text:
Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Bieber Fever!

I don't know what it is, but I am slightly obsessed with Justin Bieber.
Not in the way that all of teenagers are (cause that would be gross since he was born in 1994) but more in the way that I think he is so adorable, so funny, way talented, and his music is clean and fun!
My love for the Biebs started back in August 2009 when McKell had me listen to this song called "One Time" when he barely started getting his name out there.
I was obsessed with it!
Then my fetish for him began to grow and has only intensified with every single he released.
I love that little purple hoodie wearin kid!

His movie "Never Say Never" came out 2 weeks ago.
Have I been to see it 2 times already?
(Yes...yes I have.)
And if any one wants to go PLEASE let me be your movie partner.
For those of you that know me, I HATE paying full price for movies and usually wait until it goes to the dollar theater.
Hence my love for the Bieber transcending full price.

"Never Say Never" is AMAZING.
It takes you through his life, how he was discovered by Scooter Braun, how Usher sponsored him, and snippets of his tour.
You also get to see how INCREDIBLY talented the kid is!
'Fo real. So talented.

Alex was a good sport and has gone both times I have gone!
After the first time he pulled me aside, once the roommates were out of ear shot (except Megan who still heard) and said, "I actually really liked the movie."
Alex loves the Biebs! :)
Justin Bieber is too great not to love.
(And maybe I want to get a Twitter account solely so I can follow J. Biebs.)

This is the video that really got him a flight to ATL.

Sneak peak of the movie, as well as showing he can do more than just sing.

And lastly, this song never gets old. (Plus Usher is...well, Usher. Greatness.)

**In other news**
There have been rumors of Nsync putting on a comeback tour!!
Be still my heart.
I would pay close to anything to go to that concert!
Please release tour dates SOON!

Sunday, February 20, 2011

So recently I have been doing a lot of thinking.
I'm an adult. A real live ADULT.
When did that happen?
I am almost 24 years old and by no means is that "old," but it definitely is an age where people regard you as responsible and mature.
I try to live up to that standard, but sometimes it is so stressful.
Gone are the days of Freshman year where I had zero work, easy classes, lots of play time, and all the care free of the world.
I love my life, don't get me wrong, but it is out of whack.
I work TOO much. Since I graduated, all of my work places are demanding more of my time, which would be fine if it were only one of those work places...but it is all 3.
I have been putting in far too many hours at work and not many hours into sleep, hobbies, and time with others.
When I was at the gym the other day I had an analogy pop into my head.
I like to chew gum when I am working out because I feel like it makes me go harder.
As I was amidst chewing, I blew a bubble.
Such as this:
Depending on the type of bubble gum, the bubble size varies.
However, no matter how skilled you are in creating such bubble-ness, it always does this:

And that is where I am at.
About to pop.
I have stretched myself in too many directions and I am at the breaking point.
I consider myself good at time management and skilled in my jobs.
But no matter how good I am, I can only go so long before I will look like that cute blonde up above.
So with all of that said...I did it.
I actually took a step in simplifying my life.
I told my manager, Brooke, at Charlotte Russe that I could no longer work there.
She was obviously sad, but said she knew it was coming since I was working so much and that was my lowest paying job.
It was seriously so hard to do.
I am so loyal to things and I felt like I was letting her down.
However, I have to do what is best for me.
We worked out a deal though where I will only work floor sets.
So I will only have to work there when the store is closed, like 10 hours a month.
So no having to deal with customers and I get to keep my discount.
If that isn't great, then I don't know what is.
My last real shift was yesterday.
It felt so liberating to walk out of there and know next week I will have those hours on my hands to do what I want to do.
I will admit, I am going to miss helping people pick out clothing and gain confidence in themselves, but I know I am going to be so much happier.

So long Charlotte Russe's been real.
And here's to being able to practice piano, choreograph dances, watch movies, scrapbook, read, and spend time with those I love!

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Fire in Chip Form

So Alex is slightly obsessed with hot chips:
Hot Cheetos was his drug of choice for a long time. (Still is.)
He might have turned me on to them...cause I crave them on occasion.
The other day he discovered Hot Doritos and for the first time could not eat an entire bag.
Then yesterday I got this text:

"'ve gotta try Hot Funyuns!!!"

Only my boyfriend...

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Valentine's Day with Mr. Foster!

Valentine's Day is such a great day.
I know a lot of people get all upset they don't have a Valentine, but who cares?!
February 14th is a day of love.
And I love love!
It is nice to reflect on all of the people I love as well as those who love me in return.
One of those people being Alex Foster.
He loves me.'s true.
This was actually our 2nd Valentine's Day together.
Last year he told me he loved me the day after, the 15th.
Well...more like I pressured him into saying it.
I knew he wanted to, but was too scared to do it.
So I ever so graciously helped him out and finally got it out of him.
He's grateful...:)
This year our day was split in to 2 days because of work.
On Sunday night Alex made us dinner because we would not have time for a nice dinner on Monday.

It was his very first time ever cooking a whole meal by himself.
He was so nervous. It was so cute!
I gave him his present that night.
I got him a sterling silver guitar pic that said, "Every Day, You Save My Life."
Inspired by this's how I feel about him.
(you can now think "awww" in your head.)
I told him not to get me any presents. I want all of his effort and money going to a special fund...if you catch my drift. :)

After dinner we watched "Glee."
We've been going through the first season....Alex loves it.
It makes me love him that much more.

Then on Monday I had to work and he went to school.
I got off work at 6 and I went home, he picked me up, and we went to grab a quick bite to eat because that is all we had time for.
We went to such a fancy place...Carl's Jr, ladies and gents.
That's right...
Don't worry that my boyfriend got a 7 piece chicken tender, fries, and a jalapeno burger.

I was content with my chicken sandwich and Oreo shake.
We were slightly surprised at how many people were actually at Carl's Jr.
I thought it would be a ghost town.

We headed out of there and went to downtown Provo.
Mindy Gledhill so graciously held a Valentine's concert at Velour.
It was such a perfect way to spend Valentine's evening.
The atmosphere was awesome, the music was mesmerizing, Mindy was darling, and the concert as a whole was magical.
I love the way her music makes me feel.

Alex loved her too.
I mean, who wouldn't? But still...he usually only likes music that was made 40 years ago.
Afterwards we went to say a quick hi and we were on our way.
I grabbed some of her sheet music she had on sale, so I cannot wait to play it!

Other highlights of the day:
Kari making me a pancake with chocolate chips in the shape of a heart while we were working at Magleby's.
Nicole leaving me some Mike & Ike's and a balloon.
Wearing pink and red.
Listening to Justin Timberlake's, "My Love" 3 times in the car.
Ash wanting to take a picture with me.
Getting texts from people.
Krista's card coming in the mail with awesome pics of my fella and me.
Alex telling me he loved me almost every text.

Twas a great day.
I love my family, I love my friends, I love my boyfriend. (I am quite twitterpated with him.)

Monday, February 14, 2011

McKell's (late) Shout-Out!

A VERY special friend of mine had a birthday on Saturday!
She totally deserves some love, even if I AM a slacker and this is 2 days late. it goes...
Do you know my friend McKell?
Her name is actually McKell Lyn Forbes. (But don't say McKell and Lyn too close together so you say Mckelllin...she might hit you.)
She is kinda short, reddish hair, cute freckles and dimples.
She is one of the most rockin dancers I have ever danced with.
Her style will blow you away! (For realsies.)
She has a lot of passion for art history and gets giddy when she talks about it...especially her main squeeze: Van Gogh.
She loves to travel. And she has been lucky enough to travel a lot in her short little 21 years of life.
She has a Jetta named Leo. (and can stick shift with the best of 'em.)
She turned me on to cottage cheese and wheat thins.
She has amazing taste in music.
She loves old musicals and movies. She has been trying to get me to watch Calamity Jane for almost 2 years now...someday, Kell...someday.
She is a great sleepover friend.
Not to mention...she's HILARIOUS.
But those are her outward things....let me REALLY tell you about McKell...

She is a true friend.
She listens.
She's patient.
She's thoughtful.
She's caring.
She is always up for an adventure.
Her texts/calls/visits always come at the right moment.
After being real friends for like 2.67 seconds she decides to visit me on Hilton Head.
She accepts you for who you are.
She will dance like a nutcase with me.
She was the first person I listened to Justin Bieber with. (That's huge.)
She's beautiful inside and out.
She makes a room light up when she steps inside.
She has a killer smile that is contagious.
She makes you feel like you're the funniest person in the world because she laughs at all my jokes...even if no one else thinks it's funny.
She makes me want to be a better person.

Overall, McKell is just an awesome person.
She has so much ambition and drive and it rubs off on others.
She was in New York this year on her birthday so I could not see her in person.
However, I hope to soon so that I can give her a squeeze like in said picture above. ^^

I hope you know I love you, Kell.
You're great...I mean...gweat. :)

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Karly's Birthday!

It's a very special someone's birthday today! And that person would be Mrs. Karly Quilhot Maurer Barksdale!
She is the big 3-0 today!
(which is weird...she was just 23.)
Karly is not JUST my sister...but she is much much more.
If you don't have a sister, you probably don't understand...
But if you DO...then you know that there is just a sister bond that no other relationship has, and no matter what happens or where life takes you, that bond is always there.

