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Let RI take up the challenge of eradicating TB: Soumya Swaminathan

Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Deputy Director General of Programmes, WHO and Director General, ICMR.
Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Deputy Director General of Programmes, WHO and Director General, ICMR.

Now that Rotary and Rotarians have scored such a huge victory in ridding India of polio, it is time “Rotary International takes up as its next big challenge the eradication of tuberculosis, a huge problem that affects disproportionately countries that are poor.”

This suggestion was made by Dr Soumya Swaminathan, the Director General of ICMR (Indian Council for Medical Research) when she was felicitated recently by the Rotary Club of Madras East, D 3232, on her being appointed as the Deputy Director General of WHO. This is the highest international position held by an Indian in the health care segment.

Addressing the club meeting where her illustrious parents — Dr M S Swaminathan, an honorary member of this club, and Dr Mina Swaminathan —
were present, she traced her career in research and health care and said that over the last 25 years, India “has made a huge progress in health care. And in this, the eradication of polio is a very big, perhaps the biggest success story, in which Rotary played a huge role internationally. And you must now look for the next big global challenge, because the success of polio showed you need partnerships.”

When you are a young scientist you are not very clear on what your particular area or path should be. You need a mentor and a guide who will push you in the right direction and give you the space and freedom.

Any campaign needed the government, but also the civil society and “in polio, mobilisers like the Rotary clubs, media, big funders like the Gates Foundation, and of course, scientists came together.” Science made a huge contribution in the polio success through the work on vaccines — “how they work, how many doses should be given, at what age, when to replace one vaccine with another, how to monitor the environmental samples for traces of wild poliovirus.” But in motivating people to go out and give polio drops Rotary had contributed a lot.

TB a huge challenge in India

Dr Soumya said that among the poorer countries India had the largest burden of tuberculosis cases. “There cannot be a global eradication of TB without India making a big dent. Of the ten million new cases of TB detected every year, we are contributing at least three million, if not more.” The biggest risk factor in India for TB today was malnutrition and not HIV, which is the factor responsible in Africa. “There are tribal areas where every family has a TB patient; the story is similar in urban slums, where TB is not diagnosed in time.”

From L: Dr Soumya Swaminathan, RCME President B S Purushotham, former Director of the National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis Dr P R Narayanan and RCME Secretary Paparao Nalluru.
From L: Dr Soumya Swaminathan, RCME President B S Purushotham, former Director of the National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis Dr P R Narayanan and RCME Secretary Paparao Nalluru.

Calling upon the Rotary clubs in Chennai to join hands with her in the initiative TB-free Chennai in which she was associated, Dr Soumya said after discussions for several years it had finally been recently inaugurated by the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palanisami. It is a people’s movement where several agencies have come together “to show that we can get rid of TB in at least one city of over eight million people.” The initiative was led by the Chennai Corporation, in partnership with the ICMR and the NGO Reach founded by Dr Nalini Krishnan and other NGOs who would be the link between the programme and private physicians as many TB patients are with the private sector.

Several celebrities had come on board as advocates such as actors Surya and Suhasini Maniratnam “who wrote to me saying what can
I do for TB; I’ve had it twice. Amitabh Bachchan is a national icon who has had TB, which doesn’t spare anyone. I know of medical students who died of drug resistant TB.”

The ‘neglected disease’

She underlined the need to involve the media, “and be open with them and give them correct information” on any health care subject. Or else the wrong kind of news gets highlighted. “Science communication in our country is still in its infancy; it’s growing but we need more journalists to report on science.” Unfortunately, bad news always makes it to the headlines, Dr Soumya said, and gave the example of how every year, during the dengue epidemic “the TV channels flash 3 or 7 died in 24 hours. I tell them during the same period 1,000 people died on tuberculosis in India, why is nobody reporting on that.”

If at the school level children get opportunities to explore things, do their own tests in the lab and feel they are discovering something new, it triggers early interest, which can potentially result in a career in research.

This was so because it had been happening for long and not in Delhi, Mumbai or Chennai but in some remote places and “these people are not important; that is why TB is called the ‘neglected disease’. I’m involved because I’m trying to create a clean and safe environment for children to grow up in, and take one disease and show it is possible to eliminate it. If Chennai can do it, so can the rest of India. Rotary has taken many challenging projects in the past, and this is a very challenging job that requires concerted efforts for a minimum of five years.”

Down memory lane

Responding to TB veteran Dr P R Narayanan’s introduction, Dr Soumya said, “By now he must be getting fed up of introducing me but he does it patiently; he knows me extremely well. Most of my career was spent under
Dr Narayanan’s mentorship and whatever I have achieved wouldn’t have been possible without it, because when you are a young scientist you are not very clear on what your particular area or path should be. You need a mentor and a guide who will push you in the right direction and give you the space and freedom and encouragement to go ahead.”

She said we in India need to introspect on why India is not really a global leader in research, particularly medical and health care research. “Except for space, where I think we’ve done exceedingly well and made a mark, in other areas, I think we can do much better.”

Club member Radhika Satyanarayana greets Dr Soumya Swaminathan.
Club member Radhika Satyanarayana greets Dr Soumya Swaminathan.

She recalled that her first real research came after she got a science talent award in Class 11. She spent her summer holidays with Prof Archana Sharma, a very well-known geneticist and her research was on the genetic chromosomal disease called Turners syndrome. At the hospital she met a 16-year-old girl who had not yet achieved puberty, took her blood sample and did the tests in Prof Archana’s lab. “This was very exciting as the diagnosis could be made immediately because one X chromosome was missing. A girl is supposed to have two X chromosomes; against a boy having one X and one Y chromosome. Because of the missing X chromosome, such girls can’t attain puberty and have a normal reproductive life.”

That really kindled her interest in research. If at the school level children get opportunities to explore things, do their own tests in the lab and feel they are discovering something new, it triggers early interest, which can potentially result in a career in research. That is probably missing in many of our schools. There is no opportunity for children to try things on their own and find things for themselves.”

Research mentorship missing

Secondly, much later in her education, she really missed, in India, research mentorship. So during medical school and even in PG, “when you do your thesis, it wasn’t particularly exciting. But when I went to the US for my Fellowship there, I had excellent research mentors and that’s where I learnt most of my research. It is very important to have somebody who can guide you on what exact research question to ask, how to frame it and go about answering it.”

In the beginning you need to know what exact research question to ask, how to frame it and go about answering it. In the US,
I had excellent research mentors, something that is lacking in India.

Later of course she got a mentor in Dr Narayanan. Dr Soumya recalled that when she was working on a tuberculosis project at the TRC (Tuberculosis Research Centre) and would visit the very backward tribal village in the Javadhu hills, “I noticed that the mothers had a completely different concern. They’d ask why do you come and keep talking about TB all the time. Once a year somebody might have TB; we have so many other health problems, but you are not bothered. The whole team comes and talks about TB, you find that one patient and then leave. You’re not helping us with our other health needs. If somebody has a fracture, we have to carry him for three days before we reach a primary health centre.”

This set her thinking that “while we as researchers have our own ideas, that’s not what the people really want, their priorities are different. And so, when you deal with public health it is important to find out what people actually need.”

Her work in HIV/AIDS

Another important lesson she learnt was during her work in HIV/AIDS, when the first six cases were discovered by Dr Suniti Solomon in some sex workers from Mumbai. HIV infection carried a huge stigma and nobody would touch the infected, who were all sent to the TB Sanatorium at Tambaram, which later became the largest hospital in Asia for HIV/AIDS patients.

“Many people were thrown out of their homes, and faced stigma and even violence and had nowhere to go. The wards here were filled with AIDS patients dying of all sorts of complications. I then saw what is stigma and what it can do to families. How women got blamed when the husband died of AIDS and what happened to the children with HIV when the parents died.” Very few medical teams were prepared to take care of these patients, so “we started looking after them with some support from NGOs who donated drugs. Many of the children died, but some did survive and did well. I still meet some of those children who are in their 20s and who got educated.”

Unfortunately, bad news always makes it to the headlines; TV channels flash 3 or 7 died in dengue in 24 hours, but not 1,000 people dying of tuberculosis in the same period.

So in the case of HIV and AIDS it was not only about research, prevention and treatment but also dealing with the social aspect, the stigma and a lot of misconceptions on how HIV spread, and the rumours of the modes of transmission of the virus and how protection was necessary. But over the last 25 years, India had made huge progress on the health care front, she added.

Lifestyle diseases

Other huge problems facing India were lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, and preventable diseases that were water-borne and could be contained through cleanliness, hygiene and safe drinking water. Diabetes, she said, is a huge concern in India. “We are either eating too much or eating the wrong kind of food; too much of carbohydrates, lots of salt and sugar, getting hidden and unnecessary calories. We have moved away from traditional foods like millets and are eating a lot of processed food, and exercise less. Diabetes is a huge epidemic leading to other complications like stroke, kidney, cardio vascular and other complications, and the situation can be corrected only by preventive measures — changing lifestyle and reducing risk factors such as alcohol and tobacco.”

Another worrying statistic from India, said Dr Soumya, was the increasing rate of suicide, which was today the “the leading cause of death in the 15–29 age group in India. Why are young people killing themselves? They are not able to cope with depression and other pressures. And now there is the internet addiction and things like the Blue Whale Challenge!”

Malnutrition too was a big problem; 38 per cent of our children under five are stunted, with both their height and intellectual capacity affected, but in urban India obesity was growing and chronic diseases increasing. “So we live in two Indias — the poor can’t even afford a balanced meal and the rich have diseases like diabetes.”

Past president of the club M Srinivasan introduced Dr Soumya and Club President B S Purushotham presided over the meeting.

