliot of our show, Eleven is our "E.T."
The Teenagers:
- Jonathan Byers, sixteen, is mysterious, quiet, with artistic leanings and a lifelong love (and talent) for photography. He finds his social life constantly stifled by his responsibilities to his family. He works at the local movie theatre to help his mother pay rent; the rest of his time is spent taking care of his kid brother, Will. While he loves his family very much, he also feels burdened by them. He has no friends at school and has never had a girlfriend. Over the course of the series, he will begin a relationship with Nancy Wheeler. This will force him to open up and, for the first time, let someone in.
- Nancy Wheeler, sixteen, is an awkward, booksmart teen who is in the early stages of becoming a woman. But with her newfound looks comes unexpected pain; her first fling with Steve, a popular teen, leads to heartbreak and humiliation. This experience will unexpectedly lead her into the arms of another: Jonathan. With his help, she will experience love for the first time... and find herself.
The Adults:
- Jim "Hop" Hopper, early 40s, is the Chief of Montauk police. He grep up in Montauk but moved to the city immediately post-graduation. He made a happy life there, but it all shattered when a tragic car accident killed his four-year-old daughter. He retreated to his hometown and now lives a hedonistic lifestyle in a shack by the beach. He drinks heavily, chain smokes, and abuses Tuinal, a potent barbiturate popular at the time (which has since been banned). Hopper took the job of Chief not to help others but because it required little of him. After all, nothing bad ever happens in Montauk. Or so he thought. This changes when Will goes missing. In order to stop this evil from spreading, Hopper will have no choice but to confront the darkness of his past.
- Joyce Byers, early 40s, is the single mother of Will and Jonathan. She struggles to raise them while holding down two low-paying jobs with long hours. She chain smokes, speaks with a thick Long Island accent, and has blunt manners. Despite all this, she is a loving mother who would go to incredible lengths to protect her boys. Over the course of the show, Joyce's desperation will lead her into an unexpected and rocky relationship with Hopper.
- Mr. Clarke, 35, is the rock star of the local middle school. Charismatic, charming, handsome, and whip-smart, he is the closest thing our series has to Indiana Jones. Mr. Clarke will become increasingly essential as the show moves forward, as he will be key to solving the mystery of what has happened in Montauk. He will ultimately help our heroes breach the Tear in Act Three.
- Terry Ives, 40, mentioned only passingly in the pilot, will play an important role in episodes to come. An anti-social hermit and local movie theatre projectionist with the looks of a serial killer (balding hair, big oval glasses), Terry is a conspiracy nut and has been investigating Camp Hero for a decade. Although initially derided by Hopper and others, he will become an unexpected, albeit reluctant, hero in the dark days ahead. He might even make a friend or two along the way.
Differences from Stranger Things
Story differences
Much like its successor, Montauk was to have a three act structure like a film, having a beginning, middle, and end. However, unlike Stranger Things, Montauk, was envisioned as a miniseries. While the series would conclude with no loose ends, plans for a potential sequel would include the same characters in the 90s. The sequel's timejump was directly inspired by Stephen King's It. The reason this concept was abandoned was because Netflix felt people would become so invested in the characters that they would want to see the continuation of their stories. The Duffers came to agree with this decision, and instead planned a multiple season arc.[3]
The most notable and obvious difference between Stranger Things and its original incarnation is the setting. The Duffer Brothers originally wanted the show to take place in Montauk, Long Island (and for the show to correspondingly be titled Montauk) because they desired to recapture the "coastal-town Amity feel" in Jaws.[4] The setting was changed to the fictional Indiana town of Hawkins due to production reasons, filming in Atlanta. The Duffers would warm to this decision, as Atlanta felt more like "Anywhere, USA" and reminded them of their childhoods in North Carolina. Ross Duffer said they were also "excited" by the change for another reason; since Hawkins is "this little fictional world that we've made up, we can do stuff that didn't happen in real life".[4]
Story elements
While it is clear the pilot would evolve into "The Vanishing of Will Byers", the script also contains similar scenes to "The Weirdo on Maple Street". The script puts emphasis on some kind of electrical storm which did not appear until the second season. The Monster's victims originally bled from the nose and ears when in contact with it, in a similar fashion to Eleven bleeding when she exercises her powers. The script also suggests multiple monsters were planned for the first season. Furthermore, the pilot is clearly heavily influenced by the conspiracy theories surrounding Camp Hero, and by extension, the books of Preston B. Nichols, such as The Montauk Project: Experiments in Time. Stranger Things and his books cover a great deal of common ground, such as monsters, portals and children with psychic powers.