(the above picture totally captures our relationship when I was little! [she had just splashed me while I was TRYING to model for the camera.])

Even though it is extremely bizarre that we are all growing up and moving away from each other and not able to spend day after day with each other, we will always be sisters.

Karly is one of the most fun people I know. Even though she's a college graduate, with a real job, and a real family, she's still Karly. She's such a hoot and is down for a lot of craziness.

I've never been more proud of her than the day she became a mother. She's SO good with Laela and mothering suits her. Laela loves her mama and Karly loves her. She's so patient and even with how hard it is to invest all of your time into such a tiny human being, she does it with minimal complaints and a whole lot of maturity. I know Karly will do such a great job with Laela and any other munchkins that come along.

I love you, Karl! Thanks for being my big sister and for being my friend. I will always be grateful for our relationship. You are beautiful, caring, smart, loving, generous, and quite the teacher. Never forget that we all love you so much and would do anything for you. Hope your birthday is full of laughter, food, love, and happiness...because that is what you deserve: the best. Love you!

Monday, February 7, 2011

Love this man!

So in Relief Society on Sunday, the teacher ended with this video.
I just HAD to share.
1. Because I love Pres Hinckley and miss him with my whole heart.
And 2. His message is incredible and made me feel all tingly and great inside.
So feast your souls upon this.

Carry on.
Remember who you are. :)


Content-Type: application/http; msgtype=response

WARC-Identified-Payload-Type: text/html

WARC-Type: response

text:
National Theme:

The Shifting Landscapes, Converging Peoples theme explores how the rapidly changing landscapes of contemporary suburbia can be re-configured to achieve a productive balance between the native and the newcomers' cultural contributions. Teachers and students actively interpret changing social spaces, such as restaurants, public buildings, and shopping centers; cultural events, such as fairs, homecomings, and ethnic celebrations; public policies, including planning and zoning ordinances; and oral histories that both "keep" the old way of life and help "create" the new.

One Local ApplicationReconfiguring 21st Century Suburbias (Click here to sample the Georgia team's applications of this theme.)

To prepare for their explorations of diverse suburban communities, the Georgia team studied Kenneth T. Jackson's Crabgrass Frontier: The Suburbanization of the United States and listened to the National Public Radio oral memoirs of Carmen Agra Deedy on Growing Up Cuban in Decatur, Georgia. They also became avid readers of their local newspapers, tracking recurring stories about immigrants' experiences, innovations in suburban lifestyle, and issues associated with sprawl (e.g., traffic, endangered natural resources). They took walking tours of various Atlanta suburbs and did archival research about the formation of these communities. Additionally, they gathered oral histories from residents, researched histories of subdivisions and apartment communities within their targeted areas, and chronicled stories of recent immigrants. Students interviewed contractors about how subdivisions are designed and built, used digital cameras to record the rapid changes in the suburban landscape, and talked with both long-time residents and newcomers about their views on life in the outskirts of Atlanta.

Home | Curricular Program | Thematic Content
Classroom Resources | Community Projects | Who We Are

© 2000-2001 KCAC
No materials on this website should be copied or distributed
(except for classroom use) without written permissions from KCAC.
Questions? Comments? Contact KSU webmaster Jim Cope.

a project funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities

warcinfo:
robots: classic
hostname: ip-10-148-41-166.ec2.internal
software: Nutch 1.6 (CC)
isPartOf: CC-MAIN-2017-30
operator: Common Crawl Admin
description: Wide crawl of the web for July 2017
publisher: Common Crawl
format: WARC File Format 1.0
conformsTo: http://bibnum.bnf.fr/WARC/WARC_ISO_28500_version1_latestdraft.pdf


text:
Saturday, September 20, 2008

a sunny day!

There was a lovely sunny day for once, and luckily I was out with my camera and managed to grab a couple of shots so I can remind myself that the weather really can be nice in the dreary months to come!

Aisling and Fergus

Stephen's Green Lake

Me, taken by Aisling

Stephen's green evening sunshine

No comments:


text:
Family Edit

Kaho Fuyuzora Edit

Kaho is Akari's twin sister. The two are cohesive. For instance, finishing their sentence one another.

Friends Edit

Maya Sakashiro Edit

Both Akari and Kaho are willing to defend Maya when they engaged in a commotion with Setouchi's students.

Saki Hanayama Edit

Akari and Kaho are on good terms with Hanayama. The two try to revenge for her sake when Hanayama is defeated by Mio, Kotone, and Sayaka.

Ad blocker interference detected!

Wikia is a free-to-use site that makes money from advertising. We have a modified experience for viewers using ad blockers

Wikia is not accessible if you’ve made further modifications. Remove the custom ad blocker rule(s) and the page will load as expected.


WARC-Truncated: length

text:
I’m happy today. I really am despite the fact that I laid on my bed and bawled uncontrollably this morning–full on stomach lurching, body shaking, eyes swelling–an ugly cry to the utmost degree. After hours of packing last night and a heap of suitcases, bags and bins of presents next to the front door ready to be loaded up this morning, we decided to stay home. Yes…we. For the first time, I really feel unselfish–like I did something for Brett because I love him despite what everything inside me told me I wanted to do. I wanted to go to Michigan so badly–to spend Christmas Eve surrounded by family, to bundle up and sit next to my dad’s fireplace on Christmas morning with Karen Carpenter singing “Merry Christmas, Darling” in the distance while the cinnamon scent from the rolls in the oven wafts through the air and the cold snow falls silently behind the window. Don’t laugh…it’s not a storybook…it’s what it’s really like in Michigan every Christmas–magic. I had every outfit for Lainey picked out from the red plaid dress she was going to wear at my brother’s on Christmas Eve to the new green Fair Isle cardigan for Christmas morning. But, circumstances prevailed. Brett’s in the middle of selling his business, and the stress overcame him this morning as he painfully admitted that leaving for a big trip in the midst of all of this was going to put him over the edge. The word “heart attack” was mentioned, if I recall. I could have cried and told him this was too important to me and that it would kill me not to go. That’s true, but what is more true is that I love him, I love our family, and I want what is best for us regardless of how sad I am. So, instead, I cried and told him I thought it was best for us to stay. Now, I have to make the best of it. I could easily sulk and dwell on what I’m missing, but I’m not going to. For the first time, I am the matriarch of the Christmas traditions…I get to choose how we are going to do this. I will make cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning and play Karen Carpenter’s “Merry Christmas, Darling.” I will spray fake snow on the windows and tell the kids we are in Michigan. I will light a fire and choose to be happy. It’s Lainey’s first Christmas, and it WILL be magical. So, for now, I unpack and do things that make me happy, like take pictures of Lainey.

The day after Christmas, I will go to Michigan for three days with Lainey to do a quick Christmas with my family. And, I just bought my mom a ticket to come spend Christmas with us. I am choosing to be happy.

Leave a Comment
  1. I love you and your Christmas. And yes, your lucky mom got a sneak peek at the baby in what marked the first year of our new christmas tradition: desserts at the Walnut Room at Marshall Fields (refuse to call it Macy’s). I almost didn’t go. It was storming out, baby was cranky, and I was irritated that my mom couldn’t plan anything right. And then they ended up at the Walnut room and I traipsed in as they were getting dessert, and they were the last people there and the tree was still lit and in the midst of my grumpiness, I realized: this is new to my dauther. She loves it, the lights, the faces… she had no idea what was going on othe than it was a celebration. So that’s our new tradition. Miss you. XO (sorry for the long comment)

  2. daughter. Man, I had to ruin such a nice comment with such an ugly typo! =)

  3. You’ll have a taste of both worlds this Christmas!!! It’s a win win for everyone! I love your attitude!!! xoxox

  4. Kelly you will not regret your decision! You’re doin’ the right thing, and you’ll be amazed at what beautiful memories will come out of this Christmas…even the “missing” memories (the sad ones!) Love you.

  5. you’re a great wife!

    you’re a great mom!

    kudos on doing the right thing for your family!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes:   <acronym title="">
      <q cite=""> <s>


text:
Orthodontic Emergencies

Orthodontic emergencies typically involve a loose or broken brace or wire that is poking AND is causing discomfort. Please be aware that a broken appliance that is not causing discomfort can typically wait until normal business hours to be repaired. Call our office immediately at (843) 856-9323 if you have an emergency so we can create a time to see you.

Many times, you can fix a broken appliance at home. Watch this video to find out how to repair common problems.

Wire Irritation

For temporary relief, place wax over the part of the appliance that is causing discomfort. If wax doesn’t resolve the problem, try clipping the wire with sterile nail clippers or scissors. Call the office to make a repair appointment.

Small Spaces Developing Between Your Teeth

Don’t panic! This is usually normal and expected as teeth move into different positions, particularly in the early stages of treatment. Don’t worry – we will close them as treatment progresses.

Loosening of Teeth

This is to be expected throughout treatment and is completely normal! Teeth must loosen first so they can move. Over time, the teeth will again become rigidly fixed in their new, corrected positions.

If a Separator Comes Out

Separators help open spaces to fit bands. Contact our office, and we’ll let you know whether you need an appointment to have a new separator placed.

