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My Paraben-Free, Mostly Natural, Somewhat Cruelty-Free Beauty Regime

I’ve been thinking about writing this blog post for a long time but hesitated because… well, it’s not the thing I typically talk about here. But after reading We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, the topic’s been on my mind more and more — and I finally thought, “Hey, it’s MY BLOG. I can write about whatever I want to write about!”

When it comes to beauty products, I’m a total hippy. It started several years ago (maybe a decade ago) when I decided I wanted to go paraben free. I wanted products that I felt ok putting on my body — but I also wanted them to work. And let me tell you, that can be surprisingly difficult to find.

So what do I look for in a beauty product?

  • Paraben free. This was my first step towards hippy-dom. Parabens are “estrogen mimickers,” and some studies link them to increased risk of cancer. (Nothing conclusive, I should note.)
  • All natural, as much as possible. I’m not going to make my own mascara, but I like ingredients that I can understand, and in general feel that the less ingredients, the better.
  • Cruelty free. I decided to add this criteria after reading We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves — so no, not all of the products I use are currently cruelty free. “Natural” and “cruelty free” often have overlap, but not always. I’m not going to throw out everything I have, but as I buy new products, I’m going to be looking for this.
  • Price conscious. I used to buy really expensive skincare products until I realized that, for the most part, the drugstore ones did the same thing. Now I try to buy the cheaper product, when that’s an option. Note that this doesn’t necessarily mean THE most inexpensive item on the market — it means that I look at the price, how long the item will last me, and make a decision based on that.

And look — I’m not super strict about this. I try to do the best I can, because at the end of the day, that’s all you can do. I also don’t really care if YOU buy all these crazy hippy products or not — you do you. That’s a personal decision. But, as someone who’s had a hard time hunting some of these down, I’m eager to share what I’ve learned and found along the way.

So, without further ado… here are the hygiene, skincare and beauty products that (for the most part) fit my hippy criteria.

Hygiene Products

1. Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap. Let’s start with the hippy-est of them all, shall we? Seriously, half the reason to buy anything from Dr. Bronner’s is to read the insane ramblings on the packaging. But in spite of the company’s “might be crazy” founder, these products are awesome. Natural, effective, smell great, and yes, the company is cruelty-free.

2. Surface Trinity Strenghtening Shampoo. One of the benefits of having a mother-in-law who is a hair dresser is that she’ll randomly recommend new products she’s found. This shampoo was one of those — she recommends it to a TON of people, not just the nature-lovin’ folks — and it’s pretty great. It’s paraben free, sulfate free, vegan, gluten free (for folks who are SUPER sensitive to gluten). It is, unfortunately, not cheap (another perk of having a mother-in-law who’s a hair dresser), but if you want to splurge, I do recommend.

3. Tom’s of Maine Toothpaste. Is there even another natural toothpaste on the market? If there is, I haven’t found it. But why would I — Tom’s is great. Plus, they have a sensitive version for my lil’ sensitive toothies.

4. LAVANILA ‘The Healthy Ddeodorant. Most people are SUPER hesitant to try natural deodorant. Not all are created equal. The hunt for the perfect natural deodorant is my great white whale. Crystal is effective, but after repeated usage, makes my armpits itch. Primal Pit, despite its horrible name and bizarre ingredient list, was SUPER effective (like, the best I’ve ever tried)… until I developed a painful rash from the baking soda. These days I use LAVANILA — smells nice, keeps me odor-free, and doesn’t bother my apparently super-sensitive armpits — but I’m almost always on the hunt for a better brand. In fact, I just bought some Lavilin to test.

Skincare Products

1. Alaffia Everyday Coconut Face Wash. One of my biggest criteria for face wash is that it actually wash things off. This seems weirdly rare. But Everyday Coconut takes off even my most stubborn makeup, doesn’t dry my already dry skin, and is pretty damn cheap ($8.99 for a big ol’ bottle). Plus, the company does approximately one zillion good things, and happens to be local for me.

2. DeVita Solar Protective Moisturizer SPF 30+. This is a product I’m SUPER picky about — it has to sink in quickly and not feel greasy, it has to be moisturizing, it can’t make me break out, and it has to have SPF (for the cancers, but also because WRINKLES). I often experiment, but always end up coming back to this guy. DeVita goes on a little white at first (that’s the natural sunblock), but then it disappears and gets the job done. I’ve worn this in Hawaii and not gotten burnt. Plus, it’s routinely rated top-in-class by the Environmental Working Group. It’s not SUPER cheap (about $25 a pop), but it’s not the most expensive moisturizer on the market either.

3. Earth Science Apricot Night Cream. I bought this as a total fluke after TSA confiscated my night lotion (boooooo). I slapped it on before I went to bed, decided I didn’t particularly care for the texture or smell… and woke up the next morning and was AMAZED at how hydrated my skin looked. No dry patches on this face, baby! Bonus, turns out the company is cruelty-free. And you can find it at the drugstore. WOO HOO!

4. REN Micro Polish Cleanser. After my facialist recommended that I use a gentle exfoliator 2-3 times per week, I found this brand. REN used to have a jojoba-bead exfoliator that I LOVED… and then, because the world is cruel, they discontinued it. Their Micro Polish Cleanser is… ok. Honestly, I’ll probably look for another product after I’m done with this tube. But REN as a company is one I can get behind — good ingredients, cruelty free.

5. Thayers Rose Petal Witch Hazel. If I want a mid-afternoon refresher, or a boost of extra moisture before applying lotion, I grab a cotton ball and dab on some of this stuff. Simple ingredients, cheap, and it smells nice (or, as Byron would say, “Like a Grandma”).

Makeup Products

1. The Body Shop Makeup Brushes. Most of the brushes I use are from The Body Shop — they’re soft, last forever, and are made from synthetic bristles (rather than goat or pony hair, which makes my eyes swell up — wheeee!). There’s some disagreement over whether The Body Shop is cruelty free or not… but I guess as consumers, we gotta decide what’s “good enough.”

2. bareMinerals Original Foundation SPF 15. I’m always conflicted about bareMinerals. On the one hand, their products are decent, if not rave-worthy. On the other hand, while bareMinerals is cruelty-free, its parent company is not (a theme, it seems…). But that said — I’ve been using the Original Foundation for years. NOT as foundation, however — I user it as cover-up. Stick some on a brush, dab it on problem areas. Voila.

3. Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation SPF 15. Oh Tarte. How I love thee. How sad I was to discover you were recently purchased by a parent company that is not cruelty-free. Soon, I’ll have to decide if I’ll continue using you… but in the meantime, yeah, I love these products. Despite the “full coverage” in the name, this foundation goes on light if you don’t apply a ton of it. A little definitely goes a long way — which means that one tube lasts FOREVER. (Which is good, because at $38, this stuff ain’t cheap.) The tube I’m currently using I bought in… wait for it… December 2013. Still goin’ strong.

4. Tarte Clean Slate 360 Creaseless 12-Hour Smoothing Eye Primer. I’m not as nuts about this product, but it gets the job done. It’s an eyeshadow primer, which means you put it on before your eyeshadow. Why bother? Because my eyeshadow lasts all day, doesn’t crease, blends better, and I end up using less of the product.

5. M.A.C. Eye Kohl in ‘Teddy’. How ecstatic was I to learn that this, the best eye liner in the entire world, was paraben-free! How devastated was I to learn that M.A.C. tests its product on animals. I don’t know what I’m going to do when I run out of this one. Probably cry. If anyone has recommendations for a replacement, I’m all ears.

6. Mirabella Magic Marker Eyeliner. I’ve never worn liquid eyeliner, because I find the application of it, um, error-prone. But this stuff is GREAT. It’s like a felt-tip marker — just draw it on, and get some va-va-voom cat eye’s. I don’t wear it often, but sometimes you want the extra drama. This product isn’t the most natural of the bunch, but it IS paraben-free and cruelty-free.

7. Zuzu Luxe Mascara in ‘Onyx’. I am, as it turns out, insanely picky about my mascara. I want it to be natural looking, but not too natural looking. I don’t want to be able to FEEL it on my eyelashes (a weird sensation). I want it to wash off with soap and not require makeup remover. I’ve tested a lot of brands — bareMinerals, Buxom, Tarte — and Zuzu is the one I’ve currently landed on. It’s… ok. I like the way it looks once it’s on, but applying it is kind of a bitch. It gets gunky, and you have to work slowly to make sure you don’t end up with clumps. So I’ll probably move on after this tube. I’ve heard Dr. Hauschka is amazing, but it’s too rich for my blood. I’m tempted to try e.l.f., which is $3 at the drugstore. Can’t beat that with a stick.

8. bareMinerals ‘READY 4.0’ Eyeshadow Palette in ‘The Truth’. Again with the bareMinerals. Sometimes the easy option just works. These colors have a tiny bit of shimmer, blend decently, and are perfect for everyday wear.

9. Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in ‘Tipsy’. I don’t know what kind of witch magic is in this blush, but it really does last all day. The matte color looks scary-bright in the compact, but once you put it on, it gives a nice, natural-looking glow. And, like all Tarte products I’ve encountered, a little goes a loooong way.

10. MAKE UP FOR EVER Mat Bronze. Do you know how freakishly hard it is to find a matte bronzer? I’m not a unicorn, I don’t want my cheekbones to shimmer. Now try finding a matte bronzer without parabens — next to impossible! I was so happy when I found this one. Unfortunately, I just learned the company tests on animals. DAMMIT, MAKE UP FOREVER. THIS IS WHY WE CAN’T HAVE NICE THINGS.

So there you have it — my paraben-free, mostly natural, somewhat cruelty-free beauty regime. Obviously, it’s still evolving. If you’re interested in seeing if a makeup company tests on animals, I’ve found the list on Paula’s Choice to be useful.


