text:
Thoughts and Paper
I want to talk about something.
I'm not sure what it really is, but it is going through my mind for some days now and I don't know who I should tell this, so I thought 'why not my dear readers?
It's about this blogging thing.
A few days ago, I was reading this interesting article.
It made me think. Quite deeply actually.
(Can I EVER think NOT deeply about anything??)
The article was about blogging, but mostly about the bloggers itself, who would have other intentions with their blogs than the actual blogging they do.
At least, this was what the author of the article was pointing at.
It was about advertising, sponsors and people just wanting to make money out of blogging.
I never ever doubted my own intentions to blog and I still don't.
But it did made me think about blogging in general and about what I really have to offer with this blogging...
Lately I get insecure more and more about my own blogging.
At first, it was only joy.
I just loved blogging and never thought about other things than just posting things I love.
But maybe something has changed.
Maybe it's the sponsor-thing I wanted and have now...
Sometimes it just doesn't feel right.
However, I would be a liar if I told you it's not a great thing to earn a little bit of extra money by doing the thing you love so much.
I think it's the critiques on advertising and sponsors at blogs I've read and everything always 'touches' me so much.
I truly wish I could care less about other people's opinions, but I guess this is just who I am.
Obviously, I visit other blogs a lot. I love them and they inspire me.
But it also makes me insecure.
Insecure about what my blog looks like, what I blog about and sometimes even (oh, the shame...) how many comments I get in comparison to some of the really BIG blogs.
(Please don't get me wrong, I truly LOVE every comment I receive and I often sit here smiling behind my desk.)
It's like it's never good, never enough, so many people are better than I am, better at blogging, waaay better at anything creative, they have better shops...aaaaah!!
Right now, it's just chaos in my head and I wanted to share this with you.
It's kind of boring, I know.
But I am curious; am I the only one experiencing these kind of thoughts or does anyone recognizes my insecurity about blogging and creating?
I'd love to hear your thoughts...
(Also excuse my poor English today. As I said: chaos.)
It's about paper now, the beauty of paper!
(Primele via Oh so beautiful paper)
Below some gorgeous packages from several of the participants of last year's Lovely Package Exchange, hosted by the lovely Danni of Oh hello friend.
(She's having another one this year! I'll definitely participate this time!)
Can you believe this is cut out of paper?
There's so much more beautiful paper to post,
but I cannot post everything I see, right?
(This is making me crazy sometimes, because it makes me feel like missing out on things...
sometimes it's just too much. Am I going nuts?)
41 comments:
- anywheredreams said...
i feel like that sometimes too, but mostly i end up thinking that it's my own blog and I write what i like in it xD thats whats so fun with blogging i think, you can write whatever you want ^^
lovely pictures as always <3
- February 13, 2010 at 11:27 PM
your blog is one of the very best out there! it's a constant inspiration to me (and i'm sure many others). i only just started my own blog, and haven't got that many readers, but for me it's really about having somewhere to post all the lovely photos that inspire me, maybe in hope of inspiring another person too, but mostly to have somewhere to "collect it" if you know what i mean..
- February 13, 2010 at 11:35 PM
- A Beautiful Party said...
is mercury or some planet in retrograde? i feel like insecurity is in the air right now. I feel the exact same way. i even have a blog about not feeling good enough. I feel like no matter how hard I try I just can't get it right. I think that we blog because we love it and we want to share but I also think it's natural to want to succeed, and succeeding in blogs means having a following, having sponsors, all these things so you can comfortably put the time into doing the thing you love. I always look to your blog for inspiring beauty. It feels like what you do is natural, you are just finding gorgeous things and sharing them with all of us and I am certainly appreciative of it. I'm in love with the blog community, in love! it's a bunch of amazing people who get together and share.
I hope that your insecurities are quickly gone. I'm working on pushing mine away. Just keep doing what you're doing. You're doing an amazing job!
take care.
- February 13, 2010 at 11:57 PM
- Rachel Follett said...
I can definitely relate to what your feeling. I was in a similar mood actually yesterday. I feel like my work will never be good enough and what am I doing wrong? It seems that popularity comes naturally for some and maybe its just that it looks like its easy for them from where I sit. Just wanted to let you know you aren't the only one! Your blog is absolutely beautiful and I love your style and will always keep coming back. :)
- February 14, 2010 at 12:17 AM
- Julie said...
I agree with you and can recognize myself as well. I also look at other blogs wondering what makes their blogs do so well. Trying to improve myself, but staying true to myself. Doing well means getting lots of comments and yes.. sponsors Sponsors don't pick random blogs, its kind of a marketing for them, the blogs has to suit their products. They would not pick if they did not think you have style and class.
I love getting comments, it means people read my blog and like it. Its proof enough isn't it? I value them and they bring a smile to my face. I love your blog and I check it daily. Please keep on doing what you do and getting the attention means you are worth it. And you are just as good as the other bloggers, seeing you have sponsors, comments and followers, you are good at it. Who doesn't want earning money and doing something they love. You have talent for finding nice stuff.
Blogging is addictive, isn't it? But so much fun.
- February 14, 2010 at 12:31 AM
- Kelley Anne said...
Mila, I love your blog. Its so beautiful and inspiring. I read it all the time. I'm sorry I haven't commented more. I know what you mean about insecurity related to blogging. But I try to just think about it as something that I really enjoy creating and doing and that I'm making friends with people with similar interests. I also don't think there's anything wrong with making money from one's blog if that's what a person wants to do.
Your blog is special and wonderful. It was one of the first ones that I started following when I first discovered blogs and I still enjoy reading it now a year later. I think everyone has something to contribute and there are lots of people who love your contribution, including me:)
- February 14, 2010 at 12:49 AM
- Nana said...
I think everyone who has a blog feels like that! But if you feel you have something to share, something else to offer than other bloggers do, you shold keep on doing it! I love your blog,and I read it via google reader for over a year now, even if this is the first time I leave a comment. So, feel better :D
- February 14, 2010 at 1:10 AM
I've stopped blogging because I don't know what to do with mine anymore. I don't want it to become big, I just wanted it to be a place my friends visited so they could see what inspires me. But the lack of feedback made me stop and I have no intention of starting again.
I think once you know why you started your blog and you can see where you want to go with it and you know how to get people to look at it and give you feedback then you're fine. I think you're fine.
- February 14, 2010 at 2:13 AM
- m e o w m e o w said...
To me, creativity doesn't stand still. Its an on-going, ever-changing stream of beauty that is within some people so strongly that it can't help but flow out and be shown and shared. I love your blog, the magical ideas that you bring and the whimsical pictures you post give me warm fuzzies inside... so be encouraged! I have been planning to start a blog for awhile now, but i have also had thoughts of doubt, of not being good enough. So if you are needing re-assurance, please take these complements to heart because they come from mine! I think your blog is amazing. full stop. and i will continue to follow it. :)
- February 14, 2010 at 2:30 AM
- muchlove said...
dearest Mila,
I know what you mean. When I started offering sponsorship on my blog, I did (and sometimes still do) wonder if my readers think that my blog is not genuinely from my heart and if I'm doing it for the money. So I do get that insecure feeling too, but at the end of the day, I blog for myself - and I know you do too - which is all that really matters. Even if I didn't get any advertisers, it wouldn't change my blogging content. I think your blog is so original and beautiful, I always look forward to your inspirational posts.
PS. sorry if none of that rambling made sense!
- February 14, 2010 at 5:26 AM
- Eila said...
It is a really common thing to worry about how sincere you are being and how much integrity you have when it comes to money issues- not just blogging but for everything! For example, my husband sometimes works for mining companies- we don't like the mining industry very much but at the moment its the best money he can get and we need the money. I don't think that makes us bad people but I do worry sometimes. Just like sponsorship (not as bad as mining industry!) but same sort of thing- you want to blog and make things but you need money to do that and for you to create the life you want so getting sponsorship is just a practical way of doing that. We might not like it much but we live in a world where money controls us quite a bit and we have to be able to manipulate that control a bit so we aren't helpless but we should also continuously remind ourselves of who we are and not get too caught up in the money thing. You have nothing to worry about- your blog is wonderful!
- February 14, 2010 at 6:25 AM
- Maia said...
You are not the only one. Blogs are an evolving medium. I love to blog, and I have always chosen not to look for sponsors. That said, my blogs are based around my daughter, and that is a very personal thing. I think everyone's blog experience is unique, and there is no shame in making it into a business. Like snowflakes, no two blogs are the same, and that's what makes us keep looking. OX
- February 14, 2010 at 7:45 AM
- Unknown said...
I usually don't leave comments on your blog (to be honest, I have scarcely ever written on any of the websites I often visit), but I wanted to show you how much I appreciate the photos and the thoughts that you put up and also, in part, to remind you that there are many "invisible" readers like me who often come to your site. I suppose it is because, unlike most of the other blogs I've seen, yours exists to perform (and does perform effectively) a crucial function: that is, helping people to see. See the beauty that exists in the world that people usually do not take the time to see. Georgia O'Keefe once said that "to see takes time just as getting to know a friend takes time". Being able to see is not dependent on having a greater or lesser intelligence, but on being able to slow down and observe the wonders around you. Your blog gives people the chance to see what they've missed--perhaps that flower they ignored on their way to work or a poem whose beauty they could not appreciate because they were so tired.
Please, you shouldn't let this insecurity overtake you. There is simply no need for it. Because, though, of course, you try your hardest to make this blog as beautiful as you can make it, isn't that secondary to joy and the love you feel when creating/maintaining this site? And isn't it wonderful that you can see such beauty in life and express that? And, even if no one was reading this blog, wouldn't you still be posting? You said that, at first, joy was your motivator behind your blogging. If you think of only that joy, it will help override the insecurity.
Because that insecurity, despite the fact that it is a natural thing,is a feeling born of an illusion--an illusion that there is a best and a worst, that a blog has something to offer and another blog that doesn't, that everything can be ranked and that everyone must participate in an unceasing rat race to the top. Desiring to be the "best"--that is, ranked 1 by the "objective" critics--and doing something only to fulfill that desire is not only dangerous, but futile. No one can always stand at the top; someone will always overtake you or be overtaken by you and who knows how objective the critics are, anyways. My point is, you will never really know. And frankly, being driven by this illusion will make you mad. So, go back to the beginning. To the joy you felt. That's the only thing that matters. The only thing that should matter.
I'm not saying that it's easy to free yourself of this illusion, that it's wrong for you to feel insecure at all because it's not. The fight with this insecurity is something that lasts a lifetime; it will continue to hound you, even when you think you've won. Most people won't ever be able to win against it and will be forever stuck trying to be more intelligent or more pretty or more wealthy than the others. And they'll forever live in fear that they won't be enough, have enough. And they'll despair and hate themselves when they aren't enough, according to the absurd standards they've set themselves.
The solution to this "rat race"--this illusion, this cruel cycle--is best expressed, I think, in the words you once posted. It is an excerpt that you translated from the "Night Train to Lisbon": "When they abstain from us their devotion, respect and admission, why can't we just say to them, I don't need all of that. I have myself. Isn't it a terrible kind of un-freedom that we can't do that?" Mila, you're you. Your blog is yours alone. It's all so beautiful the way it is, in itself. Isn't that enough?
I'm sorry about the long rant. I felt compelled to say all of these things for some reason. I would like to close all of this babbling with a quote from Coco Chanel that has recently become a favorite of mine: "How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something but to be someone".
- February 14, 2010 at 8:16 AM
- Kristina Kvåle said...
You are definitely not alone with these thoughts! I feel that way all the time! Of course i have a much smaller blog then yours and i do not have a sponsor, nor have i tried to get one. But what i recognize is the feeling of inadequacy and always comparing yourself, your work, your life to others, and coming up short. i think everyone is like this, or, at least i hope so, i would hate to think that i am the only one.
what i have learned, or, better put, what i believe to be true, is that there are no comparisons. people are different, no one sees the world exactly the same, no does anything exactly the same, no one is the same. it is ludicrous to think otherwise. this is actually a topic i have spent a long time thinking about and pondering over, and i think the best way to put is that all is beautiful in its own way, we should not do things mainstream rather than just living the way we want to. i think that do things our way and the best that we can, to be able to think "i did my best" is the best we can do... i hope you made sense of this, tihi :) your blog is amazing, keep up the good work!
- February 14, 2010 at 9:36 AM
- bibi said...
Have more confidence in yourself, because i think your blog is very inspiring =)
I check your blog daily!
But perhaps I can understand the insecurity. For my part, I always wanted to start a public blog to my my own work, my photographs. But I have no such courage. So i started out with Flickr first, and eventually I started to post in DeviantArt too. I'm still pondering if i should start a public blog. I'm no good with words =(
As for you, don't lose hope =) you'll do fine!
- February 14, 2010 at 9:45 AM
- Unknown said...
I recently read the quote: try to be authentic!!!!!!!
I think that is what it is all about in life: have the courage to be yourself, even if you think, comparing to others, that that is nog enough.
Every human being is a unique person. I admire people who show others what really touches them. It takes courage to be like that.
And I know that you have that courage, maybe more than other people.
I hope you will continue your blog, it is and will always be inspiring to others.
Love, Eefje
- February 14, 2010 at 10:17 AM
- Trisha said...
I've to be honest and tell you that I don't have a blog. I really would like to blog, but I know myself, I wouldn't be a regular blogger.. But about you. I really, really like your blog. On your blog, you can find the most beautiful stuff there is. You're really a big inspiration. Most of the times, your blog makes me smile. This isn't really a answer to your questions but I wanted to tell you this. There is nothing to be insecure of. Sorry voor mijn slechte Engels, chaos hè, haha.
- February 14, 2010 at 10:48 AM
- essa stessa said...
Hello Mila,
my english is too bad to tell you exactly what i want but i try ...
there will always be people better than you , than me, than everyone ,but it doesn 't matter ! the most important is to be true , be sincere ,be yourself , and it 's for that your blog is so amazing
and sponsors don't change that sincerity !
you are a very talented girl , never give up ...
- February 14, 2010 at 12:59 PM
Hi, I am a reader subscriber and a lurker and the day before Pip wrote that post on Make & Meaning I wrote one about why I blog... Its something I think we all think about as it (blogging) is (I feel) simultaneously narcissistic & unselfish; we are saying here! look! at me!, and here, look, at me. (If you know what I mean - one part waving, one part exposing the soft belly of our thoughts!)
I think you have a brilliant blog and it is a treat to have you create and share it with us all. Thank you.
- February 14, 2010 at 1:27 PM
- Sue said...
This is my first visit to your blog - and it's so lovely, and you've already touched such a chord with me. I think we all get insecure, or fried, or doubting - it's probably that same old thing regarding the flatness of the written word. Even if someone leaves you a compliment, you don't get to see the expression on their face, and know that they mean it.
I'm adding you to my reader list - I'll definitely be back. Thank you so much for your openness.
- February 14, 2010 at 3:15 PM
- missjoesten.nl said...
I know what you mean, and I also always compare myself to other people and to other blogs. It's insecurity and that's normal. But it's not needed. Your blog is really great and I admire you writing beautiful messages. I appreciate your openness to us.
You're doing great and I hope you'll continue writing these lovely blogs.
- February 14, 2010 at 4:59 PM
- Annydesign said...
I wanted to say hello and that I love your blog, we have lil different stiles but it`s not important`! Important is that you do your things with heart and passion..if you live with open heart it`s also make you unsecure sometimes..keep doing what you do the best and dont look or take so seriously others !There is always somebody to envy you..
Happy Valentine`s Day !!
- February 14, 2010 at 5:51 PM
Lieve Mila,
Ik herken je twijfels en je twijfels over die twijfels. Ook ik laat me vaak beïnvloeden door dingen die ik hoor, of door wat andere mensen denken of zouden kunnen denken.
En is dat niet jammer?
We besteden zoveel tijd aan negatieve gedachtes, dat we tijd mislopen om zelf te creëren. Hoe zou het leven er uit zien zonder de angst nooit goed genoeg te zijn?
En lief meisje, je kijkt omhoog naar andere blogs maar ik wilde je laten weten dat jij voor mij juist zo'n blog hebt om naar op te kijken. Je hebt zoveel fantastische lezers, die elke dag de tijd nemen om een berichtje voor je achter te laten. En je creëert op het snelle internet een rustig plekje.
En ik denk dat dat iets is om trots op te zijn. Je bent goed genoeg :)
- February 14, 2010 at 5:54 PM
- Unknown said...
your blog is new to me....
i discovered your blog last friday, and i have to say, can't stop reading....
soooo much love here....it seems that i found myself here...i really do....thanks girl...great job.
kiss from brazil
- February 14, 2010 at 6:30 PM
Mila- I've never commented before, but I felt compelled to comment today because I love how open you were about your insecurities about the blog. I've been reading yours consistently for a long time, and you should know that something about your stands out among all of the rest. It's effortless, beautiful honesty. It doesn't try to hard- in fact it doesn't try at all. It just flows spontaneously and gracefully, just like the clothing, poetry, and emotions you feature. Put those worries out of your mind... they're normal, but not necessary. You're amazing.
- February 15, 2010 at 1:13 AM
- MissMadeline said...
of all the blogs i visit and follow, i NEVER skip any of your posts. i love the pictures and the words you present to us. i've started blogging VERY recently, and i'm sure NO ONE reads my blog. :] but that's okay, because i;m not even sure what kind of blog it is. i think i just like to spout off and add pictures.
your blog celebrates a lot of lovely things. creativity, beauty, love, just plain sweetness.
i can tell you, that as an artist, seeing these dreamy lovely things makes me happy, and it inspires me. sponsor or no sponsor, i love it.
- February 15, 2010 at 2:29 AM
- Sacred Gypsy said...
Mila first let me say I love your blog, it's one of a small handful I check daily without fail.
I think your thoughts and feelings are very natural...the same that many of us have. I don't blog, probably because I would be filled with the same hesitations, but I do surf the blogs, flickr, tumblr etc. on a regular basis. And I am still filled with the same thoughts...I am not creative enough, I could never do anything as well as so and so, why do I even bother looking, etc., etc. This is one of the pitfalls of the internet shrinking our world to the space or our living rooms....it has made us more aware of what is out there and we feel inadequate because of it at times. But just putting yourself out there every day shows that you can and do overcome the fears. And it's worth it. It's a big world and we all have something valuable to share...there will always be someone that takes pleasure in what you do.
- February 15, 2010 at 5:55 AM
- Geri said...
This is the first time I leave a comment on your blog! ... but I visit almost daily.
It is such an inspiring site and you should feel very proud for the treasure hunt you do! ... my blog is, as you say, intended to support a proyect, and I wish it was as succesful as yours (nowhere near, trust me!!!) ... There is nothing to feel sad about, you have an audience and I am sure you would always be sure to get sponsors in whom you believe and are proud of "advertising"
I wish you all the luck and thank you for being so honest!
- February 15, 2010 at 11:40 AM
- Mo said...
I read that same article and sort of went through the same feelings. I don't do any sponserships, or pepper my posts with words that would get a google hit, but I do look at other blogs that inspire me, which in turn can sometimes depress me! As long as you are blogging for yourself, and doing it how you want to do it...I think that is the most important thing.
You are YOU! And that's the best. ♥
- February 15, 2010 at 5:44 PM
- Mo said...
I read that same article and sort of went through the same feelings. I don't do any sponserships, or pepper my posts with words that would get a google hit, but I do look at other blogs that inspire me, which in turn can sometimes depress me! As long as you are blogging for yourself, and doing it how you want to do it...I think that is the most important thing.
You are YOU! And that's the best. ♥
- February 15, 2010 at 5:44 PM
- Unknown said...
Oh, I've been there. I think it's part of blogging, this insecurity, there is so much wonderful inspiration out there that it feels overwhelming.
But don't worry about the sponsors, you have all the right to do it, it's your blog and as long as you keep it honest, I'm sure that's fine with your readers!
- February 16, 2010 at 1:14 AM
- Unknown said...
thankyou for being brave in sharing from your heart in this post.
Your blog is unique, your voice and your look here unique
that's what makes it a joy to visit. Don't change.
Your content is always what you love and what you find.
It's natural that we worry about being enough at times both in ourselves and in terms of blogs
But you are enough just as you are honey you do a beautiful job here
love n butterflies Kat xox
- February 16, 2010 at 6:44 PM
- sofia said...
Hello, Mila
First of all let me tell you that I simply love your blog, but I get your insecurities about it. It's normal to think "is it enough?"
I know this is just my opinion, and it might doesn't mean a bit thing to you, but I must say it.
I'm an artist, so, a creative person. And I must say that your blog is in my favourite's list for being a source of inspiration. It made me think (yes, I'm a compulsive thinker like you.. I think too much.. grr..). Don't think please that I use the photos that you post and use it on my works.. relax ;) I don't. But they are so so so beautiful that makes my brain working in that direction: beautifulness.. :)
And for that I must thank you, dear Mila. Thank you for inspiring me and much others.
Even the other day I was talking to a friend who was preety sad and I've send her the link to your blog, because I think it has this "smiling efect" on people.
So, if you ask me "Is it enough?" I must say "Yes, it is."
A big kiss all away from Portugal* and please keep doing what you do ^^,
ps: sorry, my english is not that good neither...
- February 16, 2010 at 7:29 PM
- Helen Cuthbert said...
hello your blog is lovely and I know exactly what you mean. I get so overwhelmed by it all going from one beautiful post on a blog to another beautiful post, I just end up giving up and thinking well I can never have time to look at it all. But that is ok! You shouldn't feel insecure as you obviously do it because you love it and that's why we all do it I think :0)
- February 16, 2010 at 8:36 PM
- POPPY FRENCH said...
you have a lovely blog and it very pretty and you always show wonderful things!
You just have to think if no one read your blog would you still do it? I know from google analytics that not many people read my blog but I still want to write it, kind of like diary that I know I would never get around to doing in real life. On here its easy! xxx
- February 17, 2010 at 9:24 PM
i know exactly what you mean. my blog seems different to anyone elses ive seen, i'm a fine artist so mines based on work that i do, but most blogs i see are about fashion. i love reading them, i love the whole blogging community, but it always seems like mines the rubbish one because its different to everyone elses. i dont have many followers, but i follow alot of people especially that do fashion as i learn tips from them. i just hope one day someone will see mine and think that they'll get ideas from mine. i am new to this, but hopefully i'll get the hang of it in time.
keep up the good work, your blog is great! follow mine if you wish (although its not about fashion etc).
- February 18, 2010 at 11:28 AM
- vrgdesign said...
I love, is beautiful
- February 18, 2010 at 1:17 PM
- meetmeatmikes said...
Oh Mila,
Your blog is beautiful. And you post from the heart and share the things you are passionate about. What could be better then that?!
- February 19, 2010 at 12:43 AM
- Ingrid said...
hello, lovely.
i just came across your blog from micaela's over at the drifter and the gypsy.. great guest post!
i have a sneaking suspicion that every blogger suffers these same insecurities and fears. i know i do. some days i think i'm being professional and well-written and interesting, and other days i feel all muddled and too personal and uninteresting and, well, crappy. i feel like i have changed quite a bit since i first began blogging, and i'm not sure i like it.
i feel more invested in my readers, and i worry about how i appear to them and if they enjoy what i write, and if it is a good thing that i want to share more personal things now that i have made some blogging friends.
i am blessed to receive many wonderful comments, and i am grateful for every one - but sometimes i wish for more. actually, i always wish for more.
you're definitely not alone in this.. i think your blog is beautiful. keep up the good work, post what you love, and let your blog grow as you grow!
with love,
- February 20, 2010 at 12:37 AM
- sea lady said...
I have to say I have the exact same thoughts going over and over in my head often. I have just discoverd your blog and its seems gorgeous.
Here is mine....its still quite new.
Dont worry...do it because you enjoy it..thats why I do.
- February 27, 2010 at 11:12 AM
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text: Design Architecture Roman Concrete Lasts a Long Time, but It Won't Stop Rising Seas By Lloyd Alter Design Editor University of Toronto Lloyd Alter is Design Editor for Treehugger and teaches Sustainable Design at Ryerson University in Toronto. our editorial process Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter Lloyd Alter Updated October 11, 2018 © Portus Cosanus pier, Orbetello, Italy (credit, J.P. Oleson). Portus Cosanus pier, Orbetello, Italy (credit, J.P. Oleson) Share Twitter Pinterest Email Design Tiny Homes Architecture Interior Design Green Design Urban Design New research sheds new light on why Roman concrete is so strong and water resistant, but let's not get carried away here. The Guardian titles its post Why Roman concrete still stands strong while modern version decays. The Washington Post goes a step further and pens the dreadful Ancient Romans made world's 'most durable' concrete. We might use it to stop rising seas -- as if we will build giant concrete walls around America to hold back the water. Both are writing about new research into Roman concrete, which obviously has lasted thousands of years. Both articles are filled with engineering howlers. Nicola Davis of the Guardian writes: The Roman recipe – a mix of volcanic ash, lime (calcium oxide), seawater and lumps of volcanic rock – held together piers, breakwaters and harbours. Moreover, in contrast to modern materials, the ancient water-based structures became stronger over time. But all concrete becomes stronger over time. We're demolishing buildings now where the concrete has not even totally cured. But Ben Guarino of The Washington Post goes off on a really weird tangent about how this might stop rising seas. The Roman stuff is "an extraordinarily rich material in terms of scientific possibility," said Philip Brune, a research scientist at DuPont Pioneer who has studied the engineering properties of Roman monuments. "It's the most durable building material in human history, and I say that as an engineer not prone to hyperbole." By contrast, modern concrete exposed to saltwater corrodes within decades. But modern concrete has reinforcing. Roman concrete does not. Mix salt water and steel or iron and you get corrosion, expansion and the destruction of the concrete. He quotes Roman concrete expert Marie Jackson: Modern sea walls require steel reinforcements; a future in which "large relic walls of twisted steel" dot the coast would be "very troubling," Jackson said. The Romans didn't use steel. Their reactive concrete was strong enough on its own. Except that sea walls probably don't require reinforcement if they are as thick as Roman ones, which are just big thick lumps of rock that resist the forces of nature by sheer mass. Concrete is strong in compression but weak in tension, which is where reinforcement comes in. Jackson's research found that Roman concrete resists cracking, but surely the main reason that Roman concrete survives is because of the lack of reinforcement. Guarino of the Post suggests that one could build barriers around the country to hold back the oceans, made out of Roman-style concrete without reinforcing. That would require a lot of concrete, Roman or modern. CC BY 2.0. Lloyd Alter Lloyd Alter/CC BY 2.0 Both papers are reporting on new research by Marie Jackson and her team, which finds that seawater seeping into the concrete dissolves volcanic crystals with Tobermorite taking their place. These minerals, say the authors, helped to reinforce the concrete, preventing cracks from growing, with structures becoming stronger over time as the minerals grew. This builds on earlier research covered in TreeHugger where we noted: Unlike modern concrete which actually shrinks, opening up tiny cracks that propagate and let moisture in, Roman concrete, made with volcanic ash instead of portland cement, is actually self-healing as a crystalline binder forms and prevents the concrete from cracking any further. That was not quite accurate. Roman concrete is still made with lime and still subject to the lime cycle, where you cook limestone and it gives off carbon dioxide. As it sets, it absorbs carbon dioxide and over thousands of years gets stronger as it continues to harden. But the new research clarifies how the concrete was essentially self-healing, as explained in the Guardian: But now Jackson and the team have made another discovery. "I went back to the concrete and found abundant tobermorite growing through the fabric of the concrete, often in association with phillipsite [another mineral]," she said. She said this revealed another process that was also at play. Over time, seawater that seeped through the concrete dissolved the volcanic crystals and glasses, with aluminous tobermorite and phillipsite crystallising in their place. But about those sea walls... I know Ben Guarino is a journalist trying to turn dull science into an exciting story. But to think that we could build big thick sea walls without reinforcement out of Roman concrete is nuts. We would have to dig up the country for aggregate and grind Italy and every other volcano in the world to dust to get enough Pozzolana. The CO2 generated by the lime production would probably sink us on its own. The production of concrete, whether Roman or American, is one of the largest generators of CO2, which heats the planet and causes waters to rise. We would be cooking the planet to build sea walls to protect us from the effects of cooking the planet. How does this make sense?


