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The recent visa policy change by Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney has created quite a stir in the mainstream media and in government circles abroad. Predictably, Liberal Foreign Affairs critic Bob Rae has charged the Conservative government with "mishandling" of the visa issue and claims doing so would hurt Canada's trade ambitions with the European Union and its economic partnership in NAFTA with Mexico.
Perhaps one should not be surprised at the limits to Mr. Rae's memory. He should be reminded that his own party under Jean Chrétien briefly ended visa requirements for Czech visitors in 1996, but hastily re-imposed the requirements after the immigration system became bogged down with asylum seekers. This is much the same as what happened after PM Stephen Harper's Conservative government again lifted the visa requirement for the Czech republic in 2007 and asylum requests jumped from less than half a dozen in 2006 to almost 3,000. Just how short are politicians' memories?
Visas, of course, are a very common method used by nations to control who enters their territory as visitors. In the case of the 27-member European Union, the Czech Republic is only one of several countries whose citizens require visas to visit Canada—others are Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Hungary.
Dozens of other friendly countries around the world are also on the list of those needing visas to visit Canada. The list includes such notables as Russia, Brazil, Argentina, Bulgaria, Chile, Costa Rica, Venezuela and Macedonia.
According to Mr. Rae:
"This latest diplomatic misstep can only harm Canada-EU free-trade negotiations and the upcoming security and prosperity summit with our NAFTA partners. It's just another example of how the Conservatives are ruining our trade relationships, costing Canadian jobs, and further eroding our international reputation."
Interesting. So Canada should just throw its doors open to anyone who is experiencing discrimination in their home countries so as to avoid harming free-trade negotiations? Minister Kenney is too smart to fall for that nonsense.
Canada apparently accepts refugee claims from every country on earth, including the United States, the United Kingdom and all members of the European Union. Is this not ridiculous? With such a policy, asylum quickly becomes a back-door to immigration.
In the politically-correct estimation of many, no country on earth can equal Canada for its lack of persecution of its citizens. Poppycock!
Most countries, including our own, practice discrimination in some form. Most Western democracies, however, do not practice persecution. Persecution, on the one hand, is a crime against humanity and when severe enough should lead to a successful refugee claim in most Western democracies. Discrimination, on the other hand, is an objectionable practice, but should not be grounds for a refugee claim, except in the most severe cases where persecution is also involved.
Discrimination should be dwelt with through normal immigration, if victims want to live elsewhere. In other words, apply and get in line. Queue-jumping penalizes true refugees, and the Lord knows the world has enough of them.
As to the European Union's reaction to Canada's decision. The EU has decided to welcome new members with very uneven practices towards certain ethnic groups—Roma in this case—and yet expects other countries to treat all members of their union equally.
The Roma are one of Europe's most discriminated against minorities and there has been an alarming rise in attacks on Roma citizens in Central and Eastern Europe. This is something the EU should be addressing directly instead of exporting their "problem" to Canada. Why, for example, should any asylum requests have to be made to a third country, and not another of the 26 EU members.
Instead of addressing this grave injustice that is a moral blight in most of Central and Eastern Europe, the Czech government reacted by pompously recalling its ambassador to Canada, imposing visa requirements on Canadian diplomats and business travelers and calling for other EU member states to also bring in visa requirements for Canadians.
I hope this makes them feel better. It is a whole lot easier than rooting out the bigotry of many of their residents who treat all Roma like second-class citizens and human scum.
Return to Main page »
© 2009 Russell G. Campbell
All rights reserved.


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New Blog: Tech Tips for Teachers
For those looking for ideas or strategies for integrating technology into instruction, you might want to check out World Education's new blog- Tech Tips for Teachers.
A few years ago, EFF updated their Technology standard– which used to focus mostly on computer literacy- to more broadly think about technology and, of course, the breadth of new technologies that continue to arise. You can take a look at the Technology standard here: http://eff.cls.utk.edu/fundamentals/standard_use_information.htm
What are some of the challenges you face integrating technology into your instruction? What about challenges in knowing how to use these new technologies yourself (something I know I struggle with)?
What about successes and/or technologies you are currently implementing now?
Registration Open: Preparing for Work Curriculum Training June 11-12, 2013 – Knoxville, TN
Equipped for the Future is hosting an open-registration training for the Preparing for Work curriculum June 11-12, 2013 at the University of Tennessee Conference Center in Knoxville, TN. This 2-day training is designed for instructors interested in implementing the curriculum in adult education or workforce development settings. Training Agenda
This skills-based curriculum is designed to model authentic, work related experiences and activities. Activities are designed to provide opportunities for learners to apply the skills that are being presented. About the Curriculum
Register online today at: http://www.cvent.com/d/fcq53s/1Q
Training Topic: Preparing for Work: The EFF Work Readiness Course
Audience: Instructors in Adult Education and Workforce Development
Date: June 11-12, 2013
Location: University of Tennessee Conference Center, Knoxville, TN Directions & Maps
Training fee: $750 per person with lunch and a light breakfast included both days Accommodations, travel and all other meals are the responsibility of the participant. Hotel & Travel info
Materials: Each participant will receive a copy of the newly REVISED teacher's guide and student manual and a master copy of student materials on CD. Preview PfW manual contents
Space is limited and registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Please contact Aaron Kohring with any questions at firstname.lastname@example.com
On the Road: Supporting College-and-Career-Ready Adult Learners
Peggy will be "hitting the road" next week to represent EFF and CLEE at a national conference on effective transitions in adult education.
Peggy McGuire will be in Providence, RI for "Promoting College and Career Readiness for Adults", an annual event sponsored by the National College Transition Network, on November 7 through 9.
Peggy will present 2 sessions during the conference focusing on the writing knowledge, skills and strategies that participants in adult education programs need for successful transition to postsecondary education and training. One session will share effective instructional practices and the second will focus on developing an adult education research agenda around writing and college and career readiness.
Peggy is also looking forward to networking with and learning from other practitioners from all over the country – practitioners who share her strong interest in supporting adult learners in their efforts to access, persist in and complete postsecondary programs of study (a bunch of them – the organizers say the conference is "sold out"!).
She promises to report back on the highlights of her conference experience when she returns.
Here are some sights to look out for Peggy!
In the News: More on Algebra!
Here's something we found online that seems like a good math resource for adult education practitioners:
Check out this article/lesson plan from Patrick Honner in the New York Times:
N Ways to Apply Algebra With The New York Times *
In this article/lesson plan, Patrick shares some real world applications of math that can be investigated using information in the New York Times (or many other newspapers), such as:
- Mathematically Modeling Mortgages
- Ranking and Evaluating Colleges
- Calculating Car Costs
- Algebra of the Election
- Olympic Algebra
- Solving for Stocks
All too often workbooks teach the algebra embedded in these examples with a "one-right-way" plug-it-into-the-formula process. The examples in this article foster a much more open ended, problem-solving approach to applying Algebra in real-world settings.
This approach fosters the development of algebraic thinking, not just the short-term ability to plug numbers into formulas. As we stated previously:
Algebraic thinking involves recognizing and analyzing patterns, studying and representing relationships, making generalizations, and analyzing how things change. It is about making predictions based on patterns or relationships, making decisions, and solving real problems. It is about creating models based on phenomena that occur around us. Donna Curry (emphasis added)
What creative and innovative approaches have you used to teach these traditionally 'formula-based' algebra problems? What other types of meaningful real-world applications have you used in teaching algebraic thinking?
*Part of The Learning Network: (Teaching and Learning with the New York Times)
Have you recently found something interesting 'in the news'? If so – let us know at email@example.com.
How DO They Learn Best? Using Learning Preferences in the Classroom and Beyond
How do you prefer to learn?
When attending professional development, taking a class or gaining a new skill, do you prefer to read? Listen? Watch someone do it? Learn by doing?
Based on just our own personal experiences, we can pretty easily figure out that different people use different styles of learning (or learning modalities) for different purposes. The concept of "learning styles" has gotten a lot of attention in the adult education community over the past few years, especially among teachers who are trying to meet the differing needs of individual students while providing instruction in a group setting. It various forms, is also a commonly addressed in workplace professional development.
How have others' learning preferences' affected you in the workplace? Have you participated in 'learning styles' type training activities as an employee?
Learning Style theories propose that different people learn in different ways and that it is good to know what your own preferred learning style is. Often we hear learning styles defined as "visual, auditory, and kinesthetic" – referring to how we use the senses to learn or demonstrate knowledge. Another popular model was developed by John Gardner in the 1980s – Multiple Intelligences Theory. 1 While he didn't provide any direct empirical support for his theory, Gardner presented evidence from many areas of study including biology, anthropology, and the creative arts. 2 In the early 90's he looked at how his theory might apply to the learning that goes on among children in school.3 His basic points were these:
- Individuals should be encouraged to use their preferred intelligences in learning.
- Instructional activities should appeal to different forms of intelligence.
- Assessment of learning should measure multiple forms of intelligence.
While Gardner did not include adult learners in his research, teachers working with our highly diverse groups of adult learners have found success in using this approach, as well as other learning style theories. These days it is possible to find numerous tests, inventories and checklists that can be used by adults to help them identify their own preferred intelligences, or learning styles.
Have you used any of these 'learning style/intelligences' inventories/tools to determine your own preferences? Do you feel they were accurate? Helpful?
As an Instructor, how have you used (or might you use) information on your students' preferred learning modalities? Do you feel it was (or is likely to be) important to your instruction?
Below is a story about one teacher's 'ah ha' moment with her students – does her story sound at all familiar to you? Have you tried anything similar to the strategies she mentions?
Elizabeth Gardner is a Workforce Preparation Instructor at Suits for Success in Jersey City, NJ. For thepast 2 years she has been using EFF's Preparing for Work curriculum to help prepare groups of clients for workplace success. In the Orientation Module at the beginning of the curriculum, an activity called "How Do I Learn Best?" guides students through the process of reflecting on and learning about their own preferred learning styles and strategies (including the use of an inventory). Elizabeth has facilitated this activity with several different groups of students, but note that one time it seemed to "work" above and beyond her expectations.
In this group, like others, some of the students had never done a learning style inventory, and several who had done one before noted that their preferred learning style had changed since the last time they did it. Because of the interest and enthusiasm they showed for the topic, I decided to take the activity beyond individuals just looking at their own preferences, and see if I could move them towards concepts in the Cooperating With Others Standard.
I asked my students to describe what they had learned about themselves to the whole class, and then to talk about how the class could play to their learning styles. As a result, in addition to talking about their own learning styles, they listened to each other, and some students started spontaneously brainstorming ideas for each other. Without being asked, they started thinking about how each of their peers might learn best! Then the class ended up talking not only about how knowing your own learning style(s) can be used in the workplace, but also about how identifying other people's learning styles can allow you to help out coworkers, i.e: How might you show consideration for someone else's learning style at work? This conversation seemed to have a longer-lasting impact than I expected. I observed learning from students based on that discussion weeks later – such as a student 'recorder' for one activity drawing a picture next to the text "for visual learners" or one student asking another what was said because "I know you're a listener."
I think my experience of this one activity really affected how I plan other learning activities. It really helped me to understand that each group I work with will be made up of individuals with various learning styles, so each group dynamic will be different. This will cause students to respond differently to activities in the curriculum I follow; something that doesn't work with one group could be a favorite with the next group of students. One group, for instance, might enjoy and learn from a role-playing type activity, but are much less likely to respond or stay engaged in more static "think and talk" activities – while the next class might be just the opposite! I think it is really important to figure out up front how students learn best, and then choose or change learning activities [from ANY curriculum] to match up with the learning styles/preferences/goals of each group of students.
Please share with us your experiences in using information about students' preferred learning styles in your instruction – how that information helps you meet your students' needs, how you address the differences you find, any 'ah-has' you've had, etc. Any of the questions posed in this post can help you get started.
We look forward to an exciting conversation!
Click to learn more about EFF Preparing for Work curriculum or contact us via email@example.com.
For more information on Learning Styles, you can start by visiting this page.
Note that the links 'For Further Study' listed on the right hand side lead to some sample inventories.
Post Contributors:
Peggy McGuire, EFF Trainer & Content Expert, Center for Literacy, Education and Employment
Duren Thompson, Program Coordinator and EFFTIPS Technical Editor, Center for Literacy, Education and Employment
Elizabeth Gardner, Workforce Preparation Instructor at Suits for Success in Jersey City, NJ
1 Gardner, H. (1982). Art, Mind and Brain. New York : Basic Books.
2 Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of Mind. New York: Basic Books.
3 Gardner, H. (1993a). Multiple Intelligences: The Theory in Practice. New York: Basic Books.

