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Recommended Distance From Hearth to Mantel
A working fireplace must be designed in accord with safety regulations that position any flammable material, such as a wood mantel, far enough away from the flames and heat so that it does not ignite. Local building codes determine the distance to place the mantel from the hearth -- the floor of the fireplace, and the area in front of the firebox, which is typically made of brick, stone or another noncombustible material. Most codes specify mantel distance from the firebox itself. As a general rule, a mantel is placed about 12 inches above the fireplace opening. Add an inch to the distance for every inch that the mantel protrudes. So, a mantel 6 inches deep would be attached 18 inches above the firebox opening.
Check Local Codes
The National Fire Protection Association publishes fire safety codes encompassing fire safety regulations. Some states and smaller municipal districts default to uniform fire codes published by the NFPA; others develop their own regulations. You or your builder should be aware of the code for your residence. For instance, Maryland's Allegany County Division of Permits and Land Development Services requires 16 inches of noncombustible hearth flooring in front of the fireplace opening and 8 inches of hearth on either side. The Seattle Residential Code specifies that woodwork, mantels and trim must be at least 6 inches away from a fireplace opening and regulates the size and placement of a mantel hung within 12 inches of the top of the firebox.


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FAMOUS LAST WORDS by Timothy Findley Delacorte; 396 pages; $14.95
The odor of death hangs heavy over Ezra Pound's garden in Rapallo, Italy, during the fateful March of 1945. As he awaits the advance of the U.S. Army and his arrest for making treasonous broadcasts, the mad poet bids a venomous farewell to "poor old Hugh Selwyn Mauberleyarse-eyed traitor to the whole world!" Indeed, the fleeing Mauberley presents a threat to both Axis and Allies: he has seen atrocities on both sides and he is ready to bear witness.
So begins Canadian Timothy Findley's fourth...
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One of the many highlights of 2014 is viewing Fiordland Crested penguins at the Wilderness Lodge at Lake Moeraki on my most recent visit to New Zealand. I am thankful for many things in my very rich life. I hope this season provides an opportunity to count your blessings. I am counting 15 Fiordland Crested penguins among mine!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
-43.881107 169.042437


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I'm obsessed with pumpkin can you tell? I just LOVE this time of year for that reason. And I am a little obsessed with cream cheese. Combine cream cheese with pumpkin and a few amazing ingredients to get a delicious truffle.
My little one Luke, loves to help in the kitchen. He told me when I die, he will take over the blog. I'm so glad I've got that covered! He is always trying to create different recipes. We tried gum ball soup but he said it was gross and wasn't good material for the blog. Besides helping me cook and create recipes, he loves to help style the shoots. In this particular shoot he lined up all of the pumpkins for me.
While he was helping me with the shoot he had a new recipe idea for the blog. Graham crackers with white chocolate on the top. Notice his face in the picture already took a bite out of his delicious creation. In case you are wondering, this is how you make it according to him. You take a graham cracker bottom and scoop the white chocolate on the top and microwave it for 20 seconds. This is what it looks like. With a bite taken out of it of course!
He is so much fun and I love my little helper in the kitchen. And you know that these truffles totally turned out amazing. You can't go wrong with any of the ingredients and then they are surrounded by white chocolate. These are sure to be a hit!
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Truffles
A delicious no bake truffle that is combined with pumpkin and cream cheese!
- ½ cup white chocolate chips
- 2 cups white chocolate chips almond bark will also work
- 1 1/2 cup gingersnap cookie crumbs
- 1/4 cup canned pumpkin purée
- 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of fine salt
- 2 ounces cream cheese softened
- In a large mixing bowl or kitchenaid mixer with paddle attachment, combine gingersnap crumbs, pumpkin, graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, salt and cream cheese and beat until smooth. Melt 1/2 cup chocolate chips in microwave every 30 seconds, stirring so that it doesn't burn. Add the melted chocolate and combine with mixture. Cover and chill for about 2 hours until it is solid enough to roll into balls.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and roll one heaping teaspoon of the mixture into balls. Melt the remaining white chocolate and drop the balls in the chocolate using a spoon to coat. Lift the truffle out of the chocolate and place on the parchment paper. Garnish with additional gingersnap crumbs and graham cracker crumbs if desired.
- Chill truffles for about 30 minutes until chocolate has set. Refrigerate remaining truffles.


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You were born WILD
...it's time to remember!
We are dedicated to teaching people of all ages and skill levels fundamental Life Skills, commonly referred to as "survival skills". People have been practicing these skills stretching back millennia in time to when we were all natives in our own lands. These skills are the foundation of what we teach. Some of the tools and terminology have changed, but the skills remain the same.
If you want to learn how to survive in any situation these are the skills you will have to explore and master. In today's world of modern conveniences we have lost sight of what it means to be truly human. Once you start to flex these long forgotten muscles the instincts programmed into your DNA will start to reawaken!


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What did Betty Crocker's 750,000 plus Facebook fans vote for in this exclusive foodie poll: Betty 10 Red Hot Holiday Trents? #iframe:http://www.youtube.com/v/OCa6A0nKIFE?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b|||
My stepmom and I start every holiday season the same way: We make a box of Betty Crocker brownies, take them out of the oven a little early, eat the gooey molten center while it's still warm, and then cut up the rest for the family. Perhaps not-so-shockingly, this tradition didn't make it on to the survey: Betty 10 Red Hot Holiday Trends (although I think it should have). What did the company's 750,000 plus Facebook fans vote for in this exclusive foodie poll? Things like Street Eats, Kids in the Kitchen, Colorful Food, and DIY homemade gifts.
Check out the website for more festive ideas and tips. (Consider the above brownie "recipe" a freebie. You're welcome.)


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Death rates after heart surgery are five times higher for patients who are given blood that has been stored for more than 31 days than for those given blood stored for 19 days or less. If the finding is confirmed by larger studies, it could suggest that high-risk patients should be given fresher blood, which may be better able to deliver oxygen.
—Mellow Monk
Go to the Mellow Monk tea page
Bookmark this blog
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Upright Ministries
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Upright Ministries empowers you to become more efficient in managing your ministry by providing resources and saving you both time and money.
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Visit the Talbott Event Center website for more information or to request a quote!
Below is the square footage of each of our rooms as well as room capacities for our most common layouts. Custom layouts for trade shows, standing receptions, dances, and other events may increase or decrease room capacity. Contact the Event Center Coordinator to begin planning your personalized room layout.


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Lately I am taking some time to revamp my horrible art and illustration portfolio, and I have enrolled into two classes taught by the amazing Lilla Rogers, one of the top art agents in the world. "Make Art That Sells (A)" is a 5-week class with one topic per week: Bolt Fabric, Home Decor, Children's Picture Books, Wall Art, and Gift. After beating up myself internally for weeks, I have paid and signed up for the ride. The first week is over before you know it.
We just got out of the bolt fabric design assignment from MATS Bootcamp in March. That was like a soft introduction into MATS A, and it is a second chance for me to act upon what I learned to do, what not to do, and what I wish I should have done.
The subject matter is "Tropical Fruit + Casserole Dish". This time, instead of drawing Godzilla destroying a city made with casserole dishes like I did with my crazy previous assignment, I focus on the obvious – the actual subject matter itself.
I have come to learn about Amy Butler via the class, and I found myself drooling, literally drooling, over her designs. Her patterns are so intricate with so many motifs, colors and icons, yet you don't really find them busy. Unlike many of the existing bolt fabric designs, her designs are very wearable, and it is not in the cheesy "I-can't-believe-you-wore-a-dress-made-with-curtains" kind of way. Indeed, they brought out your personality, yet highly fashionable. So I naively thought, I could create a pattern of pots and pans and fruits that you may want to wear too. Har har.
I want to force myself to do an illustrator / vector piece for this assignment. Vector is my comfort zone so it feels more like work and less fun, but I know it is the right medium for this project. Besides, seeing Amy Butler's work convinced me that vector doesn't have to be "robotic" and "emotionless". It has the potential to bring out a lot of personality.
The above is what I made for the Mini. I don't know what it is, but "Taiwanese street scene" is what came to my mind when I attempted to create a pattern out of it! I was frustrated because that is not what I wanted (I want Amy Butler!!!! LOL). The streets of Taiwan are very busy visually, and maybe it is the colors and the spacing of the icons that gives me that Taiwan feeling. I am also not sure why it felt very "oriental" to me. Maybe it is the pots that got rotated vertically, and the icons within them look like Chinese characters at a glance?
After getting some feedback from the forever-helpful class message board, I worked another day to come to the above arrangement, which I am actually quite happy about. The icons varied in scale now, and I have limited the palette a bit so it is not as busy visually. I liked this arrangement so much that I almost wanted to submit this as is for my assignment submission, but I didn't because it is not quite a bolt fabric pattern.
This is what I submitted at last. As you can see, it is wildly different from the beautiful Amy Butler patterns that I was so inspired from! I won't say I can make a dress out of this and proudly wear it on the streets, but I would take it as an apron ;-).
Last but not least…. I must say I am soooooo happy that Lilla included this into the weekly review video! It gave me a nice positive push, and reassurement that maybe I shouldn't sulk or give up trying. I really needed this push. Thank you Lilla!
What do you think? Do you have any suggestions and recommendations for me?