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I'm not sure that "Before the Rain"("Pred dozhdot), a 1995 Oscar nominee for best foreign-language film, written and directed by Milcho Manchevski, is a good movie, but have no doubt that it is a great one. It is comprised of three episodes: the first two near the coast of Macedonia, the middle one in London. What happens in the third one follows the second one and seems to precede the astonishing opening one… but the second one also temporally follows events in the first one. "The circle is not round" is proclaimed in all three parts and in some ways the movie is more a Moibus strip than a circle. The Balkans is a region in which the past never seems to be past, in which outrages five or ten centuries ago are believed to cry out for revenge.
Fierce hatred of Greek Orthodox Macedonians and Muslim Albanians bubbles over repeatedly throughout the course of the movie. The kind of ethnic warfare that was going on in Bosnia at the time the film was being shot broke out in 2001. It could have surprised no one who had seen "Before the Rain" before then.
I don't like to regurgitate plot unless I can do so in ways that comment on it. I think that "plot spoiling" is exaggerated as a crime against readers generally, but in the case of "Before the Rain," telling pretty much anything of what happens is at least a disservice to those who have not seen the movie — and that is, alas, a far-too-large population!
In the first part of Kiril, a young priest played by Grégoire Colin (Beau Travail), who has taken a vow of silence (getting around the actor not speaking Macedonian) harbors a Muslim (a feral Labina Mitevska whose character's name is eventually revealed to be Zamira) who is being hunted by the Christians. Colin radiates compassion, which turns out to be a very dangerous feeling in all three parts of the movie.
The second part is set in London, introducing a Macedonian photojournalist, Aleksander (Rade S[h]erbezija) who has just won a Pulitzer Prize for work in Bosnia. He invites a married (and pregnant) London picture-editor, Anne (Katrin Cartlidge), to accompany him on a return to his native village. She stays to ask her husband for a divorce.
In the third part, Aleksander discovers "you can't go home again," all the more so if "home" was Yugoslavia, and all the more if you want to see the love of your youth who is of a different ethnicity (the Albanian minority in this case). Haunted by what he saw in Bosnia and desperate to prevent similar fratricide (among those who have ceased to consider themselves "brothers"), he takes action, which involves Zamira — who may be his daughter.
The writing is very impressive, the cinematography by Manuel Teran (Savage Nights, Banlieue 13), especially of the first part, is more than impressive. Each of the three parts has a different look. The first part is in the company of parts of "The English Patient" and "Beau travail."
Katrin Cartlidge (Naked, Breaking the Waves) stands out in the middle section as someone knowingly disappointing both her husband and her lover and pained by the knowledge. As Aleksander Rade Serbezija is tormented by guilt for a prisoner who was shot after Aleksander complained of not having anything to photograph. At "home" after nearly being killed by family members and the son of his old flame, he takes a stand against ethnic violence. Well, more than a stance — he intervenes. That he fails to stop the violence is something anyone with the slightest familiarity of the history of the Balkans during the last two decades knows.
DVD extras
The Criterion edition transfer to DVD is outstanding even for Criterion, which is to say superlative. This was obvious watching the feature, and underlined by watching the 1993 "making of" featurette, which is quite interesting. The disc also includes a 2008 interview with Rade Serbezija about the movie, which paralleled his own experience as an ethnically Serbian prominent person raised in Croatia — and who had just made it out of Sarajevo before the Serbian military began the siege and carnage. Serbezija (whom I remember most vividly as the Greek trickster in "The Truce" and the police inspector in "The Quiet American," but is probably best known for his mentoring role in "Batman Begins") recalls people who were fans of his (as the biggest film star in Yugoslavia) and a year later wanted to kill him (Croatians with whom he grew up for being "a Serb," Serbs for being a "traitor" in condemning the violence). The movie shows, the bonus features tell (the way it's 'spozed to be!)
There is also five minutes of miscellaneous videos from the movie's making, 15 minutes of soundtrack selections, and Manchevski's 1992 Grammy-winning (black-and-white) rap music video "Tennessee" (the Arrested Development song).
©2009, 2017, Stephen O. Murray


