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Mystery Schools and Traversing through realms!

I pay homage to Kuan Yin, Padmasambhava, Nisargadatta, Ramana, St. Rajinder Singh Ji, Jesus, Yogananda,  Buddha and all my spiritual friends for having made me capable of recalling and writing down these. May these help all spiritual seekers and heal all beings!

I never systematically practiced Yoga unless you consider whole life a school of Yoga where my yearning to be liberated grew day by day. It was supposed to be gleaning wisdom from books, friends, videos, angels and life. I had read about mystery schools but never imagined participating in one until now. This story might take many posts and I am sharing with hope that it would help some of you, entertain you and might make you my friend on path of light if you feel it resonates with you in some senses.

I had many awakenings. To be clear, at this point I don’t believe myself be a person. I am a wisdom recollection participating in the creation of light or Bodhichitta. I feel my personality died many times. You might call these awakenings. Beginning from 2005(in this time-line) I had major awakenings in 2007, 2012 and 2016. In November 2016, I died in the sense of having witnessed stopping of my heartbeat and showed it to a neighbor who confirmed it. Before that I felt a great deal of depression as well as thrill as many miracles were happening around me. Since I had used some substances and there was remnant unconsciousness I entered into a between state where miracles and realizations beyond my wildest dreams started happening. Prior to this, in case of every awakening I had considered it to be ‘final.’ I considered myself an empath and a very spiritual person but clearly I needed this schooling.

What happened in the mystery school?

I had read that life is the greatest teacher and whatever or whoever teaches us in life is the manifestation of our highest self. I did grasp it intellectually and realized it as I used to reflect back on relations and difficulties which made me let-go and die to my olden ways of living and being, still I didn’t have immediacy of karmic vision. Some people ask–if it’s bad to do some things why don’t we feel consequences while doing those things in a way as we get our hands burnt when we put them into the fire? This is because our gross vision can’t look at all the layers which create our collective Karma–how our choices at every step affect our past present and future! Similarly there are people who might find it difficult to stick to their true character, true nobility and virtue when times are tough because of lack of conviction about true nature of Reality. My tryst with death proved beyond doubt that my awakenings and understanding about the nature of Reality was far from perfect.

Pythagoras visited India many thousand years ago and he wrote about mystery schools. Gurdjieff and other mystics also wrote about the same. It was for the first time I realized that I had been living in a mystery school all my life without being aware of it. I had read about Zen masters beating students for being inattentive and I was beaten, thrashed and smashed for being careless or mindful. I was crushed for believing in a bookish version of Reality which I didn’t deserve karmically. This I write with a heart full of gratitude now. I was mostly unconsciousness in this juncture as we usually are all our sleep-walking lives unless we awaken to our higher self and reality. Miracles I witnessed included seeing(feeling) various manifestations of avatars, ghosts, nagas, gods, angelic beings and true inexplicable nature of reality where whatever you expect is denied but whatever happens is so beautiful and lovely that you never dreamt such beatitude possible. I witnessed hell, demonic and magical and I witnessed divine, heavenly and humane. I had interviews with lords of time and I lived through such tight sojourns that even a blinking of an eye or an instinctual smile on my face resulted in a scornful response from masters of time and death. What in a three dimensional realm would translate as a period of group ragging in a college by seniors might be amplified many times over to get a faint glimpse of what I had to go through without any hopes of ever getting out of it. And maybe I am still in it until I learn to adapt in the fifth dimension skillfully and learn to let-go to build enough momentum and let healing complete.

Imagine being surrounded by 100, 200, 1000 or even more people–markets upon markets full of people who are soaking your psychic energy–what will you do? There are no friends out there except maybe some pious friends from old three dimensional world who show you some light? You don’t know what is right or wrong and instincts draw you blind. In those scenarios only surrender happens. Witnessing great changes in seasons, meeting powerful beings who threatened me on my face to correct my ways and getting infinitely long reactions on every agitated reaction I had, is perhaps not a mystery school anyone will sign for. Perhaps you might if you know it’s for your good and that is what I did believing that fearlessness and desirelessness will lead me to the ‘natural state’ perfection about which Kabir, Ramana and other masters have so often spoken.

There are many ways to look at what happened. Earth moved into 5th dimension and I was forced to move into it without preparation–is one way of telling it. But I was always unprepared–be it 2005, 2007 or 2012/2016. Another way to look at it is that my awakening sent me into a dimension where everyone around me was more evolved(still is!) People could read my thoughts. They could create karma by suggestions and they could read my past like a clean book in a second. They could undo past and they spoke in symbols–in dream language with each other and to me. I thought for a long time that they didn’t really need to speak to each other using words and it was only me they wanted to hear their words.

I had feelings of being a newborn baby. Being a ghost, a fly, a cow, a dog, a buffalo, an artificial intelligent robot, a computer, a prostitute, a bike, a stone, a lady, a goddess, a god and an avatar. It might all be considered to be delusion(because of attachment to forms) or paranormal experiences which were needed to reinforce in me understanding of karmic repercussions.[White ray reality of becoming–dependent arising was not well established into my spiritual genes as I had persuaded black ray reality of being mostly]  Except a few occasions, when I was in hellish realms I wasn’t assaulted physically. I begged for food, worked a bit and witnessed what it means to give food to ghostly elders out of gratitude(because all life is connected). Only after entering into the void by force I understood what demonic, ghostly, divine and humane meant and how much the light coming from our spiritual genes–from our guides, gurus or higher self helps us.

The symbolic language used was mostly dream language I understood in my three dimensional reality: for example–[bikes, cars, trucks etc were symbolic of body vehicles and I was again and again directed to understand that myriads upon myriads souls possess a space or a body unless you are aware and pure]water or emotion, milk or nectar of immortality or carnal pleasures, birds for various sage-types–such as kingfisher for those who chant and do penance, Swan for those who are detached and posses discrimination and eagles for those who are detached yet powerful and so on. Eating meant both physical eating or mental tasting of things which were sensual. Law people, authorities and principals of schools were all karmic lords of time and death. At once I had to play two roles: at home I was supposed to be a respectful adult who could pay karmic debts back and at the job site I was supposed to be a kid. I was acting as a teacher in a school but it turned out to be a mystery school like that of Harry Potter’s where magic, miracles and drama were all in full swing. They were all perfected beings teaching me more than I could cope with.

I began as an avatara–I considered myself to be an avatar. Then I came down to be a human being. Then I felt like being a kid who was supposed to work like an adult. Then I became a devotee who saw various gods and thereafter I had to give up because I reached a situation where I could barely lift my head up for a minute without being cursed with a million affirmations. My head was torn apart and I took it as an empowerment of vehicle. Thereafter another journey happened. It was the summum bonum of all my spiritual hardships. I will talk about that and other things in another post.

Mystery schools do exist. Masters, guides, angels and gods are present amongst us at all times. As a Buddhist master has said–if causes are ripe buddhas will appear then and there teaching us things. I feel my ripening must have been explosive because masters and lords of time appeared dramatically and my family, friends, neighbors and whole world around me became the most stringent Zen masters. The main problem was: lack of formal instruction. It was all based on understanding and feedback./ If I plainly asked someone a thing they would refuse to guide me. If I told anyone about astounding mystical experiences they outrightedly rejected and denied them. I feel this was more because they were all awakening with me. I feel being in a noble company, cultivating merits and then acceptance helps but life is ever unexpected and fresh and no awakening is final! May this narrative help you on path of light and arouse interest in you to be more spiritual. Tibetan Book of The Dead and I AM THAT along with Kuan Yin and many other spiritual friends helped me to gain an understanding into what happened to me and they gave me courage to narrate this to release stuck emotional energies for healing and love. Thank you very much for reading!

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Sunday, November 17, 2013

     You are sworn to secrecy, okay?  Because, while my husband and I were permitted to accompany (i.e., drive) our daughter to National Portfolio Day in New York today, and were (amazingly) even granted clearance to see what was in her portfolio, I am obviously forbidden from sharing any of it with outsiders.  But I'm going to anyway, so DO NOT betray my trust!
     So. National Portfolio Day, for anyone who does not have artistic offspring, is a day when representatives from 40 or 50 art schools show up at a mammoth convention center to review the portfolios of the senior-level prospective art students who bring them to be critiqued.  There must have been a thousand kids at the Javits Center today, maybe more, and an equal number of accompanying parents, most of them standing in line at one school's booth, holding a place for their kids, while the kids stood on line for another school.  This is how I learned that behind every accomplished young artist stands at least one awesomely supportive parent, swallowing his  fears about how the hell his kid is going to support herself, and doing everything possible to just help her achieve her dreams.  Here is my lovely daughter, turning her back on me when she saw me trying to take a picture of her:

     Okay, now here comes the really Top Secret part.  You remember that you're sworn to secrecy, right?  Well then, here are a few of my favorite items from her portfolio.  A still life:

A sketch entitled "Scream:"
And the aptly titled "Me Picking My Nose:"
     Uh-oh.  She just walked into the kitchen.  Gotta go!  But if you tell anyone about this, you're gonna swim with the fishes.

