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Friday, December 28, 2007

Post Holiday Assessment

Alright...semi-long hiatus here from the old blog but I'm back!

Fall semester is over with no difficulty. Next semester I'm looking forward to shooting some film finally. Christmas yielded a Krasnogorsk 3 16mm film camera for myself and so I feel rather prepared. :)

If one can't tell I'm rather enamored with this hunk of Russian metal. I can't wait to shoot some footage with it!

In other news - Rock Band. I don't know if any of you have been graced with the opportunity to try this game but , for lack of better words, it rocks! Take your standard guitar hero game and then add a bass, a mic, and a drum set and that is rock band. This game, unlike the others in the genre, relies on multiplayer participation. Guitar hero is mostly a single player game where you have the option as an added bonus to plug in a second guitar and play your homies. Rock band does this as well but you can also choose to do a band tour where you and your buddies play and progress to the goal of rockin' the world. My brothers and I named our band "teh Griffin" and I have to admit we do rock. My character is a pirate with nimble fingers made for sliding through solos. Andrew's character is a hardcore hitter who isn't afraid to spank his drum set in public. Then finally there is Ryan...we put him on mic and he does pretty well...granted he doesn't always know the words. His Character is a bit emo but that doesn't hold him back from affecting the crowd with his mass vocals!

My favorite song in the whole game has to be Boston's Foreplay/long time. I was SOOO excited when I first got a chance to play it. I always thought to myself that that song would be a great one for guitar hero. I absolutely love that now with rock band I can play just about every instruments' part in that song now, save for the that's coming next I bet.

Rock band is no doubt a great game but one must ask one's self whilst playing...well, why don't I just get real instruments and play those...

It is a bit silly I think to look at yourself while playing and realize that - except for the singer - you're not really playing these instruments....they're toys. They might as well just sell a big box with the actual instruments. Wanna start a band? Okay lets go buy....blahblahblah and start one. Could that be rock band's founding company Harmonix's wide rockouts! A world where those that can't rock are labeled obsolete and then exterminated...maybe we would live in a better world. At least there would be good music before we die.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

I know it has been on all your minds...why the crazy villain 'stache. Because! I've been called Luigi, Dali, Snidely Whiplash, and sinister. I've been called pretentious, over-zealous, and shameless. I agree with you all. I don't use hairspray as doing so would 'cause brain damage and provide trips that I just don't want to go on. I use Clubman Mustache Wax:

It is simple to apply and smells like the air after a light rain. My reason for growing the 'stache is quite unclear even to me. Everyone wants a reason especially since I've been curling the ends lately. I just like it. My favorite characters from the old silent, noir, and western films I believe have a large subconscious influence on me. I also believe that Brandon Flowers, the lead singer for The Killers, and his recent mustache growth was a trigger for me. Whatever the reason may be the fact remains...I like my mustache. Your last and final question, I'm sure is how long will this "phase" of mine's your answer:

(All in due time! Muahaha!)

The Columbian Review

Hello my faithful readers (I think I can pluralize that...),

Just putting out a notice for a new project that I'm working on. My roommate Adam and I have started a restaurant review page and have titled the project the Columbian review. We originally named it the Bearnaise Buddies but I believe that name to be a bit too cheeky. So far all we have posted is our mission statement but our first Vlog is in the woodworks and will be posted as our first video review of a place called the Thai Spice. Be sure to check out the link under my Friendlies section on the right column of this page. If you like what you see bookmark it and be sure to keep an eye out for new reviews as our restaurant quest matures. I'm honestly quite excited about the idea. As we progress through our reviews you may find other tidbits such as mini cooking show segments where Adam and I will show easy and tasty ways to make some of our own favorite dishes. Production is still pretty early as far as the site goes so expect changes and additions as time goes on and as I have a more free schedule to fiddle around with the layout. Until we get things going spread the word and keep checking the site for any new developments.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Nick & Susan

Here's our three minute film:

Nick & Susan

Feel free to leave comments and give a rating.
Again thanks to everyone who helped out!

Monday, October 15, 2007

Thanks everyone!

Although our efforts were in vain, working with you all was exciting and a privelage that no award from any big name company could ever award.About a week or two ago my roommate sent me an e-mail regarding an Apple sponsored contest called the 24 hour insomnia film festival. The idea was intriguing enough...24 hours to write-shoot-edit-post a 3 minute film using 3 of 10 prompts that are given to you at 9a.m. eastern time. The winning teams would be picked by the public for one prize package and by a panel of judges containing renowned directors and other such "pros". The prizes themselves were 5 apple mac book pros with a myriad of apps for editing and such.

Well Adam and I got a team together and started off. The team consisted of 5 people -

Gunnar Jebsen
David Aragoni
Jordon Hoeft

Since Gunnar is a graduate he couldn't technically be in the festival so we just credited him as our sound guy in the credits and had Adam's GF Erin (whom was basically already a team member with all the work she had put in) register herself in lieu of Gunnar.

We've spent the past week planning and getting everything together from elaborating on an idea of Adam's to pooling equipment and people. At the film building here at Columbia there was a flyer offering the rental of a Panasonic HVX...very nice camera to say the least. Our five man team was all thumbs up for renting the Camera despite the $200 a day fee. I called the liaison's name which was printed on the flyer and told him of our interest.

Now we couldn't do much until the festival started even in regards to writing but we decided to go ahead and write up a loose idea of an idea that Adam had wanted to film for and decided we could just amend it when we got the prompts so that it could cater to the requirements.

Friday came around and it was time to get the HVX. I called the liaison Jamieson again and told him we were ready to pick it up...then he mentioned he didn't feel like lending it to us since he realized we were rather inexperienced...his advice was to hire him to come along with us and watch the camera for an extra 50 to which I said...NO! thus began the problems. Although we didn't have an HVX we had an old mini DV cam that Adam owned and we decided that for our purposes it was all we needed anyway.

Saturday came and we all woke at the crack of dawn. Breakfast was served - cinnamon swirls - and the prompts were received. the prompts were as follows:

Location: Park Bench

Prop: Bird Cage

Character Name: Robin Darjeeling

Background Sound: Radio Static *

Costume: Tuxedo

Camera Angle: Dutch Angle *

Narrative Device: Dream Sequence

Editing Technique: Match Cut *

Dialogue: “Don’t tempt me.”

Makeup: Old Person

* We chose these

The dutch angle was easy since at the end of our film there is a part where the girl stands the guy up and also because it is one of my favorite filmic techniques.

The match cut was simple enough since it's such a standard editing technique.

and the radio static was all too perfect since what we had written even before we got the prompts was for there to be a split screen of two radios in the first and last shots.

Filming started at 10a.m. and ended near 7p.m. -

we rode the el to Gunnar's house where I edited the video and Gunnar mixed the sound and did some Foley sound.

from 8p.m. to 5 A.M the next morning we confined ourselves to Gunnar's studio except for two leg stretching breaks one of which consisted of a trip to El Taco Loco. there were a few scary points throughout the night that made for locked muscles and shouts of profanity. Earlt on in the video editing I lost all of my work when the power on Adam's Mac Book went out...someone had kicked the power cable out and I had forgotten to save. I was only about halfway through though and I was quick about getting everything back to where it was. Gunnar's sound mixing had also provided some mini heart attacks since after we loaded all the video onto Adam's external hard drive we realized Gunnar's computer had no firewire port so transferring the audio to him was mired by this. Thanks to Gunnar's 2 gig lexar thumb drive that problem was a non-problem. Then when he began mixing another problem occurred when all the drivers on his audio mixing program uninstalled themselves. Restart -reinstall - fixed -OKAY! once 5 a.m. rolled around it was time to upload!

.error - file too large
.reloading........ :I
.recompress resubmit
.recompress resubmit
.recompress resubmit
8a.m..................... shit.

Apparently Apple hate us. The file was supposed to be 15 mb and we had compressed our film down to about 2 mb...looked like shit but even so despite our accommodation the site kept telling us that the file was too large. We felt so good about our film and to have worked for so long to have it never shown just outright stinks. Many screams and clenched fists waved at the air as if Apple was some deity this morning here in sleepy Chicago. I was the loudest and most vicious of them.

Thank goodness we didn't end up renting that $200 HVX...that woulda sucked.

On the bright side we have this real cool little film. :-)

I'll post it up here in the next day or two...for now I'm going to bed. Maybe I'll get back on a regular sleep schedule tomorrow...

Till then here's some pics to hold ya over:

Erin's amazing set design work

We had an issue figuring out how we could match the dialogue we recorded earlier of Jordon (Nick) talking to Kim (Susan)
Gunnar came up with an instant solution - the sound genius that he is

Just inert earbuds here

Viola! The new Iphone. we made an audio file of Jordon's dialogue loaded it to an Ipod and just played it to her. Quite the technical feat.

Gunnar was pretty impressed with himself.. as was I

...we're not stressed... :/

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

The Darjeeling Limited

Spooky...absolutely spooky!