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Busy business owners need to market but they also need to prioritize. Your staffers might pitch in with blogging or tweeting along with their other unrelated responsibilities, and it's essential that their time is maximized. You can content market and ensure that your ultimate goals are still being met without breaking the "time and resources" bank. Here are a few tips to manage a content strategy while keeping your focus.
Know your audience. Before you can determine what type of content to provide, you should put yourself in your readers' shoes. What are they looking for? How can your posts save them time, money or hassle? Many businesses are hesitant to list things like specific pricing information online, but if your customer base is highly likely to search for that kind of content, then it is worth considering. Similarly, you might anticipate online searches by posting product comparisons or how-to articles that deliver transparency and trust. If you aren't sure, reach out to your customers and ask them what they need and what problems you can solve for them online.
Quality over quantity. Posting frequently ensures fresh content and that your articles will stay at the top of certain RSS feeds. However, if the information you're posting isn't getting traction, your company isn't getting value. Think hard about what you might put into one engaging and informative weekly blog post, since that might be more beneficial than five articles that don't say much at all. Not only will your readers and potential customers be more likely to view your business as an authority on the subject, but search engines will place greater value on it and thus rank your site higher than the competition.
Related: 5 Social Media Mistakes to Avoid
Look to research. If you're stumped for post ideas, think about statistics. Intriguing research findings are a huge draw for readers. Search online for numbers that you think might be of interest to your audience and link out to those studies. Find research that either answers questions for them or that can surprise and engage them. In addition, link out to infographics that illustrate fun findings that readers will want to share with their friends and networks. You might also conduct your own research to generate content for a blog or newsletter, either through free polling tools you can embed into your website or through surveys done by professional marketing firms. Very interesting original research might even earn you a visit from local media.
Shareable images. Don't overlook photos. Images online can give readers something they can't get anywhere else: previews of new products and initiatives, and behind-the-scenes looks at your business. You can even ask readers to tag your company on their own photos on social media, extending your content creation reach. Think about ways to visually tell your company's story, focusing on surprising and delighting your reader. Such content will be interesting and shareable, helping you to increase your brand's visibility across multiple online platforms.
Related: Tips for Designing Smarter Websites
Evaluate success. Always study how your posts perform. Know how well they were received and how much traffic was generated. These statistics are another way your readers tell you what content they value. Be ready to adapt accordingly. For instance, if a particular topic draws a significantly higher number of readers than usual, you should be posting more about that theme. A variety of free and paid analytics software solutions can help you track these shifts and incorporate the findings into your strategy. One you do, you're on your way to a marketing plan that meets your company's unique needs.
Copyright © 2013 Entrepreneur.com, Inc.