A mentor’s introduction

Dr Soumya’s elevation to this post is a very special moment for her family, colleagues, seniors and mentors such as Dr P R Narayanan who was the Director of the Tuberculosis Research Centre (now the National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis) and worked with her for long years. Complimenting her for becoming the Deputy Director General for Programmes in the WHO, he said with pride: “No Indian has ever occupied such a senior positon in a world health body, but then Soumya is a globally recognised researcher on TB and HIV/AIDS. So how did she achieve it? Was she given a golden spoon and a silver plate overlooking her peers in the places she worked? No, I assure you that is not the case,” he said.

He recalled that in 1992, when she joined TRC (now NIRT), “she came into a situation that was not bright. Typically, in government institutions staff complain of lack of elbow room, facilities… I can say this confidently. But here is a woman highly qualified from prestigious institutions in the north and having an exposure to institutions in Europe and USA. Instead of complaining, she started focusing on patient care from day 1 with all the patience required.”

When he became the institution’s director in 1996, there was a pressing need for someone to handle the HIV area “and I chose Soumya because of her willingness and commitment to start a department of HIV/AIDS. Within a short period, she formed an excellent team and came forward with some pioneering research in both TB and HIV. This resulted in scientific publications in peer review journals. So the world recognised her as a potential researcher and a care provider.”

But, added Dr Narayanan, despite having reached great heights in TB and HIV/AIDS research, she did not lose focus on her basic training in paediatrics at any time. He narrated the story of how he’d take his staff to a tribal area in the Javadhu hills near Vellore in Tamil Nadu. “But when we reached the location, Soumya would be missing from the room and could be seen surrounded by a huge group of tribal women and children, consulting her on a host of problems. Patiently, and most important for a doctor, compassionately, which is much more important today, and gracefully, which we find missing most of the time, she would address their demands within the framework of what is permissible in a research institution. She became so popular as a paediatrician in those tribal areas that every time the tribal people would expect her to be part of the team!”

Dr Narayanan said that he was the chair of the technical working group of WHO for seven years for the South East Asian region and Dr Soumya would attend these meetings and “always raise her voice repeatedly, year after year, to pay attention to the diagnosis and management of children with TB.”

Soon international organisations started noticing her and wanted her to address issues related to global health. Her ability to create an excellent team and sustain it; her contribution to the policies for disease control programmes, her global exposure by being in international committees was soon noticed by the Indian authorities. “I can assure you that she did not make any efforts at visibility but the world saw her work and has recognised her merit, research and extraordinary qualities of leadership. No wonder she was given the Director General’s post in the Ministry of Health and the ICMR and made a Health Secretary.”

He added that during her two years at the ICMR she launched several key projects, very boldly merged various small arms of the ICMR to make it more cost effective and cohesive, and recruited a large number of young talented scientists, who had been missing for a long time. “She had the ability to mobilise the resources from the Ministry to do that.”

He also stressed on her ability to coordinate, cooperate and collaborate with larger institutions such as the Department of Biotechnology, Science and Technology, etc to carry forward the TB control programme and still contribute as a paediatrician and provide care to the community. “All this was now noticed by international forces and the DG of WHO probably noticed her capability as a quality researcher, collaborator, policy maker, field worker, etc and invited her on October 12 to occupy the DDG chair of WHO.”

He explained that the DG of WHO has presently formed a new team with members from 14 countries of the WHO region and “this new team comprises former ministers of health, world’s leading physicians, scientists, researchers, experts in universal health coverage, communicable and non-communicable diseases and women, adolescent and children’s health.”

Dr Narayanan concluded saying that having worked with Dr Soumya, “discussing, debating, negotiating, not always agreeing… most of the time disagreeing, I found her to be a true and genuine professional. No wonder the world wants her to address health issues globally… knowing her well I am sure she will meet its expectations and without expecting much in return!”

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Last Chance: Everything That’s Leaving Netflix in February

We’re fast approaching the end of the first month of 2018, and with it, we’ll have to say goodbye to some old favorites on Netflix. While some months are harder than others, know that there’s always something new on the horizon. Here’s what we’ll miss the most.

(Image credit: Touchstone Pictures)

The Nightmare Before Christmas

The holidays are officially over, and Netflix is not letting us hold on to the nostalgia. This 1993 classic is one of our faves, and you should watch it one last time (with a nod toward the different neighborhoods).

Family Guy seasons 1-8

Another casualty of the 20th Century Fox deal where Netflix lost How I Met Your Mother, one of our favorite dysfunctional families is leaving the streaming service (but the 16 seasons are streaming over on Hulu).

Leaving February 1

  • Brubaker
  • Corpse Bride
  • Day Watch
  • Desk Set
  • Enquiring Minds
  • Everyone’s Hero
  • Hard Candy
  • How to Steal a Million
  • King Arthur
  • Magic City: Season 1-2
  • Night Watch
  • Open Season: Scared Silly
  • Perfect Stranger
  • Project X
  • Silver Streak
  • Stranger by the Lake
  • The Benchwarmers
  • The Five Heartbeats
  • The Fury
  • The Longest Day
  • The Nightmare Before Christmas
  • Tin Man
  • Top Gear: Series 19-23
  • Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea

Leaving February 2

Leaving February 3

  • The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning

Leaving February 5

  • Hannibal Buress: Animal Furnace
  • Hannibal Buress: Live from Chicago

Leaving February 10

  • Dragonheart: The Shadowed Claw

Leaving February 11

Leaving February 12

Leaving February 14

Leaving February 15

  • 12 Dog Days Till Christmas
  • A Christmas Kiss II
  • Before I Go to Sleep
  • Burn Notice: Season 1-7
  • Christmas Belle

Leaving February 16

  • Our Last Tango
  • Save the Date

Leaving February 17

Leaving February 19

  • An Idiot Abroad: Season 1-3

Leaving February 20

  • Aziz Ansari: Dangerously Delicious

Leaving February 21

  • Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room

Leaving February 24

Leaving February 28

  • American Genius
  • Brain Games: Season 3-4
  • Cesar 911: Season 1
  • I Am Ali
  • Miami SWAT: Season 1
  • The Catch: Season 1

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Request an Appointment

Meet Dr. Ingersoll

Andy Ingersoll grew up in Highland, Utah. He attended Brigham Young University in Provo, UT. Andy took a two year hiatus and lived in southern France as a church missionary and now speaks French proficiently (ask him to speak for you, you’ll get a kick out of it!). Returning to BYU, he met the love of his life, Lauren.

After college and marriage, Andy and Lauren made a cross-country trek to Cleveland, OH where Andy attended dental school at Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine. Due to his academic excellence, Dr, Ingersoll was awarded and accepted a scholarship from the United States Air Force, commissioning as an Air Force officer.

Immediately following dental school graduation, the Air Force assigned Andy to Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska for a one year residency training in Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD). The AEGD strengthened Andy’s skills in advanced dental procedures such as root canal therapy, surgical procedures (wisdom teeth extractions and implant placement), and intravenous sedation. The Ingersolls were then transferred to RAF Lakenheath for a three year tour in England. Besides contributing greatly to the mission of the 48th Dental Squadron mission, Andy, Lauren and their four children enjoyed traveling all over England and Europe.

Upon completion of his tour and commitment to the Air Force, Andy and Lauren decided to partner with Blake Jones, Brandon Kofford and Jake Smith and relocate to North Carolina where they would raise their family. The Ingersolls are very happy to call Cary home, where they recently welcomed baby number five, a girl! Andy enjoys spending as much time with his family as possible, camping, fishing, playing at the lake and exploring new areas.

Royal Oak Dental Group is proud to provide a full scope of dental health services to patients from Raleigh, Cary, Siler City, Chapel Hill, North Hills, Wake Forest, Garner, Apex, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, Knightdale, Wendell and Morrisville, NC, as well as the greater Triangle area.


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Check Out This Sick Slip n Slide in Iceland

StoryfulPublished: June 30, 2017
Published: June 30, 2017

Who didn’t love a good water slide when they were younger? In Iceland, on the Icelandic National Day, a giant slip n’ slide is put together in the town of Ólafsfjörður. Men, women and children of all ages have a go at the slide, and it looks like it makes for a day filled with nothing but fun!

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Race Header

Napa Valley Turkey Chase

Thu November 23, 2017
Location: Napa, CA US 94558 Directions
Type: Run or Run/Walk
Event Time Price Details
Napa Valley Turkey Chase 10K
8:00AM PST - 12:00PM PST
Napa Valley Turkey Chase 5K
8:15AM PST - 12:00PM PST
2277 Napa Vallejo Hwy
Napa, CA US 94558

Welcome to the Turkey Chase, Napa's only Thanksgiving Day 5K/10K!  With more than 1,400 participants in 2016, we promise an enthusiastic crowd at this year's event.  Join us November 23rd at Napa Valley College and work up an appetite for your Thanksgiving Dinner!

Packet Pick-up hours:
Tuesday, November 21, 10am-6pm
Wednesday, November 22, 10am-6pm
Athletic Feat
3367 Solano Ave
Napa, CA 94558

Race day parking:
Parking will be available in Lots A,B & C at Napa Valley College on race day. Napa Valley College is located at 2277 Napa Vallejo Hwy, Napa, CA 94558. After parking your vehicle, head West past the track to the start line located in the ball field parking lot J. For a more detailed map of the parking area CLICK HERE!

Chip timing:
Your race number will have a chip attached to the back. For your time to be recorded, you must not remove the foam that covers the timing chip. Please wear the bib on the front of your clothing and make sure the number is visible.

Please remember that animals are not allowed on the course. Also, if you plan to use a stroller please start near the back of the pack. Thank you for your understanding.