I won some tickets in a raffle to see Wes Anderson's The Darjeeling Limited advance screening this previous weekend and tonight me and my collegiate friends went to go see it. I won't give away any plot since I'm sure you're all going to see should. It was funny and it struck a very personal chord within me. For those of you who don't know the premise of the film it follows the story of the three Whitman brothers who set out to reunite on a spiritual journey through India via the Darjeeling LMT, a train line. The movie was artfully shot and although Wes did a spectacular job of orchestrating the mise en sc
ène it's really hard to go wrong shooting in the beautiful countryside of India. The Whitman brothers played by Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, and Jason Schwartzman are met as they resurrect their relationship after a 1 year hiatus since the death of their father and this sets the scene for sibling feuds, absolutely hilarious bloopers, and moments of monumental camaraderie.

One theme that follows through to the end of the movie is the importance of family. Despite time and space family is always family. Sometimes life leads family apart but to keep those ties is an inherent goal and to some is worth traveling across India and risking your life for.

The spooky part comes where I could absolutely relate with the brothers, minus the whole traveling across India thing. My father is quite alive, thankfully, but my father's father died in April of 2007 after fighting cancer. Since his funeral there hasn't been a large scale family reunion. I don't want to say our family has grown apart but I feel that since our loss there hasn't been a moment for us to all sit around a table and have our own spiritual adventure. I love all my family tremendously and I used to look forward to having large get togethers and Grandma and Grandpa's house. Grandpa was always the center and seemed to hold us together. I lie in saying that I haven't seen family since his death because I have but those reunions filled with endless platters of food, hearty laughs, and games of backyard baseball where all the balls would innevitably end up in the neighbors yard are so long passed. I feel I have lost touch with some family and would absolutely love to just catch up. Mrs. Whitman put it best...I forget word by word what she said but something along the lines of maybe we should try not talking and just show how we feel. I feel my family needs to stop using words and just be. Just share being. Sitting together eating together and best of all laughing together. Grandpa would want that. thoughts lead to words and words are the worst means of communication.

I'm done. I feel really good being so moved by a film. It has been a long time since that has happened to me.

Aside from the D.L. I've had an altogether spectacular time here in the windy city. I went to a tea party where I won the advance screening tickets, movie poster, and other assorted D.L. merchandise and then I had two cookouts. I LOVE COOKOUTS! I promised you some pictures ma so here they are...wish you could be here to share in the festivities!

Me with my buddy Roman Coppola son of Francis Ford Coppola and producer/co-writer for D.L.
This was from the previous previous weekend at the screening of part one of D.L.
Hotel Chevalier
After the clip there was a Q&A, very interesting to say the least.

we were there starting the line at 4

stoop sitting till 6

Adam and Erin

watching the sitarist

The Sitarist

First one in the door and the holder of the winning raffle ticket shown here

me burning myself

Sipping on Darjeeling

Joe Griffin + fire - fear = good

We are go for cook

Adam surveying the damage

Shopping for consumables

Monday, October 01, 2007

Hey - Watch this

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Mic Night at the Fixx

Today (yesterday) was perfect.

I slept in until work at noon. Did barely anything the whole time. Got off at 4. Went to the Film meet and greet and got my name and number passed around to a few directors that need help with films this semester. Met up with Mars (short for Marshall [ A friend from my Development and preproduction class]). Met Gunnar up north off the Belmont stop and signed up for an open mic night slot (we've been practicing here and there). Mars being the savvy photographer that he is took pictures of us at the show - I'll have to get some pics to post. Gunnar and I did two of three songs we prepared (kinda miffed about being cutoff before our show stopper) - Gunnar was on guitar and sang and I sang harmony vocals and accompanied with mouth harp. our lineup was:

1. Kings of Convenience - Manhattan Skyline
2. Gunnar Jebson - Caught a cold in my bed
3. Jim Croce - One less set of footsteps ( : ( stupid two song limit)

Granted not all my days are this eventful but still ...

Right here is perfect.

School is exciting, work is easy and pays well, and in my free time I do things that I absolutely love to do, with other people! Sounds sad in a way but when I juxtapose my summer happenings to what's happening right now I honestly feel as though my feet can touch the bottom and my head is above the water. I'll die before I ever have to go back to the way things were this past summer - No friends, underpaid for painstaking work, and no sense of direction. I hated it!

but I'm here now. Finally.

I can't wait for next week's open mic night!

Sunday, September 09, 2007

In Retrospect

Alright...long week

1st line of business - Columbia is everything I hoped it would be and more.

For the first time since high school I feel I'm at a place that will lead me to where I need to go. Classes are amazing and my profs. make it all the better. My Development and Preproduction prof. looks like Ed Harris and talks like Billy Bob Thornton and my History of Cinema prof.'s name is Ben Hur Uribe, no kidding. I got a job through the school doing bitch work but I'm being paid 8 bucks an hour (25
¢ more than my job as a security guard) and I've learned more in these first 2 weeks at Columbia than I did over the course of a complete year at BG - FACT.

My roommates are the shiz and I've done massive networking, taking names and promising to kick ass.

Gunnar and I have been chilling out anytime I've had free time. Just the other day we went over to the beach by the aquarium and played Aerobie for a couple of hours. Earlier last week Toyoyom Cound came up and visiting and we just meandered around town...not lighting fireworks off. Then earlier this week I got a phone call from Josh Huppert who was in town auditioning with two of his buddies for the musical Wicked. I of course gave them a place to stay for the night.

I feel at ease finally despite a myriad of issues I've faced as well.

My camera is broke and can't be fixed - this means no pictures for awhile
• A package my mom sent me is forever lost amongst the postal service
• I still have butt-loads of financial malarkey to sort out

• I still can't fly my kite because the strings that go with it were in the package my mother sent me (refer to bullet point 2)

Still despite all that stuff I find solace in knowing that...HEY I'm in Chicago! I love what I'm doing and what better way to enjoy it than without a way to document it pictorially, without the aid of foodstuffs a pillow and kite strings that were lost in a package, and with little to no money!

Hell I don't know how I could be more optimistic.

P.S. any thoughts on me shaving my head?

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Here I come.

Monday, August 20, 2007

Troop 817

So this last weekend was pretty good.

It's kinda late in the Summer but I decided to finally begin my service to the society that has made such a huge difference in my this time it isn't SPEBSQSA... The BSA - Boy Scouts (of) America.

At first I found myself pretty rusty in the outdoors. I haven't been camping since before I got my eagle award back in November of 2005. I had just signed the forms that state that I am now a working assistant scout master the week before the campout and I've only been to one or two of the meetings before then and so this was quite the crash course back into scouting not to mention I had a lot of people to meet and get to know. I feel a bit at a loss since now I have to leave for school. The personality I've portrayed and the ones that I was presented with are still fresh and I have a lot of work before I am considered a next of kin among these scouts. No worries. I plan on spending more time with them in the future.

I've already planned far in advance and will be a camp counselor at the nearby Scout Camp. I applied and as soon as I told them I was over 18 years old they kinda hinted that the job was pretty much a guarantee. The pay is good and the housing and food is provided by them. All I have to do is do what I love and whatever they require of me. I told one of the camp counselors that my favorite merit badge to learn was sailing. I felt so at ease and free with the wind as my power and the boat as my guide across the water. This being said when I received my acceptance letter I was quite pleased to see that my area of expertise will be water Sports (that means I'll be teaching sailing while getting to do it myself) AHHH! Next summer will be simply perfect! Besides that from what I've seen the camp is an amazing complex and the staff are all tightly knit. Just what I'm looking for.

Well, I digress. This is much farther in the future than I should be concentrating on. in just three days begins my intensive study at my dream school. I just can't lose sight of that open lake. That's my drive.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

So I'm packing my things for Columbia today and in addition I've decided to go through some of the boxes we have yet to open since we've moved here to Loveland. In doing so I've attached my survival knife to my belt so I could have easy access to a blade in which to cut open boxes.

Lunch was late today and when my lil' bro Ryan called me up I made a dash for it. m mm, Pizza.

At the end of lunch my mother inquired as to why I had a knife sheathed to my side. I withdrew the blade and proceeded to show her it while explaining I was opening boxes. I also showed her the compass, fire-starting kit,sewing needle and thread, and fishing line and hook that was held in the secret compartment in the handle. Nevertheless it did seem a bit overkill for any situation one might be faced with.

The next thought that crossed her mind was for what reason would I need a survival knife in Chicago for.

she says," Are ya gonna skin homeless people?"

dramatic pause...

Ryan adds,"For their fur??"

So the laughter ensues! and a halfway swallowing Andrew rushes to open the back sliding door but fails to do so in time thus jettisoning the remainder of his chug from his nose onto himself and everything in a two foot radius...he falls to the ground flinching with laughter.

I haven't laughed that hard in a long long time!

As anxious as I am to leave for school I will miss my family and all their oddness.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Today I got back from my expedition back into homeland Illinois. I won't explain in much detail my anticipation for the move to Columbia, everyone knows the feeling I think from at least once in their life. It's that full body excitement. You feel every part of your body just surge with an intuition that "this is right". From my fingers to my toes and ending in my heart there is just the sense that something great has come to fruition. Too bad School doesn't start till the 4th of September.