subset: commoncrawl


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Georgia Mountain Fair
August 13 - 21, 2021
(706) 896-4191
Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds - Hiawassee, GA
9 days of family fun and entertainment. Music every day in Music Hall. Craft Village and Pioneer Village with old ways demonstrations. Exhibit Hall - Flower Show - Photography Exhibit - Carnival Rides.
Festival Peachtree Latino
August 29, 2021
(404) 551-0969
Atlanta Piedmont Park - Atlanta, GA
Multicultural Event with plenty of International Food, Arts, Music and family fund for children. Looking for Vendors and Corporate Sponsors Now. Celebrating our 20th year. International Recording Artists as well as Local Artists.
Suwanee Fest
September 19 - 20, 2020
(770) 945-8996
Town Center Park - Suwanee, GA
Award-winning family festival including parade, arts and crafts vendors, music and performances, children's activities, street performers, farmers market and a variety of food and beverage vendors located at beautiful Town Center Park and Amphitheater. SEFA awards for Best Festival, Best Volunteers, Event within Event, and more!
Saint Marys Rock Shrimp Festival
October 2, 2021
(912) 882-4000
Downtown Waterfront - Saint Marys, GA
Family festival. Kiwanis Club cooks and sells Rock Shrimp Dinners. Vendors restricted from selling seafood. 5K race before the festival officially opens, a parade, food and arts & crafts vendors along the waterfront of the St Marys River and its marshes, and entertainment all day long on the river. Visit our peaceful, minimally-developed pristine waterfront.
Christmas Made in the South / Columbus
October 29 - 31, 2021
(704) 847-9480
Columbus Convention & Trade Center - Columbus, GA
Creativity abounds as hundreds of artists and craftsmen gather to demonstrate and sell their work. Get a head start on your gift list and enjoy the Christmas shopping experience of the season.
Georgia Mountain Fall Festival
October 9 - 17, 2020
(706) 896-4191
Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds - Hiawassee, GA
9 days of family fun. Music every day in Music Hall - Georgia State Fiddlers Convention - over 70 crafters - Pioneer Village with demonstrations, moonshine still, blacksmith, soap making & hominy making. Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show, Nature Exhibit with demonstrations.
Olde Town Fall Festival
October 17, 2020
(770) 929-4239
Olde Town Conyers Historic District - Conyers, GA
40th anniversary of the longest running festival in the city, sponsored by the City of Conyers. The Olde Town Fall Festival brings together local clubs, non profit organizations along with unique artists and crafters. Come join in on our tradition that is sure to please any crowd!
Oconee Chamber Fall Festival
October 17, 2020
(706) 769-7947
Historic Downtown Watkinsville - Watkinsville, GA
We are now accepting applications for our Fall Festival. Now in its 46th year, the Oconee Chamber Fall Festival is known as a premiere Arts & Crafts festival. With over 200+ booths and 25k in attendance, this one day festival is the largest arts & crafts venue in the area. We have over 200 arts & crafts exhibitors, displaying their handmade goods. Artists Amenities Include: Convenient, free parking, Overnight security, Friday setup
Magnolia Fine Arts Festival
October 17 - 18, 2020
(678) 667-4624
Drake Field - Peachtree City, GA
The 5th Annual Magnolia Fine Art Festival is held in Peachtree City, Georgia. It is a signature event that draws both locals and art buying tourists. Enjoy premiere artists, student art exhibits, great food, a fantastic kids' corner, demonstrations, and live performances all weekend! Come to play and join the fun at the new location - Drake Field. This fall experience firsthand the Magnolia Magic.
Christmas Made in the South / Macon
November 5 - 7, 2021
(704) 847-9480
Macon Centreplex - Macon, GA
Creativity abounds as hundreds of artists and craftsmen gather to demonstrate and sell their work. Get a head start on your gift list and enjoy the Christmas shopping experience of the season.
Christmas Made in the South / Savannah
November 19 - 21, 2021
(704) 847-9480
Savannah Convention Center - Savannah, GA
Creativity abounds as hundreds of artists and craftsmen gather to demonstrate and sell their work. Get a head start on your gift list and enjoy the Christmas shopping experience of the season.
Mulberry Street Arts & Crafts Festival
March 27 - 28, 2021
(478) 744-9557
Mulberry Street between Second & Broadway - Macon, GA
We're getting ready for the 2021 festival and we're planning on making it bigger and better than ever. With wonderful arts and crafts there's something for all ages to enjoy. So save the dates and be ready to SHOP!!!
Events in Smyrna, GA — upcoming
August 2020 (dates not updated)
The Veggie Connection Event
The Smyrna Community Center, Smyrna, GA
Status: Updated 8/1/2019
This Georgia Green Festival will have fine art, fine craft, crafts, film, flea market, commercial/retail, homegrown products and corp./information exhibitors, and tba food booths. There will be 1 stage with na talent and the hours will be Sat 10am-5pm.
September 2020 (dates not updated)
Woofstock - Party in the Park
Smyrna Market Village, Smyrna, GA
Status: Updated 9/9/2019
This Georgia Pet-themed Event will have fine art, commercial/retail and corp./information exhibitors, and tba food booths. There will be 1 stage with National and Regional talent and the hours will be Sat 11am-7pm, Sun 11am-6pm. This event will also include dog-themed events.
October 24 - 25, 2020
Smyrna Fall Jonquil Festival
Village Green, Smyrna, GA
Status: Updated 4/13/2020
This Georgia Craft Show will have fine craft and crafts exhibitors, and 12 food booths. There will be 1 stage with Local talent and the hours will be Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 12pm-5pm.


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Here's the Viva la Verve sketch I started with. I mostly stuck to the design, except for the little circle element. For that, I used a button, and it didn't always work in that spot with the stamps I used.
I found all these sentiments at Hobby Lobby for $1.99 each! Aren't they fabulous? So great for a card set, too. I stamped them all on ivory cs and matted them on black cs leaving just a tiny sliver of black showing. Then, I colored in just one line on each of them with Prismacolor pencils, and added Diamond Stickles over that. The tan card didn't have any open letters to color, so I just Stickled over the word, "Heart."
Do you see what I meant about the buttons? I couldn't put them where they would cover up the text, so rather than trying to follow the sketch there, I just made sure that the button on each card was at least partially on the diagonal embossed strip. In choosing the colors for the twine, the colored strips, and the coloring in the text, I tried to use at least 3 of the accent colors on each card, so one card had a blue strip, red colored text, and brown twine, another card had blue coloring and red twine, and so on.
On the inside of the cards, using the template I had made for aligning the diagonal embossed strip on the front of the card, I cut four pieces of the bg dp, sponged Black Soot Distress Ink around the edges, and placed them in the corner of ivory square die cuts.