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Chocolate Mango Smoothie Bowls

Recipe posted in: Tasty Takes on Nutrisystem Meals, Breakfasts, With Nutrisystem Shakes, Flex™ Meals & Snacks, Shakes, Smoothies & Drinks

There’s just something about eating a smoothie out of a bowl that makes it feel so much more satisfying. Whatever can squeeze through a tiny straw is never enough anyway!

This Chocolate Mango Smoothie Bowl goes down smooth and sweet, all while packing the nutritional punch of one SmartCarb and two filling PowerFuels. This cold, creamy bowl will put a pep in your step with all its tropical vibes and sweet, hint of chocolate. But calling it quits after the chocolate and protein would be selling your meal short.

Instead, this concoction is blended with nonfat Greek yogurt and dressed with granola, peanuts… and yes, the best of all dried fruits: Apricot.

Smoothie bowls are a tempting, sweet-tooth gratifying, filling way to start, break up or end a long day. Once you jump on the smoothie bowl bandwagon with your healthiest, natural-food-loving friends, it is hard to jump off. You might just glue yourself on, happily spooning back Chocolate Mango Smoothie Bowls everyday.

Click here for more information on the difference between SmartCarbs and PowerFuels.>

Click here to log this recipe in our easy-to-use food tracker app, NuMi >

Servings: 1

Calories per Serving: 342

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 SmartCarb and 2 PowerFuels

  • Smoothie
  • ½ cup frozen mango
  • 1 Chocolate Nutrisystem Shake™
  • ¼ cup plain nonfat greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup water
  • Toppings
  • 1 Tbsp. granola (aim for low fat, low sugar)
  • 1 Tbsp. chopped peanuts
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped dried apricots

  1. Combine smoothie ingredients and blend until smooth.
  2. Top with toppings.

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For many people, the PowerBoost 500C can be used with just the microUSB charge input, battery plug and power outputs. However, we have a couple handy breakouts so lets get started!

Power Pins

There's three power voltages, the USB input for charging the battery (4.75-5.25V whatever is coming out of the USB port), the battery itself (3-4.2V) and the output (5-5.2V)

  • USB - this is the micro USB 5V power pin. It's the pin that is used to charge the battery, NOT the output power! You can use this if you want to grab power from the microUSB port when it is plugged in
  • GND - this is the power ground. This boost converter is not 'isolated' - the ground input is the same as the ground output
  • BAT - this is the battery input, connected directly to the JST connector. For most Lithium batteries, this will range from 3.0V when near-dead to 4.2V when fully-charged. Higher voltages will let you draw more current and in general, are more efficient. Try to keep the wires going to this pin nice and short - 3" or less is best!
  • 5V - this is the boosted output. When the board is running, the voltage will be 5.2V approximately. It may dip down to 5V as the current draw starts to go up (over 500mA). When the board is disabled, this output is 'floating' but you should still try not to apply a voltage to it while the board is disabled. There's a green LED connected to this pin which will let you know when there's power output
Using a bench-top supply or long wires can add too much inductance to the input of the boost converter and destroy it! We really do recommend using Lipoly batteries with short wires

Control Pins

There's two 'control' pins.
  • EN - this is the 'enable' pin. By default it is pulled 'high' to VBAT. To turn off the booster, connect this pin to ground. The switch can be as small as you like, it is just a signal. Contrast this to an inline power switch which would have to be able to handle up to 2A of current! When the chip is disabled the output is completely disconnected from the input.
  • LBO - not a leveraged buy out! this is the Low Battery Output. By default it is pulled high to BAT but when the charger detects a low voltage (under 3.2V) the pin will drop down to 0V. You can use this to signal when its time to shut down or alert the user that the battery is low. There is also a red LED connected to this pin.

There are four onboard LEDs.
  • The Blue LED sits next to the USB connector socket, and indicates the 5V output power state.
  • The Red LED is next to the battery JST port and indicates when the battery voltage is below 3.2VDC (Low Battery Output)
  • The Yellow LED is next to the microUSB connector and indicates when the battery is being charged
  • The Green LED is also next to the microUSB connector and indicates when the battery is done charging (all full)

Battery and USB connection

You can connect a battery to the breakout strip or to the JST connector. All of Adafruit batteries come with JST cables that will plug in nicely so we strongly suggest that. Watch the polarity of the cable! the + and - markings next to the JST will let you know which way is which.

The USB connector can be soldered on to create a portable 'USB power pack'. The two data lines on USB have resistor dividers that match Apple charger values so that you can plug any iOS device in to charge. 99% of other phones, devices and tables are totally cool with these resistors as well. You can always short the D+ and D- lines if you happen to have a phone that wants shorted data lines.

If you don't want a USB connector attached, there are two holes that are designed for a 3.5mm spaced terminal block (not included)
Some third-party LiPo cells have JST connectors wired opposite from the standard. Connecting these to the PowerBoost will damage your PowerBoost. Double check the polarity before connecting.
This guide was first published on Jun 20, 2014. It was last updated on Jun 20, 2014. This page (Pinouts) was last updated on Feb 23, 2020.


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March 14, 2020 - 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Kenmore, WA

with Special Guest Olympus Visionary Peter Baumgarten

Photography, at its core, is capturing light. In 2020, Olympus is reaffirming its dedication to helping you channel your inner creative. Join us at Kenmore Camera for a one-of-a-kind photographic experience.

Take your work to new to the next level without the burden of big camera gear. See our newly released addition to the Olympus family, the OM-D E-M1 Mark III! Ergonomic and lightweight, the E-M1 Mark III works seamlessly with our compact M.Zuiko PRO lenses, so you move easier, react faster, and enjoy your photography more. Join us and see the latest features to help you conquer the most challenging shooting situations! No limits. Break Free.

Journey through illumination as you engage in interactive hands-on shooting experiences designed to improve your skills and help you get the most out of your camera.

  • PAINT WITH LIGHT: Light up the night with composite shooting and your very own mini LED light stick. Did we mention you get to take it home?
  • CAPTURE THE NIGHT SKY: Focus on the stars and bring the cosmos to life.
  • FREEZE MOTION: Learn to capture precise moments and never miss a split-second action shot again.
  • MAXIMIZE RESOLUTION: Capture ultra-high resolution photos with the highest level of detail.
  • IN-CAMERA ND: Easily create dreamy nature shots with live preview.
  • LIGHTEN UP: Maximize in-camera stabilization for sharp images without stabilizing gear.

This is a learning event! Be sure to bring your own SD card to enjoy the experiences more.

Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to work with Light Painting Brushes (, an exclusive variety of light painting tools for creating many unique textures and styles of light. At the event, enter to win your own Light Painting Brushes Deluxe Starter Kit ($189 Retail Value). You must be present to win.

Enjoy light hors d'oeuvres and pick up some giveaways, first come first serve! Be sure to RSVP, as spots will fill up quickly. We look forward to seeing you there.


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A Music and Multimedia Approach to Helping Ethics and Compliance Entertain, Educate and Engage Employees
Introducing the L&E Culture, Code & Speak Up Suites, the initial offering from Learnings & Entertainments

CHICAGO, September 26, 2016 – Learnings & Entertainments (L&E), a creative services and content provider with roots in the improv comedy community, has launched its first product line, the L&E Culture, Code & Speak Up Suites, a library of music and quick-hit multimedia communications to help companies promote their ethics, compliance, legal and HR teams and the resources they provide. The L&E Suites are a collection of commercials: songs, music videos and jingles as well as easy-to-share top-10 lists, slide shows, animation, GIFs, memes and articles promoting good corporate culture and workplace behavior in entertaining ways.

“In most companies there are executives to help employees navigate their jobs within the rules. These folks are there to advise and support, but employees are often afraid or apathetic. So there is a disconnect,” says Ronnie Feldman, president of L&E. “And it doesn’t help that the policies, training and support materials are often boring and preachy. We are creating a large variety of fun, positive advertising-like materials to help bridge the gap, with the simple message, ‘We are here to help. Help us help you.’”

The L&E Culture, Code & Speak Up Suites were created in collaboration with ethics, compliance and legal professionals from Incyte, LinkedIn, Marathon and Progressive. With employee engagement as the goal, L&E Suites materials were designed to make ethics, compliance, legal and HR teams and their resources more approachable. The music and multimedia formats open up new channels of communication.

“Employees aren’t always sitting in front of a computer. Not everyone has the time or inclination to sit through a long training,” says Feldman. “Music is memorable and a great communication vehicle. Light, fun social media formats convey information quickly and are easily shared, which helps reach more people, more frequently and in interesting ways.” The Suites include assets in a wide variety of formats and styles to account for different tastes and sensibilities.

“L&E has given us unique, creative tools for engaging people and conveying key compliance and ethics learning points in a variety of entertaining ways,” says Michael Uth, corporate compliance and ethics officer at The Progressive Corporation.

“Our primary focus is cultivating an effective, innovative compliance program that’s both values-based and culturally relevant,” says Nicole Tarasoff, global compliance and integrity project manager at LinkedIn. “L&E understands the need to make learning fun and flexible, with quirky materials that resonate across workplace cultures. And since we’re always looking for new ways to communicate core compliance concepts, working with them to bolster our messaging with clever resources was a great fit.”

“Our new compliance app, Palmtree, was developed to make it easier to get important information into the hands of employees who aren’t always in front of a computer,” says Garin Bergman, President Guidant Technology. “The L&E materials integrate seamlessly into this medium. Videos, GIFS, memes, slide shows can be integrated into the app to increase content visibility and awareness.  It makes compliance more interesting and engaging to employees.”

Find more information about the L&E Culture, Code & Speak Up Suites at https://www.learningsentertainments.com/suites.

About Learnings & Entertainments: L&E is a creative services and content provider that leverages a network of comedians, musicians, writers and performers from the improv comedy community to help socialize learning and improve communication in corporate environments. L&E was built on:

  • The Power of Fun – Boring doesn’t work.  Learning is more effective when it is engaging and fun.
  • The Forgetting Curve– 87% of corporate learning is lost within the first month. Therefore, there is benefit in more regular, positive, proactive reinforcement.