On a second note...why isn't it easier to win the lotto? I could really use an ass-load of cash real soon, more like right now! I'm thinking of starting to invest some of what I already have...I'm just not sure where to start exactly. Maybe a mutual fund just to be safe. Then when I amass some more cash then maybe try my luck on buying my own stocks. I took a class in high school and know a lot about the market and even did really well in a little mock market practice that lasted the whole class. Damn just what I need more stress...

Lastly, and to take my mind off of school and what I need for school, I've realized how detrimental it is for family to be in limited contact with each other. Living in Ohio has for my family pretty much taken us an equal distance in every direction away from family. The las family reunion I remember having was my father's father's (my grandfather)funeral. That wasn't exactly in highest of spirits either. My big bro and sis are coming into town soon and for that I'm super psyched about! It seems we only find it in our schedules to see each other about once a year nowadays. There will most definitely be some good catching up once they get in.

well I 'spose that sums it up for now. Lots going on here in the future but that's something to be eager about. Tomorrow it's back to guarding the King on his Island. Then towards the end of August begins a new and very exciting chapter in the life of a Griffin.

Monday, July 16, 2007

Higher Ground

Things seem to finally start making sense it seems here in Ohio.

I love work! Being a security guard at Kings Island was the perfect job for me. It's the perfect blend of down time and busy work that I can call comfortable. Not to mention all the adventures I've been on. Just in the past week I've disarmed about 5 fights/ belligerently drunk people, witnessed the escort of two young 14 year olds whom were caught having oral sex in a changing room, and have closed out every night with a pseudo-spectacular firework show. Most days I slump into my house with a feeling of fulfillment and anticipation for the next day.

Tomorrow I pack for my Chicago trip. Orientation is upon me and I feel like I'm quite literally not on top of it. Things are a bit fuzzy as to what is going to happen when I get there but I'm crossing my fingers and saying a little prayer in hopes that that is normal. GOD JUST LET IT WORK OUT!

Wednesday, July 04, 2007

The 4th

Everyone has their favorite holiday. Some love the gift giving and the religious meaning of Christmas. Some enjoy the togetherness of family and friends that Thanksgiving seems to embody. Myself, I just like to see things blow up, turn bright colors, and come 2 decibels from shattering my eardrums. I also have a certain sense of national pride, despite the travesties our nation has faced in the past ::cough:: Bush ::cough::. Tonight was the 4th of July ...eve...fireworks show at Kings Island and there was quite a show! All the noise and lights just send my adreneline skyrocketting. I love it! If anyone wanted to ransack the park tonight would've been the night for it since all I could do was stare on at the works going on above our 1/3 sized eiffel tower. I'll admit I've made some stupid mistakes in the past when it comes to handling fireworks myself, I.E. blowing up the back seat of my dad's car, but again I'm drawn to the light like a huge wingless moth. Tom Cound, Chad O'Brien, Erik Shute, and Ethan Young can all attest to this fact. I'm a firework junkie if you want proof...I'll send you THE video. So many good memories of mine involve explosions. God I love this holiday!!!!!!!

Monday, July 02, 2007

My New Desk

I live in the basement of my family's new house and have done most of my computing from a small crowded folding card table. I decided I'd go to Goodwill to fix my space problem and to upgrade from card table to wooden table. 15 dollars, a very precarious ride home and a sore back later I've got a nice new/old table. A rather good investment I'd say. It looks very executive and has plenty of space to work on so I'm rather excited. Now if I can only finish the walls...I think I might be able to make something of this subterrainian abode.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

How To Eat a Watermelon

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Have you ever gone on a long walk and just wished that all the lights around you would just turn off. I find myself almost every night going for a walk right around 1 o'clock. I like being alone and sometimes just wish the lights would all shut off for the duration of my expedition. I seem to always find myself ending up at this one special place where the only light that seems near to me is that of the stars. I'll just sit there. In actuality I think that although I am there and I want to seem solitary I truly could use someone by my side. Anyone. I feel like I've gone down a path too far and that there is nobody but just me. I haven't made a single true friend here at "home". It sucks all too much lemme tell you. Is it possible to find anyone in the dark? Someone who is alone and wants to be alone as well? I think my efforts are in vain. Until I can find it comfortable in the light again I just want to walk in the dark. There is nothing for me here and I am very unsettled. I think I've quite literally become the stranger on a quiet street.

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

AHHH! 911!!!

Today seemed like it was gonna be one of another in a series of boring days. I had spent most of my day, sadly, in my basement on my computer. At 9 o'clock my little brother andrew ran downstairs and told me my little brother Ryan had broken his arm. I can't describe the amount of urgency I took as I bound out of the basement. I ran upstairs and out the back door and sure enough back behind our playground in the backyard was my little bro with his arm bent in a place it very well shouldn't have been bent. My brothers and one of Ryans friend were running around chasing each other when Ryan slipped down the ladder on the playset. His arm, unfortunately, became stuck between two rungs and snapped. I told him not to move it and immediately called 911. It's really scary to see a loved one in turmoil. I'd never broken a bone in my body but I can guess it is similair to the pain I felt if not worse when I had torn my lateral meniscus. He was in shock at first when I had initially arrived on the scene but after he quit moving it and my mom calmed him down he immediately wanted to solve the problem. He didn't cry a bit from that moment on. The sight of his bent arm made hime a little sick to his stomach but he endured the pain like a real champ. I'm in absolute awe as to how well he dealt with the situation. My dad was at a town meeting so my mom and Andrew had to pick him up. We couldn't reach him on his phone because he was speaking at the meeting. Thanks to one of the neighbors that offered to drive over and tell him what had happened we could rally the family together. As the family was getting together I offered to ride with the paramedics and Ryan in the ambulance to help answer any questions.

The paramedics were extremely nice and Ryan
answered all their questions
including the ones about school and baseball.

He could feel but it hurt to move his fingers

Even on the bumpy ride to the hospital all the way in Cinncinnati he kept the most calm composure. The paramedic asked some questions and with a little help from me the topic of conversation eventually landed on whether he was going to be able to play baseball or go to school. At the Hospital everything went by smoothly.
Not a Bit Nervous

He got put to sleep for a bit and they re-aligned his radius and ulna and they bound it in a temporary brace and fitted him for an arm sling.

Taking a Nap

Drowsy Thumbs Up

Already Being Pampered

Walking out of the hospital all he was worried about then was how much longer he would have to wait to get home so he could eat some oatmeal. we just got back home at about 1:15 and he's off to bed and hoping that next week when they put his cast on if he can have it done up so it looks like camoflauge...he loves anything army related. I can admit to coming to tears a few times tonight. I can't stand seeing anyone I love come to harm. Even when the doctor raised his arm a bit and he winced in pain. I felt just absolutely distresed. Now everything is better and from here Ryan gets the king's treatment. Unfortunately he will have to stop playing baseball...too bad too he caught a line drive at 3rd base the other day. I'm just glad that he isn't in any more pain and proud to have such a truly brave little brother.


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Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Christmas with Papa's family

Well, it was a quick trip back east to see Travis' parents. We got to the airport really early Saturday because we had heard so much about holiday travel, delays etc...the only problem with being there three hours early is a delay is inevitable...We were scheduled to take off at 6:45 pm, getting us into Chicago by midnight. We didn't leave until after 8 getting us in to Chicago well after midnight. As the pictures show Ayda took a good nap on the plane. And also if you hadn't heard, a long day of travel is hard on one's hair. This is the first Christmas in a long time that all of Travis' siblings have been home. We made an attempt at taking a family picture, Ayda was not in the mood to cooperate.
We did most of the Christmas festivities on the 24th, because Travis and I flew home early Christmas morning. We had a nice family home evening (a Gower tradition), and Ayda opened presents from Travis' family. She got a great looking Strawberry Shortcake laptop from her Mocha and Manka (grandpa and grandma) A couple of great puzzles, a phone that can record her voice. Travis' parents donated to the Nika and Travis need a cruise fund (can't wait for that Jason and Lindsey). It was a good trip, just seemed to have a lot packed into a couple of days.

If you haven't heard Ayda is quite the Betty Crocker, she made cinnamon rolls with her Gaco in Oregon and she frosted some sugar cookies with the best of them in Indiana. Pam helped her and then Ayda took it away...it didn't take long for her to figure out that the frosting is where it is at. She started sucking it off the knife and when we decided that wasn't the safest game she got a spoon. Yeah, she added a little frosting to the cookies but for the most part she ate a bowl of frosting.

After the sugar hit her veins she was off...she danced and played and didn't go to sleep until close to midnight. But when she did go to sleep she crashed hard, she was out before I could turn of the bedroom lights.
Then we were back on the plane heading back toward Salt Lake City. I never considered SLC warm this time of year, but it is in comparrison to Chicago.

Looks like they found the way to Ayda's heart!! Frosting... mine too! Aside from the airport mess, sounds like you all had a great time being together! I love the donation they made to the cruise fund. Glad you are back! See you soon!

Aunt Marta said...