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A Guide to the Baldwin Parker Narrative, 1930
Biographical Note
The son of Comanche chief Quanah Parker, Baldwin Parker was (1883-1963) born in the Indian Territory as one of 25 children.
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Scope and Contents
Composed of one volume, the Baldwin Parker Narrative, 1930, describes the life of famed Comanche chief Quanah Parker. The essay details Quanah's life, particularly relationships with whites as well as other tribes, the removal of the tribe to Indian Territory, and family history.
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Access Restrictions
This collection is open for research use.
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Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Baldwin Parker Narrative, 1930, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.
Processing Information
Basic processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with funds from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) for the Briscoe Center's History Revealed: Bringing Collections to Light project, 2009-2011.
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Detailed Description of the Papers
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If there is one thing moms rarely look forward to, it's grocery shopping. Time always seems to be an issue and if you go with kids in tow it can make for a longer, more expensive trip. Between kids, rushing through isles, standing in line and going back and forth for the three items you forgot… I think it's safe to say most would opt for a grocery shopping fairy if they could. Well, now you can! There's a new service in the Baton Rouge area that can make every grocery shopping woe disappear… Walmart Online Grocery Pickup Service!
Walmart shoppers are now able to order grocery items online and pick them up curbside at no additional charge at Eight Baton Rouge area stores. {See below}
How Walmart Online Grocery Pickup Service Works
We recently tried the Walmart online grocery pickup service and it was quick, user-friendly and saved us money! It never fails, you can go into the grocery store prepared with a list in hand but you add 10 to 20 items that you forgot or impulse buy on the spot. The first thing I realized with ordering our groceries online was that I followed my list and only purchased what I needed, in turn, saving us money. When illness strikes or during busy seasons such as the holidays, this service is a priceless life saver! I found this out firsthand when I became ill last month and ended up home-bound for close to thirty days. LIFE-SAVER!
You can shop by searching for your items or shopping by department, with more than 30,000 items available for pickup, ranging from fresh produce and meat to canned goods and diapers. Choose a day and time for pickup, pay for your items and your done. The Walmart Grocery interface is seamless, fast, easy. My entire online shopping experience took 30 minutes, saving me a ton of time!
Specially trained Walmart employees go through your order and select items, including produce, they pick the freshest items – guaranteed, or your money back.
Once you arrive at Walmart you will see signs leading to the pickup area, park at the designated curbside pickup and call the number listed on the sign in front of your parking space. When you call the number an employee will notify someone to bring and load your groceries for you. You never have to leave the comfort of your car. (Can I get an Amen!)
You can also use Online Grocery Mobile Check-in by downloading the "Walmart Grocery" app. The app will not show the store your exact location, but will let them know how many minutes away you are so they can prepare for your arrival.
What happens if they don't have what you ordered?
Walmart will make substitutions for items that are unavailable on the day your order is packed unless you change your substitutions setting in My Account. In cases of expensive items such as electronics or items where features are very important, they will contact you by phone to describe alternatives and get your approval before they substitute that item. If they are unable to contact you, the unavailable item will be canceled. If you choose not to allow substitutions, any items that are not available will be left off of your order.
When I picked up our groceries the Walmart associates showed me the substitutions that were chosen and I was able to accept or decline them on the spot. Your order will not be charged to your card until you have signed and accepted your groceries.
Walmart Stores Offering Online Grocery in the Baton Rouge area:
Neighborhood Market
11550 Coursey Blvd
Baton Rouge, LA 70816
Neighborhood Market
11825 Hooper Road
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70818
2171 Oneal Ln
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70816
Neighborhood Market
5255 Highland Rd
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70808
Walmart Supercenter
308 N Airline Hwy
Gonzales, LA 70737
Walmart Supercenter
904 S Range Ave
Denham Springs, LA 70726
Walmart Supercenter
17585 Ailine Hwy
Prairieville, LA 70769
Neighborhood Market
15047 Airline Hwy
Prairieville, LA 70769
It's definitely worth a try and we have a coupon code to share that will take $10 off your first online order! Get $10 off your 1st order w/ code WOWFRESH. $50 min.