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Rock Climbing Photos : Tags : wawona
Photos tagged with "wawona"
Must be a blue moon
Katie climbing "Blue Moon" on Wawona dome, southern Yosemite. Hopefully area will be added soon.
Submitted by: jabarnes on 2006-11-18
Views: 2925 | Comments: 3
Just a little approach
A little climber lifestyle shot approaching the base of Wawona dome in southern Yosemite. We were traveling through some heavy manzanita bushes, and when eric made this turn it caught my eye.
Submitted by: jabarnes on 2006-11-22
Views: 1769 | Comments: 0
On blue moon
Erik prepping blue moon. This rock doesn't get climbed much so we were cleaning up and checking out the gear.
Submitted by: jabarnes on 2006-11-22
Views: 2707 | Comments: 3
Feeling hold
Erik working on "Blue Moon" @ wawona dome in southern yosemite. Sepia toned. This is more a facial expression shot than a climbing shot.
Submitted by: jabarnes on 2006-11-22
Views: 2319 | Comment: 1
Three great routes on Wawona Dome
All three of these routes are well worth the 1 hr approach
Submitted by: tork on 2007-04-07
Views: 2939 | Comments: 0
Cream of the Crop
Cream of the Crop 5.11a (*****) 3 pitches
Submitted by: tork on 2007-04-07
Views: 2099 | Comments: 0
Tags related to "wawona":
summit sunset glacier landscape weather mike willyoung blue moon sierra belaying yosemite backcountry handcrack new south wales cathedral rock ebor tuolumne meadows mt. dade sunglasses development half dome wawoa dome truckee i80 somermset el cap do or fly shannon moore puppy dome cool hot chick housekeeping yosemite valley elephant rock chris brown matthes crest crystals stemming ghetto blaster jovino scott tendons mend don p cherry merced river braille book thin atlantis yosemite bouldering big wll east buttress middle cathedral yosemite ranger crack after 6 grizzly lost arrow


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Macquarie is a well established agent in the local area . We have been in Casula for over 20 years with a proven track record. We have sold over 2500 properties in that time.
Macquarie Real Estate is open til 7pm Monday-Friday, Saturday til 5pm and our sales team are available on Sundays by appointment. We are always available to work on your behalf. Most real estate offices are only open until 5pm and are closed on Sundays. We attract more customers because people want to deal with agents who are readily available. Our phones are also on 24hrs a day, making it EASY for people to deal with us at any time of the day.
All our sales team are continuously trained in marketing and negotiation. This is something that most other agents lack. Many agents will not have any training beyong obtaining their licence. Continued training is mandatory for all sales people employed by our office. A poor negotiator can cost you thousands. A good negotiator can achieve up to an extra 10% on your selling price.
Every buyer that calls our office comes through one central contact point. The buyers details are placed into an enquiry register and kept on file. By keeping these records, we have built a substantial database over the years. With a list of buyers ready to purchase, we can help you sell your home faster. There is also less need for advertising this way. So overall we can save you time and money!


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This is the Asian restaurant of a friend of mine.
They asked me to do some interior and exterior shots of the restaurant.
Joys Villa15 feb
This is the Asian restaurant of a friend of mine.
Bilbao8 feb
This is the second place where I needed to shoot the interior.
It's a bar wich serves tapa's and cocktails.
Link: Bilbao
So here are the pictures.
Sushi 551 feb
Lately I have been making pictures at several places (clubs, restaurants, bars,…).
It was a good experience for me to work in different areas with several kind of light conditions.
These are taken at Sushi55 wich is a sushi bar at Antwerpen.
Link: Sushi55
New pictures…30 jan
University of Antwerpen7 jan
This week I took pictures at the campus of the university of Antwerpen.
Brahim & Jean Bosco Safari @ Buster.30 dec
How lazy can you be?9 nov
Some people are just so damn lazy!
B&W Photography.9 nov
Here's a collection of different kind of photography.
You'll find music, architecture and street-photography.
I'm putting these in one post because they are all 'Black & White' and are older pictures.
Central Station, Antwerp – Belgium7 nov
Please, let me know what you think about the pictures. Thank you.
The Treedoctor.7 nov
A misty day in the city and what does a photographer think? Let's grab the camera and wander around.
But the mist wasn't working in my advantage. Every place where I went the mist was disappearing and nothing was happening.
At a certain point I was walking along the biggest shopping street of Antwerpen, called 'Meir'.
When I was walking down this street I suddenly heard someone shout something…
" Sir,… Excuses me, sir?!,… Hello?…"
So, when I turned around I saw a man with a dog approaching me.
"Hey', he said' do you wanna see something special?"
So I asked him what it was.
He told me that his dog is growing a tree on his chest. Totally confused and very interested I said I wanted to see this.
So he made his dog sit on a bank in the street. Then he point at this tree, and now I got the point. It's a white mark on his chest in the form of a tree.
The man told me that his name was Mathieuw and he's a treedoctor from England, Manchester. His dog's name is Tabaco.
He gave me his email adress so I could send him the pictures but unfortunately I lost it.
So I hope he'll find these pictures.


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Watch Glee Season 3 Episode 15 Online Big Brother replay here at Telepisodes.net. The following is the full recap of previous episode.
Sebastian intends to publish an unpleasant picture of Finn on the internet unless Rachel falls out of sectionals. At the next Joy team conference they take care of to get Sebastian disqualified from the competitors, but Finn gets furious at Rachel when she says she will execute regardless of what.
Somehow Sue controls to get broken up, and Quinn is the first individual she informs, though she won't expose information of who the dad is. Quinn gives the instructor guidelines on interacting with day illness and demands to rejoin the Cheerios. Sue changes her down smooth.
While Darren rehearses a tune for sectionals ("Cough Syrup" by the Jakes), Karofsky getting strolls into his locker area and recognizes the phrase "Fag" spray-painted on it. The folks in the locker area together with harmful looks, and he goes house and efforts destruction.
Luckily his dad discovers him in some time to gets him to the medical heart. In the results of the terrifying event, professors and learners talk about how quickly the popularity of adolescents can be damaged on the internet. Kurt's so troubled he connects Quinn's Religious team conference. He seems accountable because he didn't response any of David's calling, so Bmw encourages him to the medical heart.
This convert of activities shows Rachel and Finn's connection is firm. Finn guarantees Rachel that regardless of what happens, he would never damage himself, and he's more fixed to win sectionals even if the images are all on the internet. Get over, Rachel says she wants to get committed this arriving Sunday, after they win sectionals.
Santana and Kurt fulfill with Sebastian, who has known as them to a conference to tell them he's getting the blows now that he's observed about Karofsky. It's all fun and game titles until it's not, he says, as he honors cruelly informing Karofsky to just remain in the cabinet. Furthermore, he and Warblers are devoting the efficiency to Woman Gaga's Blessed This Way groundwork.
Schue accumulates the Gleeks in the testing area to uncovered observe to Rory's first flavor of peanut butter. The factor is, there's always something to look ahead to. He shows when in his university lifestyle when he desired to end it all to quit the discomfort of being a youngster.
At sectionals, the Warblers cause with "Stand" by Rascal Flatts. Finn brings the audience in status during the efficiency, because lifetimes too brief. Sebastian and choir adhere to up with "I'm Grateful You Came" by The Wanted.
Next up, the Fantastic Goblets from Our Woman of Constant Great School, who execute magnificently. In display choir group, Rachel states that she and Finn strategy to wed after the competitors. They want everyone to come.
Onstage, Rachel shoes off with the Beyonce aspect on "Fly," and Artie connects in. Santana and Blaine bring Nicki Minaj's the rapping areas. The whole efficiency is extremely refined and innovative. For their encore, Santana requires "Stronger," by Kelly felix Clarkson. Even Sue looks on with satisfaction. They even get to do a third tune, Halestorm's "Here's to Us," with Rachel getting heart level.
A man clothed as Depend Dracula states the victorious one, and New Guidelines wins! Afterwards, Sue calling Quinn into her workplace. She confesses she always popular her, for all the methods she is not like Sue, actually. She gives her Cheerios consistent returning and Quinn marriage vows to win them a title. She operates into Rachel in the lounge and says she wants to come to the marriage if it's not too overdue.
Kurt goes to the medical heart to check out Mark and informs him he's really satisfied he's in existence. He guarantees to help him through it, and begins by imagining how amazing his lifestyle can be later on.
In the next episode of Glee entitled "Big Brother", White Collar's Matt Bomer guest stars as Blaine's (Darren Criss) older brother, Cooper Anderson. Episode will center primarily around Blaine and his family complete with flashback!! — with a little Finchel added in for good luck. Blaine and his older bro, Cooper, will perform a mashup of two songs by '80s supergroup Duran Duran.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Watch Glee Season 3 Episode 15 Online Big Brother
Posted by Nammie at 10:37 PM Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook
Labels: tv series


