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The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater (9780374303235)
The skill evident in this book is remarkable. This is the nonfiction book that teen readers today need.
A Boy, A Mouse, and a Spider: The Story of E. B. White by Barbara Herkert, illustrated by Lauren Castillo (9781627792455)
The illustrations by Castillo are wonderful, creating moments of time and beautiful spaces that show White on his journey to becoming one of the most beloved children's authors.
Bravo!: Poems about Amazing Hispanics by Margarita Engle, illustrated by Rafael Lopez (9780805098761)
An important book for public libraries, this is a celebration of Latino impact on the world as a whole.
Creekfinding: A True Story by Jacqueline Briggs Martin, illustrated by Claudia McGehee (9780816698028)
A fascinating topic that is just right for environmental units or Earth Day, this picture book is a celebration of nature and man working together.
Danza!: Amalia Hernández and El Ballet Folklórico de México by Duncan Tonatiuh (9781419725326)
Tonatiuh uses his signature illustration style that is a delightful mix of folk images and modern edge. The illustrations are a match for the topic, each strengthening the other.
Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos by Monica Brown, illustrated by John Parra (9780735842694)
An appealing and unique look at Frida Kahlo.
Her Right Foot by Dave Eggers (9781452162812)
Rumbles of awards surround this title. It deserves all of them. Unique and fabulous.
Let's Clap, Jump, Sing & Shout; Dance, Spin & Turn It Out!: Games, Songs & Stories from an African American Childhood by Patricia C. McKissack, illustrated by Brian Pinkney (9780375870880)
This book is almost an encyclopedia of games and songs. Page after page will have readers humming along, singing aloud and looking for a partner to play a newfound or best-loved game.
Muddy: The Story of Blues Legend Muddy Waters by Michael Mahin, illustrated by Evan Turk (9781481443494)
A strong and special book about a musician who didn't do what he was told and succeeded because of that.
A New School Year: Poem Stories in Six Voices by Sally Derby, illustrated by Mika Song (9781580897303)
A great book to start the new school year with poetry.
Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets by Kwame Alexander with Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth, illustrated by Ekua Holmes (9780763680947)
This book belongs in every elementary school collection and every public library. It is extraordinary.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg: The Case of R.B.G. vs. Inequality by Jonah Winter, illustrated by Stacy Innerst (9781419725593)
This is a strong biography of Ginsburg and her importance to the entire country.
Silent Days, Silent Dreams by Allen Say (9780545927611)
Filled with grace and a deep understanding, this picture book biography is truly exceptional work from a master.
This Is How We Do It by Matt Lamothe (9781452150185)
Wonderful for classrooms and libraries, this nonfiction picture book is exceptional.
The World Is Not a Rectangle: A Portrait of Architect Zaha Hadid by Jeanette Winter (9781481446693)
Winter has a gorgeous way with biographies, keeping them brief enough for even preschool audiences but detailed enough to intrigue and to speak to the individual and their life.


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Not sure what's coming for the Vita? Don't worry – we've got that covered and here are ten of the games that we are most excited for on the Vita!
Severed (Up)
The recent delay that Drinkbox Studios announced hasn't cut into our anticipation for their latest title and it reclaims the top position. Are you excited for this? With touch mechanics for lopping off enemy limbs and set in a "fully stylised twisted reality" this Vita exclusive can't come soon enough.
Axiom Verge (Up)
We don't have a date for Axiom Verge, but that hasn't stopped the retro-styled 2D Metroidvania title from storming up the charts and clibing six places. Inspired by classic games like Rygar, Contra, Bionic Commando, Blaster Master and Metroid, this game looks incredible.
Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth (Up)
Set in the near future, the line between digital worlds and reality is becoming blurred, and logging into cyberspace is part of everyday life. For one teenager, a harmless online chat results in a chance encounter with a mysterious hacker and sets the adventure into motion.
Persona 4: Dancing All Night (Up)
Another climber in our chart and so close to being in your hands now. This rhythmic spin-off from arguably the Vita's greatest game is filled with 30 tracks – many of which come from the original game. Is this one on your list?
Not a Hero (Down)
Down but not out for this violent cover shooter from the Bafta-award winning chaps Roll 7 and Devolver Digital. You must help an anthropomorphic bunny to win an election by "cleaning" up the city. Or rather, killing everyone in his way. Vote Bunnylord!
Attack on Titan (New)
We have only just started getting details on this latest project from Koei Tecmo as we went to print, but the little we have heard so far has us excited. Based on the anime of the same name, the game is around 50% complete. We will bring you more news on this game as soon as it comes in!
Super Meat Boy (Down)
It may have been playable elsewhere already, but that's not stopping us from looking forward to this challenging platformer when it lands on PlayStation Plus later this year. Revered by many, Team Meat's signature title cannot come soon enough!
YIIK (New)
It's a new entry for Ackk Studio's YIIK, a colourful RPG set in the 1990s and stars eight strangers, a mysterious woman and weaponised panda plushies. With turn based battles, lots of exploration and more than 25 hours of gameplay this game looks amazing and has so much potential.
Senran Kagura Estival Versus (Up)
Climbing a spot in our hot list, the newest title in the series has the largest roster yet. It also has more moves, more story and more destruction than ever before as well as online match ups with up to four other players. A fan of Senran Kagura? Then you'll be wanting this!
Corpse Party Blood Drive (New)
A top-down horror-infused adventure game with some RPG elements thrown in for good measure, the game tasks you with exploring a haunted school and its grounds – trying to find a way to escape. Th achieve this, you will need to interact with your environment to find new objects, inspect your surroundings for clues, and avoid anything scary that pops out!
That rounds off our list. What do you make of these choices? Are you excited for any of these games or is there something else that is high on your wish list? Let us know in the comments!
This article first appeared in The Vita Lounge Magazine Issue Five. Look out for more exclusive and magazine first content in the magazine soon!