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I don't know about you, but I hate spending money on things that are utilitarian. Curtain rods are one of those things. When I first bought this house, I used copper pipe in all the rooms as a cheaper-than-retail option of being able to hang curtains and still feed myself.
When we built The Kid's room, I had hung valances over both the windows, so I used the cheapy metal rods because they wouldn't be seen.


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Artificial Touch Enabled
A quadriplegic 28-year-old man senses touch via stimulation of electrodes implanted in his somatosensory cortex.
Jef Akst
Oct 13, 2016
UPMC/PITT HEALTH SCIENCESFollowing surgery to connect his brain to an array of electrodes, Nathan Copeland, who was paralyzed from the upper chest down in a car accident in 2004, experienced a natural touch sensation in response to stimulation of his sensory cortex, according to a study published today (October 13) in Science Translational Medicine.
"For most tasks that involve manipulation of objects, you're really relying on the sense of touch to guide movement—you're not using vision, necessarily," study coauthor Jennifer Collinger of the University of Pittsburgh told Scientific American. "You don't have any visual feedback on how hard you're squeezing it, or what you need to do to maintain stable posture. All of that comes from the sense of touch."
The researchers implanted a microelectrode array in Copeland's somatosensory cortex, the brain region involved in touch perception. Once implanted, the researchers delivered mild electrical currents to the electrodes, which can be hooked up to a smart prosthetic arm. Initially, Copeland felt nothing, but after about a month, the microstimulation began to produce tactile sensations, which he described as "possibly natural" most of the time. And once it started happening, the sensory feelings continued for the duration of the six-month study.
"I can feel just about every finger—it's a really weird sensation," Copeland said about a month after surgery, according to a press release. "Sometimes it feels electrical and sometimes its pressure, but for the most part, I can tell most of the fingers with definite precision. It feels like my fingers are getting touched or pushed."
"The ultimate goal is to create a system which moves and feels just like a natural arm would," study coauthor Robert Gaunt of Pittsburgh said in the release. "We have a long way to go to get there, but this is a great start."


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David Keene Takes Over the NRA
You might expect that the man who becomes president of the National Rifle Association next month and was chairman of the American Conservative Union would be a double-barrel ideologue.
Not quite.
David Keene's friends include liberal-leaning types like Al Hunt of Bloomberg News, former ABC correspondent Sam Donaldson, former New York Times reporter Adam Clymer, and former Democratic presidential candidate Eugene McCarthy.
JEFFERSON - The fight to preserve Second Amendment rights must take place on the homefront, David A. Keene told Fort Atkinson Wisconservation Club members Monday evening.
Keene, a Fort Atkinson native and president-elect of the National Rifle Association, emphasized the importance of ongoing efforts by local groups such as the Wisconservation Club to preserve Americans' right to bear arms.
He was the keynote speaker during the Wisconservation Club's 61st annual banquet at the Jefferson County Fair Park Activity Center in Jefferson.
Cooking with KeeneBy: Marian BurrosJune 7, 2010 04:25 AM EST
"If you shoot, you must cook."
So says hunter-fisherman David Keene, who is better known around Washington as the current chairman of the American Conservative Union and a vice-president of the National Rifle Association. (He'll become president in 2011.) Earlier this year he put on an elk dinner at his Arlington home, which POLITICO was able to attend for our Cooking with… series. In those interviews, it is always appropriate to ask the interviewee how he learned to cook. This is the first time the subject replied by saying, "I learned to cook by cooking."
Crony capitalism may have lurked in the shadows of this solar-panel bust
David A. Keene
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- 100% Brand new and high quality
- Simple, fashionable and generous
- Convenient stand for a comfortable viewing angle
- Charger and cable openings compatible with both versions of Apple Watch charger
- Stable aluminum stand with TPU dock avoids scratching the watch
- Makes your Smart Watch charging become more convenient- Compatible with 38mm & 42mm Apple Watch
- Material: Aluminium
- Item Size: 2.4in. x 1.9in. x 2.24in.
- Colors: Silver / Black / Gold


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NEW BEDFORD — Police are investigating a reported armed robbery at Family Dollar on Thursday.
Police said they responded to 160 W. Rodney French Blvd. at 10:02 p.m to a report of a suspect displaying a knife and taking an undetermined amount of cash. The suspect fled from the scene without any injuries being reported.
Authorities describe the suspect as a 6-foot tall man wearing black clothing, purple gloves, a camouflage hat and carrying a black bag.
Anyone with information on this robbery is asked to call the Police Department at 508-991-6350, anonymous tip line at 508-992-7463 or email email@example.com.
- Michael Bonner


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TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's extended spring holiday period is usually a time for the hardworking nation to relax, spend quality time with family and travel to vacation spots both at home and overseas.
But with "Golden Week" this year coming less than two months after Japan's worst-ever earthquake and a mammoth tsunami devastated a wide swathe of the northern coast, thousands of Japanese will be spending their days off shovelling mud and clearing wreckage.
The March 11 disasters have left nearly 28,000 dead or missing and touched off a nuclear crisis that forced tens of thousands from their homes.
Many relief workers in the disaster-hit areas, while "extremely grateful" for the help, said they were bracing themselves for the influx.
"It's going to be pretty chaotic," said Susumu Sugawara at the Iwate Disaster Volunteer Centre in Morioka, some 460 km north of Tokyo. At least 3,000 to 5,000 people were expected to help out in Iwate prefecture alone, where some coastal communities were virtually flattened.
"We put up a post on our website offering buses for volunteers starting from May 2nd to the 8th, and all of them were completely full in three hours."
Volunteer work is a legacy of Japan's last major quake in 1995, when more than 1 million people rushed to the western city of Kobe to fill gaps left by a sluggish government response.
But gasoline shortages, transport disruptions and the sheer scale of the destruction this time prompted authorities to stem the influx of well-wishers at first.
Sugawara said his organization, worried about traffic jams and lack of parking, was encouraging volunteers to drive up in groups rather than individually. Places to stay are also limited, so people may have to drive up to two hours between accommodations and the disaster sites.
Student volunteers being sent up in groups on buses from Tokyo by Nippon Zaidan, a non-profit organization, were preparing to be self-sufficient, planning to lay tarpaulins on a gymnasium floor and spend their nights in sleeping bags.
"As much as possible, we want to avoid being disruptive," said Daisuke Nakagawa at Nippon Zaidan, adding that the volunteers will take their own food and gasoline to Ishinomaki, a hard-hit city in Miyagi prefecture, just south of Iwate.
He said that many of the town's elderly population are unable to clear the rubble and they appreciate the young volunteers' help.
Nippon Zaidan hopes to send 10,000 volunteers, both students and adults, to the disaster zone by December.
Other organizations, though, encourage volunteers to stay in local lodging and spend money in local stores where possible, contributing to reconstruction that way.
Although the first few days of the holiday week may be fraught with logistical headaches, Sugawara in Iwate says they need all the help they can get.
"We still desperately need volunteers to help clear the towns, so this is very helpful," he said.
Editing by Elaine Lies


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Easy Exercise Treadmill Walking for Your Health – Exercise treadmill is a lodging exercise appointee but used also by cardiologists. It is also well known in the medical circles by loads selection pseudonym such as exercise ECG, Stress try – exercise treadmill, EKG – exercise treadmill fragment But before we get onto see the medical course of this wonderful commoner exercise equipment, let us see what it does to our everyday existence and how.
You are hard pressed for time, but you are aware that you are slightly departing out of shape. And, your medics has advised you to reduce compression and get back into shape. It is here that the exercise treadmill comes to your rescue. One strong supporting seed in its favor is treadmill is amongst the apex calorie burning equipment.
What Does a Treadmill Do To You?
Basically, an exercise treadmill is used for general excretion of bosom to discovery out how good its general is and how it responds to fear or exercise. When you walk on the treadmill, physicians collect dope like your cardio electrical business on ECG while monitoring the life pressure. These information tins be interpreted later to find out whether the opinion asks for additional oxygen as a reaction.
Stress tests on treadmill helps doctors in instituting the heart's function to withstand exercise. This in inning helps in founding the appropriate side of exercise so that an exercise regime is developed for persons in need. Apart from this, there are various other reasons, such as determine the causes of chest pain, for your doctor to go for jumps test. See also best home treadmill for running
That apart, a reconnaissance conducted by Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association tells that clan spend more on treadmills than other exercise/fitness equipments. The basic actuality that go in foodstuffs of exercise treadmill are the unbeatable workout on cardiovascular muscles and high rate of calorie burning. In a joint study, VA Medical Center in Milwaukee and the Medical College of Wisconsin put the calories burnt on treadmill on pinnacle of the list of calories burnt by other exercise machines. After a 60 minutes' practice treadmill burns an standards of 865-705 calories.
Benefits of Exercise Treadmill
- Treadmill lets you exercise indoors avoiding mistake weather
- Adjustable speeds accommodates both jostling and walking
- Little or no impression on heels, knee ankles, back and as a backwash fewer injuries. As a backwash you tins run for years
- High vitality treadmills allow calibration of speeds and inclines so than jogging or buggy uphill/downhill is simulated. They allow preprogramming exercise liking like speed deviation and inclines
Buying an Exercise Treadmill
- Decide on long time exercise goals. There are different pattern to claim individual preferences
- Consider the transgression availability/constraint at lodging to choose an apt size
- Go for a continuous and heavy load locomotive which lasts longer than others if the charge diversity doesn't bother you. Comparing with best treadmill for home.
- Decide what gauges of transportation hint is comfortable for you. Normally 4'x1.5' suits most. Running may exclamation for longer tang than this
- Check for deck thickness which must be 3/4" to 1" to conservation both jogging and walking
Shock absorbers, smoother decks, requirement console warrantee, payment and brand can't be left out while arrangement a decision.