Race Day Procedure:
6:45-7:45 Packet pick-up and Day of Registration at Start/Finish area.
7:45 Registration and Packet Pick-Up CLOSES!
7:50 am Kids 100m Turkey Chase. All children are invited to Chase Giblet the Turkey!
8:00 am 10K start
8:15 am 5K start

Please allow yourself enough time to park, walk to the start and prepare for the race.

Top 3 overall male and female finishers will receive prizes. Top 3 in each Age Group will receive an award.

Course Info:
Both courses have been measured and mile markers will be placed at each mile. The first 1.5 miles will be on the roads going around the college and then will head onto the pedestrian path along the Napa river before returning to the finish adjacent to the college track. Water stations will be available on both courses.

Participants 7 years or younger:
They are free. As the shirts and timing cost money, please keep in mind they will not receive a t-shirt or be timed. If you would like to purchase a shirt for them, please let us know.

All 5K/10K participants will receive a custom finisher medal!

Race day registration will be available for any last minute sign ups!

In a giving mood? Bring a new toy to donate to our Toys For Tots collection box! Or bring us your old running shoes to donate to M.O.R.E.

Race Contact Info

If you have any questions about this race, click the button below.

Race Website

Additional race information can be found at http://www.napaturkeychase.com/.

Like this page and invite your friends on Facebook.


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Lerch RV’s Buttonwood Campground Summer Show

Lerch RV's Annual Summer Campground Show, June 24-26,2011

Your favorite RV Sales Team will once again be displaying some exciting new travel trailers and fifth wheels at one of our favorite campgrounds, Buttonwood Campground, in beautiful Mexico, Pennsylvania.  Come join us for some great sale prices, give-aways and some afternoon snacks.  Mark your calendars or call the campground for your reservations. We will be looking for you!

We are looking forward to seeing you!

Remember at Lerch RV

we make Buying Easy!!!

View our videos on YouTube   Find us on Facebook   Visit our blog

Buttonwood Campground Pool


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IBPS Clerk Recruitment 2017: Important Dates to Remember

IBPS Clerk has been the most favorite exam nowadays among youth. IBPS Clerk Recruitment 2017 has been released and lacks of students have already applied for it. To help you learn How to Clear IBPS Clerk Exam in First Attempt, our team have created a bunch of plans, strategies, tricks and hacks for students. You should learn IBPS Clerk 2017 Syllabus, to improve your preparation and score good in the upcoming 2017 IBPS Clerk Recruitment.

Important Dates: To appear in the exam with your full potential, you should finalize your preparation within the time left. The Official Notification of IBPS Clerk 2017 has been out and you can easily avail it from our website. The Preliminary examination will be conducted on 2nd, 3rd, 9th and 10th December 2017.

The last date to submit your online application was 03rd October. Now you have to wait for the Admit Card that will be released soon. The examination will be conducted on these four dates and the results will be declared in the last of December.

The shortlisted candidates will be allowed to appear in the IBPS Clerk Mains Exam, that will be conducted on 21st of January 2018. The result of Mains exam will be declared in the month of February or later.

Keeping these dates in mind, you should prepare accordingly. Complete all the required revision before you get your admit card. You can crack the exam in your first attempt with right planning and approach. Safalta team wishes you all the best.

Copyright 2017 © AMARUJALA.COM. All rights reserved.


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Addictive Recipes from a Self-Taught Baker

Cookbook Giveaway and a NEW Video (8 Winners)

Winners notified via email! Thank you so much for entering and supporting Sally’s Baking Addiction. Winners are: Jessica, Becky, Jamie, Michelle, Meredith C, Devin, Karen T, and Emily. Again, all have been notified. 🙂

I hope your Thanksgiving week is off to a productive start. I’m way behind (hi, real life), but I’m giving myself permission to not be perfect this holiday season. Remember? It’s all about enjoying the right now, so while we all spend approximately 12 hours in the kitchen today making pie and stuffing, let’s at least do it with a smile! Reaaaally not looking forward to all those dishes btw.

But right now I want to (1) show you a video we put together earlier this Fall and (2) give a mountain of cookbooks to you! First, the video. We had so much fun shooting this! I really wanted to take this opportunity to tell you about my cookbooks, the new paperback edition, my book tour, and upcoming book Sally’s Cookie Addiction. And, well, go on and on and on about cookies.

Writing cookbooks, and meeting so many of you through the process, has brought me so much joy. And I’d love to give you signed copies this holiday season!

Buy Sally's Baking Addiction Cookbooks today!

Here’s What’s Going Down

To celebrate the holiday season, I’m giving away 8 signed copies of Sally’s Baking Addiction (the new paperback version with bonus recipes!) AND 8 signed copies of Sally’s Candy Addiction. So 8 of you will win a signed copy of each. Cue some super cool party music as I show you a couple recipes from my books.

cookbook-giveaway-6  cookbook-giveaway-5

How to Enter

Simply leave a comment on this blog post (scroll down to comment!) telling me your favorite item to bake during the holidays. Sugar cookies? Fudge? Cupcakes? Cake? Brownies? Tell me!

Giveaway Details

  • Open to the whole world!
  • Giveaway ends at 12am EST on Wednesday, November 30th 2016.
  • The winners will be chosen randomly and notified by email.

Thank you so much for the love, encouragement, and support! Happiest Thanksgiving to you all. ♥

PS: Soft chocolate chip cookies are the 1st photo!

  1. Soft-Baked Monster Cookies! So delicious!

  2. I am a big fan of making cake balls, especially during the holidays. The flavors range from simple vanilla and chocolate to more sophisticated pumpkin spice and peppermint. I am excited to try your Chocolate Mocha Peppermint cake recipe! I love decorating the balls as snowmen and ornaments during the holidays- the possibilities for decorating them are endless! Cake balls never disappoint, they are a crowd favorite for both taste and presentation every time!

    Happy Baking!

  3. Homemade cheesecake with graham cracker crust is what everyone requests for the holidays in my family. I would love to win your books & make so many of your desserts. Yum!

  4. Sugar cookies!

  5. My favorite thing to make is frosted sugar cookies! My family always rolls out the dough, cuts them, and frosts them together. It’s a tradition we’ve done on our annual baking day since I was a baby! So many happy memories!

  6. I love making cranberry bread–perfect on Christmas morning!

  7. I love making ginger snap cookies!!

  8. I like to bake Sally’s Soft chocolate chip cookies which I might add are the best.   You are my go to girl when it comes to cookies.   Other baking yummies are cinnamon rolls and earthquake cake which is to die for.  Thanks for your recipes.

  9. Hi sally
    I LOVE to make those walnut cup cookies or known as Pecan tassies….and ricotta cookies! This year I want to try your chocolate cranberry pistachio cookies!!…thanks for the chance to win the cookbook!!

  10. I love making Holiday Indulgence, which is basically a sugar cookie bottom, jam, chocolate chips, and then sugar cookie crumbles on top.  Yum!

  11. Fudge, fudge, and fudge topped fudge!

  12. My favorite thing to bake…it really isn’t baking, more like creating a dessert.  The kiddos love the long Snyder pretzels dipped in white chocolate and coated in Christmas sprinkles or mini m&ms.  I do these throughout the year but it is a Christmas must for my kiddos

  13. candy cane cookies

  14. My favorite thing to make during the holidays is my mom’s apple crisp! It’s my favorite dessert and making it together with my mom is always one of my favorite memories of the holidays.

  15. My absolute favorite thing to make is my family’s recipe for chocolate peanut butter bars, yum! But a close second would be my Aunt’s recipe for cream cheese mints!

  16. I love baking any kind of cookies…sugar, chocolate fudge, peppermint chocolate, lemon knots, ricotta cookies, chocolate hazelnut…they are all delicious!

  17. I love to make sugar cookies and decorate them with royal icing.

  19. Snickersoodles!! And I love your recipe! It’s been my go to for several years now. Thank you!!

Comments are closed.


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Names for miscarried babies

Mandi over at A Blog About Miscarriage posted today about the names she and her husband gave the four babies they lost to miscarriage. They chose to use gender neutral names, as they don’t know if their little ones are boys or girls. She told me, “When we were trying to name the babies we lost, I tried googling “gender neutral Catholic names” and “gender neutral Saint names” and didn’t come up with much,” so she also listed a bunch of the gender neutral names she thought of, in case it’s helpful for other parents like her “who don’t like naming a baby a gender specific name without knowing the gender for sure,” and she wondered if I had any further ideas?

It was hard to come up with more! Mandi listed so many great ones already … the only ones I could come up with off the top of my head without spending three days poring through name books/sites were:

Mary/Marie/Maria — of course these are girls’ names, but men such as St. Clement Maria Hofbauer and St. Anthony Mary Claret used them as well.

Angel — I once knew a girl named Angel, and the main male character in Tess of the d’Urbervilles is Angel Clare (what a beautiful combo itself!)

Clair — speaking of Clare, Clair (that spelling) is actually the male form of Clare. It also makes me think of Sinclair, which is a male name that literally means “St. Clair” — to me, then, Clair and Sinclair could be used for either boys or girls.

Sidney/Sydney — Sinclair makes me think of Sidney, which could refer either to St. Denis or the “Holy Winding Sheet of Christ” (Shroud of Turin).

Rosario — means “Rosary” and is feminine in Spanish and masculine in Italian

Guadalupe — from Our Lady of Guadalupe, and is used for both boys and girls

Sam — this could work nicely for a boy or a girl

Nicola — it’s masculine in Italian but feminine in German, Czech, and English

Luca — it’s masculine in Italian, Romanian, and German, and feminine in Hungarian and Croatian (and English sometimes too — I know a girl named Luca)

Clairvaux, Vianney, Majella, Liguori — I’ve seen these last names of male saints used for girls

Another option, which is what we did, was to give the baby a first and middle name, and have one name be masculine, and one be feminine.