subset: commoncrawl


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Goals, Periodization, Lessons Learned
My SCY season consisted of 8 meets including Nats. Of those were two state championships (Iowa and Illinois) and several smaller (yet equally exciting!) meets.
I'd really like to explicitly look at my 500 free times from the start til the end of the season:
My first 500 of 2011: 1/15/2011 Danville
Time: 7:18.93
Splits: N/A (Avg: 43.9)
After a lot of coaching and learning, I managed to pull this off at the Illinois State Meet.
Best 500 of 2011: 4/7/2011 (ILMSA Champs)
Time: 6:46.42
Splits: 34.70, 40.11, 41.99, 41.26, 40.79, 41.49, 42.07, 41.89, 42.14, 39.98
So I'm pretty happy with how my swimming has turned out! I'm not really sure how it all happened - but like magic I managed to start swimming way faster over these past couple months.
I also swam the same race during nats... I did not swim it nearly as well, mostly due to fatigue and frustration from the days before. (We'll talk about that in a minute)
Nats Time: 6:52.88
Splits: 35.01, 40.18, 42.26, 43.04, 42.03, 43.28, 41.78, 42.57, 41.95, 40.78
Not a terrible job, but I could do SIGNIFICANTLY better in the future.
So I've also had an attitude adjustment in my swimming and in my training. My first adjustment came after my 200 free at nationals. Due to the fact that I was not swimming smart (lets just put it that way) I missed my wall at the 75 and killed my momentum for the race. It was a bad race for me and one that I wanted to do especially well in. Well - long story short, I can't go back and swim it again. That's just how it is. So instead, I'll just make it up with a vengeance the next time I swim it in a meet.
In terms of training, I had the time to look at this article. Mr. Crippen's philosophy on his training and his mindset on pushing oneself to the absolute brink is not something I've never thought about before. However I've never truly been inspired to put myself up to it until after reading this. I don't ever plan or even want to be compared to Fran, but perhaps - just perhaps I can teach myself to become even a millionth of the athlete that he was.
Thanks for reading! Hopefully I'll be able to post more this summer! I have quite the line up planned:
2 Open Water Swims (Swim Across America and Big Shoulders)
2 Triathlons (Wauconda Sprint Triathlon and the Bangs Lake Triathlon)
2 Long Course Meets (Badger State Games and Indy SwimFit Firecracker)
Muddy Buddy Chicago
and at least 1 half marathon (not sure when or where)
In the past several weeks, I've had to make some adjustments to my workout. Work is finally starting to ramp up and attempt that "utilization to his full potential" crap that the authority figures in my life have always talked about (Parents... teachers... professors... coaches... etc...) Which has ultimately lead to a rise in the number of hours working.
For about 2 straight weeks I was driving down to Oak Park outside of Chicago. So this would cut into my sleep schedule and thus my morning lifts were gone. Instead - they were replaced with the 80-90 MPH drive down 294 and 290. I think most people didn't even see my car, it was more of a silver blur at 6 in the morning.
For those two weeks, I was unable to lift at all, and I was lucky to make practice. Sleep was cut to about 4-5 hours per night, and maybe an hour before practice (if I was lucky). I made it through those two weeks and straight into the Sink Or Swim Classic and another week of more of the same and shot immediately into the GRIN Fall Classic. As you all saw - I did really well for me.
Well starting after the GRIN Fall Classic I was "able" to jump back into lifting. The problem was - I wasn't falling asleep after practice. I had also gotten used to sleeping in a little (til 6:00 AM instead of getting up at 5:00 AM) as a result of my travels and not lifting. So I've adjusted my workout schedule AGAIN.
Trying to double up on lifting/swimming on days where I have to work just seem relatively useless since I was always just so exhausted. I felt like my work, my workouts and my swims were all suffering as a result of the schedule.
So now:
Swim:Sunday 7:30-9:00 PM, Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday 8:30-9:30 PM
Lift: Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday (Sunday will be optional)
Core: 6 Days a week with a floating free day.
I lift now whenever its convenient (Evenings on Mondays and Fridays). My new gym has a massive collection of weights and machines. So if I can't find something to do - I'm obviously not using my creativity.
I wake up almost every morning between 6 and 6:30. That means I can eat a light breakfast and be ready to do core by 7:00 AM. I make sure I put in at least a half an hour of straight core work. I enjoy it because it gives me an endorphin rush in the morning, preps my mind for the day and helps to maintain the efforts I've taken so far in my swimming.
I think its a pretty ambitious plan, but I also think I can handle it pretty well. I'm currently 8 days in and so far so good
My next meet and the rundown has been decided! I will be swimming at the West Bend Short Course Meters Meet. I'll be swimming the 50 fly, 200 free, 50 breast, 200 IM, and finally - the 1500 Free. There will be more on that later though. I'm not ready to start blogging those goals for that meet though. That will come! This will be my first competition 200 IM!
What do you do for your workout? How do you compensate for friends/family/job/swimming?
Those of you who talk with me on the forums have probably seen my signature promoting the Libertyville Masters Sink or Swim Classic in Vernon Hills Illinois. Those of you who know me REALLY well (and now everyone) will know that I will be wearing this brief during the meet:
To all of you who think that this is ridiculous - YOU'RE WELCOME, I've now opened your mind.
To all of you who believe that this is awesome and classy - THANK YOU.
Fun Fact: All summer I swam SCM at Vernon Hill High School - the very pool where this meet will be held. Since September we have been swimming SCY.
I decided to sign up for as many events as I could - including relays for this meet. It's going to be a blast and I figure "Why not? I don't plan on winning anything - I just plan on pushing myself through this and making it a fun time."
Events And Goals
400m Free
So I decided I wanted my first swim of the day to be the longest swim of the meet. I plan on using this event as a double whammy.
1) It'll be a PR. No matter what.
2) It'll be a great warm up before the 50 free which is my next event.
My goal for this event is to swim it in 7:00. That will be an average 100 around 1:45
It seems like this might be an easy goal for many of you, but its hard to say for me since I'm so used to swimming SCY, I come in around 1:30-1:35 on the 100 during practice, so I'm hoping that extra 7 foot or so won't equate to much more than 10 seconds.
50m Free
The 50m free is placed perfectly. Its a race I really like and a race I would like to do well in. I learned some painful lessons this summer swimming it in LCM and I'm excited to give it another go.
My goal for this event is to swim it in under 36 seconds
When I swam SCY in march, I swam my 50 (tapered) in roughly around 33 seconds. I don't see any reason why I couldn't beat that now non-tapered. I can swim a 35 at the end of practice these days (so I'm already exhausted and its a push off the wall).
50m Breast
I'm not good at breast stroke. I'm very aware of it. I know I should take the time, I just haven't. I'll admit it fully and readily. That being said:
My goal in this event is to beat my LCM time of 59.57 seconds
I shall not fear the event! I shall embrace it!
100m IM
Even though the 50 is the event I want to do the most well in, the 100 IM is the event I'm most excited about! I've more or less just learned butterfly in the last couple months and I'm excited about the prospect of finally getting to do it in a race! I practiced my transition off the wall from fly to back once the other night and its a LOT of fun!
My goal in this event is to swim it in under 2 minutes.
The 100 IM is just the stepping stone. By January I'm hoping to be able to do the 200 IM and stick with that event for a while while I build up my strength/endurance to do the 400 IM.
50m Back
The 50 Back is one of those events I like - but I'm not great at. This will have been after all of my other 4 events + 2 relays. I'm pretty sure I'm going to be more of a flooded kayak than swimmer at this point.
My goal in this event - given the circumstances - is survival. That being said, I'd like to swim it in under 50 seconds
Thanks for reading! I hope to have video of this!
So the past two to three weeks I've been seriously in a funk, out of the loop, whatever you want to call it.
We've pushed up to 4 practices a week in the pool. I'm really thankful for it. I love swimming so much that another day is very welcomed! My times are dropping little by little and my endurance is building up pretty quickly. I'm doing my best to beat everyone around me. I have some serious competition though. Brian's been keeping pretty much even with me in everything. Anne and Laura have been kicking my butt unless its in pull mostly because I rock pull something fierce.
As a result of me gaining strength in swimming: I can afford to go on less sleep (significantly less sleep). When I don't sleep well, I don't eat well. When I don't eat well, I don't feel as good. When I don't feel good, I don't lift. If I don't lift, I don't sleep as well.... its a vicious cycle. I've also been drinking more than enough. I've also been eating a TON. I've been more hungry these past couple weeks than I was all summer long.
So - time to reset. I'm a little hungover this morning so I didn't go in to work.
Goal 1) Lift at least 5 times by next Saturday.
I have swimming Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.
I have basketball on Wednesday.
So I should be able to lift today, Saturday, Sunday and maybe Monday.
I'll take Tuesday and Wednesday off to make sure I can play basketball (its the semi finals for our basketball league) and swim immediately following.
Then I should be able to lift Thursday, Friday, Saturday.
This is great! I should be able to get back on my 3 days on, 1 days off pattern as recommended by my trainer
Goal 2) Get my diet reorganized.
I'm going to focus back on intelligent eating. I need turkey, chicken, a loaf of bread, tons of veggies, bananas, berries, and a gallon of milk.
Goal 3) Get my rest. (~8 hours a night)
Before I started swimming I could pretty much function pretty efficiently on 3-4 hours of sleep a day. Once I started - I had to start getting more like 8-9 hours of sleep. Now that I'm finally starting to get stronger in my swimming, I'm starting to drift back down to about 6-7 hours of sleep and my body is letting me know that that's not cool.
Alright - that's my trinity of goals. There's absolutely no reason why I should not be able to make those goals with the exception of me holding myself back.
Okay. Time to eat breakfast finally and make these goals a reality!
So the last two weeks have been a little off kilter thus far. My roommates have gone out of town and left me with their dog Sophie.
Now - I love Sophie. She's seriously the most awesome dog in the world. She's a complete sweetheart and pretty much the only girl who likes me these days anyway
However - with the sweet comes the slightly annoying. She wants a lot of my attention. Last week - I was just kind of getting into the swing of things just being her and I and I wasn't thinking too clearly. She pretty much monopolized my after work time when I wasn't working on computers. I felt bad just leaving her in the cage all day, so this was a combo effect all across the board. The only things I made time for that week were team events: swim practice, basketball and softball.
I actually found myself in a bit of a funk as a result of not lifting. I was feeling generally in nature and my attempts to correct or alleviate the situation were only met with more problems and things just getting in my way.
HOWEVER on the flip side. Thursday night's swim practice was probably the fast I've swam ever. I don't think I've ever really taken the time to give myself enough rest for meets now that I'm thinking about it. I swam roughly 10% faster as a result!
Then swimming ended last Sunday. Its been difficult to get in the pool just due to time constraints. However this time - I've got a strategy. I put up the money and threw Sophie into a puppy day care so she'd be nice and tired by the time we got home. This has actually worked mostly. I've been busy with a lot of other things as well (car needed oil change, worked a 23 hour shift on tuesday, etc...) So I have been able to get in 2 weight lifts (and one more tonight) this week. I'm hoping that next week will give me even more time to do this as I kind of pick up things to do.
I also went to the Lake Forest High School pool. I was sorely disappointed to find out that the LFHS pool is closed until August 10th.... So that means I have to turn around and go back to Lake Bluff where I have no lane lines and no ceiling. <ugh>
I guess I'll be getting really good at my sprints and my breast stroke form then!
So SCY season is upon us soon! I'm already starting to plan out my goals and ideas!
Since I like to break things down logically (being that logic is my job) I'm going to start by labeling my high level goals and then giving slightly more detailed goals that I have within those goals.
Simple goals:
1) Get Faster (in Swimming)
2) Get Stronger
3) Get Skinnier
4) Build a giant robot that can take over.... .err never mind. (Remember Mike - this is PUBLIC)
My physical stats and goals:
Height: 6'3ish <-- I was 6'2 going into college, grew another inch freshman year
Weight: 210ish <-- Lightest EVER
Shoe Size: 15 <-- Sucks to buy shoes
Waist Line: 34 <-- WOW! I'm so pumped!
Body Fat (as of 7/22/2010): 17.5% <--- GRRR
My body fat is a frustrating one. I have a lot of loose skin - so I honestly feel that it probably skewed the results of the 7 point pinch test. Especially when I can't imagine myself still having another 35 pounds of fat on my body. Regardless - I still have to keep working out anyway. Otherwise how can I get stronger? (What just happened?)
My strength goals:
I don't do a good job keeping stats (like 1MR) of my lifts. I'm not concerned so much with building up that kind of strength. All of my strength goals are to build my body so I can focus more intensively on swimming. So even though my curl is at 12x70 (35 in each hand) using an underhand grip and my lat pull down is at 12x115 - I honestly just want to see those numbers continue to rise on a biweekly to triweekly basis as I spend my 6 days a week at the gym, focusing on developing my extremities while strengthening my core as much as possible. If I can continue lifting and growing stronger - its only going to help me swim faster! (ANOTHER TRANSITION? What's he doing!?)
Swimming stats and goals
Alright - So my only SCY times are in the IL State Meet in April. That was long enough ago - and I've lost 20 pounds since then and have gained a lot of strength. I have a few LCM times - but rather than worrying about converting them. Lets just say I'd better beat them when it comes to SCY. The official times are still there:
50 Free: 32.97
100 Free 1:18.42
I have my goal times for the year to reach for.
50 Free: < 30 sec
100 Free: < 1:10
50 Back: < 50 sec
100 Back: < 1:50
50 Breast: < 55 sec
100 Breast: < 2:00
*Note - if I beat those times, then I just want to continue improvement. If I don't - its fine. I'm just looking forward to trying! Lastly for swimming; I want to learn how to do butterfly by next April for the Illinois state meet. I'd like to be able to do the 50 free in fly. We'll see what I can get my coach to teach me!
Outside of swimming - I'm going to be working up to no less than 5 days a week swimming and if I can - 2 practices per day. We'll see how that lines up with sleep as one can't swim all of those events well if you don't have proper rest and nutrition! (He did it again! That son of a big guy!)
Rest and Nutrional Goals
Now - nutritional goals are nothing new for me. Rest goals however totally are. To help me focus better on my swimming and to allow me to swim more often and more effectively - I need to be properly rested and well nourished.
So to help me rest more - I'm giving up organized recreation outside of swimming for now. As soon as my seasons are over for basketball and both of my softball leagues, I'm going to forgo other offers so I can just primarily focus on my swimming and my workout (lifting and possibly running).
Nutrionally - I need to focus on making sure I keep a solid grip on the reality of my situation - I have to maintain healthy eating habits. I know from experience now that when I do splurge - I end up feeling kind of sick and tired within a few hours. If I'm going to perform - I need to be on top of my game!
I also need to make sure I sleep enough. Which is such a tear for me. One the one hand - if I get up early - get to work early and get home early - I get to have the afternoon to accomplish what needs to be done. On the other hand - my masters team meets at 8:30 at night. That means practice goes til 9:30, and I'm awake til 11 minimum. A 5 AM wake up just doesn't happen on that these days. So especially once basketball and softball are done, I'll take some time to really focus on how I'm going to actually implement these ideas.
Thanks for reading again! Today's post isn't as long - but I still appreciate you reading! So today I'm offering a dinosaur:
50 Free: 32.97
100 Free 1:18.42
50 Free: < 30 sec
100 Free: < 1:10
50 Back: < 50 sec
100 Back: < 1:50
50 Breast: < 55 sec
100 Breast: < 2:00
Well - it seemed like a really good idea at the time and for once - it was!
Swim Across America - a late night of softball (missed my party because it ran so late) where I tore up my left knee and leg sliding into home, followed by a drive to chicago where I slept for a few hours, and was up at 5:20 AM and down at Navy Pier by 5:40 AM.
I actually got some really cool pics of the harbor that morning. You can check them out at my Picasa Web Gallery. I'll be adding more as I get the hi-res versions available. All the pictures taken early in the morning were taken with my phone though. I like how they turned out!
The swim went decently! I learned a lot of neat things on Saturday as a result.
Lesson 1: I LOVE wetsuits! I rented my $5 wetsuit, put it on and immediately took a walk in the water - I was incredibly buoyant! Each step my legs felt lighter and lighter as the suit made picking my feet out of the water easier and easier! During the swim - this would help fix my body position and put me in a great place to just coast my way through the middle half mile.
Lesson 2: Drafing ROCKS! Getting in the water - I had no idea how the swim was going to go. So I immediately started in the back of the pack. When you have 15 people swimming in front of you and dragging you along for the first (roughly) 1/4 mile... it's AMAZING. I was putting in virtually no effort, and just swimming along. Before too long, I was passing people left and right and I think I found myself towards the front of the pack when it came to miler swimmers.
Lesson 3: Those wet suits are very VERY tight. Seriously, I got out of the water tired, disoriented, dizzy, and feeling drunk - sans the fun of having drank. Within a minute of me finally pulling the zipper open on the back of my suit - my chest opened up a LOT and suddenly oxygen was rushing through my body. It was kind of a cool feeling! Although - pulling the plants off my head and body was rather annoying in my disoriented state. I remember having a conversation with Coach Catie as I tried to walk inland:
Me: Did I win?
Catie: Good job Mike!
Me: Yeah but did I win? (trying to stand without falling)
Catie: Sure Mike, you won..... Are you okay?
Me: (Stumbling past Catie) Yeah I think so...
It took me about 5-6 minutes to regain my footing, and once I was able to breath and on dry land I was in much better shape. Speaking of being in better shape - that new forum/profile pic I have posted is actually my taken right after I got out of the water - hence why I look like I feel like I'm going to die.
So I've decided I'm not a huge open water fan. I might do Big Shoulders just so I have competition to swim for in September. I'm kind of undecided about it all. I'm not a huge OW fan to start. Things like plant life, choppy water, weather.... those things aren't really my most favorite things in the world.
That leads me to the most important topic: What now?!
Some important things to know: 1) Our season ends August 1st. Next season doesn't start up until August 12th(ish). I am NOT taking 12 (or more) days off. If anything - I need to ramp up my swimming even more. SCY season is going to be here and I need to be able to destroy my times from last year!!!!
So I'm going to shift my training to Lake Forest High School pool. The resident annual pass is $260, so I may just buck that out. That'll get me through next summer of doing up to 6 days a week of swimming (and even 2/days!!!) Since my masters team doesn't practice nearly enough for my liking. I'll probably see if I can pull some of my teammates in with me.
As far as dry land goes: I'm going to talk to my trainer tonight. I'm thinking I should adjust my training to be far more plyometric in nature. I want to be able to build my sprints as much as possible this year - so by building those fast twitch muscles - I'm hoping to finally build up the ability to sprint (rather than whatever it is you say I do).
I'm also not going to be doing the extra sports from now on. I've kind of made the decision for now I just want to focus on swimming and only swimming. Basketball has been fun, as well as softball - but they get in the way of my dryland and swimming workouts - and that drives me NUTS!
Wow - that was a novel of a post! If you made it this far thank you! You win a cookie:
Swim Across America is tomorrow....HOLY COW! SWIM ACROSS AMERICA IS TOMORROW!
I'm NOT prepared for this at all! I'm supposed to be doing my first OW tomorrow, swimming a mile in Lake Michigan, and I haven't even thought about anything aside from the fact that I have to be there to help set up at 6 AM tomorrow.
I'm going to be jumping into this one like I tend to do the rest of my life - without a single extra thought. (Lets hope I jump IN the water, not too soon or I'll just be eating sand.)
So here's my schedule for tonight through tomorrow:
Leave work in about 20-30.
Get to Runner's Edge so I can try on wet suits so I know what size to rent tomorrow.
Go home, mow the lawn.
Shower, Lift at the gym (if I have time, legs tonight!)
6:00 PM Play two softball games
Go home, shower (again, I know)
Get to Milwaukee for a party I'm helping host (You should come! PM me if you're interested!)
11:30ish PM: Head down to home, pick up Greg from his mom's house (he's dog sitting) and go to his place in Chicago so I can sleep.
5:30 AM UP AND ATOM! Time to help set up for Chicago's very own Swim Across America!
7:00 AM Rent my wetsuit!
9:00 AM Swim
10:00 AM Call for help while swimming
6:00 PM Leave hospital.... Oh wait, scratch these last two.
10:00 AM-11:30 AM tear down, eat lunch and head home.
So you can see - things usually get interesting. I have this weird tendency to over-commit myself. I get it from my mom.
See you all (or not) tomorrow at S.A.A! Hopefully I won't be drowning!
So after my 6 day hiatus on swimming due to my trip and my 7* day hiatus on lifting, I'm getting back into it today.
I've made some adjustments though:
1) I'm starting on the P90X Phase 2 Nutrition program as of today.
a) I'm also making sure that my nutrition has a greater variance from day to day - keeping my body on edge about what it may burn at any given time. I hope this will help burn fat more effectively... I noticed that's how they do it in the week by week plans for the P90X nutrition program; in that program every day is completely different.
2) To double check I'm not over consuming - I checked my RMR and Daily Activity Burn on the P90X formula. I'm still in Level 3, but I only have to lose 11 more pounds to put myself into Level 2. (Which is significantly less food per day.... yikes!)
3) I'm restructuring my dryland workout template to add in plyometrics and adding 1 extra ab workout per circuit.
So a single circuit for chest/shoulders/back could look like this (example):
Circuit X {
Medium/Heavy Lift For Chest x 12 (Incline Bench Press)
Medium/Heavy Lift For Back x 12 (Lateral Pull Down)
Medium/Heavy Lift For Shoulders x 12 (Front and Lateral Raises)
Repeated Ab Exercise x 15-20 (Exercise Ball Crunches)
Plyometric Exercise Targeting Shoulders (Medicine Ball Slams)
Endurance Based Ab Exercise (2pt Plank - 30 seconds ascending to a minute per rotation)
Last night I finally got back in the pool. (I didn't lift because I fell asleep ) It was so nice for the first 1600 meters (600s, 200k, 200p, 8x75k/d/s). Seriously I loved it! It was so nice to feel the water "hugging" me again! Then the hard set came: 6x250 descending (3 moderate, 2 hard, 1 killer). By the last 250 I thought I was going to die. That's the last time I ever take a week off from swimming! 3100m is not that much!
Unfortunately the rest of the week is going to be very variable. I'm going to have to figure out how to make practice on Thursday while helping my friend Sara move, get to a trainer appointment, and potentially playing a softball game. It could potentially be a very long day!
Starting next week I'll be getting back on the strokes and sprints cycle I started. I know there are a lot of issues with the pool, and I've found a new home, I'm just waiting for my current pool to close on September 6th. In the mean time, I'll make due. I actually have been tired enough since my vacation I've felt it necessary to have to "ramp back up" into my workout so I'll just be doing the standard Master's practices this week. This is why I never let myself relax!
So those of you who are vigilant may have noticed that I put an * next to the 7 on my 7 days of lifting. I actually lifted Monday night when I returned from Oregon, however I feel it was such a pitiful attempt at lifting - I'm not counting it. I spent most of my time staring off in to space from the exhaustion that it was hardly worth my time to have been there at all. I did end up walking between 6 and 7 miles that night though, so that was at least something!
Speaking of walking - I need to start running the mile and a half to the gym instead of walking it. Its not that far to run, and it will be a far better workout - especially considering how much I need to be running anyway!
Lifting C/S/B + Basketball tonight!
Thanks for reading!
Circuit X {
Medium/Heavy Lift For Chest x 12 (Incline Bench Press)
Medium/Heavy Lift For Back x 12 (Lateral Pull Down)
Medium/Heavy Lift For Shoulders x 12 (Front and Lateral Raises)
Repeated Ab Exercise x 15-20 (Exercise Ball Crunches)
Plyometric Exercise Targeting Shoulders (Medicine Ball Slams)
Endurance Based Ab Exercise (2pt Plank - 30 seconds ascending to a minute per rotation)
I've decided that my 3/wk with the Libertyville Masters is just not enough anymore. While I do thoroughly enjoy swimming with them, I feel that I need/want more. So I've decided on any day I can (M/W/Sat) I'm going to do my own workout to help build technique and speed. My current focus is going to be on strokes (Back, Breast and Butterfly), and sprints (freestyle for now).
I'm operating under 2 assumptions: 1) Good form is built by proper execution of drills. 2) Form breaks down when fatigued unless good form is consciously sought after and executed carefully.
The idea behind all of my stroke workouts will be based on kicking and drills. If I build up strength and endurance in my kick, then it won't be as big of a fatiguing factor when I'm swimming. If I build proper form in my drills, then when I do take the time to combine it together, the proper form should (ideally) build on the experience from the drills and the strength from the kicking.
The idea behind my sprint workouts will be based on short distance (right now - 25y) and are to be executed with the following mindset: "move your arms as fast as you can and kick as hard as you can and breath as few times as possible." I'm not concerned with things like dolphin off the wall, or timing my flip turns right now. I want my sole focus to be building those fast twitch muscles in those sprint workouts.
