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SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama: SrI vAdhikEsarI saumyajAmAthru munayE nama:
Sri Perumal Koyil Vadikesari Azhagiya Manavala Jeeyar Mutt is an important institution in our sampradayam, which was established by Periya Jeeyar Koyil Selva Manavala Mamunigal Himself, and succeeded by His prashishya 'Vadikesari Azhagiya Manavala Jeeyar' (shishya of Paravastu Pattarpiran Jeeyar – who was, in turn, one of the ashta diggajas of Mamunigal). It is located in Chinna Kanchipuram, right behind Perumal Koyil – opposite to the Eastern Rajagopuram (the regular entrance to Varadarajar Koyil is on the western side).
The mutt has had a jubilant history with many learned scholars donning the Acharya Peetam, including the mAthAmahar (maternal grandfather) of Kanchi Mahavidwan Sri U.Ve.PB Annangaracharya swami (popularly called 'shashti jeeyar swami'). Historians have shown with ample proof that the jeeyar swamis in the lineage of this mutt have carried out many great kainkaryams in the divyadesams in and around Kanchipuram, including Tooppul, Tirupputkuzhi, etc. The jeeyar swamis of this mutt have also been the 'Koyil kelvi's (chief administrators of the temple) at Perumal Koyil for a long period. The mutt also boasts of many shishyas from places far and wide.
It is said that when Manavala Mamunigal visited Kanchipuram for the second time in 1420 A.D. after taking to Sanyasam – in order to discourse on Sri Bhashyam, He needed a mutt to stay. That is when this glorious mutt was built. Later, Manavala Mamunigal appointed one of His prashishyas (disciple of His disciple) as the caretaker of the mutt, who was later to become the "kelviyappan" of Perumal Koyil. That happened to be Azhagiya Manavala Jeeyar, who was the disciple of Paravastu Pattarpiran Jeeyar. The Acharya in this peetam was later awarded with the title 'Vadikesari' (probably due to His debating skills), which has been traditionally affixed to the names of the Jeeyar swamis down the generations. Thus, the glorious Acharya lineage in the mutt began with the auspices of none other than Manavala Mamunigal Himself!
Many people think that Sri Vadikesari Azhagiya Manavala Jeeyar – the first Peethadhipati of the mutt – was same as the shishya of Periyavacchan Pillai (who was also named Vadikesari Azhagiya Manavala Jeeyar). However, the records of mutt show that the mUlapurushar here was different, and lived in the 15th century, contemporary to Manavala Mamunigal Himself (as against the author of 12000 padi, who lived in the 13th century), as said above.
The Kainkaryam of all the Acharyas in the mutt's lineage to Perarulalan have thence continued till date, beginning right from the 1st Jeeyar swami who built the third prakaram wall in Kanchi temple about 500 years ago up to the 19th pattam Jeeyar swami who renovated the Eastern rajagopuram as recently as about 5-10 years back.
The Acharyas in the lineage of Azhagiya Manavala Jeeyar Mutt have done tremendous kainkaryams to Devaperumal and Perundevi Tayar of Kanchipuram. Historians have also shown that some jeeyar swamis in this lineage have also contributed liberally for the development of other divyadesams in and around Kanchipuram as well (famously counted as 18 in number).
The wall on the third prakaram of Perumal Koyil was built by Azhagiya Manavala Jeeyar. In addition to it, many more structures within the temple such as 100 pillared mantapam, the mantapam in front of Thayar sannidhi (called 'mahanavami mantapam'), the extension on the western side of Abhisheka mantapam, etc. are also said to have been built by this jeeyar swami. To commemorate such divine kainkaryams, a statue of this jeeyar swami has been carved on pillars in the temple in various places such as in Mahanavami mantapam, Tayar sannidhi (oonjal mantapam), 100 pillared mantapam, etc.
Historic records show that the jeeyar swamis in this lineage have donated many lands/villages for the income of the temple in order to conduct the various utsavams regularly, as early as in the 14th to 16th centuries. One such village that was donated to the temple was in the name of the Jeeyar Himself, called 'Azhagiya Manavala Jeeyar Puram' in those days. Nowadays it seems to be called 'Pogaipakkam' (near Arakkonam).
Temple inscriptions in Kanchi also show that the shishyas of Azhagiya Manavala Jeeyar have built certain mantapams and prakaras in Deepaprakasar sannidhi and Marakatavalli Tayar sannidhi at Tooppul at the behest of the Jeeyar swami.
The jeeyar swami who held the peetam during the 16th century is also said to have donated a certain ornament to Devapperumal, called 'neela vandu padakkam'. Also, a person by name 'Venaktadhvari' seems to have donated diamond studded crowns called 'venkatadri (venkatadhvari) kondai' to Namperumal of Srirangam and Devaperumal of Kanchipuram. This Venkatadhvari is said to be the shishya of Azhagiya Manavala Jeeyar. Even to this day, one can see the room where he lived within Devaperumal temple to conduct his kainkaryams (right next to Senai mudaliyar sannidhi). It was somewhere around that time (around the late 15th or early 16th century) that the Azhagiya Manavala Jeeyar swamis in the lineage are said to have been appointed as 'Koyil kelvi's for Perumal Koyil.
A certain stone inscription from the 16th century seems to indicate that the chariot of Varadaraja Perumal was donated to the temple by the famous ruler Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagara Empire. There, he is said to have consulted Azhagiya Manavala Jeeyar for His opinions and suggestions on the route that should be taken by the chariot. The shishyas of the mutt seem to have served in various capacities in the courts of Vijayanagar and Mysore kingdoms. The jeeyar swamis themselves are also said to have guided the rulers as their 'rajaguru's for some time.
In earlier days, Devaperumal seemed to travel all the way to Mahabalipuram for the Parvettai utsavam. Since that was quite far from the temple, and also due to the fear of dacoits at later dates, Azhagiya Manavala Jeeyar – who was the Koyil kelviyappan – decided to change the destination. He then identified a village close to Kanchi, which was only about 15km away from the temple, on the banks of Palar River (near thiru-mukkoodal). Inscriptions show that this place was hence called 'Jeeyar puram', which later came to be called 'cheevaram'. Today, it seems to be called 'pazhaiya seevaram'. Jeeyar swami is said to have built a mantapam atop a hillock in this village. Even to this day, Devaperumal goes to this mantapam for Parvettai and returns. This happens in January every year (kanu parvettai utsavam).
The jeeyar swamis in the lineage of this mutt are said to have been highly learned scholars in both Sanskrit and Tamil Vedantas. One jeeyar swami in this lineage is said to have compared the similarities in the tenets expounded in Sri Bhashya of Swami (Emperumanar) and the first two tiruvaimozhis of Nammazhwar (Uyarvara and Veedumin dashakams), and composed a grantham named "Sribhashya-dramidaugha-aadya-dashakadvaya-aikakanthyam". Even the grandfather (mAthAmahar) of Kanchi Mahavidwan Sri U Ve Prativadi Bhayankaram Annangarachariar Swami is said to have donned the Acharya peetam in this lineage. He was popularly called 'Shashti Jeeyar Swami'. Sri PBA swami is said to have mastered all commentaries of purvacharyas from shashti jeeyar swami in his early years.
Some of the well-known jeeyar swamis in this lineage (as noted in a book called 'Sri Kanchi Azhagiya Manavala Jeeyar Madattin Varalaaru') are: Echambadi Ramanuja Jeeyar swami – who is said to have given 18 temples in and around Kanchi a facelift, Tirunarayanapuram Anantanpillai Akkarakkani Ramanuja Jeeyar Swami, Chinna Vinjimoor Swami – known for His expertise in Sri Vachana Bhushanam, Periya Vinjimoor Swami – who is said to have envisioned Ubhaya Vedantam in His dream, and Shashti Jeeyar Swami – a scholar par excellence and the grandfather of Sri PBA swami – among others.
This mutt is said to have had branches in some of the major Divyadesams such as Srirangam, Azhwar Tirunagari, Tirumalai, Tiruvallikkeni, and Tirunarayanapuram among others. But most of them have gone unidentifiable, except for Tiruvallikkeni (near Telliya singar sannidhi) and Tirunarayanapuram (on the banks of Kalyani teertham).
Apart from these, there is also a branch at Bangalore near Seegehalli on Magadi main road.


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Who Am I?
My name is Zach Chmael and I am a 23 year old photographer, filmmaker and entrepreneur. The first time I ever picked up a camera was 16 years old, traipsing across the Italian countryside. My father was an avid photography hobbyist so, being constantly around cameras, it was only natural for me to start to explore at a young age. I was hooked from that moment on.
How Did I Get Started?
My first interest lies in photographing action sports, and the travel and lifestyle elements of those endeavors followed in suit. I'm fascinated with capturing subtle moments within broader experiences. I think that there's a simple magic in portraying the current emotions of subject or encompassing the sheer magnitude of a landscape within a single frame. We're emotional creatures, and are most attracted to content that provides us with an experience beyond simply visual stimulation. That's what I set out continuously to trigger with my work. This desire culminated in the launching of my own studio and creative house SideCar Cinema, where we work with brands to develop promotional still and motion advertising content as well as provide creative consulting. It's been a ride.
[ms_vimeo link="https://vimeo.com/149604271" width="100%" height="100%" mute="no" autoplay="yes" loop="no" controls="yes" class="" id=""][/ms_vimeo]
Where and Why Do I Travel?
To me, traveling is an integral part of the human experience. I've often found myself restless staying in one place for an extended period of time. The past year I've spent days in various places from up and down the east coast to the western mountains and pacific. My work has brought me in contact with some great brands, and I am continuing to develop relationships within the industry. It only gets more exciting from this point forwards.
I'm currently residing in Washington DC, exploring all that this great city has to offer. As for the future, NYC has always held a special place in my heart. And there's something that tells me it'll be an integral part of my next great adventure.
Keep in touch with me and my adventures:
Follow me on Instagram:
Discover my work here:

subset: commoncrawl


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Save Halak.
Those two words will haunt the Washington Capitals until Wednesday night at the Verizon Center. And if the Caps don't find ways to solve Montreal netminder Jaroslav Halak, he could haunt them the whole offseason.
Halak turned in the best goaltending performance of the 2010 playoffs Monday night in Game 6 at the Bell Center, stopping 53 shots en route to a 4-1 win to send the series to a do-or-die Game 7.
"Sometimes the goalies get in the zone where nothing is going to beat him," Caps coach Bruce Boudreau said. "He's in that zone."
Halak stymied the potent Capitals offense all night, frustrating Washington's stars and making them look to the heavens for answers.
Unfortunately for the Caps, there were no answers for the stalwart Montreal goalie on this night, as he turned away shot after shot after shot.
"How much is him and how much is us missing? I think it's more him than us," Boudreau said.
Coming into the series, we said the Caps should make quick work of the Habs. But we also cautioned that the only way Montreal could win was if Halak summoned the spirit of great goalies from the past. How about Roy and Dryden? Halak did his best impersonation of both Hall of Fame goalies on this night.
No matter what Alex Ovechkin and Alex Semin fired at him, Halak was ready. He made great glove saves. He kicked out pucks calmly to the corners. And when the Caps decided they had enough and crashed the net, Halak stood his ground, finding ways to get his body in front of each and every scoring chance.
The Capitals finally found a way to get a puck past Halak late in the third, as Eric Fehr tipped home a Mike Green shot from the left point to make it 3-1 with five minutes to play.
But it was too little too late. Tomas Plekanec added an empty-net goal to set all of Canada into a frenzy knowing that the storied Canadiens franchise had come all the way back from a 3-1 series deficit to force a seventh game.
And all of Canada can thank Halak, who made several key saves early in the game, which not only made a statement that he was ready to take on all challengers, but gave his teammates confidence that they could take some chances and he'd be there to back them up.
And that's exactly what happened. Halak kept his team in the game long enough for Michael Cammalleri to score twice in the first period. The goals were huge. They allowed Montreal to then focus on defense and collapse around their netminder in a protective formation in order to blanket Washington's top scorers.
The Caps outshot Montreal in the first period, 18-10. The ice was tilted even more in the second period, as Washington outshot the Habs 14-3.
The third was much of the same. Washington fired 22 shots on Halak, but could only muster the one goal. And Montreal did its part to help, taking several penalties, including two for diving. But Washington's power play, which was the best in the NHL during the regular season, failed to convert. The Caps were 0 for 6 with the man advantage on the night, and have scored just one power-play goal in the series.
"It's frustrating when you're getting chances and not scoring," Boudreau said. "It's a frustrating situation."
You can be sure Boudreau will try to address that before Game 7. He's probably also going to figure out how to get Semin on the board. He's still without a goal in the series, despite throwing seven more shots on goal in Game 6. Will more time on Ovechkin's line be in his future?
Something's gotta change, because Halak doesn't appear to be slowing down as the series wears on.


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How do I know which service I need/How much do these services cost?
I offer a variety of services to work with me one-on-one in person or virtually. If you want to work with me one-on-one, you can reach about how that works here. If you want to discuss your style and which service is best for you, I offer complimentary 30-minute phone calls to discuss your style goals, the styling process and together we decide if it will be a good fit. Contact me here.
Do I need to organize my closet before working with you?
No, you don't. It is my job to help you create outfits from what you own. You don't need to purge, clean or organize ahead of time. There is no judgment here. 🙂
Should I shop before working with you?
It's not necessary. I recommend holding off on shopping until after we work together to Design Your Signature Style. This is because you will have a whole new way of shopping and know what to look for that aligns with your style. If you have recently purchased items, keep the tags on and save the receipts until after we work together- either Design Your Signature Style or in person for personal styling.
Do you work with men?
Yes, I work with men and women. Check out my Just for Men page.
Do you work with recent graduates or young adults entering the workforce?
Yes, I work with teens, recent or soon to be grads and young professionals.
How do I pay you? Do you take credit cards?
Terms of payment are outlined in a service agreement. I accept cash, check or credit card.
Design Your Signature Style
What is Design Your Signature Style?
This is the first step in the styling process designed to clarify your style preferences, understand why you wear the things you do and explain why you avoid certain things. We use color, textures, body frame, lifestyle, preferences to develop your signature style. This leads into personal styling and personal shopping. Contact me to get started.
How does the Design Your Signature Style process work?
This service is done virtually via webmeeting. You need a computer, laptop or tablet with a webcam. You will not be showing me your closet. You don't need to have your closet organized or cleaned out. There is a prep form that you are asked to complete as part of the scheduling process for Design Your Signature Style. That prep form asks for photos of you, typical outfits you wear and a photo of your closet. It helps to have them ready to upload from your computer before starting the scheduling process.
What do I get from Design Your Signature Style?
You will have a recording of our session. You get a lookbook which includes a style summary, your photos with my style guidance, color theory, resources including blogs and videos to support your style plus I prepare a moodboard as further style inspiration for you.
Personal styling
What is Personal Styling?
Personal styling is bringing what is on the inside of you to the outside. It differs from celebrity or photoshoot styling in that it focuses on styling you based on your lifestyle, preferences and is for your day to day activities. I offer personal styling in my clients' homes or virtually. Virtual (or digital) styling is when I work with my clients via the internet using Skype™ or webmeeting.
How does personal styling work?
When we work together in person (not virtually), the session will last approximately 2 to 3 hours depending on how many clothes you have and what looks I am putting together for you. This time spent in your closet is to "restyle" what you own to create new looks and outfits (shopping your closet). I will be documenting outfits as you try them on for your lookbook. After the session, I will prepare the lookbook and shopping list.
How does virtual styling work?
Virtual styling is done via webmeeting and starts with Design Your Signature Style. You get all the benefits of working with me in person. This includes an outfit review session, a shopping session using online consignment stores, and a fitting.
Personal Shopping
What is personal shopping?
Personal shopping is when I go to a local consignment store and pull the clothes ahead of time. What I do differently is that I shop for you not with you. After I pull the clothes, my clients meet me for an appointment to try on the clothes. This dramatically reduces the time my clients would spend shopping on their own, the pulls are targeted for my client's style and most of the items fit.
How does personal shopping work?
I shop either at consignment stores OR online from online consignment stores or sustainable brands. If you are in the Phoenix metro area, I select the consignment store(s) to shop at and select the clothing ahead of time for you to try on. You purchase what you want the rest goes back on the rack. If you have chosen online, personal shopping, I create a list with the items, sizes, colors and you purchase them. Depending on the service you select, I come to your home while you try them on (and photograph you) or we will do the fittings via webmeeting.
Do I need to book styling and shopping together?
No, you don't. You can work with me initially for restyling and then complete shopping at a later date. However, unless we have determined together that there is nothing in your closet to restyle, personal styling must be completed before personal shopping.
Do you shop for shoes and accessories?
I will target those items if you have gaps in those areas.
How do you choose the stores?
The stores will be selected based on the service offering you choose. If you elect the option to shop at local, secondhand stores, I will select the store based on a combination of your size, style, and budget. If you have elected for online shopping, I will give you a detailed shopping list of items, sizes, colors and stores to order from. We will then have a follow up session via webmeeting or in person for you to try on the items and get style guidance.
What about virtual shopping?
I will provide you a general shopping list from an online consignment store to fill in the gaps in your closet. An additional service includes a detailed shopping list of items, sizes, colors and stores to order from. We will then have a follow up session via web meeting for you to try on the items for the fittings.
What do these styling terms mean?
What is a closet review/audit? What is restyling?
When you work with me, a closet review (or audit) means that I review what is in your closet to put together outfits. Restyling means I will work with what is available in your closet to create outfits to achieve your target style. Inevitably, some items will not make the cut and you can take them out of your wardrobe rotation or donate/consign them. I do not make you throw away, purge or get rid of items if you are not ready. However, if you are ready to purge items in your closet, I can help you with that. Sometimes, we just need an objective opinion to help with the decision of whether an item should stay or go.
What is a lookbook?
A lookbook is a digital "book" in pdf format with photos from your closest restyling and from the outfits you try on during shopping (if you choose that service when working with me). The lookbook will feature tips and tricks so you can create looks beyond the photos as well as ways to accessorize and elevate the look through the use of footwear and accessories.
What is a moodboard or style board?
A moodboard can mean different thing to different people. For me it is a board you create on Pinterest to show me the style you want to portray. You may already have one created which makes it easier. This board is created to reflect your style including clothes, shoes, and accessories. You are painting a picture for me to understand your ideal style. Then I make it happen for you!
Other Questions
Where should I consign?
Consign where you buy. Do your homework and find a favorite consignment store in your local area or online. It's much better to create an account at a store where you are likely to shop so that when you buy clothes you spend little to no money on the new purchase. Additional info:
Where should I donate?
Donate where your values align or where it is easiest for you. Do not throw away your old, clothes and shoes even if they are sweaty, torn, or stained. Thrift stores typically work with a recycler to which they send the items they can't sell at the store. If you aren't sure – ASK! If you don't ever shop thrift or consignment, then use your donations for good and donate them to a store that helps families, children, animals or people re-entering the workforce.
What should I do with my old clothes/shoes/accessories?
First step – do not throw them away! Find a local thrift or consignment store.
If you don't want to donate or consign in person, then check out online options such as:
Blue Jeans Go Green – Recycle your jeans into insulation
Give Back Box – Send your unwanted items in your used shipping boxes


