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Breaking out!? We’re here to help!

Struggling with acne? You’re not alone, trust us! Most people battle acne at some point in their lives. In fact, it’s one of the most common skin conditions. Whether you’re a teen dealing with acne for the first time or faced with acne as a twenty- or thirty-something, it’s equally as frustrating. Luckily, we have some Dr. Obagi-approved tips to help you get through.

  • Keep your face clean, but don’t overdo it! Washing too much or overscrubbing can exacerbate your breakout. Gently cleanse your face no more than two to three times a day being careful not to overscrub. Pat, don’t rub, your skin with a clean towel to dry your face after washing.
  • Don’t touch! We know how hard it is to resist, we’ve all been there, but touching, picking, and squeezing leaves dirt and oil behind on your skin, which can cause more breakouts and worsen existing blemishes, not to mention increasing the chance of scarring.
  • Check out the labels of your skin care products and makeup. Do they read ‘non-comedogenic’ and 'oil-free'? Some products can actually clog pores, so look for these key phrases to be sure your products aren’t working against you.
  • Salicylic acid is great for exfoliating inside the pore and removing dead skin cells from the surface of the skin, reducing and preventing breakouts.
  • Benzoyl peroxide is an antibacterial agent that helps to kill acne causing bacteria directly. Lower concentrations will be less irritating and drying to the skin.
  • Retinoids have a ton of anti-acne (and anti-aging!) properties - they work to unclog pores and shed dead skin cells, which allow other products to penetrate the skin more easily. They normalize oil production, leading to fewer breakouts. Also, retinaldehyde, specifically, shows antibacterial activity targeting acne causing bacteria.
  • Don’t forget the SPF! Some products used to treat acne can make your skin more susptible to harmful UV rays, so sunscreen is key. Opt for physical sunscreens containing titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide that won’t clog your pores.
  • Assess your diet - studies have shown that certain individuals will experience an acne flare up within 4 days of eating chocolates, drinking a lot of milk, or overindulging in dairy products.
  • Minimize stress. Stress is a major factor when it comes to skin health, so consciously minimizing stressful situations can help to manage breakouts.
  • Exercise regularly! Exercise is known to be a great way to relieve and reduce stress (see above). Remember to clean your face shortly afterwards - keep cleansing wipes in your bag so you can clean your face right after working up a sweat.
  • When in doubt, leave it to the pros! Treating acne can be tricky and there certainly isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. It’s always a good idea to make an appointment with your derm to get on a regimen customized specific to your skin.

Put your best #FaceFirst with Nextcell.


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Where To Start with Workouts and More

· Exercises, Tips, Workouts

A Guide To Body Building

Nowadays, a lot of people opt to go with body building. The primary reason for this is the benefits that can be acquired by those who adhere with body building. It is ideal for you to have the proper guidance about it for instance that you are planning to be one of those individuals.

Body building is a remarkable idea once you think about your health. Basically, you can secure that you will have a fabulous health condition through it because it can release the toxic inside your body through sweating. It is a great way of removing the bad substances that have been acquired by your system.

In addition, if you are planning to become physically fit, body building is an ideal option for you as well. There is an assurance that you will achieve this goal as long as you pursue the steps that you are going to undergo. It is best for you to follow the steps of body building until such time that you will be able to get the target that you have in mind. There are different workouts that you can do when it comes to it. On the other hand, it is essential for you to find a good center that could help you with the workouts to be done. This is the very first thing that you have to keep in mind so as to make this idea come into reality.

Smart Tips For Uncovering Bodybuilding

When it comes to finding a good body building center, there are things that you may take into account. The first thing that you can do is to ask for referrals from your buddies or relatives who have previously signed up at body building center. It is guaranteed that you can obtain the names of the center where you can have the appointment with when you ask for referrals. It is good for you to personally visit the centers once you have been rendered with the information that you need so as for you to check the facilities too.

5 Lessons Learned: Workouts

In choosing for the right body building center for you, it is necessary to make sure that they have complete facilities for their clients. Once you do it, you can identify the type of workout that you can do in order for you to attain the physical fitness that you have in mind. Upon personally checking the center, you will know the kind of accommodation that they can offer to their clients as well.

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Creative Inspirations - Blue & Brown!