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Industry News
ilumi Releases Bluetooth Strip Light Outdoor Use
Release Date:2016-07-11
ilumi Releases Bluetooth Mesh Connected LED Strip Light with Outdoor Rating
ilumi is set to launch a new outdoor-rated smart LED strip light. (All photos courtesy of ilumi)
Expanding its portfolio of innovative smart lighting products, ilumi solutions announces a new series of app-controlled, outdoor-rated and colorful LED light strips. The Mark Cuban-backed and Shark Tank-funded ilumi is returning to the crowdfunding community to bring its Smartstrip to life via Kickstarter. The Smartstrip furthers the ilumi mission to help consumers achieve better living through better lighting.
The ilumi Smartstrip incorporates a number of industry firsts, including Bluetooth Mesh wireless connectivity, outdoor-rated materials, and uniquely bright digitally addressable RGB+W LEDs. This unique combination enables the Smartstrip to be the most flexible and functional lighting strip on the market. Enabled through ilumi's free iOS and Android app, the Smartstrip can be controlled from smartphones and tablets up to 150 feet away without the need for a hub, survive in the outdoors through tough weather conditions, and illuminate any and all colors within the spectrum from bright functional whites to rich hues.
The Smartstrip's digitally addressable nature enables each LED to be controlled and change color independently of any other, creating dynamic effects and patterns that add interest and atmosphere to homes, bars, venues, workspaces and more. Additionally, the ilumi Smartstrip utilizes a novel and patent pending RGB+W digital LED strip design created by ilumi that overcomes the brightness limitations of white light experienced by competing digitally addressable LED strips. This clever design allows a user to enjoy any shade of bright white light from warm to cool for everyday use as well as activate dynamic colorful effects.
ilumi smart LED strip light.
The Smartstrip comes with an adhesive backing and is IP65-rated for an easy installation process, allowing consumers to effortlessly liven any indoor or outdoor space. For example, users can install the ilumi Smartstrip behind a bed's headboard and schedule a Maui morning sunrise to wake up feeling relaxed and ready for the day. Users can place the Smartstrip underneath kitchen cabinetry and seamlessly transition atmospheres from bright white light for meal preparation to a warm glow when entertaining guests. Its outdoor rating allows the Smartstrip to be placed around a front or back porch awning. Consumers can create schedules or activate a vacation mode for their lighting to deter intruders, create special lighting affects to celebrate holidays, or show pride for their favorite sports teams on game days.
Different lighting applications for the smart LED strip lights.
The Smartstrip works in tandem with ilumi's family of connected lighting products, and is built with the same patented technology and features, including:
MeshTek Bluetooth Mesh connectivity to make setup easy and scalability to support up to 50 ilumi connected devices
Built-in memory and a real-time clock so a user's schedules and preferences are stored inside every light for the right light, at the right time
Enhanced color quality and brightness, emitting 1500 lumens and a range that supports warm white, to cool white, and rich saturated colors
Control via most iOS and Android smartphones or tablets through the free ilumi app, where users can take advantage of a suite of exciting and useful experiences to help find, set, and schedule the right lighting to fit the space and the time of day
"We wanted to go beyond the lightbulb while staying true to our mission of helping people unlock the power of light and really achieve good lighting in the easiest way possible," said Corey Egan, CEO and Co-Founder of ilumi. "The dynamic effects of the ilumi Smartstrip are going to transform people's homes like they couldn't even imagine."
The ilumi Smartstrip collection is available now on Kickstarter for an introductory price of US $59 and will retail for $89 when fully available in December 2016. The base level ilumi Smartstrip kit comes with a universal 24V power supply, in-line Bluetooth controller and six feet (two meters) of the flexible strip. The length of the Smartstrip can easily be extended with extensions in lengths of three feet (one meter) and a Kickstarter exclusive of 13 feet (four meters) and long extensions that are easily connected up to a full length of 10 meters total. Additional pledges for the Smartstrip include packages that offer the entire ilumi family of products, such as the new BR30 Outdoor. The ilumi Smartstrip will begin shipping to supporters by December 2016.


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When we think of fatigue, we generally think of burning muscles, lactic acid building up, and several other descriptors that have rightly or wrongly entered the lingo of endurance athletes and coaches over the years. In essence though, fatigue is
What do Orthotics and shoes actually do? Looking at data from a professional runner
Often times in research we focus on norms. We look at the average effect of different interventions and then apply them to everybody. In this way, as a whole we get what the effects are for most people. By doing
The most important information you will ever read about Running Form: Passive vs. Active
It might seem like I'm being overly dramatic with the title, but the following two concepts are critical for understanding running form, or even human movement in general. With the rise in popularity of running form and the increase in
180 isn't a magic number- Stride Rate and what it means
Speed= Stride Rate X Stride length It's simple. It warrants repeating. Through in Ground contact in and you've got a nice model….But I digress… There have been a recent surge in articles and blogs in regards to stride rate. It
How to Run: Running with proper biomechanics
The simple question of how do you run is largely unanswered in the running community. You have a bunch of pseudo-guru styles like Pose or Chi, but the key to running correctly to maximize performance is a topic that is
To change or not: Salazar, Ritzenhein, and running form changes
Ritz and his new form: There is a lot of buzz going around about Dathan Ritzenhein and his form changes. You either fall into one of two camps as Amby Burfoot stated in his blog on the subject: it's great
Learning how to run.
I thought this was pertinent given the focus on running mechanics and barefoot running. It's an article I wrote for Running Times online a couple years back. It's a simple and practical look at how to run properly. Running seems
New studies on footstrike. Do faster runners heel strike?
Perhaps the most interesting finding in Lieberman's work is that it may not be so much the barefoot vs. shod but the footstrike that is the important part. Brefoot running allows for the footstrike to happen properly, so they are
1st outdoor meet, biomechanics revisited
1st outdoor meet- LSU 5k- 1st- 14:21.49 PR It feels good to win a race and set a PR again. Going into the race I didn't know what to expect and I was not trying to hit a certain time
Mail Bag: Question on difference in form in CC compared to Track.
I've gotten some questions about my comment on the cross-country race that my running form/mechanicsdon't suit that type of race. First we will go withthe simple explanation that I am a rhythm runner and atrack type runner. This means I


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A new competition to find the best energy efficient televisions has announced its first list of winners, with Samsung the one name-brand manufacturer securing a spot on the podium. This isn't your average green energy competition though, focused instead on TVs designed for use in developing countries with limited access to reliable energy grids, where solar panels feeding into reserve DC batteries is becoming an 'off-grid' solution.
There were five categories, split between products that were currently commercially available and those that were still in development.
The full list of winners is:
- Commercially Available, Small: Sola SO16M 15.6-inch LED TV by Solar Home Appliances
- Commercially Available, Medium: Sola SO19M 19-inch LED TV by Solar Home Appliances
- Commercially Available, Large: Samsung UA23H4060AR 23-inch LED TV by Samsung
- Emerging Technology, Small: DC TV 15.6-inch 12V by fosera GmbH & Co KG aA
- Emerging Technology, Large: Samsung UA32**** 32-inch Prototype LED TV by Samsung
In addition to energy efficiency, the products were tested for reliability and durability, with the cost also being a deciding factor.
To give some perspective on the energy efficiency in question, the winning TVs draw around 6 to 10W of power, or roughly the same as compact fluorescent bulb. A 42-inch Panasonic Viera TH-L42E6A -- which has a 6 star energy rating -- runs at 84W.
"Quality assured, super-efficient low-voltage appliances build consumer trust and reduce costs for energy-poor populations throughout the developing world," said Global LEAP Initiative Lead Caroline McGregor. "They're essential to creating and sustaining demand for technologies like off-grid solar."
Global LEAP is an initiative of the Clean Energy Ministerial, an annual forum promoting clean energy usage around the world. The Global LEAP Outstanding Off-Grid Appliance awards are also co-sponsored by the US Department of Energy and the ClimateWorks Foundation.


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I have a premium account. I use it to sign in to my windows teamviewer app.
But for some reason it keeps saying that trial version is expired and won;t let me use it.
Before this account I used to have another one free with another email. Maybe my computer somehow is still linked to that old account?
Hi guillogc,
As this would be specific to your license, can you please raise a ticket or call us?