The park district pool I currently swim in on my own is a 4 Lane 25 SCY pool, no lane lines or flags in the lap swim area. I usually am only one of two maybe 3 people, but the openness of everything makes it kind of tough to swim. Its pretty choppy compliments of the kids playing in the rest of the pool to the east, and the kids diving in the diving well to the west. (Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right...)
My workout last Monday looked like this:
Warm Up:
600 swim
200 pull
100 catchup drill ([ame=http://forums.usms.org/showpost.php?p=33665&postcount=3]I don't use a kickboard[/ame])
Back Stroke Set
Due to the fact that there are no flags, I swim right next to the one lane line which is next to the kids playing in the pool so I can make sure I don't bash into the wall
8x25 kick
8x25 long axis drill (I need to learn more backstroke drills)
4x25 swim (no flags == kind of scary to turn)
Breast Stroke Set
8x25 kick
8x25 breast stroke pull with flutter kick (I also need to learn more breast stroke drills)
2x50 swim
Sprint Set
8x25 pull
2x100 easy swim
8x25 sprint
Cool Down
50 easy swim
1.5 Mile walk back home.
So from all of you who are far more experienced than me - would you care to give any suggestions? I'm all ears!
So last weekend I swam at the Badger State Games in Appleton Wisconsin. It was my first LCM Meet where I did sprints. You all have seen the times from my previous post Where the @#*& is the @#$8#@$* Wall?!?! So we all know - they weren't really that good.
So because there was no one else in my age group for any race except the 50 free and my relay won, I was able to achieve 3 gold medals and 1 silver medal for the meet.
So the other day I get an email saying "results are up from the badger state games!"
Naturally - I'm excited so I check the link: Results and even as of 9:20 AM on July 2nd, they most certainly are not!
However I was playing around the website and I see this:
Did you win a medal at The Badger State Winter or Summer Games?
If so, you may qualify for the State Games Of America!
In order to qualify for the State Games of America, participants must have won a gold, silver or bronze medal in a SGA sport in their local State Games in a qualifying year (2009 or 2010 Summer, 2010 or 2011 Winter). The State Games of America will take place in San Diego, August , 2011. For a complete listing of sports and more information visit www.stategames.org.
So following a few links I found this:
California State Games/State Games of America
So August 5th-7th in 2011, I guess I'll be swimming in San Diego! Hopefully by then I'll be a much better swimmer - maybe I'll even be able to give [ame="http://forums.usms.org/member.php?u=18385"]U.S. Masters Swimming Discussion Forums[/ame] a run for her money in the breast stroke!
Does anyone know anywhere in Illinois where I can consistently train in LCM?
So I'm not going to lie, I'm VERY excited for this weekend. Even if I'm a little sick I'm going to go in there and kick some serious rear! I'm not slowing my training for this either. The summer is all about doing everything I physically can. (As you can tell from all of my other posts, I don't leave much time to slow down.
However - that doesn't mean I won't be taking these meets seriously! I've already established my goals (and have since learned they may be unrealistic in an LCM...) and I've already figured out what I'm going to eat and when to help make sure my body is ready to roll.
The only problem I may have now is actually sleeping. Its by no means an issue of not being tired, or not even being in my bed. Its a matter of containing the excitement before these meets!
Normally - I'm usually really chill. I don't usually allow myself to get excited until the precipice of the event. It keeps me from having this exact same problem! The whole night I had visions of swimming and flip turns. I spent a lot of time laying in bed with my eyes closed just trying to let go and I couldn't. I remember when my email click went off on my phone around 1 AM, then a few facebook posts around 2 or 3 AM..... I had already decided around midnight to just shut off my alarm, since I wasn't getting to sleep and just wake up whenever (my job offers me a lot of flexibility).
I couldn't lay there anymore around 4:30-5:00 AM and ended up just making breakfast and going into work early. So here I sit now, not TERRIBLY exhausted (much less exhausted than I thought I would be) but still tired.
The only part about this that really drives me wild is that I still have 2 nights of trying to sleep before I even get to the Park Ridge 1500, let alone the Badger State Games! I remember I was like this before the Illinois state meet back in April, but I just had problems sleeping the night before the meet, not the week of the meet!
I think what triggered it was my performance during practice last night. We did 20x100 and I was supposed to be on 2:15. Well - due to some ankle issues I've had to swap in and out of using the pull buoy. I'm MUCH faster on pull than I am on my standard swim. So I was doing my pulls on 1:30 and my swims on 1:55. I ended up finishing way ahead of time - which was such a COOL experience for me. I was driven enough by it that I managed to pre-make my meals for today, do the dishes, and take out the trash after practice all before 11 PM after practice last night. (I get home around 10:15).
What gets you excited? What gets you pumped for a meet?
So I finally caught something. And it is TERRRIBLEEEE!!!
Really - I'm whining, imagine me with a high pitched voice and the crabby moaning sound.
If I am Superman, then sinus infections are my kryptonite. I get one of those and you can count me being pretty much down for the count for 1-2 days minimum. I'm usually tired because i don't sleep, dizzy because I don't breath (and sometimes eat) and unable to sleep because I can't breath and I'm dizzy.. Its really a vicious circle.
Fortunately - someone out there invented the Neti Pot, and someone else out there invented Mucinex. If I ever meet either of those people I will offer to kiss their feet and father their children.... Not that that is awkward at all.
..... NUTRITION! Right.....
So our metabolism can be kept akin to a fire. Hence why we burning calories right? So the problem with being sick is you don't want to eat. Your fire can't burn without fuel. Even if you have a lot of fat stored away (like I do), that's more like wet wood that doesn't burn until you have a hot enough fire going in the first place. So you REALLY have to eat when you're sick. Not A LOT by any means, but enough to sustain a healthy metabolism.
So now the question begs - what nutrition defines PROPER nutrition while you're sick?
Here's what I think I know:
Proteins are designed to burn hot and build muscles.
Veggies are designed to fill you up and give you essential nutrients without giving you a lot to burn.
Fruits are there for quicker energy and for nutrients.
Grains are there for longer burning energy (assuming they're complex) and fiber.
So when you're sick in bed - you don't need fruits as badly, because you're not going to be doing anything rigorous that will require a quick boost.
If you're not hungry, the veggies aren't going to give you too much to burn, and they'll fill you up, so they're slightly more necessary.
Whole grains are going to give you some longer burning energy and some healthy nutrients.
Protein .... well IMHO you ALWAYS need some good ol' protein in the diet. Something low in saturated fats... like turkey or chicken.
So after this weekend of being sick and thinking through the whole shindig- my goal is to keep some whole wheat turkey noodle soup with veggies frozen around the house. It will provide a healthy amount of protein while giving me the complex carbs and nutrients that I need! Plus - if its home made - its something new for me to learn how to cook. I call that a win win situation.
What is your "kryptonite" ?
What do you eat when you're sick?
What is your favorite activity (aside sleeping) to do when you have a sick day? (Anyone who says the Price is Right automatically wins +1 for the day)
So I'm going to be swimming in the Park Ridge 1500 on June 26th. It will be my first time ever doing a solid mile. Ever.
The very next day, I'm going to swimming in the 50 back/50 free/100 free up in Appleton for the Badger State Games.
Now - I'm not exactly nervous. I've swam 2-3 miles in a single practice before. That's really no big deal.... This time its different though. This time they're in an LCM pool (and I'm used to the SCM pool I practice in right now) and this time they're in front of people who aren't just swimming next to me.
Now for those of you who've never read this, or really don't know me here's the twenty second background: I have recently discovered "athleticism" in the past 2 years. Before that I was in a lot of activities, but never very athletic or competitive. So this new drive to be good, if not great at something and to not lose, and to push myself to my furthest horizons is very fresh and very powerful in my heart right now.
So right now I'm going to put out my goals for this meet and talk about how I plan to achieve them.
My goals for the 1500:
1) Maintain a consistent pace with no more than a 3-4 second deviation between any two laps.
2) Keep my *average* split time under 1:50.
3) Finish the race strong, even with nothing left in my body.
4) Dolphin kick off the wall at least 80% of the time.
My goals for the Badger State Games Meet:
1) Under 35 in the 50 Free (its LCM, a whole new beast for me)
2) Under 1:30 for the 100 Free
3) Under 45 for the 50 Back
4) Dolphin kick off the wall for my ONE turn.
5) Dolphin kick after my glad for the back.
6) Don't screw up my Back start.
So in the 1500:
I'm going to keep my eye on the clock if possible. I swim about a 2 minute 100 (SCM) in practice when I'm totally fatigued. I've never swam a straight 1500 before. I don't think I've ever done more than 600 straight. In any case, I think coming in really fresh should give me the ability to do at least the first 20 laps around or under 1:50. I'm also going to finish the last lap or two all out. There's no excuse to have anything left in the tank after that.
Nutritionally - I'm going to make sure I have enough long burning carbs in the body. This is probably going to be (minimum) a 25 minute swim for me. So some complex carbs (shredded wheat) with my usual protein in the morning!
In the BSG Meet:
I'm going to push myself pretty much to absolute limit on each race. I want to make sure that I give 100% in all 3 races. By this time, since its the day after the 1500, I should be pretty used to the idea of an LCM pool. I'm planning on showing up an hour early for warm ups and make sure I get *at least* 4-5 laps (preferably about 10) in so I can get a feel for the pool. I have 1 turn in this meet, I do NOT want to screw it up.
Nutritionally - Since the meet doesn't start until about 1 PM, I'm going to eat a very solid breakfast (I do every day, but I'm going to make sure I have it properly balanced to give my body what it needs). Then I will be snacking on some faster acting carbs with protein right before my first event and between each of my events.
For Both Meets:
I'm going to step it up another day and get a 4th practice in per week at another pool as a guest. It will actually be the same pool as the Park Ridge 1500, so I will be getting familiarity with the pool as well as giving myself another opportunity to swim. Besides, mixing up the LCM and the SCM might do me some good!
So even if I don't win (which - logically speaking I probably won't win anything). I will at the very least have beaten my goals. Which is what this counts for! Some day I may be competitive with the rest of the world, but for now, I'm just going to have to keep racing myself.
That being said - does anyone have any suggestions for where I could improve further upon my goals? Any ideas for things that will give a novice swimmer a last minute boost?
So last night, I (finally) had my first PT session with Jon. I hurt. A lot. It was funny because he just took me through a run of about 20 some different exercises on a circuit just to show me everything he wants me to learn. So as I realize how hard he's worked me, and I decide. Its worth the $200/mo to make sure I have this kind of workout at least once a week. Granted - I can do this on my own, but I think the reinforcement of working with John through the summer ( at the very least ) will do me some great favors and prep me for the SCY season coming up.
Speaking of that: I told my coach one of my goals specifically for swimming (which for whatever reason was totally ignored in my last post) I would like to swim at LEAST a 25s 50 Free (SCY). She basically told me it was never going to happen. Not in so many words, but just gave me the same end feeling. :-/
As one can see here:
I'm a little ways off from hitting that goal. 8 seconds pretty much. During that race, I had only been swimming 2 months and basically hadn't really prepared my body for the onslaught that a meet does to my body. During the entire weekend I probably was able to consume 3000 calories total. My stomach got very tight, and even after the events for the day, I was hardly able to eat at all.
I've been reading SwimFasterFaster.com (thanks Ande!), I've been working the muscles detailed and defined in the book Swimming Anatomy by Ian McCleod. So I totally disagree with her. I know I can do this. I'm going to be swimming in the SwimAcrossAmerica in Chicago this summer (http://www.swimacrossamerica.org/bzaks1424), I'm going to be swimming at the Park Ridge 1500 (LCM), and I'll be swimming in the Appleton Badger State Meet (LCM, 50fr, 50bk, 100fr). I'm getting my experience in and I'm preparing. I want to do that 25 by the state meet next May. (Actually, I'd love to do it NOW. I just haven't been able to yet! ;-))
Now I totally understand this goal is SUPER lofty and to be completely fair, I'm going to be happy as long as I keep seeing improvement in my times, my form and my endurance. Honestly - at this point its all about having fun in the long run, right?
So in other news, I just started on the P90X Nutritional Program... I've gotta say its completely different than anything I'm really used to. My energy levels are not quite leveled out on it yet. I'll keep you posted as I keep going.
Thanks for reading my rants!