Do you have any other saintly names that would be suitable for either a boy or a girl? Have you named a miscarried baby, and if so, did you use a gender neutral name?

Name carryover?

Quick question for today: I think this might apply mostly to those who don’t find out the baby’s gender before birth, but if you decide on a boy name and a girl name for your baby-on-the-way, do you carry over the unused name and consider it for the next baby, or do you now cross that name off your list?

For example, if you decided on Adam for a boy and Anna for a girl, and you had a boy, do you consider Anna for a girl the next time you’re expecting, or do you cross Anna permanently off the list? Why or why not?

We carry over the name. We’ve had the same girl name picked out through all of these boys, and if we ever have a girl, it will be her name. But I’ve heard from time to time from other parents who feel like, using the names from the examples above, Anna somehow seems like it *belongs* to Adam — it would have been his name if he were a girl, and now it seems Anna would be inappropriate for any other sibling. I’d love to hear your thoughts/experiences!

Omri and his brothers

I’m reading The Indian in the Cupboard to my three oldest boys, a book I haven’t read since I was little, and I remember very little about it. We’ve only gotten through the first chapter and of course, what I mostly stayed with me are the names of the three brothers:

Omri — the main character

Adiel and Gillon — his brothers

They’re unfamiliar to me — if I had to hazard a guess, I’d guess a Hebrew origin for Adiel, with the -el ending being so like Gabriel, Michael, Raphael, Nathaniel, Samuel. Gillon strikes me as French maybe. Omri I had no clue about, nor how to pronounce it — I was saying AHM-ree in the my head, short O, the O like in hot. I asked my son how he would say it, since he’s read it before, and he said he thought it was OHM-ree, long O, the O like in home.

So of course I had to look the names up. is my #1 go-to source for name meanings and origins, and it had no official entry for the brothers’ names! Only user-submitted entries, which may or may not be accurate:

Adiel is said to be “A Hebrew name meaning ‘ornament of God’ or ‘God is my ornament’. In the Old Testament, Adiel was the father of Azmaveth, who was treasurer under David and Solomon. Another bearer of this name in the Old Testament was a family head of the tribe of Simeon. In Ma’asseh Merkabah, Adiel is an angelic guard of the seventh heavenly hall.”

Gillon is only listed, with no info given.

Omri, however, had its own official entry: “Possibly means “life” or “servant” in Hebrew (or a related Semitic language). This was the name of a 9th-century BC military commander who became king of Israel. He appears in the Old Testament, where he is denounced as being wicked.”

In the comments, which again aren’t officially approved as accurate, the pronunciations OHM-ree and UM-ree are both given.

I’m interested in character-naming, and how authors choose the names they do — because they like them? Because they’re on their list of favorite names for children that they never got to use? Or because of the name’s meaning and connection with the character’s personality/role in the story? I’m kind of baffled by the choices here — they’re too unfamiliar to me to mean anything.

(Also, I admit that the name I really loved the most was Gillon, because of my recent post about Gil/Gilbert Blythe. I say it “GILL-en in my head — does that seem right? I kind of love it.)

Do any of you know any more about Omri, Gillon, and Adiel?

ETA: Given that the biblical Omri was “denounced as being wicked,” isn’t that a strange choice for a boy character? I don’t care as much about name meanings in real life, but for a literary character?

ETA2: My previous comment wasn’t entirely accurate — the biblical Omri “denounced as being wicked” is associated baggage, separate from the meaning. The meaning of “life” or “servant” is nice, and likely does have a tie-in with the book’s story.

Baby name consultant: Baby Girl Johnson

Natalie and Christopher Johnson are expecting their third baby and second girl. Their other children are:

Fiona Emma

Arthur Christopher

Natalie writes,

I’m due with a girl in [early May] and we cannot think of a good name! … Our last name is Johnson, so we like names that are not too popular, but also classic and not ‘made up’. We’ve been seriously considering Alice and Eleanor, but I feel like it’s weird to use two ‘A’ names (Arthur then Alice) and I think Eleanor is nice, but I’m not a huge fan of nicknames and I’m worried too many nicknames would come out … I would like to use a family name for her middle … either Olivia or Eugenie [Natalie’s middle name is Eugenie]. I would love some help!

I love Natalie and Christopher’s taste! Regarding Alice and Eleanor, I can see why another ‘A’ name might seem less than ideal, especially being directly after an A-named sibling, and Eleanor certainly does have a bunch of nicknames, but they’re both really beautiful names — I don’t think they could go wrong with either one. However, I can always come up with suggestions! And though I always shoot to offer three, I came up with four for the Johnsons:

(1) Nora

Thought it can be a nickname for Eleanor, my top suggestion is to consider just Nora. It’s a full name in and of itself. It totally seems well matched to Fiona and Arthur in my opinion. I also love the idea of Nora Eugenie — not only does it flow nicely, and Eugenie’s Natalie’s middle name, but she’d also have Natalie’s initials, which is a sweet connection between Mom and daughter.

(2) Beatrice

You all know by now that I love looking for patterns and connections between already-born kids’ names and the names in consideration in the Baby Name Wizard book, and Beatrice emerged as similar to both Alice and Eleanor. I thought it was a great suggestion for the Johnsons, not only because of its similarity in style to the names they’re considering, but also because, as I recently found out from another of my trusty sources (Behind the Name), its origin/early usage is fairly religious (as Beatrix, which of course Beatrice is a form of): “Probably from Viatrix, a feminine form of the Late Latin name Viator whic meant ‘voyager, traveller’. It was common amongst early Christians, and the spelling was altered by association with Latin beatus ‘blessed.'” I thought that was pretty cool! But I would definitely recommend Olivia over Eugenie as the middle name — Beatrice Eugenie is too Royal Family (Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson’s girls). (Unless of course Natalie and Christopher like the royal connection — Beatrice Eugenie is quite beautiful together!)

(3) Molly

I know of a little Arthur who has a sister Molly, and I love it with Fiona as well. Molly is Marian too, being originally a nickname for Mary, and its Irish/Celtic feel is so spot on as a sister to Arthur and Fiona in my opinion. I’m loving Molly Olivia!

(4) Other awesome names that seem similar to the Johnson’s style and don’t nickname easily

I came across a bunch of other names, both in my head and my research, that I thought would work well for the Johnsons, so I thought I’d mention them just in case: Iris, Juliet, Clara, Lucy, Aine or Anya, Carys or Charis.

So those are my ideas! What do you all think? Have I hit the right note, or am I totally off? What name(s) would you suggest for the sister of Fiona and Arthur?

I love to do name consultations! If you’d like me to give your name dilemma a go, check out my Baby name consultant tab.

Birth announcement: Olive Faustina Mark!

I make it a point not to post on Sundays, but I have such wonderful wonderful news, it seems most fitting for our day of worship, celebration, and rest!

Last night I asked you to pray for one of our readers who was having a baby right at that time — the baby has been born! Hallelujah!!

Little Olive Faustina Mark was born last night, named for St. Oliver Plunkett, St. Faustina, and St. Mark the Evangelist, on whose feast she was born. What wonderful names! What powerful patrons!

Congratulations to Olive’s whole family!!!

Feminized masculine names, take 2

Okay, I asked my husband about this — turns out he doesn’t like these kinds of names either! I had no idea, since one of his very favorite names is Charlotte. “That’s different,” he said, because it doesn’t *look* like the boy name. Like Josephine looks too much like Joseph. (I don’t know, CHARLes and CHARLotte … that’s a pretty big similarity there, in appearance much more than sound.)

I went through the list of names I’d included in my last post — he said Jane is fine, for example, because it’s so removed from John. Kristin is not his favorite, but not because it originated in a male name (again, because it doesn’t *look* like a boy name). What about Francesca? Francis with a -ca on the end? He also declared that “fine” because “it’s foreign.” Ah.

I suspect those husbands who feel similarly have a similarly shaky argument.


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Baby name consultation: Classic Biblical and/or saintly name needed for baby boy

Laura and her husband are expecting their fourth baby on earth (second boy)! Their first two babies are in heaven, and Laura writes,

When we lost our first baby, I had a strong sense about the name Timothy and when I looked it up I found it meant “honoring God.” Then after our second loss, I was too emotionally drained and asked my husband to pray on it and he came up with Emma which means “whole”. I feel like these names definitely set the tone for our three here as well, as we always try to choose classic names that are either Biblical or Catholic saints.”

I love both Timothy and Emma, and I agree that they’ve set the tone well for their subsequent children:

Matthew Darren (“we love the name Matthew and it means “Gift of God” which he was because he was our first to make it to full term. Darren is the name of my husband’s cousin who was a CIA agent who was killed in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan“)

Margaret Claire (“Margaret was my husband’s grandmother’s name and it is also the name of our parish (St. Margaret of Scotland). I have always loved the fact that there are SOOOO many nickname options for Margaret. Currently we call her Mags. Her middle name is in remembrance of a family member that I lost a few years ago, but also for St. Clare of Assisi (I know the spelling is different)“)

Abigail Regina (“my due date [with Abby] was December 8th so it was very important to me that we honor Our Blessed Mother, but I kind of can’t stand the name Mary because it is SO plain and common. So we chose Abigail (which is actually in the Old Testament) and means “Gives Joy” and Regina of course is how we honored Mary. I really wanted Regina as the first name, but my husband wasn’t having it“)

Aren’t they great names?? I love the meaning behind each one — so much significance!!