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Taking Care of Transporting Items Around Your Business Campus
There are a lot of questions that can come along when you want to be sure that you've got everything together and under control in a situation. How do you know that you're doing what makes the most sense? If you have a large space for your business, you're likely trying to strategize what it may take to get items across the area quickly. What options do you have for on-site transportation services rancho cucamonga ca that can allow things to go fast and simple?
As you look at what is out there, you want to make sure that you find solutions that fit within your budget. Maybe you need to hire truckers or work with an outside company so that they can take care of those things for you. Or, maybe you just need to take a little bit of time and sort out what matters the most for you and all that you're working toward. No matter what, you want to be sure that you have everything in order and that you're going to get stuff done ASAP and that it's going to make money instead of causing you to lose it.
Look at what you're able to learn and see what you can accomplish in the meantime. When all is said and done, you can find the answers that work out the best and that can help you in the best ways possible. You can learn a lot about the options that make the most sense for your purposes and know that you have everything in order in a positive way. See what's out there, learn what you can, and know that you have a solid path forward that will make sense for what you need to do at your business.Read More →


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To the person who found this site via the search term "ganirelix poop," can't help ya there. Perhaps consult your doctor?
And you, yes you, who found this website via a search for "fucking doll side effects." REALLY? Perhaps consult a therapist?
Besides the searches for "5ab embryo" or "5bb embryo" (WELL DONE PEOPLE, SERIOUSLY) there are also an inordinate # of people landing here after searching for the "side effects of fucking." Consult. Your. Doctor.


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ASTOR, Lady Nancy (1879-1964)
Plaque erected in 1987 by English Heritage at 4 St James's Square, St James's, London, SW1Y 6JU, City of Westminster
Politics and Administration
NANCY ASTOR 1879-1964 First woman to sit in Parliament lived here
The American politician and society hostess Nancy Astor was the first woman to sit in Parliament, holding her seat for over 25 years. During that time, 4 St James's Square was her London home.
Nancy Witcher Langhorne, born in Virginia, USA, travelled to England in 1904 and two years later married Waldorf Astor (1879–1952), a wealthy newspaper proprietor and the Member of Parliament for Plymouth. Elected to the peerage on the death of his father in 1919, Waldorf was forced to give up his seat in the House of Commons and promoted Nancy as a candidate in the resulting by-election instead.
Although no woman had yet sat in the Commons, she won with 51% of the vote and remained the Conservative MP for Plymouth Sutton for over 25 years (1919–45).
Her campaigning spirit and enthusiasm for politics were formidable and she championed many causes on behalf of underprivileged women and children. Astor was for example a keen supporter and benefactor of the nursery schools of Margaret McMillan. Her most effective speeches were in support of her legislation to ban the sale of alcohol to anyone under 18, a bill which was passed in 1923.
Astor also developed a reputation for heckling and interrupting speeches, and she later recalled that her fellow MPs 'would rather have had a rattlesnake than me' in the House of Commons. Indeed, it seems she made a lasting impression on the former Prime Minister, Winston Churchill: 'When you entered the House of Commons,' Astor reported Churchill as saying, 'I felt as if a woman had entered my bathroom and I had nothing to protect myself with except a sponge.'
The Astors' most famous home was Cliveden in Buckinghamshire, but in 1912 they acquired 4 St James's Square, the London addition to their portfolio of properties. Built in 1726–8 for the 1st Duke of Kent and now housing the Naval and Military Club, number 4 is the oldest building to survive in St James's Square.
Bearing a Palladian façade of stock brick, the terraced mansion provided a glittering setting for entertaining, with its magnificent reception rooms and huge ballroom. At a time when such splendour was becoming rare, Lady Astor gave dinner parties for 50 people, a threw a couple of balls a season for up to 600 guests, and held receptions for as many as 1,000.
Having been damaged by bombs and requisitioned during the Second World War, number 4 was finally sold in 1946. It was a moment that heralded both the end of Nancy's political career and the tradition of a great London house as a centre of political influence. The English Heritage plaque was unveiled in 1987 by the then Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, who praised Astor's courage – from which she herself had taken heart – for going into 'that totally male-dominated place'.


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By becoming a member of Bonniers Konsthall, you are not only supporting art, but are also granted a number of special offers and benefits.
This is including free admission to all exhibitions, invitations to exhibition previews, the opportunity to participate in inspiring art trips and artist studio visits. In addition, membership grants you free entrance to all museum events and discounts in our shop and café.
Bonniers Konsthall is a non-profit institution funded by patrons of the arts. Membership fees go straight into the work of the museum, enabling us to provide the public with an inspiring centre for contemporary art.
A membership gives you:
- Free admission to all exhibitions
- Invitations to pre-viewings of exhibitions
- Free admission to program nights and priority to these
- Invitations to special member events, guided tours, visits to artists studios, other culture institutions and much more
- Invitations to art trips
- Priority and discount on courses
- 20 % discount and special offers in the museum shop
- 10 % discount in Bonniers Konsthall's Café
- A newsletter with info on exhibitions and programme
Gdpr + integritetspolicy
Bank account payment
It is also possible to pay through Bonniers Konsthall's bank account 5306-8359. Please state you first and last name and type of membership during purchase.


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Friday, June 24, 2011
Day 10 The FREEDOM PARTY tribute to MICHAEL JACKSON
Tonite was amazing! Me, Tia, Lanisha, Alicia, Kendra and Edwinna went to the FREEDOM PARTY's annual tribute to Michael Jackson.
They play Michael Jackson and related music ALL NITE LONG!
It was so much fun! DJ Herbert Holler is the best! He even play the demo version of P.Y.T before Quincy Jones came on board and produced it. It was FIYAH!
When we arrived at 11pm when the doors opened, the line was already wrapped around the corner!
We danced for hours! I am having so much fun with my friends!
WATCH THE VIDEO of me and TIA having fun after the party!
Posted by Erica Watson at 11:52 PM
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Local Road Racing SuperStar Johnny O'Connell To Drive For Dale Jr This Weekend
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 30, 2013) – Accomplished sports car racer Johnny O'Connell will drive for JR Motorsports in the June 22 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Road America, general manager Kelley Earnhardt Miller announced today. O'Connell will make up a two-team contingent for JR Motorsports at Road America that includes Nationwide Series point leader Regan Smith.
O'Connell, a longtime GM factory driver and recent inductee into the Sebring Hall of Fame, will drive the No. 5 CorvetteParts.net Chevrolet at Road America, the first of three road-course venues the Nationwide Series will visit in 2013. This will mark O'Connell's first-ever race in a NASCAR stock car.


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First Public Compressed Natural Gas Fuel Station Opens in Casa Grande
Golden Eagle Distributors, Inc. and Trillium CNG™ host ribbon cutting at new station
Tucson, AZ (August 22, 2013) – Golden Eagle Distributors, Inc. and Trillium CNG hosted a green ribbon cutting ceremony today to officially open the first public-access compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station in Casa Grande. The station is located on Golden Eagle's property at 1000 N Jefferson.
Compressed Natural Gas is one of the cleanest fuels currently available for use in vehicles. Its use in heavy duty trucks reduces particulate matter emissions to up to 86 percent, carbon monoxide emissions by 80 percent, nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 32 percent, and carbon dioxide emissions by 25 percent. As an additional benefit, CNG offers cost savings compared to traditional fuels and runs quieter than diesel trucks.
The public fueling station will refuel Golden Eagle's local fleet of 5 compressed natural gas heavy duty vehicles as well as sell CNG to other commercial fleets and be open to the public. This station will provide the needed infrastructure for individuals and businesses to consider CNG for their vehicles.
"This is a great day for Golden Eagle and Casa Grande. We are excited to provide this new infrastructure to the Casa Grande community," said Christopher Clements, CEO, Golden Eagle Distributors, Inc. "Through our partnerships with Ryder and Trillium, we are able to take advantage of both the cost and environmental savings of converting our heavy duty fleet to CNG. Now that CNG fuel will be available in Casa Grande, other businesses and individuals can truly consider CNG as a viable alternative fuel for their fleets."
Principals from Golden Eagle, TrilliumCNG, and Golden Eagle's fleet partner Ryder System, along with Casa Grande Mayor Bob Jackson, Congressman Paul Gosar, and Arizona Representative TJ Shope, and other civic, community and sustainability leaders, attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony and demonstration of the new facility Thursday at Golden Eagle's 1000 N Jefferson, Casa Grande location.
"We are excited to support Golden Eagle in their pioneering efforts to make use of a clean, domestic and abundant resource - natural gas fuel," said Mary Boettcher, President, Trillium CNG. "The new station opening will provide more opportunity for other businesses in Casa Grande to choose CNG."
The CNG fueling station and local CNG vehicles are part of Golden Eagle's broader sustainability efforts in Arizona. This is Golden Eagle's second public-access CNG fuel station. This first opened last fall at their headquarters' property in Tucson. Golden Eagle currently operates 28 CNG heavy duty vehicles which deliver 450 different beers and other beverages to over 1,700 retailers.
In 2012, Golden Eagle's industry leading fleet sustainability efforts were recognized by Beverage World Magazine as 2012 Fleet of the Year and by NGVAmerica with their 2012 NGV Achievement Award. Also last year, Golden Eagle was recognized by the Better Business Bureau with the Good Neighbor Award for their environmental and community service contributions. In 2010, the company was recognized as Arizona's Greenest Workplace by Mrs Green's World, a website that promotes sustainability.
About Trillium CNG
Trillium CNG is a leading provider of compressed natural gas facility design, construction, operation and maintenance that specializes in fueling heavy-duty fleets that require high-performance solutions. Additional information can be found at www.TrilliumCNG.com.
Trillium CNG is a business unit of Integrys Transportation Fuels, LLC, which holds the CNG business activities of Integrys Energy Group (NYSE: TEG); a Fortune 1000 company. More information about Integrys is available at www.integrysgroup.com .
About Golden Eagle Distributors, Inc.
Golden Eagle Distributors, Inc. has been the exclusive distributor of Anheuser-Busch products, as well as other craft beers and imports across most of Arizona since its creation in 1974. The third-generation company is owned by the Clements Family and is headquartered in Tucson with offices in Buckeye, Casa Grande, Flagstaff, Globe, Show Low, and Tempe, Arizona.
For more information about Golden Eagle Distributors, Inc. please visit www.gedaz.com and www.facebook.com/goldeneagledistributors.
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June 04, Colombo: Sri Lanka's ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) has summoned a meeting of all coalition parties next week to discuss the organizational work for the elections of 67 local government bodies.
The elections of 67 local government bodies that were postponed have been scheduled to be held on July 23.
The UPFA won the majority of the elections of the local government bodies that were held early this year.
Leaders of all the UPFA coalition parties and the organizations of the coalition parties of the local government bodies for which the elections are held have been summoned for the meeting.
The meeting will be chaired by the secretary of the UPFA Susil Prema Jayantha and the secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Maithripala Sirisena, UPFA sources said.