Looks like you had a whirlwind holdiay, and like Pam got her cookie time with her Cookie. How fun that everyone was able to be there. Hope that your family has a wonderful new year.

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Finding Quality Divorce Solicitors

Tips on How To Find A Good Divorce Solicitor

Divorce is the most difficult time in a person’s life, but it doesn’t have to become a longwinded legal case that continues to draw unresolved. With a quality legal time on your side, it’s possible to reduce the waiting period and move forward in an amicable fashion.

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Why choose this Wirral law firm over the rest? It’s a combination of high-quality legal nous and an overall commitment to perfection.

Fair And Reasonable Result

Each divorce case will vary based on its essential details, but the crux of the matter remains similar. The goal is to make sure a fair and reasonable result comes to fruition from all legal events taking place on your behalf.

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Quick Resolution

Wirral Divorce Solicitor

There is nothing more essential to a client’s mind than ensuring a quick resolution is in effect. There are multiple individuals involved in every divorce, and a quick resolution is necessary to keep everyone satisfied and comforted.

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If that’s required, this is a world-class law firm ready to assist and will put in the time in to learn about your requirements and then implement them moving forward. The results will come in as fast as you want them to and that’s guaranteed.

It’s important to trust those who are committed and focused on providing adequate results for you and your needs. People are different in many ways when it comes to their long-term results, and until those are achieved, it’s not possible to move forward.

This team works hard with its client to ensure a dedicated plan is set up right away.

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For more information to get started on appropriate legal recourse for you and your divorce-related needs, it’s time to call in the best Wirral divorce solicitors in town to ensure you obtain the legal representation required.

A professional will sit down and go through all of the related information ensuring this case moves forward.

With expertise in family law and a good understanding of what’s required to help each and every client, this is a law firm that’s willing to work hard for its client.

Steve. J. Wyn

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Home » » Urge ()

Urge ()

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Top 10 Jewish Social Media Moments of 2012

As 2012 comes to a close, NJOP, and its social media brand, Jewish Treats, recall the social media moments that had us in shock, tears, stiches and pride.

Jewish Justin Bieber

Edon Pinchot, an Orthodox 14-year-old from Chicago, was nicknamed the “Jewish Justin Bieber” while appearing on the NBC reality show, America’s Got Talent. He proudly wore a kippah during each of his performances.

Munich 11

The JCC of Rockland County penned a petition asking for a Minute of Silence at the 2012 London Olympics Opening Ceremonies in memory of the Munich 11. The JCC was joined in their petition by Ankie Spitzer, widow of one of the 11 members of the Israeli team who were killed in the terrorist attack at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. Mrs. Spitzer recorded a moving plea to the IOC to grant the request. The petition, which garnered more than 100,000 signatures, may have fallen on deaf ears at the IOC, but viewers worldwide took note and @JewishTweets orchestrated a Social Media Minute of Silence on July 27tth across Facebook and Twitter.

America’s Jewish Sweetheart

Jewish Olympian Aly Raisman, an 18-year-old from Needham, Massachusetts, used the popular Jewish tune Hava Nagila for her gold medal winning floor exercise routine and instantly becomes America’s Jewish Sweetheart. Raisman left London with Olympic medals, two gold and one bronze.

Circumcision in the News

A video of an Israeli baby “driving” into his own brit milah (circumcision ceremony) in a remote controlled car ignited great debate about circumcision celebrations. Another circumcision inspired controversy made social media headlines this past summer when a German court effectively banned the religious practice. Recently however, Germany’s parliament approved a bill to keep circumcision legal.

Twitter Warfare

In November, during Operation Pillar of Defense, Israel and Hamas waged Twitter war. The Israel Defense Force used social media to announce and comment on military operations.

Hurricane Sandy Destroys New York Area Synagogues

Jewish humanitarian groups used social media to reach volunteers in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Powerful pictures, like the one above from the Friends of Refugees of Eastern Europe synagogue in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, of a Torah which was unraveled in order to dry it out, were circulated on Facebook and Twitter showing the destruction of New York area synagogues. In poured donations of funds, supplies and even a Torah for one Long Island congregation.

All Things Mayim Bialik!

Readers enjoyed Mayim Bialik’s blog on the Jewish parenting website Kveller and visited regularly in 2012 for her firsthand accounts about everything from her hit CBS comedy, The Big Bang Theory to her Emmy nomination, her children, a car accident, a divorce announcement and her glamorous red carpet experiences.

Courting the Jewish Vote

(Photo by Uri Fintzy)

Presidential candidates Barack Obama and Mitt Romney each used social media to try to sway Jewish voters in 2012. Both party conventions featured prominent rabbis, Rabbi David Wolpe from Los Angeles and Rabbi Meir Soloveichik from New York. While President Obama clearly won the election and a large majority of the Jewish vote, some analysts see the significant decline from 2008 in the Jewish support for President Obama, as a vindication of their efforts.

StandFour Makes Their Debut

Yeshiva University Maccabeats grads created a breakaway acapella group called StandFour and garnered a quarter million views of their debut video during Chanukah.

Support for Sandy Hook

The nation joined together in mourning for the 20 children and 6 adults who were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, CT. Outpourings of support for the Newtown community were posted across all the social networks. The youngest victim was 6-year-old Jewish kindergartner Noah Pozner. Rabbi Shaul Praver, the Pozner family’s rabbi, recited El Maleh Rachamim, the Hebrew memorial prayer, at a vigil attended by President Obama and family members of the victims.


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A friendly, loving environment where children learn and grow in faith. To return to our website click here.

Monday, October 31, 2011

Fantastic Fall Festivities

We had a marvelous Fall Festival on Oct 21st.  Most of our families & many old friends were there to help us celebrate God's wonderful bounty!  We look forward to the holidays now, and have many oppurtunities to help others.  On Nov 10th, bags will be going home for the families to collect food for a local food shelf, and brought back that whole next week.  A few weeks before Christmas, we will be asking for donations that will go to the Child Crisis Center on Mesa Dr.  There will be angels on our tree in the front office area. Please come & take one or two with you to the store.  Then the unwrapped presents can be put under the tree to be delivered to the center near Christmas.  They were so appreciative & surprised, last year, with the carload of things we brought them.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Fall Festival Oct 21st

Mark your calendars for Friday, October 21st.  The Fall Festival is our biggest fundraiser of the year!  We will have Trunk-A-Treat in the parking lot, carnival like games & bouncers, a petting zoo & pumpkin painting.  Snacks & water will be available, but no meal type foods this year.  We will raffle off a few items at the end of the night, and families can get to know each other. Invite all your neighbors to come too!  It is not just for Noah's Ark families. If you have never visited our school, this is a good way to get to know us. Hope to see you all on October 21st

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Picture Days

The September newsletters went out without the notice about Picture Days.  So, here is the update on that.  Our Picture Days this year are September 26th & 27th. It is a Monday & Tuesday, which should cover every child. If your child doesn't come on Mon or Tuesday, please bring them in for their picture to be taken.

Monday, August 22, 2011

School has Begun

With a full week gone by, we are in the beginnings of things!   The teachers have started their letters & numbers & shapes!  The office staff is getting everything organized & ready to use. It feels good to begin again!  At times like this, we think about God's creation & how He started everything.  We are thankful that He made this all for us, and we need to take care of all He has given us.  Blessings to you all and enjoy His creation!

Monday, July 25, 2011

In just a few weeks, school will begin. We have 42 children registered to go so far, and still have openings in most classes.  If you know anyone who is needing a preschool or Kindergarten experience, tell them about Noah's Ark!  We are ready to bring you a year of fun and learning!

Friday, April 15, 2011

We have registration packets ready for you to pick up for the Summer Camp & Fall 2011 classes .  Our fall Pre K class is starting to fill, so if you want specific days or times, you need to get registered before it fills.  Summer PreK is almost full also.  The tuition is based on how many hrs & days you use. We tailor them to the specific family and their needs.  Please call 480-325-0687 if you have any questions. Ms Estelle or Ms Jill would love to help you.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Welcome to Noah's Ark Preschool & Kindergarten!

Noah's Ark Preschool and Kindergarten is a ministry of Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Consistent with the church, our mission is to give children a loving environment and an opportunity to develop to their full intellectual, social, physical and spiritual potential through biblical and faith integrated curriculum, under the direction of teachers who love and honor God. To give parents an early education school that stands for, supports, encourages and provides resources for the faith formation of their children.

To encourage the child to develop socially in age-appropriate activities such as:
• Beginning language skills
• Letter recognition and phonics
• Number recognition and basic math concepts
• Children's literature
• Bible stories and Bible memory
• Music and movement
• Open-ended art activities
• Science, through hands-on introduction to God's world
• Social interaction
• Large and small muscle motor skill development
• Field trips and special event days

Parents interested in enrolling their children at Noah's Ark Preschool and Kindergarten are welcome to visit anytime between 8:00am - 4:00pm Monday through Friday. If you have any questions, please call 480-325-0687 or email us at noahsarkoffice@blc.phxcoxmail.com.