text: On 13 Nov 2008, at 02:35, Roland Whitehead wrote: > I have asked this before but still don't have a solution. I wish to > have new buffers defaulted to not hard wrap long lines. My > investigations into long lines mode and so forth have got me no > where and I keep messing up documents by failing to turn off hard > wrap. How do I turn off Hard Word Wrap for every new buffer without > reaching for the Options Menu or meta-key? Easy, because there's a customization variable. (setq auto-word-wrap-default-function 'turn-on-word-wrap) in your Preferences.el, or you use a customization buffer to set this to `turn-on-word-wrap'. The other solution posted will work, but it will not turn on soft word wrap, and it disables Aquamacs' ability to recognize files that should have auto-fill enabled. -- http://aquamacs.org -- Aquamacs: Emacs on Mac OS X http://aquamacs.org/donate -- Could we help you? Return the favor and support the Aquamacs Project! -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: smime.p7s Type: application/pkcs7-signature Size: 2193 bytes Desc: not available URL: <http://email.esm.psu.edu/pipermail/macosx-emacs/attachments/20081113/6b7a87cb/attachment.p7s>


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This is the ultimate buttermilk Bundt cake, nicely browned on the outside, with a soft, tender crumb. Slideshow: The Best Bundt Pan
How to Make It
Preheat the oven to 325°. Generously butter a 10-inch Bundt pan and dust with flour. In a medium bowl, whisk the 3 1/2 cups of flour with the salt and baking soda.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the 1 1/2 sticks of butter with the shortening at medium-high speed until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. At medium speed, beat in the eggs 1 at a time until just incorporated, then beat in the vanilla; scrape down the side of the bowl. Beat in the dry ingredients and buttermilk in 3 alternating batches, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. At low speed, beat in the lemon juice.
Scrape the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and use a spatula to smooth the surface. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool on a rack for 30 minutes, then turn it out on a platter or cake stand to cool completely.
In a medium bowl, whisk the confectioners' sugar with the lemon zest, lemon juice, butter and salt until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Let stand for 20 minutes until the glaze is set. Cut the cake into wedges and serve.


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Friedman's Untouchables
Views > Knowledge and Intangibles > Article > Friedman's Untouchables
Friedman's Untouchables
naser kiadeh, Professor, Iran
The competitive playing fields between industrial and emerging market countries are leveling
Friedman believes the world is flat in the sense that the competitive playing fields between industrial and emerging market countries are leveling. According to Friedman's analysis these changes created a flat world, which is based on a global, web-enabled platform for multiple forms of sharing knowledge and work, irrespective of time, distance, geography and increasingly, language.
Hundreds of million new workers from India, China and the countries of the former Soviet Union entered the new global market, contributing to outsourcing, which resulted in a net loss of manufacturing jobs in the US. New knowledge-based jobs are being created in India and China, affecting each and every aspect of our economy.
This new flat world has changed the way we conduct business utilizing resources not only nationally, but also globally. In order to survive in this global market place we all have to adapt to the changes. Friedman calls those who can adapt "Untouchables". Those "Untouchables" are workers:
- who offer specialized knowledge of their particular field,
- who are anchored (face-to-face jobs like doctors that can't easily be exported), or
- who are really adaptable and constantly learning new skills to stay ahead of the flattening "curve."
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© Thinkstock
The surgeon general released a report on Friday detailing new health consequences related to smoking to mark the 50th anniversary of its landmark report tying smoking to lung cancer.
According to the report, more than 20 million Americans have died because of smoking since the first report was released in 1964, with some 2.5 million of those related to secondhand smoke. The reports says 100,000 babies have died in that time from complications related to their parent's tobacco use.
Smoking causes 87 percent of lung cancer deaths in the U.S. It also causes colorectal and liver cancer, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and immune system weakness, increased risk for tuberculosis, impaired fertility, can cause cleft palates in babies of women who smoke during pregnancy, erectile dysfunction and age-related macular degeneration, the report found.
Smoking rates in the U.S. have declined by about half since 1964. However, the report says that even though today's smokers smoke fewer cigarettes, they are at higher risk of developing lung cancer because of changes in the design and composition of cigarettes.
The surgeon general proposed new "end game" strategies, such as hard-hitting media campaigns, tobacco excise taxes at sufficiently high rates to deter young smokers, and easy-to-access cessation treatment, aimed at the 42 million adult and 3 million young adult smokers in the U.S.
The American Cancer Society, Health and Human Services and other groups are lauding the report, and using it as a renewed call to action to curb tobacco use.
"This new report details how the unscrupulous, unrelenting efforts of the tobacco industry hooked generations of Americans on its deadly products, prematurely killing nearly 21 million people since 1964 — a death toll that continues to grow by 480,000 each year," John R. Seffrin, the chief executive officer of the ACS, said in a statement. "Nearly 6 million U.S. children – our sons, daughters, nieces and nephews – will die prematurely from tobacco use. And, tobacco use costs the economy more than $289 billion every year in health care and lost productivity costs."
"Today, we're asking Americans to join a sustained effort to make the next generation a tobacco-free generation," HHS Secretary Kathleen SebeliusKathleen SebeliusThe Hill's Coronavirus Report: Mike Roman says 3M on track to deliver 2 billion respirators globally and 1 billion in US by end of year; US, Pfizer agree to 100M doses of COVID-19 vaccine that will be free to Americans The Hill's Coronavirus Report: Former HHS Secretary Sebelius gives Trump administration a D in handling pandemic; Oxford, AstraZeneca report positive dual immunity results from early vaccine trial Coronavirus Report: The Hill's Steve Clemons interviews Kathleen Sebelius MORE said in a statement. "This is not something the federal government can do alone. We need to partner with the business community, local elected officials, schools and universities, the medical community, the faith community, and committed citizens in communities across the country to make the next generation tobacco free."


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No rehash!
Rather than post exactly what you'd get from score reporter you can find a better summary of results from Boston Invite 2009 at Steven Trainor's blog.
GT finishing as well as it did points out that it was seeded far too low and should perhaps compete in Eastern's I or perhaps even Elite next year (Colt .45 and Brooklyn are far too young and inexperienced to be up there right now).
Great to see Lotus win and I look forward to their match against PPF at Regionals after this weekend.


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Fertility Figures
My print column examines the divergence between stories told by two measures of U.S. fertility. The general fertility rate, or births per 1,000 women age 15 to 44, indicates U.S. fertility is at record-low levels. The total fertility rate, an estimate of how many children the average woman who lives through all her child-bearing years will have in her lifetime, puts current fertility rates well above record-low levels in the 1970s.
The first can be skewed by unusual distributions of the female population among the ages 15 to 44. The second is hampered by its synthetic nature: It is based on the assumption that today's age-specific fertility rates will carry forward into the future. Both, demographers say, are preferable to the crude birth rate, or per-capita births, which can be skewed by unusual gender ratios or an atypically old or young population.
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Defensive's scales were inspired by a documentary about how snakes evolved to have venom. Although feared, snakes have bodies that are easily hurt by the claws and teeth of their prey so they evolved venom to quickly paralyze prey that could injure them.
Silent Auction to benefit Hampton Arts
The Charles H. Taylor Center has great art shows and has really supported me as an artist, as it does many artists in the community. So when they asked for donations for their silent auction, I had to participate. Here


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Working alongside the sponsor, multi-disciplinary project teams conduct immersive research in the challenge domain to frame the problem space and better understand the pain points surrounding the topic. To discover unexpected insights, the team also explores tangentially related fields that provide different perspectives and responses to similar challenges.
Following months of research and discovery, TANG hosts an intense Design Event that brings together operators, stakeholders, technologists, and strategic partners to co-create low-fidelity prototype solutions to the challenge opportunities.
In the Design Event, synthesized research outcomes, relevant emerging technology, and compelling case studies set the foundation for structured brainstorming and rapid prototyping efforts. The power of real time collaboration between end-users, designers, testers, acquisition professionals and senior decision makers cannot be overstated as it truly short-circuits more traditional, lumbering paths of acquisition. By the end of two cycles of concept generation, a TANG Design Event produces more than 20 human-centered concept candidates for rapid prototyping and refinement. In many ways, however, the Design Event is the start of the journey.
Following the Design Event, the sponsors, together with the TANG team and stakeholders, selects the highest-impact actionable solutions and partners with a network of performers to deliver capability to the fleet at speed. These low fidelity prototypes jumpstart the acquisition process, leverage existing programs of record (PORs), create opportunities for new initiatives, and impact non-technical areas such as policy and training. By guiding the end-users, stakeholders, and technologists through a structured Applied Design process, TANG is mitigating early design risks and accelerating solutions to the field, resulting in a faster, more effective and ultimately lower-cost development cycle.
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The borough of Camden has long been a part of my life – 'spotting' steam engines at Kings Cross & St Pancras as a 10 year old, gigs at the Roundhouse and Country Club (Belsize Park) in the late 60's, a year working at the old St Pancras Town Hall, drinking at Highgate and Hampstead pubs, walking over the Heath from Kenwood, shopping at Camden Market, and eating in Charlotte Street. Great now to be a qualified guide and member of CTGA in this remarkable borough that always surprises.
Looking forward to leading walks and learning more about Camden.