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I always find Gary's Rather Sad Blog to be thoughtful, and not at all sad. His latest post is a fascinating reflection on the Trinity and Social Media. I thoroughly recommend that you give it a read, but here is a short sample to give you an idea of what he is saying.
We are empty without human contact. Even with a wonderful relationship with God we cry out for a companion, a help-meet, an ally, an associate, a loved one, a child. Because we're made in the Image of God. The God who doesn't come in a self-contained, perfectly packaged, hermetically sealed One. Who isn't self-sufficient as One on His Own. Who in his own nature comes as an open, loving, relational Three. Where Father loves Son and Son loves Father, and the love of Father and Son is Godself as Spirit – a love that's not even locked between Two, but shared out to Three and then out to the many beyond the Godhead.


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symptoms of bacterial bronchitis - Know the Signs of Childhood Asthma
Know the Signs of Childhood Asthma
According to the Mayo Clinic, a well respected medical resource, and the American Family Physician, a newsletter from the American Academy of Family Physicians, childhood asthma has risen significantly in over the past few decades. The American Lung Association states that in 2004, an estimated 4 million children under 18 years old have had an asthma attack in the past 12 months, and many others have "hidden" or undiagnosed asthma.
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If you have children, it's important that you can recognize the symptoms and signs of an asthmatic condition. Understand that the symptoms below "may" indicate asthma, but could be symptomatic of a wide range of bronchial or pulmonary illnesses.
Using a microscope we can have the image of the cells in the healthy lungs. These cells looks tall, columnar and their surface is covered with cilia which are able to move creating the image of a wind blowing across a field of ripe corn. This surface covered with cilia is near the inside of the tube and it has the role to protect the lungs. This protection is possible because the movement of the cilia carry dust and other foreign materials upwards and away from the delicate air sacs from the lungs.
Treatment of
is an inflammation of the main air passages (bronchi) to your lungs. It causes a cough, shortness of breath and chest tightness. Coughing often brings up yellow or greenish mucus. There are two main types of
: acute and chronic.Bronchitis is inflammation of the large airways that branch off the trachea (bronchi), usually caused by infection but sometimes caused by irritation from a gas or particle.
5. Avoid smoking and smoke whenever possible. There are many chemicals, fumes and particle dust that can irritate and compromise bronchial passages. None more so however than smoking. If you have someone suffering from acute
, try to keep them away from any smoking environment. They simply don't need the extra stress on an already infected pulmonary system
4. Cover your mouth. Teach anyone that gets ill to cover their mouths when they cough to limit transmission of the illness. Once again, this is not perfect solution that can help to contain an influenza virus that may result in bronchitis.
Symptoms of Bronchitis Infectious
generally begins with the symptoms of a common cold: runny nose, sore throat, fatigue, chilliness, and back and muscle aches. A slight fever (100?? to 101?? F) may be present. The onset of cough (usually dry at first) signals the beginning of acute
. With viral bronchitis, small amounts of white mucus are often coughed up. When the coughed-up mucus changes from white to green or yellow, the condition may have been complicated by a bacterial infection.
The good news is that there are several ways that a healthy person can limit the potential of getting ill. These include: 1. Wash your hands.
Asthma is the most common cause of school absenteeism due to chronic disease and accounted for an estimated 14 million lost school days. They claim that childhood asthma has become more widespread and is now the most common chronic illness in children.
5. A low to mid grade fever And a general feeling of "yuckyness." Most acute bronchitis is usually caused by a viral infection and can be spread through person-to-person contact either directly or indirectly. This means that if you are a caregiver of someone who has bronchitis, you are at risk of contracting the illness yourself.
is also known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD for short. (Emphysema is another type of COPD.) As the condition gets worse, you become increasingly short of breath, have difficulty walking or exerting yourself physically, and may need supplemental oxygen on a regular basis.
2. Wheezing. Wheezing is most commonly associated with asthma, however, all children with asthma do not necessarily wheeze. You can identify wheezing as a whistling type sound when your child breathes.
You can significantly reduce the risk of catching many common illnesses, including bronchitis through careful handwashing or use of hand sanitizers. This is especially true if you're working as a caregiver or mom.
Abigail Franks writes on a variety of subjects for more info on children and asthma go to http://www.asthma-treatment-resources.com and visit http://www.asthma-treatment-resources.com/childhood-asthma/childhood-asthma-index.html
There are two basic categories of
. Acute bronchitis is typically associated with colds and flu like symptoms. While chronic bronchitis may last months or even years, the acute variety typically is limited in duration to no more than a week or two.
The heart is also affected in
. The right heart enlarges. There is an extra pumping power because of the increase of the resistance to blood pumped through the lungs. The consequence is the oedema which is an exaggerated accumulation of liquid in the interstitial space.
The bronchi are the lining of the air tubes of the lungs. The inflammation of the bronchi is called Bronchitis. It can be the result of a cold, a sore throat or influentza. The cool air and the low temperatures in winter influence in a negative way the disease. You can be contaminated with the virus that causes
by breathing a polluted atmosphere or by smoking.
Another factor to consider is frequency. The child who frequently coughs or suffers ongoing or recurrent bouts of respiratory infection illnesses such as pneumonia or
may have childhood asthma.
, caused by viruses or bacteria and lasting several days or weeks Chronic
, a persistent, productive cough lasting at least three months in two consecutive
In the case of patients with status asthmaticus requiring treatment with mechanical ventilation, there may be complications of the mechanical ventilation, including disorders of the trachea or persistent bronchopleural fistula, which may require prolonged hospitalization or readmission
2. Get a flu shot. Acute bronchitis can begin with an illness caused by a common influenza virus. Getting an annual vaccination can help protect you from influenza (the flu) and
The symptoms last for one or two weeks, but this period is longer and the
becomes chronic in cigarette smokers. They manifest also inevitable winter flare -ups.
The symptoms of acute
include: 1. Tightness in the chest area 2. Usually a sore throat 3. Congestion 4. Wheezing and difficulty breathing
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In this circumstances smoking becomes more dangerous. Another disease which takes part of the category of COPD is Emphysema.
and Emphysema lead to breathlessness. Anothe aspect is that it is restricted the quantity of the oxygen that reaches to the blood. This blood without enough oxygen is blue and it gives a bluish tinge to the skin. In medicine this color of the skin is called cyanosis. This is a very helpful sign for the diagnosis.
At work, be sure to use care in common areas like break and meeting rooms along with the restroom. It's no secret that many people simply do not wash their hands after using the restroom. This is especially poor hygiene when you consider the number of people with potential illnesses that also use common areas.
As you can see, the diagnosis of this disease can only accurately be done by a medical doctor. Childhood asthma is a disease that has been strongly associated with genetic factors and usually involves some aspect of allergies. In the American Family Physician newsletter of April 2001 it was suggested that almost 80% of children with asthma can be expected to have allergies. This suggests that one strategy to control childhood asthma attacks is to control the environmental factors that may trigger an event. Those triggers may include dust, dirt, pollen and other factors. Visit the link below and get a free report on how to control on how to control and eliminate common allergy and asthma triggers in your home
About the Author:
Abigail Franks writes on a variety of subjects which include home, family, business, and health.
takes part of the disease grouped under COPD which means chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. If the disease doesn't respond to treatment it can progress to COAD (chronic obstructive airway disease). In this case tiny lung air sacs break down to form larger air spaces. At the same time, because of this change, the surface area available for the transfer of the oxygen to the blood is much less. So the other organs are less oxygenated. the mucus block the smaller bronchial tubes which becomes inflamed.
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The ciliated cells can be damaged by different external irritants such as cigarette smoke, industrial pollutants and other chemical substances. So the effect of the movement of the cilia is not giving results anymore. As a consequence the glands produce a high quantity of mucus which can't be evacuated and it is accumulated in the tubes. This is one of the causes of the persistent cough which characterizes
. Usually this cough succeed to clear the mucus. Another way of protection of the lungs is the action of the Leucocytes whose principal role is to combat inflammatory processes.
3. Limit exposure to sick people When someone becomes ill in our house, we work to isolate them to minimize infecting the rest of the family. This includes assigning them their own drinking glass along with keeping them in limited areas of the house. Although not perfect, our sick person ritual has kept the other children from also becoming ill.
Treatment of
: There is no cure for chronic
. The goal of treatment is to relieve symptoms and prevent complications. It is crucial to quit smoking to prevent chronic bronchitis from getting worse. Any other respiratory irritants should be avoided.
3. Chest congestion and tightness. 4. Shortness of breath While these signs and symptoms may indicate childhood asthma, they may also point to various illnesses common to kids. As a parent, you cannot be expected to understand how various symptoms may interact or be able to accurately diagnose an illness such as asthma.
The cough may last for more than two weeks. Continued forceful coughing may make your chest and abdominal muscles sore. Coughing can be severe enough at times to injure the chest wall or even cause you to pass out.When the main air passageways in your lungs (bronchial tubes) are inflamed, they often produce large amounts of discolored mucus that comes up when you cough. If this persists for more than three months, it is referred to as chronic
. Mucus that isn't white or clear usually means there's a secondary infection.
The most common signs and symptoms of childhood asthma are very similar to bronchitis and other respiratory infections. The symptoms include: 1. Coughing. The need to cough is created by mucus, which builds up and needs to be cleared. The mucus is usually caused by some type of infection or irritation. Coughing is symptomatic of many childhood and adult illnesses. Notice that although coughing is a symptom, the type of cough plays a role in understanding the cause. Simply put, a rattling or lose type cough is very different than a tight or hacking cough and both types can indicate certain illnesses
Familial emphysema, or alpha1-antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency-related emphysema, is caused by the hereditary deficiency of a protein called alpha1-antitrypsin. This deficiency leads to uncontrolled destruction of the alveoli and emphysema. Occupational exposure to dust, fumes, and gases appears to contribute slightly to lung function decline and chronic bronchitis. The role of air pollution in COPD remains controversial.In most cases, the same viruses that cause colds cause acute
. Research has shown that bacterial infection is a much less common cause of
than we used to think. Very rarely, an infection caused by a fungus can cause acute
Causes of Bronchitis Acute bronchitis The same viruses that cause colds often cause acute
. But you can also develop noninfectious bronchitis from exposure to your own or someone else's cigarette smoke and even from pollutants such as household cleaners and smog.
Another sign of chronic bronchitis is the weezing. It is produced by the bronchospasm which is represented by the contraction of the circular muscles in the wall of the bronchial tubes.If this happenes the coughing becomes less efective too.
For more resources on bronchitis or especially about bronchitis symptoms please click this link http://www.bronchitis-guide.com/bronchitis-symptoms.htm
Learn More about Natural Bronchitis Remedy
COPD Progression
COPD is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. COPD refers to a group of diseases that include chronic bronchitis, emphysema and asthmatic bronchitis. COPD is a lung disease, mainly caused by smoking. COPD progresses gradually and worsens over time. The rate of progression and severity of symptoms may differ from one individual to another. COPD cannot be cured, though it can be controlled. A...
Is Colloidal Silver A Treatment For Bronchitis?
What is Bronchitis? Bronchitis is defined as an inflammation of the bronchi. Bronchi are airways in the respiratory tract that bring air into the lungs. This inflammation is typically caused by viruses or bacteria, but it may also be caused by inhaled irritants, such as cigarette smoke or harmful chemicals. Most cases of bronchitis cases involve a viral pathogen. The inflammation is...