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The use of poison was a major military innovation of the First World War. Gases uses covered the full range, from tear gas to disabling chemicals like mustard gas to killing agents such as phosgene. While gas killed comparatively few, it did cause a significant number of non-fatal casualties and it was one of the soldiers greatest fears.
Germany was the first to make use of gas, firing 18,000 artillery shells filled with the irritant xylyl bromide tear gas at Russian positions in 1915. Unfortunately the chemical froze solid in the cold weather with no effect.
Chlorine was the first killing agent used, employed in 1915 against the French at Ypres. The green clouds of gas terrified the colonial troops holding that position, who fled, but nearby Canadian units were able to fill the gap before the Germans could exploit it.
Chlorine was inefficient as a killing agent, its colour and smell were obvious , but German industry soon came up with a replacement, phosgene. Deadlier than chlorine and difficult to detect being colourless and having virtually no odour, phosgene reacts with the water in the lungs to form hydrochloric acid, which dissolves the sensitive membranes there. Phosgene caused the most deaths of any agent in World War 1, though one disadvantage was the fact that it took 24 hours for the symptoms to become apparent, meaning that gassed victims could still initially at least put up a fight.
The most famous and effective gas was mustard gas, a blistering agent introduced in 1917 by the Germans at the Third Battle of Ypres, otherwise known as Passchendaele. Mustard gas rarely killed but in low concentrations could cause massive painful blisters on the skin. Higher concentrations could burn flesh to the bone. Death by mustard gas, when it came, was particularly horrific. A post mortem account by a British physician records the following :-
"Case four. Aged 39 years. Gassed 29 July 1917. Admitted to casualty clearing station the same day. Died about ten days later. Brownish pigmentation present over large surfaces of the body. A white ring of skin where the wrist watch was. Marked superficial burning of the face and scrotum. The larynx much congested. The whole of the trachea was covered by a yellow membrane. The bronchi contained abundant gas. The lungs fairly voluminous. The right lung showing extensive collapse at the base. Liver congested and fatty. Stomach showed numerous submucous haemorrhages. The brain substance was unduly wet and very congested.
A British nurse treating mustard gas victims recorded,
"They cannot be bandaged or touched. We cover them with a tent of propped-up sheets. Gas burns must be agonizing because usually the other cases do not complain even with the worst wounds but gas cases are invariably beyond endurance and they cannot help crying out."
Gas never repeated its dramatic effects of 1915, but became a standard weapon in the trenches, used daily to sap morale of the enemy and in support of attacks. The universal horror with which chemical warfare was regarded, by all sides, led to gas being outlawed by the Geneva Protocol of 1925, and there has been no large scale military use of chemical agents since as a result.
Gas! Gas! Quick, boys! An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time,
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling
And floundering like a man in fire or lime.
Dim through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.
In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.
Wilfred Owen, "Dulce Et Decorum Est", 1917.


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We had so much fun this Thanksgiving because we got to combine our favorite things: Travel + Family Time! We flew to Williamsburg, VA to visit Dan's family, and also squeezed in a couple of road trips & hockey games while we were on the east coast. Dan has a "bucket list" goal of seeing a game at every NHL arena, so we try to get to at least one new arena each year. Yes, we're a little crazy, but we both love having a reason to travel around the country.Once we were awake again, we visited Colonial Williamsburg to walk around. Seeing the beautiful fall leaves made me realize how much I miss them!
We flew to VA Monday night on a red-eye, which was awful. I knew it would be before we even booked the flight, but the cheaper price and getting to VA almost a whole day earlier was too tempting. I slept for about an hour face-planted on my tray table, and woke up needing a chiropractor. Dan slept just a little longer than I did on the plane, so as soon as we got to his parents' house on Tuesday morning, we went straight to bed for about 3 hours. I thought for sure we'd get sick from the lack of sleep, but God was good to us.
We flew to VA Monday night on a red-eye, which was awful. I knew it would be before we even booked the flight, but the cheaper price and getting to VA almost a whole day earlier was too tempting. I slept for about an hour face-planted on my tray table, and woke up needing a chiropractor. Dan slept just a little longer than I did on the plane, so as soon as we got to his parents' house on Tuesday morning, we went straight to bed for about 3 hours. I thought for sure we'd get sick from the lack of sleep, but God was good to us.
The Fife & Drums were playing at CW that night! It's a group of boys & girls ages 10-18 who play military music, and they're extremely talented!This is where Dan needed some serious caffeine (and maybe a shot of something stronger) before we went country line dancing at a bar with Dan's sister, Robin, and some of her friends. Which is hilarious if you know any of Dan's New York born-and-bred family. I probably had the best time in the group since I actually like country music and grew up with Texans and who cares if I'm an incredibly bad dancer? I did keep a good distance between myself and the next person so I wouldn't collide when I made all the wrong moves.
On Wednesday, we met Robin for lunch before Dan & I drove down to Raleigh, NC for our first hockey game.
Dan & Robin the Line Dancer :) We visited the Feliciano family in Raleigh, who are the Jesters' long-time friends from Long Island, NY. Mr. Feliciano made an amazing dinner and we enjoyed catching up with them and meeting the newest member of their family.
Then we went to the Carolina Hurricanes vs. Montreal Canadiens game!
We cheered for the home team, but the Canadiens won in overtime.
On Thanksgiving Day, the Jesters filled their house to the brim with family, friends, and food.
We cheered for the home team, but the Canadiens won in overtime.
On Thanksgiving Day, the Jesters filled their house to the brim with family, friends, and food.
Everyone is full & happy. There were countless side dishes, and all of them were delicious! Fortunately, there were plenty of leftovers for us to enjoy later on.
After dinner, a few of us took a walk along the trail that runs behind the Jesters' house. It was a pretty day, and it felt good to move after all that eating!
Dan's cousins Jon & Carrie and their kids on the trail, & Robin taking a picture in the background
Dylan got to run off some of his energy, then it was time to go back for dessert and games!
After one of the busiest days of the year, this is how Mom J. spent the rest of the evening. Haha! Okay, she was just finishing off the sparkling cider, but this picture is EPIC.
On Friday, Dan & I rented a matchbox car and drove to Washington DC for our 2nd hockey game. The traffic wasn't bad at all, and since we got there earlier than we anticipated, we spent an hour taking a whirlwind driving tour of The Mall.
Occupy DC was in full effect
Dan illegally "paused" to take a picture of me in front of the Capital.
Then we met my cousin Kim, her husband Jay, & their boys, Campbell and Cael, for lunch in Old Town Alexandria. It was our first time meeting Cael, and we loved spending some time with their family while we were in the neighborhood!
After lunch, we walked around the Alexandria streets, soaking in the quaint atmosphere.
Lots of cobblestones, old brick houses and shops, and real gas lamps. I wish we had more time to actually go in some of the stores, but hopefully we'll get the chance another time!
We headed back to downtown DC for the Capitals vs. NY Rangers game.
As a life-long NY Islanders fan, Dan is by default a Rangers-hater. But the Capitals just couldn't pull it together and they lost 3-6.
After the game, we couldn't resist staying an extra couple of hours to see the buildings lit up at night. DC is such a beautiful city with amazing history. We hope we can take another trip there soon to spend a few days.
I know I saw the White House when I was a kid, but apparently it didn't make as big an impact on me as the memorials. So Dan & I walked there from the arena so I could see it again for the first time. :)
We drove by most of the famous buildings, but made a quick stop to go inside the Jefferson Memorial. This honor was bestowed upon Jefferson because he alone had the foresight to demand a parking lot at his memorial. Parking in DC is one of those amazing feats that other people have clearly accomplished, but you cannot figure out how they managed it. They must've gotten there at 4 a.m. like those crazy Black Friday shoppers.
But I digress. Here's a view of the Washington Memorial from the steps of the Jefferson Memorial.
I have to tip my hat to DC, because it is one of the few places I've ever seen Dan get lost. He has an incredible sense of direction (it's God's way of balancing the fact that He gave me no sense of direction), but he was no match for DC's one-way streets in the dark. Since you will probably never experience it first-hand, I'll describe this unique phenomenon. Instead of driving more slowly and cautiously while trying to get his bearings, Dan drives faster to minimize any time lost. He now depends solely on his peripheral vision and Spidey-senses to see the road and traffic in front of him because he's looking all other directions, taking in landmarks & reading street signs at the speed of light. The act of merging or *heaven forbid* stopping in front of him is treated as a direct assault and his priority becomes getting our car ahead of the offending party. If the space is too small, Dan moves solid objects with his mind a split second before driving through. We hit nothing. No one honks. And then, we are somehow on the right road heading the right direction, our time in The Matrix nothing but a faint memory. And we drive back to the Jesters' house.
On our last day, we hung out with Robin in her apt. for a while before meeting Dan's folks at Friendly's ice cream parlor. Ice cream parlors don't exist in San Diego, but they should. Large establishments dedicated to fried food and ice cream should be impartially available to everyone.