text:
The same amount of fresh horseradish can be substituted for prepared. More pungent and fiery than a freshly cut onion, fresh horseradish may irritate your eyes and nose when you grate it. We prefer to place a two-inch piece of horseradish root in the food processor and process until minced. Measure out two tablespoons for this recipe, and reserve any extra for another use.
How to Make It
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Cover and chill.


text:
St. Lucie West Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Expansion
Location: Port St. Lucie, Florida
Client: St. Lucie West Services District
Construction cost: $6.4 million
The St. Lucie West Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) provides potable water, reclaimed water, and wastewater treatment services to the community of St. Lucie West. This Service District is in the center of the City of Port St. Lucie, which has been named one of the fastest growing cities in the United States. This recent expansion, completed in August 2015, provides a better system for maintaining public wastewater collection and water distribution to serve the city's residents.
System highlights include installation of new headworks including one screen with washer/compactor and a grit removal system along with the relocation and modification of the existing odor control unit; installation of two common-wall oxidation ditches with surface aeration and submersible mixers in an anoxic zone; modification of two existing clarifiers to replace peripheral fed units; new tertiary filter system utilizing cloth media disks in a cast-in-place concrete tank; surge equalization basins; modification to existing digesters; screw press based sludge dewatering system; synthetic pond liner; electrical; instrumentation and controls and miscellaneous piping.


text: LEADER is an active group in SALE and RENTAL OF AERIAL PLATFORMS, MINIGRU. Thanks to the established Italian and European partnerships, it is able to offer to Clients any type of new and used Aircraft Equipment, but also OCCASIONS like FURGONI, PULMINS and MACHINERY in general With 30 years of experience in aerial work and the professionalism of the technical staff, the availability of the surveys is always the right product. We offer MAINTENANCE Post Sales, PROGRAMMED with HIGHLY SPECIALIZED TECHNIQUES, Operator Training Courses, according to current laws.


text:
Zakia McKinney is founder of Junia and Company, a faith-based, religious, non-profit company passionately focused on training, inspiring, developing and empowering men, women, and leadership teams.
What is Junia? Paul wrote about Junia and others who "bear the mark of being outstanding apostles." This is the heart of all that we do. Bearing the mark of excellence as we prepare others and advance the kingdom of God.


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The fifty-billionth Random Hoo Haas revamp
All that waffling about gaming manga wasn't for naught – there's a page for scans now, starting off with some Mario, Sonic and Kirby manga as well as a big pile of research on Dengeki Nintendo DS and Fami2Comic! More cleaned-up stuff will appear in future, but until then you can browse my MEGA for the raw scans.
The Random Hoo Haas main page has also been overhauled a bit, cramming in a new logo, another sidebar and a new page to shuffle all the miscellaneous crap (or Additional Impedimenta if I'm going to stick to my branding) into instead of dumping it all under General Writings. Do people still use site maps? I've been real tempted to make one, if only because I've no idea how to navigate this site without just browsing the directories. Let me know how you cope and I'll see if I just turn the front page into a phonebook instead.
Metal Slug: Missing in Action has some odds and sods, including lovely concept art scanned by a site reader (hats off to Division 六!), and the Bomberman Shrine Place also got a makeover for its front page (with some light coverage on media, merch and the Jetters anime – more to come when I'm not stressing myself to death under self-imposed deadlines!), and now has a full banner on the hub. Now it won't be taking over Random Hoo Haas' updates log! (i'll probably change that hub banner sometime – it was an "it'll do" job, not one of my best collages)
There's stuff I had to leave out of these updates that'll probably come out soon-ish, but we'll see what happens! Maybe I'll finally take a break and enjoy some other pursuits instead. One of the two!


text: Satin Ice range of products to satisfy the demands of the best cake artists in the world... a fondant that is premium quality with the greatest workability, consistency and taste. We are FSSC 22000 certified and align ourselves with quality partners and suppliers who share those same high standards. FondX is quality rolled fondant so you can achieve any cake design with ease. Caljava stands has been achieved by providing customers with quality products and services that meet customer expectations and represent good value. Fat Daddio's fondant is designed and created for high volume magic. It has consistency and perfection. Choco-Pan is a revolutionary alternative to rolled fondant icing. The unique white chocolate flavor and silky texture make the perfect choice for your decoration needs. Dream Fondant is truly the fondant you've always dreamed of. It rolls incredibly thin without tearing and works great in Tappit cutters without any additional ingredients! Vegetarian formula, Kosher.


text:
Walk for PKD sponsorship opportunities
Companies from across the nation join the fight to end PKD by sponsoring the Walk for PKD. The benefits of sponsorship include: market exposure through logo placement on Walk materials, employee participation and volunteer opportunities, day-of-event recognition and interaction with those impacted by the disease.
Local Walk Sponsorship materials
Spring Walk Sponsorship Deadlines
- Print materials, including posters and brochures: Feb. 1
- Banner and T-shirts:
- March 1 for April Walks
- April 1 for May Walks
Fall Walk Sponsorship Deadlines
- Print materials, including posters and brochures: June 1 for all Walks
- Banner and T-shirts:
- Aug. 1 for September Walks
- Sept. 1 for October Walks
- Oct. 1 for November Walks
In addition to these options, we offer two additional sponsorship opportunities.
Tribute sponsorship
Do you have someone special you would like to remember or honor? This unique sponsorship allows you to do just that. For the dollar amount you contribute, you will receive the sponsorship incentives offered with that package, including a customized logo.
Penny Kids Dash sponsorship
The Penny Kids Dash is a short, fun run included as part of the day's events. Children 12 and under who participate in the dash will receive a t-shirt. Sponsor the dash and your logo will appear on the backs of these shirts in addition to package incentives.
For more information and to discuss details of sponsorship levels, please contact us at 800.753.2873 select 2 for the Walk line or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Buick's Upmarket 2017 Buick LaCrosse Sedan Test Mule Spied Doing Some High-Altitude Testing in Loveland Pass.
CLARIFICATION: I think this is the 2017 Buick LaCrosse.
Man, I loved those taillights. With the 2017 LaCrosse, Buick is really stepping up their game. It's always a thrill to see concept cars, test cars or prototype cars in the wild. Yep, these photos are exclusive to TTV. We even have video [read: GIF] of the 2017 Buick LaCrosse driving down Colorado's lovely roads.
For the longest time, Buick was sort of a non-entity to a lot of the car-buying public. Lately, its seems like they're really begun to wake up. A good friend recently got a Buick Encore, and I was blown away. Now, I'm very interested to see where they go with the LaCrosse. Between that, the new Lincoln Continental and the entire Genesis line, the near-luxury sedan world is going through quite the shake-up. Shake-ups are good.
Exclusive GIFs:
Exclusive Photos:
Thanks to Joe and Lyndsey for snagging these photos for me. Who knew that Loveland Pass, Colorado was a good place to catch prototype cars mid-test?