Understanding When Bronchitis Treatment is Necessary
Many patients who suffer from respiratory conditions are diagnosed with bronchitis. Bronchitis is a very common respiratory illness and it can occur in anyone, regardless of age. However, bronchitis has a higher incidence in smokers, people with respiratory insufficiency and people with weak immune system. The problem with bronchitis is that it generates symptoms that have an unspecific...
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Do you know that your drinking water may contain poisons, feces, and toxic metals? If these contaminants are not removed from tap water in your house they will adversely affect your health. Our body is mostly composed of water so it s essential to drink clean water. It s recommended to drink approximately 8 glasses of water to maintain good health. Benefits of Water Filters Peace of...
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The story of how Michael Dawson was seized from his father, the custodial parent, on the basis of wrong information from anti-cult agencies. He was kept from his father for years. This story appeared in "Communities — Journal of Cooperative Living", Fall 1995, pp. 36-38.
by Isaac Dawson
As I write, I await a decision from the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia to tell me whether or not, under the law, I kidnapped my own 12-year-old son, Michael. He has lived with me since he was three years old, and since 1986 I have lived in the Community at Myrtle Tree Farm in Waterville, Nova Scotia.
The press and others have repeatedly accused our communities of kidnapping children and separating families. When that flamboyant claim is made, no one seems to remember that family breakdown and custody disputes are routine nowadays in our broken culture and that parents living in our communities must make the same hard choices as anyone else — as do all parents who love their children.
Trying to follow my Christian faith and raise my son accordingly, I have experienced the painful double bind of two persistent lies: the one that blames the Community at Myrtle Tree Farm for the choices I make about my son, and the other that, simply because of my association with the community, discredits me and presumes me guilty. The persistent lies and inaccuracies reported in the press have nothing to do with me or with our beliefs as a community.
Almost a decade ago I left the life I had always known for the life I had always desired. My then four-year-old son loved his life in the Community at Myrtle Tree Farm. One sunny fall day in 1987 a sedan and a police cruiser drove up the long driveway to the farmhouse we shared with 25 other members. My son and I were in the yard feeding the chickens. Two women approached us. They informed me that they were investigating a complaint of child abuse. My son was his usual smiling bubbly self; I assumed that the women would quickly be able to discern that we were fine. They said, however, that they were going to take Michael to the hospital for a complete examination. I was stunned. In the more affluent neighborhood where I grew up this would never have happened.
I soon realized that my new beliefs and way of living had put me in a vulnerable position. The examination went well and the doctor gave my son a clean bill of health. Several days later, however, I was served with a notice to appear in the local Family Court. It turned out that the doctor had been given some newspaper articles about the community, and he had signed an affidavit written by a social worker reacting to those articles. The affidavit bore no relation to what the doctor had observed of my son or to the truth of our lives.
Working from the affidavit, the judge gave the local social services agency authority to investigate. The judge assured me that she just wanted "a window on our life" to make sure nothing was amiss. That "window" turned into a five-month ordeal that eventually took us to the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia.
One evening during the course of the Family Court proceedings, five police cruisers and no fewer than 10 officers, accompanied by social workers, came to the farm to apprehend my then four-year-old son. Michael was helping with chores in the barn when they arrived. It was a scene I will never forget. Although I didn't resist the authorities, I could not consent to them taking my son either. The officers pleaded with me and tried to intimidate me. Michael was clinging to me with all his might. An intimate, but divided crowd — our household and some neighbors amidst social workers and Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers — hovered intensely in our small barn. Two officers literally pried my son's hands from around my neck, ripping him off me as he screamed, "No! No! No!"
They lowered Michael into the back seat of one of the cruisers and whisked him off into the night with lights flashing. When asked, one of the social workers ashamedly acknowledged with a nod of her head that what was happening to my son at that very moment was itself child abuse. The officers were clearly uncomfortable, but they were under orders — orders from the social workers. Our neighbors, a dentist and high school French teacher, in utter disbelief, watched helplessly.
Michael didn't see me or anybody he knew until a higher court returned him to me 44 days later. He had been taken to numerous psychologists and was extensively grilled about my beliefs and the philosophy of our community. His foster mother kept copious notes on everything he did and said. It was almost as if they had captured an alien from another planet and wanted to know what made him tick. Michael held his own, and they were amazed at his loyalty. They called him "brainwashed," yet gave totally favorable reports of his personality.
The social service personnel were indignant and bitter about the decision to let Michael go home and immediately appealed to the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia. Meanwhile, as we continued in the lower court, the Family Court judge again ordered me to produce my son. I couldn't do it and didn't do it. I was jailed for contempt and ordered to stay in custody until I divulged his whereabouts. Twenty-six days later, after the appeal was heard, the Supreme Court released me and upheld the decision returning Michael to me. We were elated.
How is it then that here I am now, years later, still having to defend myself, my son, my chosen life, and the community of which we are a part? One reason is that media reports of charges of child abuse in the Island Pond Community in Vermont –charges which they had been cleared of years earlier– were spread by newspapers and TV in Nova Scotia. It has only been in the last year or so that our community has come to understand that a network of so-called "cult" experts are committed to destroying groups who choose to live outside of the mainstream. It has become abundantly clear that there is a deliberate plan at work that incites government agencies, police authorities, and courts into actions that are neither based on truth nor founded in law. Often the actions that we have been accused of are the very actions that have been used against us — kidnapping, brainwashing, separating families, and outright child abuse.
As a part of this agenda, in March 1992, another attempt was made to take Michael from me. Down the same driveway came a police car driven by an officer whom we all knew and liked. He handed me a stack of court documents; once again my son was on the line. Before I could even gather my thoughts, another car sped up the driveway. Michael's mother got out. She had traveled over a thousand miles and hadn't told us she was coming.
Who had put her up to this? She was always welcome to visit or stay anytime she wanted. Something was wrong. It turned out that a hearing had been held in the same Family Court earlier that week-without my being there. The court had issued an order for Michael's mother to have weekend access to him without my being informed about it.
After consulting with my friends at the Myrtle Tree Farm and talking to my lawyer friend in Vermont, a fellow disciple, I agreed to allow supervised access but not to let Michael out of my custody until I had the opportunity to be heard. Michael's mother refused the supervised access. Given everything that Michael had been through at the hands of the Family Court, I couldn't see putting him through the whole thing again, and acquiesced.
Michael's mother had abduction charges laid against me. On February 4, 1994, I was arrested by the FBI in California, where we had been living for some time. Again, without notice or hearing, the authorities took my son. After two months in jail, I was released on bail. In September, 1994, I was tried for abduction and found innocent. The judge said I had lawful custody and possession of my son the whole time. I was so happy and so relieved!
But within a few weeks time, again I was served papers. The Province of Nova Scotia had appealed my acquittal! Because I am confined to the province as I await the decision of the Nova Scotia Court of Appeals, I find myself without my community, my son, or my freedom.
The times we live in are not easy. At the appeal of my acquittal, my lawyer told the court, "If Isaac Dawson were not a member of the Myrtle Tree Farm Community, I do not believe he would even be charged." I believe that to be the truth.
At this time in history, it seems to me that with the future of humankind in such question, there might be some room for individuals to seek the truth.
"From one man He made every nation of man, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us." (Acts 17:26-27)
I am thankful for the new life I have come to know and glad to be part of a community that is committed to one another in love. It has cost me everything to follow my God, even my son. One day Michael will be free to choose what he will do with his life. I believe that, regardless of the lies and other activities of the anti?cult movement, he will join me in the community — and that he will choose the truth.
The "Cult" Scare is Nothing New
Otherwise intelligent people just "know" certain groups are bad. They've probably never met a member, visited a temple, or read a word of the movement's publications. It's a cult; case closed.
It's interesting to note, in a community context, that there's nothing new about this kind of stereotyping. Some of the groups most beloved to students of historic communal societies were the targets of savage antagonism and stereotyping in years past. The passage of time has oddly changed our perspective; believers who once were dangerous cultists are now warm and cuddly.
The Harmony Society, the community of Pietist Christians whose life spanned the nineteenth century, survived and prospered despite experiencing some of the most demeaning stereotypes and outright attacks. Although it was a family movement in its early years, the Harmony Society eventually turned to celibacy and was duly attacked for denying its members sexual expression. The society was wealthy, so wealthy, in fact, that once it guaranteed a loan for a strapped federal government. That led, naturally, to accusations that community leaders were enriching themselves at the expense of the obedient grunts who did all the work. And on and on: the stereotypes were all there. The Harmonists even had to endure lawsuits full of outlandish allegations.
Even more did the Shakers endure hassles brought on by vicious stereotyping. People were jealous of their prosperity (the product of good minds and hard work) and skeptical of their decidedly unusual religion. People often seemed not to mind dumping their unwanted children on the generous Shakers, but their attempts to redress perceived grievances sometimes led to violence, up to and including murder of Shakers who were really guilty of nothing more than unconventional beliefs and behavior. The atrocity tales that ex-"cult" members tell today had their Shaker counterpart; former members (or relatives or friends of former members) could often make good money on the lecture circuit telling lurid tales about these people who dared to live in conditions of community and celibacy.
The Mormons, whose United Order was one of the most substantial experiments in intentional community during the nineteenth century, were perhaps the most reviled religious group in America for most of that century. Their founder, Joseph Smith, was at various times tarred and feathered, threatened with castration, and finally murdered by hostile mobs. Nineteenth-century propaganda against Mormons was some of vilest literature to see print in its time, making the Mormons out to be violent fanatics, horse thieves, sexual outlaws, and statutory rapists. Why did the Mormons end up in Utah? Because they were being terminally harassed everywhere they went, and they finally found a place that was so unpopulated that they were finally left alone.
What these groups had in common, apart from a commitment to intentional community, was that they were victims of stereotyping. They were "different," and therefore obviously evil.
Sadly, this kind of stereotyping that leads to prejudice and even to violence is alive and well today. Literature put out by the ream by major anti-cult groups today does to contemporary religious and communal movements what their earlier counterparts did to the Harmonists, Shakers, Mormons, and others. The anti-diversity lobby has been alive and well for centuries, committed to the principle that different equals evil and that those in error have no rights. Many of the major anti-cult groups keep files on communal groups today, including a fair number with whom readers of this magazine are familiar. Friends of community would do well to be very careful about believing — much less supporting — what these folks have to say.
~ Tim Miller
The Twelve Tribes is a confederation of twelve self-governing tribes, composed of self-governing communities. We are disciples of the Son of God whose name in Hebrew is Yahshua. We follow the pattern of the early church in Acts 2:44 and 4:32, truly believing everything that is written in the Old and New Covenants of the Bible, and sharing all things in common.