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So this is probably going to turn out being less a proper review as much as just me rambling and using bullet points and stuff, because I'm exhausted right now and probably still too close to having read the book to say anything properly coherent.
But here are My Thoughts on Allegiant. (Because I know these are quite spoilery and I don't want anyone accidentally coming across them, I'm putting the text from here on out in white. Just highlight below if you'd like to read on.)
As I already mentioned in this week's Wordy Wednesday, I had a bit of a mixed reaction to Allegiant. As a reader, I adored it–all my favorite characters were there, we finally got to learn what was outside the fence, and overall, it was a pretty satisfying conclusion to a trilogy I love. But at the same time, as a writer and someone who likes to critique movies in her free time, there was a lot I didn't like about Allegiant. Not enough to make me actually not like the book–because no, I really do love it–but enough that I think it warrants me sharing my thoughts.
Also, let it be known: This in no way is a critique on Veronica Roth. A lot of people have been terrible to her since finishing Allegiant, returning their copies of the book and threatening her, and that is NOT okay. Veronica Roth is an amazing person who has granted us access to her life and writing, and she didn't need to do that. She has given us a gift. Just because a book doesn't end the way you want it to doesn't mean you have a right to be rude or downright nasty to the author.
On the other hand, you are allowed to react to the book itself, which is what I'm doing here: Reacting to and critiquing the book. Not the author, never the author. Don't bite the hand that feeds you, right? (Not that I think anyone who's awesome enough to read my blog would be one of the immature jerks being mean to VRoth, but I just wanted to get my opinion on the matter out there. So yeah. There ya go.)
One: Let's Kill Tris
Tris's death scene was beautiful. I adored the way Roth wrote it, and part of me really loves her for going through with killing off the protag, because most people don't have the guts to do that (I'm looking at you, Christopher Nolan, Beth Revis, and S'Meyer, just to name a few). After being disappointed so many times over being promised a good protagonist death that never actually happened (I swear I'm not a psycho–I just really love it when people actually do what they claim to set out to do), I should've been happy that Roth actually killed off Tris.
But here's the thing that stopped me from sobbing my eyes out after David the Poop Face shot her: It wasn't necessary for Tris to die. Tris's dying didn't solve anything, it just caused more problems. And oh yeah, we all saw it coming that you were going to kill Tris, Veronica Roth, because YOU WROTE THE BOOK WITH TWO PERSPECTIVES.
The moment Roth announced she was doing that, everyone knew what it meant. And yeah, yeah, yeah, having Tobias's perspective throughout the rest of the book is helpful in giving a broader view of what's going on, but for someone with as much character blood lust as Roth, it was obvious where that decision ultimately was going to lead. And the moment she started laying the breadcrumbs about Caleb and Tris's relationship, it was obvious even how and why it was going to happen.
Not that Tris's death being predictable is a bad thing, per say, but it did annoy me just because, after everything that happened in Insurgent, Tris was meant to survive. Killing her in the way Roth did destroyed Tris's previous character development, and thus her arc.
Now, I REALIZE Veronica Roth can do whatever she wants to her characters–they're her characters. But after spending so much time teaching Tris that throwing yourself head first into sacrificing your live isn't the only option–that she could do good in her world without dying–it felt like a slap in the face for that ultimately to be the way she went.
You finally teach the girl how to survive, and then you make her go back on that freshly learned lesson in the defining moment of the trilogy–Tris claims to have learned the lesson that her life is important, but the first chance she gets to throw it all away again in Allegiant, she runs headfirst into the path of the bus LIKE SHE NEVER LEARNED IT IN THE FIRST PLACE. Tris's death basically completely invalidates everything that happened in Insurgent. And sure, she has that line about not wanting to leave, but how is that one line supposed to hold up against 525 pages of Tris learning to value her life in the last book.
And then there's the other stuff: It doesn't solve any problems. Tris can save the day without dying; because she survives the death serum, it's not actually necessary for Tris to die when she goes to set off the memory serum. She's already made the decision to sacrifice herself to the death serum to save Caleb, which means that once she's survived the death serum, it's no longer a sacrifice. Instead, her death becomes one of collateral damage. Once she's into the lab and David is there, she has no way of backing out or saving herself, because he's going to shoot her whether she sets off the memory serum or not. She doesn't sacrifice herself to save her friends and family; all she does is decide to take the bad guys down with her. It's not a sacrifice if you don't have any other choice.
So, when it comes down to it, Tris's death doesn't solve anything. It's contrived. It's not a martyr's death like our brave, selfless protagonist deserves–it's the death of a person who was at the wrong place at the wrong time. Roth put David in that room for the sole purpose of killing Tris in as dramatic a way as possible, and as far as I could tell from an outside perspective, she decided to kill Tris for the sole purpose of it being the ultimate people-die-in-war scenario.
But here's the thing: Tris isn't just another person. This isn't real life, this is a book series. And because of that, even if you want to kill your protag, I think you still have to follow the rules of Plot Armor to an extent. Basically meaning: Anyone Can Die applies to everyone but the main characters, and then once you're ready to kill off a protag, you should try to make it mean something. Plot Armor, in this case, stops meaning that everyone's favorite characters can't die, but instead that their death should not just be there as collateral damage, but as something that affects the overall plot, symbolism, AND their personal character arc. Otherwise, it's not going to be satisfying to the reader–any reader, including someone like me who relishes a good fictional bloodbath.
I think the main reason readers are upset with Tris's death is less because she died as much as because of how she died. If Tris had actually, in dying, saved the day, it would be a whole other matter. It's the fact that she had already survived the death serum, thus fulfilling the obligations of the sacrifice, and then died as collateral damage–just another body–that got people upset. Sure, she still set off the memory serum, thus ending the immediate conflict, but she didn't need to die to do that. David still could have been in the room and still could have shot her, and she still could have pressed the green button, without choosing to, in the end, let go of her life.
Tris deserved the death of a martyr–someone who could have survived, but chose to save her people, what she believed in, instead. And what she got was the death of someone who had no other choice–the kind of death that should be reserved for a secondary character, not the narrator. She becomes someone who knows she has no choice but to die, so might as well take the bad guys down with her. She should have been (in my personal, flawed, ultimately unimportant opinion) someone who could live, but decided to do the hard thing anyway, because it was right.
There was no right or wrong in Tris's death. It just happened. It didn't matter. Two+ books telling us how Tris matters, and then in the end, she doesn't.
(Also: I would have been more disturbed seeing my mother with a bunch of bullet holes in her than relieved. just saying. That's freaky, yo.)
EDIT, 10-28-13: Veronica Roth just posted her reasoning behind Tris's death on her blog, and it's definitely worth the read. It's interesting to see how she views her protag's death from a completely different perspective from the one I take here, and although I still don't think Tris's death is executed properly, it's nice to know how Roth DID mean for the scene to be interpreted, and it's nice to know that she didn't mean for Tris to just become collateral damage. (I don't know about you, but I still really want to know why the heck Natalie had to look like a redneck's pinata at the end there, though.)
Two: One Perspective Isn't Enough
I actually think the two perspectives worked out all right in the book, because they did bring us such a broader image of what was happening. But at the same time, I am sick and tired of people changing how the third book in a trilogy is written–adding perspectives, etc.
Authors: You're getting annoying. Stop making this a trend. It is possible to give multiple perspectives without making all the different characters new narrators (beautiful example: Natalie's journal).
Three: Tris Loses Her Voice
This is actually less of a point of critique as much as just an observation: Tris was a LOT more mature in this book than she was in the previous two. Which I think is actually great, because it shows how she grew up throughout the series, but at the same time, maybe a LITTLE more transition into Tris's grown up voice would have been nice. It was jarring to go from her younger, more teenager-y voice at the end of Insurgent to it being just a few days later at the beginning of Allegiant and suddenly she's a grown up.
(Observation to go along with this: VRoth has stopped talking/acting as much like a teenager the past couple years, herself. She's really growing into her role as an adult now–she's begun talking down to teen readers rather than talking on level with them, in more of a super-awesome-older-sister sort of way than her previous awkward-fabulous-fellow-teenager one–and it's been fun watching her grow up. I don't think there's anything wrong with her talking down to us a bit, because she is in her twenties and married and all that fun stuff. But it's something I've been noticing in her interviews/videos/blog posts/tumblr posts/etc lately.)
Four: Tobias is a Whiny Four Year Old
Tobias isn't called Four because he only has four fears. He's called four because that's the age he stopped developing emotionally.
Seriously, Tobias stopped being attractive to me in this book. Not that he's ever been my type or anything (I'm more of a nerdy, Peter Parker kind of girl), but I did get why someone like Tris liked him. He was strong, knowledgeable, and always pushing her to do better. Tobias was basically who made Tris who she was in this book–logical, resilient, always looking at the bigger picture rather than her own insecurities.
And then you find out that Tobias is actually the exact opposite of who he molded Tris into being.
There's nothing wrong with showing weakness sometimes, but when you're in the sort of situation Fourtris are in, it's important to remember that you're just a piece of a much larger puzzle, and you need to keep your focus on that–for someone who's from Abnegation, Tobias is about as self-centered as they come; all he comes to care about is fixing the problems that directly affect him.
Tobias suddenly being so insecure and pre-teen-PMSing moody about the not being Divergent thing in this book made him seem less like he was weakened by the circumstances as much as that he just naturally was weak-willed and minded, emotionally immature, and a toddler lashing out at anyone who tried to help him by pointing out his mistakes.
You'd think someone who taught Tris how to be strong despite all the broken pieces in her life would know how to do the same for himself.
Five: Let's Kill Everyone But the New Characters
Anybody else notice how while Roth happily killed off Tori, Uriah, and Tris, she never even touched any of the new characters? Seriously, I don't even understand why Nita is still alive. If anyone should have been sacrificing themselves at the end there, it should have been Nita–that would have been such a nice bit of character development, after she was so self-centered, manipulating, and idiotic with the first rebellion.
Both Nita and Matthew were such flat characters, just there to help move the plot along, I would have loved to have seen more development for the two of them, Nita especially since she ultimately was the more influential. I never knew whether or not I truly should trust Matthew, since he always was just sort of there without revealing a lot about himself. He seemed like a plant, trying to gain everybody's trust before turning them over to David. Roth did eventually give us the bit about how he'd once been in love with a GD who died because the GPs attacked her, but it definitely felt like it was there purely just to justify Matthew helping them.
Also: Did we ever actually meet Matthew's supervisor? Because I don't think we did, which was weird since so much time was spent talking about him.
Also also: None of the bad guys, on either side, died. (Well actually: Edward. But he was never a figure in power, so I'm not sure if he should even count.) I would have loved to see one of the antagonist leaders go, and preferably in an inconsequential sort of way. Like if Marcus got caught by a stray bullet or something in the final battle–something super inconsequential like that–it would have been fantastic.
Also also also: I WANTED A FINAL BATTLE. ARE THESE YA ACTION THRILLER DYSTOPIAN NOVELS OR ARE THEY NOT.
Six: I WANTED A FINAL BATTLE SCENE.
Seriously. Why didn't we have a final battle. The only one who does any fighting in the end is Tris, and that's for about point-five seconds before she gets shot.
I get that Roth was trying to give us the message that talking things out, being diplomatic rather than pigheaded, war-hungry idiots is also an option, but I don't know. I like fiction with action. I like elaborate battle sequences and unnecessary causalities, and you should know: I am the most gentle person ever in real life. I'm a vegetarian, I regularly talk my parents out of killing spiders, and I suck at stage combat because I'm always afraid I'm going to actually accidentally hurt the person opposite me in the scene.
But I do love a good action-packed book or movie. And in a series that has depended so much on violence to advance the plot up until this point, it was disappointing for everyone just to make nice in the end. Maybe if Tobias's group had to dodge and fight off Bureau people on their way to getting the Chicago leaders to talk things out, it would have been more satisfying for me. As it was, they kind of just did their whole half of the climax without trouble and then were just done with it.
Seven: Who Needs Consistent Pacing
In both Divergent and Insurgent, Tris is caught up in nonstop plot twists and action sequences. I felt like Allegiant just sort of plodded along in comparison, giving us the occasional twist and/or burst of action to keep us going, but not enough to make it a proper page turner.
In comparison, I'd like to retract my comment in the Wordy Wednesday post about the book not demonstrating as obvious an example of dramatic structure as D1 and D2. I read most of Allegiant while I was absolutely exhausted, and I think that affected my ability to pinpoint the inciting incident and catalyst and rising action and all that. Looking back on it, it's actually all fairly obvious. So: Ignore me on that. The dramatic structure was fine. I more just have a problem with the lack of plot twists and action sequences. (Roth says she's matured as a writer to no longer feel like she needs to include as many of those, but unfortunately, I have a really short attention span. Which means that unless there are five different subplots and a bomb about to go off at any point in time, I'm probably not going find the book very captivating when I go to reread it. And I kind of judge books' quality on how well they hold up in the reread. So sorry about that, that's more my problem than Allegiant's.)
So, I think that covers just about all of my main critique. I could talk more about some of the little stuff, but this post is long enough as it is. (If you read through this entire thing: Here. Take my love.)
The important thing to remember is that I did enjoy this book. A lot. I stayed up until 5:00 AM to finish it Tuesday night, I and I don't do that for just anything, especially during the school year. I loved the decision to give Uriah a slow death, and I loved the action sequences that we DID get, and I think Roth described grief in a very realistic, beautiful way. I liked that she almost broke up Fourtris at one point, and as much as Tobias's weakness annoyed me (come on, seriously, GET A HANDLE ON YOURSELF, MAN), his scene with his mother at the end, when she chose him over power, brought me the closest to tears I ever got while reading this. I enjoyed all the inside jokes and the airplane ride and the scene with the targets when they're teaching Caleb how to shoot. I enjoyed Christina and Uriah having a completely platonic relationship, and I love the fact that she and Tobias end up such good friends in the end, since they started out not liking each other much in Divergent. I liked SO MUCH about this book–and ultimately, all of that outweighs the parts that I didn't like.
So: Allegiant isn't perfect, but it's still a good novel. It has its moments. The line-by-line writing is tight and purposeful, and I am really sad this trilogy is over. But I'm also really excited that Veronica Roth is still just at the beginning of her writing career.
In the immortal words of JK Rowling, "I think we must expect great things from you, Veronica Roth."
If the Divergent trilogy is any indication, great things, indeed.
About to leave for Chicago for VRoth's book signing!!! 😀 See you on the other side.