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Donate a jar of peanut butter and get free Disney on Ice tickets
Are your little ones excited to see their favorite princesses and animated characters live on ice this February? Here's a way to get free or discount tickets to "Disney on Ice: 100 Years of Magic" while helping a great cause.
This Friday from 4 to 6 p.m., donate a jar of unopened peanut butter at the Milwaukee Theatre, 500 W. Kilbourn Ave. The first 100 donors will receive free ticket vouchers to "Disney on Ice" courtesy of Feld Entertainment and good for opening night, Feb. 14. One voucher will be given per donated jar of peanut butter, with a two-ticket maximum.
The drive is being coordinated by Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee.
If you're not in the first 100, don't worry – you'll still get a $5 voucher for tickets that will be valid for performances other than opening night.
The HTF is hoping to collect 100,000 jars of peanut butter for the hungry. This convenient, nutritious food is a popular staple with a long shelf-life, and it's easy to donate because most of us already have it in our kitchens.
Learn more about the campaign here.fwaqfcyffcsytdatdsbcfrwtxd
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The 2-minute long Australian ad for FIFA 14 contains no gameplay, no discussion of the game's features, and nobody playing soccer.
A marketing team that is either incompetent or brilliant has put together an Australian advertisement for FIFA 14: EA Sport's latest installment in the FIFA franchise. So why am I wasting your time reporting an promotional video? Because despite this ad being for a soccer video game, it contains no gameplay, and no discussion of the game's features. There isn't even anyone playing soccer. It does, however, contain an aerobics routine and a cringe-worthy "Gangnam Style" reference.
The ad starts out like one of those super cheesy "visit Australia" ads from the 80s, and then cuts to local soccer hero Tim Cahill eyeing off a bunch of women doing aerobics. That's pretty much the entire video. It's peppered with a bunch of Australian "sayings" that no-one has said since Crocodile Dundee, and has Xbox controller combinations randomly superimposed over the "work out techniques".
Like I said, I'm about 50% sure that this is just a ploy to go viral (in which case, it's kind of succeeding), but you would think to at least see something soccer related in an advertisement for a soccer game.
What do our other Aussie readers think of this? Did it make you cringe as much as I did?
Source: YouTube


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I think that might be quite a nice homework for students – we all learn those boring parts of the body; but this might be a nice change 🙂
And let's be honest – aren't little animals adorable?
I think that might be quite a nice homework for students – we all learn those boring parts of the body; but this might be a nice change 🙂
And let's be honest – aren't little animals adorable?
Can you work when there is a massive refurbishment going on around your flat? Well, I pretty much cannot, hence my late note. I need to write a bit about some really nice and useful presentations I've seen at the conference.
Mr. Graham Stanley made a really nice presentation at the IATEFL conference and I enjoyed it immensely as it covers my field of interest – games and creative teaching. I do recommend watching this video as it is short (20 mins) and really funny, but let me sum it up a bit.
Mr. Stanley mentions three games.
1. Story Cubes
It's pretty much the same idea I wrote about in Once Upon a Time… note, only you don't have cards but dice. And although cubes sound funnier, the cards have some nice words (possibility of having a 15 year old student remember the word 'idle' – priceless) – I guess you may use both with the same fun and success in a classroom.
2. Werewolf
Have you ever played Mafia? The rules are basically the same – you pick some werewolves from among your students and make them choose a victim who becomes a ghost (I might give a scene of death for the younger students, I'm sure they would love it, especially team Jacob, hrhrh). Then, when the day comes and werewolves change back, the villagers try to find out who is the culprit.
I've just thought I might change it to vampires (for team Edward, with extra glitter). Or zombies, but zombies theoretically don't change back to humans. You might even get a role for a particularly noisy student and make them a banshee who screams when someone is about to die – but never tells who a werewolf is.
It does sound like fun. Besides, it makes the students lie – and I've always thought that the greatest sign of a foreign language proficiency is the ability to lie.
3. The islands
Now, I've never tried that game before, but I'm definitely going to give it a try as it requires pretty much work from the students on various levels. First, they work in groups and design their own imaginary islands – just pictures/ maps. Then, they come up with political systems, industrialization (if any), currency etc. And then we make a great continent of those islands.
What I want to try with my pre-intermediate 13-15 year old students, is to skip the political systems and stuff and replace it with the element of RPG (role playing game). Basically, I want them to design sets of adventures for visitors (with the open endings) and visit the islands of their classmates. Then everyone will have different adventures (speaking!) and as a finishing touch I want to sum them up on post-its ('beware the Jabberwocky'), stick them to the maps and THEN make a great map with those islands and their descriptions.
How will it work? We'll see, I'll try to post the result, but so far the students seem interested – just like me! And as for you – listen to the presentation and get inspired!
Yesterday David Crystal officially opened Liverpool IATEFL conference with an awesome plenary – The world in which we live in: Beatles, blends and blogs. You may watch this session and hopefully enjoy it as much as I have, but let me share a couple of thoughts.
We all know the blends – lexical blends are used all the time (brunch, blackboard etc.) but the session was focused on syntactic blends – clashes of two independent sentence parts. As a teacher I encounter those blends all the time in my students' language use – they mix conditionals in ways no conditionals should be mixed or do weird things to poor reported speech (hah, we all know that, I bet). Mr. Crystal mentioned a couple of reasons why blends are used, some solutions how to avoid them and a good advice for teachers (the advice I shall remember).
First of all, the common problems with prepositions, that even native speakers happen to have. E.g.: From which country does a Lexus come from? The clash here occurs between formal and informal language, the first of whom tells us to never end a sentence with a preposition while the second one seems simply more natural. So here comes the clash, the blend and the confusion – and the greater length between those two prepositions, the greater confusion.
Secondly, as Mr. Crystal points out, we make blends by changing minds on what we want to say – our grammar doesn't keep up with our thought. And so, we may encounter relative clauses blend, question-statement blend or question-question blend, e.g.: Within how long did it take for an American English start to grow? is a blend of Within what period of time did it take for an American English to start to grow? and How long did it take for an American English to start to grow? It can be observed while watching sports commentaries (especially football ones, I thought it was rather a weird flow of consciousness but now I know it was a flow of consciousness with blends – therefore they seemed weird [well, it's not so easy to observe when you watch a match with the British commentators, but go ahead and watch a match in a Polish TV – best regards to gentlemen commenting English Premier League]). And even though blends rarely appear in formal and public language, as they are edited by professionals, no such help is given on the Internet (unless we have a friendly proof-reader).
Mr. Crystal explained that the problem of blending may refer to our working memory capacity. Apparently, we aren't able to remember a lot of words, so sometimes the length of construction makes us forget the subject before we get to the verb. Reading and listening comprehension is governed by a distribution of weight thorough the sentence – and in English the weight goes after the main verb. So, obviously, the longer the subject, the greater the problem.
Naturally, the first thought of an EFL teacher after hearing this is: what about relative clauses? Mr. Crystal admits there happens to be too much weight before the main verb which may cause problems (well said, how many times have we – non-native speakers – looked at relative clauses and prayed for the main verb, eh?).
But then Mr. Crystal shares a very refreshing point of view: blends are a sign of growth. And indeed, if a learner tries to use more advanced grammar, he happens to make blends, e.g.: to whom you will marry is a blend of to whom you will be married and whom you will marry. We – the teachers – cannot simply state 'that's wrong' and move on, we should spend some time with a student, take apart grammar to show the blend and explain the correct version (or versions). We mustn't condemn blends as it may result in students' tendencies to simplify their language.
And so – when we see our students blending, let's notice that, but not make them feel guilty about it. Let's just tell them their mistakes are signs of their growth (well, you have to know at least a couple of grammar constructions to make blends, it wouldn't work well with just Present Simple, eh?) and encourage them to work.
This plenary was really good, and I would like to thank those people in Liverpool who made it possible for us to participate online. Great job! I also want to thank Chia, who made a really good note immediately after the lecture.
Dear students of groups H1 and H2S, you are to write a mystery story for your homework. I have decided to make you work on one of the most mysterious events of the 20th century – the Dyatlov Pass Incident. Since it is to be a mystery story, please, put aside your common sense and let's dive into the ocean of conspiracy theories. Yes, prepare to be investigative, creative and ready to meet many creatures lurking in the shadows (mwahahaha). Ready?
First of all I want to you look up on the Net some info regarding Dyatlov Pass incident. The links I recommend as those which use nice conspiracy theories, are as follow:
The Dyatlov Pass Incident, Scarier than Fiction by CloudedIntentions – 10 min video , but with a couple of drastic photos of the bodies found, if you don't feel like watching – listening is OK
The St.Petersburg Times article 19th Feb, 2008
Naturally, feel free to use some other sources if you find these unsatisfactory, but try to use the English ones.
Now, here's your task:
Imagine you are a person who saw what happened at the pass (an anonymous member of the ski-group/ member of the Mansi tribe etc.). You finally want to share your story. Write ca. 300 words
Deadline: 21/04/2013, stories are either to be handed in personally or published below this post, I don't accept emails this time as they mysteriously disappear somewhere in the Net 🙂
To help you with this task, I will give you a couple of clues:
I hope you will find this task enjoyable and write amusing compositions. Have fun!