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I'd never given much thought to refusing vaccination for my children, until this week. I grew up knowing friends of my parents who were suffering from Polio related issues as adults. My aunt died from cervical cancer, so I am going to encourage Molly to get her HPV vaccine when she gets older (even though ultimately the choice will be hers). I am a total klutz so a Tetanus shot just makes sense, because let's face it, it's only a matter of time before Molly or Jack cut themselves on the back of their leg while simultaneously destroying a new pair of Ocean Pacific*** shorts that their mother has just bought for them while attempting to retrieve a tennis ball from a neighbour's yard.****
There's also the issue that earning a daycare place for your children in the city of Toronto is a competitive sport and being able to produce a fully filled out immunization record for your infant is like winning the coin toss before the match begins. No one can deny your child access for not having their shots, but they can make your child stay home if an outbreak occurs and some day cares won't let you return until there is proof that they've been immunized. I think I'd cry if I had to count up all of the money spent for days that my fully immunized children were not at daycare because they were sick with fevers, rashes and anything viral and disgusting.
At this point Molly and Jack get one more booster (the second half of the one that contains Tetanus and Polio) at their 18 month check up and then nothing more until they turn 4 when it becomes decision time for Chris and I. I'm feeling some guilt about not researching immunizations and making a more informed decision about our children and their shots. That being said I don't have a crystal ball and I wasn't anticipating almost a week of scary feveral symptoms. Somehow a bunch of Calamine Lotion and some itchy skin doesn't seem so frightening.
*Worst Jackpot Ever.
**Chickenpox Vaccine Side Effects
***It was the 1980's, they were preppy cool and you know it.
****I am the worst at climbing anything and I still don't know who was more upset about the destroyed plaid shorts, me or me mom.


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This week brought in a very interesting post from web security/developer Troy Hunt.
Unearthing the hidden shortcomings in Aussie mobile app security - Troy Hunt's blog
Please go read then come back.
Interesting isn't it?
I know most GSD readers probably wouldn't be surprised to find some of their favorite mobile-apps leak user ids and passwords in plain-text, but for those who don't know, some do.
Case in point (that has now been reported as fixed!): Zscaler Research: Mobile App Wall of Shame: ESPN ScoreCenter
Naturally that got me thinking about a common mantras in the For/Sec world; "know your tools" & "verify, verify, verify".
What I want to do is some benchmarking and analysis of the mobile apps I use on my own iPhone to have a better understanding on what is happening with their network traffic. This would be valuable information to know for general usage, and critical knowledge in case you unknowingly encounter a Wi-Fi Pineapple in the wild or a more complex man-in-the-middle Wi-Fi attack and get your network traffic captured.
One super-easy (and lazy) way I have found is to use ZAP - Zscaler Application Profiler. From the "About" page link:
About ZAP
Zscaler Application Profiler (ZAP) is web based tool designed to streamline the capture and analysis of HTTP(S) traffic from mobile applications. ZAP is capable of analyzing traffic from both iOS and Android applications and includes the following functionality:
- Search: View summarized historical results for past scans.
- Scan: Proxy traffic from a mobile device through the ZAP proxy and the mobile app traffic will be automatically captured and analyzed
- iPCU: Upload your iOS device configuration file(.deviceinfo) to check risk score of installed application. It will give you overall risk score of your device. The information provided is based on out knowledge base.
ZAP classifies traffic into the following buckets and calculates an overall risk score for the application:
- Authentication: Username/password sent in clear text or using weak encoding methods.
- Device Metadata Leakage: Data that can identify an individual device, such as the Unique Device Identifier (UDID).
- Personally Identifiable Information Leakage: Data that can identify an individual user, such as an email address, phone number or mailing address.
- Exposed content: Communication with third parties such as advertising or analytics sites.
Zscaler also has a detailed video on this service on their blog: Zscaler Research: Introducing ZAP.
So you can either check their historical report data on apps already researched, you can connect your device to their proxy to do a scan on a new app/version not already captured historically, or even upload your own iOS device config file.
Wow. Bookmark this resource link now!
However, there may be cases you want to do your own local network traffic capture and analysis…because you like pain and frustration (and hands-on learning perhaps).
Part I - In Which Hardware TAP Options are narrowed down
At work (when & where authorized) we can set up network packet captures either on a specific system or on the LAN using port-SPAN.
At home, I don't have a managed switch (or dumb hub) that can do that. I suppose I could buy a USB-NIC (so I can have two wired network ports on my laptop) and then capture traffic temporarily though one of these messy devices (home-built or purchased) but that isn't quite as elegant as I would prefer.
Or (as the TinyApps bloggist kindly just reminded me) use Cain & Abel.
- Capturing Packets on a Broadcom Card - The Flying Frank
- Configuration - OXID.I
Instead I decided I'll pick up a specialized device that support a network TAP. This way I can just hook it in line between my Wi-Fi router and the cable modem and capture everything that passes though. It may not be 100% on packet captures, but I think it will be good enough for my home testing.
So the next question is what device?
I've settled on the following options:
- Dualcomm DCSW-1005 USB Powered 5-Port 10/100 Fast Ethernet Switch TAP (Port Mirroring) - Amazon.com link
- Dualcomm DCSW-1000/1005PT - Dualcomm product page
- Dualcomm DCGS-2005L 5-Port 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet Switch Network TAP (Plastic Case) - Amazon.com link
- Dualcomm DCGS-2005 5-Port 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet Switch Network TAP (USB Powered, Port Mirroring, PoE Pass-Through) - Amazon.com link
- Dualcomm DCGS-2005/DCGS-2005L - Dualcomm product page
The DCSW-1005 model is an attractive basic option. It supports port-mirroring, is USB powered, and has 5-ports. (note only port #1 is mirrored to port #5). The price is good. The only "drawback" I see is that it only supports 10/100 speed on the network. While I seriously doubt I would ever approach over 100 Mbps and cause a bottleneck on my home network…most all my other network equipment is 1000 Mbps capable. So thinking forward, this could be slightly limiting down the road, or if I am asked by family/friends/associates to do some network troubleshooting on a "true" 1000 Mbps network, or tapping in between two network devices actually running at 1000 Mbps. So there is that. Also, the buffer memory used by the device in the mirroring process is 256 KB. So if that gets saturated, there is the possibility of dropped packet captures.
The only difference between the DCGS-2005/2005L seems to be the "L" model has a metal cabinet while the other doesn't. Of course, that option comes with a $20 markup as well. I'm pretty sure the plastic cabinet would be just fine, but the vanity in me just likes the metal cabinet appearance a bit more. Probably just a bit more durable when tossed around in a go-bag and maybe it might dissipate heat a bit better? This model does support up to 1000 Mbps so there is that benefit since it is (at least $100 more expensive) but the buffer memory is just 104 KB. Hmmm.
Should I be concerned about overloading either of the devices' memory buffer when capturing home-network traffic? Probably not but what say you pros?
I did find these pretty basic and older reviews, including one from the guru of network security Richard Bejtlich. I really didn't find any more recent reviews of the device so if/when I get my hands on one, you can be assured I'll have a write-up review.
- DualComm Port Mirroring Switch - TaoSecurity - (Sept. 2010)
- Review of Dualcomm 5-Port Pass-Through Port Mirroring Switch - LoveMyTool - Betty DuBois - (April 2010)
- Network Security Monitoring with Dualcomm DCSW-1005PT - CyberArms - D.Dieterle - (Nov. 2010)
Part II - In Which Other Alternatives are discovered
So let's assume that you are already comfortable with network packet captures, installing network software, and making network configuration changes to Wi-Fi devices.
Are there any options to capture iPhone network traffic without going to the trouble and expense of picking up TAP hardware just for that task?
First option is a tool called Paros. It is Java based (I know, I know..) and can assess web application vulnerabilities. The link has a Windows binary that appears back from August 2008.
Here is a nice walkthough on using Paros Sniff Your iPhone's Network Traffic by Jerod Santofrom to give you some introduction to it.
There was a comment on the Paros page providing information to a very current "fork" of Paros: ZAP
(Note: Not to be confused with the Zscaler ZAP service)
OWASP Zed Attack Proxy Project - OWASP - OWASP.org
There are tons of information on that page on this tool:
- Screenshots
- wiki videos page
- project pamphlet - a very quick intro
- project presentation - longer presentation
And here are some quick links on ZAP usage:
- Owasp ZAP - InfoSec Institute post
- Debugging SSL on Both iOS Devices and Simulators with Man-in-the-middle Proxies - CodeProject
- Intercepting iPhone traffic with your MacBook - Shaun Zinck's blog
Next up, we have Fiddler, a free web debugging proxy from Telerik
- Capturing HTTP traffic on an iPhone with Fiddler - Scott Wojan's DotRant blog
- Configuring Fiddler to Capture Web Traffic from an iPhone/iPad Device - ESRI Support Services blog
- How To Sniff iPhone Network Traffic - Matt McClure's blog
Finally, if you are hard-core, just go use Wireshark.
Part III - Resources, References, & Pineapples
Here are some additional links related to all of the above discussions including the Dualcomm products, SPAN/TAP considerations, and the next network device I'm interested in picking up to play with; the Wi-Fi Pineapple.
SPAN Out of the Box (PDF Link) - John He's Dualcomm Technology PowerPoint presentation at SharkFest 2010. Goes into details about SPAN/TAP considerations and specifics on what DualComm feels makes their product super special. SPAN out of the Box (Blip video)
B-7 (Battaglia) TAPS Demystified (PPT Link) - Samuel Battaglia's Network Critical PowerPoint presentation at SharkFest 2010.
SPAN Port vs TAP (Video) - Betty DuBois- SharkFest 2009 presentation. PowerPoint presentation here (ZIP).
SPAN Port or TAP? CSO Beware - LoveMyTool blog - Tim O'Neill
Network Monitoring Madness: Poor Man's Resource Linkfest - GSD blog post from 2010.
Let's Get For/Sec-Motivated! - GSD blog post from 2011.
The beginners guide to breaking website security with nothing more than a Pineapple - Troy Hunt's blog.
Your Mac, iPhone or iPad may have left the Apple store with a serious security risk - Troy Hunt's blog.
Pineapple Surprise! Mixing trusting devices with sneaky Wi-Fi at #wdc13 - Troy Hunt's blog.
Netgear DS104 4-Port 10/100 Dual Speed Hub with Uplink Button (Amazon link) - recommended to look into as well by TinyApps bloggist who reports he had good experience with it.
CaptureSetup/Ethernet - The Wireshark Wiki
CaptureSetup/WLAN - The Wireshark Wiki
--Claus Valca