Character differences
Due to the setting change and the actors cast, some characters were changed from their original concepts. Some only received slight alterations while others were re-written entirely.
- Originally, Joyce had a Long Island accent, wore too much make-up, and was a lot more aggressive. When Winona Ryder was cast, the Duffers decided to instead base her character on Roy Neary in Close Encounters of the Third Kind.[5]
- Steve Harrington was also changed drastically. Due to Joe Keery's portrayal being more likable than the Duffers had planned, they rewrote his character from being a complete jerk to a guy being in the wrong crowd who eventually changes.[6]
- Terry Ives was originally a male conspiracy theorist who worked at a movie theatre, and had no direct connection to the lab, its experiments, or Eleven. It's possible this character eventually became Murray Bauman.
- Dr. Brenner is never mentioned in the pilot script nor the pitch book, with three agents taking his place. His closest counterpart appears to be a character referred to as Agent One.
- In the series, Sara Hopper died from cancer while the pitch book explains she was originally intended to be killed in a car accident.
- The pitch book reveals that Jonathan and Nancy were planned to enter a relationship, which didn't come to fruition until the second season. Hopper and Joyce were also intended to enter a relationship.
- This subject of Will's sexuality has long been a debate. While there has been no clear indication so far in the series, the pitch book shows that Will's character was initially conceived to have issues with his sexual identity.
- Originally, Mike had a birthmark on his cheek which made him a target for bullying, as well as a crush on classmate Jennifer Hayes. Additionally, he was originally intended to be the first to enter the alternate dimension.
- Lucas's original surname was Conley, and the source of his behavior was his parents' divorce, as opposed to jealousy in the series.
- While Stranger Things takes place in early November of 1983, the pilot takes place in early October of 1980. One of the reasons the year was changed to 1983 is because it was a year before the film Red Dawn was released, which focused on Cold War paranoia.[7]
- However, part of the second season takes place during October, albeit around Halloween.
- Camp Hero (or the Montauk Air Force Station ) was built to originally be a coastal defense station disguised as a fishing village.
- It is also where an alleged series of secret experiments were conducted by the US government. These experiments involved developing psychological warfare techniques and time travel. These allegations are believed to have originated from the book The Montauk Project: Experiments in Time, which the author, Preston B. Nichols, claimed to have recovered repressed memories of his involvement in the experiments.
- When Mike talks to his father in an early scene from the pilot, he is trying to watch CHiPS, which was a TV series that originally aired from September 15, 1977, to May 1, 1983. A near identical scene appears in "The Vanishing of Will Byers", with Ted trying to watch Knight Rider instead. This change likely occurred due to the show's shift from 1980 to 1983.
- In the show, before Will leaves to go home, he tells Mike he rolled a seven and that his character was defeated by the Demogorgon. This scene is absent from the script.
- Also in the show, Will wanted Dustin's X-Men 134, while in the script he wanted Dustin's Uncanny X-Men 269. This would've been an anachronism, as that issue was released on October 10, 1990.
- The boys having a policy about "using reflections" could be an allusion to how the Upside Down is a "dark reflection" of the real world. However, this concept was dropped and isn't in the show.
- Hopper's fan-favorite line, "Mornings are for coffee and contemplation," is not in the script.
- Before the boys were called to the principal's office, they are sitting in the science classroom where Mr. Clarke mentions the TV series Cosmos and quotes Carl Sagan.
- Cosmos: A Personal Voyage was a thirteen-part TV series partially written by Carl Sagan that originally aired from September 28 – December 21, 1980.