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In March 2017, the City of Florence and Florence Downtown Development released a new community brand. A collaborative group from the community began meeting over a year ago to discuss the identity of Florence and the idea for a potential new community brand. A Branding Committee was formed to focus on this effort. With the momentum that Florence is experiencing as well as notable statewide recognition in recent years, there was a desire to better define Florence as a community and create a new identity that would reflect this positive image.
Avant Marketing Group was the firm selected through the Florence Downtown Development Corporation to aid in this process. Representatives from Avant visited Florence attending community forums, meeting with City Council members, city staff, community leaders and many other community members to determine how Florence was perceived. Following their visit, and an extensive review of the research obtained, they shared concepts and potential considerations for branding to the committee. After multiple revisions and much discussion, a new brand was developed and agreed upon: a brand that reflects a progressive southern city in the heart of the Pee Dee Region.
"Florence – Full Life. Full Forward." was selected by the committee as the tag line to be used with the new logo. It is intended to define and reflect who we are as a community, and celebrate the current progressive movement within Florence. The new brand and tag line reinforce our commitment for continued forward motion in order to achieve our brand vision.
Full Life. Our community is currently full of life with a revitalized energy from new growth. What was once a hope and vision for the future has become a reality, and the community is invigorated with the quality of life that Florence now offers. Florence is recognized as a model community across the state boasting five consecutive years of Municipal Achievement Awards. The City's downtown now provides entertainment options with a state of the art performing arts center, street festivals, restaurants and shopping. As a progressive and socially diverse city we are attracting new industry and growth boosting the local economy, providing more opportunity for the community and our residents.
Full Forward. What's next for Florence? With the current momentum, Florence has the ability to push full forward and continue efforts "to be recognized as a vital contributor to the South Carolina economy and the model of prosperity for the Southeast – a community of choice in which to live, work, and play". Nearing adoption, the City's updated Master Plan focuses on determining the next geographic area for downtown redevelopment. Important in this process is identifying private sector investors to create additional catalyst projects. Public investments will include construction of streetscape enhancements and parking. Priorities include recruiting additional niche retail, creating more housing, developing a food/artisan overlay district, and establishing downtown as a tourism destination. Also critical is the creation of a downtown gateway to serve as a bridge to adjacent neighborhood redevelopment projects. Construction of downtown connections to the City's existing trail system is necessary to encourage pedestrian traffic downtown.
City Council and City staff will continue its commitment to strive toward excellence in endeavors to make Florence a great place to live, work and play. There will be continued effort to create an even stronger sense of community by promoting diversity and inclusion as the key to continued success recognizing that new growth brings a diverse and robust "Full Life. Full Forward." Florence.
Brand Vision
To be a model community for the growth and prosperity of the State of South Carolina and the Southeast. Brand Mission We are a beacon of progress. Our economy and social diversity offer boundless opportunities and enormous assets.
Brand Values
Progress. We take pride in our accomplishments, and we are dedicated to the future progress of our community.
Investment. Our community investment is about people. We believe in providing exceptional educational opportunities, superior healthcare services, and a culture and environment that promote a quality of life for everyone.
Community. We are a true community. A place where friendship and a genuine welcoming attitude create an enjoyable social environment and define our fullness of life.
Brand Position
A beacon of progress, Florence is one of South Carolina's most future-oriented communities. We are focused on being a model for growth and prosperity while ensuring a quality of life that is supported by exceptional education opportunities, superior healthcare services, and an enjoyable social environment. Progress, investment, and a strong sense of community define Florence – a place full of life.