For more information about L&E, go to www.learningsentertainments.com or call 872.302.7529.


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Why hasn’t the area south of Chicago developed into suburbia?

Two points of data hit me recently about the asymmetrical suburban development of the Chicago region:

1. I recently made a trip down I-355 from I-88 down to I-80. Once you are south of I-55, there is limited development. There are some signs of subdivisions and warehouses but still plenty of open land available.

2. I discussed the boundaries of the Chicago suburbs in a recent post and noticed on the map from the expert that the northern, western, and southeastern suburbs of Chicago extend far into the country but the southern suburbs do not go far. Indeed, suburbia goes further into Indiana or Wisconsin than straight south into Illinois beyond I-80.

Why is it that this area has not developed? In a region that expanded tremendously after World War II and that currently has need for affordable housing, why is this land relatively empty? A few quick hypotheses:

1. The area to the south and southeast of Chicago may have been more industrial earlier on. This would discourage residents from locating nearby. (On the other hand, residential locations close to work could be very valuable in such a large region where jobs and residents do not always line up.)

2. Given the history of race and ethnicity in Chicago and the region, these areas are associated with more black residents and whites wanted to live elsewhere (north suburbs, west suburbs, Indiana).

3. A cultural and economic mismatch between the area south of the city and the region. While Chicago expanded with its reach into the agrarian upper Midwest, the areas south of the city may have had stronger affinities with central Illinois and less urban areas.

4. These suburbs to the south are hesitant about approving development. In a region with little open land left for development (that has not been taken for green space by Forest Preserves or private landowners), this more rural feel gives these suburbs a unique feel. Adding hundreds of mass-produced homes may not be what these particular suburbs desire.

2 thoughts on “Why hasn’t the area south of Chicago developed into suburbia?

  1. You didn’t mention transportation. I-55 & I-80 were not always there, and southwestward, at least, there was only the Rock Island railroad as a passenger alternative. If you lived in Plainfield, for example, a trip to Joliet or even Aurora was far more practical. Chicago was more of a day trip than a reasonable commute. I recall the village as having a population of 1,200 in 1950; according to Wikipedia, it’s estimated as 42,183 in 2015. This isn’t too different than many closer in western and northern suburbs.

    Be grateful for the open lands, though; it’s primo agricultural. Once you pave it over, it’s pretty much gone for a long long time. If you want to see industry, get off the express-way and take old U.S. 6 instead of I-80. The Illinois River is Illinois’ chemical coast.

    I think much the same might be said for southward, except that some of the southern suburbs were pretty well-to-do which may have put an additional brake on suburbanization.

    • Some good points. At the same time, there were some railroads headed south early in Chicago’s history (1850s) to help connect the growing area to the already settled areas of southern Illinois. I-80 has been around for decades now. It still is conspicuous that the suburban expansion has not proceeded south in the same way as it has to the SW/W/NW/N.

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Schneider 4x5.65 Graduated Neutral Density Filter GND Soft Edge Vertical 0.6 - Glass (2-stop)

SKU: 68050656

Out of Stock

This is a Graduated Neutral Density Filter used for Cinematography. 50% of the filter is clear and 50% has a Neutral Density of 0.6 (2 stops). The transition from clear to ND is done with a SOFT EDGE (SE) transition line. SOFT EDGE grads lines are used with wide angle and normal focal length lenses. Graduated Neutral Density filters are used to balance exposure within a scene. One very common use is to balance the exposure of sky and earth in a landscape, avoiding overexposed blank white skies.

Click here to email us any questions about this product


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Tutorial: E-book Publishing for Amazon Kindle

Self-publishing has become a popular trend that has provided a way for people to earn money online and become authors. Not only does self-publishing provide another way for people to earn extra income, but it also helps others share information, personal experiences, stories, imagination and more with people around the world. With many online self-publishing providers, Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing is one of the most used and well-known self-publishing services. If you have your e-book ready for publishing and want to start your online career as an author at Amazon, learn how to publish your Kindle e-book with this simple

1. Sign up for an account at Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing.

Before you publish your e-book, you must sign up for Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing. This Amazon service provides you with the tools you need to publish your e-book when you are ready. When you sign up for an account at Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, you can also receive helpful information on how to improve your e-book content and appearance before publishing.

2. Format your e-book to fit Kindle requirements.

There are several formats that can be converted to Kindle, and most of those formats include:

  • Word document
  • HTML
  • Rich text format
  • Plain text
  • Adobe PDF

Most of the formats listed can be converted to the Kindle version; however, there can also be limitations on how much can be converted. For instance, images in a Word document or PDF may not be converted due to complicated formatting. HTML, plain text and rich text format are formats that provide smoother and more accurate Kindle conversion. Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing also offers a generous list of various professional online companies that can help you convert your e-book.

3. Design your cover page.

A cover page for your e-book is crucial to catch the eyes of readers, so be sure to create your cover page before publishing. You can use Photoshop or GIMP to create a simple yet attractive cover page. You can also hire an online contractor from a trusted site, such as Fiverr and oDesk, to do your cover page for a reasonable price. If you are an artist, you can design your own cover page to give it a unique edge. Make sure that your cover page meets the minimum requirement of 625 pixels on the shortest side and 1,000 pixels on the longest side of the image. It should also be saved as a JPEG file before uploading to Amazon.

4. Publish your e-book.

When your e-book has been proofed thoroughly and cleared of any errors in formatting, it is time to publish it. Here are the simple steps to publish your e-book:

  1. Log in to your account. Click on the “Add a new title” link or button on your Kindle dashboard.
  2. Enter your book details, such as title, book language and publishing rights, in the form provided.
  3. Upload and preview your e-book to see what it will look like on a Kindle, iPad and iPhone. In this step, you can also upload your cover page.
  4. After ensuring your e-book has been uploaded successfully, you will be taken to a page where you fill out rights, royalty and pricing information for the book. When you reach a question that asks to verify your territory rights, be sure to check the option for worldwide territories.
  5. Choose your royalty rate; put in the price for your e-book. When you enter the price for your e-book in USD currency, it will be converted to international prices as well. However, you can choose which currency you want your e-book to be available in.
  6. Publish your e-book when you have completed the steps, and your e-book will be available for purchase in the Kindle store in approximately 12 hours. Amazon will contact you when your book is officially uploaded in the Kindle store.

For more reference, you may watch this video tutorial below. It will explain how to publish your MOBI/KF8 eBook through Amazon’s KDP or how to update an existing eBook that has already been published. The process is the same for small presses and self-publishers.

Bonus Information and Tips

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The information in this article was provided by Elite Web Group, a Fort Lauderdale based Company that provides comprehensive internet marketing Services.

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text:
The magical mystery land of community health

I don't make this stuff up!…but I do change identifying information.

An Addendum June 30, 2010

Filed under: Uncategorized — lesbonurse @ 2:32 am

I feel like I should add an addendum to the last post about my patient with delusional parasitosis.  Part of the reason that the case is so frustrating to me is that the patient is really suffering.  Every day he thinks that he is crawling with bugs and infecting other people and that no one believes him or helps him, and it’s really intolerable for him.  It’s really hard to watch someone suffer, and to have a treatment that can help (in this case, psych meds) but to be unable to help the person access that treatment.  😦

This case has gotten under my skin June 29, 2010

Filed under: Uncategorized — lesbonurse @ 2:25 am

A patient of mine came in several weeks ago with a complaint of “bugs under my skin.”  During the course of the visit, it became clear to me that his symptoms did not match any known human bug infestation.  Simply put, I thought he was having psychotic symptoms.  As is so often the case with patients who have delusions, he does not believe that his mental health is playing any part in his symptoms.  He is convinced that he has bugs burrowing under his teeth, into his eyeballs and under his nails.  He saw them there in the exam room, but I didn’t.  I tried to offer support in the best way I knew how (which, in the case of delusional parasitosis, is not much).  When my reality testing and basic interventions did not appear to be sufficient, I encouraged him to go the the emergency room for an evaluation.  Surely, I thought, someone there will call a psych consult when they listen to his story.  Much to my dismay, no one has called a psych consult.  The patient has been to several ER’s in the past month.  He’s been treated for various skin conditions, without success.  He told me he was seen by Dermatology and they did a skin biopsy.  None of this has helped his symptoms.  He’s currently convinced that he has an exotic parasitic illness that is not found in our state (or, in fact, our country).  His symptoms are not consistent with this illness, nor has he recently traveled to any tropical locales,  and yet still he hasn’t had a psych consult.  WTF, emergency room staff?  How does this not set off any red flags?

My fear is that he is going to harm himself trying to dig out the bugs.  He has already made several statements about having to get them out.  Of course I advised him not to try to remove the bugs himself, but he feels desperate, and desperate people do desperate things.

I’m so frustrated with this case.  I can’t convince the patient that he doesn’t have a bug infestation, and he can’t entertain the idea that this might not be real.  The ER–for whatever reason–has missed several opportunities to call in a consult, and the patient doesn’t want to go see psych as an outpatient.  What are we supposed to do, wait until he seriously injures himself?  Argh.

(And in case anyone is wondering “Maybe he really does have some kind of infestation?”…I’ve thoroughly entertained the idea and there just isn’t any singular infestation that would explain his symptoms.  It is possible that he has some other underlying condition that is causing skin itching and he is interpreting that as bugs under the skin, but I am almost 100% positive that it’s not actually bugs)

Is that how it was for you? June 23, 2010

Filed under: Uncategorized — lesbonurse @ 12:26 am

I walked into the exam room to see a patient who hadn’t seen me since I became visibly pregnant.  After the initial “Oh, are you pregnant?” questions were out of the way, we went on to discuss her back pain.  She was not happy with my proposed plan of care, and became quite irate.  At one point she exclaimed, “You don’t understand!  I have pain!  You don’t feel anything because you’re pregnant!  How would you know?!”  Uh huh…I don’t feel anything because I’m pregnant.  Right.  Someone please tell that to my lower back!