Laura was hoping for some name ideas to fit with their older kiddos. For inspiration, names they’ve discussed for this little guy include:

John Paul

Working on this was really satisfying for me because their taste is pretty consistent! You all know that I almost always start a consultation by looking up all the names the parents have used and like/are considering in the Baby Name Wizard as it lists, for each entry, boy and girl names that are similar in terms of style/feel/popularity — looking up the names for this family was so fun because there was so much overlap!

That said though, names like Kolbe and John Paul aren’t included in the BNW, so that was a fun twist, trying to think of names that I think of as being similar to them in style and incorporating the results into my ideas for Laura and her hubs (I also used my Sibling Project to help — the John Paul entry was spot on!).  I came up with five ideas for this little boy:

(1) Gregory
Gregory was the very first name listed in the BNW as a match for Timothy, and was also listed in the Sibling Project as a match for John Paul, and as soon as I saw it I thought aha! I love Gregory for this family! He’s traditional and Catholicky Catholic like Pope St. Gregory the Great, and handsome and distinguished like Gregory Peck. The nickname Greg tends to turn people off a little bit, but I love Rory as a nickname for it, and I could also see something like Gregory Stephen lending itself nicely to the nickname Gus. I’ve also seen Grey used as a nickname for it, and I know a little Gregory who goes by Duke!

(2) Benjamin (or Benedict, Bennett?)
Benjamin was the biggest style match in the BNW, being similar to Timothy, Emma, Matthew, Claire, and Abigail! I love the name, and Ben is one of the friendliest nicknames in my opinion. While I think Benjamin is the closest match to the style of name Laura and her hubs like, Benedict is a great option if they wanted to get closer to the feel of John Paul, Maximilian, and Regina, and Bennett is a Benedict variant that, being a last name, is similar to Kolbe.

(3) Andrew
Andrew was another big hit for Laura and her hubs! It’s impeccable: biblical, masculine, great patron saints and nickname options. When I heard Fr. Andrew Apostoli speak at the Syracuse Women’s Conference a couple of years ago, I loved that he referenced Andrew as his patron saint, which of course is obvious, but I thought it gave Andrew an extra Catholic oomph.

(4) Philip
This was actually only listed as a style match for Regina, which I loved seeing, but I totally think of it as brother material for Timothy, Matthew, Andrew, Benjamin, and even John Paul with its two-biblical-names-in-one. (To be extra Catholicky Catholic, I love the idea of Philip Neri as a firstname+middlename combo! And Finn works as the perfect nickname I think.) (I loooove Finn!)

(5) Samuel
Finally, Samuel. It’s got a similar biblical style and feel to Timothy, Matthew, Abigail, Andrew, Philip, and Benjamin, and was also listed as similar to Emma. And that great nickname Sam! The story of Samuel is often particularly meaningful to mothers.

And those are my ideas for Laura and her hubs! What do you all think? What name(s) would you suggest for the little brother of Timothy, Emma, Matthew, Margaret, and Abigail?

11 thoughts on “Baby name consultation: Classic Biblical and/or saintly name needed for baby boy

  1. Gregory fits so well with Matthew and Abigail. Plus it is gentlemanly and handsome! I also like thier idea of Rocco as it’s unique & very cool. I could only think of Biblical suggestions: Aaron & Judah. Best wishes.

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Timothy is one of my all time favourite names (hence #2 son is called Tim0thy P@trick )
    His brother’s are J0s€ph and Nich0l@s
    So I obviously think those names go well together and then i love the suggestion of Gregory nn Rory 💖
    I think they have a great group of names already. To me Rocco and Kolbe,whilst lovely, are not really in line with the classic style of their other children.

    Liked by 1 person

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Reindeer Mystery Deepens

su2015-30Hi ho, everyone! Happy Friday!

Well, our mystery of the missing reindeer just became a bit more perplexing.

An emergency dispatch from our crew of elves at the South Pole asked for equipment for the care and feeding of thousands of reindeer.

Our crew at the South Pole consists of one elf and his trusty companion – a dog.

This lone elf stands watch over a warehouse facility that Santa keeps at the South Pole and that he occasionally uses on Christmas Eve.

Our guy there – his name is Elf Syd – claims he received direction that the reindeer were coming there to be stationed until Christmas.

Santa doesn’t know anything about that but he told me he definitely does NOT want the reindeer at the south pole.

We are confused as to who might have sent the order or why. We’re trying to find out.

Does this mean the reindeer are close to returning home?

We just don’t know yet. I’ll keep you posted as we get further details.

Elf Ernest

Click the player below to hear Elf Crash address some reindeer rumors about the South Pole:

5 thoughts on “Reindeer Mystery Deepens

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I Am Not My Body… (pt. 1)

There is so much that I have yet to understand about this world.  Like the old saying goes, the more I learn, the more I realize I have no clue.

This post will probably end up more spiritual than anything I’ve ever written.  It’s not quite educational in nature; rather, it’s me just trying to hash things out so they make sense to me. Some may disagree, and that is okay. I make no apologies for it.  We all have the right to believe in whatever or whomever we so choose.

While I do believe in a higher power, I don’t consider myself religious.  I have purposely exposed myself to many different faiths, but have not found one that suited me.  Ironically, though, religion is one of my favorite subjects to talk about.  Listening to many different ideologies allows me to pick and choose what fits my personal schema.  I am non-religious, and multi-religious at the same time (a walking contradiction, like Starburst).

One particular thing that has fascinated me has been the view of the afterlife.  Not to be morbid (as I do have a tendency to go there), but since I was a tiny child, I have been curious about what happens to us once this life is over.  Do we go to heaven?  Are we reincarnated?  Why do we so often feel untouchable, when our lives are so fragile?  For a long time, I believed the only things we truly had were our heartbeats.

This weekend, that changed.

I had the pleasure of attending 5Sigma held at Anastasis Academy in Colorado.  There, I met and/or reunited with great friends, both new and old.  As expected, I facilitated a session about EduMatch.  As expected, my friends on Voxer (link to #EduMatch group) had my back once again, as I had a crazy last-minute idea to include the voices of educators from around the country.  What I did not expect was to have my mind blown.

Well actually, yes I did, but not in this way.

Towards the end of the afternoon, there was a session with a featured speaker by the name of Tusta.  He spoke softly, and captivated the room full of people.  Even I, a person who may as well surgically attach an iPhone to my right hand, clung to his every word.  His message was simple but profound: to find happiness within.

Yes, I have heard this message before, but this was the first time it truly resonated with me.  One particular piece of wisdom was when he talked about how nearly everything in this world is external.  “I am a soul,” he said.  He expanded on that idea by noting how we generally refer to things in the possessive.  We say things such as, “My house.  My car.  My brain.  My body,” and not, “I house. I car. I brain. I body.”  What then, exactly, am “I”?

Simple.  I am a soul.

We are all souls.  This ties in with the ideology of many of the world’s systems of belief, from Islam, to Christianity, to Buddhism, and beyond (at least to my understanding…I do not claim to be an expert).  In some religions, people pray to ancestors who have since passed away.  Some people speak of ghosts who walk among us.  Even looking from a purely scientific perspective, the law of conservation of energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed.  Thus, when we die, “we” must go somewhere.

With so many perspectives backing this idea, I personally am hard-pressed to dispute it.  I haven’t been able to get this idea out of my head. Whereas my answer regarding most spiritual questions is typically, “I have no idea,” this is something that I can firmly say that I believe.

After accepting this as my truth, I have been ruminating on this idea for the past couple of days.  As we all know, for the time being, every”body” dies.  We don’t know what the future will hold, with all the technological advances and whatnot.  Exploring that option would be a blog post in itself, so I will hold off on going down that rabbit hole.

I came to a wild conclusion.  It’s not a far leap to think of our bodies, and those of others, the same way that we would think of any other long-term, yet temporary, possession, such as “I Car” (joking).  Wouldn’t that make life so easy?  While some shallow individuals may judge others on their cars, most people see them for what they are…a mode of transportation.  I drive a Ford Focus, and though it’s not a BMW or Audi, I still love my little red car.

Believe me, I know our world is nowhere near ready for this, with all of the prejudice, injustice, and -isms…I will save more of that discussion for part two.  However, I challenged myself to take on this viewpoint, just to see what would happen.

Today, I put this new philosophy into action, and found it quite liberating.  If theoretically I can maintain this attitude, it may be the first step towards shedding years of baggage.  For most of my life, I have struggled with self-inflicted issues that I am now looking back and categorizing as external.  How many years have I wasted, looking down at the ground, not believing myself to be pretty enough, or thin enough, or just “enough”?  All of that time, I should have been holding my head high; and while I have been doing a better job of this over the past few years, again I ask, how many wasted years?  I wish I could share this feeling with every girl and boy, woman and man, who have ever dealt with similar issues.

I am not my body…but my body is me (to be continued).

Part Two coming soon (hopefully).

8 thoughts on “I Am Not My Body… (pt. 1)

  1. Greetings Sara,
    This Tusta. I just reread this blog from previous year conference and appreciating your thoughtful reflections on soul matters .

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TV & Film

Re-live your childhood through Saturday Morning Rewind. We interview your favorite voice actors from the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and today. We also discuss all of your favorite cartoons from those decades. It’s nostalgia in the form of a weekly podcast.

September 1, 2016

80: Marc Summers interview (Family Double Dare / Unwrapped / Nickelodeon / Food Network)

Marc Summers

Join Tim Nydell as he interviews the one and only... MARC SUMMERS from Double Dare & Family Double Dare!  If you grew up in the 80's or 90's, you will love this episode.  I know I do.

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Seedorf: Table of no interest

Seedorf: Staying grounded

Clarence Seedorf insists he has no interest in looking at the current table‚ and is instead preferring to focus on improving Milan.