  1. My favorite is "Me Picking My Nose." That made me smile. Looks fantastic and realistic, and the nose-picking part makes it quirky and silly. Did the art school representatives like it? I assume they did? My teachers/professors always loved when students did something unexpected and off-beat. :]

    1. Well, we weren't with her when she talked to the reps (because each of us was off holding a place for her on a different line), and she definitely didn't tell us much afterwards, but she did "pass" her portfolio reviews with the schools she presented to (evidently it's possible to "fail"), so overall it was a good result. That picture happens to be my personal favorite too!

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Review: ‘The Wholehearted’ at Z Space (****1/2)

by Christine Okon

This reviewer is a voting member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle (SFBATCC)
This reviewer is a voting member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle (SFBATCC)

Why does anyone fight? To protect themselves, to hurt others, to win, to survive? The answers are not simple.

“The Wholehearted,” at Z Space until September 10, reveals this complexity in a gut wrenching and intense hour of one woman’s journey to reintegrate the pieces of a self shattered by the betrayal of an abusive husband, and life in general.  The woman is no typical woman, but world champion boxer Dee Crosby, played by the remarkable Suli Holum who also co-created the show with Deborah Stein. Holum trained for four years as a boxer, and it shows. She becomes every character in Dee’s life: Charlie, the rough trainer she eventually married; Carmen, a woman lover; and especially Dee’s former victorious self on a video that is played and replayed.

We sit ringside around an elevated platform, and the excitement begins as Dee Crosby punches and jabs in sync with the opponent displayed on overhead monitors. With expert sound and visual design (Matt Hubbs, James Sugg, Katherine Freer, Dave Tennent and Stephen Arnold) we feel each punch in the gut and every cross to the jaw, although there is no actual fighting on stage. We watch a montage that reveals Crosby’s rise to boxing greatness, complete with a pose with Don King and a Sports Illustrated cover.

We then see Dee sometime in the future as she watches her old self on a tiny TV. She is traveling up and down the continuum of time, memory, emotion, suffering and love. Along the way we learn how she met the trainer she trusted and later married, only to find that her sense of self would slowly dissolve as the relationship turned violent. She is hurt physically, psychically, emotionally yet still struggles to survive.

The way Holum “becomes” the abusive Charlie before our eyes is masterful, intensifying the painful domestic conflict. When Charlie sings original C&W songs (James Sugg and Heather Christian) like “Pretty Girl,” we get an idea of how a sweet talking man could be a controlling monster.  (Holum revealed after the show that she challenged herself to learn to sing, and she was wonderful.)

“The Wholehearted” is a powerful story about healing, recovery and recreation. The after-show talkback session Thursday night featured three psychologists who work with those who’ve experienced trauma and domestic abuse. Very often, victims are asked “why don’t you just leave” or “why didn’t you fight back?” In a world that wants to tear you apart, even a trained boxer can be taken down by surprise.

If you’re lucky, you can catch “The Wholehearted” before it proceeds on a national tour.

“The Wholehearted” continues at Z Space through September 10. For further information, click here.

Rating: ****1/2
(For an explanation of TheatreStorm’s rating scale, click here.

“The Wholehearted” written by Deborah Stein. Directors: Deborah Stein and Suli Holum. Onstage Camera and Video Engineer: Stivo Anroczy. Sound Design: Matt Hubbs and James Sugg. Video Design: Katherine Freer and Dave Tennent. Lighting Design: Stephen Arnold. Costume Design: Angela Herner. Original Music: James Sugg and Heather Christian.

Suli Holum: Dee Crosby, Charlie, and all onstage characters. Stivo Arnoczy: Onstage cameraman

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Merry Christmas to… me. And maybe you!

Shutterfly is doing something super awesome for bloggers. They are giving away 50 FREE holiday cards to bloggers who write a post about them. How cool is that? I’ll tell you how cool… pretty dang-gum cool.
Usually, Hubby & I send out funny photo cards for Christmas… and by funny I mean they are usually mildly inappropriate. That ain’t gonna happen this year, what with the baby and all. We are going to try to get a sweet picture or two of Bug on the beach and use that as our photo this year. After looking through the HUNDREDS of awesome cards Shutterfly has to offer, these are the cards that I am considering… it will all come down to which picture(s) we choose & what card Hubby likes:

I love the vintage look of this card. I think it would look fantastic with a black & white photo of Bug on the beach with a red Santa hat.

I love the simplicity of the gift tag on this one. I like the folded card because I have the option to add a little message inside about what Bug is up to!

This one is straightforward… and I love the stars!

Ummm, LOVE the bright, happy colors! I am all about bright & happy!

I have to say, though… free cards or not, I LOVE Shutterfly. When Bug was born, we wanted to find a way besides Facebook to be able to share pictures of him growing up with our family & friends. I spent a lot of time looking at all of the photo-sharing websites, and Shutterfly was by far my favorite. Through your account, you can create a share site and basically create a personal website for sharing photos, videos & general updates on your family. You invite people via email to be a member, and only those people can access your site. I love how easy it is to create & update, and how easy it is for our friends and family to look around.

In addition to the share site, I plan on putting together a photo book for Eli’s first 6 months, and then for each year after that. I just think it will be such a nice way to be able to look back upon his childhood!

Hubby & I are also planning on buying a photo calendar for, umm, somebody, for Christmas… and these awesome coffee mugs for some others.

If you are a blogger and would like to participate in Shutterfly’s holiday card promotion, just click here to sign up!

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Three More of Miami Beach's New Lifeguard Stands Are Under Construction

The City of Miami Beach has been gradually rolling out new lifeguard stands to replace the aging but famed collection of purposely temporary structures, with the ones designed by the architect of the original flamboyant creations, William Lane. A number are already complete, but recently the MDPL spotted three new stands following Lane’s designs being constructed on the beach, almost ready for action. Check out all of the designs here.

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Jeremy Levine
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“We were worried about vaginas,” three actresses from the University of California, Santa Barbara’s Vagina Monologues and Herstories 2017 cast intoned at the audience for the last line of the show’s opening skit. Thus kicked off a weekend of shows put on by The Women’s Ensemble Theater Troupe at UCSB highlighting female empowerment, solidarity, and artistic vision to fundraise for the Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center.

Originally composed from interviews author Eve Ensler had with over 200 women when published in 1996, the Vagina Monologues have become an international event performed across universities. Directed by fourth year black and feminist studies double major Bridget Kyeremateng (Vagina Monologues) and third year theater and religious studies double major Rachel Gregory (Herstories),the monologues were performed by UCSB’s Women’s Ensemble Theater Troupe with fresh, powerful delivery, full-body acting, and liberty with the script.

Mixed among the original monologues throughout the show were the Herstories skits, which became a part of UCSB’s annual Vagina Monologues performance under the name Vulvaventures four years ago. Herstories allowed the diverse cast of the show to discuss a range of personal topics that UCSB’s Women’s Ensemble Theater Troupe felt were unrepresented in the original monologues, such as suicide, drug addiction, BDSM, race, and immigration.

“We’re not trying to include everybody all at once and tell every story in the history of women, but we’re taking a few stories each year and saying ‘this is what our experience as college women is right now, this is who we are’ — and that can vary very widely,” graduated theater major and performer Alessandra Albanese told The Bottom Line in a phone interview.

Improvability comedian Brooke Mackenzie performs “The Flood” from the Vagina Monologues.

UCSB’s Women’s Ensemble Theater Troupe creatively embraced the vagina theme of the event. Vaginas literally took center stage when vagina-costumed volunteers went onstage to advertise the vagina-frosted cookies, chocolate “pussy-pops,” vagitarian shirts, and vagina stickers for sale.

Over 1,800 students, faculty, and community members attended and enthusiastically bought goodies, helping to raise over $20,000 for the Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center, double what they made last year.

Kyeremateng delivered one of the funnier monologues, “The Woman Who Loved Making Vaginas Happy,” about a high-powered lawyer turned woman-on-woman only sex worker. She truly made the act her own, describing discovering “how deeply excited I got when other women moaned, when I was responsible for other women moaning” before getting down on the stage to exhibit moans and the sex positions that elicit them such as the doggy moan, the diva moan, and the college moan (“I should be studying, I should be studying”).

Such laugh-out-loud acts threw tragic and shocking ones like the Bosnian refugee/rape victim-inspired “My Vagina Was My Village,” into sharp relief. Third year theater major Katherine Alverado and fourth year sociology major Monique Plummer starkly contrasted the woman’s perception of her sexuality before and after being raped.

Lines spoken with an upbeat lilt like, “My vagina singing all girl songs, all goat bells ringing songs, all wild autumn field songs, vagina songs, vagina home songs” emphasized the monotone delivery from the other actress of the following line, “Not since the soldiers put a long thick rifle inside me. So cold, the steel rod canceling my heart.”

Fourth year film and media studies and psychology double major Leah Bleich performed the heart-wrenching but redemptive “The Little Coochie Snorcher that Could,” an individual woman’s story about being raped as a child and finding love with an older woman as a teenager. Using an adorable Southern accent, Bleich detailed the character’s childhood of suppressing her sexuality until she had a sexual experience with an older woman.

“[It] was my surprising, unexpected, and politically incorrect salvation,” Bleich said. “She transformed my sorry-ass Coochi Snorcher and raised it into a kind of heaven.”

“Not One or the Other,” a Herstory by artist and activist Rose Houska, tackles the gender binary.