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Selective staking
Lakeland Resources acquisitions expand its Athabasca Basin uranium potential
by Greg Klein
Advance research and an Athabasca Basin uranium focus helped Lakeland Resources TSXV:LK come out of a mini-staking rush with five prioritized properties. Announced April 11, the new northern Saskatchewan turf adds 52,255 hectares to Lakeland's portfolio, now totalling about 157,000 hectares in and around the Basin.
"We keep our eyes open for opportunities like that," president/CEO Jonathan Armes tells ResourceClips.com. "There were several other areas that came open at the same time, but we were more interested in these. Neil McCallum and the Dahrouge Geological Consulting team look at the historic data in advance and select the projects they want."
Staking opened up again late last year and in early 2014. But overwhelming demand keeps crashing Saskatchewan's online system. Consequently opportunities have been "a little sporadic," McCallum says. But the Dahrouge geologist and Lakeland director says his team was ready to roll when staking began.
"Based on the research we did before we acquired the projects, we've got priority targets," he explains. "A lot of people get land because it's in or near the Basin without targeting anything in particular. You can do a lot of research, if you know what you're looking for, to find good targets before you acquire them. It's an ongoing process."
From a junior's standpoint, the best ground you can get is ground that you stake, because you own it 100% with no encumbrances, underlying NSRs and so on.—Jonathan Armes, president/CEO of Lakeland Resources
Armes emphasizes that "from a junior's standpoint, the best ground you can get is ground that you stake, because you own it 100% with no encumbrances, underlying NSRs and so on."
But with all that Basin activity, it might be surprising that promising turf still comes available. McCallum says some of Lakeland's new properties originated with JNR Resources, which was taken out by Denison Mines TSX:DML early last year. "Denison focused mostly on their properties in the eastern Athabasca, forgetting about other properties in the central and western areas of the Basin. The most recent work that JNR did on some of the properties was just airborne surveys to keep them in good standing. They didn't follow up on the ground. They were focused on other things."
Good properties came from other companies too, McCallum adds. "The Lazy Edward Bay project is comprised of old NexGen [TSXV:NXE] and JNR projects and we got a good slice of both of them. The work that NexGen did was just sort of scratching the surface. They drilled a few holes, but I think they were limited to where they could drill. They had to drill right on the island, rather than placing their drill on the ice, right on the conductor where they should have drilled. They identified some really good EM trends but I don't think they followed them up. There's some targets there that we can hit right away."
The 21,990-hectare project lies right on the Basin's southern edge, with depths to the unconformity between zero and 350 metres.
"Parts of it are very shallow. The radon techniques that were so successful at Patterson Lake South could really work here. There's a trend that showed 770 parts per million uranium that would be a good target to start with."
Other acquisitions include Karen Lake, 7,195 hectares just off the Basin's northeastern edge, where several silt samples graded over 1% uranium. Black Lake, 2,889 hectares along the Basin's northern margin, features shallow depths to the unconformity and a structural feature that includes the Black Lake fault zone.
Hidden Bay, 16,925 hectares about eight kilometres from the Basin's eastern edge, hosts at least four graphitic corridors. Except for airborne EM surveys, it hasn't been explored with the current understanding of basement-hosted unconformity-style deposits.
Fedun Lake, 3,258 hectares situated 70 kilometres south of the Basin, sits on the Wollaston domain that holds most of the Basin's deposits.
"We're now working on plans and priorities," McCallum says. Having closed an oversubscribed $2.8-million private placement last month, Lakeland is "certainly funded to prioritize the projects we want to work ourselves. If we find JV opportunities for other projects, we wouldn't mind that either. We have enough projects that we can work some ourselves and have those JV opportunities at the same time."
Meanwhile partner Declan Resources TSXV:LAN has ground EM work planned for their Gibbon's Creek joint venture in preparation for an anticipated 2,500 metres of drilling. The 12,771-hectare project has so far shown surface boulders grading up to 4.28% uranium oxide (U3O8) and some of the highest radon readings ever measured in the Basin.
Read more about Lakeland Resources.
Disclaimer: Lakeland Resources Inc is a client of OnPage Media Corp, the publisher of ResourceClips.com. The principals of OnPage Media may hold shares in Lakeland Resources.


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Chelsea Handler
Chelsea Handler was born in Livingston, New Jersey, and has toured the country doing stand-up comedy. Now settled in Los Angeles, she can be seen at the Comedy Store and the Laugh Factory and as one of the stars on Oxygen's Girls Behaving Badly. Chelsea has guest-starred on such programs as Spy TV, My Wife and Kids, The Bernie Mac Show, and The Practice. The star of E!'s late-night comedy show Chelsea Lately, she is also the author of Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea.


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The Hamilton High School Robotics Club came to hang out with us October's Gangplank Jr event and worked with the kids to build some sweet robots as well as showcase their own projects.
They brought in a robot created at last year's First Robotics Competition (FRC) that could shoot a basketball across the street. Almost 30 kids hung out with us on Saturday and (if the smiles were any indication) had a blast!
Our next event will be on Nov. 17 from 1p.m. – 2:30p.m. doing a videography lesson. Come join us and have some fun!


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Getting one home design style to look flawless and work with your space(s) is challenging enough, yet things can become much more difficult when blending together two different styles – but, oh, how fantastic are the results when it's executed correctly!
Such was the case with the home we're looking at today here on homify 360°: a modern and minimalist design that contrasts with the rustic Mediterranean stone exterior, as well as the timber interior.
A little bit more information on this project: the property is split into two buildings, which are a single-storey guest house and the two-storey main residence. The guest house features a garage door that can completely open the space up to the outside to take full advantage of the view and natural light, while the main residence flaunts a small balcony for some fresh-air inspiration.
Let's start exploring…
Timber slats can be glimpsed on both the exterior and interior of this home, with a modern aesthetic that blends with the stone due to the use of natural materials.
One of the elements that makes this house so exceptional are the enormous stone bricks—a rarity in modern architecture due to cost. However, we are sure that few would disagree that they add such a magnificent look to a structure.
Looking for the perfect architect for your dream home? We might be able to help…
The eye-catching contrast achieved by combining the crisp-white upper-floor with the Mediterranean-style lower volume really sets this structure apart, making it quite a unique residence.
The rustic stone beautifully grounds the minimalist design, which consists of simple lines, large glass windows, and a corner cut out of the upper-floor to create a fantastic balcony.
A beautifully maintained lawn separates the main residence from the guest house at the back, which is a simple one-storey structure that flaunts a not-so simple look.
The rugged texture of the stone façade really gives this home a striking character while unifying the two buildings.
Like we mentioned earlier, the guest house features a generous wooden garage door that spectacularly opens up the interior space, allowing a fresh dose of sunshine and garden views to seep indoors.
And how magnificent is that rich-timber ambience when combined with the look of the light stone surfaces?
Just about everyone loves a floating staircase; well, we on homify do! And for extra safety, this one has a glass panel added underneath the steps.
As we'll shortly see, this home is full of amazing timber details – just notice how impressive this staircase looks. The entire décor department is defined by the colour of the timber, with a neutral base really helping the natural hues of the wood to stand out.
Timber slats are used quite successfully as room dividers, separating spaces according to function while still allowing light to pass through.
Don't you just love how the chocolate-brown tones of the wood offset with the milk-white hues of the walls?
As can be expected from a unique home such as this, the kitchen flaunts a sleek and shiny look while being exquisitely decked out in the modern style.
However, timber details are still glimpsed in the form of an island top to balance with the rest of the home's wooden surfaces.
The neutral-toned tiles featured in the rest of the house give way to hardwood floors in a warm hue as soon as we locate the bedroom, making this space feel a little more personal and homely.
Whites take control of the colour palette, adorning everything from the linen and walls to the window treatment, treating the space to an ambience that is light and serene.
A little surprise: the bathroom opted for another natural material, and it's not wood. Marble was chosen for this room, filling the area with so much sophistication and giving the bathroom a very lavish look and feel.
In addition, the fittings are super modern, reminding us just how much impact little details like these can have on the overall aesthetic of a room.
To explore a home with an unexpected interior, don't miss: This façade hides paradise!


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Oversized is not a bad thing.
As I have mentioned before, and will continue to confess, I am a massive fan of blazers. The blazer is a staple in any wardrobe- male or female. It is the ultimate item that seriously makes an outfit. A blazer makes you look put together, like you mean business! Yet- you can wear them out on a night on the town and look ever so suave and chic. They also double as a great coat for Spring or Autumn. Listen, I seriously could go on and on about blazers, but I think you get the idea.
The thing with shopping at secondhand shops is that you don't get to choose the size. Sometimes it's a bummer, but sometimes, it's a wonderful opportunity to make the piece work for you! Now, I'm not saying to go and squeeze into an item you "must have" that's clearly too small, no no no…..please just no. All I am saying is that, don't shy away from a piece if its a couple sizes too large for you…..and by piece, I (obviously) mean blazer!
Now, you have to be careful here. If it's way too big, well, now you're drowning and not fooling anyone. But! If it's just ever-so-too-big, you might have a great look cultivating. Check out below, it'll make more sense in a moment….
I apologize for the bad photo- THIS IS REAL LIFE FOLKS! 🙂 Ok, so, taken on a typical day at work. Check out the blazer, I fell in love with it but oh drats- its big. Or is it? Add it to a simple black dress, maybe matching tights and some kicking black shoes, and hey, I think we've got a decent outfit brewing!
Blazer: Hesselhoj Denmark
Dress: Rachel Roy (on sale, of course)
Shoes: Nine West Outlet (on further reduction sale)
Jewelry: Necklace (this one was a splurge from Macy's, but I've had it for about 4 years now and worth every penny).
Tights: Seriously, I have no idea. Ever have items in your wardrobe that feel like they just have always been there?
Oh hey guys, since that day at work above, I've worn the blazer again, but check it out; paired with jeans and tank and matching purple pumps. A more casual look and you still get the awesome vibe of the blazer.
Jeans: J-Lo Collection from Kohl's
Belt, Tank and Shoes: H&M


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This report focusses on specific corruption risks in major planning decisions, an area where there is often a large amount of money at stake. It is also very contentious, with many new developments resulting in a net loss of social and genuinely affordable housing, which in many areas are in short supply.
To understand what could undermine openness in the planning process and what local authorities are doing to stop this, we have collected evidence from across England. Although there are some examples of good practice, generally the results make for a worrying read.
Around the world, freeports present a major money laundering risk due to the secrecy and security they offer. Without proper protections in place, creating similar areas in the UK risks effectively establish onshore havens in which criminals and the corrupt could anonymously hide their ill-gotten gains. Such a situation would prove detrimental to our prosperity, security and reputation for fair business practices and the rule of law.
In order to prevent and detect fraud and to promote transparency, we wrote to the Chancellor to request that the government publish the names of all companies that have received government-backed loans under measures rolled-out to protect UK businesses and jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Download the full letter below.
Transparency International UK and Spotlight on Corruption have written to Attorney General Geoffrey Cox urging him explain the reason for an 18-month delay to a major corruption investigation into Airbus subsidiary GPT Special Project Management.