If a Bracket Comes Loose from a Tooth

Call our office to schedule a repair visit. Broken appliances will delay treatment time and need to be repaired as soon as possible.

Importance of Rubber Bands

Rubber bands should be worn as instructed to stay on track with treatment. If you forget how to wear them, please call the office for over-the-phone instructions.

If You Experience Trauma to the Mouth

Contact your dentist immediately. After seeing your family dentist, please call our office so that we can take care of dislodged or displaced teeth or damage to orthodontic appliances. If you are unable to reach your family dentist, call our office and we will be happy to assist you in the care of the injury.


text:
Tuesday, October 4, 2011

cloud show

I believe the merging of summer and fall have made the clouds "show off" if you will.  Here in south east Virginia "Chesapeake" "Hampton Roads" our weather is off kilter.  It decides what it will, not the weather man.  So many times our weather predictions have been wrong.  Dead Wrong.

:::Enjoy the Cloud Show:::

:::Neptune Festival::::

Every year in Virginia Beach,  sand sculptors from around the world come to compete against one another in what I consider to be art at one of its most finicky of mediums.  Sculpting with sand.  The sculptor must embody patience.  These sculptures are based around the following:  Neptune (King of the sea), Fish, Space and Time, whirlpools, and a hint of infinity.

Yes, this is all sand.  Incredible.

No comments:


WARC-Identified-Payload-Type: application/xhtml+xml

text:
Ken Forrester Tasting Room Experiences
We surprise our guests with a selection of tasting experiences. A seasonal cheese platter, matched with a selected wine Cupcakes infused with T Noble Late Harvest and a glass of this golden wine. An IPA style beer brewed in a barrel that was used for T Noble Late Harvest, served from a tap in the wall! Scintillating Sauvignon salmon sushi and singular shoe pairing. We rotate the experiences, please contact us for more details on the current offers.

published on: 05 August 2014
Tel: +27.218552374   Fax: +27.218552373   Email:
Scholtzenhof farm, 96 Winery Road P.O. Box 1253 , Stellenbosch, 7599, South Africa


text:
Sweet Shot Tuesday 107

Sweet Shot Tuesday with Kent Weakley

With summer in full swing now, I’m sure your camera is clicking away. However, I need to tell you about a little secret, it happens twice a day and its the most beautiful light you’ll ever shoot. What am I talking about? Well, BLUE HOUR of course. Join Us starting this Friday for Night Photography eClass. Your images will never be the same.

It’s time for you to add your current favorite image to the collection. This isn’t about having the best shot in the world, or creating the perfect exposure. This is only about you improving your skills one image at a time, and most importantly, staying active with photography.

So, if you have a shot you’ve created recently that you like, please post it and share. And if you don’t, no problem. Go grab your camera, create something and bring it back for all of us to see. You’ll be glad you did. 🙂

Here’s some SST blog swag and all the nitty gritty details. Also, join us for Project 52 on Saturdays. Can’t wait to see what you’ve been shooting!


text:
Saturday, June 14, 2008

Throttle test

I did the first test of the throttle control of the motor and drive. Everything went well; the drive was flexible enough to account for the idiosyncracies of the ebay special throttle position sensor I am using. More good news, the motor drive will fit in the engine compartment, freeing up more space in the back, and simplifying the wiring. I am running off mains power here, but it was a good feeling sitting in my car and revving the electric motor.

Battery box

I have started a sheet metal box to hold the battery. This will be welded in place of the spare tire and gas tank. I need 100 cells, give or take, and the squarest pack I could make with about that number turned out to be 7 cells wide and 14 cells long, giving 98 cells. I started with a pristine sheet of 16 gauge steel:
Which got a little less pristine as I taught myself sheet metal fabrication:

The finger brake at TechShop wasn't big enough to bend all four sides of the box, so I had to do some old fashioned whacking it with a hammer and a dolly to get a nice fold on the last two sides. I won't show any closeups of the hammer marks.

Next, remove the gas tank. I'm going to try to find a new home for this, as it is in good shape.

Next, I had to grit my teeth and cut a bloody great hole in the bottom of my car. Not an easy thing to do with a classic car with decent sheet metal.

The hole will be bigger in the end, but I don't want to get too excited about cutting and end up getting rid of some metal that would help hold the box in later.

Test fit!

Astute readers will notice the complete lack of welds. Unfortunately, Saturday is welding class day at TechShop. so I wasn't able to get a welder all day. I need to weld some separators between the rows of cells as well.


text:
Ashley Wren
Billings, Montana United States

Owns Horse(s)? Yes

What does being a Kerrits Ambassador mean to you? It allows me to support a brand that has been part of my riding as long as I can remember.

What are your passions as a rider and ambassador? As a rider, trainer, show manager, and being an ambassador: I am passionate about horses, keeping myself to high standards and represent not only myself but Kerrits too.

What is your connection to Kerrits? They have been part of my life as long as I can remember, as a child the carrot seeds were exciting bonus that I got to look forward to growing.  My horses had the opportunity to enjoy the brand as much as I have over the years.

back to all ambassadors


text:
Tuesday, April 09, 2013

Petition against Michigan wolf hunt submitted; Natural Resources Commission to consider DNR wolf hunt proposal

By Michele Bourdieu, with information from a Mar. 27, 2013, Keep Michigan Wolves Protected press release and from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Upper Peninsula coordinator for Keep Michigan Wolves Protected Adam Robarge gives instructions as Northern Michigan University students and others line up at NMU on Feb. 27, 2013, to help protect Michigan wolves by forcing a referendum in the fall of 2014 that could at least temporarily halt a proposed Michigan wolf hunt. (File photo © and courtesy Greg Peterson)

LANSING -- Keep Michigan Wolves Protected submitted 253,705 signatures to the Secretary of State’s office, that, when certified, will place any plans for a wolf hunting season on hold until Michigan voters decide the issue at the ballot box in November 2014. During a short 67-day period, the coalition far surpassed the 161,305 valid signatures needed to qualify for the ballot.

"The public response over the past few months has been tremendous, and it demonstrates that Michigan voters in every corner of the state oppose the pointless trophy hunting of wolves," said Jill Fritz, director of Keep Michigan Wolves Protected. "Mounting a petition drive in the dead of winter and collecting a quarter of a million signatures in 67 days has been a monumental feat. We look forward to giving Michigan voters -- not the politicians -- the opportunity to decide whether to keep wolves protected or to allow sport hunting and trapping of these rare creatures just beginning to recover from the brink of extinction."

Across the entire state, hundreds of thousands of Michiganders have spoken with their pens to tell legislators that they were wrong in approving a wolf hunting bill (Public Act 520, the wolf hunting law) last December.*

Natural Resources Commission to consider wolf hunt issue at Apr. 11, 2013, meeting

Meanwhile the agenda for the Michigan Natural Resources Commission meeting this Thursday, April 11, in Lansing includes presentations from two external experts on wolf management: Chris Smith, western representative of the Wildlife Management Institute and former policy advisor to the governor of Montana on wolf and grizzly bear management; and Jim Hammill, a member of the board of directors of Safari Club International and former member of the International Wolf Center board.

State law authorizes that the Natural Resource Commission to determine the method and manner of take for all game species in Michigan. A Department of Natural Resources (DNR) proposal for a public harvest of wolves will be presented to the committee. The proposal is for discussion only and will not be acted upon at the April meeting.**

Adam Robarge, Upper Peninsula coordinator for Keep Michigan Wolves Protected, says his organization will be represented at the NRC meeting. Robarge organized several UP petition signings, including those in Marquette and Houghton reported on Keweenaw Now.***

Nancy Warren, Great Lakes Regional director of the National Wolfwatcher Coalition, who spoke about the wolf hunt issue in Houghton on Feb. 9, 2013, has already testified before the Natural Resources Commission. For this April 11 NRC meeting, she submitted a letter to the commission on Apr. 8, 2013, listing serious concerns with Wildlife Conservation Order Amendment 6 of 2013, Wolf Regulations.****

Nancy Warren, Volunteer Speakers Bureau coordinator for the Timber Wolf Alliance (TWA) and National Wolfwatcher Coalition Great Lakes Regional director, presents "Co-Existing with Wolves" at the Portage Lake District Library on Feb. 9, 2013. She is projecting here a photo of a wolf taken near her driveway at her home near Ewen, Mich. (File photo by Keweenaw Now)

"At the March 14th NRC meeting it was decided to step up the timeline regarding a public wolf hunting season," Warren writes in her letter. "The National Wolfwatcher Coalition serves on the Wolf Management Advisory Council (WMAC) and although we have met three times since June 2012, we never had the opportunity to discuss or even review this proposal, leaving the WMAC out of the process.

"Questions raised during the March public meetings were to be answered and posted to the DNR website along with the most current depredation and conflict information. As of this writing, this has not been done. A survey was conducted at each of the meetings; however survey results have not yet been tabulated or shared with the public."

Warren notes her disappointment that the NRC has ignored scientific evidence that questions the need for a wolf hunt in Michigan.