- When Benny is introduced, the script says "Benny Hammond", however when he later tells Eleven his name, as well as when Connie Frazier says his name , it says "Benny Henderson." This is either an error, or indicative that the Duffers had not yet settled on Benny's full name. It's worth noting that Dustin's surname is also "Henderson"; it's possible that Benny and Dustin were originally planned to be part of the same family.
External Links
- Montauk Pilot written by the Duffer Brothers
- Montauk Pitch Book created by the Duffer Brothers
- ↑ "The Duffer Brothers Talk 'Stranger Things' Influences, 'It' Dreams and Netflix Phase 2" The Hollywood Reporter. August 1, 2017.
- ↑ "How the Duffer Brothers Picked the Perfect Music for 'Stranger Things'"Complex. August 2. 2016.
- ↑ "Stranger Things Was Originally An Anthology Series" Screen Rant. August 2, 2017.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Stranger Things' Duffer Brothers on '80s Cinema, Fighting Over Kid Actors, and How They Cast Winona Ryder" Vulture.July 15,2016.
- ↑ "The Stranger Things creators want some scares with their Spielberg" A.V. Club. July 13, 2016.
- ↑ "'Stranger Things' Finale: Duffer Brothers Talk Cliffhangers, Death and Season 2]" Variety. July 18, 2016.
- ↑ "'Stranger Things': How Two Brothers Created Summer's Biggest TV Hit" Rolling Stone. August 3, 2017.


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New York City, United States
Short for Scion Audio Visual, Scion AV is the umbrella name for the wide range of lifestyle programs that Scion sponsors. It includes (but is far from limited to) music compilations, a 17 channel internet radio station called Radio 17, travelling art shows and a magazine. Scion AV's goal is to support and give a platform to emerging artists across multiple disciplines. Material and information for all Scion AV projects can be found on scionav.comscionav.com


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Steve Byrne, Owen Benjamin, Roy Wood. Jr. Ahmed Ahmed (courtesy of TBS)
Comedian Roy Wood Jr. will be returning home, and he will be bringing some guests with him.
Wood will be stopping in Birmingham as a part of the Sullivan & Son Comedy Tour, along with co-stars and comedians Steve Byrne, Owen Benjamin and Ahmed Ahmed in support of the TBS sitcom.
The tour will be stopping at the Stardome on Wednesday, Aug. 14 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $23.
This will be his first time in Birmingham since the end of "The Roy Wood Jr. Morning Show" on local radio station 95.7 Jamz.
"To go from coming home two to three times a month for over a decade to once in the past year is definitely gave me and appreciation for my family, friends and their passion for the city," he said.
Show creator and star Byrne said he created "Sullivan & Son" as a way to live vicariously through the main character that buys his parent's bar and spends time with his loved ones. The show is currently in its second season.
"I was always told to write about what you know," he said. "I was living out of a suitcase for two years as a travelling comedian. I was never home. So, I wrote the show based about a guy who gets to go home and be with his friends and family."
Wood plays Roy Williams Jr., one of Byrne's character's childhood friends.
"I'm just one of the many misfits in the bar," Wood said. "I'm more so there to help people solve all the idiotic problems that they get themselves into."
Wood said that his role on the show helps raise his profile and make more people aware of his comedy career.
"I jumped at the opportunity because ultimately, if I can do well on that, then maybe one day I can roll that into a production of my own," he said.
Byrne describes Wood as one of the funniest comics that he's ever heard.
"He's got such a wealth of material," he said. "He's constantly writing. What I like about him too is that his material is topical but it's also evergreen…He makes it very relatable and comes from the place of the common man, which I believe is the voice of the show."
Entertainment Weekly called Wood's comedy styling as "charismatically cranky" in 2009, a description he agrees with.
"I try to get a handle on people who are frustrated with stupid stuff in the world," he said.
The comedy tour helps give the audience a look at the comedians' distinct personalities, according to Byrne.
"None of us can be pigeon-holed into one category of standup," Byrne said. "I personally think it's probably one of the best shows you could ever see, to be completely honest. I've always been inspired by these guys and we all make each other better."
This will be Byrne's first visit to Birmingham. He said he's looking forward to visiting Wood's hometown.