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Say Goodbye To Sushi As You Know It, Renowned Chef Warns
Jiro Ono, of "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" fame, recently warned that overfishing is driving the future of sushi to change.
"I can't imagine at all that sushi in the future will be made of the same materials we use today," Ono told the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan, according to AFP. "I told my young men three years ago sushi materials will totally change in five years. And now, such a trend is becoming a reality little by little."
That reality is reflected in the population of Pacific bluefin tuna, a fish traditionally used in sushi, who now total about 40,000 individuals - a fraction of their historic numbers. There are so few fish, in fact, that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is mulling a ban of bluefin tuna fishing in American waters.
In 1994, journalist John Seabrook argued that the most valuable species on the planet, in monetary terms, was not the rhino nor the leopard but the giant bluefin. Even 20 years ago, Seabrook noted that fishing too many bluefins in the Atlantic, spurred on by the high prices the animals can fetch on the Japanese market, could lead to commercial extinction of these animals.
The uncertainty surrounding sushi's future goes beyond bluefin tuna. Ono's son Yoshikazu, a sushi chef as well, also spoke out against unsustainable harvesting of young shellfish. Fishermen, he said, "catch them all together (before some are ready), pushing the stock to deplete."
To respect the plight of these species, master chefs may have to adapt - but that doesn't mean all sushi should be doomed to extinction, as fans of vegetarian sushi would point out. And the Monterey Bay Aquarium, partnering with the conservation group Oceana, has published several guides to sustainable seafood, including sushi.


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After about eight years, medical students of the Benue State University (BSU) College of Health Sciences began their first professional exams last week. MSONTER ANZAA (200-Level Medicine) writes.
After years of accreditation battle, the College of Health Sciences of the Benue State University (BSU) has started conducting professional exams for medical students. Three sets of 400-Level students wrote their exams last week; another wrote the exams penultimate week.
The 400-Level students, who wrote their exam last week, were divided into A, B and C groups. The first two groups were merged to take their second professional exam. The other was writing its first professional in the college.
Following the accreditation crisis in the college, five sets of classes were promoted to 400 Level. But none could write the professional exams because the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and National Universities Commission (NUC) could not certify the facilities of the medical college.
The first two sets, which were promoted to 400-Level, finished their syllabus early but remained at that level without any academic activity for, at least, a year. When MDCN endorsed the medical courses last November, students were called to write their exam.
Since the certification of medical courses, life in the college has taken a new turn. In the part, students would play music loud in their hostels and watch movies from daybreak till evening. The patronage at the campus snooker board was at its peak because they did not attend classes for a year. All these changed the moment accreditation was secured. The atmosphere has become serious as students now burn the midnight oil.
The exam is the second professional assessment taking place in the history of the college. It is considered significant to everyone, especially the pioneer students, who have overstayed in the medical school. There is a feeling of ecstasy, which suggests that the exam is important not only to the students but the entire college community.
This is evident in the comments, which students have been making on the institution's Facebook page.
One such message came from the Speaker of the Benue State University Medical Students Association (BESUMSA), Andrew Iorkyaan, a 400-Level student. He posted: "Today, a bus that has broken down on the road side is about to continue its journey. Today, we shall begin to reap tangible academic fruits from our struggles. History shall be made in the college as the first ever pathology and pharmacology final exams begin; I predict a profound success for the pioneer class."
The Financial Secretary of the association, who is also a 400-Level student, Joseph Agogo, prayed for the pioneer students' success. "May God of inexhaustible blessing unleash His unquantifiable blessings on all the pioneer students; may He, in fulfillment of His word in John14:26, make you all to remember all you have read," he wrote.
As it is done in the college during exams, the Christian Medical and Dental Association – Students (CMDAS) raised a cooking committee to prepared food for the students to erase their worries over what to eat during the period.
The exams, which will last for two weeks, will enable the student to proceed to 500-Level for the first time since the inception of the College 10 years ago.


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In this short paper, Hamilton argues that a union will be more cost effective than a system of multiple American sovereignties. If America were to be divided into thirteen independent states, or some smaller number of confederacies, each polity would have to employ its own "civil list," or bureaucracy, to manage public affairs. Each state would furthermore have to employ people to guard its borders against illicit trade and an army to defend against invasion. All these expenses would prove to be a significant and unnecessary burden to each sovereignty's economy.
In contrast, united America would be able to make do with a single national government, a single army, and a single entity responsible for catching smugglers. This would reduce waste and inefficiency. Hamilton points to the example of Great Britain's government to argue that a single, well-structured, national government could easily be extended to cover large swaths of territory and big populations.
This short paper is essentially an addendum to Hamilton's previous arguments outlining the economic benefits of union over disunion. Hamilton is essentially arguing that an America united under a single national government would have a much more efficient government and economy. If America were divided into multiple independent countries, each country would have to employ its own bureaucrats, an expense Hamilton dismisses as wasteful and unnecessary.
This paper illustrates the central tension in the American system of government between efficiency and liberty. Anti-federalists were animated by the fear of a distant, all-powerful central government that would suppress the rights of the people by force. They believed that by locating political authority at the local and state level, Americans would be better able to keep their political leaders in check and prevent them from amassing sufficient power to establish a tyranny. However, Hamilton argues that the massive inefficiency and bureaucratic excess created by so many independent states would have the net effect of overburdening local economies. Government costs money and, therefore, having more governments with more power would lead to exorbitant administrative costs.


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Cat Videos and Murder
This month marks twenty-five years of the web.
Enjoy the FIRST-EVER cat video, from nearly one hundred years before the web. A film recorded in Edison's office of boxing cats, which neatly ties together the history of a place that has become a bastion for thieves, Copyright infringement and other debauchery, via a motion picture, which Edison stole the patent for by murdering Louis Le Prince.
Hooray progress. Thanks, Al Gore.
Olympic Innovation in Solo Events
"'There have been complaints as well about him leaving sandwich crumbs behind, falling asleep during interviews, using an exorbitant amount of talc in the later rounds…'"
[family member who asked not to be named enters room]
It's No Econo-Lodge, That's for Sure
Speaking of the Olympics, it would seem as though things are worse than the media would lead you to believe in Brazil. Take the Olympic Village for example. Granted, one doesn't come to expect five-star accommodations in a third-world country, but the lack of reliable Wi-Fi (and en-suite plumbing… and a roof), but you really begin to see how bringing in Venezuelan decorators may have been a mistake.
On the bright side, however, it's nice to see Motel 6 upping their game on the international stage, and hiring what appears to be at least one part-time maid for the duration of the event.
Miming Towns of the Old West
If you've ever abandoned all fear and simply wanted to know the thoughts that go through my head, here's a sample from the "Television in BrianLand" File:
"Tonight on Miming Towns of the Old West, Marcel Montana. We'll visit a place where the winds rip so violently through the main square that residents have evolved to walk at a near sixty-degree angle."
[cut to scene of cowboys leaning against non-existent boxes while one pulls on an imaginary rope to lead an equally imaginary horse – VOICEOVER: "Yes, it's never a dull day here in Marcel, sister city to Paris, France. Here we see Bose 'Mr. Pockets' Ketchum wrangling some lunch!"]
"We'll visit the high-security prison [wide shot of three men "trapped" in an imaginary cube], and get to know a four-hundred pound local known only as 'Tumbleweed.'"
It's Not My Favorite Film
Behind the Scenes Again
Having gone well off of the beaten path again lately, I thought it would be nice to revisit the original theme of this blog for a bit, and look behind the scenes of some renderings. What do you say?
A peek at the process:
Starting with the tried-and-true box method to nail perspective and proportions, I sketch the essential shapes and components (taking time to design a wheel, too!), and then scan the sketch, and begin the heavy lifting in Illustrator. Around forty-nine layers in total, this one is relatively straightforward, with only minor custom changes, allowing for a little more time to play in the details.
No presets, meshes or brushes, just paths and pen tool. There's a lot to be said for using the basic tools, and I find it to be a very Zen experience; it becomes the art of massaging your brain while working. It can get tedious, but the key is in finding a rhythm, wherein you can alternate between left and right brain, solving little design and engineering issues as you make everything look "right" or "cool."
My goal is a smooth, clean piece which retains some of the raw lines, but with a heavy focus on getting the little stuff in all of the right places:
Speaking of playing in the details, lets' take a peek at the hundreds of paths that sometimes need to be squeezed into a fraction of an inch with some custom 'Cuda tail lamps. In this case, we were looking at creating the concept art to show the customer what '71 Charger lamps would look like in his '70 'Cuda (see here for more on that!):
From paths upon paths to a detailed illustration:
A behind-the-scenes look at the rendering for the project, working from a loose box guide to sketch, and then into Illustrator for around forty hours of pen tool work, this time strictly using the mouse as my hands weren't cooperating:
One more piece for this installment, and a rendering that was a big challenge and a ton of fun at the same time, as it required creating something that didn't yet exist, and finding a way to create a unique spin on the classic belly tank-based land speed car:
Working with just the basic plan, it was a matter of packaging everything neatly and orderly, and then making the aesthetic work. Starting with the tried-and-true box method, I git the perspective working in my favor, and worked to get the parts and pieces that my client wanted showing, and then built upon that foundation once the loos sketch was scanned and in Illustrator. The post work in Photoshop brings the whole thing to life, and it took lot of restraint to avoid losing the original hand-drawn feel. I think it worked out in the end:


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Junior Member
Hi all note tuners. I have a question for you when tuning the batter higher than the reso. How do you select the octave which the top head is tuned to and what do you then tune the reso to (number of semi-tones). For example, if I have a 10, 12, 14, and 16 and want to tune them to 3D, 2B, 2G, and 2D what notes do you pick for the batter? I know how to do it when the reso is higher, but not sure the other way around. I tried to tune my 14 to a 2G, but the batter felt way too high.
I appreciate the help!!!
I appreciate the help!!!