AC Milan manager Clarence Seedorf insists he has no interest in looking at the current Serie A table‚ and is instead preferring to focus on improving his side.

The Rossoneri look to have put an atrocious run of form this season behind them, with Sunday′s 1–0 win over Catania making it four Serie A successes on the trot‚ while they are also unbeaten in five matches.

Those results have hoisted Milan to eighth in the standings and in with a shout of earning a European finish‚ although Seedorf is not looking further than the training ground for signs his side are on the up.

“I always said I didn′t look at the table‚ as I know our situation‚ we have games to play and should only pay attention to it at the end of the season‚″ he told Sky Sport Italia.

“The performance was sufficient as they played like a team, were aggressive and determined. We only played beautiful football in fits and starts today‚ but that can happen against a side that tries to stop you playing.

“We should give credit to Catania‚ as they never give up.

“This also happened last week against Genoa and we need to improve‚ as we are still not calm enough and make the wrong choices. For example, if we have one player against one‚ we pass it to the player who has two in front of him.

“We don′t keep control of the game. When we did keep possession for a while‚ we ended up shooting, so that is something we have to do better.

“I was above all pleased with the spirit to bring the points home‚ then we′ll work on improving the style of football and remaining consistent over 90 minutes.”

Source: VIQI News

Barcelona suffered a surprise La Liga defeat at the hands of Granada to hand the Madrid clubs the title initiative.

Yacine Brahimi netted the only goal for Granada in the 16th minute before Barca spurned a host of chances‚ with Neymar taking a prime place among the culprits.

It is the second time this week Gerardo Martino′s team have fallen by a 1–0 margin‚ following their UEFA Champions League exit at the hands of leaders Atletico Madrid – who have the chance to pull four points clear of the defending champions when they host Malaga tomorrow night.

There were no such problems for Real Madrid‚ who are now a point better off than their fierce Catalan rivals courtesy of a comfortable 4–0 home win over second–bottom Almeria.

Again operating without injured talisman Cristiano Ronaldo due to a knee injury‚ Real threatened to break the deadlock long before a 28th–minute opener from the impressive Angel Di Maria.

Gareth Bale‚ Isco and substitute Alvaro Morata completed the scoring on a significant night for Carlo Ancelotti′s team.

Celta Vigo twice came from behind at home, despite being reduced to 10 men early in the second half, to claim a valuable 2–2 draw against Real Sociedad– easing their relegation fears.

The visitors twice hit the front through Sergio Canales and Antoine Griezmann, the latter′s strike coming soon after Nolito′s 37th–minute penalty.

Celta defender Jon Aurtenetxe then received his marching orders three minutes into the second half to put the home side under serious pressure but Santiago Min earned a share of the spoils in the 82nd minute.

That result meant Villarreal moved above Sociedad into sixth with a dramatic late win over Levante‚ while Celta rose to 12th with 37 points – five spots and six points clear of the relegation zone.

A 0–0 draw appeared on the cards at Villarreal′s Camp El Madrigal until Jeremy Perbet headed home Manuel Trigueros′ free–kick for the hosts in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

Source: SBOBET Times

Stars fighting for United Careers, says Fletcher

Manchester United players are fighting for their futures at Old Trafford‚ according to midfielder Darren Fletcher.

United have endured a turbulent season under David Moyes, who replaced long–serving manager Sir Alex Ferguson in May.

The Manchester club were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League quarter–finals by defending champions Bayern Munich on Wednesday‚ ending any hopes of silverware this season.

United also look set to miss out on Champions League football next season for the first time in 19 years‚ with the club languishing in seven position‚ seven points adrift of fourth–placed Arsenal.

And Fletcher‚ who appears to have overcome an inflammatory bowel disease, says it is time for the team′s under–performing stars to prove their worth with Moyes expected to ring the changes at season′s end.

“It is time to show the manager that you deserve to be at this club‚″ Fletcher said.

“If you get a chance to play‚ you have to go and impress the manager and show him that you are capable of being here next year.

“Go and put in performances because the manager will be thinking of next season‚ no doubt about that. You have to make sure that you are one of the names that he still wants.”

Moyes is expected to overhaul an aging United squad in the coming months‚ with captain Nemanja Vidic set for Inter Milan.

Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra and Javier Hernandez face uncertain futures‚ while Bayern midfielder Toni Kroos has been tipped to move to Old Trafford in a big–money deal.

“He will definitely look back on this season and realise it was a disappointment but I fully expect there to be some signings‚” the Scottish midfielder said.

“People expect signings in the summer‚ there is no doubt about that, but that is always the case at Manchester United.”

Source: SBOBET Times

Ronaldo Set to miss Copa Final

Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo looks set to miss next week′s Copa del Rey final against Barcelona due to a thigh injury.

The FIFA Ballon d′Or holder sat out last Saturday′s 4-0 rout of Real Sociedad with a knee complaint, an injury that meant he could only be named among the substitutes in Tuesday′s UEFA Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund.

Real progressed to the semi–finals 3–2 on aggregate despite a 2–0 defeat in Germany in the absence of top scorer Ronaldo.

And the Portugal captain will now definitely miss Wednesday′s Copa del Rey final with rivals Barcelona after Real confirmed on Thursday that he has sustained a thigh problem.

The club tweeted: “Ronaldo has a muscular injury in his left thigh. Awaiting developments.”

Although Real have not put a timescale on Ronaldo′s return‚ reports suggest he will be out for around 15 days‚ which means he is also likely to be sidelined for the first leg of Real′s Champions League last–four tie‚ which will take place on April 22 or 23.

However‚ the 29–year–old should recover for the second leg and Real′s La Liga title run–in.

Ronaldo has been instrumental to Real′s success this season, topping the scoring charts in La Liga with 28 goals‚ while also equalling the record for the number of goals in a single Champions League campaign with 14.

Real currently trail Liga leaders and city rivals Atletico by three points with six games remaining, and will face Bayern Munich, Chelsea or Atletico in the Champions League semi–finals, with the draw for the last four set to take place on Friday.

Source: SBOBET Times

5 Japan players to watch at the World Cup

AP Sports Writer

 – Keisuke Honda and Shinji Kagawa will be called on to play key roles as Japan attempts to reach the next level at the World Cup.

Japan surprised critics in 2010 by advancing past the group stage with wins over Cameroon and Denmark before losing on penalties to Paraguay in the knockout stage.

Japan′s team this year will feature many young players and Zaccheroni will be counting on Honda and Kagawa for leadership.

Here are five players to watch:

Widely regarded as Japan′s best player, Keisuke Honda scored in a 1–1 draw with Australia in June to secure the country′s fifth straight World Cup appearance.

Brash and confident, the 27–year–old AC Milan attacking midfielder said Japan won′t be intimidated by any opposition in Brazil.

He set up two goals in Japan′s 4–2 win over New Zealand in a friendly in March playing in his preferred central position.

Honda is off to a slow start at AC Milan, where coach Clarence Seedorf has been using him on the right side or as a defensive midfielder.

FILE – In this Tuesday‚ June 4‚ 2013‚ file photo, Japan′s Keisuke Honda controls the ball during their Asian zone Group B qualifying soccer match against Australia for the 2014 World Cup in Saitama, near Tokyo. Coach Alberto Zaccheroni promised to “surprise the world” after star player Keisuke Honda fired the Samurai Blue through with an injury time penalty against Australia.

Despite struggling to find his form under David Moyes during Manchester United′s troubled season, Shinji Kagawa has been a major contributor to Japan′s qualifying campaign.

Kagawa scored twice in the friendly win over New Zealand‚ proving that his lack of playing time at Old Trafford hasn′t slowed him down.

The 25–year–old midfielder scored 21 goals over two seasons with Borussia Dortmund. And on March 2‚ 2013‚ Kagawa scored three times for United in a 4–0 home win over Norwich to become the first Asian player to score a hat trick in a Premier League match.

FILE – In this June 4‚ 2013‚ file photo, Japan′s Shinji Kagawa controls the ball during their Asian zone Group B qualifying soccer match against Australia for the 2014 World Cup in Saitama‚ near Tokyo. Japan reached the knockout stage in 2010 at the World Cup in South Africa and outperformed Australia in qualifying to claim 17 points from eight games.

Japan′s top striker‚ Shinji Okazaki has scored 11 goals in 24 games for German club Mainz this season.
The 27–year–old forward moved to Stuttgart in 2011 and scored 10 goals across two seasons before his transfer to Mainz.
Okazaki scored the only goal in Japan′s 1–0 win over Argentina in an international friendly‚ its first ever win over the 1978 and 1986 World Cup champions.
Okazaki′s 35 international goals make him Japan′s fourth–highest scorer of all time.

Shinji Okazaki of Japan beats the Latvian Goalkeeper to score his second goal during the international friendly match between Japan and Latvia at Home′s Stadium Kobe on February 6‚ 2013 in Kobe‚ Japan.

Considered by many to be Japan′s future star‚ 24–year–old midfielder Yoichiro Kakitani scored 21 goals in 34 games for Cerezo Osaka last season and added four goals for the national team in 2013 as an attacking midfielder for coach Alberto Zaccheroni.

Kakitani has drawn comparisons with Shinji Kagawa‚ who also played for Cerezo.

A strong performance in Brazil could garner more interest from clubs in Europe.

In This Photo: Yoichiro Kakitani

Yoichiro Kakitani of Japan in action during the international friendly match between Japan and Guatemala at International Stadium Yokohama on September 6‚ 2013 in Osaka‚ Japan.

Yuto Nagatomo joined Inter Milan in January 2011 from Cesena and has been an integral member of the back four since then.