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FCRFC History

  • Rugby, What in the World?Since we’re talking world, you might be interested to know that Rugby is the world’s most popular amateur game, played by millions of club, college, and high school players on every continent and on many islands. Just like soccer, a World Cup is held every four years. Rugby is played by about 100,000 Americans on 1,400 rugby clubs, hundreds of high schools, and is the most popular participant club sport on college campuses.Click here for “A spectator’s guide to rugby”
  • We’ve Only Just Begun!While Rugby was “invented in England in 1823 and came to the U.S. in 1874 when Harvard faced off against Canada’s McGill University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Rugby in Fort Collins is very much a virgin sport. The Fort Collins Flamingos Rugby Club was established in 1978 by a group of Colorado State graduates. Don’t ask how we came up with the Flamingo as our mascot, except that the original membership included a warped, transplanted Californian with a strange sense of humor.The current membership includes 30 “active” members (who put the boots on every Saturday) and another 37 social members (expect them at the party after the game). A large majority of the members are college graduates working in a broad spectrum of skilled professions. Athletic abilities range from ex-collegiate football and rugby players to any newcomer willing to learn the game from scratch. The key is the will to train hard and a love of team sports. Most of our members are in their late 20’s but ages vary from 18-45. As a truly international sport, rugby brings together many diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Our club is enriched by a number of international players from England, Scotland, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. In the community, we proudly sponsor and provide coaches to the Fort Collins Youth Rugby program. Fort Collins finished first in the state 1994-1996 and 4th, 5th, and 6th in the nation respectively. The bottom line is that through the competition and camaraderie of our club, rugby has become more than just a game, Rugby is a Way of Life!
  • And On the Field …. (We Call it the Pitch)!The Flamingos are members of the Eastern Rockies Rugby Football Union, a union of about thirty clubs in five divisions (Premiere, Division 2, Collegiate, Women, and Youth). Fort Collins is one of 6 Division 2 clubs which includes teams from Denver, Colorado Springs, Greeley, and Glenwood Springs. Our schedule also includes matches with Premiere Division clubs and the new “Super League” clubs in Denver and Aspen. The season is split into a Fall (September/October) and Spring (March/April) schedule with each club playing each other twice a year. The championship team advances to Western Regionals in May, culminating in a national Final Four Championship in early June. Our union’s Super League clubs have both reached the National Final Four with Denver winning the National Club Championship in 1992 and Aspen winning it in 1997. Aspen also won the inaugural Super League Championship in 1997 reflecting the high caliber of play in the ERRFU Union.Besides our Division 2 and Premiere matches, other matches are scheduled with collegiate and mountain clubs such as Steamboat, Breckenridge, and Vail. We also participate in a number of tournaments which have included an annual visit to Las Vegas the last 6 years, participation in the Aspen Ruggerfest, one of the nation’s most prestigious and competitive tournaments, and our annual summer visit to Steamboat for the more laid-back COWPIE. We also host our own Flamingo 7’s tournament held the second weekend in May. In other words, Flamingo Rugby is pretty much a year round affair.
  • Our Vision For The Future As an extremely young club relative to the other clubs around the country, we are proud of the Flamingos progress to date. Our vision for the future in terms of members, competitiveness, and community impact, however, stretches far beyond where we are today. A club membership of 50 active players, a regional and national championship, and representative players on the national team are just a few of our goals. In addition, long term goals include plans for our own pitch and clubhouse similar to the clubs of Europe and a youth program that extends into the elementary schools. Just as important as our competitive and social success, however is our desire to have a positive impact on our community. Community outreach is an integral part of the Flamingo agenda. These goals won’t be accomplished without commitment and resources.
  • WE NEED YOUR HELPWe have the commitment. We need your help with the resources. Our current annual budget runs in excess of $4500 per year, covering our Union Dues, jerseys, training equipment, awards banquet, promotion, post game celebrations, and community outreach. You can help in a number of various ways.  You will also be included in any Flamingo promotional materials or club T-shirts as an official sponsor of our club. We also accept any product donations (sports equipment, jerseys, Gatorade, beer, etc.).  You can expect no less than our sincerest thanks, promotion, and club patronage of your business establishment.
  • If you are interested in helping the Fort Collins Flamingos, please feel free to contact our: Club President

  • Alexander Johnson


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got a lego freak in the family? try Pleygo!

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Monday, November 19, 2012

Pineapple Newborn Summary: Week One

With GV I did weekly updates during the pregnancy. But with Pineapple I thought I missed quite a bit of her early pregnancy and then when I found out I hadn't I wasn't really into doing the updates again. I would go back and read the GVs and compare them that way. I've seen newborn summaries on this website so I thought it would be a unique way of chronicling her first year.

This is a summary of the first week of Pineapple's life.

The Beginning
I'm going to write a birth story post for Pineapple but here I'll just mention that it was quick (labor pains started at 1:30am and she was here by 10:49am) and other than not getting the epidural till _way_ late pretty routine. After about an hour of kangaroo care she started rooting and showing some pep so they finally did her vitals, moved us to a Mom & Baby room and she got to try out this nursing thing. She did well although she only did the right side for about 15 minutes because her pediatrician showed up and needed to check her out. Once that was over we switched sides for an additional 10 minutes. In total it was about 25 minutes.

Hospital Stay
We had a new experience with this hospital in that Pineapple was in the room with us almost the whole time we were there. They took her away once to do her vitals and then again when they did the blood/dna collection thing the state does. Paranoid me immediately picked her up and checked to make sure they brought me back the right baby. She looked like the baby they took away.

I was a bit worried that I wouldn't be able to sleep because no one would be watching Pineapple to make sure she kept breathing. Also this time Kevin stayed overnight with us both nights. After two days we got clean bills of health and were discharged. The did one last weight check (she was down to 7 lbs 3 oz - 6% weight loss) and checked her bilirubin levels and then told us we could go. We waited to complete one last feed and left around 3:30pm.

Apparently newborns often have amniotic fluid in their tummy that upsets it so they spit up a lot in the first 48 hours. This was one of the reasons why GV didn't really like nursing in those first couple of days. With Pineapple, she would often spit up before I would even nurse her. Plus she started snorting on her second evening and just sounded clogged up when breathing. The lactation consultant wanted us to have the pediatrician give her a saline nasal spray but our pediatrician didn't want to because she thought it would pass pretty quickly and it did. It was gone by the time we left the hospital.

Big Brother
GV is so sweet with Pineapple. When he came to see us in the hospital later that day he was so excited. Okay mainly he was excited about being in a hospital but he did check her out and give her kisses (first the blanket and then eventually her cheek). Every time she fretted or cried he would want to give her a kiss to make her feel better. And the second night when the nurse came to take her away to do her blood sampling thing he was very concerned that they were taking her away. He almost chased down the nurse to get her back. When we got home on Wednesday he wanted to help carry her into the house. Since being home he has wanted to hold her, kiss her, pet her, point out her eyes/mouth/ears, hold her hand, tickle her, sit right next to her and feed her a bottle. Also at her newborn appt he was concerned that the doctor was poking and prodding her and making her mad and then he was anxious that she was going to fall off the table and pushed her blankets further back onto the table.

Oh how I wish this was going better. She doesn't latch that well. It's very shallow I think mainly due to my size (one of my brea.stshields for pumping is 30mm). I've had cracking, soreness, rawness and blood blisters. I had the cracking and soreness with GV but he was a champion nurser (and weight gainer). Pineapple was a fully pound smaller than him at birth and she just doesn't have the same deep pull. Hence the soreness and rawness. It's starting to go away as I adjust to a different nursing style but sometimes the pain makes me want to rip her away. I've been scouring the web to try to find ways to help her and it's been a little better.

I also think I have an oversupply problem as well. I did with GV (his poos went from yellow to dark green when my milk really came in) and so would have to nurse from the same side 2-3 times in a row (offering the one side minimizes foremilk). So I started doing this with Pineapple and by the next morning her poos were closer to the mustard yellow color they were suppose to be. But then when I told Dr. C about doing this she looked at me like a crazy person so I went back doing each side for 15-20 minutes. Her poos went back to dark green. So I've gone back to one side for 2-3 feedings and they're back to normal.

Weight Gain
Pineapple was 7lbs 11oz on Monday (her birth day). By the time we left the hospital on Wednesday she was 7lbs 3 oz. At her newborn appt on Saturday she was still 7lbs 3 oz. So they wanted her to go back for a weight check on Wednesday. Today I measured her using my food scale and she was 7lbs 2oz. I might have had a breakdown. I'm sure this is tied in with her bad latch and the foremilk/hindmilk/oversupply issue. So the other night I checked after her feed and I pumped about 45 ml from the she had just been nursing on for the past half hour. So today I've decided to pump after her feeding and then give her the bottle. I know I run the risk of nippl.e confusion, nursing strikes and her preferring a bottle but I'm more concerned about her lack of weight gain and I really don't want Dr. C to tell me to supplement with formula.