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Blog Archives
So What is a Suggestion, Anyway?
Every time I hear people talking about how effective hypnosis is, they mention the power of suggestion. You mention it in your articles, but have never really defined it.
In a normal day, everyone gets suggestions all the time such as when someone tells you what route to drive or which shirt to buy. It's an idea given to you by someone else that you receive and consider consciously. Usually their effectiveness depends on the knowledgeability of the other person. If they know the area better, you're more likely to travel as per their suggestion. But, even if they are only as familiar with the place as you are, just hearing a suggestion gives it power. It goes to the forefront of your mind and overshadows your other ideas. However, if that suggestion is different from what your subconscious is comfortable with, then when someone tells you to take a route that involves going through a neighborhood you have negative associations with, your subconscious isn't going to let you take it no matter how much faster it is or more logical.
But there is one time when the subconscious mind is very open to absorbing suggestions — during hypnosis. Hypnosis occurs during the thirty minutes before a person falls asleep. You may have heard in school that what you study just before you go to sleep is what you'll remember best. This is because during hypnosis, the critical facilities in your conscious mind, such as logic and reasoning, are already only half aware of what's going on and are no longer filtering out new, potentially uncomfortable, thoughts and ideas.
A hypnotherapist is skilled at coming up with words and images that "speak" to their client. The idea that a person's hand can become so light that it will defy gravity and float up into the air seems impossible consciously, but to the subconscious anything is possible. If a person is not in hypnosis, logic and reason will tell them that their hand is not getting lighter; however, when under hypnosis, the subconscious mind pays more attention to the voice of the hypnotherapist than the physical reality. Therefore, they will believe that their arm is becoming lighter. If a person is visual, one might concentrate on the image of the hand rising or playing in the breeze. Auditory people are encouraged to hear the air lift their hand. Kinesthetically oriented people are told to feel the air lift their hand. In nearly every case, the hand will rise.
It's never just the power of suggestion that affects people, it's how a suggestion is given and when. When created by a skilled hypnotherapist, the results can be profound and life changing.
How can Hypnosis Help with Stress?
A lot of my friends are always complaining that they are "stressed out." Can hypnosis help?
Like everything else your response to stress is a learned behavior, a habit. Some things that trigger stress begin in childhood and are related to specific things such as going to the doctor or a general pressure to be Number One. Others are related to current pressures or fears. Sometimes stress may not seem to be related to anything at all. While some people think they strive on stress, they are all actually using the anxious energy to drive them forward in a way that will cause them to mentally – and possibly physically – collapse. Through a few sessions of hypnosis you can always lighten one's current stress level, but sometimes, that is not enough.
While it would be nice to get rid of stress by what causes it, that's not always possible. Everyone has to see a doctor at some time. Life gives us difficult situations that can't be resolved for a long period of time or you can't always leave a job even though your co-workers, bosses, or responsibilities are overwhelming. In these situations, dealing with the stress comes from two directions: techniques that help the individual control the feelings of stress and suggestions that adjust their response to outside triggers.
The one technique that helps everyone is to get them deeply hypnotized and create a Special Place in their mind where they are absolutely calm, comfortable, and safe. I work intensely with the imagery of the place, not just what you see, hear, and touch, but the more primitive smell and taste. The trick is to have them feel so relaxed and secure that even the concept of anxiety can't arise. Then that feeling of calm is tied into an anchor, usually pressing together the thumb and first finger of the non-dominant hand. The suggestion is given that whenever they press their anchor, the calm and safety of the Special Place will flow throughout their body, washing away all feelings of stress. Or, they can close their eyes, press their anchor, and take a mini-vacation. This quickly becomes a valuable tool a person can use for the rest of their lives.
While there are many things that people can do to take control of their stress they are all, of course, much more powerful if they have been instilled and reinforced in hypnosis. I start with calming breathing techniques, teaching how to relax one's body, and, finally, self-hypnosis. I also use this, my favorite breathing technique, for sleep and anxiety. All you need to do is take very deep breaths through your nose using your abdomen inhaling "CALM," hold it for a moment, and then exhale through your mouth as though you had a straw there and exhale STRESS. After you pause, then start again. Imagine the Stress leaving your body never to return. I generally recommend doing CALM and STRESS twice and then at least 2-3 repetitions using C-A-L-M and S-T-R-E-S-S.
Stress caused by job issues, relationship problems, problems stemming from childhood, and more, need to be addressed directly. Very often the problem at work is with the boss or a co-worker. I usually block the person to those people's negativity. Then I retrain so that instead of responding with stress, they remain extremely calm. Relationship problems need similar treatment, but often you have to work on getting the strength to start directly addressing the problems with the other person.
Incidents that occurred in the past have to be attacked in many directions. You have to give people general calming tools and block them to both external AND internal negativity. But because the negative emotion causing the stress comes from the inside, you have to work with the memories of what initially caused the stress. Sometimes you have to search for them before you can desensitize them. Then you cut the emotional connections to the incident and the trigger. Ironically, very often what triggers stress may not even resemble what originally caused it.
The other things that people can, and should, do on their own is to maintain a healthy lifestyle and make sure they get in approximately 30 minutes of exercise 5 days a week. This not only keeps your body and mind healthy, but it releases endorphins, the brain peptides/neurotransmitters responsible for putting you in a positive mood.
How does hypnosis work?
I've been reading your site and was wondering exactly how hypnosis works.
There are two parts to our minds, the conscious and the subconscious. The conscious mind is our awareness, the thoughts and feelings we experience everyday. It experiences the world based on what comes through our five senses during the time we are awake, but it doesn't take everything in. While we can control most of our actions and feelings through our conscious decision-making, we can't always — such as when our will power is too weak to stop us from eating things we shouldn't or emotions boil up that we have no control over.
Below that is our subconscious mind which we are not directly aware of except when thoughts "jump" into our mind. This is where our imagination lies and is the seat of our creativity. It registers all the information we receive more quickly and completely than the conscious mind, but without a sense of time, logic, or reasoning. In it are established all our central beliefs, conditioning, and every kind of habit from behavioral to emotional. Its processes are closely tied to the brain itself, which is why we sometimes call hypnosis "retraining the brain." Unlike our conscious mind, the subconscious "thinks" in images.
When the client is in hypnosis, they are in a semi-awake state – a form of trance — where there is direct access to the subconscious, better known as suggestibility. The hypnotherapist phrases his or her suggestions using the images and words he or she has discovered that are most meaningful to the client. These go directly to the subconscious mind which, as long as it doesn't violate the client's core moral belief system and reinforces what the conscious mind wants to believe, is seen as true and accepted. This then changes how the brain actually thinks so that it changes associations such as when cigarettes no longer seem pleasurable or comfortable, but make you feel sick. Or instead of triggering a panic attack, a once fearful object creates feelings of calm and comfort.
Can Hypnotherapy Help With Smoking?
Hypnosis is all about changing habits, getting your subconscious to stop associating something with a behavior that you don't like — like smoking.
I cannot stop smoking and would like to know if hypnotherapy can work for me. Sam
In nearly every case, yes. The techniques I use have about a 90% success rate and usually take from 2-8 sessions, depending on the situation. Obviously, someone who has been smoking since they were ten takes longer than a 28 year-old who started in college. Ultimately, however, the only deciding factor is if you are really ready to quit now.
First ask yourself "WHY DO I WANT TO QUIT?" If the answer is that my doctor told me to or my wife did, it's going to take longer because we're going to be spending a few sessions getting you to want to quit for your own sake.
No matter what, smoking cessation will require you to do some work. I'll have you cutting down regularly, smoking in unfamiliar and uncomfortable places all while we replace the habit with something positive. If you smoke for social reasons, I'll teach you to be comfortable without anything in your hands. Breakfast is coffee and a cigarette? You need a better start in the morning to begin with and this is a great time to take control of your health in every way. If your cigarette is your best friend, well, there are a lot healthier ones out there and we'll find one you like even more.
We'll need a check-in session three months after we're done and three months but the six month can easily be done by phone.


text:
The Places
Sicily has enjoyed a remarkably varied history, held by Phoenicians and Carthaginians, it became part of Roman territory, later to be occupied by Ostrogoths, recaptured by the Byzantines, ruled by Saracens, and occupied by the Normans, followed by German, French, and Spanish overlords. It was only in the mid-nineteenth century that the island was drawn into the unified country of Italy. The historical changes that Sicily has undergone are reflected in its culture.
The Music
The music chosen for this tour of Sicily is by Beethoven and consists of three of his best known piano sonatas, the Pathétique, the Moonlight and the Appassionata.
Picture format: NTSC 4:3
Sound format: PCM Stereo 2.0
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Running time: 57 mins
No. of DVDs: 1
Beethoven, Ludwig van
Label: Naxos
Series: A Musical Journey
Period: Classical
Catalogue No:
Release Date: 11/2013