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Local chef and event planner blends passion for family and food
For Paula Gottlieb Herman, food and family have always gone hand in hand. Growing up in Brooklyn, she remembers both her parents cooking authentic meals and going grocery shopping with her dad for the freshest ingredients.
"We'd be able to come home on the train with all kinds of wonderful materials to make good food. My parents cooked together and created the most amazing birthday parties for me," Gottlieb Herman said. "I want people to have that experience with food and be excited the way I was."
That was the impetus for the Westbury resident to start LilChefs.com Special Events, a party planning company that specializes in cooking workshops, programs and parties for all ages. The company, which celebrated its 10 year anniversary in March, is more than just a job for Gottlieb Herman, it's a way to preserve the legacy of her parents.
"I was at my dad's funeral, and a total stranger gave me advice that completely resonated," she recalled. "He said the best way you could honor your dad's memory is to honor traditions that were important to your father."
One of those traditions was cooking. Her dad was a business owner who took cooking and catering classes on the side, and Gottlieb Herman learned how to read from his subscriptions to Gourmet and Bon Appetit. Her mother was the cook of the family, and Gottlieb Herman said she was in awe of how despite never using recipes, her food always tasted amazing.
"My mother always knew to use a handful of this or a pinch of that. She never had recipes but the food was consistently good," Gottlieb Herman said. "And my parents' food was so authentic. That's how I grew up, family and food for us was synonymous."
The importance of those connections between family and good food is something Herman is hoping her workshops and birthday parties can teach youngsters.
"I want to bring back families eating dinner together," Gottlieb Herman said. "As a kid, dinner time with my parents was the best part of my day. Too many families don't have that opportunity."
She hosts cooking workshops and parties at different venues across Long Island, in the city, Westchester and New Jersey. These themed events include her children's and adult cooking parties, where guests can choose themes such as a pizza-making or tea party, as well as library, senior citizen and after-school programs.
But Gottlieb Herman hasn't always been in the party-planning business; her background is in television. She formerly worked as a NBC News Production Coordinator, Unit Manager, and Segment Producer for The Sunday Today Show and Weekend Today Show. Her job included producing Al Roker on exotic dishes, keeping viewers up to date on the latest kitchen gadgets and coordinating production elements.
"I loved getting all the kitchen gadgets and new foods that were on the horizon. I loved my job," she said.
But, a company shift led to her job being eliminated in 1993 and while that would have devastated most people, the timing was perfect. She had been working 80 hours a week, but now, with her new job as a market researcher, was able to spend more time with her father, whose kidneys were beginning to fail.
A few years after her father passed away in 2002, she formed LilChefs.com Special Events and since then, the company has blossomed.What began as a party planning company for kid's birthday parties has expanded and soon Chef Paula, with her trademark pink chef hat and apron, might have her own TV show. She is currently working on putting together a "sizzle reel" to pass around to TV studios where celebrities and others would teach Herman how to create a recipe handed down by a loved one who has passed away.
"I didn't know this was all going to be happening," Gottlieb Herman said on the company's growth and the new opportunities that have sprung up in the past 10 years. "A lot of it we just learn and grow and develop. I was just doing this to honor my dad and as we got more excited, people started working with us and more opportunities happened."
Find out more about LilChefs.com Special Events at www.lilchefs.com


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In my high school history class, my teacher described Henry Clay as the most important American politician who never became president. In Henry Clay: America's Greatest Statesman, Harlow Giles Unger's new biography of Clay reminds us why. Clay was a central political figure in both the House of Representatives and the Senate during the first half of the 19th Even a cursory overview of U.S. history will mention his great compromises.
Unger does a decent job providing a short and accessible overview of Clay's life. I particularly enjoyed the sections about Clay's personal life. You don't typically hear about the drinking and womanizing in high school textbooks. I was also saddened to learn Clay lost so many of his children so young.
Unfortunately, although I know what Henry Clay did, I still feel like I don't really know what motivated the man. Yes, Clay wanted to save the Union, but why? What made that such a driving goal for Clay (and not for many of his contemporaries)? How did Clay develop his legendary skill for finding compromises? There's always a risk of historians engaging in pseudo-psychology when trying to understand their subjects, but Unger went too far in the other direction. Perhaps the historical records simply wouldn't allow such an examination, but at the least I would have appreciated some more analysis.
I can't say I've read many biographies of Henry Clay, but David and Jeanne Heidler's 2011 biography seems to me a more thorough examination of the man and his political legacy. Unger's book might be better suited to readers who want more than a Wikipedia article but less than a 600 page tome.
[I received a free advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.]