On our last day at the hospital the nurse came in to check Pineapple's bilirubin levels. I wasn't that concerned because Kevin and I have the same blood type and I had read somewhere before GV that jaundice was caused by different blood types between mother and child. Her readings were okay. Then on Saturday when we went to the pediatrician Dr. C was concerned about Pineapple appearing yellowish. She noted it in her head and chest but her lower half was still normal. I couldn't see the difference but Kevin said he could. She recommended that we put her somewhere near a window so she could get some indirect sunlight. Of course I read all about it and realized that lack of breastmilk (that shallow latch is haunting us again) can cause jaundice. The whites of her eyes are a bit yellow (the only place I can see the yellow) but I'm not sure what else we're suppose to be doing. We're scheduled to go in for a weight check on Wednesday and I'm sure Dr. C is going to want to check her "yellowishness."

In the hospital Pineapple was really hard to wake up. A couple of times she would go over the 3 hour mark for her next feeding because I couldn't get her to wake up. But since we've been home she's better at it. We usually change her diaper before her feed and she'll be awake for about the first 10 minutes or so. She does fall asleep most times (it's rare that she doesn't) and I'm starting to notice that she needs the bre.ast in order to fall asleep. In a few weeks I'll be more stringent about her staying awake for her whole feed and falling asleep on her own

As long as Pineapple falls asleep on the bre.ast she naps great! If not she will want to feed again for a few minutes to help her fall asleep. Those naps are usually more restless and she'll wake earlier for her next feeding. She's really flexible about location of her naps and also the amount of noise GV makes when she's sleeping.

Night Sleep
The hospital room was always comfortably warm during the day and then got pretty cool in the evening. However since she was wearing a hat and was double wrapped in receiving blankets I wasn't concerned about her getting too cold. And then when we got home I tried to mimic the cool room at night (also because I LOVE sleeping in cool/cold rooms) and she was having problems staying asleep while in our room. The first night home we thought it was an issue with the cradle vs. playpen. GV had the same issue. He'd sleep wonderfully in the playpen but then when we would put him in the cradle he would get upset in an instant. As soon as we brought the playpen upstairs and put it in our room (and him in it) he would be fine (and sleep!). So I thought it was something similar with Pineapple. We decided to incline the cradle hoping that would solve it but after another non-sleeping-in-the-cradle night we knew that wasn't it. So then we tried giving up the swaddle (GV rebelled against the swaddle almost as soon as we got home) but that made things worse. Then the night before last I finally gave up around 3 am and after feeding her put her in the playpen in the living room and she slept till her next feed, fell asleep again right away and then slept till 8am. Something clicked that it must be the warm room. So the next night we closed the windows and turned off the ceiling fan. We double swaddled her and sure enough she slept in the cradle in the room waking only when we woke her to change her diaper and feed her.

The shallow latch (due to my size) seems to be causing most of the problems (in my opinion). I'm pretty sure it's what is causing my BFing pain, her lack of weight gain, her thin poops (sometimes green), and jaundice. I've been warned that babies born early can take longer to start gaining weight though.

The schedule this week hasn't really been a set schedule. We were feeding her on a 3 hour schedule but then after her naught weight gain, Dr. C wanted us to get closer to 2.5 during the day - she was fine with us going 2 hours if Pineapple was ready. At night we are usually going 3 hours at the latest. I wake up 15 minutes before we hit the 3 hour mark so she's usually on when we hit it.


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Two Ways to Give

Nordland offers two ways to help you tithe or donate. For those interested in regular, scheduled donations, we offer Simply Giving through Thrivent Financial (read more about Simply Giving below). For those interested in one-time, or more intermittent donations, we have included a Paypal "Donate" button in our sidebar and at the very bottom of our website.

Simply Giving is a reliable and safe direct-deposit giving program from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans – designed to help you automatically contribute to Nordland Lutheran Church. With Simply Giving, your gifts are made through pre-authorized withdrawals from your bank account. You can determine the frequency of your automatic gift – weekly, twice-monthly or monthly. Your gift is deposited into Nordland Lutheran’s bank account on the same day it is withdrawn from your account. To enroll, just print the enrollment form below, fill it out and return it to the Church Office or put it in the collection plate along with a voided check. Thank you! PS We now also have the "Go Fund Me" site listed on the right sidebar. Donations to this "Go Fund Me" account will specifically go towards our 150th anniversary celebration!


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"If you’re looking to build a log home, make sure you work with a good company who will help you through the process and who handles their logs in a way that makes sure you won’t have shrinkage issues. I have and would definitely recommend Northeastern. Even after 19 years in my home, I love it! It has definitely stood the test of time. I absolutely love my new Northeastern Log Home!"

Lori Latka

Discover Northeastern for yourself — visit us at your local home show, exposition or fair.

We invite you to see firsthand how Northeastern Log Homes delivers on its promise to create homes that last for generations. Please join us at a home show, exposition or fair, where you’ll have the opportunity to talk directly to our representatives, see and touch our materials, learn about our technologies and explore your design ideas.

Join Our E-mail List

Click here to join our e-mail list — we’ll send you an e-mail when we’re going to be in your neck of the woods.

February 2018

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Click "DOWNLOAD PDF" for the material package price on any of the models in the Premier, Traditional or Camp and Cabin series.  Please of course feel free to contact us by clicking here, or calling us directly at 800-624-2797!


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Sunday, April 24, 2011

Organizing the quilt tops

Last night the kids and I spent about an hour measuring and organizing all of the quilt tops that are waiting their turn for quilting. I have over 100 :) Yay!

We measured their widths and pinned tags to them so that when I have backings on the frame, I can grab the next quilt that will fit that matches the color and go. Will save a lot of time in the end. We had a great system going and a lot of laughs. I love it when my kids help me work on this project.

These two quilts were quilted this morning. I may have time for one more before church this morning. There is just a bit more of the wide backing fabric on the frame before I have to prep more backing fabric. That is another chore!

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Saturday, June 29, 2013

a scorcher here in Nor Cal

 Another Hot one here in Northern California.  Hope it was cooler where you were.  The car temp said 112, but I'm sure that wasn't quite correct. said it got to 106.  I'm sure glad we have air conditioning.  I'm still working through the stack of quilt tops and the long roll of backing fabric I have loaded on the machine.  I can probably get another 6-8 quilts off that backing before having to sew more together.  Sure makes for quick work to just pin and go when the backing fabric is already loaded.  After this round is done, I'm going to quilt up some bigger ones for the Quilts for Calgary campaign.  Next weekend I will be taking my daughter down to UCLA for her orientation week and picking up my oldest for a week's visit.  She is flying out from Austin, TX and will be spending some time at home and some time in Yosemite for a Buck Scholarship retreat. They have those once every two years as a way to keep the scholars in contact and let them know what everyone is up to.  They treat them really well.  I wish I could go :)

1 comment:

Cathy said...

We were 109 and 112 the past two days and humid. 100 or so is normal here. We`re at about 4,000 feet. I think for my area these weather patterns are here to stay. Have there been fires in your area? I hope not.


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Friday, December 2, 2016

The Best Laid Plans

Sometimes, a plan just doesn't come together. Case in point, my plans for my alpha character. At first, everything worked great. The new NPE, which I'm now learning to call Inception, the career agents, and then the grind to 1.0 standings with the Minmatar Republic in order to run level 2 missions with the Minmatar. All of this leading up to running through the COSMOS missions. The prospect of getting faction blueprint copies had visions of ISK dancing through my head.

The first obstacle I encountered involved trying to get a mission from a level 2 agent. I received the brushoff.

What? I don't have the standings? But no, that is not the message the agents give when the issue is insufficient standing. This is.

Dalkar Kersos is a level 3 agent, so the message made sense. But getting rejected by a level 2 agent? I still can't figure out the problem.

Then the problems got a little worse. I gave up on these agents and went to the Sanctum Psychosis in Lanngisi. I received a 3-run blueprint copy of a 250mm 'Jolt' artillery cannon. That's when I discovered alphas cannot manufacture any of these meta modules, as they require omega clone skills. What's worse is I can only create one contract at a time. So even selling the BPC is difficult.

I really thought I had an alternative way to make ISK that would immerse me into the lore at the same time. Looks like I need to come up with another plan.

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More Messy

I’ve written before about life getting messy.

Yesterday was a day of deep and profound sadness; a turning-point brought on by someone I love very much. They are not themselves, but refuse to get help and it’s hurting everyone who loves them.

It rips my heart out but I am not mad. They are confused.

And I have a choice; I get to choose if I let things  beyond my control put a cloud over my perspective and disposition (all pain comes from a lack of control).

But rather than feel like a victim and reach for explanations that may never come, or fix what I cannot heal, I make the conscious decision to focus instead on the positive in my life.

Instead of dwelling on what appears to be the painful loss of what was a steadfast constant, or on the obvious and traumatic pain the situation is causing others I love, I choose instead to be grateful for the many blessing in my life, past, present and future.

I have a great life with a wonderful career and even more potential; I have fantastic friends and family; I live in an exceptional nation with plenty of food, water, shelter, and clothing; and within the past eleven months I have achieved the greatest level of happiness I’ve ever had … even before I became paralyzed.

There is plenty to be sad about, but there is even more to be happy about.