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Disgraced Bo Xilai's wife on trial for murder
By China correspondent Stephen McDonell
The wife of disgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai, charged with the poisoning murder of a British businessman, has gone on trial today.
Gu Kailai potentially faces the death penalty if she is found guilty of the murder of Neil Haywood.
Her trial, which began today in south-eastern Anhui province city of Hefei, has become more than a simple criminal matter.
Gu is the daughter of a revolutionary hero, the wife of a man once considered a potential future leader of China, and an accomplished lawyer in her own right.
The trial is mixed up in a wider political struggle for control of the Communist Party in China and, as such, the very direction the economic giant will take.
Mr Bo has been sacked from all his posts and is being held in an unknown location awaiting an internal discipline hearing.
The charismatic politician had represented the great hope for the so-called Neo-Maoist faction of the Communist Party, with its emphasis on a return to state-sponsored solutions to the country's woes.
Supporters of the pair see the trial as political and designed to neutralise them.
"We've thought from the very beginning that this case has been a trap - a conspiracy to get Bo Xilai," supporter Mao Jianhui said outside court.
"They want to use Bo Xilai's wife's to smash him. And I just don't believe Gu Kailai would have killed Neil Haywood."
Xinhua wire service, which is effectively a part of the government, has reported that the evidence against Gu is "irrefutable", which means she is likely to be found guilty or, according to some, she may have already pleaded guilty.
Details of the trial are scarce, so the alleged motive for the killing has not been revealed, although Xinhua has also reported that she will argue that her actions were taken to protect her son from Haywood, a former associate of the couple.
While most analysts expect Gu to be convicted, she may escape the death penalty.
If a political deal can be struck with Bo's faction inside the Communist Party, she may be spared death in return for his political rivals being promoted.
Today's proceedings are happening behind closed doors and little may be known about the matter even after the court hearing ends.


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I hope not only to share my own on-location architectural sketches but provide tips and methodologies for sketching and understanding architecture.
Also, most importantly, I wish to explore ways in which, in a digital age, we can not only defend but
promote freehand sketching within the architectural profession.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Why do I sketch so fast?
I know that I do sketch a lot and that I do sketch fast, at times very fast... but it is not my goal to sketch fast - in fact I do want to slow down but it just seems that when I am out on location, my creative juices start pumping and I just can't stop! I am not in any way advocating my approach for others but simply explaining that that is the way I am, the way I sketch... that I am not trying to create finished or perfect pieces and that I most of all have an incredible amount of fun sketching non stop!
A huge part of this is my foundational sketching as an architect. I know that I have mentioned this before...but the more I think about it myself, the more significant I realise it is. Firstly, I have never really had any art training - I have never sat in an art studio and laboured over making the perfect pencil sketch. BUT I have used up reams and reams of butter paper over the years sketching as part of my work as an architect.
Sketching is the way that I think, that I resolve issues, design and create solutions for imagined worlds and spaces. When I am designing, my approach is to draw non stop - often testing out ideas rapidly- trying to draw as fast as I can think - having an incredibly dynamic and stimulating dialogue between hand eye and mind. The hand moves, the eye sees the imperfect linework and the mind asks "what if?"
It is the imperfection of the ability of the hand to depict what is in the mind that often leads to new ideas. And when through the copious scribblings, a solution appears on the page, the excitement and creative thrill of that moment is something really special. What keeps me doing architecture!
There is also a lovely freedom in my sketches, my linework and shading (often cross hatching is a reflex action while concentrating on a problem, more recently watercolor pencil) that comes when I am focussing on the design problem and not thinking about my sketching. Often these sketches done while I am designing are far stronger than the neat ones I prepare for the client once the design is more finalised.
Although the notes in this sketch is more about process vs product, the thoughts are running along the same lines and another example of my work thinking sketches.
When I started sketching from observation I found it really hard work - I had to set up perspective lines and train my eye hand coordination. But for some reason when I started sketching out on location things started to change- there was so many other things to worry about other than just doing a good sketch - comfort, distraction, moving light and weather changing. Fundamentally I am a very responsive person - I respond to things around me- and these external conditions made my work a little less in control and I started taking risks. I just can't be neat when I am uncomfortable or hungry - it shows in my lines! In many ways this was like my design sketching.
I then realised that what I really wanted to achieve was the freedom, spontaneity and creative buzz that I got from my design sketching. I started working on achieving this.... and naturally the speed has come as a secondary aspect to that. An example is my pencil setup lines- I do just enough to compose the image on the page and then sketch in ink as if there was no setup lines.
I often tell people that my sketching is all about capturing the moment but it is in fact the moment of discovery that is the key. I see something, I study and discover and then I have the urge to record that - regardless of whether it is really practical in the time that I have... I just go for it.
I am an obsessive recorder and therefore I have to strategise how to record this discovery in the time that I have. Having a strong focus of what I initially responded to is key(here it was the roof) . So it is trying to record the discovery - not to sketch fast for the sake of going fast - that sets the agenda!
I am not trying to make beautiful works of art in my sketchbooks - I am trying to record my creative journey and I do that through recording my life through my sketches. Although there is a certain element of design to my pages (and yes I am a bit obsessive about writing neatly) I do see my sketchbook more as a working book, a journal that an art book. I do create more careful works at home including commissions for architectural illustrations (there will be more details of this work on my blog soon!) but my sketchbook is my space to record and to test and to experiment. In many ways I view my work in my sketchbook as glorified thumbnails.
Also, this joy in the moment of discovery does not need to always mean fast sketches. This sketch was done when I was in a very chilled mood but I was experimenting and got an incredible buzz through the act of discovering these new tools and techniques for the first time.
I also got an unbelievable creative thrill in January when I was up at Port Macquarie and sitting on the beach watching the waves, observing them carefully and then progressively over a number of morning visits working out the best way to paint them. But sadly, finding slow time in a busy life can be hard - when I go out I always seem to be rushing from one place to another (and when at home sometimes lack inspiration)
And one final comment, which I have mentioned previously. In recent months I have been unable to sit on a sketching stool, to sit out on the streets in the one location for any length of time due to some treatment to my neck and shoulders. I have been limited to a maximum of 20 minutes for any particular sketch and have found that using markers last year, water colour pencils this year have helped me work within this timeframe.
It was really nice that I was able to sketch so much in Melbourne the other week - I wasn't sure how much I would do but those creative juices started pumping again!
I am very much in awe of the people who do elaborate sketches /paintings/drawings which take them hours of time - but even if I wanted to, I am physically unable at the present time to do that. I do want to encourage people who have similar physical restrictions that it is possible to sketch in shorter periods of time.
Writing a LOT tonight... but I do hope that this explains a little more about me. Every single person is a unique individual and your approach to sketching, and your mark making, and your goals will be uniquely YOURS.
What I love about the online art community is how rich is the experience of seeing everyone's personal style ... and especially for those of you that I have been privileged to meet in real life. Meeting and knowing you adds so much more meaning to just seeing your work.
And finally (really and truly finally!) the big message of my blog/flickr/facebook is not to be like me...but that I hope to inspire others to start or continue on their own creative journey - to be themselves!!!! And I hope that they have as much fun as I do!
4 comments:
What a piece you've written! In fact, I could have written the same observation (except for your neck/shoulder issue of course, hope you get well soon). I get the same remarks about my fast drawing, whether it's in sketching, portrait painting or in my professional life as an architect. Thinking with my pencil. It's why I started sketching in the first place (before it was called USK).ReplyDelete
I wanted to sketch as basis for "real paintings", but I never could find the patience to finish a decent real one. The sketch had already recorded what I wanted to record. Thanks for the article!
Brilliant blog Liz,ReplyDelete
Your thoughtfulness & irrepressible energy come right through!
You inspire, and remind me to find, follow & create my own version of creative bliss.
Plus I learned some practical stuff too.
I love this post thanks for sharing this.ReplyDelete
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