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A new UBC study of Metro Vancouver residents has provided more evidence that pedestrian-friendly communities are much healthier than car-dependent ones.
The study led by Larry Frank, a UBC professor who is considered a world leader in this field, has refuted the notion that people in places like Kitsilano and the West End are fitter than those in the suburbs because they naturally gravitate toward these areas while people in suburbs tend to be more sedentary because they are naturally drawn to cars to get around.
People who love being in the car walk more when they live in communities that promote walking and people who love to walk drive more when they move to places like the suburbs, said Dr. John Carsley, medical health officer for Vancouver Coastal Health.
"It's not just an element of people who are more active or less active choosing an environment that reinforces their preferences," Carsley said. "It reinforces the importance that your local environment has on your health."
The study found people who live in pedestrian-friendly neighbourhoods walk five times a week for transportation compared with one or two times per week for those in auto-oriented neighbourhoods.
"This is an impressive finding for everyone who wants residents to reduce their risk of chronic diseases by being more physically active," Carsley said.
He also noted that people in pedestrian-oriented and car-oriented communities didn't differ in the amount of recreational exercise. "The big difference was in the utilitarian walking." In other words, it was the walks to stores, the doctor's office, the drycleaners, the community centre, to visit a friend and to transit stops that added up to big health benefits.
He pointed out that if you want to increase utilitarian activity, you have to have useful places to get to.
And the study came up with the finding that people who prefer to walk and who live in pedestrian-oriented communities reported significantly lower incidence of high blood pressure (10 per cent) than those who prefer to walk but do not live in areas that make it easy to travel on foot (21 per cent).
The survey, which polled 1,223 Metro Vancouver adults 25 years and older in 2011, found that nearly two-thirds of City of Vancouver residents and 40 per cent of residents living in other areas of Metro Vancouver reported a strong desire to live in neighbourhoods that encourage foot traffic.
"We now have a study that shows us that people with similar preferences have different health outcomes," said Frank, professor and director of the health and community design lab based at UBC's school of population and public health.
By choosing from a variety of images that forced them to make tradeoffs, he said people chose a more walking-friendly urban environment even if it meant more noise and living close to strangers.
They also demonstrated a willingness to live on smaller lots if it meant travel distances of less than five kilometres. They preferred living within walking distance of a wide range of smaller food stores than living where there are few in walking distance but several very large supermarkets accessible by car.
He said in an interview it is clear to him that there is a significant undersupply of affordable housing in areas that encourage walking.
"That's why walkable neighbourhoods are so expensive here. There are not enough."
He added that even today, housing is being built in areas that do not encourage walking. "The proportion of supply that is coming on line is still out of balance relative to the demand."
He added, "There's a latent demand." People want to walk more and be healthier; they just aren't living in communities that encourage it.
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Logic is about to hit the road for a thirty-three stop tour.
Logic's winning streak is Herculean. One look at the Bobby Tarantino rapper shows a man at ease with himself. Happily married. Fresh off a thirty million dollar record deal. Co-signed by myriad power players. Sure, he might be on the cusp of his first real hip-hop beef, but that's not about to phase him. In fact, Bobby seems to be hellbent on continuing to build his empire. That's what it is now; while rappers have been known to exaggerate, Logic claims to be taking in two hundred thousand dollars a show. You don't need Reddit's r/theydidthemath to figure this one out.
Now, the rapper better be blowing the dust off his Settlers Of Catan boards and the numerous expansions. He's about to be hitting the road for a minute. Today, Logic announced the Bobby Tarantino VS. Everybody tour, which will showcase his two latest drops. The massive arena tour is set to hit thirty three stops, kicking off on in Boston on June 8th and winding down in St. Louis on August 3rd. For the duration, he will be joined by NF and KYLE.
Tickets are set to go on sale this Friday, March 16th via Live Nation. Peep the full list of dates below.
6/8 Boston, MA, Xfinity Center
6/9 Bangor, ME, Darling's Waterfront Pavilion
6/10 Hartford, CT, XFINITY Theatre
6/13 Philadelphia, PA, BB&T Pavilion
6/16 New York, NY, Madison Square Garden
6/17 Holmdel, NJ, PNC Bank Arts Center
6/19 Charlotte, NC, PNC Music Pavilion
6/20 Atlanta, GA, Cellairis Amphitheatre at Lakewood
6/22 Tampa, FL, MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
6/23 Jacksonville, FL, Daily's Place
6/26 Nashville, TN, Ascend Amphitheater
6/28 Cincinnati, OH, Riverbend Music Center
6/30 Detroit, MI, DTE Energy Music Theatre
7/1 Indianapolis, IN, Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center
7/3 Darien Center, NY, Darien Lake Amphitheater
7/5 Toronto, ON, Budweiser Stage
7/6 Cleveland, OH, Blossom Music Center
7/11 Boise, ID, Ford Idaho Center
7/13 Seattle, WA, White River Amphitheatre
7/14 Portland, OR, Moda Center
7/15 Vancouver, BC, PNE Amphitheatre
7/17 Salt Lake City, UT, USANA Amphitheatre
7/19 Mountain View, CA, Shoreline Amphitheatre
7/20 Los Angeles, CA, The Forum
7/21 Las Vegas, CA, Park Theater at Park MGM
7/22 Irvine, CA, FivePoint Amphitheatre
7/24 San Diego, CA, Mattress Firm Amphitheatre
7/25 Phoenix, AZ, Ak-Chin Pavilion
7/27 Austin, TX, Austin360 Amphitheater
7/28 Houston, TX, The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion presented by Huntsman
7/29 Dallas, TX, Starplex Pavilion
8/1 Oklahoma City, OK, Zoo Amphitheatre
8/3 St. Louis, MO, Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre


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Science Information & Discoveries On The App Store
The first world warming myth many individuals hold is that the science of world warming is simply too unsure to behave on. Nothing could possibly be farther from the reality, as scientists are in settlement over the essential facts of global warming, including the truth that world warming is going on and that human actions, like burning fossil fuels and reducing down forests, intensify international warming's effects on our planet. She then proceeds to take a look at the faculties web neighborhood where there are some announcements and the place her students have been busy in a single day finishing their online actions. Students attending public schools score higher in calculus, pc science, and physics. Schooling Week gives the New York colleges a grade of "A" (97 out of 100) for the high requirements and accountability of the general public schools.
Through the ninth and tenth centuries, an incredible translation movement, centered in Baghdad, was in power, wherein many historic scientific and philosophical tracts were transposed from historic languages, especially Greek, into Arabic. Based in 2003, Science Information for Students is an award-winning online publication dedicated to offering age-acceptable, topical science news to learners, dad and mom and educators.
More NY faculties college students are getting excessive scores on the SAT exam. It is a science within the sense that it needs full data of the construction, grammar, semantics, and syntax and basically the make-up of the 2 languages concerned. USA has pioneered in all fields of technology and science; accomplishments of Britain and US expertise are in English, so it is very important to know English to utilize such technology and science.
The Chilly Warfare advanced missile know-how and nuclear weapons capable of annihilating all human life on our planet and rocking the very earth on its axis. Consequently, the data of the English language is one of the most important tools in achieving scientific and technological information; furthermore it is a software of communication between nations, different cultural groups, varied companies and organizations, communities and associates.
Science could be an expensive activity, and scientists are generally accused of wasting cash on trivial pursuits. At the same time in a gaggle of individuals talking about the information you won't wish to be the one one who is not aware of what is going on on as this could make you are feeling very isolated and out of contact. Since most individuals have been conditioned into believing that they can't decide medical research except they have a Ph.D., M.D., N.D., or other license, the analysis is evaluated for you by other scientists within the area.


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When we last left our temping actress, she was faced with a conundrum - how to find a literary agent? So, what did she do? Read on dear friends, read on.
As I've already pointed out, I did a fair bit of writing at my various temping jobs. However, when I was faced with writer's block, I would google questions about the publishing world. I stumbled onto the Bloomsbury website where they offer a lot of free information on the industry. This is the link: http://www.bloomsbury.com/WritersArea/Get_Published.asp. By checking out this link I learned about the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook - a large fat book that tells you everything you need to know about the publishing industry (in the UK), as well as providing lists of addresses of publishers and . . .agents!!!
So after much research I learned I needed to provide my prospective agent the following things:
- a query letter
- a synopsis
- the first three chapters
The Dreaded Query Letter
I was a lucky girl. I had no idea how difficult such a letter was supposed to be. I read the example provided in the yearbook, found an example online of a published writer's query, and took what I considered to be the best bits from both and combined them into what seemed to me to be a professional sounding, witty and intriguing letter. I was very familiar with the art of the cover letter, having sent out many many of them as an actor. So I knew to be professional and to the point. It wasn't easy, but it wasn't a terrible struggle. It was only after I had had success with it that I noticed on writing forums and agent blogs just how huge and important the query letter was - how so many writers worked themselves to the bone to get the perfect letter, and how there were even courses on writing the perfect one. Had I known any of that I would have second guessed myself throughout the process of creating the thing. You see the problem is, no two queries are the same. You can have your query letter edited to death, and be told to do such and such by one person only to be told that such and such is the absolutely wrong thing to do. So, ignorance was bliss. The most blissful of bliss.
This again I think I may have done wrong. Fortunately the one thing I did right was not end with a cliffhanger. I knew that the agent wanted to know the story and it wasn't my place to be cute. However the tone of the synopsis was quite dry, and the middle section was actually bulletpointed! From what I have since learned the key is to write the synopsis in the tone of the book, like a mini-story. That to me makes a heck of a lot of sense.
The First Three Chapters
I just made sure my first three chapters were amazing. It occurred to me early on that I had a big problem however. My middle grade adventure book opened with a chapter where there was absolutely no dialogue (this has since changed in subsequent editings). And this is where I did wrong thing number 372. I wrote a prologue. If there is one thing I have noticed in the blogs of the various agents and editors out there is how much they don't like prologues. Well again, I didn't know that at the time. I wrote a short prologue which was virtually entirely (what I considered to be) amusing dialogue, and that was relatively short. To be honest, I love this prologue, it adds a heck of a lot to the story and gets things started off on the right tone. Still, is there anything this temping actress did right?
Well . . . I did follow the instructions of each specific agent. I also phoned all the agencies to get the name of the person to whom I should submit. I made sure I didn't submit to any agent who didn't take children's lit. And I didn't use any fancy fonts (Times New Roman 12 all the way), or scented paper, or anything else that is ridiculous. On the other hand. . . .
I hadn't finished the novel.
Okay, in my self-defense all the agent sites and blurbs said that it takes 4 - 6 weeks to get back to you. And I knew I would be able to write my ending in that amount of time. Besides I work better in a panic with a deadline looming in the not so distant future.
So on a cold Monday morning in January I took half a dozen manila envelopes filled with queries and synopses and first three chapterees, and sent them off on their merry way, wooshing through fair London town with the help of those noble knights from the Royal Mail.
And I went about my business.
La di da di da di da, la di da, la di da.
The next day (Tuesday - the same day I had an audition for Robert Altman which was awesome, and even though I didn't get it, I actually thought I did pretty darn well):
Ring, ring. Ring, ring.
And then followed a stream of words I didn't quite understand until the title of my book was mentioned. And then everything clicked. It turned out that a marvelous young woman by the name of Julia Churchill from the marvelous agency Darley Anderson wanted me to send her the whole MS. Could I do such a thing?
"Of course, yes! Thank you . . . yes . .. yes. . .all right. Goodbye!"
I hung up the phone. And then started running in tiny little circles waving my hands around. WhatdoIdowhatdoIdo???????????
I tell you what I do. Mom and dad (wonderful English teachers and the king and queen of grammar) get the novel, up to the point I had written it at the time, to edit. Woosh, there it goes over the inter network. Meanwhile I sit in front of the computer and finish the thing. In three very long days.
I sat at my kitchen table and wrote all day, and late into the night. Pausing occasionally to watch the favourite TV shows and to eat. And I finished it. Meanwhile I received the edits from the folks, and after a long chat on the telephone, made the various corrections. Then on the Friday I printed it up at one of those print shop places.
It sat quietly on my mantle for two days and three nights.
Monday morning I walked it over to the agency (it was in my neighbourhood you see, and it saved me money and the worry of whether or not it had made it).
Then all there was left to do was wait. And wait.
And wait.
Next Time: The Conclusion of The Agent Acquisition.