"It is disappointing that the April NRC agenda did not include two leading Michigan wolf researchers, Rolf Peterson and John Vucetich," Warren adds. "It seems apparent that the NRC is only interested in input from those who support a hunting season."*****

During the Feb. 9, 2013, presentation on wolves and petition signing event at Portage Lake District Library in Houghton, wildlife biologist Leah Vucetich reads a message from her husband, John Vucetich, Michigan Tech professor and co-director of the Isle Royale Wolf-Moose Study, in which he gives reasons why a general wolf hunt does not target an offending animal and is not based on scientific knowledge about wolves. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

In her letter to NRC, Warren cites scientific studies in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota -- refuting claims that wolves have caused a decline in deer populations.

"Data compiled by Mississippi State University, over a three year period, in Menominee County [Michigan] shows the coyote as the leading predator of deer, including fawns and adult females, followed by the bobcat," Warren notes as one example.

Warren also notes that Michigan's Wolf Management Plan states wolf-related conflicts should be handled on an individual basis.

She writes, "The recommending guidelines approved by the Michigan wolf roundtable states, 'In recent years, Michigan wolves have been killed on a case-by-case basis by government personnel for the purpose of addressing wolf-related conflicts. All reason suggests wolves will continue to be killed for this purpose. The DNR can use hunters for this [emphasis added] management need. Satisfying, in part, the interest to recreationally hunt would be an outcome of killing wolves to address wolf-related conflicts.'  This was the only use of hunters that was agreed upon by the Roundtable."

Warren adds that the proposed regulations conflict with the Wolf Management Plan because they expand the use of hunters and trappers as a management tool.

She gives the following summary of points she wishes the NRC will consider:
  • "The proposed wolf regulations have been submitted  without the input of the WMAC
  • The Wolf Management Units are too large and must be reduced to target the few packs that may be responsible for depredation
  • This proposal essentially creates a recreational hunting/trapping season because it includes wolf packs not directly responsible for livestock depredation
  • We do not support baiting, trapping or night hunting
  • DNR has not provided the data to support this proposal and has not established that a hunting /trapping season will reduce conflicts."
At their Apr. 11 meeting, immediately following a conservation award presentation, the NRC will hear comments from the public. Those wishing to make public comments before the NRC should contact Deb Whipple, executive assistant to the NRC, at 517-373-2352 or whippled1@michigan.gov to register. If unable to attend the meeting, the public may also submit written comments to Deb Whipple via email or to Natural Resources Commission, P.O. Box 30028, Lansing, MI 48909.**

Petition could suspend implementation of wolf hunting law

More than 2,000 Michigan residents volunteered for Keep Michigan Wolves Protected, a coalition of animal welfare groups, conservationists, veterinarians, Native American tribes and faith leaders -- to gather signatures during sub-freezing temperatures. The volunteers participated in more than 700 events statewide, most of them outdoors.

By the time Keep Michigan Wolves Protected received approval for the wording by the Board of State Canvassers and printed petitions, the 90-day petition period prescribed by law had dwindled down to only 67 days to complete the task. The most common response heard by signature gatherers -- whether they were in Houghton, Marquette, Detroit, Kalamazoo, Petoskey or Lansing -- was "Thank you for being here and speaking up for our wolves."

Once submitted, the Board of State Canvassers has 60 days, with an option of 15 additional days, to determine if the petitions contain enough valid signatures. If so, implementation of Public Act 520, the wolf hunting law, will be suspended pending the outcome of the November 2014 vote.

Wolves have been protected in Michigan for almost 50 years after being hunted to the brink of extinction. After more than four decades of protection, there are fewer than 700 wolves in Michigan. Despite the wolf population's fragile status, the Michigan legislature rushed a bill through last year’s session authorizing a sport hunting season for wolves -- opening the door to the same practices that virtually eradicated their population in the first place.

It’s already legal in Michigan to kill wolves in order to protect livestock or dogs, making a sport hunting and trapping season unnecessary. People don’t eat wolves, and it’s just pointless trophy hunting for no good purpose. Wolf hunting may involve especially cruel and unfair practices, such as painful steel-jawed leghold traps, hunting over bait, and even using packs of dogs to chase down and kill wolves.

Michigan residents interested in volunteering, donating or learning more about the issue can visit KeepWolvesProtected.com.

* Click here for PA 520, the wolf hunt bill, introduced by Michigan Sen. Tom Casperson (R-Escanaba).

** Click here for the Natural Resources Commission agenda for their Apr. 11, 2013, meeting.

*** See our Feb. 15, 2013, article, "Video report: Presentation on wolves offers facts, petition signing opportunity" and the March 10, 2013, article, "Petition signing to protect wolves continues in Marquette," by Greg Peterson. See also our Jan. 29, 2013, article, "KBIC Elder speaks against wolf hunt at DNR Citizens' Advisory Council meeting."

**** Click here for the DNR Memorandum to the Natural Resources Commission, proposing a public harvest of wolves, to be presented to the NRC at their Apr. 11 meeting.

***** Click here to read a statement by John Vucetich, "Some Reasons to Oppose Wolf Hunting in Michigan."

No comments:


text:
Follow storms on KFOR live interactive radar

Baby to be taken off life support after parents lose court appeal

LONDON – The legal fight is over: A hospital in the UK will take an infant off life support after his parents failed to convince a court that he could be saved with an experimental treatment.

The European Court of Human Rights ruled Tuesday that keeping 10-month-old Charlie Gard alive would do nothing but prolong his pain, reports the Guardian. He suffers from a rare disease known as mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome, and parents Chris Gard and Connie Yates wanted to take him to the US for experimental treatment.

His UK doctors, however, say it’s hopeless, and parents’ rights are not absolute in the UK in such cases, explains CNN. A number of courts ruled against them, with their last hope being the ECHR.

But the seven justices declined to overrule the British courts. “The decision is final,” said the ruling. Charlie is currently on life support at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, and a spokesperson said the hospital would not “rush” to take him off it.

“Our priority is to provide every possible support to Charlie’s parents as we prepare for the next steps.” The details on where Charlie’s parents had wanted to take him in the US have been kept under wraps during the legal wrangling, and supporters had raised more than $1.6 million to cover expenses.

Medical experts in Britain said the treatment had no chance of saving the infant, but his parents made the case on their website that it was worth a try.

“He literally has nothing to lose but potentially a healthier, happier life to gain,” they wrote.


text:
7 December 2010

Before the cold front arrives, I take Mom to Mia. Meanwhile, Mia makes soaps for her auntie and 99. Well, I do a little help too. Mia's baby girl is 8 kg now, but I don't feel her weight so heavy at all. Anyway, now, I am not allowed to carry heavy stuff or pick up things above my shoulder. But there is a great advantage is I can eat as much or often as I can. This is the new restaurant in the corner of Mia's apartment. There are simple dishes and so tasty. 99 really likes them. The soap will be ready in 2 months, it'll be on time for 99 to use. Can't wait to see it. 40 days to see 99!

No comments:


text:
Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (neg. no. LC-USZ62-25776)

(1783–1819). Martin Van Buren, like his predecessors Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson, had no wife when he became the president of the United States. His wife, Hannah Hoes Van Buren, had died from tuberculosis 18 years before he became the country’s eighth president in 1837, and he never remarried.

Hannah Hoes was born on March 8, 1783, in Kinderhook, N.Y. She and Martin Van Buren were distant cousins and childhood sweethearts. They married in…

Click Here to subscribe


text:
Alpha Centuri

Alpha Centauri is a Binary star system, the nearest star system from Sol at 4.37 light years from Earth. The system holds two habitable planets, Helghan and Vekta, with the former orbiting Alpha Centauri A and the latter orbiting Alpha Centauri B. Humans and Helghast can be found here, living on Vekta and Helghan respectively. The events of the Killzone series takes place in this system.

Discovery and colonization plansEdit

The Alpha Centuari System was first surveyed in 2111 by exploration ships launched 10 years prior. Two planets were discovered, one being almost earth-like, while the other being barren. It was selected for colonization and to serve as a 'hub' system as a starting point for future colonization attempts.

The system was originally going to be colonized directly by the United Colonial Nations, but following the presumed destruction of six UCN colony ships in 2116 in the "Omen" incident, the UCN opened up colonization rights to bidding by private companies in return for 10% of profits to make up for financial losses. The Helghan Corporation won the bidding easily due to it securing a generous credit from the Interplanetary Banking Guild. Some accused the corporation of bribery and rigging the vote, due to the speed of the victory and the presence of an almost-completed colonization fleet; these accusations were not proved.

Helghan Corporation colonizes Alpha CentauriEdit

The Helghan Corporation's fleet launched in 2118, entering Alpha Centauri in 2128. Errors cause 2% of the Colonists to die en route. The first planet encountered by the fleet was the barren planet, and was christened "Helghan" after the corporation. Further studies by scientists on the fleet show Helghan was rich with resources, but was uninhabitable due to its lack of light and oxygen, barren terrain, and dangerous storms. Scientists and volunteers quickly set up a prefabricated space station to manage automated factories on the planet. The rest of the colonization fleet moved on to the more Earth-like planet, which they named 'Vekta' after the Helghan CEO Philip Vekta.