Third year art and black studies double major Rose Houska reminded the audience that feminism encompasses more than cisgendered women in her story “Not One or the Other.” After losing one of her ovaries to a cyst, she told the audience, “I wonder if my body got rid of my ovaries because it doesn’t give two fucks about the gender binary.”

Kyeremateng returned to perform the final Herstory, “Who is Bridget.” She relived the experience of coming “to America and [having] to realize I was black,” struggling with racial identity. Along with several other performers, she called out “our hot Cheeto-ass president” for threatening the feminist movement, to applause and laughter from the audience. The deeply introspective life story served as a fitting finale for Kyeremateng, who performed in four Vagina Monologues over her career at UCSB.

Albanese, who has also been involved in the Vagina Monologues for the past four years, wrote her own story, “Freak Out.” When talking about BDSM, performer Corey Carpenter rhetorically asked “how can you, you, you feminist, how can you ask for violence and condemn it in the same breath?” She answered “this is the life I choose.”

Fundamentally, the Vagina Monologues and Herstories showcased to the UCSB community that women should be able to live the life they choose, whatever that means to them.

“The Vagina Monologues is — pun intended — an opening into feminism and to womanhood in all its actual reality and truth,” Albanese said, ”instead of what we might happen to be taught.”


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Book Review: The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel

The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel“The naked child ran out of the hide-covered lean-to towards the rocky beach at the bend in the small river.  It didn’t occur to her to look back.  Nothing in her experience ever gave her reason to doubt the shelter and those within it would be there when she returned…”

So begins the first in the Earth’s Children® series of seven novels.  It’s been a bestselling series, but somehow I’ve only discovered it just prior to the release of the final instalment in March 2011.  I was intrigued by the prehistoric setting (I lap up historical novels like whipped cream) and I wanted to know more.

I can’t bear to start a series in the middle, never mind the end, so I decided to try the first book, first published in 1980.  The novel is about a Neanderthal tribe which takes in an orphaned child.  The child is not of their clan; she’s not even of their race.  Ayla is one of the Others, and she is tall, blonde and blue-eyed, standing out from everyone around her and deemed ugly next to their short, dark and hairy bodies.  Her personality is also vastly different from theirs: she shocks them by wanting to hunt with the men, talking too much and being able to count.  Luckily she is keen to learn their ways, and so step by step we and Ayla are initiated into the clan’s way of life.

The novel explores Neanderthal behaviour and an Ice Age environment in some detail.  We find out about edible plants, herbal remedies, hunting strategies, religious ceremonies, and much more.  Of course, a lot of the time it’s necessary for Auel to speculate about what these Neanderthal people really did, thought, used and believed.  The novel might look, for example, at the way a certain type of plant can be used to add flavour to food, but anthropologists can never be completely sure whether this would actually have been used in that way; or we might find a description of a primitive tool which dates back to this time period, but the writer can only imagine how this would really have been used in practice.

Having said that, the author’s biography at the start of the novel makes it clear that Auel has been praised by leading scientists, archaeologists and anthropologists for the extent and accuracy of her research.  While it’s obviously important to take any historical novel with a large pinch of salt, it’s fascinating to speculate and to be taken on an imaginative journey through this writer’s version of a primitive world.  She really does bring her characters to life and allows us to see them not as a stupid, underdeveloped sub-species, but simply as a different branch of the same ancestral tree we have all come from.

For me, this book was an absolute page-turner.  I loved uncovering the knowledge concealed within the pages.  We are treated to an in-depth exploration of daily life through the seasons and at various points in the clan members’ life cycles.  Yet the plot is so enthralling that you don’t even realise that this is a history, biology and psychology lesson all rolled into one.  You are literally unable to predict what could possibly happen next: you must simply keep reading.

There are a few disturbing scenes.  They are, of course, designed to shock, yet they are often described to us in a matter-of-fact way, asking us to accept that what is repellent to a modern reader would have been seen as perfectly normal in a different time.  For example, one of the clan males, Broud, hates Ayla intensely, but as the men are given free reign to treat the women as they like, both verbally and physically, things occasionally get a bit nasty.  Sometimes Ayla triumphs over his pettiness, sometimes Brun succeeds in doing her damage; and when this happens, the others turn a blind eye to his behaviour.

But it’s worth overcoming a grimace or two and reading on.  If the second book in the series, The Valley of Horses, is anything like as addictive to read as this one, then I want it!  Truly indulgent reading, hand in hand with the smug satisfaction of gaining a better understanding of prehistoric Europe’s people.

You can find out more about the Earth’s Children® series here and read an excerpt of the final book: The Land of Painted Caves.

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Thursday At Noon Concert Series presents Sarah Kramer

  • Date

    Thursday, September 13, 2012

  • What

    A Viennese Romance, by soprano Sarah Kramer and Austrian pianist Anna Ronai.

  • Where

    MacKinnon Building room 107, University of Guelph, Guelph Ont

  • When

    12 noon

  • Why

    Free concert, everyone welcome

  • Cost

  • More information

    Click Here

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Bookstore First Year


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The Crazy News Guy

Posts Tagged ‘Louisa Tuck pictures’

Louisa Tuck AKA Crystal Gunns Porn Star Scandal

In Life, Odd News, People, Society, World News on November 26, 2008 at 4:50 pm

Louisa Tuck is a New Jersey Elementary school teachers aid with a very naughty past indeed. An Internet photo scandal has erupted after it was reveled Tuck is a former star in the skin trade.

Apparently films and several other naughty photographs of Tuck, who went by the name Crystal Gunns, readily available on the Internet.
SEE Crystal Gunns in action and read the story HERE


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Author Archives: Laura Kenyon

About Laura Kenyon

Cardiff University Student

The Best TV Dance Show Winners

Over the years, hundreds of incredible dance acts have exploded onto our television screens in shows like Britain’s Got Talent, Got To Dance, America’s Best Dance Crew, Strictly Come Dancing and So You Think You Can Dance. There are have been so many deserving winners but who is the pick of the bunch? Here’s my selection of the greatest ever winners and what they are doing now.

Diversity- Britain’s Got Talent Winners 2009

Britain’s Got Talent is notorious for producing incredible dance acts year after year. From George Sampson to Twist & Pulse, there’s always a great dance troupe on BGT. Diversity even faced stiff competition in the form of Flawless the year they won. I actually preferred Flawless throughout the competition but Diversity pulled it out of the bag with their final performance. The insanely creative choreography was matched by the sublime execution that has now made Diversity a household name. Since then, Ashley Banjo has been a judge on Got To Dance and has his own programme, ‘Ashely Banjo’s Secret Street Crew‘. And little Perri is even a contestant on Splash! After huge success, here’s the moment that kickstarted it all…

JabbaWockeez- America’s Best Dance Crew Season 1 Winners

This all male hip hop crew from San Diego sent shockwaves across America when they first appeared on America’s Best Dance Crew. They’re popping was so technically incredible and in sync with one another that so many have tried to emulate their robotic style since. Famous for their white masks and gloves, they have gone on to perform worldwide and even appeared in Step Up 2: The Streets. I could literally spend hours watching these guys but with well over 11 million YouTube views, here’s one performance you can’t miss…

Kara Tointon- Strict Come Dancing Winner 2010

Kara turned out to be a truly breathtaking dancer. In my opinion, no celebrity contestant has matched her since. To not come from a dancing background and to take to dance in the manner she did is some achievement. She scored numerous tens from the judges for her graceful performances but it was her passion and chemistry with dance partner, turned romantic partner Artem Chigvinstev that really captured the hearts of the nation. Here is Kara and Artem doing the Rumba.

Prodijig- Got To Dance Winners 2012

There have been so many great winners of Got To Dance- the most recognisable probably being Akai Osei, who has since appeared in the StreetDance 3D film. However, the reason Prodijig are one of my favourite ever dance show winners is because of how they broke the mould when it came to their style of dance. Until then, it was unheard for an Irish tap group to win any of these modern talent shows. Amazingly they managed to bring back Irish tap to primetime viewing and gave it a uniquely modern twist through both the choreography and the music. If you haven’t seen it before then here’s your chance.

Charlie Bruce- So You Think You Can Dance 2010 Winner

Throughout the series I was just captivated by this girl’s effortless dance style. Not only did she have a few tricks in the bag with some outrageous handless cartwheels and flips but her infectious smile and energetic performances is eventually what saw her crowned the winner. The former Laine Theatre Arts student went on to perform in West End productions as well as the American version of So You Think You Can Dance. But my favourite ever performance from her came in the very first week. The jazz dancer was pushed out of her comfort zone and given a hip hop routine with Tommy to Timbaland’s The Way I AreHer charm really shines through in this as she embraces the style with a performance I couldn’t take my eyes off. See for yourself!

The Greatest Dance Moments of 2013

2013 was a hugely significant year in the world of dance. So many different dancing styles were showcased and broadcast on our TV screens over the last year and to massive success. We witnessed everything from Abbey Clancy storming to victory on Strictly Come Dancing to Beyonce’s commercial masterclass at the Super Bowl Half Time Show. Dance is now more prevalent in the media and our everyday culture than ever before. So as we move into 2014, let’s take a look back the defining dance moments of the last year.

Attraction win Britain’s Got Talent and perform at the Royal Variety Performance 2013.