A little problem I like to call… June 10, 2010

Filed under: Uncategorized — lesbonurse @ 2:07 am

“Incongruent desire.”  It’s a phrase I made up for my documentation to describe the situation when one person in a couple wants to have sex more than the other person.  For example, I recently saw a woman with a complaint of vaginal dryness and decreased libido.  At the initial appointment, we talked about her physical symptoms and I inquired into the state of her relationship and her general mood.  She assured me that her mood was good, her partner was a nice guy, and that she was happy with his sexual technique.  We checked a few labs, talked about using lube and made an appointment to discuss the results.  The lab results were normal.  I delved a little deeper into her sex life.  It turns out that my patient is a nighttime sex person who says that she would be happy to have sex 2 times a week.  Her partner is a morning person.  Like, an early morning person.  Early as in 5 a.m. every day before he goes to work.  Every. Day. At. 5 a.m.  My patient didn’t find this as bothersome as I would.  She just felt bad that she wasn’t wet and ready every day at 5 a.m. when her partner was horny.  I gave her the speech about how there are different types of normal for people, and that her level of sexual desire sounded perfectly healthy to me.  I encouraged her to talk to her partner about ways that they can compromise on the timing of sexual activity.  I informed her that contrary to her hopes, there is not a pill that can turn her into a horny morning person.  What I didn’t say was that my partner would be getting nothing but an angry elbow in the ribs if I was being woken up at 5 a.m. for some lovin’.

Back Home June 7, 2010

Filed under: Uncategorized — lesbonurse @ 2:59 am

Just got back from the annual Trans Health Conference in Philadelphia.  Just like in previous years, the content was interesting, the youth attendees were adorable and I really, really needed the break from work.  This year was made slightly more uncomfortable by the fact that I am 5 months pregnant and no longer enjoying sitting in a straight-backed chair for 8 hours a day.  Although on second thought, I have never really enjoyed sitting in a chair for 8 hours at a stretch under any circumstances.  That’s part of the reason why I entered a career that requires me to walk briskly in circles around a clinic for 8-10 hours a day.

I’m a little too tired to write much, but I wanted to post an update on my patient with post-partum psychosis.  She was taken to the ER by ambulance, where she was evaluated and then placed on a 72-hour hold.  They started her on medication and discharged her at the end of the 3 days.  Per the discharge summary, she was no longer feeling suicidal and the voices were starting to go away.  I haven’t seen her since, but I am hopeful that she’s staying on her meds and feeling a little more like herself.


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This Mama’s Got Drama, Too

A friend of mine who reads this blog said, “You know, you come across as the perfect mother.  You give us other moms something to aspire to.”

Most people would take that as a compliment, but something about it rubbed me the wrong way. “If only she were a fly on the wall in my house,” I thought, “she’d see that I’m FAR from perfect.”

As much as possible in these posts, I try to demonstrate the lessons I’ve learned through the mistakes I’ve made. I struggle with the same things everyone else does: sibling squabbles, homework hassles, bedtime battles, morning meltdowns. I get triggered easily and yell at my kids. I get distracted too much by my phone. When I focus on using the skills I know to remain calm and connected, I feel great because I’m at my best.

But rest assured, dear readers. I have my fair share of family drama, too. (There’s a reason I named this blog what I did).

Here’s a note I once got from Marissa:

2014-01-14 14.20.08

A former student of mine once remarked, “I wonder what you’re thinking when you see other parents dealing with their kids.” And I told her, “I think, ‘I’ve been there. I know what it’s like.”

Yet to say that I’m free from judgment would be a lie. The other day in the library, for instance, a mother very clearly said to her daughter, “You’re allowed to check out two books. You never read all the books you get, so you’re only allowed two.” She held up the number two with her fingers. When the daughter brought her five books, the mother simply said, “Ok.” I thought, “WHAT? Did she actually just do that?”

Another time I witnessed a mother waiting in line for customer service with her 2-year-old daughter, who suddenly needed to use the bathroom. The mother asked, “Can you hold it?” When her daughter said she couldn’t, she let out a sigh of exasperation and said, “If you make me lose my spot in line, I’m gonna kill you.” SERIOUSLY? I wanted to punch that mom in the face.

Sometimes when I have those critical and judgmental thoughts, though, I try really hard to find compassion for the parent and understand where they’re coming from. I’ve certainly said things I regret, reacted too harshly, and made empty threats, too.

Since I’m in the business of helping parents, I use this blog to give examples of times that I’ve learned from my own mistakes or had success overcoming challenges, and to share ideas that have been useful to me. That’s my goal — to share as much as I can about what’s worked and what hasn’t — for me — which may or may not be the same things that will work for you.

Lately, my biggest frustration is dealing with my daughters’ constant bickering with each other. So, I’ve re-read Siblings Without Rivalry, and I’m experimenting with different ways of managing my irritation and helping them resolve their own problems. When I figure out what works for us, you can be sure I’ll share it with you.

What’s your biggest family drama right now and how can I help? Either leave a comment below or feel free to e-mail me directly at Remember, we’re all in this parenting boat together.

If you liked this post, please share it with your friends and “like” it on Facebook. And for even more great tips on becoming a calm and connected parent (delivered right to your inbox every Tuesday), please subscribe to this blog.

  • Jana

    I certainly know where you’re coming from.

    I try to post an equal amount of the not-so-fun stuff to balance it out.

    No judgment is very hard for us mums to do. But it’s truly a beautiful feeling when we can.

    Love Jana xx

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text:
Upcoming Devlog: https://twitter.com/roguesawakening

Chain skills. Choose rewards. Start over.

Fight with your Heroes in a turn based combat various enemies. Use 56 tactical skills and combine their effects to win the fight . Gain loot after every encounter. Get as far as you can! ... or die, gain rewards and try again.
How far can you go?

Chain Skills.

Mark your target with "Light Ray". Then stun your marked target with "Frost Shock". Finish the frozen foe with "Shatter" to deal massive damage!

Choose your gear.

Do you want to be stronger for the next fight? Buy new items! Level them up! Discover new strategies!

Choose your enemy.

Hard encounter? More Exp and more loot? Choose your own difficulty!

Level up your skills.

Awaken your ability! Gain a secondary effect which will activate when you combo your skill!

Endless dungeon.

Fight against ever stronger growing enemies. Beat four balanced stages of the game. Each with unique monsters and modifier. Continue afterwards with the MAYHEM mode. Encounter monster with randomized modifier in different compositions for complete mayhem. How far can you go?

Frontier version now for testing on itch.to!

Play in browser without download!

Notes on the frontier version:
- Multi attacks hits will animate at the same time resulting in stacked scrolling combat text
- The current dungeon content is only roughly balanced yet.
- The background in the menus is a placeholder
- Currently there is only a small tutorial to introduce game mechanics- Just go ahead and tell me if you understand the game system so far!

Development log

Log in with itch.io to leave a comment.

Great game, keep on improving.

when I play and I finish the fist combat the page reloads, can it be fixed?

Hi! Thanks for reporting this bug. I never encountered this before. What browser are you using?

yeah, think I forgot some details: the first time I played it, it was on a computer, so I thought “this game only uses mouse, so what if I try playing on a mobile phone?” In the phone the game ran well but, as I told , the page gets reloaded when I defeat the first slime.

It’s kinda stupid, I know

Ah okay. The unity player does not work well with some mobile devices. On release there will be an .akp downloadable for andoid and iphone users. Before that it needs some polish for the touchscreen interactions.

Here's my video with top turn-based strategy/RPGs on itch.io February 2020 (featuring Rogue's Awakening)

Absolutely amazing! <3

Amazing game, had a blast with the demo! Really hope there'll be a Linux version once its out. =)

Thank you so much! I plan to make the game available on pc/ mac/ linux/ web/ android and ios

Awesome! <3

(2 edits) (+1)

It looks great! About skills, did you categorize them based on natural elements such as Fire, Water, Electricity, Wind, Earth, etc? I think that would be neat and nice! Also hidden and ultimate skills are good to be considered.

And I agree with doing combos by direction keys. That would accelerate the combat pace because turn-base games are usually  slow.

Looking forward to the demo!

(2 edits)

Thanks Tinteanh!

Skills are not directly categorized by Elements like water, electricity etc. But we have Dark, Light and Balance as setting for our three Adventurers. Combos don't chain based on their element. They chain based on their condition effect. For example can a skill which require a stunned target connect to all skills that can set enemies to a stunned condition. This way we are not bound by the setting of the element rather than the mechanic of the ability.

We do have something like hidden and ultimate abilities. It is not introduced yet but to say in a short sentence: There will be Ascent Abilities. When you cast enough, let's say, dark abilities than you will gain an Dark Orb. This orb can than used to cast a finishing move which can turn around a fight!
We are looking forward for you playing the demo!

Edit: This is not true anymore. There will be interactions between elements. Some Elemental effects will affect other elements. Like water and lightning. The next update will have much more of these effects. Thanks for your input!

Really like the ideas of combining skills. But I wonder if the heroes' skills will depend on a Combo list, or some basic skills then chain up (like some basic elemental skills)?? Because 38 to me are a little to many.

Hi Trungtran!

Every skill by it self will have a basic strength. When you can pull up certain combination and rotation your will be able to get greater effects. 38 Abilities will take some time to understand and learn but we will make sure that even without understanding of every combination and detail you will have some cool effects! Every fight you will start with a small number of skills, and unlock new skills every round. So you evolve constantly and have time to learn the game just by playing it.

After all this is a survival game and learning the mechanics is going to be the fun part. The better you understand the possibilities the further you will get!

Hello guys. I'm interesting your idea, same as Darkest Dungeon. I think you can add some element that can be interacted with people better like: Use mouse drawing figure 2D to use skill, or press any direction button for combos.