The speedy 27–year–old left back has made 18 league appearances for Inter this season while scoring five goals.

A regular member of the national team‚ Nagatomo has played in 63 games for Japan with three goals.

FILE – In this June 4‚ 2013‚ file photo, Japan′s Yuto Nagatomo plays during their Asian zone Group B qualifying soccer match against Australia for the 2014 World Cup at Saitama Stadium in Saitama‚ near Tokyo. Japan‚ which reached the knockout stage in 2010 at the World Cup in South Africa outperformed Australia in qualifying to claim 17 points from eight games.

Barca rubber stamp revamp

Camp Nou: To receive a revamp

More than 27‚000 members of Barcelona Football Club have endorsed plans to spend 600–million euros on the redevelopment of the Camp Nou.

More than 27‚000 members of Barcelona Football Club have endorsed plans to spend 600–million euros on the redevelopment of the club′s home ground, the Camp Nou.

The voting accounts for 72 per cent of the members who turned out to hear the proposal.

The vote was only the second in the club′s 115–year history, the previous ballot coming in 1950 when members backed plans to move from the old Las Corts stadium to the Camp Nou.

The Camp Nou, which currently has a capacity of more than 99‚000‚ is already the largest stadium in Europe. However‚ once the revamp is completed in 2021‚ the stadium will be able to seat 105‚000 spectators.

“This is a big step forward‚” Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu told Inside World Football.

“Many members have told me that they have voted for a project which‚ because of their age‚ they will never see. But for a better Barcelona and better Nou Camp for their grandchildren‚” added he club′s president.

The Camp Nou has been the home of Catalan football since 1957 and many famous memories have been created at that ground. The club has evolved since then and become the powerhouse in European football.

Administrators think it would be fitting to have a stadium which symbolises their current status in the global game.

“In 2021 we will have a Nou Camp which all Barcelona members and fans will be proud of and allow us to say we have a ground of the same level as our team‚” added Bartomeu.

The stadium redevelopment is expected to include the construction of a new roof and work is expected to start in 2017.

Before any revamp to take place, hot in the UEFA Champions League scene

Atletico out to end Barca′s UCL run with Costa in tow

Atletico Madrid put up an impressive performance versus FC Barcelona at Nou Camp despite their star Diego Costa having to leave early in the match because of thigh injury. Diego Simeone′s side held their rivals down to a 1–1 draw. Atletico Madrid will host Barca at Vicente Calderón‚ this time with more firepower as Costa is expected to have recovered from his injury. Match is on April 10 at 02:45 (GMT+8).

Bet on these teams to win with the odds below:

1X2 Barcelona @ 2.35

1X2 Draw @ 3.10

1X2 Atletico Madrid @ 3.20

Place your bets here

Source: SBOBET, VIQI News

San Paolo to be upgraded

San Paolo: To receive an upgrade

Authorities have confirmed that there will be upgrades at the San Paolo stadium‚ Napoli′s home venue.

Italian authorities have confirmed that there will be upgrades at the San Paolo stadium, Napoli′s home venue.

While there had been speculation the Partenopei would move to a new venue in the foreseeable future‚ Naples Mayor Luigi De Magistris revealed on Monday that plans to start work on the upgrade had already been made.

“I can confirm that we are on the right track‚” De Magistris told Radio Kiss Kiss Napoli on Monday.

“On Friday we sent the necessary documentation to Napoli so that they know the exact fees to be paid.

“Without this there would need to be a delay in proceedings. Napoli will play at San Paolo and there will be a commitment to redeveloping the entire stadium‚” added the City Mayor.

There are strong indications that Napoli are happy with the current arrangement‚ which means work is likely to begin soon.

“We have now reached an agreement, thanks to De Laurentiis making himself available. He will pay the amount due before we move on to discuss the next steps. Sometimes things are not easy to sort out.

“Things will begin to move forward immediately. Once the payment has been received we can sign for the plan to go ahead‚” added Naples’ number one citizen.

“I would like for the research to be done before the end of the year, at which point there will be a commitment to putting the necessary money in to fund the building of the stadium.

“Will there be an athletics track? There is a commitment to create a project‚ I will trust those who have designed the most beautiful stadiums.”

Meanwhile Napoli′s mission: Third straight win over Lazio

Napoli defeated Lazio the last two times they met. Rafael Benitez′s side will again try to frustrate Lazio. Napoli scored a total of five goals in those two encounters‚ something that indicates how messed up Lazio′s defense is. Have Lazio made the right adjustments or is Napoli just too strong for them? Match will be on April 13 at 21:00 (GMT+8).

Enjoy more of this match by predicting its outcome with the betting odds below:

Asian Handicap:+0.75 Lazio @ 2.08

Asian Handicap: –0.75 Napoli @ 1.85

Start predicting here

Source: SBOBET‚ VIQI News

Stuttgart struggling to survive

Five–time Bundesliga champions Stuttgart are still in a precarious position despite the 2–0 win against Freiburg on Saturday.

Stevens: Under the cosh

Five–time Bundesliga champions Stuttgart are still in a precarious position despite the 2–0 win against Freiburg on Saturday‚ according to manager Huub Stevens.

Stuttgart currently sit 15th in the Bundesliga standings‚ just one place clear of the dreaded relegation zone.

This is compounded by the fact that Hamburg‚ who are in 16th position‚ have accumulated the same number of points (27) as Stuttgart‚ and Stevens is well aware of the task they face.

“These three points are very important in our situation‚ but this victory was just one small step in our current situation‚” said Stevens.

Of Stuttgart′s remaining five matches‚ three are against the top four teams on the Bundesliga standings‚ which isn′t ideal.

The next assignment for the Schwaben is a trip to a motivated Monchengladbach‚ who are trying to secure a spot in Champions League football.

Source: VIQI News

Get more out of this news here

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Chelsea vs. Galatasaray

Chelsea, Galatasaray looking to break first leg deadlock

Chelsea and Galatasaray settled for a draw during the first leg match of their Champions League round of 16 pairing at the Türk Telekom Arena. Chelsea have the advantage over the Turkish as they were able to snatch one goal on the road. It is hard to write off Didier Drogba and his club just yet considering how the February 27 match was played. The 2nd leg match is scheduled for March 19 at 03:45 (GMT+8).

Asian Handicap Betting Odds

-1.25 Chelsea @ 1.91

+1.25 Galatasaray @ 2.02

Click here to place a bet!

Source: SBOBET


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Archive for March, 2007

@Kathy Sierra: Thoughts are with you.

If you haven’t heard, there are very vile and vindictive people in the blogosphere right now. I don’t want to cover old ground, I just want to share my wish for your safety (Kathy, Robert & Maryam).

You all present an unbelievably honorable service to us all day in day out, for which I am certainly thankful.

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I Like Calm and Happy

I never thought this moment would happen. When I started out on this journey (I bloody HATE that word!!) of life (I hate that vague, meaningless-but-everyone -knows-what-you-mean phrase even more!!), I never believed for one moment, that I would be inspired and changed by such a film as Meet The Fockers.

Yes, I am sorry. Both for watching it so late after release, and to cover the embarrassment of finding such a ‘loosely-emotional’ so life-alterating. But hey! Different strokes.

I realised that I wanted out of life. I want a life of smiles and freedom. I want a beautiful lady to rub noses with until I’m two beats from cold. I want communal smiling, I want laughter, and I want success that isn’t just in a financial context.

Let’s rephrase that paragraph to be more definite! I am going to, from now, this moment, have a life of smiles and freedom. I am going to find a beautiful lady to rub noses with ’til I pop it. I am going to have people around me smiling and laughing and I am going to be creative everyday of my life, come what may!

A lot of people perceive mental illness as the decree absolute in terms of a happy life. I happen to disagree – find the smiles that hide behind the mask and coax them out to fruition. Nothing is impossible, nothing can stop the determination of a man who wants to stand up from the floor when he believes in it’s happening.

Life’s out there. Go get it.

Schizophrenia Simulation Features in Second Life

The BBC reported on the 19th March that Dr Peter Yellowlees of the University of California has created a password-protected area in Second Life (not First Life!) that allows the user to experience a simulation of a hospital through the perceptions of a sufferer of Schizophrenia.

The linked BBC article does extend the discussion into general Schizophrenia topics, such as stigma and interpretations:

“Schizophrenia is a kind of modern day leprosy.

“I do feel that the general public’s worst misconception about schizophrenia is that it somehow remains in their minds an intractable degenerative condition that we can’t treat – and this is so far from the truth.

“I would say stigma is probably one of the most important issues because it affects people’s lives in such a devastating way.”

Well said, Dr Yellowlees. Whilst I do believe the ‘Armageddon scenario’ is much of the time out of context and reason, aspects of how external figures may interpret the condition do make things harder than they need to be.

The entire article, and Dr Yellowlees’ comments, all seem extremely balanced and fair (to me). It ends with a quick comment from a patient, in regards to people’s perceptions of the condition and how he feels about it:

His patient Nick agreed. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia shortly after his A’ Levels and said he is frustrated by the way people portray his condition.

“People on the whole aren’t really interested, and if I do talk about schizophrenia, they often look a bit worried and decide to turn away.”

Oh, the irony!

Last night, I had two huge and important birthday parties to go to. Both were friends who had done so much for me, and I care about immensely.

Around half 7, 8 o’clock last night, I felt a slight headache coming along. As I was probably getting rat-arsed at the parties, I thought I would take an Ibruprofen, but only one. I opened the meds draw, slightly unconscious of my actions, blindly opened the pack and took one with a glass of water.