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Swaddle Strap® FAQs
How do I know which size will fit my baby?
My baby is too long for most swaddle products. Will Swaddle Strap® work for us?
My baby can roll over – is it safe to use Swaddle Strap®?
Why the pillows?
Why not use a stretchy fabric?
How can Swaddle Strap® help me wean my baby from swaddling?
How should I wash the Swaddle Strap®?
Is Swaddle Strap® 100% cotton?
My baby is getting an arm out of the Swaddle Strap® – what can I do?
I'm not sure that I am putting Swaddle Strap® on my baby correctly. Can you please help?
How do I know which size will fit my baby?
Swaddle Strap® is adjustable and comes in two sizes, so you're sure to find one to fit your baby! Choosing the correct size Swaddle Strap® for your baby is all about the chest circumference, not age or weight. Please measure your baby's chest with a soft tape measure (or ribbon) below the armpits around the widest part of rib cage. Use the following guide to determine whether the small or large will fit.
If your baby is between the two sizes (but at least 16" chest circumference) we recommend going with the large, as it will last longer as baby grows. (But if chest is less than 16" the large will not fit.)
My baby is too long for most swaddle products. Will Swaddle Strap® work for us?
It doesn't matter how long – or short – your baby is with Swaddle Strap®, because it does not enclose baby's legs. It's all about chest circumference. If your baby's chest circumference, measured below the arm pits at the widest part of the rib cage, is between 13.5-21 inches (34-52cm), there is a Swaddle Strap® to fit!
My baby can roll over – is it safe to use Swaddle Strap®?
Pediatricians advise to stop swaddling baby with any swaddle product or blanket immediately if baby can roll over from back to tummy.
Why the pillows?
Swaddle Strap® arms only baby swaddle is the fastest, easiest way to securely and comfortably swaddle a baby with the least amount of fabric. Because Swaddle Strap® has so little fabric, the pillows provide extra comfort and security to help keep baby cozy and prevent escapes.
Why not use a stretchy fabric?
We use a very soft, high-quality, 100% cotton, non-stretchy fabric to make Swaddle Strap®.
To make our first Swaddle Strap® prototype, we used stretchy knit fabric. But our little Houdini was able to stretch the fabric and wriggle out in just a few seconds. That's when we realized, that because it uses so little fabric, Swaddle Strap® could not be made from a knit – we must use a fabric that cannot stretch.
How can Swaddle Strap® help me wean my baby from swaddling?
Swaddle Strap® is a great tool for swaddle weaning! Once you are ready to start weaning, simply begin the night (or nap) with baby in Swaddle Strap®, but leaving one arm out. (You can simply close that strap without enclosing the arm.) Once baby disturbs him or herself with that arm, simply enclose it. Leave the arm out a little longer each night until baby can sleep without that arm enclosed. Then do the same with the other arm, until voila! No more swaddle need!
We have heard from parents that this whole process takes around 3-5 weeks. It took exactly 4 weeks for us with little Eve.
How should I wash the Swaddle Strap®?
Wash before first use. Close Velcro tabs securely before washing. Machine wash in cold with like colors. Do not bleach. Tumble dry warm, remove promptly. Do not iron.
Is Swaddle Strap® 100% cotton?
Yes! Swaddle Strap® is made of fine 100% cotton fabric, with 100% cotton edging – plus Velcro. (If 100% cotton Velcro existed and worked wonderfully, we'd use that, too!)
My baby is getting an arm out of the Swaddle Strap® – what can I do?
If your little Houdini manages to wriggle an arm out of the Swaddle Strap®, these Troubleshooting Tips will most likely do the trick!
- Either the inner or outer strap may be on too loose. Make straps a bit more snug.
- Check your placement of the pillows over baby's arms. They are sewn to "toggle". Make sure that pillows are securely down over each arm with no space to move when outer strap is closed. Adjust, once closed, by sliding a finger in and moving pillow down or open and redo. It is very important that both pillows be down as far as possible over baby's arms—if they are not, a space can form that can make it easier for baby to get an arm out.
- Since all babies are different, you may need to try it higher or lower on the torso to find your baby's Swaddle Strap® "sweet spot".
- For some babies, it works better to close the outer straps in a slight, upside-down "V" shape.
- We have heard from a few parents that their baby prefers to wear Swaddle Strap® upside down! (The logo will be upside down when looking directly at your baby.)
- If none of those do the trick: After you close the outer straps and makes sure the pillows are down as far as they can go over baby's arms, carefully use a diaper pin on each side, through the outer strap and the pillow, to secure each pillow to the outer strap.
- We are also more than happy to troubleshoot with you via videochat (Skype or Facetime). Please send an email to Anna at: email@example.com with the subject: "Troubleshooting Help" and request a videochat. Through the use of videochat troubleshooting, Anna has been able to solve 9 out of 10 baby escapes!
I'm not sure that I am putting Swaddle Strap® on my baby correctly. Can you please help?
We'd love to! If you'd like to contact us to do a quick video chat (via Skype or FaceTime), please email Anna at: email@example.com. We can show you exactly how to put it on, and can make sure you are putting it on your baby correctly.