I love use weapon like use skill. Hope you can develope a weapon-skill tree or something like this. Sorry if its not clearly.

Hey Amiko! Thanks for the reply! Dont worry perfectly understood what you mean. We were actually already playing with the idea to add some new Interactive element to the turn based combat system.

We will test some ideas the comming weeks and see how it fits with the rest of the vision. We will Upload a small snippet of the game sometime in March, so if you are interested you can check back later.


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Home » Cadre européen des langues » A1-A2-B1-B2 » A2-B1 Thanksgiving

A2-B1 Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Dinner: What was On The Menu?

What did the Pilgrims eat at the very first Thanksgiving in the year 1621?
Was it pumpkin pie and stuffed turkey? No, it wasn’t!

The Pilgrims definitely ate at Thanksgiving
We do know certain Thanksgiving dinner items from a letter that a Pilgrim man named Edward
Winslow wrote in 1621.
Wheat, corn, and barley – but no peas
“Our corn did prove well, and God be praised, we had a good increase of Indian corn, and our
barley indifferent good, but our peas not worth the gathering”
*Note: to the Pilgrims, “corn” is what we call “wheat”.
To the Pilgrims, “Indian corn” is what we call “corn”
Waterfowl (ducks and geese)
“ Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling”
Deer meat
“…king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and
they went out and killed fi ve deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed on our
Things we think the Pilgrims probably ate at Thanksgiving
We know from records of Mayfl ower Pilgrims certain things that were native to Plymouth or
that they grew in their colony.
Seafood ( fi sh, lobster, eels, clams, mussels)
Nuts (walnuts, chestnuts, acorns)

The Original Thanksgiving

Many cultures all over the world hold festivals or ceremonies to celebrate the fall harvest. But
Thanksgiving was a real event in America in 1621 – that’s almost 400 years ago!
The Pilgrims fi rst came to North America on the ship The Mayfl ower in 1620, landing
in what is now Massachusetts. Taking such a long journey to such a cold climate was hard on
their health, and almost half of those first Pilgrims died of scurvy and pneumonia.

Because the Pilgrims brought germs from Europe that were unknown in the New World,hundreds of Native Americans also got sick and died.

Times were very tough.

The Pilgrims might not have survived if they had not met one
person who changed American history:

the Native American Tisquantum,known to us as Squanto.

Squanto had a lot happen to him in life. As a youth, Squanto was kidnapped by English
merchants who were exploring the New World. They took him to England, where he learned
English and was used as an interpreter and guide in North America by the Plymouth Company.
While he was back in the New World he was kidnapped again by an English trader.

He was shipped to Spain to be sold as a slave, but was taken in by some Spanish friars. Squanto
sailed back to America only to discover that every single person in his tribe had died of plague.
He lived in another Wampanoag village until he heard the Pilgrims had landed.

The first Thanksgiving

The Pilgrims were in danger of starving. Squanto taught them how to fertilize and grow
corn and barley, and where to fi sh. In the fall, the harvest was plentiful. The Pilgrims elected a
governor named William Bradford who proclaimed a day of thanksgiving for the bounty.
Hunters from the colony brought geese and ducks (what, no turkey?).

Fish, lobster,clams, dried fruit and corn were also on the menu.

The Pilgrims invited the Wampanoag chief!

Poem 1
T’was the night of Thanksgiving,
But I just couldn’t sleep.
I tried counting backwards,
I tried counting sheep.
The leftovers beckoned,
The dark meat and white.
But I fought the temptation,
With all of my might.
Tossing and turning,
with anticipation.
The thought of a snack
became infatuation.
So I raced to the kitchen,
Flung open the door,
And gazed at the fridge,
Full of goodies galore.
I gobbled up turkey,
And buttered potatoes,
Pickles and carrots,
Beans and tomatoes.
I felt myself swelling,
So plump and so round.
‘til all of a sudden,
I rose off the ground.
I crashed through the ceiling,
Floating into the sky,
With a mouthful of pudding,
And a handful of pie.
But I managed to yell
As I soared past the trees
Happy eating to all,
Pass the cranberries, please!!
May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey be plump.
May your potatoes and gravy
Have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious,
May your pies take the prize
And May your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off of your thighs!
by Lauren
Poem 2
T is for the trust the pilgrims had so many years ago
H is for the harvest the settlers learnt to grow
A is for America, the land in which we live
N is for nature and beauty which she gives
K is for kindness, gentle words, thoughtful deeds
S is for smiles, the sunshine everyone needs
G is for gratitude… our blessings big and small
I is for ideas, letting wisdom grow tall
V is for voices, singing, laughing, always caring
I is for Indians, who taught them about sharing
N is for neighbors, across the street, over the sea
G is for giving of myself to make a better me
by Judith.A. Lindberg
————————— —————————————————

Poem 3
A Thanksgiving Poem.
The tear another’s tears bring forth,
The sigh which answers sigh,
The pulse that beats at other’s woes,
E’en though our own be nigh,

A balm to bathe the wounded heart
Where sorrow’s hand hath lain,
The link divine from soul to soul
That makes us one in pain,

Sweet sympathy, benignant ray,
Light of the soul doth shine;
In it is human nature givin
A touch of the divine.

Poem 4
The Little Pilgrim
Cranberries dripping down my chin
Have stained my pilgrim suit.
I ate too much Thanksgiving day
But I don’t give a hoot.

I slurped a pile of dressing,
Gobbled down a turkey thigh,
Dribbled messy cranberries
Devoured some pumpkin pie.

Within me on this special day
It’s a thankful heart that beats.
For all the things that I enjoy
But mainly for the eats.

Poem 5
Week before Thanksgiving,
I limp around real strange.
Huddle in the corner,
As though I have the mange.
All the other turkeys,
Just gobble, gobble on.
I’m silent, and I act
As if my gobbler’s gone. Everyone is thankful
On Thanksgiving Day.
Friday it’s forgotten.
You all go on your way.
I know what thankful is
So listen when I say.
“It’s great to be a turkey,
After Thanksgiving Day.”

Poem 6
The Pilgrims Came
The Pilgrims came across the sea,
And never thought of you and me;
And yet it’s very strange the way
We think of them Thanksgiving Day.
We tell their story old and true
Of how they sailed across the blue,
And found a new land to be free
And built their homes quite near the sea.
The people think that they were sad,
And grave; I’m sure that they were glad –
They made Thanksgiving Day – that’s fun –
We thank the Pilgrims every one!
by Annette Wynne

Poem 7
It’s That Time, Again
The days are getting shorter now.
I feel a snow flake on my brow.
The leaves are crackling as I run,
The squirrels’ searching almost done.
The turkey’s restless in the pen,
Oh! No! I see my breath again!
It makes a person take a pause
And think about old Santa Claus!!!

Poem 8
The Pilgrims
In the year of 1620
on a cold Decembre day
a hundred and two pilgrims
sailed into Plymouth Bay.
Still wary from their voyage –
still gacing winter’s chill –
they kept their sights on freedom
with courage, work, and will.
Pilgrims did not stop to think
of riches, fame, or glory
while bravely playing starring roles
in our new nation’s story
by Bobbi Katz

Poem 9
Thanksgiving Time
When all the leaves are off the boughs,
And nuts and apples gathered in,
And cornstalks waiting for the cows,
And pumpkins safe in barn and bin,
Then Mother says, “My children dear,
The fields are brown, and autumn flies;
Thanksgiving Day is very near,
And we must make thanksgiving pies!”
Author Unknown.

Poem 10
The year has turned its circle,
The seasons come and go.
The harvest all is gathered in
And chilly north winds blow.

Orchards have shared their treasures,
The fields, their yellow grain,
So open wide the doorway —
Thanksgiving comes again!
Old Rhyme.

Poem 11
The First Thanksgiving
When the Pilgrims
first gathered together to share
with their Indian friends
in the mild autumn air,
they lifted the voices
in jubilant praise
for the bread on the table,
the berries and maize,
for field and for forest,
for turkey and deer,
for the bountiful crops
they were blessed with that year.
They were thankful for these
as they feasted away,
and as they were thankful
we’re thankful today.

Poem 12
Giving Thanks
For the hay and the corn and the wheat that is reaped,
For the labor well done, and the barns that are heaped,
For the sun and the dew and the sweet honeycomb,
For the rose and the song and the harvest brought home —
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!

For the trade and the skill and the wealth in our land,
For the cunning and strength of the workingman’s hand,
For the good that our artists and poets have taught,
For the friendship that hope and affection have brought —
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!

For the homes that with purest affection are blest,
For the season of plenty and well-deserved rest,
For our country extending from sea unto sea;
The land that is known as the “Land of the Free” —
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!
Author Unknown

A Thanksgiving Treasure Hunt
When and where is Thanksgiving Day celebrated?
What nationality were the first settlers (now called the Pilgrim Fathers) on the
American East coast?
What was the name of the Pilgrim Fathers’ boat?
Where did the Pilgrims start their voyage and where did they arrive?
When did they start their voyage and when did they arrive?
Look up the word harvest in the dictionary and write a sentence to say what they
harvest in your region.
Student worksheet. Name:
A Thanksgiving Treasure Hunt
The Wampanoag were the first Indian people that the Pilgrim Fathers met. What
does the name of the tribe mean?
Today, Indians prefer to be called “—— Americans”.
What does Thanksgiving Day commemorate, and what do people do on that day?
What food do people have for Thanksgiving, nowadays?
Thanksgiving is composed of two words. Write them down. In your opinion, what
does the word “thanksgiving” mean?
_________________________________________________________ _____

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November 2010
« Oct   Dec »


text:
Category Archives: Decorating

TGIW: Random advice

by Libby Sternberg

Nothing deep or even narrative today. Just some random tips and advice I’ve picked up along life’s journey. Some might be obvious, but they weren’t to me when I discovered them:

tablecloth rosetteShortening too-long tablecloths: I have a couple tablecloths that are a tad large. My tables shrank. Or maybe I kind of bought the wrong size. They’re okay when we have the leaf in the dining room table (just barely), but not so much when the table is its smaller size. I saw a caterer do this trick, though, and have tried it myself: gather a bunch of the tablecloth where it’s too long. Slip a rubber band around the “bunch” to create a rosette effect. See picture.  This is great if you’re worried about guests tripping over the ends of a too-long tablecloth during a buffet serving.