Just when you thought you’d seen it all in terms of dance on BGT, Attraction came onto our screens. The group from Hungary wowed the entire nation with their innovative shadow act that incorporated stunning dance sequences into their unbelievable and acrobatic shadow manipulation. There is no question that these guys are talented dancers but they have used their technical dance ability to create a spectacle that many of us just couldn’t believe we were seeing. Their semi-final performance is the one that really sticks in my mind. They acted out the poignant story envisaging the death of the group leader’s mother and ending with the birth of his child leaving lots of people reaching for the Kleenex (including Simon Cowell). Here’s a reminder.

Beyonce’s half time show at the 2013 Superbowl

Beyonce has constantly reinvented herself over the years and this was an eclectic performance

Beyonce at the 2013 Super Bowl

Beyonce at the 2013 Super Bowl

that set the world alight. The choreography did an incredible job of incorporating all her iconic songs and dance routines from Crazy In Love to Single Ladies. The fact that she managed to maintain such energy throughout a performance lasting more than thirteen minutes whilst giving a world class vocal performance is just astounding. She is the unequivocal queen of pop but has also cemented herself in history as a top class dance act that people attempt to replicate all over the world.

Lukas McFarlane wins Sky One’s Got To Dance

Ok, so the reason I’ve picked this as a defining dance moment is because over the last few years, our television screens have been dominated by hip hop and street styles. Don’t get me wrong, I love these styles and the majority of today’s viewers prefer them to the more classical styles- probably because of the up to the minute song choices and “cool” reputation. So all the more praise to Lukas McFarlane for winning Got To Dance and winning over a legion of fans with a style that people are less familiar with. Famous for wearing one sock, Lukas took contemporary dancing to a whole other level. For those that think contemporary is boring and just not for you, I promise this will change your mind. His acrobatic flips and body popping combined with perfect technique throughout in more classical moves is truly mind blowing. How he manages to maintain such emotive intensity as well is just beyond me. Watch his final performance to Alex Clare’s Too Close and you’ll see what I mean.

Strictly Come Dancing is won by Abbey Clancy and the show becomes the BBC’s most successful ever export

Strictly Come Dancing 2013 Winner, Abbey Clancy

Strictly Come Dancing 2013 Winner, Abbey Clancy

In my opinion, we saw the best ever series of Strictly this year with the standard of dance at the highest it’s ever been. I think any one of the final four could have been winners on another series. But it was Abbey Clancy who eventually came out on top. There’s no denying her elegance and poise especially when in hold and at times she appeared to glide effortlessly across the floor. Personally I preferred Susanna Reid whose progression from week one was remarkable but overall a fantastic year for Strictly Come Dancing that continues to dominate primetime viewing.

 Coronation Street’s Anthony Cotton wins Let’s Dance for Comic Relief

Once again it was just refreshing to see another dance style getting some coverage, this time in the form of tap dance. I think this was absolutely genius. Reminiscent of Fred Astaire, it brought back the old fashioned showbiz that has been missing in recent years but equally made tap dance appealing to a modern audience. Not only is Antony an exceptionally accomplished tap dancer but also a wonderful entertainer and a delight to see dancing on our screens. See for yourself!

And we couldn’t possibly discuss the best dance moments of 2013 without mentioning possibly the worst moment of all time… One word: “twerk

My Top 5 YouTube Dance Stars

Over the last few years dance videos have literally exploded onto the internet and practically taken over YouTube. Of course, there’s the ones from big shows like Britain’s Got Talent (BGT), So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD), Dancing With The Stars, Strictly Come Dancing, America’s Best Dance Crew, Got To Dance and so many more. But this blog post will showcase the biggest, most breathtaking dance videos that you won’t see on your TV. There’s thousands of them out there but these are the ones that blew my mind. My top five YouTube dance sensations!

NUMBER ONE: Chachi Gonzales. You won’t believe it but this girl is only 17! She’s an American dancer who won America’s Best Dance Crew with I.aM.mE in 2011. She’s now gone solo and has nearly 442,000 subscribers on YouTube. Her choreography is effortlessly cool- think girl next door with an urban edge. It’s hard to pick just one video but I definitely recommend watching her ‘Ciara- Like a Boy’ routine as well as this one which has over 8,000,000 views.

NUMBER TWO: DancingWithYT. This YouTube channel showcases some of the best young dance talent from jazz, lyrical and contemporary to hip hop and street. Many of these young dancers went on to feature in Dance Moms but there is one girl in particular that caught my eye. At only seven years old, her flexibility, strength, expression and musicality exceeds all expectations of a girl her age. Her acrobatics are unbelievable. With over 1,500,000 views, here is Asia Monet Ray.

NUMBER THREE: OfficialHHI. This is the HipHop International YouTube Channel and it posts all the videos from the annual World Hip Hop Dance Championships. There was one crew last year that blew all the competition out of the water; the megacrew ‘Royal Family’ from New Zealand. Choreographing for that amount of people must have been a nightmare but the end product is exceptional. Their timing is so precise for that many dancers on one stage and has a huge impact. The musical arrangement is also genius with tracks from Drake’s Started At The Bottom to Big Bad Wolf by Duck Sauce. And keep an eye on the tall dancer in the middle who is phenomenal.

NUMBER FOUR: WilldaBeast Adams. Another American dancer and choreographer who regularly uploads his latest creations and tutorials to go with them. This arrangement to Beyonce’s Upgrade You has nearly 11,000,000 views.

NUMBER FIVE: Emily Sasson Choreography. Emily’s videos have exploded onto YouTube and get hundred of thousands of views. She’s YouTube dance royalty! Here’s one of her routines to Ester Dean’s Drop it Low featuring Lil Wayne.

Pointe Shoes, Pirouettes and Pregnancy

So this week a lady named Mary Helen Bowers made the news by continuing to dance at 39 weeks pregnant! And she says she’ll carry on dancing right up until giving birth! The 34 year old Ballet instructor formerly danced with the New York City Ballet and even trained up Natalie Portman for her role in the Black Swan. Now despite moving on to a new phase in her life, she’s kept up a strenuous dance regime and has even created a pre-natal ballet programme for other women.

Watch her story here:

So what do we think? On the health side of things there are most definitely conflicting arguments. Some say that this level of exericise can help maintain body strength, muscle tone Expecting_motherand even ease some nasty side effects of pregnancy such as back pain.

Others air on the side of caution. As the pregnancy progresses, the body clearly changes shape and the centre of gravity changes. This makes balancing more difficult thus increasing the risk of falling in movements like arabesques for example. So is it dangerous to be dancing at later stages of pregnancy? Some may say it’s an unnecessary risk, while others think it’s fine to continue dancing just be aware of the body’s changing limitations.

So these are the arguments but what do you think? I think I’m somewhere in the middle on this. Exercise on a low level has obvious health benefits but as you get further along perhaps the best thing to do would be to just relax! But only you know what your body can cope with. Comment below and take the poll!

My Top 5 Dance Blogs

This week I decided to branch out and look outside the window of my own blog page and celebrate some of the other dance blogs out there. Each is very different from the other but all make it into my top five favourite dance blogs.

Now this is a page that you really can’t ignore. I mean Screen Shot 2013-12-13 at 21.51.04seriously, they post hundreds of incredible videos each day. Each one showcases some really mind-blowing dubstep dance but this one of two young lads is one of my favourites. I think it’s just their raw, organic talent and the kids in the background don’t seem to bat an eyelid! UNBELIEVABLE!

Ok. So if it’s an insightful look into the world of dance you want from a Screen Shot 2013-12-13 at 22.23.33blog then perhaps this one isn’t for you. But if you are the type of person who trawls the internet for funny cat videos and vines of people making fools of themselves then this is certainly going to be your cup of tea. This is quite literally, pure genius. A rather energetic chap posts daily clips of himself improvising to numerous well known songs. Im going to say his dance style is unorthodox yet innovative… watch it and you’ll see what I mean.

This is a really poignant insight into the life of Screen Shot 2013-12-13 at 22.00.36an inspiring ballet dancer. It is a shockingly honest first person account to the point where I was quite taken aback by the blogger’s openness on her struggles with injuries and an eating disorder. Really fascinating and I’m sure a diary style blog that dancers everywhere will be able to relate to.

So this isn’t strictly a blog, more of an online magazine with Screen Shot 2013-12-13 at 22.05.21LOADS of contributors. But I love it. It has everything from great “how to” articles on ballet moves, choreography and tap steps etc as well as posts on dance fashion- because every dancer wants to look good while they’re performing- whether that’s on stage or in rehearsals! Plus it has really responsible writing on health, fitness and nutrition. Definitely worth spending some time browsing the site!

Finally for all you cultured lot here is a blog that reviews ballet andScreen Shot 2013-12-13 at 22.13.42 contemporary shows up and down the country. The experienced critics that contribute to this blog really know what they’re talking about. Gallery pictures are stunning and features engaging interviews with people involved in dance companies from all over the world. A refreshing blog seeing as the publication of quality dance criticism has faded over the last few years.

The BIG Debate: Is Dance a Sport?

Is Dance a sport?
YES!! It’s part of the National Curriculum for Sport and PE lessons. NO!! Because it’s not one of the sports in the Olympics. These are just a couple of frequent arguments I hear on this topic. But which side are you on?! This post attempts to answer the question which has been tormenting dancers for years… WARNING: some of the answers, including “Dance is just a hobby, it’s not a sport”, may be infuriating to dance lovers worldwide!