text:
News Bulletin:
I'm not sure to what degree this was discussed in American media outlets, but this week in Ishikawa prefecture it rained tadpoles and small carp. It happened on two separate occasions in different towns. No severe weather was reported in either occasion.
While this sort of news has been a nice break from the recent deluge of missiles madness and pandemics pandemonium, I'm not sure it's less concerning. Amphibious animals are falling from the sky: if this isn't some divine omen signifying plague and pestilence ominous events to come, then at the very least it's a notable an indicator that we are doing something terribly wrong to the environment (We are totally doing something terrible to the environment).
While experts have not been able to produce any concrete explanations for the phenomenon, the current leading theory (rather predictably) blames birds. One duck observatory both proffers the theory that it could be birds dropping the amphibious specimens from their air while bringing them back to their young- they also dispute the theory based on the digestive rates of birds and the pristine states of the precipitants. This little nuance enlightened me to the fact that I am glad that I am not a scientist who studies bird digestive rates.
Regardless of the real forces behind the tadpole rain (I blame Science), I think the initial accusations of feathered interference (and the possibility that it's true) offers an important social statement of it's own. Clearly one of two things happened here:
1. The birds are angry about my rubber snake triumph (and subsequent boasting) and are taking it back by collectively ralphing water creatures across the country, one small town at a time
2. Japan has been inspired by my recent battle "nest v. rubber snake" and are enacting an elaborate "Sinking of the Maine" routine to begin a false, but publicly justified crusade against these feathered Dinoterrorist. They will hunt them mercilessly, and with generations of repressed rage from spite-filled emergency car-washes. Presumably when the extermination is finished, the citizens will populate the sky with flying robots and a few Herons kept around for posterity.
Like I said, I blame science.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 6/6, fern gully, fireflys, Japan, Kansai, roll cake, roll cake day
Saturday was "Roll Cake Day" in Japan. It might have been Roll Cake Day other countries too, but my attentiveness to the Pantheon of Significant Days only has a 500 km radius. Also, I've noticed Japan seems to have a penchant for minor, humorous and consumer-inspired holidays. Also, I don't know how to say roll cake in French (and the internet won't tell me how) nor do I know the Kanji for "roll cake" (maybe it's a swirl) so I have no way of confirming the holiday's provenance.
Still, why was Saturday Roll Cake Day . Did Thomas Roll roll his first cake? Did Marco Polo trade a swirled pastry for some noodles and ginger? Did a blind sushi master accidentally grab cake and cream, stumbling upon an ingenious delicacy?
Nope. June 6th is roll cake day because he number "6" looks vaguely similar to the pattern of a roll cake (and June 6th has two of them, see- 6/6). Pictograph puns!
I celebrated by buying a roll cake on June 7th, when they were being sold at a day-old discount, and then eating an entire cake in two sittings. It was a delicious and terrible idea. The human body is not designed to handle some much cake and icing–even if it is arranged in geometrically desirous right-cylinder/spiral shape.
The holiday/seasonal celebrations are a multi-headed monster though; it's also Firefly season. The Japanese have this strange dichotomy where they love industry as much as Carnegie, but–almost universally–appreciate nature with the spiritual connection and wonderment of an Oregon Hippie.
It's an interesting balance I haven't quite sorted out yet. For example, they have these fairly popular firefly festivals, but as my student noted, fireflys are prominent in this area because they have the only clean unpolluted river in the area (I secretly thanked that student for justifying the absurd amount of money I spend on bottled water each week). The chemical quality of the water is interesting given that Firefly watching garners the same amount of enthusiasm a Monster Truck rally gets in the U.S.
I suppose that enthusiasm is really the take-away here. While I really enjoyed catching fireflys as a child, in retrospect, compared with my Japanese counterparts, I probably took for granted. I certainly never attended a festival devoted to th insect. Nor did I have a secret spot (as some of my students do) to watch them. I did watch Fern Gully a few times though, and I memorized that song at the Zoo about saving the rainforest, I doubt Japan did that (who am I kidding, Fern Gully was probably huge here).
Filed under: Uncategorized
I am trying to save up money and energy for my trip to Tokyo at the end of the month. This means I didn't visit any new castles, get attacked by robots, or eat any interesting sea creatures. Thus, another week resigned to pulling substantive content for this blog out of the mundane.
Fortunately for me, Japan's distinct personality and mores have the ability to turn even the most simple activities into a highly-shareable cultural anecdote.
For example, this past weekend my girlfriend and I went to play tennis in the public park. What would appear to be a fairly straightforward and routine event instead becomes another platform for the ungrateful foreigner within me.
I will preface this with, (and it may be unnecessary because I think this a well-known fact and certainly a motif of my experience), Japan loves rules and order. As a result, you often find yourself face to face with the bureaucratic machine when you least expect it. They can run cross country trains on time to the minute, but god forbid you want a tennis court on a Sunday afternoon.
Of course, I wanted a tennis court on a Sunday afternoon, thus I was forced to undertake the following standard protocol to obtain one:
First, call and make a reservation. For God's sake, don't just show up unannounced. There could be a tournament and you could wait hours. There might not even be a tournament but instead seemingly empty and playable courts are designated not to be used.
Once you have made a reservation and arrived at the park, proceed to the Park Office; there you will be required to fill out a form providing them with your name, address, and phone number. You also have to pay 500 yen for court usage. In turn, you will receive a receipt for the reservation (and the 500 yen) printed on A4 (8.5 in x 11 in) paper and a confirmation sheet for your reservation, also on A4 size paper and stamped with two official Park Office seals.
You then have to walk the 200 yards to the Tennis Center (which is actually bigger than the park office, yet holds less park authority). Hand them your confirmation sheet, which they will examine and then assign you a court. Before proceeding to your court, you must to go to the net storage room to retrieve a net. This net must be carried down to the court, unfolded and strung.
Our reservation was a 5;oo, we began hitting balls at 5:22. Also, a court can only be reserved a for one hour.
After barely breaking a sweat playing, you are then required to take down the net and refold it to proper storage specifications. Also, since the courts are a sand-astroturf hybrid (emphasis on sand) so you have to brush the court for the next group.
As you can see, it's quite an intricate hassle. While there's a certain beauty to playing on a pristine, brushed court, with a fresh and plush net, it's really a short-lived sensation. It's a bit much. Besides, wasn't tennis invented by the French? Don't they just light up cigarettes, find a field with string tied up and complain while smacking a ball around? Isn't that what tennis is really about?


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Had HVAC completely replaced. The old one was in the crawl space under the house, and the new one was installed in the attic. Overall, I'm very pleased with Empire and would absolutely recommend them. I will point out an excellent customer experience. My old furnace was completely dead, and It was very, very cold. They went out of their way to get the heat up and running as quickly as possible, even going above and beyond a normal workday. They never promised this, they just knew how cold it was in the house, they took the initiative, and it was a real delight for them to offer and deliver. We slept soundly in a warm bedroom the night before they came out to finish adding the AC to the system. It's little things like that that makes a business exceptional! Oh.. and one another delight, they had some materials left over from another job and used them to cover up the gas line up the side of the house. Again, another surprise and great customer experience.
P. Prance
By Martin Hoover|2018-06-04T21:07:39+00:00June 4th, 2018|Comments Off on P. Prance


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Saturday, February 15, 2014
Silly Anna girl!
Heading out for a (delayed) Valentine's dinner date and our 7 year old hugged me and asked with exasperation "why do you guys keep going out on dates?, you're ALREADY married!"
Posted by Godslittlearmy at 2/15/2014
Friday, February 14, 2014
Valentine's Day . . . and True Love
Ten years ago our oldest daughter, Emily, asked Jesus into her heart on Valentine's Day – doesn't get much sweeter than that! Remember on a day like today, beyond the chocolate and flowers, the pink milk and heart shaped pancakes, that God loves YOU far more than you can ever imagine, just the way you are! His thoughts toward you (of absolute love and adoration, NOT condemnation and judgement) outnumber the grains of sand on the seashore! Your life has meaning and purpose because He created it. Happy Valentine's Day
Posted by Godslittlearmy at 2/14/2014
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You know I love me a good Insta Story. It's where I communicate the most with you, we take fun polls and get to learn a little more about one another and BTS of our feeds.
So today I wanted to share a fast five with you of my top 5 favourite Toronto girls of the gram, who's Insta Stories you need to follow and why.
Let's dive right in —
Reporting Live! This girl is a barrel of fun both off- and on-the-camera. her personality pops off the screen as she takes you into her world of travels, family and business. She will make you laugh, make you feel good and showcase the bevy of blogger beauties in her life.
DO YOU WANT TO LEARN AND ARE YOU READY TO GET EDUCATED? From business to branding Lauren of This Renegade Love will get into it in the Stories. With a glass of wine or her pup, Keith Furban in tow, she is ready to share her knowledge and help you be the best you can be in life and business. Oh and did I mention that she often video responds to DMs – she is honestly here to chat with you and help you grow.
If you want to know any and everything about beauty from a tried and true makeup artist then you have to check out Tara's stories. She's taken over for Byrdie Beauty UK and has a cosmetics cupboard to die for. Plus if you had any or every question on a product and which items to save or splurge on, chances are she's used it and can you a full and honest recommendation.
Bring a pop of pink to your life by checking out Joëlle's stories on the reg! She truly lives life through rose-coloured glasses and wants to welcome you to her world. Her amazing home decor and outfit hauls are what pink puff dreams are made of, plus she gives you an honest BTS look into the daily life of a full-time blogger and the gorgeous events she attends.
Take a glimpse into the world of a high end fashion blogger through Kayla's stories. From her luxurious travels and wicked recommendations on everything from fashion, beauty and healthy living, her stories and success are something to aspire to. That being said, it's nice to see the amount of werk that goes in to being top blogger and she gives you a solid mix of Instagram vs. Reality via her stories.
Who's Insta Feeds and Stories are YOUR fave to follow?! Be sure to make mine one of them here, x.