I choose to live in the happy.

America is exceptional.

She is not perfect and her citizens are not better people than citizens of other nations. But American Exceptionalism is real.

It’s not bragging because I had nothing to do with creating it; it’s expressing gratitude by acknowledging the exceptionally blessed circumstances in which we live.

People from all around the globe are clamoring to get into the USA, while very few are seeking to get out (though they may still whine about it and are free to leave, which is not the case in many other nations). It’s always surprising to me when people argue that it’s wrong on humanitarian grounds to deny people from other countries entrance into America, but also argue that we should be more like those countries from which people trying to escape.

Our Founders devised a system whereby people have the freedom to elect their own representatives in controlling their own governance – a radical departure from the tyranny of royal monarchies, believed to be chosen by God to rule the people. Our system also provides freedom of enterprise that takes a potential negative (human greed and self-interest) and turns it into a positive (unsurpassed innovation, efficiency, and bounty through competition for resources that people freely choose to spend on the goods and services they truly want).

The American system has produced the greatest nation in history, not the American people’s inherent superiority or relative greatness. Nevertheless, people obsessed with fairness or unfairness (as they see it), are fixated on the unequal results produced by natural human differences within that exceptional system. So they demonstrate by blocking traffic or looting and they protest by burning the flag  or not standing during the National Anthem. But what they’re actually protesting is our freedom! They offer no solutions, just complaints; they do not suggest a better form of government than our system, they just disrespect it. What they’re really complaining about is human nature and the fact that we’re all born with different attributes and abilities so we end up with different results.

The Founders realized the imperfections of the human condition and designed a system to maximize freedom and opportunity despite the imperfect nature of human beings.

It doesn’t mean that government intervenes to make an imperfect world perfect, or to make everyone the same by giving people born with fewer skills or talents more ability. It means that our system capitalizes on the inherent differences in human beings to manifest in the greatest good for the greatest number.

When people can’t handle the fact that we will never all be the same, they want government to fix that “unfair” condition. Because that can never be accomplished, they feel they are “victims” and they demonstrate or protest by throwing little (or big) tantrums without offering any way to improve the system.

This is classic victimism – comparing the present situation with perceived perfection; obsessing over unfairness; blaming the American system; and taking comfort in woundedness by appearing to be “sympathetic” or “brave” when all they’re really doing is complaining that the world is not fair.

But it is entirely possible to live in a grossly unfair world and be exceedingly grateful for the freedom afforded by an exceptional system because it offers the most fairness. In fact, it’s not only possible, it’s recommended.

We should pause to reflect on the solemn day fifteen years ago in 2001 when al-Qaeda terrorists attacked on US soil, killing 2,996 innocent people and injuring over 6,000 more.

The 9-11 attacks created nearly 9,000 real victims because no one deserved, or could have reasonably expected, such a hateful and diabolical act. We know that Osama bin Laden blamed the attacks on all of America, vilifying “all those who participate in, or help the Jewish occupiers in killing Muslims.” No matter what your position may be on the Middle East, there is no reasonable justification for al-Qaeda killing and injuring American civilians in a sneak-attack without provocation by US forces.

Yet some plagued with victim mentality have attempted to blame 9-11 on the unfairness of America’s position in the world. A purple-haired history professor teaching Women’s & Gender Studies classes at Saddleback College in California is one such blamer. In 2001, she supported a statement blaming 9-11 on American “imperialism” — which is code for feelings of jealousy over America’s “unfair” wealth and strength as compared to other countries — and she recently tore down “Never Forget” 9-11 memorial posters because she said they were not “approved” (I guess she doesn’t believe in the First Amendment right to Freedom of Expression).

She is obviously a kook, but the lesson to be learned is this: With freedom comes purveyors of kooky ideas. If we’re too “polite” or “politically correct,” to call them out and say they are not valid, they can seep into college campuses and potentially be accepted by young, impressionable minds – especially at our institutions of higher learning, where students are rewarded with good grades the regurgitation of whatever the professor professes, not critical thinking.

The victim mentality is strong and we need to be aware of it. At least today — in honor of those lost in 9-11 and those who loved them — let’s utilize critical thinking and call out the kooks who find any way they can to say that Islamic terrorists are somehow the “victims.”

Sympathy or Pity

The other day I met another lawyer at a restaurant for a drink after work to talk business. While making my way through the bar in my chair, I saw several people I knew. As I stopped to say hello to one — yet another damned lawyer — her friend remarked after meeting me, “It’s nice to see you getting out.” That always cracks me up. So I said, “Yeah, the work-release program at the prison is great.” The confused and then worried look on his face was priceless, but after letting him squirm a few seconds I let him off.

I get that kind of comment fairly often, but it makes me wonder about not only the perception of paralyzed folks but also the motivation for saying something like “it’s nice to see you getting out.”

First of all, I understand that there are probably lots of paralyzed folks who don’t have the motivation, the means, or the business and social life to cause them to undertake the bit of extra effort it takes to get out. But I made the choice long ago to live life as fully as I would if I hadn’t broken my neck, and to never feel sorry for myself for the fact that I’m just a little inconvenienced because I can’t walk or use my hands on my way to accomplishing everything I want to.

I’m pretty sure I “get out” more often than that guy, but he somehow felt sorry for me. He wanted to know why I’m in the chair, and when he asked, I told him, “I’m just lazy.” Again a momentary bewildered look. But by then he had figured out that I was teasing him. So after I told him the real reason was breaking my neck in a diving accident, he asked, “How long have you been in the wheelchair?” And I told him, “Since about 7:00 a.m.” After I toyed with him, he may have started to figure out that he needn’t feel sorry for me.

He was a nice guy and he likely just had empathy or sympathy for what he thought must be a difficult or unhappy life for me. But little did he know my life rocks — probably in ways he hasn’t yet experienced — even though it’s a little more difficult than before I broke my neck.

I always wondered why people feel compelled to share with someone they’ve just met their empathy or sympathy for them. It’s like they are unwittingly playing the “victim-card” for the target of their empathy or sympathy.

I’ve come to believe that if we let people feel sorry for us, we start to feel sorry for ourselves. And though I sometimes feel sorry for others because their lives seem to be plagued with “suckitude,” I choose not to let them know I feel sorry for them (beyond simple condolences for the loss of a loved one, etc.). That’s because I don’t want to enable any victim mentality by providing any reason to think their situation or life is “unfair.” But it’s also because I try not to pity anyone. When we “pity” others we don’t really respect them because we don’t think they can handle their own particular adversity and live happy, rewarding lives. We don’t seek out people we pity, to ask their advice or include them at parties (except maybe as a token). We don’t want to be like the people we pity.

I’ve lived the past 31 years in a way that says “don’t ever feel sorry for me” and that has paid off big-time in numerous ways. Though my life might be a little harder, and though people might have a hard time believing it, my life is awesome!

It’s tempting to tell people what they want to hear.

Whether it’s that their goofy new haircut looks “nice,” or that they are “right” when they clearly are wrong, it seems compassionate and kind to make people feel better.

Somehow, it’s become so commonplace to agree with people and tell them what they want to hear, that to tell people the truth is considered “offensive” or “politically incorrect.” There is social pressure to affirm or validate ridiculous thinking and people feel like they are “victims” when they are corrected because there is this widely accepted notion that “every opinion is valid.”

Besides being an absolutely inane concept, the “every opinion is valid” narrative is also destructive. When people are not subject to the normal socialization of being called out when they are goofy or unreasonable, they are not subject to the normal boundaries of society. This can lead to false perceptions of the world and to bad decision-making.

For example, telling someone that their hideous shirt looks nice on them, just to make them feel good, could distort their perceptions and may cause them to make more decisions that do not present them in the best light. Similarly (but with more impact), telling someone that they are right when they are not can distort their perception of reality and may cause them to make bad business or life decisions.

We don’t have to be nasty jerks to be honest. When someone asks our opinion about their shirt we don’t say, “You look ridiculous! You have terrible taste!” We say something like, “It’s not your best look, I’d go with something else.” Similarly, when someone asks if they are right when they are wrong, we can tactfully explain the error in their thinking rather than tell them they are being “absurd!”

It may be easier to tell people what they want to hear, but it isn’t kind. And it’s actually selfish. We tell people what they want to hear because we want them to like us.

But, while it’s harder to tell people what they need to hear, it is more valuable and is the stuff of true friendships. I would much rather have true friends who are honest with me than fake friends who tell me what I want to hear.

And that’s the kind of friend I try to be. If you feel the same way, feel free to share this.

Excuse Machines

In addition to my work in mergers & acquisitions, my law practice allows me a unique opportunity to solve problems for people. I am the “fixer” and I am good at what I do. Although not involved in any criminal activity, I am kind of like “the Wolf” from the movie Pulp Fiction.

Before doing what I do now, many years ago I started and built an employment litigation practice for a small law firm and then built my own employment and business litigation practice for more than 20 years. As part of that practice, I had the opportunity to help people whose employers had acted unlawfully. It felt good to help people who had really been screwed.