During the years of 2129-2130, 12 colonies were established on Vekta. Thanks to the planet's abundance, Vekta was able to feed itself. Another wave of colonial fleets passes through the system in 2133, en route to the nearby Altair System. The same year, the ISA branch in Alpha Centauri was established.

By 2135, the colonies on Vekta stabilized and the Helghan Corporation begins to reap profits by charging ships which refueled at its station orbiting Helghan. Profits from mining on Helghan is rolling in and the quality of life for the colonists was high. On 2138, the Helghan Protectorate was established and provides a government under ISA authority to maintain Vekta and operations on Helghan. An independent militia was also formed, though the ISA puts limitations on it.

Helghan became very profitable once factories and infrastructure was completed in 2149, allowing for the Helghan Corporation to sell more energy to ships which stopped at the Helghan space station. Most of the Helghan Corporation relocated to Vekta to better administrate their businesses. They reorganize into the civil Helghan Administration on 2152, taking over the duties of the Helghan Protectorate from the ISA. On 2155, the Helghan Administration managed to buy the Alpha Centauri system from the UCN.

First Extrasolar WarEdit

During 2156-2190, the Helghan Administration became very powerful from their control of Alpha Centauri. The necessity of ships to pass through the system provided a guaranteed income for the government, and the mining of Helghan proved to be very lucrative. The shipyard became the largest outside of Earth, and many shipbuilders relocate from Sol to Alpha Centauri. The Helghan Administration's control over space travel leads to tensions between the UCN and the Helghan Administration builds up. This culminates to the secession of the system from the UCN in 2199. The Helghan Administration moved against the ISA forces in the early 2200, prompting a response from the UCA. The First Extrasolar War began in earnest, and while the Helghan were victorious at first these victories fall short of quelling the ISA who began waging guerrilla warfare against their foe, bleeding Helghast troops slowly for 2 years. When the UCA fleet arrives Helghast forces were destroyed by the superiority of the UCA. By 2202, the Helghan Administration was defeated, and many of the senior officials arrested. Much of the stations orbiting Helghan were destroyed or heavily damaged. The ISA took authority of Vekta and asserted control over the system's economy and forcibly disarmed the Helghast.

Interwar and the Second Extrasolar WarEdit

During 2204-2210, Helghan loyalists on Vekta relocated to colonies on Helghan to escape from ISA occupation. Settlements were created on Helghan by 2220, and industries were rebuilt to give Helghan a source of income. Once the third generation of humans on Helghan were born on 2305 and shaped by the environment of the planet, the Helghast become a unique group.

The ISA fleet in Alpha Centauri was reduced during this time, and by 2304 it is mostly replaced by orbital space defense platforms around Vekta.

2335-2350 saw a depression on Helghan as more of their profits were taken by Vektan administrators, leading to more animosity in the system. The charismatic Scolar Visari rose to power on Helghan, seizing power in 2347. Visari proclaimed the Helghast to be a unique race, shaped Helghan into a power, and overcome the trade sanctions placed on Helghan. A second defense platform program around Vektan was launched in 2356.

On 2357, Visari acts against the ISA in Alpha Centauri, swiftly seizing Vekta. By the end of 2358, however, the Helghast were pushed off Vekta. The ISA fleet launched an invasion of Helghan in 2359, but face stiff resistance from Helghast forces. Despite the death of Scolar Visari and the destruction of the capital city Pyrrhus, the Helghans managed to gain an upper hand on the ISA, ensuring that the war in Alpha Centauri was not over yet.

  • Alpha Centuari is featured in numerous Sci-Fi works, and is often the first system Humans reach.

See alsoEdit

Ad blocker interference detected!

Wikia is a free-to-use site that makes money from advertising. We have a modified experience for viewers using ad blockers

Wikia is not accessible if you’ve made further modifications. Remove the custom ad blocker rule(s) and the page will load as expected.


text:
Friday, July 15, 2011

Saying Goodbye

Saying goodbye to friends that traveled a long distance to be with you and share in your passion for art is a hard thing to do. Even though I know I`ll see them again, I`m still having gal pal withdrawls *sob*....Ever happen to you??

Now I`m plotting and planning for a workshop next year! Intimate and small...that`s how I like it.

  1. Hi Kimmy! Sounds like you made great memories. Cheer up little buckaroo!

  2. Our classes were so awesome and I learned so much!! Fun times were had! Miss you girls!!

  3. So sweet, You studio is really looking great. Good friends are hard to find.
    Old soft pink velvet flowers twinkling with rhinestones just showered down and were captured in pink netting at the Rare Bird. They are trapped behind glass but destined to fly away soon. Its rumored that more colors in blues,
    purple and tan are hiding in different places under fairy wings.


text:
It’s beginning to look a lot like…

Holiday marketing ideas from Kim Schlossberg Designs

I know – we just got past Labor Day! I’m with you – I’m not even ready to see Halloween things in the stores yet. But still, if we want to give our businesses and organizations the best chance to have a really successful holiday season, we need to start planning now. Here are some September tasks that can make December more fun and successful.

Events – if you’re planning on having a holiday event this year, this is time to get your venue and dates locked down. The best venues book up early. Once the date and place are locked down, it’s time to work on the theme of the event, and then the invitations, decorations, and any gifts you’re giving out. The earlier you start working on it, the more options you have.

Client gifts – Do you give your clients a gift every year? If so, this is a good time to start planning. Make your list, and start looking for a unique, memorable gift that your clients will love and that expresses your business branding.

Greeting cards – My personal favorite! I custom design and print a unique holiday card every year. And yes, I need to start thinking about it now! If you want us to design a special card (or calendar) for you, it would be fantastic to go ahead and get started!

For Kim Schlossberg Designs, I do something a little different. Every year I feature a small, local non-profit organization on the back of my cards. It’s pretty expensive to print and mail out several hundred cards, so I want to make a bigger impact in the world for that expense. So one of my fun projects at the end of the year is to pick a new, interesting, worthy non-profit to give a little free publicity. I tried another new tactic. Last year it was because time got away from me – this year it will be intentional because it was so popular. My cards will be coming out as New Year’s cards. Watch this space for this year’s card.

Fundraising – All nonprofits are trying to boost their year-end fundraising. How can you participate in Giving Tuesday ( What can you do to set yourself apart from the crowd, and hopefully get a bigger piece of the pie?

Special Sales – Many businesses, especially B-to-Cs, make special offers and sales around the holidays, of course. American Express launched Small Business Saturday on the first Saturday after Thanksgiving. This event is designed to increase sales for small businesses and encourage shoppers to support their small, local businesses. Is it a good fit for you as a business (or as a shopper)?

Vacations – While we’re getting ready for the holidays, it’s time to think about if you and your staff are going to take any time off. If so, start making plans to manage work while you’re gone, or before you leave.

Some fun holiday marketing ideas

Last year, Hubspot sent out this compilation of 18 Brilliant Examples of Holiday Marketing Campaigns, but they sent it on December 14! Here it is, early enough in the year that you can be inspired by it.

Let me know if you’d like us to help you plan and carry out your holiday marketing!

Kim Schlossberg
Follow me

Kim Schlossberg

Owner, designer, marketer at Kim Schlossberg Designs
Kim Schlossberg
Follow me

Latest posts by Kim Schlossberg (see all)


text:
Tuesday, May 02, 2006

They let me out of my Tower…

I recently got an email from another blogger and it made me realize that I needed to find the time to write more often. There’s so much to write about and so little time these days. I’ve only got a few minutes tonight, so I thought I’d give a preview of some of the things that I’ll be writing about soon:

  1. Being served and going to court again for the medical bills I was planning on taking her to court for. I won, completely and easily. There’s a lot more to the story than that, however.
  1. My car’s deteriorating health. With the bucking it’s currently subjecting me to I am considering a side-career as a Rodeo Rider (though a job as a clown would fit me better…).
  1. Getting used to a good relationship – Curly’s still around, and, as a kicker, my son loves her.
  1. Getting used to more paranoia from the Ex. She’s grilled our son for details, and knows Curly’s name. She recently mumbled a comment about wanting to “inspect” where I’m living. Not a chance.
  1. My son – The Best Little Boy Ever Born. Although he now tells me, at just over three, that he’s a big boy. He’s started emulating me: when he heard my favorite color was green he decided it was his favorite too. He likes to do things at the same time with me too – like drink our drinks when we’re eating.
  1. Going to a pediatrician’s appointment with him and the Ex. She didn’t like me being there, but that’s just too bad. I got to listen to her try to convince the doctor that our son had Obsessive Compulsive Disorder…because he liked to eat the same foods all the time and he once told his preschool teacher he wanted her to clean the bathroom three times. The doctor pretty much put that idea out to pasture.

That’s just a start – what I could come up with in the short time I have to sit here tonight.


text:
Monday, April 8, 2013

Learn ART in One Year!

Yes! Forget those hoity-toity university programs that want you to hand over your hard-earned life savings. That want four years of your life, and then a few for post-graduate work. That want to judge your worthiness on the basis of your portfolio. That want you to travel to where they are. That assign homework.

Here are a few excerpts from LESSON 1 (Which I suppose we are to study for a week, as there are 52 "lessons" in the book):
What is Drawing?