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Photo: James Frost
The best places in the world for your wedding photos
The setting may make the difference between a conventional wedding and an extraordinary one. Most likely both will be unforgettable, but the second will definitely have better photos.
The traditional altar photo is a far cry from striking a pose at the foot of the Seljalandsfoss waterfall, Iceland, or under a cloak of stars in Yosemite National Park, California. These are some of the places people have chosen to say "I do", while also taking the art of wedding photography to the next level, in photos gathered through a contest run by specialist website Junebug Weddings. Fifty snapshots on a round-the-world smooch. In these pics, newly-wed couples look into each other's eyes as if there were nothing else on the planet. This is difficult to comprehend when you consider the beautiful landscapes surrounding them: from mountains and deserted roads, to urban scenes, frozen at a special moment. The classics are there too, including the Eiffel Tower and Central Station, New York. These are just a few of the thousands of photographs submitted to this competition.
Seljalandsfoss waterfall, measuring 60m high, is one of few waterfalls that can be viewed from inside.
Photo: Virginia & Evan Studios
Love in paradise
Weddings in paradise are not just for celebrities. Alain Brin, a specialist in tropical destinations, proves this through a photograph of a couple surrounded by shoals of fish, on Turtle Bay Beach, Virgin Islands. Other images in exotic locations include Seychelles, Fiji and Varanasi, India.
Iceland is one of the favourite places for those seeking luxuriant nature and wild romanticism for the happiest day of their lives. Elizabeth and Brian, who wanted to find a "beautiful, adventurous and unique" place, opted for the land of fire and ice. "We also hoped to get a glimpse of the Northern Lights." And they were in luck, with the aurora borealis shining on their wedding night. Mait, of M&J Studios, was behind the camera, ready to immortalise the moment. They were also two very special days for him and his assistant. The photo shoot took place at several locations, including the most extreme place any of them had ever visited.
On the way to Jökulsárlón glacial lake, they decided to visit an ice cave. "The cave forms every autumn and is unique every year, as it completely melts down in the spring. It being there in March was a small miracle." The miracle did not go unnoticed by the judging panel, which included one of the photos of this cave in its selection of the best wedding destinations for 2016.
Elizabeth and Brian scoured part of southern Iceland to complete their photo album.
Photo: Mait Jüriado
The same solitary enclaves, but on the other side of the world, in New Zealand and Australia are other favourites among lovers of the great outdoors. They include people like Maria and Pat, photographed by James Frost as they defied waves at Bombo Headland Quarry, New South Wales. The huge basalt columns, reminiscent of Giant's Causeway, in Northern Ireland, were bathed by the Tasman sea on this occasion.
The red of Wild Horse Canyon, Utah, inspired photographer Ethan Watts.
Photo: Ethan Watts/ Light&Co
To get there, you have to come off the Kiama Coast Walk, which runs past other places worthy of this special wedding album, such as Cathedral Rock National Park and Kiama Blowhole. Eleven hours, and more than 1,000km from here, Angie and Doug got married. Toowoomba, Queensland, offers a flat, rural landscape. The mother of the bride accompanied the photographer, Van Middleton in his Jeep and helped him choose locations "that Angie and her family felt were special". This detail is conveyed through the winning image by this photographer, with the spouses embracing under an enormous tree. Perhaps it was under this very tree where they had their first kiss or carved their initials.


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"If you do not learn from the past you are doomed to repeat it" ~ Unknown
That should be plastered on every wall inside the Tennessee Titans locker room for the rest of the season.
Or better yet…
"New goal…make rematch with the Jaguars irrelevant" ~ P.L. Colter
Now that the Titans have avoided a potentially crippling 0-2 start they can take a deep breath….and resume their quest for a division title.
Their first in nearly a decade.
And while Tennessee may have exorcised the ghost of Christmas Eve with their 37-16 beat down of the Jaguars last Sunday, they should keep the memory fresh in their minds…
Because the Titans shouldn't want their division title hopes hinging on the outcome of a rematch with the Jags in this year's regular season finale.
The loss in Jacksonville last Christmas Eve was the final nail in the coffin, but there were several missed opportunities that caused Tennessee to lose the division by one game last season.
Blowing a 10 point second half lead to Minnesota in the season opener with two turnovers that were returned for touchdowns.
Allowing a punt return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of a tied game in Houston.
Falling into early and insurmountable deficits against the Colts, Chargers, and Raiders, only to stage a furious comeback in each game and fall short by a hair.
If the Titans close out just one of those games then there is no Christmas Eve to forget. There would have been a holiday celebration to remember in Nashville as the city awaited Wild Card Weekend in a couple of weeks.
And let's not forget the elephant in the room…the fact that the teams have split their season series in each of the last eight years.
Last season the Titans destroyed the Jaguars in their first meeting, similar to what we witnessed Sunday.
No one would have predicted that the team we saw lay an egg on Thursday Night Football would look like the 92 Cowboys a few weeks later.
Knowing this, the Titans should…and I predict will…proceed through this season with more of a sense of urgency…to not take any opponent or opportunity for granted.
That mindset is especially critical when looking at Tennessee's last six opponents…the Colts, Texans, Cardinals, 49ers, Rams, and Jaguars.
There is plenty of season left to play but five of these teams appear to be going nowhere fast.
And the other is Jacksonville.
There's no need to test fate again. The Titans should still look at the Jaguars as one game ahead of them all season, and play with that kind of desperation all year long.
Just like they did Sunday.
follow @plcolter


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Mid-life is a reinvention phase for this Filipino expat living in California's Central Valley. After writing features for newspapers and speeches for CEOs for 19 years, I can finally write to please myself and a readership that gets wry humor and quirky reflection. It isn't meant to pay the bills but to feed the soul in a way that no desk job ever did for me.
What's in it for you? This blog sniffs out whimsy like pigs unearth truffles. I'll take you along as we look through the lens of someone who grew up in a conservative Catholic culture and is sometimes dismayed, sometimes delighted by the contrast with a more relaxed but less disciplined north American lifestyle. Some posts will be flippant and some will be as somber as Ben Stein on Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
I majored in Literature and assumed I'd be in a monogamous relationship with words for life. When I was summarily dismissed from a lucrative writing/editing job in 2009, I found my life repurposed on etsy's hands-on global community. Now I spend most days designing and handsewing fluidwear for the rogue romantic. Every garment or trinket I create from discarded clothes and thrift store oddities echoes how I reinvented my life. I hawk my wares on Swoosh by Scrollwork.
You'll find my offbeat thought leakage daily on Swoosh by Scrollwork on Facebook. Come on in, the wit is fine! I don't talk much in real life. When I keep my mouth shut, my eyes and ears function better. You'll see some of what I notice and capture on camera on Flickr. Away from the laptop and sewing studio, I'm either on the dance floor instructing on ballroom and Latin dance or on the yoga mat reconnecting with God. If you're not easily scandalized you can watch me performing.
If you're new here, these posts most reveal what's on my heart at this experimental stage in life. I hope you will be encouraged as you read.
A Glimpse of What's Possible
You are a Masterpiece Unfolding
You Have to Start Somewhere
These are the things that interest me:
Acculturation, ballroom dance, costume creation, eco-friendly handmade clothing, creative writing, flower gardening, macro photography, humorous memoirs, motivational blogging, and yoga. I'm keeping this list open.
Alexa Audience Snapshot
Based on internet averages, scrollwork.blogspot.com is visited more frequently by females who are in the age range 35-44, have children, are graduate school educated and browse this site from home.
Thanks for coming over. I hope you'll stay awhile and chat.