"He's always been proud of where he's from. He brings it up in conversation all of the time," he said. "Obviously, I know its rich in history. There's a lot of cultural and social gravity to the city. For me to get to go there and experience and travel along and see some museums, I'm really excited."
For more information on the comedy show, visit stardome.com.


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Cloninger Properties
Cloninger Properties
November 2014
The Cloninger Properties Team is passionate about helping their clients buy, sell and invest in Denver NC and the surrounding Lake Norman area. They are client-focused real estate agents who make the real estate search experience an outstanding one whether you are buying, selling, or investing.
The cloningerproperties.com website includes a new content management system and functionality throughout. AppNet programmed and implemented the database that interactively works with their local MLS board to display all listings for the areas as well as pulling their featured listings and engineering those listings to perform well on the search engine.
Some of the CloningerProperties.com website's features include: videos, blog, CMS, RETS/MLS website design & programming and data pull, Fully Responsive design and more.


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Get Involved
Have any extra stuff not being used?
If you have spare or unused stuff kicking around your basement, garage or closet – the Tool Library and sharing depot is an opportunity to give them a second life with our community. Items should be in new or lightly used condition and should fit the following categories: Tools, camping and sports equipment, board games, toys and house party supplies. Come visit us and donate on-site at any of our Locations. Alternatively, if you have large items or a significant collection of items you are donating, you can contact us for a pick-up service!
Email us at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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"We formed this new division to have a greater reach into the golf and club industries, and outside of our normal activities at Troon," said Dana Garmany, chairman and CEO, Troon. "In Rich Carter we have the ideal leader with his entrepreneurial spirit and over twenty years of service and club operations experience."
|Rich Carter
True Club Solutions is the only club advisory firm with the ability to draw from decades of experience in the day-to-day management of more than 270 golf and hospitality facilities around the globe. True Club Solutions is led by Carter and supported by nearly 12,000 corporate and field associates who excel in their respective fields of expertise.
The advisory services offered by True Club Solutions include, but are not limited to, the following disciplines:
- Customer Service
- Sales and Marketing
- Private Club Sales and Marketing
- Golf Course Agronomy
- Retail Operations
- Food and Beverage Operations
- Facility Design and Development
- Golf Course Redevelopment
- Finance and Accounting
- Information Technology
- Compliance and Risk Management
- Caddie Services
- Procurement
True Club Solutions is headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., but will draw on the expertise of associates located across the globe to help develop real-world solutions for clients. For more information on True Club Solutions, contact Rich Carter at email@example.com.
For additional news and information, visit www.Troon.com.


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I'm a video gaming industry veteran with over 20 years of experience that has garnered numerous team and individual accolades. I've had the pleasure of working in 4 countries and with teams from all over the world.
My work has featured in 40+ high profile titles including:
Rocksmith 2014 (Ubisoft)
Silent Hill: Book of Memories (Konami)
Rocky Balboa (UbiSoft)
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire (THQ)
Scorpion King (Universal Interactive)
Godzilla (Atari)
Kim Possible 3 (Disney Interactive)
Shantae (Capcom)
Centipede (Atari)
My focus is realtime computer performance with vast expertise in 3D rendering, multi-threading, compression, networking, code portability and compatibility, debugging, multi-platform and cross-platform development with a focus on modern technologies.
I am often called upon to solve stability and performance issues in ongoing projects saving both time and money, sometimes to rescue whole projects from cancellation.
From the start, my first title Project S-11 which I created as the co-founder of Paragon 5 was critically acclaimed as "the best the GBC is going to see in terms of space shooters"-GameSpot and "the most furious shooter on the Game Boy Color"-IGN.
Fluent in French, English and Japanese, I often travel around the world to meet and share with other professional about the latest technologies and development techniques.
Lately, I have been doing research combining Reconfigurable Computing and Stream Processing with a focus on realtime interactive applications such as video games and realistic physic simulations.