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I am unable to generate mesh for the following geometry attached.I was earlier able to do generate owing to guidance from Peter wherein midsurface property was used however it is not possible for me to do the same again.Need urgent help please find the cad attached
Unable to mesh the geometry
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- Last Post 18 August 2018
- Topic Is Solved
Kumar, did you attempt to do the following in SolidWorks?
I recommend you don't bother to midsurface the leaf part, which is only 2 mm thick. In the CAD system, extract the faces off the inside (top) of the leaf solid, and delete the leaf solid before exporting the geometry. You should Sew those faces into a single body in the CAD system if possible.
I have SolidWorks 2017, though I am not an expert at that software. However, I am willing to research how you would go about extracting surfaces from the leaf part, and tell you what I learned so you are not bringing in a solid to DesignModeler.
How come you didn't make the Mid-Surface on the cylindrical part? That was only 4 clicks!
Please put all the SolidWorks part and assembly files into one zip file and attach that to your reply.
please find the workbench file.i could only create the midsurface and the untieing the bed frame i wasnt able to do it.Kindly guide what to do next
Yes, but the Solid mesh also failed, so I recommend you switch back to the surface and get that working first. Shell models are easier to get working.
Actually i shall be using the solid part the frame to see its response when one end fixed and 25 kg mass distributed over it just like a cantilever.The surface bodies represent the clad that i intend to use so i am trying to see what results i do get.i TRIED USING THE SURFACE BUT IT FAILS SO I SWITCHED TO IT.
peter it was made using solidworks but this time after applying repair options from tool i was able to generate the mesh.thanks for help again brother.
Hi Kumar,
I don't work for ANSYS, so I can open files and provide whatever guidance I want. I participate on this site in my spare time for fun. When I go to work I can't be on this site, so you have to wait.
1) The "bed frame" body should have been created in CAD as six solid bodies, not one. That will make it much easier to create the five cross-beams, separate from the rectangular frame. Recreate this body in CAD without Unite-ing six bodies into one.
2) In DesignModeler, When you use Tools > Mid-Surface, click and shift click the two faces, you get this popup:
After entering the suggested Tolerance value, and knowing the thickness is 0.005 m, the face pair can be made.
After Ctrl-clicking the four faces of this solid, a Mid-Surface is successfully generated.
I expect you can make the same Mid-Surface yourself, and also the six bodies that make up the bed frame once you undo the unite operation in the CAD system.
The tedious part is to make the leaf part, which has 263 faces. I recommend you don't bother to midsurface the leaf part, which is only 2 mm thick. In the CAD system, extract the faces off the inside (top) of the leaf solid, and delete the leaf solid before exporting the geometry. You should Sew those faces into a single body in the CAD system if possible.
What CAD system was used to generate these solid models?
If you need more help, please reply with a Workbench Project Archive .wbpz file that has at least the seven Mid-Surface features described above
Also, please reply WITHOUT USING ALL CAPS.
Hi Kumar,
However if you don't post images no one at ANSYS can tell you anything: as Karthik says, we can't open projects or other ANSYS software due to the constraints we're working under. Images however we can look at. Error messages are also (sometimes) useful.
kARTHIK I UNDERSTAND THE COMMUNITY PRINCIPLES HOWEVER IT IS ATTACHED TO JUST LOOK AT THE ACTUAL STATE AND REASONS WHY MESHING FAIILS.aS A LEARNER IT ISNT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO QUESTION AND POST SCREENSHOTS AS IT MIGHT BE MISLEADING FOR THE EXPERTS TO SEE.IT IS IN THIS EXCHANGE OF IDEAS IN BETTER WAYS I RESORT TO ATTACHING FILES SO THAT EXPERST CAN OPEN AND CITE ME THE ACTUAL REASON WHICH I AM IGNORANT OF.yOU CAN SEE THAT FROM MY PREVIOUS POSTS,PLS TRY TO COOPERATE AN UNDERSTAND IF HAD I KNOWN THE TECHICALITIES WOULDNT HAVE BEEN TYPING SO MUCH HERE.
Hello Kumar,
There are couple of points I'd like to make here.
- This community is meant for providing guidance in order to point people in the correct direction, and is not meant for obtaining files with completed analysis. The whole exercise is designed for active exchange of ideas and to promote learning.
- When you attach a file, only non-ANSYS employee might be able to open them. If you want best use out of this community, I'd suggest you take some screenshots and succinctly explain your issue so someone is able to point you in the right direction.
Please explain the nature of your issue here (with necessary screenshots) so you might find the appropriate help to resolve your problem.
Thank you.
Best Regards,
i am on ansys 16.0 version and cant get an update as our institute provides latest version upto 16 only.IF ANYBODY RESOLVES THE MESH PLS TAKE DUE CARE SO THAT I AM ABLE TO OPEN BACK THE FILE IN MY PROJECT
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Oscar night imbibing
It's that day of the year again, when the ceremony that you love to hate but then end up watching anyway (because, who else will make those snarky comments) arrives on your TV with the pomp, pageantry and grandeur that only Hollywood can muster (add hyperbole to the list, like I just indulged in).
But, it's not just the TV now, find yourself online tonite and you will have a barrage of live coverage, including live-blogs and of course the inescapable, live-tweeting. Why, even I had unleashed a live-blogging of the event many years ago on an unsuspecting public. And what did help me through that evening was several ice-cold martinis (Sapphire, stirred not shaken).
So here is a helpful list of alcohol that you could help you get through watching/tweeting/ignoring the Oscars ceremony later tonite. On a whim, I have tried to link them approximately to the theme of the movie nominated for Best Pictures. Since I haven't actually watched all the films, feel free to share your own interpretive drink.
So here goes:
(Note: I am not liable for alcohol poisoning.)
Toy Story 3: Not that adults do not enjoy this movie (I didn't, I still have fondness for the first in the series), let's get the kid's stuff out the way first. Drink some OJ; actually plenty of it, you need to stay hydrated for the real drinking, right.
The Social Network: The movie starts in a college dorm, so tequila shots and beer chasers might be appropriate. But unless you are in an actual dorm room, do try something other than Jose Cuervo Gold, and Budlight.
Take a shot at Patron or Don Julio blanco with a craft brew lager from your area. East coast people should try Yeungling or Boston Lager (though neither are strictly craft brew). East coast
And stop reading further if you think Corona Extra with a lemon slice is the epitome of classy beer drinking. And no, neither is Heineken. Or Stella. No matter how suave their ads are.
The Fighter: Continuing on the beer theme, but upping the ante: drink some hard-core, in your face hoppy IPA or Imperial IPAs. Dogfish Head's 90min or Avery's Maharaja is recommended.
True Grit: Shots of bourbon or rye whisky, preferably with names such as Tanglefoot, Forty-Rod, Tarantula Juice, Taos Lightning, Red Eye, and Coffin Varnish. Drink neat.
127 Hours: Pause now, and drink some water. Gotta keep that hydration thing going.
Inception: This one is too easy – a shot consisting of several layers. B52 – with Kahlua, Irish cream and Cointreau – is recommended. Unfortunately bars nowadays prepare B52 mostly as a mixed shot and not in layers. But try the layer, and even better, flame it before drinking.
The Kids Are All Right: One of the four nominated movies that I did watch . Kept scratching my head about how it got nominated. But then, we are talking about a category that felicitated Shakespear in Love and Titanic.
Eithery way, drink-wise the movie shows a lot of fine reds. So you could go with that.
Or any of the more sophisticated cocktails – such as a well-made ice-cold Martini (prepared the right way), or perhaps a Side-car is ideal. But for heaven's sake, don't have a Cosmo!
Winter's Bone: Probably the movie that should win the best picture category, but probably won't since very few people have seen it, and it was released ages ago. Was really moved while watching. Given the themes of drug abuse, can't think of any drink. Perhaps down a lot of cheap scotch and brood.
Black Swan: Hmmm……ballet, lust, jealousy. For some reason, I see absinthe in the picture. Make a drink with equal parts of gin and dry vermouth, half parts absinthe (Green Chartreuse if you can't get hold of the green fairy), shaken with ice and strained into a martini glass. Add a splash of dry white wine. Careful with this.
The King's Speech: Hopefully, they will introduce this movie at the end and you can start sipping some port. Or a single-malt scotch.
Happy imbibing. Don't drink and drive, tweet instead.
3 Responses
Please write a ost on oscar curse also.I have read it somewhere that all oscar winning actors hit a slump.Their movies starts to flop after winning oscar.Is it true?
Isnt it true that most of the oscar winning movies are actually very boring?


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Simferopol, Crimea, Mar 14, 2015 / 04:57 pm MT ().- It's been one year since fighting broke out in Ukraine. The death toll has surpassed 6,000. Almost 1 million people have been displaced. And a February ceasefire agreement with Russia has created only a tenuous halt in hostilities, leaving the future uncertain.
But, Bishop Jacek Pyl of the Diocese of Odessa-Simferopol has a plan; he wants to invite a contemplative order of sisters into the heart of the Crimean peninsula.
"I believe in the strength and the power of prayer," Bishop Pyl told CNA. Contemplative nuns "are able to obtain many graces for people who live here; in the first place to ruin the walls of all kind of prejudices and atheistic habits, rooted deeply into people's hearts over the years of communism."
Bishop Pyl's plan to bring nuns into Crimea seems counterintuitive. But it might not be.
While eastern Ukraine remains unstable, Bishop Pyl told CNA life in the Crimean peninsula is "just as safe as other regions of Russia."
Russia annexed Crimea in March of 2014 after a referendum in which more than 95 percent of Crimeans voted in favor of reunification. The Vatican and much of the international community has not officially recognized the annexation, but the Church in Crimea is already working to register with officials in Moscow.
Bishop Pyl believes a contemplative order of nuns will help ensure the future of the Catholic Church in Crimea, where Catholics are a minority.
"We want to save the presence of the Catholic Church in this corner of the world," he said. "The annexation of Crimea has divided some families and brought in anxiety. Certain number of faithful have left Crimea; new ones came. The Church is trying to overcome these divisions and unite people around Christ."
The bishop has the support of at least two U.S. bishops who have seen the effect of contemplative orders in their own dioceses.
"I think the bishop's got the right idea; I concur with him entirely," said Bishop Emeritus Fabian Bruskewitz of the Diocese of Lincoln. Contemplative nuns "bring not only a silent and continuous homily to the people by their lives and by their attitudes…But, they also bring great joy to the diocese."
The Diocese of Lincoln is home to two contemplative communities: the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters (known affectionately by locals as the "Pink Sisters" because of their pink habits) and the Discalced Carmelites of the Carmel of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
The communities were established in 1973 and 2001, respectively, and local Catholics do not hesitate to admit the nuns' powerful effect on the local Church. The Diocese of Lincoln is experiencing a springtime of vocations, with the highest number of priests and male religious since 1976. Female religious are also steadily recovering from drastic drops in the '70s and '80s.
Vicar General Monsignor Thorburn credits the Diocese of Lincoln's vocation health to the prayers of the contemplative orders.
"Being exposed to religious whose communities have remained faithful to the Church's vision of religious life plants vocational seeds," he reflected. "The prayers of all those religious help those seeds to come alive."
Bishop Thomas Olmsted of the Diocese of Phoenix witnessed firsthand the power of contemplative orders when he was a priest in the Diocese of Lincoln. He was ordained a priest in the same year the late Bishop Glennon Patrick Flavin established the "Pink Sisters" and recalls celebrating weekly Benediction with the nuns in his first years as a priest.
"I always saw that as part of God's loving providence," Bishop Olmsted told CNA. His experience in the Diocese of Lincoln moved him to establish new contemplative communities in the dioceses of Wichita and Phoenix.
"It's certainly one of my priorities," he admitted. "The Church needs the support of the contemplative communities; their prayers, their sacrifices and their example of making a total gift of themselves to God for the sake of the larger Church."
"I felt when I arrived in the Diocese of Phoenix that one of the poverties we had is that we did not have a contemplative community," Bishop Olmsted said, adding that the Diocese of Phoenix now hosts the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration. "I think that's what the bishop in Ukraine was saying; that something was missing there, a witness to God and a witness to the power of intercessory prayer and a witness to the goodness of adoration and praise."
Msgr. Thorburn of Lincoln echoed Bishop Olmted's comments and pointed to the example of Saint John Paul II, who had a great appreciation of cloistered women religious. The late Pope even went so far as to establish the Mater Ecclesiae monastery within Vatican City in 1994. The monastery was dedicated solely to prayer for the Pope, his ministry and the cardinals. Mater Ecclesiae now hosts retired Pope Benedict.
"Saint John Paul II knew, loved, appreciated and often sought the support of cloistered women religious," Msgr. Thorburn said. "And we can be certain that they had his back as he presided over the peaceful dismantling of the Iron Curtain in Eastern Europe."
"Considering this example, I have no doubt that the bishop in Ukraine is spot-on. Jesus said that faith can move mountains. (Contemplative nuns are) that bishop's secret weapon!"
Tags: Prayer, Religious Life, Religious Sisters, Nuns, Russia, Ukraine, Crimea
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Life in the Bay Area
Most fellows live within a 10 mile radius of Stanford in Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Mountain View, or Redwood City. Living in San Francisco makes for a long commute, but it has been done. During fellowship, you will end up spending a number of months at the VA and on average, 2 months a year going down to the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (SCVMC), so this may be something to consider when choosing a place to live. While the Bay Area is arguably one of the nicest places to live, it unfortunately also has some of the most expensive housing in the country. Here are some resources to help you find a place to live.
Welch Road: http://med.stanford.edu/gme/current_residents/documents/WelchRoadApplication.pdf
Stanford West: http://stanfordwest.stanford.edu/
Oak Creek Apartments http://www.oakcreekapts.com/
The Greater Bay Area:
Craigslist is a great resource @ http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/
This site will give you a lot of information about getting around campus and the local area: http://transportation.stanford.edu/
For the most part, you will need a car to get around fellowship. Parking at the VA and SCVMC are free. For Stanford, you will need to purchase a parking permit. "A" permits lots are closest to the hospital. "C" permit lots are farther away but much less expensive.http://transportation.stanford.edu/parking_info/campus-hospital-worksites.shtml#hospital
Public Transportation:
This link provides a comprehensive list of public transportation that services the Stanford area (http://transportation.stanford.edu/alt_transportation/BayAreaTransit.shtml)
Caltrain is a commuter rail service that runs from San Francisco to Gilroy and is a common means of transportation for people commuting to and from Stanford (http://www.caltrain.com)
The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Agency (VTA) has bus service to Stanford and light rail service in the South Bay (http://www.vta.org)
The Marguerite Shuttle is a free service from Stanford, open to the public, that travels around campus and connects to nearby transit hubs (e.g. Caltrain stations) and the local area (http://transportation.stanford.edu/marguerite/)
As a hospital employee, you can get a Caltain Go Pass and a VTA EcoPass, which allows for unlimited travel on Caltrain and the VTA, for free if you do not live in the immediate Palo Alto area (http://transportation.stanford.edu/alt_transportation/EcoPass.shtml)
Fun Stuff
While fellowship will fill up a lot of hours, you will definitely have some free time. When you're not sleeping, here are some ideas of things you might want to do.
Around Stanford: http://www.stanford.edu/campuslife/
Stanford Sports: http://www.gostanford.com/
As fellows, you are eligible to get a Stanford University Courtesy Card (Stanford ID). This give you access to a number of campus facilities including libraries and athletic facilities (http://cardinalrec.stanford.edu. To get your Courtesy Card, take your photo ID and go to:
George Forsythe Hall, 275 Panama St, Rm 135, Open Monday-Friday 8 AM - 5 PM. 650 498 CARD (8-2273)
The Greater Bay Area / Silicon Valley:
Stanford is within 40 miles of three major California cities: San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland. With this comes world-class arts, theater, music, and professional teams from all of the major sports. For those who enjoy outdoor activities, the Bay Area is a paradise. On top of that, we are within easy driving distance to some of the most majestic outdoor spaces in the country, including Monterrey (1.5 hrs), Lake Tahoe (3-4 hrs) and Muir Woods (1 hr).