Dancers in Basketball costumes at the Welsh Street Dance Championships 2013

Dancers in Basketball costumes at the Welsh Street Dance Championships 2013. Photographer: Laura Kenyon

I posed this question to a number of different people of varying ages and sporting backgrounds. The responses I got from the general public in Cardiff city centre predictably reflected a divided view. Some said “yes, of course dance is a sport” while others laughed saying “gardening is physical, does that mean gardening is a sport?!”.  While the shoppers on Cardiff’s Queen Street were both informed and entertaining, I decided to get the opinions of two sporting professionals. One, a British and Irish Lions and Wales international Rugby Union player, Alex Cuthbert. And the other, a dance teacher and choreographer who has danced her whole life, Cheryl Loxton.

Alex, a six foot six inch, one hundred and four kilogram rugby union player, understandably had a sceptical view of dance as a sport. But even he couldn’t deny that both Rugby and Dance have similarities. Have a listen.

Picture courtesy of Alex Cuthbert

Meanwhile, Cheryl has grown up competing in dance competitions across the UK and is now a fully qualified dance teacher. She says that dance possesses all the necessary qualities to be classified as a sport.

Picture courtesy of Cheryl Loxton

This subject of what constitutes a sport can really provoke some fiery debate, especially from those who are passionate about the activity that they participate in. So it’s a brave person who can tell a dancer that Dance is essentially not a sport. Sport England themselves recognise that defining what is and what isn’t a sport is tricky business. They do in fact recognise Dance as a sport and refer to the Council of Europe’s European Sports Charter 1993 definition of sport:

“Sport means all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organized participation, at expressing or improving physical fitness and mental well-being, forming social relationships or obtaining results in competition at all levels”

For many people, what it ultimately comes down to is… is there that element of competition? If not, then dance is an art and not a sport.

Tweets on "Is Dance a sport?"

Tweets on “Is Dance a sport?”

Well I would point out that dancers regularly compete in competitions across the UK and here’s a list of just some of them:

  • Imperial Classical Ballet Awards
  • ISTD Janet Cram Awards (Modern Dance)
  • Marjorie Davies Tap Awards
  • UDO’s European & World Street Dance Championships
  • The All-England Dance Competition
  • UK Street Dance Championships
  • Association of Dance Freestyle Professionals competitions

Saying that, these competitions are usually “amateur”, using the word “amateur” very loosely considering the amount of training many of the competitors have had. When dancers enter the professional world, this is when the competition element often ends. Dancers perform on stage, at events, in music videos etc and routines take on a purely aesthetic purpose. Is dance still a sport then? It’s lost it’s competitive edge so many would so no. Yet often dance shows will be critiqued in a similar way that a football team’s performance is analysed and critiqued by the pundits. So in that case, are Dance and a sport like Football so different after all?

Clearly it’s a contentious subject. This is clear from the volume of online discussions on this topic ranging from internet debate forums to other blog posts like debate page Is Dance a Sport? , the TeenLife blog post The Great Debate: Is Dance a Sport? , Huffington Post’s article Is Dance a Sport or an Art? and Eugene Daily News post Dance As Sport.

But what all people do seem to agree on is that it requires an exceptionally high level of physical fitness and athleticism as well as intricate technique. Some styles of dance are also more easily associated with sport and these are often the more physically explosive styles that incorporate elements of gymnastics, for example street dance, break dancing and freestyle. But even dance styles such as ballet and contemporary require huge amounts of physical exertion and the body to be at the peak of muscular strength. When you compare the physiques of the average professional ballet dancer with that of a pro darts player, it’s difficult to comprehend why darts would be a sport and not ballet. This is the view of one person on social media:

Facebook user on "Is Dance a Sport?"

Facebook user on “Is Dance a Sport?”

So overall, lots of people have mixed views on the status of Dance as a sport. And what it comes down to is people’s subjective vision. What do you think? Have your vote in my poll at the end of the post. Still not sure? Then have a watch of the following video to see what a handful of people in Cardiff think.

WATCH Incredible Crews Battle it out for the Welsh Street Dance Title

Welsh Street Dance Championships 2013

Welsh Street Dance Championships 2013

Guest judges

Guest judges from ‘Flawless’

Last weekend I travelled down to Newport to see the best street dancers in Wales compete to earn their place in the World Championships 2014 & European Championships 2015. United Dance Organisation saw around 1600 people turn out to cheer on the dancers aged from five all the way up to adults. The guest judges from Flawless even added a touch of celebrity to the occasion. The atmosphere really was phenomenal. After growing up competing in a quiet auditorium where audience members politely clap at the end of routines, it was refreshing to hear the crowd really get behind the dancers. The venue literally erupted when a crew switched up their track to a tune everyone knew. But most of all, I was shocked by the pure originality of the choreography and the outstanding overall quality on show.

But don’t just take it from me, watch for yourselves. Here’s my ‘best of’ compilation for the morning competitors of the Welsh Champs.


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Sylvan Productions: San Francisco Comedy Made With Flair

When I came to this city nearly two years ago I was an actor who wrote occasionally and had hardly any experience with improv. Sure I had done improv before; my drama class had done a short section on improv but nothing serious. In high school I even started a lunchtime improv club but membership dwindled and the club fizzled into nothingness.  So sure I had done improvisation before, but mostly acting.

I’ve always had a penchant for the dramatic; it seems to find itself attracted to me (and no not the wag my finger in your face type of drama, or spreading rumors at the water cooler drama).  So when I found out that there was a group that did a free improv open mic in their backyard I was on board right away. Well maybe not right away, pitching an improv open mic that takes place in a backyard tends to garner some doubt. However, when I met all the guys who ran the open mic I was hooked.

This event was hosted by Sylvan Productions, a group of friends from high school that had moved to SF and now were dedicated to making some sort of solid comedy scene within the city, that had over some time dwindled slightly.  I’ve known the organizers of Sylvan Productions for some time and they are a group of upstanding guys with legitimate business minds. The growth from a silly backyard open mic, to the types of events they put together now, is mind-boggling at the least.  What drew me to this group the most and makes them intriguing is that the improv open mic they host (which is now based in the mission) is free and open to anyone with any level of experience.  This opportunity to do improv is the same one that got me so involved in the art of improv.

Here is an audio interview I did with Andrew Moore and Justin Gomes, two of the starters and main runners of Sylvan Productions about the start of the group and where they’re headed next.

Tweets of the Beat

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Fighters Make Their “Path to Glory” at Thompson Boxing Friday Night

ORANGE, Calif. (April 21, 2016) – “Path to Glory” headliner Giovani Santillan (18-0, 10 KOs) weighed in at 144.6 lbs. during Thursday’s weigh in, while challenger Jose De Jesus Macias (18-5-2, 9 KOs) checked in at 145 lbs. The 8-round main event originates from the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif.
In the co-feature, Jose Roman (21-1, 14 KOs) made weight at 138.9 lbs., as did opponent Martin Angel Martinez (14-8, 9 KOs) at 138.3 lbs.

Tickets for “Path to Glory” are priced at $40, $60, & $100, and can be purchased Friday at the will call booth starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif.
For an inside look at Thursday’s weigh in, please click here, or on the graphic above.
Giovani Santillan, 144.6 vs. Jose De Jesus Macias, 145
Jose Roman, 138.9 vs. Martin Angel Martinez, 138.3

Carlos Carlson, 121.7 vs. Giovanni Caro, 121.7

Erick Ituarte, 128 vs. Fernando Fuentes, 126.7

Manuel Mendez, 138 vs. Jose Araiza, 137.8

Cesar Villarraga, 134 vs. Hugo Padilla, 133.7

 Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the first bell rings at 7:45 p.m. The Doubletree Hotel is located at 222 N. Vineyard Ave. in Ontario, Calif. and can be reached at 909-937-0900.

Thompson Boxing Promotions App
Download the Thompson Boxing Promotions app to stay current on all our events in Southern California, nationwide, and from around the world. Learn about our star-studded stable of boxers, and be the first to get your hands on tickets to our action-packed shows.
“Path to Glory” is presented by Thompson Boxing Promotions and sponsored by Lucas Oil, in association with LATV Networks.
 For more information, please visit To follow the conversation on social media, please use #PathtoGlory and #ThompsonBoxing.

 For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please check our Facebook Page, find us on Google+ and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @ThompsonBoxing.

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Old May 11, 2008, 02:41 PM   #11
Senior Member
Join Date: May 22, 2007
Location: In the oak studded hills near Napa
Posts: 2,203
This is about the only place on the whole forum that tempers don't get out of whack.... Guess bp shooters have more class than smokeless shooters.
And archers.
What the hell you mean by these comments? Them's fightin' words, 'cause we all know GLOCK guys are the easiest going!

Welcome Zeb.
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Old September 9, 2012, 01:45 AM   #11
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Join Date: July 26, 2012
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 399
About six months ago, in Mississippi, I went into a big sports store with my son-in-law on a Wal-Mart sort of expedition. Saw bags of shot and thought I'd pick one up for a rest when we tried out my latest .45-70. Got to the counter and. best I recall, it was $49.95. Put it back. Sand in burlap will do do just fine at that price.