The techniques of drawing are simple and easily acquired. As you shall see, they require no particular gift--they require only the application of common sense.

To draw a line or to apply color you must use a part of your body. Drawing therefore develops in you a certain amount of manual dexterity, a certain ability--in other words, a certain technique.

I hope that you are as excited as I am that
in 52 short weeks we can LEARN ART!

No comments:

Post a Comment


text:
Friday, April 1, 2016

Fab Finds Friday outfit for under $100!

Since the time I started this blog, my style and taste has changed. I think as i've grown, so has my blog and I want to stay true to who I am and what I would wear on a regular basis. I obviously don't post a lot of items from F21 anymore, and like things that are quality vs. quantity.  However, I do understand that a lot of my readers probably liked that I didn't post things that were expensive, and a lot of the time even under $30. So, I've decided to dedicate one Friday a month with an outfit under $100! Now obviously I am not including accessories in the total of this outfit, because I know everyone has different taste and accessories are pretty personal from person to person. Todays outfit is all about SPRING and everything I'm wearing (minus accessories) is major ON SALE! This gingham peplum comes in two colors and is perfect for layering, or by itself in the summer. Plus, gingham print gets me EVERY time!

Gingham Print Peplum (on sale) $16
Cardigan (on sale) $9
white denim with discount code $45.40
Wedges: (similar) $28

Hope you all are having a wonderful Friday!

Cardigan | Peplum (ON SALE!!!) | Denim | Wedges (on sale) similar here or here  | Crossbody c/o Sole Society | Necklace: c/o Traci Lynn Jewelry | Bracelets: c/o Traci Lynn Jewelry

Boys Spring Outfits: Shirts (on sale) | T-shirts (on sale) | Pants (on sale) | Shoes (on sale)

© Kiss Me Darling | All rights reserved.
Blogger Template Developed by pipdig


text:
Getting a list of tables in an org-buffer

| categories: org-mode | tags: | View Comments

In a large document it might be nice to quickly get a list of tables. Preferrably by clicking on a link that generates the list, and exports appropriately, e.g. listoftables for LaTeX. A link like this:

Before getting to the code that does what we need, let us make some tables. We make three different kinds of tables for fun. A named table, an unnamed table, and a table with a caption.

1 2
a b
t y
5 6
Table 1: column of numbers

We would like a function that creates a buffer with a list of the tables, and links to them. We include the table name, and caption if there is one. We will create an org-buffer, and use org-links to the tables. Here is a link definition that will do that.

 (lambda (link-string)
   (let* ((c-b (buffer-name))
          (counter 0)
           (org-element-map (org-element-parse-buffer 'element) 'table
             (lambda (table)
               "create a link for to the table"
               (incf counter)
               (let ((start (org-element-property :begin table))
                     (name  (org-element-property :name table))
                     (caption (caaar (org-element-property :caption table))))
                 (if caption
                      "[[elisp:(progn (switch-to-buffer \"%s\")(goto-char %s))][table %s: %s]] %s\n"
                      c-b start counter (or name "") caption)
                    "[[elisp:(progn (switch-to-buffer \"%s\")(goto-char %s))][table %s: %s]]\n"
                    c-b start counter (or name ""))))))))
     (switch-to-buffer "*List of Tables*")
     (insert (mapconcat 'identity list-of-tables ""))))
 (lambda (keyword desc format)
    ((eq format 'latex)
     (format "\\listoftables")))))

A list of figures would only be a little trickier. You would map over the links, and find the file type links that have a select number of extensions, e.g. png, jpg, etc…

Copyright (C) 2014 by John Kitchin. See the License for information about copying.

org-mode source

Org-mode version = 8.2.5h

blog comments powered by Disqus


text:
Friday, 24 October 2014

Premarital Decisions About Non-Optional Matters

     Marrying someone other than a faithful member of the Lord’s church was never a personal option for me. I couldn’t imagine spending my life with someone with whom I wasn’t going to spend eternity. Neither did I want to marry a person with whom I couldn’t pray. If God ever blessed me with children, I didn’t want them growing up in a religiously divided home and likely influenced to take the wrong spiritual path. I determined that if my future wife and I couldn’t go to church together and serve the Lord together, I’d rather be single. And the kind of woman I wanted to marry had to have the same high expectations.

     I’m thankful that I eventually found my prospective bride, and during our courtship she and I discussed other fundamental convictions we needed to share. We both agreed that we ought not wait until after the “I do’s” were said to sort out critical issues. Decisions were mutually reached and set in granite before making such a monumental commitment. Here are some of the things we have never allowed to be optional in our marriage.

1. Divorce. We promised each other that the word “divorce” would not be part of our vocabulary. Our wedding vows included a lifelong devotion to God and to each other, which we have taken very seriously. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matthew 19:6b NKJV). Despite the not-so-enjoyable rough patches we have encountered along the way, even when divorce may have seemed like a tempting solution, it has never been considered. We have thus been compelled to work through challenging setbacks, ultimately making our marriage stronger.

2. Dishonesty. Trust is the foundation of any healthy relationship. From the beginning we both agreed to always be honest with each other. If one is caught off guard by the other and asked a pointed question, there is no pause to think about whether or not to be truthful. Even when it might seem unpleasant, there is no automatic switch into lying mode. Honesty really is the best policy, and the tangled web of deceit is thereby precluded. Love “rejoices in the truth” (1 Corinthians 13:6b).

3. Secrets. Keeping secrets from one another is not something my wife and I do, birthday surprises notwithstanding. We share the same bank account and checkbooks, we know each other’s personal identification numbers and passwords, and we have access to each other’s cellphones and computers. If anyone (especially a woman) wants to confide in me in the strictest of confidence, I let this person know from the start that I don’t hide anything from my wife. If she can’t know about it, then I shouldn’t be told. I can keep a secret from anyone but her. “Who can find a virtuous wife?
 For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her” (Proverbs 31:10-11a).

4. Infidelity. While I can’t imagine being unfaithful to my wife and vice versa, I am not so naïve to think that our marriage is uniquely immune from the evil allurements of this world that attack other couples. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). Making a big difference for us in avoiding this terrible pitfall are the precautions we have deliberately taken, particularly the first three non-optional matters listed above.

5. Consuming Intoxicants. I realize this is a non-issue for a lot of people, but in our premarital conversations it was a deal breaker. We have witnessed too many evils associated with beverage alcohol, and we didn’t want our family plagued by something so easily avoided. Why would we allow anything into our home that has so much destructive potential? If we have to depend on a dangerous synthetic stimulant to enjoy or improve or maintain our marriage and social life, there are deeper problems to address. “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise” (Proverbs 20:1).

6. Not Going to Church. It’s all about priorities. I want my family to be together forever. I want to help my wife and children go to heaven, I want them to help me go to heaven, and we want to take as many souls with us as we can. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:23-25). In our family, attending the assemblies of the church is not questioned, negotiated, or debated. It’s simply what we do. God is first, and our extended church family has always been and continues to be such a blessing.

     The above list will unlikely be adopted by the romance novel industry or find its way into many “happily-ever-after” self-help books. But these basic principles have significantly helped our marriage and have provided a solid basis for a healthy and stable home.

--Kevin L. Moore

Related Articles: Richard Parr's A Successful Marriage, Wes McAdams' Open Letter About Dating

Image credit:

Saturday, 18 October 2014

Called to be a Missionary (Part 3 of 3)

     In preparing for their second missionary tour, Paul and Barnabas had a decision to make – to take John Mark or not (Acts 15:36-41). God did not tell them what to do, and they ended up making opposite choices. Which one was right? Later Paul realized that his estimation of John Mark may not have been totally accurate (2 Timothy 4:11), but this is not to say he made the wrong decision. Two missionary teams going to two mission fields doing twice as much missionary work surely demonstrates that neither decision was wrong. The Lord allowed Paul and Barnabas to make their own choices, then he made sure that both decisions worked together for good.
     To be a missionary or not to be a missionary? I was told multiple times in preaching school, "If you can do something other than preach, do it" (cf. Batsell Barrett Baxter, The Heart of the Yale Lectures 6-7). The point is that you should only be a preacher if your conscience will not allow you to do anything else. The same is true of missionaries. It is not a matter of prestige, adventure, love of travel, guilt, or any other questionable motive. The bottom line is whether or not you can be comfortable doing something else. But if you carry in your heart the burden of a lost world and you have a fire burning in your bones and you can’t rest knowing that you have an untold message that has the power to save souls, then your choice ought to be clear. Paul expressed it this way: ". . . compulsion presses hard upon me; yes, woe is me, if I do not proclaim the gospel" (1 Corinthians 9:16, McCord).
     The desire to be a missionary, however, is not the only consideration. There may be some who have the aspiration but lack the fundamental people-skills, adaptability, tenacity, or other qualities necessary to be an effective missionary. While at least some of these traits can and should be developed, until then those who lack them may be better suited for other areas of service. An ill-equipped missionary can sometimes do more harm than good.
     How, then, do I determine whether or not I am suitable for the challenge and how do I go about identifying and eliminating any possible inadequacies? The best place to start is where you are right now. Get involved in the work of your local congregation, which usually requires more than just waiting to be asked. Be evangelistic – share the gospel with the unsaved people in your life right now. Take advantage of campaign opportunities, both local and abroad. Read books and articles about missionaries and missionary work. Correspond with or talk to current and former missionaries. Most Christian universities and some other church-affiliated schools offer courses in missions, cultural anthropology and evangelism, and some even coordinate missionary apprenticeship programs. Above all, be a diligent student of God’s word. Good personal study habits are indispensable. You may even consider attending a tuition-free preacher training school to enhance your study skills and increase your Bible knowledge.
     While much experience can be gained by serving the Lord at home, to a large degree the only way to fully prepare for foreign missionary work is to actually do it. There are some things you just can’t learn from a book, in a classroom, or in another unrelated environment. No matter how prepared you think you are or you think you need to be, most of your learning, growing, and maturity will develop on the mission field. There comes a time when you must step out in faith, take your tiny seeds of knowledge and limited experience, and venture into the exciting, challenging, faith-building world of cross-cultural evangelism. "Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me’" (Isaiah 6:8 NKJV).
–Kevin L. Moore

*Adapted from my book The Single Missionary [2002] 6-13.