Grab a stool from the bar: Shopping at JC Penney with a friend and don’t have anywhere to sit while they’re in the fitting room? Grab a stool from one of their silly “jeans bars” and park yourself on it. You’ll probably be doing them a service. As readers know, I was no fan of the recently fired Penney CEO Ron Johnson. One of his “innovations” was to create these “jeans bars” within the stores with tables full of jeans and stools pulled up to them. (For what? The mind boggles.) Anyway, if we can get an army of folks moving these stools to places in the stores where people really do want to sit…it’s a corporal work of mercy, I tell ya!

Scrambled eggs: Listen to Ina–Garten, that is. Slow and low. She advises not cooking them too quickly, and I have to say this does result in a softer scramble. I also read somewhere that adding a little seltzer water to the mix can make them fluffier, but I haven’t tried that.

Put nutmeg in your pancakes: I’ve been doing this for years, ever since I figured out why a particular eatery’s pancakes tasted so yummy. Just add a sprinkle or two to your batter.

Dress your onions first: I like onions in salad, but I don’t like that raw onion taste that lingers. So, I slice onions very thinly, place them in the salad bowl and dress with vinaigrette first. They hang out while I make the rest of the dinner, then I throw the greens and other veggies in and toss right before serving.

Take your shoes off: You have a gorgeous pair of shoes, but they get a tad uncomfortable after a while. You wear them to a wedding or other gathering. The floor might be dirty but it’s not strewn with broken glass, so…just take your shoes off and dance. At a recent wedding, I was delighted to see many guests dancing barefoot (or in their stocking feet). I walked around after my beautiful, but rarely worn, silver shoes started to make my feetsies ache. Amazingly, no one commented on this.

Sparkle: I’m a big proponent of sparkly jewelry, sparkly apparel and sparkly…personalities. When I was younger, I favored chiffony clothes and sparkly jewelry, but then the sixties came along and ruined everything with their bell-bottom jeans uniform. Nowadays, however, I wear sparkly jewelry even with jeans. I have learned not to save nice things for so-called special occasions. Every day is special.

Libby Sternberg is a novelist. Buy her books so she can buy more shoes and sparkly things.

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Filed under Decorating, Recipes, Uncategorized

TGIW: Decorating with found objects

by Libby Sternberg

I have many cousins, but most live far away. One, however, is but a half hour’s drive from us, and it is a great joy to see Bill regularly for barbecues, family dinners and more. He has a mischievous sense of humor that translates into creative rule-making during summertime games of croquet (“Everyone with a hat on gets an extra turn!”), and he always brings…door prizes.

A flea market aficionado, he brings a box or two of his finds to gatherings. After the meal, we’ll play a game — croquet if the weather’s good, Bananagrams or charades for other days — and door prizes are won by the victors. Or sometimes by the vanquished. Depends on the prize–one of our rules is that you can either choose a prize for yourself or bestow one on another guest. Bill’s one rule is: If you discover the prize has value, don’t tell him.

door prizes

I’m proud of my door prizes.

I treasure my wins, which include a domed cheese dish, a rectangular serving plate I use often, a decorative bowl, several spectacular vases (one of green glass, the other blue) and a few candlestick holders.

Contemplating these wins made me realize how much of my household is decorated with hand-me-downs. I’d say a good 80 to 90 percent of each room is furnished with pieces given to us by family members, from the gorgeous Belgian rugs in living and dining rooms to the end tables in the family room, to the headboard and bedframe in our bedroom. Of the few pieces of furniture we’ve purchased on our own, several have come from a consignment store where I love to shop.

The repainted chair and the plastic planter.

The repainted chair and the plastic planter.

I enjoy using found pieces outside, as well. On our front porch sits a rocking chair a neighbor was giving away for free (I took it and repainted it), along with a big old plastic flower pot my middle son had used in his college apartment for a bamboo plant. I use it for flowers; its, well, cheesiness, is somewhat obscured when viewed from the road. I’ve used flagstones and bricks found on our property for pathways, too.

Early in our marriage, I felt acutely the challenge of not having enough money to adequately decorate. But now that we can afford to buy pieces, I find myself cherishing the used items that have come our way, and I think I’ve done a good job of integrating the pieces into a pleasing decor. In fact, I feel a little bit guilty buying new things when so many wonderful used pieces are on the market.  brick pathway

Now, when I look at the barrel-back chair in our living room, I remember crawling into it as a child, seeing it as the sheltering symbol of unconditional parental love. When I view our love seat and piano, I think of my very special mother-in-law. When we gather around our dining room table, I remember sitting at that table as a newlywed when my in-laws lived outside of DC.

Each piece tells a story. If I had all the money in the world to redecorate, I’d probably keep things as they are.

Libby Sternberg is a novelist.  TGIW=Thank God It’s Wednesday.

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Filed under Decorating, Uncategorized

Fruitcake, balls and tornadoes

Like Ahab hunting Moby Dick, I’ve been on an obsessive search–to find those big, fat, shiny ornaments you hang on deciduous trees outside. Finally, I hit the target. I mean Target, the store. That’s where I found them. And I’ve hung them outside as my own clenched-fist protest against the winter sky–its shortening days and longer nights:

christmas 2012 big ornaments

Speaking of things Christmasy, let’s take a break from making fruitcake jokes to actually make…fruitcake. Or, rather, fruitcake bar cookies. Believe it or not, until I was in my twenties, I’d never tasted fruitcake. But after I married, I discovered that my mother-in-law not only liked it, she made batches of it every Christmas, all soaked in apple brandy, to send as gifts to friends and relatives. Her recipe was very good–a dark, dense cake filled with candied citron, orange peel, cherries and nuts and raisins, too. When she lived in Maryland, she’d go to Lexington market to find these candied treasures.

She is gone now, and I can’t recreate her fruitcake success. Her recipe was for many cakes–I tried one year to make only one loaf by doing lots of math (long division, even!) with the recipe. Me + lots of math = not-so-good-fruitcake.

Not to worry — she also left us a recipe for fruitcake bar cookies, a lighter batter but still moist and sweet. So if you happen to be among the few, the happy few, who enjoy fruitcake, here’s the recipe:

Cream together:

  • 1/2 cup butter (one stick)
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsns milk

  • 1 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tspn cinnamon
  • (dash of nutmeg if desired)

Mix dry and wet ingredients. Batter is VERY thick.

Add: 1/2 cup raisins, 1/4 cup candied cherries, 1/4 cup candied orange peel, 1/4 cup pineapple — whatever candied fruits you like and, really, as many of them as you like.

Spread with spoon (or your clean fingers!) in a greased 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350 for 1/2 hour. Cool and cut into bars.

Fruitcake cookie

Fruitcake cookie

I saved the recipe in my new recipe book. The one I made. Yes, I did.

Finally, a note about a previous post…

I wrote about my recent trip to Kansas where I met long-time writer pals for the very first time after corresponding with them for more than ten years. In looking through my photos of that trip, I came across this one, from the Kansas City Airport:

ks tornado shelter sign

Hmm….I guess they have tornadoes out there sometimes. Would make a great setting for a fantasy tale….

Filed under Decorating, Recipes, Uncategorized


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Wingnuts Say The Darndest Things

Republican State Senator Dennis Guth from Iowa on the health risks of homosexuality:

“The media, for the most part, has bamboozled us into thinking that having a relationship outside of the boundaries of monogamous, heterosexual marriage is positive, happy and fulfilling,” Guth said. “Movies, television shows, articles and magazines abound with this theme, giving partial information to vulnerable audience: our children.”

Guth said there are “numerous” health and mental problems associated with homosexuality that “ultimately” shorten the lives of gays and lesbians.

“There are health risks that my family incurs because of the increase of sexually transmitted infections that this lifestyle invites. For example, there are more and more medical tests required before giving blood or giving birth,” Guth said.

Guth said “many civilizations have fallen” because the traditional family was not protected and he argued the homosexual lifestyle “is a lie.”

Republican Representative Louie Gohmerton from Texas on how Islamic terrorists are infiltrating the United States:

The Tea Party favorite said he feared people entering the country illegally or posing as undocumented Hispanic immigrants could carry out “copycat things.” “We know Al Qaeda has camps on the Mexican border,” he said. “We have people that are trained to act Hispanic when they are radical Islamists.”

Gohmert criticized the bipartisan immigration bill unveiled by the Gang of 8 this week, arguing that it would give immigrants “a bit of amnesty.” “You have to understand that we want America to continue to be a haven for people that want to live free,” he added. “When you have the greatest liberties, you will draw people that want to destroy you.”

Republican State Senator Tommy Tucker of North Carolina on open debate:

“I am the senator. You are the citizen. You need to be quiet.”


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Marketing Eye is industry-leading in its adoption of new technologies for marketing. We embrace marketing technologies and develop them when we see obvious gaps in the marketing mix. This ensures that we work harder, faster and smarter. As a licensee you will be exposed to the technologies we use and the technologies we create.

We use itpronline to write press releases, newsletters, case studies, white papers and blogs. Our press releases are written by journalists for journalists, and newsletters are now produced faster and more efficiently than ever before. But it’s blogging that really does the trick, with an ability to share your ideas with writers to develop more blogs, more often, for the world to see.

A disruptive technology taking professional candidates to companies with the right experience, credentials and psych profiling to fit into Fortune 1000 companies with intuitive multi-level psych profiling across all applicant and company profiles.