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Historically, the Major League Baseball trade deadline has been a 50/50 proposition.
Contenders raid pretenders rosters for top shelf talent, while pretenders mine contenders minor league systems for future help.
Sometimes, the deadline deals work out well. Others, well, let's just say someone got fleeced.
This year's deadline is just four days away and there has already been a little bit of movement. With so many teams still realistically in the hunt for at least a wild card spot, expect more.
The Arizona Diamondbacks made the first big move, acquiring J.D. Martinez from the Detroit Tigers for a trio of minor league infielders. The New York Yankees followed suit, picking up 3B Todd Frazier and relievers David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle from the Chicago White Sox for reliever Tyler Clippard and three minor leaguers.
Whether those deals, and the ones to follow, work out remains to be seen.
Here are 15 trade deadline moves over the years that backfired badly, in chronological order.
15. Yankees Trade Jay Buhner To Mariners – 1988
This deal was so infamous, it even got play on the hit comedy "Seinfeld", where Frank Costanza gives George Steinbrenner the gears for pulling the trigger on it. That trade was the one that sent promising young outfielder Jay Buhner to Seattle for 33-year-old journeyman 1B/DH Ken Phelps. The Yanks were in the hunt for an AL East title that year and needed a veteran bat for the middle of the order. Phelps did punch out 10 homers (22 RBI) in 45 games down the stretch, but New York missed the playoffs anyway and Phelps was out of baseball by 1990. Buhner had 32 games and three homers in the bigs with the Yanks before the deal. He swatted 10 homers in 60 games with the M's over the remainder of the '88 season. He would go on to hit 297 more jacks in the next 13 campaigns in Seattle, including three straight seasons (1995-97) of 40 or more homers and 100+ RBI.
14. Boston Sends Curt Schilling And Brady Anderson to Baltimore – 1988
Not long after the Buhner trade in New York, division rival Boston pulled a swap with Baltimore that lives in infamy. First, the biggest rule of thumb isn't to make big trades in your own division, so the Red Sox broke that one, big time. Boston was in the thick of the race in 1988 and needed a veteran starter to get them over the hump. Baltimore made former 20-game winner and All-Star Mike Boddicker available and Boston was only to happy to include minor leaguer Schilling and then light-hitting rookie outfielder Brady Anderson in the deal. Well, the Bosox did make the playoffs that year and Boddicker pitched well down the stretch, only to get shelled in his lone start in the ALCS (Boston lost the series 4-0 to Oakland). He spent two more years in Beantown and was gone by 1991. While Schilling wasn't quite an all-star in Baltimore he became huge and later (ironically) win a world championship in Boston. Anderson spent 14 seasons in Baltimore, was an all-star three times and hit 50 homers in 1996. Ouch.
13. Red Sox Deal Jeff Bagwell To Houston – 1990
At least they didn't trade within the AL East this time. But, had this swap not been pulled off, Jeff Bagwell's bust in the Hall of Fame would be sporting a Red Sox cap, and not that of the Houston Astros. Now, this trade wasn't technically a deadline deal (it happened Aug. 30, 1990) but we'll call it close. At the time, the Red Sox were again in the hunt for a playoff spot and needed relief help, so they contacted the Astros about veteran set-up man Larry Andersen. With Wade Boggs still ensconced at third, minor league 3B Bagwell, then at AA New Britain, was deemed expendable. Andersen was good down the stretch in 15 games but mediocre in the playoffs as Boston again lost to Oakland in the ALCS. He was gone after that half season, too. Bagwell, meanwhile, didn't take long to blossom in Houston, spending his entire Hall-of-Fame worthy career there. He won Rookie of the Year in 1991 and was MVP in 1994.
12. Toronto Trades David Cone To The Yankees – 1995
File this one under "you don't know what you got, 'til it's gone — again." The Toronto Blue Jays, just two years removed from a World Series title, reacquired 1994 Cy Young winner David Cone from the Kansas City before the start of the '95 season. Cone had helped the Jays to their first title in 1992 and was dealt back to Toronto for a few minor leaguers. He pitched well in 17 starts that year, going 9-6 with a 3.38 ERA, but the Blue Jays were floundering and looking to unload high-priced help. Enter the Yankees, who had rebuilt themselves after 13 seasons without playoff ball. They would send promising young righthander Marty Janzen and two other minor league arms to Toronto for Cone. He went 9-2 the rest of the way for the Yanks, who finally made the playoffs and would be a key member of the rotation for four championships in the late 1990s. Janzen, the "biggest" return in the deal, spent two years with Toronto and won six games before being out of the big leagues in 1997.
11. Mariners Package Up Derek Lowe And Jason Varitek To Boston – 1997
This time, it was Boston finally getting the upper hand in a deadline trade. Seattle was in the midst of a playoff drive in '97 and severely needed bullpen help. The Red Sox, who were scuffling, had All-Star reliever Heathcliff Slocumb on the roster and made him available. Only thing was, while he did have 17 saves that season, his ERA was an abysmal 5.79 in 49 appearances. Undaunted, the M's surrendered minor league catcher Jason Varitek (their first round pick in 1994), as well as young starter/long reliever Derek Lowe to get Slocumb. He was marginally better in a Mariners' uniform, getting his ERA down to 4.13 and saving 10 more games, but was largely a non-factor in Seattle's NLDS loss to Baltimore. Varitek was Boston's full-time catcher by 1999 and would be team captain on two World Series winning Red Sox teams. Lowe was great in the bullpen and as a starter for eight seasons. He saved an AL high 42 games in 2000 and was 3-0 as Boston ended the Curse of the Bambino in the 2004 playoffs.
10. Montreal Trades Away Cliff Lee, Brandon Phillips, Lee Stevens And Grady Sizemore – 2002
Little wonder the Expos faded from relevancy and moved to Washington in time for the 2005 season. In 2002, the Expos were actually fighting for a post-season spot they hadn't had in 21 years. A proven starter was required, though and the Cleveland Indians were looking to unload Bartolo Colon. So, figuring they had a legitimate shot at a playoff berth, the Expos packaged up minor league prospects Cliff Lee, Brandon Phillips and Grady Sizemore along with slugging 1B Lee Stevens to Cleveland for Colon, who was 10-4 at the time and part-time starter Tim Drew. Colon did win another 10 with Montreal, but they missed the playoffs anyway and then he was dealt again for peanuts in the off-season. Cleveland reaped the rewards, for sure. Lee would win a Cy Young with the Indians in 2008, while Brandon Phillips would mature into an all-star second baseman, albeit in Cincinnati. Sizemore would play eight seasons in Cleveland and slug 139 homers, along with being an all-star in three of them.
9. Pirates Send Aramis Ramirez And Kenny Lofton To The Cubs – 2003
There weren't many bright shining moments in this century's first decade for the Chicago Cubs, but the heist they pulled off at the expense of the Pittsburgh Pirates was one of them. For the first time in five seasons, the Cubs were angling for a playoff run in 2003. The Bucs, on the other hand, were in the throes of mediocrity and were looking to unload slugging 3B Aramis Ramirez and veteran outfielder Kenny Lofton. But, they made the faux pas of dealing within their division, sending the two to Chicago for infielder Bobby Hill, utility man Jose Hernandez and minor league pitcher Matt Bruback. Ramirez would become the Cubs powerful third sacker for nine seasons, swatting 239 homers and making the All-Star team twice. He also banged out four homers during the 2003 playoffs, as the Cubs narrowly missed winning the pennant. Speedster Lofton was great down the stretch in his only stint with the Cubs, and hit .307 in the post-season with four stolen bases.
8. Yankees Deal Jose Contreras To White Sox For Esteban Loaiza – 2004
Pitcher for pitcher, this may the worst of this kind of deadline day deal ever. On July 31, 2004, the New York Yankees traded big Cuban righthanded starter Jose Contreras to the White Sox for middling veteran Esteban Loaiza. At the time, however, Contreras was struggling, going 8-5 with a 5.64 ERA in 18 starts. Loaiza, on his fourth team in 10 seasons, was marginally better, sporting a 9-5 record and 4.86 ERA. So, on paper, it looked like a wash. But, after another so-so half season, Contreras went 15-7 in 2005 and shaved his ERA down two full points to 3.61. In the '05 post-season, Contreras was 3-1 in five starts, recording a 2.53 ERA to help the White Sox win a World Series title. Loaiza, for his part, was 1-2 in 10 games (six starts) and had a dismal 2.055 WHIP for the Yanks. He was gone after that season.
7. Milwaukee Swaps Nelson Cruz And Carlos Lee To Texas – 2006
It seems like the Milwaukee Brewers are forever in sell mode. They have made the playoffs exactly twice since 2003 and usually find themselves at a position of vulnerability at the trade deadline. It was no different in 2006, as they scuffled through yet another sub .500 campaign. Having offered a rich extension to slugger Carlos Lee that year, the Brewers decided to cut bait rather than lose him in free agency, sending him and minor league outfielder Nelson Cruz to the Texas Rangers for outfielders Kevin Mench and Laynce Nix, reliever Francisco Cordero and a minor league hurler. Lee hit well down the stretch for Texas in a non-playoff year (.322, 9 HR, 35 RBI) but would sign with Houston in 2007. Cruz took a little time to percolate in the Rangers organization, but by 2009 he was an All-Star and over the course of eight seasons in Texas he would hit 157 home runs. Mench and Nix never did much for the Brew Crew and after one good season closing for Milwaukee (44 saves in 2007), Cordero was gone.
6. Pittsburgh Tanks In Three-Way Deal With Dodgers And Red Sox – 2008
In this infamous deadline trade in 2008 the Boston Red Sox got all-star outfielder Jason Bay and the Los Angeles Dodgers received enigmatic Manny Ramirez. Pittsburgh, well, they got OF Brandon Moss and P Craig Hansen from the Bosox and 3B Andy LaRoche and P Bryan Morris from L.A. Bay fit in well in Beantown for a season and a half, having his best career season in 2009 when he hit 36 homers and drove in 119 runs. Man Ram hit a lofty .396 in the latter part of 2008 with the Dodgers, along with 17 homers and 53 RBI. He also went a ridiculous 13-for-25 in two post-season series for L.A., with four dingers and 10 RBI. Brandon Moss did nothing for the Pirates and broke through later for Oakland, while Andy LaRoche never quite lived up to his famous brother's lofty totals, either. Hansen lasted just 21 games in Pittsburgh and was out of the big leagues in 2009 and Bryan Morris was actually the best of the bunch, appearing in 81 games over three seasons and registering a 3.46 ERA.
5. Padres Give Away Cory Kluber In Three-Team Swap – 2010
Imagine being Padres management in 2014 and your team is in the midst of yet another sub-par year, while having to watch former farmhand Cory Kluber cop Cy Young honors in the American League with the Cleveland Indians. Four years earlier, that very same management agreed that Kluber, a minor league prospect, was expendable and engineered a three-team swap that saw St. Louis get Cleveland starter Jake Westbrook and Padres pitching prospect Nick Greenwood. The return for San Diego? Former all-star outfielder Ryan Ludwick from the Cards. He was only a shadow of his All-Star self in 160 games with the Pads, hitting a dismal .228 with 17 homers. Westbrook helped St. Louis win a championship in 2011, while Greenwood had a cup of coffee with the team over two seasons.
4. Rangers Trade Chris Davis And Tommy Hunter To Baltimore For Koji Uehara – 2011
On paper at least, this trade didn't look all that bad when the Texas Rangers and Baltimore Orioles completed it at the deadline in 2011. The Rangers, coming off a World Series loss to San Francisco, were loading up for another run and needed a middle reliever/closer of Uehara's pedigree in their bullpen. At that time, Davis was a good defensive first baseman and Tommy Hunter showed promise as a reliable, un-flashy starter. Uehara was decent in just 59 total games with the Rangers, but was roughed up considerably in the playoffs, giving up five earned runs in just 1.1 innings pitched. Davis went to a struggling Baltimore franchise and began mashing the ball like a champ in 2012, hitting 33 homers. In 2013, he led the AL in homers (53) and RBI (138) and has ripped 216 big flies and counting. Hunter made a good transition from starter to middle reliever with the O's and pitched in 224 games, logging a 4.16 ERA and saving 15. A win-win for Baltimore.
3. Boston Deals John Lackey To St. Louis For Allen Craig and Joe Kelly – 2014
The Red Sox won their third championship in nine years in 2013, largely due to contributions from veterans like pitchers John Lackey and Jon Lester. But, like a lot of champions, they swooned the next season and at the deadline the fire sale was on. First they sent Lester (2-0 in '13 world series) to Oakland and hours later shipped Lackey (1-1, 2.57 ERA in '13 world series) to St. Louis for All-Star outfielder Allen Craig and pitcher Joe Kelly. Lackey ended up being very good in St. Louis, going 16-13 in 43 starts over a season and a half with a 3.10 ERA. He also helped the Cardinals make it to the playoffs in 2014 and again in 2015, starting four more games and going 2-0. Craig, a great hitter in St. Louis for five seasons (.291 BA, 57 HR, 291 RBI) tanked spectacularly in Boston, hitting just .139 in 65 total games. The saving grace for Boston is the fact Kelly is still with the team, but only in a middle relief role.
2. Oakland Trades Away Addison Russell Ahead Of Deadline – 2014
When the A's aren't in the running for the playoffs, it's a fire sale in the Bay Area at deadline time. However, when they are in the mix, they have made some dubious deals. In 2014, they needed starting pitching to propel them into the Big Dance and pulled the trigger on a big trade with the Chicago Cubs that netted them Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel. The Cubs stocked the shelves by getting top prospect shortstop Addison Russell, righthanded pitcher Dan Straily and young outfielder Billy McKinney. Oakland did make the playoffs in '14, but neither Samardzija or Hammel were a factor, as they lost the wild card game to Kansas City. They both turned out to be rentals, as Hammel went back to the Cubs in free agency after the 2014 season and Samardzija joined crosstown rival White Sox in a off-season trade. That rental had a steep price, as Russell has become an All-Star, world champion and the everyday shortstop people expected him to be. McKinney is now in the New York Yankees farm system and Straily is still in the bigs with Miami.
1. San Francisco Pays A High Price For Rental Mike Leake – 2015
The Gigantes have been uber-successful this decade, winning three championships between 2010 and 2014, so they can be forgiven for making deals to go for it — even if things don't pan out. Yet, in 2015, they paid a hefty price to obtain starter Mike Leake from Cincinnati at the deadline. Leake was 9-5 with a 3.56 ERA in 21 starts for the Reds in 2015 when he was dealt to the Giants help them push for another playoff appearance and defend their 2014 title. It didn't work out, as Leake went 2-5 the rest of the way and was gone to St. Louis in free agency at the conclusion of the season. And the players the Reds got? None other than Adam Duvall was one of them. After a brief debut in 2015, he exploded last year, clubbing 33 homers and driving in 103 runs. Currently, the All-Star outfielder/first baseman has 28 doubles, two triples and 21 homers, along with 68 RBI.