Image credit:

Friday, 10 October 2014

Called to be a Missionary (Part 2 of 3)

     How do I know whether or not I am capable of doing missionary work (in its customarily understood sense)? Granted, we all have different abilities and not everyone is cut out to do the work of a missionary. Precious resources can be wasted and much damage caused by the wrong kind of people going to the mission field. I can’t help but wonder, though, how so many Christians seem so sure they are not cut out to be missionaries when so few have even attempted it! I have a suspicious feeling that many more could be doing effective missionary work than are currently trying.
     How, then, do I go about ascertaining what the Lord’s will is for my life? Since God "has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us . . ." (2 Peter 1:3),1 we can know, generally, what the divine will is. As a matter of fact, the will of God is something we must understand and obey (Matthew 7:21; Ephesians 5:17). But what about the particular things in one’s life that are not specifically addressed in the Bible? For example, where does the Lord want me, as an individual disciple, to "go" in order to share may faith? I can’t be everywhere at once. How can I be sure that I’m presently where I’m supposed to be? Moreover, how can I determine whether God wants me to get into full-time ministry or to seek secular employment, and which of the multiple options in either category is right for me? Is it possible to know what the Lord’s providential will is?
     "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). While we can have assurance that God providentially works in our lives, we cannot always know for sure the particulars of his providential will (cf. Esther 4:14; Philemon 15). In fact, it is probably best that we don’t know. Each of us has been created as a free moral agent with the ability to think and the freedom to choose, yet we often take this for granted and forget what a tremendous blessing it is. Admittedly, being entrusted with responsibility is not always easy. We sometimes want to say to God: "Tell me what to do," "Show me a sign," "Don’t let me make the wrong decision." Now the Lord certainly wants us to trust in, rely on, and obey him, but surely he does not want his children to be a bunch of helpless, indolent, senseless robots. If we are going to make a difference in this world, it is imperative that we develop into mature, responsible beings. And this is only possible when we have opportunities to make our own decisions, and even our own mistakes, and to learn and grow from them.
     We most often struggle with this when we naively think there is only one choice that can be "the right one." What career is the right one for me? Will I ever find that special someone who is the right one? Which mission field is the right one to choose? While preference, personality, compatibility, and other personal traits play an important part, more often than not our "best" choices extend far beyond a single option. As we travel down the road of life, we regularly come to forks in the road. Often there are several paths leading off the fork and we must decide which one to take. Equipped with a good understanding of God’s word, we can make wise, responsible choices. No matter which direction we decide to travel, as long as it is consistent with God’s overall will, and even if it turns out to be rough and bumpy, the Lord will ensure that it works out for the best. Moreover, other forks lie ahead that will enable us to change our course if necessary.
–Kevin L. Moore

      1 Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the NKJV.

*Adapted from my book The Single Missionary [2002] 6-13.

Image credit:

Friday, 3 October 2014

Called to be a Missionary (Part 1 of 3)

      How do you know whether or not you ought to pursue a career in missions? Have you been called to be a missionary? To be among "the called" (Romans 1:6) means to have been called out of darkness (1 Peter 2:9) into the fellowship of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:9).1 This call comes by way of the gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:14), which is God’s invitation to the world to be reconciled to him through Jesus. All who respond in obedient faith are "called in one body" (Colossians 3:15) and "in one hope" (Ephesians 4:4). But does this "holy calling" (2 Timothy 1:9) offer benefits without expectations? No matter how many times I read 2 Corinthians 5:17-18, it continues to say the same thing. If I am a new creation in Christ, then both privileges and responsibilities have been granted by God, "who has reconciled us to himself and [in addition] has given us the ministry of reconciliation." This ministry, which ensures that others have a chance to be reconciled to God, has not been given only to first-century apostles (Matthew 28:18-20) or merely to full-time paid evangelists (Acts 8:4), but to all who have been reconciled to God through Jesus Christ. In a sense, therefore, every Christian is called to be a missionary. The twofold question is: how and where does one fulfill this ministry?
     The body of Christ is of course comprised of individual members, each having particular talents, functions, and consequent responsibilities, contributing to the integrated work of the entire church (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). While preaching the gospel is the task of the whole body, both proclaimers and supporters, goers and senders are necessary (Romans 10:14-15; 12:4-8). This is not to say that if I put a dollar in the collection basket each week I have sufficiently fulfilled my Christian duty. While we can never repay the Lord for his manifold blessings, surely eternal life is worth more than a dollar a week! God does not simply want the meager leftovers of my paycheck but desires that I first give myself to him (cf. 2 Corinthians 8:5). What every called/reconciled individual must solemnly evaluate is: am I doing everything within my God-given capabilities to fulfill my God-given ministry of reconciliation?
     Another important consideration is "where" this ministry is to be fulfilled. The obvious answer is wherever you happen to be (Acts 11:19-20; 2 Corinthians 4:7). But since the gospel is needed everywhere, it is not simply a matter of where you are needed. You should start thinking about where you might be needed the most. Surely more Christian doctors, social workers, teachers, farmers, factory workers, businessmen, and preachers are needed in Hometown, USA. Wherever there are committed Christians faithfully serving the Lord, let us be thankful. But consider the fact that the United States comprises only about four percent of the world’s population, yet the highest percentage of full-time church workers among churches of Christ are laboring in this country. The sobering question is, who is going to help give the rest of the world an opportunity to go to heaven?2
     Are you among the vast majority saying, "Let someone else do it"? Please be aware that there is no "someone else" when it comes to fulfilling your own personal Christian duty. "Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it" (Colossians 4:17b).
–Kevin L. Moore

      1 Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the NKJV.
    2 In 1983, as I sat in his World Evangelism class at Freed-Hardeman University, Dr. Earl Edwards pricked my heart with the following statistic: the USA comprises only about 6% of the world’s population, yet approximately 95% of the gospel preachers are in this country. It was then that I made the decision to be an overseas missionary. But in all fairness, this statistic needs to be amended. Since 1983 the number of foreign missionaries supported by churches of Christ has gradually increased, while world populations have significantly increased. Another factor, which seems to have been omitted from these figures, is the number of national evangelists (not to mention other dedicated Christians) in the various mission fields around the world. Nevertheless, the number of missionaries being sent out by North American churches of Christ is still a fraction of what it ought to be.

*Adapted from my book The Single Missionary [2002] 6-13.

Image credit:


text:
Photo by Flickr user Halcyonday

Kate Davies, designer of 2008's favorite knitting pattern, Owls was disappointed to discover that her design was stolen by Red Herring and sold at UK Department store Debenhams.

Here's what Kate has to say:

When one unpacks this legal nitty-gritty, the locus of my owl sweater’s “originality” might not seem all that substantial. But in the end it is these small things – the cable placement, the circular yoke, and the proportionate cable size – that make the sweater so striking that it is now immediately recognisable. I don’t think it would be going too far to say that my design is so popular that it has become, in some respects, iconic.

Read more about it here and learn how you can help raise awareness on knitting design copyright infringement.

Pin It
Joomla SEF URLs by Artio
Terms of Service - Privacy Policy - Contact - Sitemap


text:
20 March 2013

The boy wants orange

Work progresses on the square cornered Ten Stitch Blanket for Rufus in orange and the Baktus scarf as mentioned here.

I don't like the yarn that I used for the centre, so decided to hide it with his name.  The letters were knitted from a Simply Knitting supplement.  I'm having to play with the colours as I am running out of some of the yarns, we may end up with some more brown in here too.  I worked out I should have just enough of the dark yarn to go round once more.  It will be approximately 32" square once I've finished the current round; each completed round adding 6", this blanket will fall short of the size I normally make, 54" square, unless I can find some other shades to add to it.  Still its a work in progress and only for his playhouse so I guess it doesn't really matter.  As I said the boy wanted orange, so orange he is getting.

Not much progress here, though I plan to take this to Medway Craft group tomorrow, nice to have something simple when we are chatting.

My latest issue of Simply Knitting has arrived - my plan for the afternoon is feet up with a cup of tea and my magazine, its raining so gardening is out of the question.  For more WIPs go to Tamis or Yarn Along

I selected this post to be featured on my blog’s page at Knitting Blogs.