But I also saw a troubling tendency. The ability to sue one’s employer gave people a readily available excuse to blame (“discrimination”), and play the “victim” for their own unacceptable job performance.

I received lots and lots of calls from people saying they were “discriminated against” when they were fired. When I would ask what actions of the employer led them to believe the motivation for termination was discrimination, more often than not, the answers were things like:

“Because I am black,” or

“Because I am old,” or

“Because I am a woman,” etc.

It was amazing how many people assumed anything they felt was “unfair” must be because of “discrimination” (often from the same person who hired them). Yet they could not relate even the slightest indication that the employer was motivated by the person’s race, age, sex … or any other illegitimate reason for their firing. And for those who could convey some basis for their belief that there was some discriminatory motivation, their stories would often fall apart upon further inquiry. Too often, it became readily apparent that their biggest problem was their substandard work or their caustic personality that made them not worth keeping around. But they couldn’t see their problem because they felt like victims as a result of a convenient scapegoat to blame. Eventually, I decided not to take any more employment cases because I didn’t want to enable that kind of victim mentality.

Where there is ready-made blaming for results we don’t like, it is tempting to take advantage of an excuse so that we don’t have to blame ourselves. It is even more tempting to blame others when playing the victim is rewarded through comfort in woundedness – whether that comfort comes in the form of attention, sympathy, control, or “vindication” by way of money from a lawsuit.

Though there are definitely some genuine cases of discrimination and other situations in which people are taken advantage of, most situations I saw were employers who just wanted to run a business with good people and they didn’t care what color, age, sex, or whatever their employees were. Too often I saw people blaming the loss of their job on something other than the fact that they were not a valuable employee, and I refused to enable that kind of self-destructive behavior.

Now I get to help people solve real problems … like negotiating tough deals.

Key and Peele are a couple of funny guys who happen to be black.

In their comedy sketches, they utilize black stereotypes to bring laughter to the world.

In this hilarious little video they poke fun at the names black people give their kids

(NSFW because of some language).

The sketch is funny because it’s based on a cultural difference that’s not hateful or degrading.

What’s sad is that some have come to believe that the stereotype is “racist” because it deals with race. But it neither promotes hatred nor suggests that any race is superior or inferior, so it’s not racist.

Somehow we’ve come to believe that all stereotypes are “hurtful.” It’s a mindset we’ve been force-fed for decades.

Social scientists tell us that stereotypes are based on “empirical generalizations.” There is a generalization about paralyzed people that does not hurt me one bit. If I don’t live in a way so as to distinguish myself from the generalization, then (by definition) it is accurate in the mind of whomever holds the stereotype about me.

What do I care if someone has a generalization they apply to me inaccurately (or accurately)? I am not a child or incompetent. I do not need to be protected from inaccurate perceptions. To see me as something else — as needing protection — would be to treat me as a lesser.

No one is a “victim” of stereotypes unless you believe the generalization that people are incapable of seeing someone as distinct from, or an exception to, a generalization (let that sink in a while).

But even worse, if you believe that certain groups are more “harmed” by stereotypes, wouldn’t that also be a generalization? And because the world operates on, and is full of, generalizations, wouldn’t the belief that certain groups are more harmed by generalizations — thereby needing protection from stereotypes — be treating them as lesser?

In my mind, everyone with their wits about them is fair game for poking fun. To say otherwise is to treat as lesser those who are excepted.

I prefer to make fun of everyone equally – including myself.

Life can get messy.

Just when things seem to be going along great, we sometimes have issues arise that upset our worlds. Things that make us feel overwhelmed make us feel that way because they remind us that we are not in control. And that’s unsettling because it makes us feel like we are victims of circumstance (whether of our own doing or someone else’s).

Although the unsettling and overwhelming things are often surprises, I’ve found it helps to plan that life is just going to be messy at times. I am a fixer so I get busy cleaning up the messes, but it’s less overwhelming when I expect that there will be unforeseen bumps along the way – things I cannot control.

Even more helpful is to focus on the one thing that I can always control 100% – and that thing is my attitude. No matter how messy or how bumpy life gets, I can choose how to handle it.

When I consciously choose to compare my messes with those who have far worse troubles, when I choose to stop worrying about unfairness because my messes are no less fair than anyone else’s, and when I choose to find ways to take responsibility for my messes, I stop thinking like a victim.

And then—even amidst the messiness—I find all kinds of reasons to be grateful and to be happy.

What We Want

What makes us want what others have?

Competition plays a part. Feelings of “fairness” and envy have roles too.

I’ve noticed that lots of people get bothered by the “unfairness” when someone drives past where everyone else is trying to merge onto the highway and gets several cars ahead in line. That doesn’t bother me one bit. The guy might reach his destination a few seconds faster than me. So what? Even if it’s a full minute or two faster, it’s not worth getting frustrated or perturbed about (and it’s actually better for traffic-flow when not everyone is trying to jam in at the same place).

I rarely let anyone else affect my attitude. It’s the one thing over which I have absolute control. And it’s all about choices.

Do you wish you had someone else’s house, vacations, or income? I see clients and have friends with a lot of money. Having more doesn’t make them any happier than me. In fact, great wealth often brings its own problems. And I don’t know many people, richer or poorer, who are happier. I have learned how to be happy with whatever I have.

Again, it’s all about choices (and it involves choosing gratitude).

Even though I’m very competitive, I choose not to compare or to care about others getting or having more (even when it’s “undeserved”). When I want something more, I try to work harder or smarter. A very wise man (my father) gave me great advice when I was a young boy that stuck with me. He said,

“There will always be people with more than you and there will always be people with less. It doesn’t do you any good to compare yourself with others – compare yourself with your potential.”

When we do compare to others and feel like it’s “unfair,” we are choosing envy because we are choosing to “compare up” – that is, only comparing with those who have more, because if you’re reading this online there are literally hundreds of millions of people who have less. How “fair” is that?

Helen Keller (who I think was in the same graduating class with my father) once said,

“Instead of comparing our lot with that of those who are more fortunate than we are, we should compare it with the lot of the great majority of our fellow men. It then appears that we are among the privileged.”

And I’m pretty sure I’ve read somewhere that covetousness and envy are not necessarily “best practices.”

Maybe, just maybe, the “shalt nots” are not as much about limiting us but more about directing our choices for our own good … perhaps to find a peace that surpasses all understanding.

New Perspectives

This attempting to share different perspectives thing is tricky.

While I try to impart things I’ve garnered through a situation that I thought would leave me miserable, it’s not easy to convince people to consider new ways of seeing the world.

The counterintuitive nature of the new perspectives can disrupt worldviews that are influenced by popular narratives we all hear. I know that, for me, modifying my own worldview does not come easy.

Thursday’s, Friday’s, and Saturday’s posts are good examples of different perspectives on popular mindsets that took me a while to reach. But though I take issue with some common beliefs, I do not mean to be critical of those who’ve accepted them. It occurred to me that in laying out the reasons for rejecting those mindsets, some may take umbrage with my assertions.

It is not at all my intent to deride anyone who has not yet considered the different perspectives I advocate. My goal is only to get people to think about things in a slightly different way, and that requires challenging current narratives. I’m attempting to do that in a positive manner.

It is my sincere hope (and prayer) that, by sharing the things I’ve discovered over a difficult (but wonderful) journey which have led me to startling happiness, my posts can help enrich others’ lives.

That would make me even happier.


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Saturday, January 23, 2010

No support for Chee Soon Juan by Singaporeans

Singapore Democratic Party proudly pasted a press release by the Council for a Community of Democracies, condemning the jailing of Chee Soon Juan, the Secretary General of SDP.

I must salute the Singapore Democratic Party over the way it profiles itself online, as a very glamorous organisation, with so many alliances with international bodies, yet appears to be victimised in Singapore.

So what really is this "Council for a Community Democracies"?

The Council for a Community Democracies (CCD) are staffed with 25 civil society leaders, who are all from the United States of America. With no representation from Asia, I wonder how the council can be effective in pushing for democracy outside the USA.

The CCD seeks "to establish a global network of democratic countries with the principal aim of fortifying democratic governance everywhere". However, since its inception in 2000, the CCD still has no Asian and European representation in its council. It is far from a "global network", it's just a "USA network".

A quick glance through its activities shows that the CCD is more talk than action. There were no signs of positive results from its activities. The CCD often merely acts as a body to condemn the actions of other countries/governments/organisations.

Hey... But Chee Soon Juan won the Defender of Democracy Award!

The award is given by Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA). According to its website, "The Defender of Democracy Award is presented to individuals who, through their own commitment and active engagement, have made significant progress in strengthening democracy and democratic practices. "

Chee has intimate ties with many foreign organisations and foreigners. A very good example is Robert Amsterdam, who frequently condemns the Singapore government in favour of Chee. With his ties, it's not difficult to imagine how he won this award.

Just ask yourself - Has Chee made SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS? Through his OWN commitment and ACTIVE engagement?

1 comment:

  1. Chee wants to institute regime change like in Iraq.

Please note that we will adopt SDP-style of allowing no-reply-to-comments-and-no-allowing-of-anonymous-comments approach


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