Good Morning!
I seem to be doing a lot more crafting recently so I have decided to go back to mine & Rachels Challenge Blog this week.
I shall also be returning to Everybody Art in a week or so.
I hope you've missed me! lol

This week at CREATIVE INSPIRATIONS we have a colour scheme for you of :-
Blue & Brown.
I really like this colour scheme as it works well for Christmas Cards and can also make your cards look classy.
We have a prize of Sheer ribbons for you this week from Crafty Ribbons.

For my card I used my New Magnolia Fall Kit.
I probably haven't used the half plate that she is sitting on right but oh well! lol

* Magnolia Fall Kit
* Penny Black '365 Days' Stamp
* Basic Grey Granola Papers
* Prima Flowers
* Robins Nest Dew Drops - Water
* PM Gem Brads

Thanks for Looking, Happy Crafting! xxx

Marcea said...

Oooh Nat, I didn't realise that the kits had been shipped - hope mine comes soon :o)
Beautiful card sweetie

Carolyn said...

Wow Nat, this is a gorgeous card. I love the image. I'm waiting for my order to come. Should be here in the next 2 weeks.
Hugs xx

scrappyjan said...

GORGEOUS card Nat!!! Love the details sweetie!!
hugs, janny

Riet said...

What a beautiful card,i love the image and colours.
So gorgeous papers.

Hugs Riet.x

Sam said...

Great card Nat, must ink my fall kit stamps, had them since Friday but don't seem to have enough hours in the day lately!
You have inspired me to go and use them this evening - thank you.
Sam x

Juls said...

this is just gorgeous! love the sheen on the card! beautiful!

debby4000 said...

Adorable sweet Tilda and what a wonderful colour combo.

maxine said...

A fantastic card, I was just Reading about your lovely blog in craft stamper and thought I would pop over and have a look.

maxine said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Amanda's paper palace said...

Hi Nat!
Gorgeous card,love the new magnolia images i would of used the plate the same way :)
hugs amanda x

Aunty Sue said...

Hi nat lovely card. Thanks for goodies received. Have a little something on my blog for you. xx

Stacey said...

This is gorgeous! I really love this Tilda, one of my fav yet I think! ~♥~


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Aneurin Bevan

Friday, 23 April 2010

Disobey on the 6th of May

The latest from the excellent Beau Bo D'Or. The caption says it all. Just have a think before you place the X on the ballot paper.

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Tuesday, 3 March 2015

Makeup | Real Techniques Brushes

One thing I haven't spoken about yet is what make up brushes I use. I have several different brands I use but one of the main ones in my collection are Real Techniques brushes. I have two sets and I will review them both for you.

The first of my two sets that I have is the Real Techniques Core Collection. These are mainly face brushes for powders, blushes and foundations. Starting from the left is the Buffing Brush and it's great for setting powder into place. Second we have the Contour Brush, which is excellent for applying contour into place without being too much. Third is the Flat Foundation Brush, which I have to say I use this brush the least out of the set as I don't wear foundation very often. Fourth is the Detailer Brush and this is great to use under the eyes or in the crease.

Overall I'd say this set is a great starter set for the face and I would highly recommend purchasing it.

The second set of brushes are the Real Techniques Starter Kit. These brushes are mainly for use on the eyes. Starting from the left this is Pixel-Point Eyeliner Brush that you can use for applying eyeliner. I don't tend to use this one as I haven't got a pot of gel liner to try it out with but I plan to in the future. Second is the Accent Brush which is very small and I find great for smudging under the eye. Third is the Brow Brush and is excellent when applying shadow to your brows. Fourth is the Deluxe Crease Brush and this is really good for blending out cream eyeshadows. And finally is the Base Shadow Brush, which I use religiously for buffing in my concealer under the eyes and around the nose. Definitely my favourite brush.

I would say that this Starter Set is essential for creating any look on the eyes and would highly recommend having this in your collection.

I think it's important to have good quality brushes for applying your makeup as it creates the best looks. Also is essential to buff and blend make up well when applying to give a more natural finish. I feel that Real Techniques have some excellent brushes on offer these are just two of the sets available. I shall link where to buy these great products below.

Real Techniques Core Collection Kit £20.99 - http://www.feelunique.com/p/Real-Techniques-Core-Collection-Kit

Real Techniques Starter Kit £20.99 - http://www.feelunique.com/p/Real-Techniques-Starter-Kit

Thanks for reading! :)

Please follow me if you're enjoying my posts!