Eskrape is more intuitive, accurate and sustainable than any other model in the marketing today- at the lowest investment.

Marketing Eye understands the value of an inside sales model. One of the biggest issues companies face is not having a large enough database to achieve company goals. With eskrape, we will populate your CRM with leads, connecting you with customers and nurturing the relationship from introduction through to end sale.


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6 piece white Cow Leather and gold metal set

  • Sale
  • Regular price $98.00

The perfect set for even an experienced BDSM lover. Everything in this set is made with genuine cow leather which includes:

Handcuffs: These cuffs look brilliant and feel great on the skin and exude quality. Attached are D rings for restraint play with our provided straps or your own straps and chains

Ankle cuffs: Similar to the handcuffs but a little longer. They are sure to feel great even after extended use.

Blindfold: This high quality blindfold has extra padding on the inside of the leather to ensure comfort and to heighten sense play.

Silicone Ball Gag: 8 holes of adjustability and features an odorless and tasteless food grade silicone gag.

Collar and leash: The weighty heavy duty buckle is brass and looks very classy. Also included is a 48” leather leash that is just as soft as the collar and has a clip attached to the end that can easily be attached or detached to the collar’s 3 D-rings.

Nipple clamps: The clamping pressure on the rubber tipped clamps are fully adjustable. The weighty chain will give a pleasurable tugging sensation on your nipples via the clamps that can provide everything from a sadistic pinching sensation to a light squeeze. The chains have a quick release clip on them so that they can be attached to any collar that you already have.

Total length: 26.3" / 67cm include buckle
Circumference: 17.9-22 inches (45.5-56cm)
Width: 3.1" / 7.8cm

Silicone ball gag:
Total Length: 24.8" / 63cm leather strap fastened with buckle (15.3"-21.2"/ 39-54cm)
Leather Width: 1" / 2.5cm
Ball Size: 1.69" / 4.3cm

Hand Cuffs:
Total Cuff Length ( including buckle): 14.5" / 37cm
Cuff width: 2.56" / 6.5cm
circumference: 3.9" - 7" / 10cm-26cm
Strap Length:7.48" / 19cm

Ankle cuffs:
Total Cuff Length:15.7" / 40cm
Circumference:4.7-9.44 " / 12 -24cm
Cuff width: 2.56"/6.5cm
Strap Length:7.48" / 19cm

Collar and leash:
Total Collar Length: 21.2"/ 54cm
Collar width: 1.57"/4cm
Circumference:13"- 16"/ 33cm-41cm
Leather leash length: 48.8"/ 124cm

Nipple clamps:
Item no: NC-1007B
material：Gold chains with beads, rubber tipped pins
chain length (From Clip to O-ring, Clamp not included)：13" / 33cm


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When was the last time you were able to speak God’s truth over the life of a complete stranger? As Christ-followers, God calls us to be conduits of His grace and His truth to the outside world. However, Carmen LaBerge says we often fail to speak God’s truth to others because we fail to listen well.

“We cannot speak the truth into the life of another person until we have listened long enough to understand where they are and where that point of intersection with the Gospel might be.”

If we want to endeavor to listen well, Carmen recommends we start by asking open-ended questions.

“Good listening is about being very present with another person and then being non-defensive in the way that you listen to them. I’m not just listening to someone so I can find the point of attack. It doesn’t matter where I am or who I’m with, I’m going to ask an open-ended question.”

These kinds of questions can be as simple as: What are you thinking about? What’s on your mind? What brought you here today?

“Each one of those conversation starters is pretty simple. It also doesn’t make any assumptions about the other person. I’m going to listen long enough to find out enough about them so that I can enter into an honest conversation where I’m interested in knowing about them and who they are.”

Carmen says that one of the most important things to remember is the conversation isn’t about you.

“I want to take a posture of humility. This conversation is not about me. This conversation is not about me winning. This conversation is not about me scoring. This conversation is about this other person. I’m simply here as a representative of God in this conversation.”

It’s also important to realize that chances are most of the people we talk to will have some level of residual layer of negativity toward God or the church.

“I can’t repent for what happened to this other person. However, I can tend to the wound. I can acknowledge their pain. It’s not fair for me to expect somebody to ‘get over something’ that they have not been allowed to process through in a way that actually leads to healing.”

When we take time to listen to another person, we may just be rewarded with an opportunity to bear witness to the goodness of who God is.

Speak the truth

Carmen LaBerge is a writer, speaker, and the host of The Reconnect with Carmen LaBerge. She is the author of Speak the Truth: How to Bring God Back into Every Conversation. She is a frequent guest on the Faith Radio and has written for prominent faith-based outlets, including Christianity Today, Christian Post, and Faithwire.

Key Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:20; Galatians 2:20

Featured Songs: Something Greater – Matthew West; Abide in Me – Chris August; For the One – Bethel Music

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Tips for Sending your Child to the Game Alone

So, it’s finally happened, your child has reached that tender age where they want to head out to the game by themselves. You knew this day would come, and you’ve probably been preparing for your entire life. Or maybe you haven’t. No matter what, you probably have all kinds of questions and concerns, for example, is it safe? Is this a good idea? Okay, there are probably all kinds of thoughts running through your head right now, so we’re going to give you a quick guide to letting your child head out to the game alone. Unfortunately, these aren’t the ‘good old days’, so a few things have changed.

Pack them a Lunch

To save money on stadium food, make sure you pack your child a lunch, either a sandwich or a hot lunch in a Tupperware container. Remember – when you send them with a lunch, you need to make sure that you’re packing it in a transparent bag. Most stadiums require a see-through container due to security concerns, so purchase one, or pull one out of the closet at your earliest convenience.

Address your Personal Security Concerns

One of the biggest concerns that you are going to have when sending your child off to the game is their personal security. They’ll be out of your sight, they’ll be in a crowd of people, and you’re going to be worried. It’s only natural. Try the following to alleviate your concerns:

Talk about Safety

There are many aspects to safety that even an adult has to follow, but children are much more vulnerable. Speak to your child about people, or, more specifically, who they should and should not talk to. Police officers and stadium employees are fine, but other people are right out. In addition to that, you will want to make sure that they are equipped with a cell phone so that they can call you, or the police at any time. The general consensus among parents is that children should only have access to a basic cell phone, but if you provide them with a smartphone, you will be able to activate GPS tracking and easily determine their location.

Make them Recognizable

Know what they’re wearing, and if possible, make sure that they are wearing something that distinguishes them from others at the park or stadium. Also, remember to make sure that their name is not anywhere on their outfit or bag, as a passing stranger could use it to seem familiar with them.

Set Curfews

Time passes really quickly when you’re out enjoying the ball game, and you need to make sure that your child is home on time, particularly right after the ball game. It might seem unreasonable to them, but you do need to make sure that they’re home in time to go to bed, and ready for school the next day.

Yes, you can send your child to the ball game alone, but there are definitely considerations that you need to follow. See our above list and make sure your child is ready to see the big game!

S&S Life


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"I just took delivery of a 1974 Honda Z50. What a great experience. Incredibly high-quality work done on the mini trails with unbelievable attention to detail. Also, Tracy was very easy to deal with. Thanks for the great experience and for bringing my childhood to my son!"

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Meet Tracy Schooler

Founder and Owner of Lil' Bikes Restoration

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I enjoy playing golf, trail hiking, and going on day trips with my wife Kellie and dog Madison.

How did you come to start Lil' Bikes?

Not being able to work in the winter is tough, so I was trying to find some projects to work on. I love working on minibikes, especially Hondas and Yamahas, so I founded this company. The reason for starting this company was because my fellow crewmate Kurt asked me to restore his 1971 Honda Z50.

You have a passion for minibikes...why?

I grew up on a farm in central Indiana. My mom and two brothers all had minibikes. We rode them everywhere. It became a passion of mine quickly. Also, my wife showed me a picture of her riding a minibike as a kid. That VERY quickly inspired me.

What is your best childhood memory with your minibike?

Going to the lake house at Racoon Lake and riding the trails around the lake. It was so much fun.

What do you want readers to know about you?

I am always on the go and always have a particular way of doing things.  I am a very passionate person and a perfectionist.

Tracy Schooler, Owner of Lil' Bikes Restoration


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{Baby H’s 1 year Session}

A wee bit of Heaven, drifted down from above… a handful of Happiness… a heart full of Love. The largest of Blessings; are those that are Small. Sweet Baby H, enjoyed eating her delectable 1st Birthday Cake. A Baby is a Blessing.  A Gift from Heaven above; A precious little angel, to cherish and to […]

{Baby C {1 year} Cake Smash Session}

Hoping you enjoy your First Birthday; Your First Candle, and Your First Cake. Happy Birthday to a Very Precious One Year Old! Blow out the Candles, Wish Away, You are the Superstar of the day!  Happy 1st Birthday! Our Handsome Little Man C and this fun session. {Full Post} to view {Sneak Peak} {Created in […]


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How to raise capital to finance your start-up

So you have a brilliant idea for a start-up? You go out and create a working business model and have even discovered a co-founder who shares your passion! So what is the next step? The next step is the first one required to transform your idea into reality. From setting up in a fully serviced office space to advertising your brand name, everything requires capital. Let\’s take a look at the methods available to entrepreneurs to raise the capital required to get your start-up off the ground […]


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Simulation software for predicting materials behavior under high temperatures.

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Studying Infrared radiation - matter interaction

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Storage on a pocket device

Mikhail Sobolev mss at
Thu Jan 20 20:14:51 CET 2005

This might be a strange question. I'd like to keep my secret keys on a
pocket device (Zaurus, iPAQ).  Is it possible to somehow implement this?

Kind Regards,

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text:
Large Commit To Head

Joel Sherrill joel.sherrill at
Fri Jan 28 21:20:05 UTC 2011

Jennifer came across a typo in the license
in a file "found in found in".  When I
grep'ed for this, I found it in LOTs of files.
I changed it to a single "found in".