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The single biggest revolution in innovation over the past decade has been an increased reliance on external idea sources to find the 'next new thing'. What I find so interesting about Iprova is that it provides a 'smart' way of doing this. The result is that Iprova has been able to raise the probability of innovation payoff.
Iprova provides us with very interesting 'out-of-the-box' inventions that are relevant to our business. These drive both new opportunities for research and the expansion of our patent portfolio.
Iprova delivered on its promise to deliver inventions which are potentially relevant to future telecommunication systems. I'm impressed by its technology, associated services and efficiency.
Our customer wanted new value-creating ways to help generate 3D and 2D content. Working closely with the customer, Iprova helped to refine their strategy and product roadmap in this area; as a result, we were then able to create inventions which underpin this. Many of the inventions we delivered were the subject of patent filings by the company, and these inventions will ultimately drive the introduction of new products and services.
Example invention:
Using Virtual Reality (VR) to transform video content for mobile and tablet devices
As the popularity of VR increases, more and more content is being created exclusively for the platform. However, wearing a VR headset is not always convenient and some users prefer to view content on a conventional phone, tablet or television screen. Iprova has created an invention that generates better 2D content based on other users' collective enjoyment while watching a film in VR.
The vantage point offering the best user experience is measured and used to generate a version of the film for a normal 2D screen. This gives content creators more flexibility by, for example, finding the optimum edit for a movie shot with a 360-degree camera, or identifying the best angle to watch the action at an e-sports event.
Iprova worked with a leading company specialising in smart and connected products. They wanted to introduce new location-based products and services for mobile devices which could increase the interaction of a user with their surroundings. We presented a stream of inventions in the target area, which were subject to over 30 patent filings. These included products and services designed to enhance a user's individual experience of an activity or location, such as tailored transportation system scheduling.
Example invention:
Optimising public transportation based on user geo-routines
Iprova has created an invention to optimise the use of public transportation systems such as elevators. The system tracks the movement of users, and predicts based on previous and current trajectories when a user intends to use a transportation system. Each user's movements (known as "geo-routines") are monitored using a radio fingerprint communicated by their mobile device. As a result, the user's journey is automatically integrated into the transportation system's schedule. This improves the system's scheduling efficiency, enhancing user convenience by minimising waiting time and power consumption. The associated patent for this invention (US9323232) has been cited by patent filings from companies including Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Otis Elevator Company and Kone Corporation.
Our customer wanted future market and technical intelligence to guide a product roadmap and associated strategy. It then wanted to underpin the resulting strategy and roadmap with disruptive and protectable inventions to provide strong and enduring competitive differentiation. We helped with all stages of the project, ultimately delivering many inventions that were the subject of patent filings. The resulting patents will drive the introduction of future products and associated features.
Example invention:
A heat-sensitive coating enables users to determine whether their face mask is fitted correctly
An incorrectly fitted face mask can dramatically influence its effectiveness, resulting in the exposure of the wearer or their environment to pollutants. While the wearer may believe they are protected, it can be difficult to know if a face mask is fitted correctly. Iprova has invented a way of utilising a coating applied to the mask that changes colour when exposed to humid air exhaled by the user. The flow of air leaves a visible trace on the mask, helping the user to ensure that it is correctly fitted when they look in a mirror or take a selfie.
Iprova has worked with consumer electronics companies to create inventions which can directly drive new products and value-creating services. These inventions span technical areas ranging from blockchain and augmented reality to imaging and user interfaces. An example of one of these areas is Time-of-Flight technology, which is frequently found in consumer electronics such as games consoles and mobile devices and uses the properties of light to enable depth-sensing and range-finding capabilities.
Example invention:
Using a device's LED backlight to reduce the cost of gesture recognition
Iprova has created an invention that facilitates the implementation of gesture recognition in a range of devices including mobile phones, televisions and computers. The invention repurposes the LED backlight present in the display of many existing devices for use in Time-of-Flight technology, a key component in gesture recognition systems. The light that is normally used to illuminate the display is adapted to provide a photon source for a Time-of-Flight system, simultaneously reducing the cost, power and space required for a gesture-based interface. The associated patent for this invention (US8810647) has been cited by patent filings from companies including Microsoft, Amazon and Google.
Our customer wanted to invent new products and product features in the area of solid state lighting, which were being driven by the growing convergence between lighting and other technologies such as mobile devices. We provided a stream of inventions, which were reviewed by our customer for their business potential. Our customer selected those that met their criteria. Subsequent patent filings based on our inventions are helping to drive new products and product features, and helping to define the next generation of lighting products.
Example invention:
Painting using light
The advent of LED lighting has resulted in new product families such as Philips Hue. These allow the colour and brightness of a lamp to be changed using a smartphone in order to create an ambience that matches the user's mood or creates the best lighting conditions for a given task. When many of these controllable lamps are used, a rich lighting scene can be obtained; however, adjusting many individual lamps is a potential barrier to the user's enjoyment of the full capability of such a system. Our customer wanted a new way to control such lamps, and in particular, an intuitive and easy method of doing so. Using the sensors in a smartphone, we invented a user interface whereby the smartphone itself can be used like a paintbrush. The user 'paints' the result they would like to see, and in response the lighting system adopts settings that resemble the 'painting' as closely as possible. Advanced users can even mix colour on a wall, similar to a painter's palette. The associated patent for this invention is US9769911.
Our customer has a strategy that encompasses network functions virtualization, and wanted to create a patent portfolio in this area. We created a range of diverse and commercially relevant inventions that added to those coming from our customer's own R&D teams. These inventions were reviewed by our customer's research, business and Intellectual Property teams, and patents filed on those that extended the technical and market reach of our customer's own research initiatives.
Our customer wanted new value-creating services in order to take advantage of new technologies being introduced in Autonomous Vehicles (AVs). The objective was to create inventions which underpinned their AV strategy, and which could be used to support related services. We delivered inventions which, because of their timing and diversity, added to those from our customer's own research teams. Our customer has filed patents on inventions that brought new and unexpected elements to the field and plans to introduce related services.
Example invention:
Using the movements of an autonomous vehicle to check passenger health
Iprova has created an invention that allows an autonomous vehicle to carry out health checks on its passengers. The advanced sensors which are built into an autonomous vehicle allow the motion of the vehicle to be controlled in a precise and predictable way as it travels. By controlling small variations in its motion, the vehicle can generate different forces that can be used to carry out various human health checks. The invention can be used to assess a passenger's balance and core stability, or evaluate the body's response to known stimuli. This will help passengers to conveniently check various aspects of their health by harnessing the motion of the vehicle itself, and potentially enable diagnostic features in autonomous vehicles which might be used to identify the early symptoms of conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease or diabetes.
Our customer asked for inventions in the area of intelligent image analysis and classification to help drive value-added features for the next generation of medical scanners. Members of the customer's research, business and Intellectual Property teams reviewed our inventions carefully. They then selected inventions to file patents on, with a view to gaining a unique and differentiated offering for their next generation of products.


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At a friend's barbeque this weekend, a woman I didn't know approached me as I played with Lila in the pool. There were the oohs and ahhs customary to seeing a chunky infant splashing around in a swimsuit, and simple small talk. She did something my innocent pre-baby self used to do, comparing child-rearing to having a dog (man, I was a tool), but then asked a wildly unexpected question.
Instead of the typical, "What do you miss about life before kids?" She more thoughtfully asked, "What would you miss the most if you returned to life without kids?"
What the.
This woman, who had shared her own desire to remain childless, threw me for a loop with this one. She asked it earnestly, but I struggled to answer appropriately without sounding like a total whack job.
I kind of wanted to scream, "LOOK AT HER, DUH, SHE IS THE PERFECT HUMAN SPECIMEN."
But, since I'm a lover of words–the right words–for every situation, I opted against shouting baby-loving obscenities and paused to consider my answer.
I just didn't know what to say. It felt suffocating to try to explain the love for your child on the spot. Nothing I said would be good enough, and everything I considered felt like a canned beauty-pageant contestant response.
It's like explaining why you need air and the sun; you sound like an idiot when you try to break it down. You just do. They are essential to life. And you don't know or care if life could exist without them.
Until you experience it, you can't really understand what it feels like to nurture a human life, day in and day out. To have created an utterly unique soul who is equal parts you and your spouse. You will be fearfully awed and humbled.
It's like the moment in The Wizard of Oz when things switch from black and white to color. The world may still appear the same, but somehow everything you see is different, and brighter. And there's no going back.