Am having trouble finding 12 ga. AA Featherlights in 1 oz. or 7/8 oz. lately.
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Old November 14, 2012, 03:38 AM   #15
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Location: Western PA
Posts: 3,519
Southern Shooter, I'm jealous. My wife refuses to carry a gun or even own a gun of her own. And yet she very often walks to her car after work for several blocks through bad neighborhoods after dark. I finally got her to carry pepper spray but she recently admitted to me that it's usually lost at the bottom of her purse.
0331: "Accuracy by volume."
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Bullet Journal

This was a ‘where has this been all my life’ moment.

The bullet journal makes my inner perfectionist accept that its OK to not be right the first time, because there is no one template for living life and I can change the method to manage the flows of my life and it will still be beautiful, like an artists work in progress.

‘The Bullet Journal is a customizable and forgiving organization system. It can be your to-do list, sketchbook, notebook, and diary, but most likely, it will be all of the above. It will teach you to do more with less’.

Check out http://bulletjournal.com for more information and video.

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Read — 2015/11/20

Today’s selection of articles includes:

  1. A faster, brighter picture of brain cells in action“, by Emily Underwood (Science). A new technology — combining an engineered protein with a protein derived from fungus — allows scientists to view brain cells in action at a temporal resolution of 0.2 milliseconds.
  2. Crystalline eyes of chitons inspire materials scientists“, by Elizabeth Pennisi (Science). Chitons, with a 500-million-year-old fossil record, show that Nature knows a little something about dual-use materials (specifically, aragonite).


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The Groundsman’s Shed

Youtube Roundup:Football Fights by groundsman
April 21, 2008, 10:05 pm
Filed under: Arsenal, Cesc Fabregas, Chelsea, David Beckham, Frank Lampard, LA Galaxy, referee, Video

I’ve been watching copious amounts of youtube videos to try and spot some new players to become overly excited about- and in doing so I managed to stumble upon some of the funniest/sissiest fights on the football pitch.

Disclaimer: I do tut quite loudly whenever actual violence takes place, so if you’re looking for actual carnage (ie. copious amounts of blood, broken limbs, crowd/firm-related aggression) do skip this post.

Chelsea v. Arsenal: With these two teams, you’d think there’d only be a “bit of argie-bargie” and maybe some sly kicking at the shins, but somewhere along the line it turned into a proper punchup.  I like how Frank Lampard’s expression never changes, even when being pummeled by Cesc Fabregas.

Ref Fights Back: Referees get so much abuse everyday (many times rightfully so) and it’s nice to see the fella with the cards get his own back for once.

Galaxy v. Chivas: Notice how quickly David Beckham manages to carefully extract himself from any actual fighting in this clip- though he was the one to get the chap’s face first.  Very clever!

Beach Football Fight: When I think of beach football, I think of lazy days drinking mimosas, sand between my toes, and a light hearted kick around with my friends.  Clearly- somewhere in the world this sport is taken seriously, because when a fight breaks out between the two teams, the plastic lounge chairs begin to fly.

Ninjas Can’t Play Soccer: It’s a Nike commercial, and as footie commercials go- it’s big budget and not that awesome.  Also, it isn’t a real fight at all, but hey, most fights aren’t real in football anyway. Just enjoy the ninjas.

– “Handbags”: It’s 7 minutes worth of silly punchups, loud shouting, and kung fu kicks set to aggro male music.  I got about halfway through, but most of it is the showy playacting that has become a mainstay of the modern game.

Note: Apologies for the slow posting ’round here, but as the season winds down, the cricket/baseball begins, and the air has a pleasing warmth to it, I’ve been spending some time away from all of those things and working hard so that I’ll be able to stimulate the British economy during my trip to England for the USA-Ingerland friendly on May 28th.

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DIY Home: All-Purpose Cleaner

Cleaning is boring.

And probably the only thing more boring than cleaning is talking about cleaning and the cleaning products that go with it. I totally agree! But all boredom aside, it is important to know that many conventional cleaners contain a slew of chemicals that can negatively impact your and your family’s health.

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Declutter your house, declutter your mind

Is your abode in a jumble?

Have you been wanting to fix this problem but do not really know where to start? Or maybe you know where to start but cannot motivate yourself to actually do it. You are too attached to your things. You have no time. The reasons are endless. Trust me, I know! Maybe today’s post can help. While I am not offering to clean out your house for you, I want to share how I just cleaned out my own, and hope to inspire you to do the same. I’m talking closets, clothes, toys, beauty products…I decluttered almost the whole thing and I am very proud and more than happy that I did. Yes, it takes time and effort but I promise – once it is done, it just feels freakin’ amazing!

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Happy Earth Day!

And a major hello!

It has definitely been a while thanks to #yogaeverydamnday but what better opportunity to come back to The Healthy Haus than Earth Day?

Earth Day is more than a Hallmark holiday or superficial marketing initiative. It is a global movement that has been organizing and celebrating events on April 22 every year since 1970 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. If nothing else, I think it is a wonderful reminder for all of us to truly pay attention to how we treat our planet and should inspire us to consume just a little more mindfully.

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Green Bath Products for Babies and Kids

070815_SafeBaby_CoverDoes “safe for baby” really mean safe?

In most cases, the answer – as you may have guessed – is no! Unfortunately, kids and baby products, are not exempt from marketing deception. Many bubble baths, shampoos and lotions which are specifically designed and marketed for little ones, still contain health compromising, hormone disrupting and/or allergy causing ingredients such as fragrance, parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers, PEGs, sodium lauryl sulfate, and mineral oil. (Why are these bad for your health? Read it HERE.)

Remember that when it comes to labeling cosmetics and personal care products, there is very little transparency and hardly any regulation in the United States. This means that in many cases, even terms like “all natural” or “organic” are just marketing fluff that has no meaning or truth to it at all. And it comes to no surprise that baby and kids products are not spared from this “greenwashing” charlatanism.

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Product Review: Ninja Master Prep

040815_NinjaMasterPrep2What is holding you back?

When it comes to cooking healthy meals, I’m guessing the answer almost always involves “time.” As I was sitting at my daughter’s ballet practice the other day one of the moms mentioned how she would like to cook more but that she really didn’t like chopping vegetables. It’s time consuming, it’s messy, the thought of having to do it makes her not want to cook at all. To help ease her chopping aversion, she invested in a Ninja food processor. I was intrigued!

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The professional body for whole life management of physical assets

IAM: The Institute of Asset Management
March 2017

Earlier this month, I was privileged to chair the IAM Exchange event, produced by IQPC, which we have partnered for many years.  Yet again, we had a great line up of CEOs and other chief officers and senior invited delegates.

There were some really impressive presentations although it would be invidious to mention any by name.  But I am so excited to see some really solid asset management thinking and implementation and identifiable benefits over extended periods.  I am hoping that some of them will apply for an Achievement Award.  So you might see this yourself if you attend our Awards event.

In one of the informal sessions, I set the ‘exam question’: ‘If Top Teams genuinely believed in long term thinking, what would change?’  There followed an illuminating half hour of outspoken and heartfelt discussion.  Bear in mind that most of the group were from organisations well versed in asset management systems and process.

I cannot summarise all of it, but you might be interested in some examples.  I asked for both good and bad consequences but, honestly, there were no serious down sides.

There was a strong view that the organisation would become more process driven (than vertical and functional) and several real examples were given to support this.  Many felt that cross-functional collaboration would become easier.  All felt that decision making would move down several layers.

An interesting suggestion was that the organisation would think 2 or 3 CEOs ahead!  (This in relation to comments about what CEOs currently try to achieve in their limited lives – although nobody mentioned football managers!)

On further thought, there were interesting insights into supply chains.  How can suppliers serve you well if they don’t understand your 5-10 year plans?  ‘Value engineering’ would be cut out and procurement would have to be transformed: the emphasis would not be on cost but value.  For some of the water sector participants, this worked back fully into citizen needs (not only customers), driving true sustainability.

The logic for outsourcing would need re-evaluation and there were thoughts about people and capability and where data should reside.  This in turn fed back to the supply chain – if suppliers effectively become permanent and understand your needs ahead – is this really outsourcing – and why would you change them and lose that embedded value?

In just half an hour or so, such thoughts raised real excitement.  But then there was some dawning of ‘real life’ although some organisations (particularly Scandinavian) felt that much of this was possible.  I wonder why we can’t move faster in this direction if we all want such culture and leadership?

Maybe the drive needs to come from investors and stakeholders – but that’s another story that I want to return to another time.

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Annual Conference 2017

The programme is coming together and whilst still in production we can confirm involvement from:

● Keynote speaker - Lord AdonisChairman of the National Infrastructure Commission

● Devolution: A game changer for all, Sean Anstee, Mayoral Candidate and Leader of Trafford Council

● Transport as an enabler to growth and attractiveness, Dr Jon Lamonte, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM)

● Asset Management in North America, Ed Singer, Woolpert

● Tideway: Expanding a Two Hundred Year Old Network, Sian Thomas, Tideway; Maja Wood, Fiona Neoh and Rachel Blundell, Amey

● The Dutch perspective in using information and analytics to help perform, Thymo Van Den Brug, ProRail Netherlands

For more details about the programme and themes, click here.

Join us on 26-28 June in Manchester and you will benefit from unparalleled networking opportunities with the greatest international collection of asset management minds anywhere!

Book your conference place now! Our Early Bird discount is still available!

Exhibition stands and sponsorship opportunities are being snapped up. If your organisation wants to demonstrate your expertise, products or services, ask as soon as possible!