When you update next, you will see a lot of
files changed and this is the reason.

Joel Sherrill, Ph.D.             Director of Research&  Development
joel.sherrill at        On-Line Applications Research
Ask me about RTEMS: a free RTOS  Huntsville AL 35805
    Support Available             (256) 722-9985

More information about the users mailing list


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[PATCH] exit/kill ourself with straced child's exitcode/signal

Denys Vlasenko dvlasenk at redhat.com
Wed Sep 24 16:58:05 UTC 2008

This patch is intended to implement this RFE:

There are some patches for this, but apparently discussion
on mailing list died out with no results. At least that bug
is still open. Moreover, the patches are somewhat buggy.

I propose this patch.

I think in real-world usage people do not check strace usage in scripts. They
just use it correctly, so that it doesn't exit(1) with usage info and whatnot.

But I know that when I try to debug something by replacing "cmd [args]"
with "strace cmd [args]" the fact that it's sometimes a problem
that parent does not see exit code of cmd but sees zero.

IOW: I do not think that there are users who will be adversely affected by this
change in behavior. Therefore I do not think adding a switch to enable this is
worth it. It will be just a case of featuritis.

Problems this patch fixes compared to previous patches:

* strace returns exit code of straced process, *never its children*.
* If child died from a signal, strace will (try to) die from the same signal.
* strace -p <pid> is not affected (will exit 0 as before).

More information about the Strace-devel mailing list


text:
Extreme temperature swings in April down to climate change, says leading Lithuanian climatologist

The extreme temperature swings that Lithuanians have experienced this April are as a result of climate change, said Lithuanian climatologist Donatas Valiukas. […]

No Picture
European Union

Lithuanian PM says we can’t ignore climate change

Lithuanian PM Algirdas Butkevičius has said everyone should care about the challenges of climate change. The prime minister signed a declaration on climate change together with other state leaders and members of the Party of European Socialists on Wednesday in Paris. […]


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This Could Change Everything by Jill Mansell @JillMansell @headlinepg @annecater #ThisCouldChangeEverything #BlogTour

Source: Review Copy

Publication: 12th July 2018 from Headline Review

Pp: 416

ISBN-13: 978-1472208989

On the one hand, if Essie hadn’t written that letter – the one that only her best friend was meant to see – then she’d still be living like an actual proper grown-up, tucked up with Paul in his picture-perfect cottage, maybe even planning their wedding…

On the other hand (if her true feelings hadn’t accidentally taken the internet by storm, that is) she wouldn’t have moved into the attic flat on the square. She would never have met Conor. Or got to know Lucas…

And she wouldn’t have found herself falling in love with someone she really, really shouldn’t fall in love with…

Delicious, delightful, delovely,… that’s what springs to mind when I think about a book by Jill Mansell. I’m thrilled to be on the blog tour and even more pleased that This Could Change Everything is such a gorgeous book.

For me, reading this book was like slipping down into a heavenly scented warm bubble bath with soft candle lighting and a glass of champagne. It’s relaxing, it gives me joy and I feel so much better for having read it.

Jill Mansell has such an easy way with her characters who shine like jewels from the pages. From the fabulous Zillah whom I would dearly love to emulate through to Scarlett, Essie, Lucas and Conor, each of whom has their own story that slowly unfurls through the pages, keeping my interest and tying me to the book all day.

Like strawberries and cream, this book is summer; a book to while away the balmy days and nights, grinning with pleasure at the witty prose; luxuriating in the romanticism and loving the complicated love lives of characters who can’t ever get it right first time round.

The stories of each of these characters touch the heart and lift the spirits and when you have finished, all you want is to view the world with a little more kindness.

It takes a special writer to make you feel that way. Jill Mansell achieves it and more.

Verdict: Delicious, delightful, delovely

Amazon                                          Waterstones

About Jill Mansell

Jill Mansell

Jill Mansell is the author of over twenty Sunday Times bestsellers including THE ONE YOU REALLY WANT, TO THE MOON AND BACK, YOU AND ME, ALWAYS and MEET ME AT BEACHCOMBER BAY. TAKE A CHANCE ON ME won the RNA’s Romantic Comedy Prize, and in 2015 the RNA presented Jill with an outstanding achievement award.

Jill’s personal favourite among her novels is THREE AMAZING THINGS ABOUT YOU, which is about cystic fibrosis and organ donation; to her great delight, many people have joined the organ donor register as a direct result of reading this novel.

Jill started writing fiction while working in the NHS, after she read a magazine article that inspired her to join a local creative writing class. Her first book was published in 1991 and she is now a full-time novelist. She is one of the few who still write their books by hand, like a leftover from the dark ages. She lives in Bristol with her family.

Jill keeps in touch with her readers on Twitter – @JillMansell – and Facebook – /OfficialJillMansell. You can also visit her website

See what others think of Jill’s latest book; follow the blog tour:

This Could Change Everything Blog Tour Poster

Random ThingsTours FB Header

Published by marypicken

Passionate book reader. Love all kind of books from 19th century novels to crime thrillers. My blog is predominantly crime, psychological thrillers and police procedurals with a good helping of literary fiction thrown in.

4 thoughts on “This Could Change Everything by Jill Mansell @JillMansell @headlinepg @annecater #ThisCouldChangeEverything #BlogTour

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Spring Break Road Trip: In Search of the Comanche

In just over a week, I will embark on a journey to the edge of the Midwest with my teenaged daughter… because nothing spells Spring Break adventure like a road trip through the Texas panhandle, Oklahoma, and Nebraska. Woo! The true reward & destination of this trip is our amazing grandmother/great-grandmother, Jessie, whom we haven’t seen in more than 5 years.  I’m not supposed to talk about her age (rhymes with shmindey-hive)but I will tell you that she’s my personal golden-years role model, as well as that of everyone who knows her.  Jessie is active with friends and her church group, she sews, gardens, and never complains. She is grateful for her good health, hearing & sight, is always looking forward to something, and loves to sit in her sun-room watching the birds. Can’t wait to see her.

As long as we’re headed to Nebraska, I thought we’d take a short detour to Palo Duro Canyon, not far from Amarillo, Texas.  I’ve never had any desire to visit Texas, so I needed some kind of incentive. You see, New Mexico and Texas have shared a *friendly rivalry* for many hundreds of years comprised mostly of New Mexicans fighting off Texan invaders & raiders for… well, ever. The invasion continues in the present day, manifested as Texans buying up New Mexico property (Santa Fe & Taos are a favorite), swarming our ski slopes, careening the highways in their big cars, etc. In fact, our current Republican governor, Susanna Martinez, a Texas native whose election two years ago was financed in large part by big Texas money, is to my mind another landmark in the long and sordid history of our states: Texas finally bought New Mexico. But, I digress.

Why Palo Duro Canyon? One of the best books I read last year was Empire of the Summer Moon (S C Gwynne, 2010), a historical novel that brilliantly weaves the story of the Comanche with the story of Cynthia Ann Parker, a white settler who was abducted by the tribe at the age of nine and became a full-fledged member, wife, mother. The book describes how Palo Duro Canyon (which I’d never even heard of before, despite the fact that it’s a mere five-hour drive from Albuquerque), is not only the second-largest canyon in the US after the Grand Canyon, but it was also the heart of the heart of Comancheria, the 240,000 square mile territory (spanning large areas of present-day Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas) that was controlled by the Comanche until the mid-19th century. It was a natural fortress and sacred site to the Comanche that remained impenetrable to the Spanish, French, Mexican, and American invaders until the very end of their freedom. It was to the Comanche what Canyon de Chelly was/is to the Navajo: the sanctum sanctorum, a safe haven they never imagined could be breached.

Lucky for you, I plan to take a laptop and do a little blogging along the way, so you too can visit a small part of Comancheria. While I’m certain that the flatlands and tiny towns through which we’ll be driving will provide immeasurable visual and cultural interest of their own, I thought I’d spice it up just a little by incorporating short excerpts from Empire of the Summer Moon (2011 Pulitzer Prize finalist). I don’t know about you, but the education I received in school on Native American history was sorely lacking:  superficial, broad, whiteman-centric. And that was in New Mexico, with our 19 pueblos plus the Navajo, Apache, and nearby Hopi. I look forward to adding this trip to the growing list of books and documentaries that have helped inform me about the anthropology, art, history, and cultural practices of the hundreds of thousands of Natives who occupied this country for thousands of years before European contact.

15 thoughts on “Spring Break Road Trip: In Search of the Comanche

    • Thanks, Layla! I’m excited (and a little nervous…), this is our very first road trip. Hope you are well, I appreciate you taking the time to read & comment.

  1. Sounds like a great adventure. When I did my year of penance in Lubbock, I wanted to go there but never made it. A little aside…I think there are some really wonderful things in Texas. The music, the art car parade in Houston, the cities of San Antonio and Austin, the Hill Country in springtime, Balmorhea Springs, Big Bend National Park. I would encourage you to resist writing off the entire state based on rich Texans with huge turquoise jewelry and giant cars in New Mexico. I often feel I have to educate non-Texans about the wonders and people I found there as a five year resident, and Texans about why their particular brand of pride and ostentatiousness doesn’t endear them to anyone else in the country.

    • Great comment, Mike! I know I can trust your opinions & insights regarding worthy destinations. And yes, I will give you Austin and Big Bend… have heard great things about those. But still. I think my undisguised suspicion toward Texans is something only, well, a NM native might understand? Maybe. I’m glad you are doing your part to educate both “sides”. 🙂

    • Much appreciated Len–glad you’re enjoying the book. Ours will be a pretty short trip but I hope there will be some interesting things to share.

    • Thanks, Stacie! Yeah, I’ll bet Jessie & Gumps would have gotten along famously. I’m so glad we’re making this trip, it’s been too long…

  2. Pingback: So This Is Palo Duro Canyon « Live Clay

  3. Pingback: Home Again « Live Clay

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