Instagram - @nicolaharrow

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Friday, July 9, 2010

Self Discipline in Open and Distance Learning...

Self discipline is a term you constantly hear about when you are about to embark on difficulty and/or challenging ventures including weight loss, studying, exercises, projects etc. I will disclose here that I never paid much attention to what this "Self Discipline" really means until I was recently involved in a training exercise (as a trainer) through an online workshop.

I have trained, in many occasions, various groups of people from different backgrounds, religions and cultures. This has mainly been through face to face workshops.Few times have I had online training sessions. This was an attempt to teach a technical course online. So I set up the learning environment, prepared my lessons and invited my participants. We were all ready to roll.

We started off well, sendng a list of the things that we needed to have ready before we actually start and asking the participants to perform some pre-workshop tasks. This was a good test as we were able to identify those that are competent enough to do this.

We moved on with the course and by the time we had gotten to lesson 5 of 10, 35% of the participants had dropped off. I decided to do an investigation. I got the following interesting remarks:

1) "Too busy", I got caught up in other office related activities
2) "Too Technical to do online"
3) "This is a new thing to us that I am not used to"
4) "Will do it but I am lagging behind"
5 "Nothing"

Web2.0 - Its possible!

If they ever told you that it is not possible then they lied to you. Today, we are on our final day for the Web 2.0 Learning opportunity at the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), Nairobi. A total of over 27 participants from various organisations participated. We have a combination of different professionals from different backgrounds and it has been great fun.

Check out this for a participants view of the workshop


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Mental Castration

The goal of this erotic hypnosis session is to begin to retrain your subconscious mind so that in time you will become hypnotically castrated, able to achieve and maintain an erection but unable to reach climax, no matter how much you try.

You will learn to use the power of your own mind to maintain a hard, throbbing erection in order to satisfy your partner with no ability whatsoever to satisfy yourself. This is the only way you will ever be useful to a woman. Features: brainwashing, post-hypnotic suggestions, repeat-after-me suggestions, soft background music, subtle reverb/echo

Digital Download
Length: 28 min
Price: $28.99 $26.09

Please Read: the links your file(s) will be sent to you via automated delivery email. Each mp3 is compressed into a .zip format and must be expanded/unzipped before you will be able to listen! Download links are encrypted and will only be available for 48 hours after your purchase.


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Segun Wire Biography

Segun Wire Biography- Age , Endorsement Deals & Net Worth

We have been receiving request from our readers to write on Segun Wire biography, age and net worth but unfortunately much is not known about him . Be it as it may be, we are going to let you know the little we know about him. Segun Wire is a 9-Year-Old who became an internet sensation after a video of himself declaring that he must become a yah.oo boy when he grows up hit the internet. That was h...[Read More]

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Wednesday, 11 June 2014

Heartfelt Creations Arianna Official Release

Afternoon crafter!  I hope you are all getting lot's of is beautiful here:)
It is Heartfelt Creations Wednesday and I would like to share my Arianna Blooms card with you all.
It is the official release today so do hop on over to the Heartfelt Creations blog to see all the creations that the design team have made and all the details on this beautiful floral collection.

  • Start with a card blank measuring 6 1/2" square. I chose the beautiful flower border 6" x 6" panel from the paper collection and adhered this to my card base.
  • Next choose one of the smaller decorative panels from the paper collection and adhere this to the right hand side of the card with some foam pads to add a little dimension.
  • Die cut 2 of the decorative lace flowers in some soft yellow card stock (I have used Bazzill).
  • Stamp and die cut the Arianna Blooms again on using the soft yellow card stock. I have used the larger bloom, the medium bloom and one of the smaller blooms. You will also need to die cut some of the delicate flower stamens in pink and yellow card stock. I die cut 2 large in pink, 1 large in soft yellow, 2 medium in pink and also 2 medium in the soft yellow card. Assemble the flower in this order: a lace Arianna flower, large Arianna Bloom, lace Arianna flower, large pink stamen, 1 large yellow stamen, medium Arianna flower, 1 large pink stamen, 2 medium soft yellow and finally a small Arianna Bloom. Adhere this to the panel on the card.
  • Cut out the “Special Wishes” sentiment from the papers and adhere this to the bottom left of the card at just each end allowing the paper to curve a little.
  • Add a small Arianna Bloom to the bottom left and top right of the sentiment. (You will need to stamp and die cut out another set of the Arianna Blooms, but you can use the unused ones in another project!)
  • Die cut out a flourish in pink card and cut this in half and add this to each of the small Arianna Blooms on the sentiment.
  • Finally add some pink pearls to the centre of the flowers.