Early bird offers end 1st May.

Which IAM Award?

With the awards submissions in full swing I wanted to take this opportunity to remind those that have not considered a submission yet the options / categories they have.

Asset Management Achievement Award – Three separate awards recognise individuals, teams or projects that have worked together to improve aspects of an asset management system and generate benefits or enhanced value for society.

NxtGen Asset Management Award - This Award recognises those who have made an outstanding contribution to the implementation and development of asset management, and demonstrate great potential in the field.

Asset Management Innovation Award - Entries are welcomed from organisations that have demonstrated innovation in Asset Management which has delivered financial, performance and risk reduction benefits.

All about IAM Awards

I’ve heard that when people are explicitly asked about their abilities or achievements they subliminally understate them – so, if you think you know someone worthy of nomination – let them know!

Repurposing Assets

I mentioned last month the exciting momentum and thinking around “repurposing assets”. Mike Dixon along with the UK Chapter have made great progress in establishing a 1 day seminar, hosted by Arup.

Booking and event information can be found here.

The session will be a mix of presentation, panel discussion and audience participation. The main aim is to understand the nature of repurposing assets; can we learn from what we’ve done instinctively?

What value can repurposing have, both financial and non-financial?

Should we design for repurposing now to help us in the future? Is that even possible?

What are the current examples of “good” repurposing?

We hope you can join us, we appreciate all and any views or input you can offer. If you can’t attend but wish to contribute, please liaise with Mike Jones.

This topic will also feature at our Annual Conference, in June, so if you miss this event you can hear the latest news and thinking here.

The IMechE - “Asset Management 2017”

Marriott Hotel Regents Park, London
26 April 2017

Asset Management 2017 will address the key technical engineering challenges involved when managing obsolete equipment and the replacement of assets. Hear from thought leaders across the mechanical engineering sector, including Sellafield Ltd, Rolls Royce, EDF Energy, Gatwick Airport, London Underground, Atkins and IBM on how to ensure the continued reliability of assets.

For full details and to join this event, please visit

Discount for Institute of Asset Management members. Simply chose “Supporting Organisation” when booking online or contact us directly and mention your membership.

Dates for your Diary

IAM USA Bay Area Branch Meeting April 7th 2017
7 Apr 2017
5050 Arroyo Road, Livermore, CA 94550, USA

IMECHE Asset Management 2017: Reliability effects of long term storage and obsolescence
26 Apr 2017
London, UK

Repurposing Assets
15 May 2017
Arup, London, UK

The IAM Annual Conference 2017
26-28 June 2017
Hilton Deansgate, Manchester, UK

and finally...

I’m currently in Brisbane for two important meetings.  First is the TC251 meeting, at which the new draft of the 55002 Standard will be reviewed together with MANY hundreds of comments from various countries.  Wish us luck!

The second is a Global Forum meeting and I am looking forward to the AMC’s annual conference.  Unfortunately our President, Richard Edwards, is unable to go so I am standing in for him at the UIC Conference too.

I am also very much looking forward to meeting leaders of IAM USA because, ironically, we’ll both be in the same place – but many miles from either home!

Finally, welcome to Carole Charrade who joins our staff to lead Events production and, as you might have guessed is a native French speaker.

David McKeown, CEO

Index to Contents
Annual Conference 2017
Which IAM Award?
Repurposing Assets
The IMechE - “Asset Management 2017”
Dates for your Diary
and finally...

Asset Repurposing…

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'The Institute of Asset Management Ltd' is registered in England No. 5056259. Registered Office: Woodlands Grange, Woodlands Lane, Bradley Stoke, Bristol, BS32 4JY
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text:
Review: One Night Ride (1NightStand #190) by Jennah Scott

November 18, 2014 Review 0

Review: One Night Ride (1NightStand #190) by Jennah Scott

Brett Colson’s ready to get back into the dating game. Competing in rodeos across the country kept him out of the game, so when he hears about the 1Night Stand service from a friend, he takes a chance.

Bull rider Jace Peterson lost his first love over a year before to another man. Hitting his thirtieth birthday, Jace listens to his friends’ concerns; he needs to end his self-imposed dry spell and enlist the help of Madame Eve.

Brett and Jace expect nothing more than a satisfying one-night ride. But they’re wrong.

Title: One Night Ride
Author: Jennah Scott
Series: 1 Night Stand
Other books in this series that we've reviewed: Island Pleasures, Cinderella Dreams, The Best Ever, The Christmas Top
Published by Decadent Publishing
Source: Purchased for Self
Published: February 11, 2014
Genres: Male Male Romance, Western Romance
Pages: 39
See the title at Goodreads
Purchase your copy: Amazon
Visit the Author's Website

Stars: three-stars
Flames: three-flames

As with all 1 Night Stand sexy shorts Madame Eve has set her match making skills on Jace and Brett. They have requested and she has delivered. Jace’s friends have given him a birthday gift they hope to see thoroughly enjoyed and hopefully a little therapeutic. Jace is hoping to get back into dating by breaking his dry spell with a hot cowboy. Brett is there as the hot cowboy looking for a good time and a One Night Ride.

Jace and Brett set the pages aflame. The men are hot for each other and the sexy is smoking. Both men got exactly what they asked of Madame Eve. The lack of conflict let the tale go a little too smoothly. There needed to be some sort of hiccup in the plans. I know these are hot sexy quick reads but I still needed just a little something other than the smooth go these men got.

Gay Romance

Comments are closed.


text:
Watch Morgan Rielly’s Game Three assist with Russian commentary

2012 Maple Leafs first rounder and No. 5 overall pick Morgan Rielly is in Halifax this week for Games Three and Four of the Canada-Russia challenge, the last two of the four game series designed to honour the 40th anniversary of the 1972 Summit Series. Rielly had an assist in the first game and a goal in the second, but this assist in the third game is a very pretty play.

Rielly intercepts an Anton Slepyshev breakout, dekes around Kirill Kapustin but doesn’t have a lot of space or options. He sees Jonathan Huberdeau breaking to the net and fires a pass that eludes both Russian defenders. It really is a thing of beauty.


text:
The Night I Lost My Cherry, errr, Cherries

Everyone remembers the significant moments they experienced growing up, like their first kiss, when they got their driver’s license or drank their first beer, which hopefully wasn’t the same day they got their license.

What follows is one of my moments.

It was my senior year of college at the University of North Alabama. I was living in a tiny one-bedroom apartment less than a mile away from campus.

The apartment could have been called a studio apartment because it only had two doors. One was the front door and the other was for the bathroom.

There’s a Storm A-Brewin’

Mississippi State’s Dontae Jones is excited I was watching that cold night in 1996.

It was Wednesday, March 20, 1996 and a big ice storm was bearing down on the city.

UNA was still mending the wounds of a 1994 storm that crippled the city and nearly killed Miss UNA, Jackie Rainwater, when a limb fell on her car (for the news report of the accident click here) and decided to cancel class for Thursday.

Since we already knew we didn’t have class the next day my girlfriend and I decided to get some friends together and go out to the closest bar.

We got there early because I wanted to get a seat at the end of the bar because I wanted to watch Mississippi State play Connecticut in the Regional Semifinals of the NCAA Tournament (aka March Madness).

With All The Fixin’s

The root of all evil...

My girlfriend and all of her friends were to my right. To my left was the opening to get behind the bar. In front of me was the bar’s garnish tray. You know, the thing with all of the limes, lemons, olives, etc.

I sat on the bar stool, my eyes glued to the TV hanging in the corner of the bar, oblivious to the crowd that had poured into the bar.

Every so often I’d look over to my girlfriend to ask if she just saw some play, which of course she hadn’t. In fact, I may have been the only person in the bar actually watching the game but I didn’t care.

Mississippi State was leading 37-25 at halftime and I was doing my best to pace myself so I would make it through the second half without falling off my stool.

But UConn’s second-half run started making me nervous which meant I started consuming drinks at a faster rate than I had planned.

UConn missed a late 3-pointer that would have tied the game and Mississippi State ended up winning 60-55.

I turned to celebrate with my girlfriend but she didn’t seem nearly as excited about it as I did.

“Great, Now What?”

Where’s a sign like this when you need one?

The game was over and I was feeling pretty good but it didn’t take long for me to get bored.

My girlfriend was talking with her friends which meant I was left to my own devices and that’s never good.

Remember that garnish tray I mentioned?

Since the game I was interested in was over, my attention turned to the colorful tray before me.

First I started popping in a few olives but I quickly turned my attention to the maraschino cherries.

I believe this to be the precise moment that I relinquished all control of my body to the sinister Mr. Al. K. Hall.

It looked something like this...

That’s the only reason I can come up with as to why I did what I did because somehow I thought it would be awesome to see how many cherries I could stuff in my mouth.

I started stuffing cherries in my mouth as fast as I could and in a matter of minutes I was reaching maximum capacity.

That’s when I turned to my girlfriend, tapped her on the shoulder and proudly displayed my accomplishment.

She wasn’t impressed and coldly gave me a little smirk.

Girlfriend: Great, now what?
Me: (mumbling because I couldn’t form recognizable words) I’ll show you!! I’m gonna eat all of them!

How dare she not be impressed with my bar trick? I tried to give her an evil smile but my mouth was so full that my lips couldn’t touch, so I gave her the Stink Eye instead.