  1. Oh, I bet Rufus is super excited to know that he's getting his orange blanket! I really like the name applique, too. I bet he'll be over the moon for it.

    1. Thanks, I hope so, he will get to see it this weekend as he's coming to stay

  2. He will love his name being on it! I just love seeing the colors flow from the center.

  3. The orange looks great, as do those letters!

  4. The knitted letters are wonderful. They'll add such a special touch, too.

  5. The orange is working out well; just wondering why there were objections. Rufus's name is a stroke of genius. Maybe extend that idea when making similar items for Rufus and Laurie so that there is no brotherly arguments over who's is who's. The blanket, the scarf - excellent work as usual Sue. xx

Thanks for leaving a comment, they are always appreciated, whether good or bad!! I like to respond to comments with an individual reply, so make sure your e-mail address is visible in your profile. I can't send a response to "no-reply" bloggers.

Yours in friendship, Sue x


text:
Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Rhinebeck - Day #1

I was lucky enough to go to New York Sheep & Wool Festival in Rhinebeck this year with a great group of friends Andrea, Tina, Jessica and Alison. I had no idea what to expect. I have been to fiber festivals in the past but none of this size or this far from home. We left early Friday morning because we had an 8 hour drive. The drive seemed to fly by because we were all so excited to get there. Tina and I managed to stay up the whole time chatting which was a good thing because Tina was driving. Andrea, Jessica and Alison were sleeping in the back and we have the pictures to prove it. Too bad they are on Tina's phone and not mine or I would show you.

We stayed at the Comfort Inn in Saguerties. We were a bit worried because it was suppose to be a two star hotel. Thankfully the rooms were nice and we didn't have bed bugs which was a bonus. Diner consisted of Subway and a glass of wine from plastic cups. We made sure to keep it classy. I think we all crashed by 10:30 or 11:00 PM on Friday. We wanted to get to bed so we could get an early start.

I guess I was the only crazy one that got up at 5:15 - 5:30. We were on the road by 8:00 AM so we could get to the festival nice and early. Our hotel was about 17 miles from the Fairgrounds so we didn't expect it to take too long. I had to take a picture of the sign with all the cute sheep.

The sign is a bit blurry but I think that is because Tina was driving 80 MPH trying to beat the crowds. Just kidding Tina!!! The sign says rain or shine and thankfully we didn't have any rain. We had strong winds in the early morning or at least while we were standing in line. I was dressed for the cool weather which was in the low to mid 50's. No one called me out for my Old Navy gloves or sweater. I even saw someone else wearing the same sweater in green so only she and I knew that we didn't knit our sweaters. Right?

The first thing that stood out to me about this festival was the number of people that attended and the diversity in the crowd. There were families, people of all ages and men in kilts. There were also no fashion rules about the number of hand knits you were allowed to wear at one time. There were lots of beautiful sweaters, hats and mittens worn by all ages.

Sanguine Gryphon was the first booth that we hit. Alison ran ahead of everyone taking out woman and children if they were in the way. Just kidding. It was hard to walk around and fondle the yarn because there were so many people trying to check out all their beautiful bases and colorways. We met Gryphon and Sarah in their lovely dresses. They are very nice and in my next Rhinebeck post I will show you the yarn that Gryphon named after my friend Andrea.

The Fold booth was also really packed because everyone was trying to score some Socks that Rock. The Spirit Trail and Brooks Farm booths were also really packed. We managed to walk through all the buildings including the ones with the animals. It was a bit overwhelming because there was so much to choose from but I did a good job not to spending all my money the first day.

By the end of the day we were all really tired. I could barely feel my legs so we decided to get some Artichokes French because all the Fried Artichokes were sold out and so were the Chicken Pot Pies. The artichokes were delicious!!! I'm glad that we all decided to eat them so all of us smelled like garlic. Hopefully we didn't have offensive garlic breath when we attended the Ravelry party that night.

In the background you can see a little bit of Alison's Mara Shawl that she finished on Friday. It turned out great and I am in love with the color she used. It was a good thing that she had the shawl because she was so excited to go that she forgot to bring a coat or sweater so she froze most of the day.

After the artichokes we decided to call it a day and head to the Ravelry party at the Elk's Lodge. We had to park at a school and wait for a bus to pick us up. We did our best to entertain ourselves but laughing is not suggested when you are cold and have to pee. I think we had to wait for 5 buses to come and go before we had our turn. When we finally got there I was just excited to see who we would see and meet.

Ysolda was there and she is absolutely adorable. Cirilia was also there, I think she was helping to guard all the items that were going to be raffled. She is even prettier in person, if that is possible.
Gudrun Johnson was there wearing her Moch Cardigan which I have in my queue and I totally need to cast on. Also one of our local celebrities Shannon Okey was there. She is a friend of a friend so I walked up t say hi to her. She was really nice and when she heard who our mutual friend was she gave me a big hug and a signed copy of her new book (The Knitgrrl Guide to Professional Knitwear Design). The party was good unfortunately none of us won any of the raffle prizes but we did get to see Jess, Casey, Mary-Heather and Sarah. I am so thankful that they created Ravelry. I have meet friends all over the world because of Ravelry.

We were home by 11:30 and in bed shortly after. Rhinebeck Day 2 and my purchases to follow.

Pretty Knitty said...

lovelovelove! I am posting about the Non-Rhinebeck trip tomorrow morning. . .

Alison said...

Great post! Cirilia really is super pretty. It's not fair. :)

Michelle said...

Looks like a fun time!!

lorenabr said...

I bet you had a great time:)

Tina said...

You know, I can always send you the "They're so cute when they're sleeping" photo if you'd like!


text:
Friday, April 4, 2008

Blog? What blog? I have a blog?

Holy crap, there are so many things on my needles right now.

When I first started knitting, I was a total project whore, with a million things going at once. Then, once I graduated to big, involved projects, I settled down and discovered that monogamy can be very satisfying and ultimately less stressful and taxing. Now, it's like I'm having a slew of mid-life crisis affairs. These little knitting flings feel so ilicit and exciting at first, but inevitably the strain of trying to divide my time and attention between all of them has become too much. It's time to stop screwing around--I have to tell my little bits on the side that our time together has to come to an end. The thing is...I'm too chickenshit to do this in person. I hate hurting feelings, ya know? But what other possible solution could there b...hey, I've got it! I'll break up with these projects on my BLOG! I love it when people post their personal business on the Internet.

Dear Hemlock Ring Blanket,

First, I'd just like to say thank you, because you've really taught me a lot. Remember that first night when we cast on, and I (rather sheepishly) told you that I'd never done a magic loop before? You were so kind, Hem, so brave and forgiving, despite what could not have been the most comfortable of cast-ons. We got through it though, you know? We stuck together and powered through those first awkward rounds, and after that, wow! You just blossomed, right in my hands. That was special for me. Really. We've had some great times together.

Still, I think we've got to face facts here. The project I fell in love with is now surrounded by inches upon inches of feather and fan. And that's not a bad thing! I like a blanket with some meat on its bones, but...and please don't think I'm shallow here, I'm just trying to be honest--going out on the town with you has become sort of difficult. It's hard to find a bag that will acommodate a project of your...size. I used to love sitting at the table with you on my lap at Knit Happens, people would look at us and smile. "What a cute couple," they would think to themselves. Lately though, I feel kind of dwarfed by you. Truthfully, these days I just find the idea of working on you very unattractive. I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be harsh, but there it is.

Now, I know this is tough. Just last night I started working the cute little (ha!) border that goes around your edge, and when that's done you will be off my needles forever. I can't bring myself to lie here--after that I'm gonna block you, and I know you're going to be a total wet blanket about it and try and stretch it out into a big long THING. And I guess that's your right--I owe you that much.

It's been fun, okay? But baby, it's over.

Dear Printemps,

We both agreed this was going to be a quick and casual affair, so I know you won't bear me any ill will when I tell you that it's time for us to part. It's not you, it's me--you're fabulous. I still get a little thrill when I see you lying there, in all your grass-green cashmere glory. I hadn't knit a scarf in so long, and then BANG! We just sort of found each other. The creative energy you inspired me to was so pleasant, so easy and fun. Remember that afternoon we spent, cuddled up on the couch together watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Magical.

Unfortunately, like so many passions that burn too brightly, too quickly, this tryst has run its course. We'll have one or two more dates, where we'll make awkward conversation and try and recapture the spark that once so enflamed us. It will be during one of these tiresome sessions that I'll look down at my hands, only to find that you're binding off. I'll feel a little sad, but mostly relieved that it's finally over. We were never meant for forever.

ann said...

you: totally cracking me up. thanks for that.

Stephanie Kendall said...

My god, you make me laugh. At least you finish these things. I'm the knitting equivalent of hiding when I see them and not answering the phone when they call...

Erin said...

I'm with Stephanie ... I just do something to make them break up with me. Like, ooops, I stepped on that needle ... sorry, guess you'll have to unravel on your own.

On a totally different note ... I see you have A Mighty Appetite in your links list. I just met Kim and she is fantastic. LOVE her. I have convinced her that she needs to teach me how to can this summer.