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After 12 years, Prudential Gary Greene, Realtors is becoming Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene, a move that will affect 20 Houston-area offices and more than residential real estate 850 agents.
Grary Greene owners Mark Woodroof and Marilyn Eiland announced the change over this morning in a ballroom at the Westin at Memorial City. There had been rumors of a new affiliation as the company's franchise agreement with Prudential expired this month.
If the company would have stayed with Prudential, the name would have eventually gone away. Last year, Brookfield acquired Prudential Real Estate and the Prudential name was going to be phased out over a period of years.
Woodroof said the company considered becoming independent, but "we really like national branding."
Eiland stressed the Better Homes association with "lifestyle."
"Every time someone sees (Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate) advertising it's about home, family and community," she said. "It's not about insurance."


text:
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
What Sarah Hilary suggests for Starkville
Hi there. There is so much I love in this story, and it's been fascinating to see it unravel over the last week or so. Thanks for sharing that process with us.
Right, you asked for a brutal critique? (In fact it doesn't need one, as I think you already spotted 95% of what needed doing with it as you went along, but here goes...)
I like how you root us in the place and the action, straight up. That Kerry is here where her mother was before her, with Beth to think about and this nebulous idea of escape in the front of her mind. We know she's feeling a bit trapped, a bit flighty.
Then in comes Carl - great descriptions here and very nice dialogue and tension between them from the off.I'd get rid of "Huh... I feel weird." I don't want you warning us that way. I want to feel that slap Kerry feels when she realises who it is. The bit with the burn and the ice was perfect - we side with Carl a little here, he seems a good guy no matter how much he's changed.
This prefaced Kerry submission for me. If you don't want to preface that, then maybe you need to change how Carl reacts to the burn?
I wasn't so sure about the second diner coming in. There's a paragraph where Kerry starts to reminisce about Reno... I wanted that flashback. That would really give me what I need to judge Carl and Kerry and Beth as a possible family unit. The second diner and his watchful offer of help seemed like a distraction, a tangent - as if you weren't quite ready to write the flashback just yet and so this guy interrupted it.
I think we need the flashback - some more clues as to how Beth was conceived. Kerry was in love with Carl, right? Was he in love with her? Why'd he leave? Without at least a hint at some of these answers I don't think the ending quite works because we don't know enough to guess at what comes next. I like to guess - I don't need all the answers but I need enough to hazard a decent guess.
The quickfire conversation where Kerry and Carl agree terms for his seeing Beth does work well but I think we need a glimpse more of what's going through Kerry's mind. At the start of this she was feeling trapped (at least I read it that way), looking for a way out. Now she's thinking of staying and letting Carl into Beth's life. How does this resolve her worries over Beth's adolescence? Or her desire for a wintery place?
It's almost all there but it needs a little more layering, a little more resolution, I think.I hope these comments make sense. I've enjoyed following the creation of this - you write diner fic so damn well - and it's been a privilege to be involved. Thanks. S.
Gay Degani said...
WOW! Sarah! Amazing.
Yes yes yes about the Reno scene. It is absolutely key to everything, the lynch pin to the story. That will be fun to write though I have no idea what I'll say!!!
I wanted more flash backs--I wanted to do what Brenda Miller does in Blessing of the Animals weaving a present story with a past story, but I'm finding it hard to do that. Once I'm into a certain rhythm, I don't want for anything to jar it.
Perhaps that is exactly what the story needs, that jolt. That may have been my subconsious setting me up. It does that sometimes.
Actually that was the purpose of the driver coming in, a delay tactic not to delay me from writing the Reno scene--I didn't even know there was going to be a Reno scene (I swear) but to delay Kelly's having to deal with Carl, to weaken her resolve since she couldn't go at him right off the bat.
But absolutely I can make a move toward the weaving thing I want by writing that reno scene. I think...well, I'm not going to say what I think yet will happen. I'm going to leave that in the hands of the characters who have finally become their own people.
I added that "weird" line because I wanted the reader to feel comfortable with the idea that she didn't recognize him immediately. I thought something would tug on her something about him would make her uneasy. I have to think more about this. I know someone who I knew 10 years ago who was strong, outgoing, healthy-seeming though he drank all the time and now looks like someone's grandfather. That's what I want to reproduce somehow. Yep this I need to think about. It happens but I want to make sure the reader believes it.
And the ending, you are on the money again. It needs to reflect her original attitude, what she's thinking, how it works. I'm thinking that maybe this story will need to be a little longer. Perhaps have a scene later after he's been there awhile and "obeyed" her requests. But I don't want to tack it on. Hmmmmmm. Maybe if I do the flashback thing write a strong ending will come to me.
Sarah, as usual, you are amazing. Thank you so much and thank you for doing all this publicly. This has been a weird experience for me, but much less angst than I thought it would be. The story developed for me I think because I didn't let it go, COULDN'T let it go because then I would look like a whuss. (sp). I forced myself to sit down to it everyday and just write not worrying about if it was good or not, just letting it develop. Diner fiction? Is this a sub-genre of restaurant fiction? Is there take-out fiction? You make me smile! Much grass.
2 comments:
- Sarah Hilary said...
"Much grass" is new to me, Gay. I shall add it my list!
Definitely you have cornered the market in diner-fic. For Brit readers (and watchers of TV and film) the diner is a strange alien setting because we don't have them over here. Some of my favourite scenes in films have taken place in diners, en route to somewhere else. Spooky places, they seem to me. Anything could happen sort of places.
I forgot to say how much I love the title - Starkville - is it an actual place or did you make it up?
- Gay Degani said...
"Much Grass" comes out whenever I want to type muchas gracias. My typing is slowly deteriorating so if I can make it easier for me, I do.
Thanks for the diner info. Funny but I'd forgotten about all the great movies that feature diners: Diner, of course, Five Easy Pieces, ... Oh there is that Pretenders music video in what LOKKED like a Brit diner...
What a great topic for a poll post!!! LOL. You continue to amaze me.
Starkville I got from the dictionary while doing my daily prompts thing. Flip over the Oxford, run my finger down a column. Always looking for provocative. And there it was Starkville, Mississippi. I looked it up ... again... why don't I post this.