I stared at her as I started chomping away through the cherry conglomeration in my mouth. Again, she wasn’t impressed and turned her attention back to her friends.

It didn’t take long for me to realize I might have bitten off a little more than I could chew, literally, but I wasn’t about to give up.

A Cherries Jubilee

When the last of the cherries had been swallowed, I got my girlfriend’s attention and again she wasn’t impressed.

But at this point she figured she needed to keep an eye on me so we headed back to my apartment for the night.

When we got there she went straight to the bathroom and I went to the bedroom where I got buck-nekkid before hopping into bed.

That’s when I heard it.

My girlfriend, who was still in the bathroom, was throwing up.

I started laughed and yelled something to her to let her know I heard her and thought it was funny.

That’s when I felt it.

I believe this to be the precise moment that Mr. Al. K. Hall decided he’d had enough fun and relinquished control of my body back to me. And let me tell you that it is NOT fun when he decides he is done with you.

I was in mid-taunt when it happened and I stopped talking in mid-sentence.

It felt like I was starting to float, but not in the “Oooh, I’m in the clouds” kinda way. It was more of a middle of a hurricane kinda way. I closed my eyes thinking hoping I would just pass out but that only made things worse.

I could feel a cold sweat coming on as I looked around for a garbage can. Fortunately there was one in the room, just a few feet away from my bed, but getting to it meant I would have to get up.

I felt my mouth start watering and knew I didn’t have much time, but I kept telling myself I could make it.

I wish I could tell I fought the good fight, that Mr. Al K. Hall let me be. I wish I could tell you that…

I See a Bad Moon Risin’

At the last possible moment I jumped up, grabbed the garbage can, buried my head inside and fell to my knees.

Just as my knees hit the floor my girlfriend came out of the bathroom and saw me in all my nekkid splendor.

I will never forget her description of what happened when we were telling our friends about it.

Girlfriend: I rounded the corner and all I could see was his naked ass in the air.

Surprisingly she stayed with me for quite some time after that incident.

It took me years to be able to look at a cherry again. To this day I still don’t like them and give away the cherry that usually comes on top of a milkshake.

But the one thing I wish I could remember about that night was how many I actually fit in my mouth.

I guess some things are better left unknown.

Gallery | This entry was posted in Daily Life, Flashback Friday and tagged , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

8 Responses to The Night I Lost My Cherry, errr, Cherries

  1. DB says:

    I watched from a bar in Starkville called Flo & Eddie’s; the old Sigma Nu house. I think it has since burned down. Oh, and Dontae Jones was a badass. Not only could he ball; he passed 32 hours in summer school a NEMJC to qualify to play at State that year.

  2. muddledmom says:

    Some of my roommates once stuffed a ton of mini marshmallows in their mouths. Thankfully there were no naked asses in the air. Just a tip if you ever want to try it again, being squeamish around the cherries and all.

    • JWo says:

      Now the marshmallows comment you left on “What’s in Your Closet?” makes sense. hahaha…

      My thinking is that the marshmallows prolly would have prevented the nekkid ass incident because they could have soaked up the alcohol. But then again, they could have expanded to like 5 times their size and created a whole other problem. hahaha

  3. I’ve never met such a creative drunk!

    • JWo says:

      I once got in trouble at the same bar for trying to set all of the matches from 3-4 matchbooks I had stacked in the ashtray on fire.

      When it comes to me… Idle hands are definitely the Devil’s workshop. hahaha…

    • JWo says:

      I’m assuming that’s what you were talking about and not my fancy “Flashback Friday” banner…. 🙂

  4. Pingback: Fiction: 48 Hours | The Life of J-Wo

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Do you believe in Jesus?

I could’ve put anything at the end of that sentence, but Jesus seems more appropriate, particularly for this site. Why is this an important question? Because if you do believe in Him and have asked Him into your life then your eternity is sure regardless of the religious climate we live in today. If you don’t believe and have no desire to believe in Him, until you realize your error you will always be searching for something to fill the emptiness in your life.

How do I know that you feel empty and unfulfilled in your life? God designed us to be spiritual beings, not in a nonphysical sense but men and women who desire to know God and have a relationship with Him. If you don’t know Him and you don’t have a relationship with God, then you will feel empty in a way that can’t be explained medically or physically. I know because we all feel this at some point in our lives. Not one of us on this Earth, with the exception of Jesus, was born with God’s Spirit living within us. There has always been a void, an empty feeling, like something is missing but you can’t put your finger on it.

Many of us try to fill that spot with all sorts of things, sometimes we do this for a very long time, but until you find the right “fit” nothing will make the emptiness go away. There is no amount of money, prestige, or fame which will take the ache of the empty space away. No drug or relationship will ease the feeling that something just isn’t right. So, what can we do about this? Well, the only thing that we can do is search for the one thing which will fill that void but if we don’t look in the right place, we will never find Him.

I am speaking of Jesus and He will come into your life and change your heart and make you a “new Creation in Christ“! God loves you and every other person on this planet and He has provided a way for your salvation through Jesus. It is not a salvation through a legal system of things which you have to perform or adhere to in a certain way, it is not a salvation which is based upon your actions or your own beliefs. Faith in Jesus and in His sacrifice for you, believing that He did this to pay for your sins is the only requirement.

Yes, you may get baptized afterward and begin to tell people what He has saved you from but that isn’t absolutely necessary. Think of the thief on the cross, Jesus told him that “today you will be with me in Paradise“, and he couldn’t get baptized or tell anyone about His Savior! Yes, it is wonderful to tell others about Him and what He has saved you from, but isn’t it great that you really don’t have to work to attain salvation on your own merit!

The time for this Earth and the secular governments running it is growing short and we should be searching for our Savior. He is not a man who lives here with might and power and money, but He is the Son of God and our Creator. Be prayerfully seeking Him if you don’t know Him yet. Trust in His Word and His atonement for you and your sins, because there are no other paths to Heaven except through Him, regardless of what you may hear in the media or from the Pope.

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text:
Today I am diverting away from my original goal of always trying to write positive and mostly uplifting posts because today I feel angry and defeated!

To set the scene, most of my readers know that I have been struggling with anxiety and depression in a most debilitating way for me, of late.  It manifests as avoidance of living a full and productive life and ends up with me crawling back under the covers and feeling totally incapable of attending to the most mundane day to day tasks –  like preparing meals and getting the mail and showering etc.  It also makes getting to work impossible and coping with phone calls, meetings, money things, a pipe dream.  Talking to people becomes my worst nightmare.  I just can’t / don’t want want to / can’t!!!

The great thing is that I got help at the right time and am slowly coming back to the Me I want to be.  That was until yesterday!  After much thought and being guided by doctors and family and friends, I decided I should approach a government agency that I have today named  Stinkalink.  It has been a long  drawn out process that has been going on for months and the upshot of it all was that firstly, I had to use up the majority of my meagre savings before I would be considered.  Then I was considered ineligible because my condition was not stable. Next I was given a much smaller interim payment while I was being treated and stabilized but this was cancelled because I had not been told to report my weekly earnings if I did attend work. I was also required to  apply for  jobs even though I have a job that is being kept open for me and job application would be one of the worst things for my anxiety levels. I was, also, required to front up for fortnightly face to face meetings at the Stinkalink Office even though I was told I had to report and submit my paperwork online.

After returning to the doctors for more complete reports, which stated that they thought I was stabilized but was not hopeful of significant improvement for 12 – 18 months. I resubmitted my claim.  Yesterday, I was phoned and told that my claim has again been rejected because ……. wait for it ……. I was hopeful of significant improvement in 12 – 18 months (which meant hopefully building my work hours up to 20 hours per fortnight).

I have been rejected because I am trying to get better!  You read correctly – I have been rejected because I am trying to get well!

I feel so angry and defeated but I was required to face up at Stinkalink  today, for a face to face meeting, where the man on the phone yesterday said, I should see a Social Worker to help me cope.  So show up I did.  Of course, no one there knew anything about a Social Worker, who was only in on Thursday / Friday and so they would give them my phone number.  I was also told that my current benefit would be cut because I was earning too much in the fortnight – I am working a sum total of 8 hours per fortnight but that is apparently too many hours.

Next I asked why I hadn’t been given a Health Concession card – only to be told I had been issued with one on the 3 October – but they had forgotten to notify me!!!  Do you realise how many doctor & psychologist appointments I’ve had since then????  Not to mention prescriptions from the chemist!!  The solution, apparently, is for me to go back to each place and request a refund.  So I began with the Chemist, who promptly printed off a list a mile long and said to take it back to Stinkalink which I did and I had to fill out another form to ask for  consideration.

So today I am finished with Stinkalink and I will reassess whether I will attempt to lodge a 3rd claim but today I am finished!  I have retreated to the couch, in front of the TV with this …….Comfort food

And I don’t care because at least I am eating something and I am not in bed with the covers over my head!  I just need to rest and recover from a shitty day but I will not give up because you can’t kill weeds and I am Lantana!!!

Rant over – unfortunately I feel no better!

6 thoughts on “Rant!

      1. Good lord! Those days where this is just one thing on top of another are just the worst! I suggest a snuggling into a bed early, read a book, write or watch a movie! That’s what I’m getting ready to do! Time to shut everything else out 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

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