15 minutes later I was asleep, and 12 hours later I awoke. I had actually took 75mg of chlorpromazine, by accident. Oops. 😉

A lesson to be learned there somewhere! P.S.Wanted to draw your attention to nearly 2,000 people viewing this blog 🙂

Self-Medicating through happiness

As some of you may know, I haven’t took antipsychotic medication in over a year now. The initial reason for cessation was an overdose of Aripiprazole (Abilify) combined with Vodka and Paracetamol, and after being revived two things happened.

a) I felt a disgust and loathing-feeling for the tablets. Much like after being pissed out of your head all night, waking up the next day, and not wanting to drink for a week. I guess it is the body’s way of telling your mind to avoid the ‘poison’, as a safety/survival mechanism.

b) I simply was scared I had such a lot in me already, that taking anymore would top that already-huge amount in me up. The doctors and hospital staff didn’t advise me to continue taking it, nor to stop, either.

After a while I just ‘forgot’ I used to take medication. No one knew, but I wasn’t keeping it a secret – it was almost a non-issue. When I visited my psychiatrist for a 4-monthly appointment (that’s one every four months, not four times a month) he asked how the medication was going. I responded that I no longer took it – and the look of horror on his face was memorable. He couldn’t understand how dropping from 30mg daily of Aripiprazole (top dosage, I believe) to 0mg hadn’t induced psychotic symptoms as if they were going out of fashion.

I explained to him, that whilst I appreciated and respected his 9 year degree, the stance that medication is a one-size-fits-all solution is direly misjudged and ignorant. In the same way medication helps some people and not others, no medication has the same outcome, by definition. He then went on, with a slight hesitation as if to say ‘Do I really want to know?’, to ask me how I had kept myself in check.

I explained to him my process of analysing my situation, picking out patterns in my behaviour and the topics and themes within delusions / hallucinations / paranoia. Now, as a psychiatrist (as opposed to psychologist), I was dearly expecting his confusion and questionableness about ‘natural’ or ‘humanistic‘ approaches to treatment.

Without sidetracking, I also noted to him my view of what he calls ‘Schizophrenia’ actually is. I envisage the situation as someone who is not wearing a coat, and when the wind blows, they get a bit chilly. Most other people are wearing coats, but if they give their coat to the cold bloke, they themselves become cold and require a coat too.

My theory was to look at where I lost my coat, retrace my steps, and find it again – thus making me warm and cosy. He found it idealistic at the time, I found it exciting.

Returning to my analysis of themes in my positive symptoms, I could see many of them referenced the feeling of being ‘out of control’, or more specifically, someone else being ‘in control of me’. I took a look at things in my life, and saw how subconsciously I was protecting myself from being controlled. These ranged from own my own company (as opposed to being employed and at the whim of someone else), and boosting myself to the top of the food chain within a social group – presenting myself as the expert in any given situation.

All I simply did, was in a moment of rationality, looked at why I felt I needed control, and looked at how important ‘control’ was anyway. Then began my new process of control, which was handing the power to others. In this way, ironically, I still was in control – yet the baggage that comes with it disappeared.

I still suffer bouts of symptoms yes, but I now look at things in order of importance. I look at things in a relative light, assessing them against a mental list of rational thoughts.

As a side-note, after hearing a much more in-depth explanation than is written here, the doctor concluded I had Low Latent Inhibition, and called me a creative genius. Probably one step too far – but generous none the less!

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Top 4 Tips: “How to help”

truth.jpgMay I add a Prelude: As much as I wish I had a list of things that would cure the situation, I am not a miracle-man, and unfortunately do not profess this post as medical advice, or promise that these tips will rectify any specific situation you may be in. Please use prior-restraint before taking this post as gospel.

I compile this list below, as part of the ‘Sharing the truth about insanity’ series I plan to run on this blog. It’s main focus will be lists, mainly explaining certain aspects of ‘Schizophrenia’. This particular post focuses on those forgotten soldiers, the families and friends that try their best to understand and accept – only to hit wall after wall. The aim of this list is to show simple things that would help me, as a sufferer.

Top 4 Tips: “How to Help”

1. When he/she doesn’t seem to trust me, how can I show I am trustworthy?

The basic premise of Schizophrenia (in particular, and in my case), does not lay a foundation where techniques you would use with ‘sane’ persons will be rendered useless in this case. Imagine how you would approach the situation had the person not be a sufferer, and try and apply the same method here. You feel like nothing you do will make them trust you? In a ‘sane’ person’s case I personally would show I trust them. I would suggest showing them you trust their actions, and adjust so their trust for you grows side-by-side.

2. When he/she is anxious and cannot calm themselves, how can I help?

Again, the premise is to approach them as an individual, and not a schizophrenic. Calm them how you would calm someone who does not suffer from Schizophrenia, respecting their preference on physical contact and personal space. Speak in a relaxed tone, and try to get them to sit down and breath slowly if you can.

3. When he/she is ‘catatonic’, unresponsive and unable to converse appropriately, what can I do?

This, to me, is trickier (but by no means impossible). As much as possible, attempt to retain eye-contact and speak at a reduced speed. Speaking too quickly may ‘overload’ them, as at these times it is quiet hard to understand anything faster than your own thought (if, indeed, thought is there at all). Try and use expressive words, but try using them in the same, slow(ish) voice. Fit as many words such as sprint, on a roll, running, zip!, fast-paced, moving – into your sentences, and if nothing seems to be working, slowly increase the speed of your voice, and movements, in the hope their reactions will reciprocate yours.

4. I, myself, am feeling weak and out of control of the situation. Why me?

I asked my Mother what she did when she felt this way, I felt it more appropriate than me trying to guess. Her advice resided along the lines of concentrating on the positive steps to happiness you can see. If you can’t see any, look harder. Your needs are vital, just as much as the sufferer’s – and looking after yourself needs to be a priority up their with your existing ones. It’s hard to help others, when you cannot help yourself.

She also suggested getting in touch with Mind or Rethink, and asking about Carer Support Groups. You can also ask about these through any health / social services members you see.

I hope these help somehow. Please do leave a comment if you have any thoughts or suggestions, and feel free to get in touch if you feel you want to (via e-mail).

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A Guide to the Site Changes

Hey, things look a little different!

Indeed they do look, and are, different. I have switched to a much cleaner WordPress theme, and also added a domain for the blog.

This blog now runs through, as well as the previous address. The former RSS feed, address, and links still work (and will continue to work) perfectly, and you don’t necessarily need to switch over. You still get the same stuff.

Insanity of Love, my book project, has unfortunately been gravely neglected and as such I am removing references to it here. The idea may return in some form in the future, but at the moment I need to concentrate on other things.

Thanks to all! 🙂


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Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Thesis (UNI Access Only)

Resilience (Personality trait); High school teachers--Job stress--Texas; Employee retention--Texas;

Resignation among novice teachers has been well-documented and remains a problem for educators, administration, and students in a variety of educational settings. Between 25% and 50% of new teachers will resign within three years (Fleener, 2001; Voke, 2002). New teachers who remain in the profession beyond these first three years may be considered “resilient” for the purposes of the current project. This research proposal is grounded in the theory of risk and resilience in general, and teacher resilience specifically. Literature exists that examines teacher resiliency, but much less is known about how teacher retention and resiliency may be different among “high-risk” schools, “high-achieving” schools, and charter schools. This research proposal reviews relevant literature, and proposes a qualitative research project that examines characteristics of resilient teachers in a “high-risk” but “high-achieving” charter school that has been plagued by high rates of teacher turn-over. The schools are considered “high-risk” based on a high rate of poverty, and are considered “high-achieving” based on state assessment data, college-preparedness data, percentage of students taking college preparatory classes, high-school graduation rates, and a 100% college acceptance rate.

Participating schools were selected based on their participation in a larger research project conducted by Dr. Michelle Tichy that used survey and interview methodology to examine student resilience within the selected school system. For the current proposed project, teachers from the participating schools will be selected to participate in semi-structured interviews based on survey responses that indicate they experience job satisfaction and moderate to significant stress. Interview questions were developed based on teacher resilience literature, and pre-determined codes will be used to analyze data based on a confirmatory (or hypothesis-driven) approach (Guest, MacQueen, & Namey, 2012). Interviewee responses will be coded and the frequency of coded responses will be compared to the existing literature to investigate whether teacher resilience in the participating schools is similar or unique when compared to the findings of other studies.

Date of Award

Degree Name

Specialist in Education

Department of Educational Psychology and Foundations

First Advisor

Michelle Tichy, Chair

Date Original

Object Description

1 PDF file (iv, 27 pages)

File Format

Off-Campus Download


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Tagged: perception

Friend or foe? Just look at the way a person moves - Guest Work

Guest Work Aug 22, 2017

By Kylie Steel, Western Sydney University Ever had that funny feeling about someone you don’t know who’s approaching you? There’s something about them that makes you feel uneasy or you think they could cause you harm. Scientific evidence indicates this is more than just learned behaviour: it’s a survival strategy, and something we are born with. But could … Read More

Why time seems to go by more quickly as we get older - Guest Work

Guest Work Dec 07, 2016

By Christian Yates, University of Bath When we were children, the summer holidays seemed to last forever, and the wait between Christmases felt like an eternity. So why is that when we get older, the time just seems to zip by, with weeks, months and entire seasons disappearing from a blurred calendar at dizzying speed? This apparently accelerated time … Read More

Spellbinding: Computers Watching Movies - misc.ience

Aimee Whitcroft Jan 23, 2014

Artist Benjamin Grosser has done some utterly fascinating – given us a new perspective on, well, our perception by showing us how computers ‘watch’ movies. The outcome is stunning. Each movie used – from Taxi Driver to The Matrix, Space 2001 to American Beauty – shows a strikingly different pattern. They come from software, written by Grosser, which illustrates how … Read More