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How to contact Bellbrooke Surgery, where are we and when do we open?
Our opening times
- Monday, 8:00am to 8:00pm
- Tuesday, 8:00am to 6:00pm
- Wednesday, 8:00am to 8:00pm
- Thursday, 8:00am to 6:00pm
- Friday, 8:00am to 6:00pm
Staff Training
Bellbrooke Surgery closes for staff training from 12 noon until 8:00 am the following day on approximately one day per month. The dates we have planned for the next six months are listed below:
- Thursday, 21 June 2018
- Tuesday, 10 July 2018
- Tuesday, 18 September 2018
- Tuesday, 9 October 2018


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Vejer De La Frontera, Spain Photos - Spain Map, Europe Maps Spain Map Information
Vejer de la Frontera, is a Spanish hilltop town to the southeast of Cadiz. The town, surrounded by orchards and orange groves, sits atop a hill overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar.
It contains several ancient churches and convents, and the architecture of many of its houses recalls the period of Moorish rule, which lasted from 711 until the town was captured by Saint Ferdinand of Castile in 1248.
Vejer is a true gem, a place of white-washed houses, narrow winding streets, excellent food and wine and the unspoilt beaches of the Costa de la Luz are a few minutes away.
The picturesque town still retaining much of the wall around the old part of town which blends in well with the newer part. Many of the streets are too narrow for cars and as you walk around if you look through an open doorway you are likely to see beautiful inner patios with lots of flowers and plants.
Local stret signs, Vejer de la Frontera.
A part of the 600-year-old church of Iglesia Parroquial del Divino Salvador in Vejer de la Frontera.
Colorful wall tiles in Old Town.
Well-worn cobblestones n Vejer de la Frontera.
This is a partial view of Vejer de la Frontera from a local hill. On bright, sunny days, sunglasses are required as the buildings reflect so much sunlight that it can be a bit hard of the eyes. The main advantages of painting buildings white is when the sun is reflected its keep things much cooler on the inside.
Early morning mist (or fog) on a street in Vejer de la Frontera; it burns off quick however because of the sun.
On that same foggy morning this is a typical look down a narrow street in Vejer de la Frontera. If you look to the lower left on this page you will see a shot of the well-worn cobblestones.
In this hilly town, many residents must walk home up steep streets (or paths) like this as automobiles won't fit here.
The main square in Vejer de la Frontera is Plaza de Espana, featuring a beautiful fountain with colorful ceramic tiles. This photo does not do it justice.
Vejer de la Frontera was one of a string of fortified towns which made up the border between Christian Spain and Moorish Al Andalus, and remnants of forts still stand across the area.
Another narrow street in Vejer de la Frontera, and beyond the arches another view of this stylish Spanish hill town.
This photograph presents a very typical feel of Spain's Vejer de la Frontera where parts of its ancient past provide a history lesson at almost every turn.
This local man, with his trusty cane, had no trouble whatsoever navigating a hilly street in Vejer de la Frontera.
Another happy visitor in Vejer de la Frontera!


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Press Releases
Rimini Street Appoints New SVP of Global Client Engagement
Seasoned former senior executive from SAP, Siebel Systems and Oracle to lead worldwide organization
LAS VEGAS, May 24, 2016 - Rimini Street, Inc., the leading independent provider of enterprise software support services for SAP SE's (NYSE:SAP) Business Suite, BusinessObjects and HANA Database software and Oracle Corporation's (NYSE:ORCL) Siebel, PeopleSoft, JD Edwards, E-Business Suite, Oracle Database, Oracle Middleware, Hyperion, Oracle Retail and Oracle Agile PLM software, today announced the appointment of Keith Costello as senior vice president, Global Client Engagement. In this newly created role, Costello will lead the strategic vision, operations and execution for the Company's global program which provides mission-critical, trusted-advisor account services to every Rimini Street client from initial contract execution. More specifically, Costello will oversee Rimini Street's global account management program and team responsible for assuring client success, satisfaction, service adoption and utilization, licensed product and support service value maximization, retention and identification of service upsell, and expansion opportunities.
Former Executive at SAP and Oracle Brings Proven Experience to Rimini Street
Costello is a 28 year veteran of the enterprise technology industry and a leader with proven P&L results in enterprise software customer success, sales, services, and partner ecosystems. He has experience working with start-ups and Fortune 500 companies, and specific domain expertise in ERP, CRM, business analytics, cloud technologies, and subscription management. Costello has built, turned around, scaled and led innovative and fast-growing organizations, from small teams to large divisions of significant, global scale.
Previously, Costello held management positions in the enterprise software industry, including senior executive roles with SAP, Siebel Systems and Oracle. At SAP, Costello served as executive vice president and general manager of SAP's Business Analytics and Global Services divisions, where he managed revenues in excess of $1 billion. At Siebel Systems, he served as senior vice president of worldwide Professional Services. At Oracle, Costello served as vice president for Oracle's consulting business. Immediately prior to joining Rimini Street, Costello was the senior vice president of Global Services at Zuora, Inc. Earlier in his career, he also served in a variety of positions for Price Waterhouse and Booz, Allen & Hamilton.
"Rimini Street's reputation for delivering client value has steadily gained notice throughout the industry, and I see immense opportunity to further expand the value Rimini Street can bring organizations around the world," said Costello. "I look forward to working with all Rimini Street clients to ensure the entire customer experience with Rimini Street, from initial onboarding to day-to-day service, to strategic assistance with platform road mapping, to long-term service provision, meets the high standards of success and satisfaction that our clients have come to expect and enjoy with Rimini Street support."
"As companies increasingly switch from vendor support to Rimini Street support, we continue to make investments in the programs that help our clients maximize the value of their SAP and Oracle enterprise software spend for years into the future, while enabling innovation," said Sebastian Grady, Rimini Street president and chief revenue officer. "Rimini Street has engineered its support model from the ground up to achieve the maximum ROI for our clients, and I am pleased to have Keith join us to lead the next phase of growth for our Global Client Engagement organization."
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About Rimini Street, Inc.
Rimini Street is the global leader in providing independent enterprise software support services. The company has redefined enterprise support services since 2005 with an innovative, award-winning program that enables Oracle and SAP licensees to save up to 90 percent on total support costs. Clients can remain on their current software release without any required upgrades for at least 15 years. Over 1,300 global, Fortune 500, midmarket, and public sector organizations from a broad range of industries have selected Rimini Street as their trusted, independent support provider. To learn more, please visit http://www.riministreet.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements. The words "believe," "may," "will," "plan," "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "intend," "expect," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, and are based on various assumptions. If the risks materialize or our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. Rimini Street assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements or information, which speak only as of the date of this press release.
Rimini Street and the Rimini Street logo are trademarks of Rimini Street, Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. Copyright © 2016. All rights reserved.