You can contact me at


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What Problems Can Coconut Trees Bring
Coconut palms are large trees that thrive in low elevations from the subtropics to the tropics. The large fruit (coconut) is widely used and forms the basis of many tropical countries' economies. Coconut oil is an important product of this tree, used in soap, cosmetics and cooking oils. But watch out--those large coconuts might kill you if they drop off the tree and fall on your head.
Falling Coconuts
When planted near roads and sidewalks, many cities and concerned homeowners are diligent in pruning off small, developing coconuts from these trees before they grow large and become a hazard to people, animals and cars. In 1989, a study by Peter Barss published in the "Journal of Trauma" noted the force of a falling coconut and documented the number of injured people who were treated at the hospital where Barss worked in Papua New Guinea. There were concussions, and Barss speculated it would be possible for a falling coconut to kill. He advised not to sit or sleep under a coconut-laden tree.
When the very large fronds of coconut palms spread over the roofline of a home or other building, they can bump into rain gutters and drop in plant material, causing gutters to clog and overflow. They can also provide a "runway" for roof rats to gain access. In the tropics, diseases such as leptospirosis can be spread when rats urinate on roofs and then it is washed by rain into holding tanks that some people use as drinking water. Fronds also fall off when they die--they are large and heavy and can cause damage to buildings, rain gutters and people or animals when they drop. Always keep coconut fronds trimmed back from your home and do not plant coconut trees too close to a building.
Tropical regions are subject to hurricanes, and although coconut palms are quite wind-hardy, high winds can cause them to become uprooted because their root systems are shallow. Any large tree that falls can cause serious damage to vehicles, buildings and people.
Coconut palms can provide a nice habitat for certain pests, such as the Caribbean tree frog (coqui), an invasive species in non-native areas such as Hawaii. The areas where fronds connect to the main trunk are perfect hiding places for these small, noisy frogs and also for the large, invasive African snail. Palm fronds also provide good hatching grounds for the frogs' eggs.


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Destined to soon transform the International Space Station into a new home in orbit, the Russian-built Zvezda living quarters module lifted off flawlessly from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, at 11:56 p.m. CDT Tuesday.
Only 15 minutes after its launch aboard a Russian Proton booster, the new module was safely in orbit, with its antennas, solar arrays and other exterior equipment perfectly extended. The module is now operating well in an orbit with a high point of about 221 statute miles and a low point of 115 statute miles. During the next two weeks, flight controllers at the Russian Mission Control Center in Korolev, Russia, will continue to activate and check out the module's systems, fire its engines periodically to adjust its orbit, and prepare for a docking with the International Space Station.
On July 25, the International Space Station will begin a final rendezvous with Zvezda, culminating in a docking planned at about 7:45 p.m. CDT. The launch of Zvezda begins a rapid series of flights to the station, and a rapid expansion of the orbital outpost. A Russian Progress cargo spacecraft is next targeted for a launch to the station on Aug. 6 with a docking on Aug. 8; the Shuttle Atlantis is targeted for launch on Sept. 8 to open the doors to the new living quarters for the first time; and the Shuttle Discovery is targeted for a launch Oct. 5 on a mission that will begin the heart of station construction, carrying aloft an exterior framework and third mating adapter. The first three-person resident crew is targeted to begin a four-month stay aboard the station a month later, bringing the new outpost to life.
Those flights, among the most complex and difficult missions NASA has ever attempted, and the ones that will quickly follow in 2001 -- U.S. solar arrays, the first U.S. laboratory, a new generation of space robotics built by Canada, logistical modules built by Italy, and a station airlock from the U.S. -- will turn the station into the largest, most powerful and most sophisticated spacecraft ever built by the end of next year.
NOTE: The next Mission Control Center ISS Status Report will be issued as needed according to ongoing mission activities. For further information, please contact the NASA Public Affairs Office at the Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, 281-483-5111.
NASA Johnson Space Center Shuttle Mission/Space Station Status Reports and other information are available automatically by sending an Internet electronic mail message to email@example.com. In the body of the message (not the subject line) users should type "subscribe hsfnews" (no quotes). This will add the e-mail address that sent the subscribe message to the news release distribution list. The system will reply with a confirmation via e-mail of each subscription. Once you have subscribed you will receive future news releases via e-mail.