Album Kit

I am happy to tell you all that I am almost ready to finally be able to offer the Journey Album Kit for sale....I will be back tomorrow or maybe this evening with all the details and a paypal button for you to purchase the kit.

Blog Candy Update

My latest Blog Candy is still running and you have until tomorrow to take part so if you haven't already then just click the button in the sidebar and it will take you to the blog candy post.
Also if you are a winner of one of my other blog candies...I haven't forgotten you and you will be receiving your candy very soon:)
That's it from me today and apologises in advance if I am a little quiet over the next few days as I am in the process of moving my daughter and 2 grandchildren in with us.....she is going through a very hard time and we have decided it is best that she has all our support even though she lives close by!
It is going to be a very hectic household I think:)
Take care everyone

  1. Hi Nikki, A beautiful and elegant card today - these papers are stunning.

    So sorry to hear of your daughter's difficult time. I sincerely hope it eases soon.

    All my very best wishes to you and your family. Sue

  2. Nikki. Firstly im sad and sorry to hear of the distressing time your daughter is going through. Nothing better than having a mommy to give support at bad times. Hope things get easier for you all once she is back under her mom's wing. Thinking of you all.

    Can you share your crafty brain cells please ? Only when that happens will I be able to think of making such pretty cards. Have a think and get back to me lol.

    Sending hugs.
    Lancashire Steph xx

  3. I saw this card on the HC blog Nikki - it is absolutely stunning. I'm so sorry that your daughter is having a difficult time. We went through the same thing with one of our daughters and she moved in with us along with her son and dog. For a while it was a bit of a madhouse but lovely having them here. She has now remarried and is extremely happy so I hope things work out as well as that for your family. Pat x

  4. Such a beautiful card. I'm sorry to hear that your daughter is going through a rough patch. I know her mom and dad will help her through it.

  5. Hi Nikki
    Beautiful card,love the colours and design/layout.Sending best wishes to you and your family,hope things get easier for your daughter in time.
    Love Angela x

  6. Hi Nikki
    Gorgeous card with beautiful flowers. So sorry that your daughter is going through such a difficult time but I'm sure the help and support of her mum will ease things for her and your grandchildren.
    Best wishes, Pat

  7. Hi nikki.
    Fabulous card I love it so much. I see a purchase coming on soon lol.
    Sorry to hear about your daughter goin through a tough patch. Things are never easy in life. But I'm sure with family support around her things will be a little brighter.
    My mom goes in for her new hip operation tomorrow so for me it'll be role reversal an me giving her the support she needs!! I'm more on edge about it than she is.
    Love Tracy from killie xx

  8. Hi Nikki, beautiful card lovely colour scheme. Sorry to hear about your daughters problems, one of our daughters came back home to live with us after her marriage ended although she has no children, but she is in a good relationship with someone else now and will be moving out again soon when finances allow. After all that's what being a Mum and Dad is all about.

  9. Hi Nikki, firstly sorry to hear of the rough times your daughter and grandchildren are going through. I am sure it will help them through it knowing you are supporting them.
    The card is beautiful, love all the colours and how you have designed it. The way you show the step by step is really good and I must thank you for all the inspiration you give Best wishes Carol E x

  10. hi Nikki
    Another stunning card today. Will pop over to HC to have a look at the designers cards. so sorry to hear that your daughter is having problems. Nothing like having your family around you in times of stress. lancs. Steph lovely to hear from you after your spell in hospital. Hope you are feeling better.

  11. Stunning Nikki, and that flower is amazing!!

  12. Hi Nikki, Your Beautiful Card is Truly Stunning I really love this Collection, I Love all your Work Nikki.
    Nikki Take Great Care, I do hope things go well for your Daughter, we have never had Children we decided to put Careers first!
    Love and Hugs
    From Sam x

  13. Hi Nikki
    I think your card is just beautiful as always, Sorry to hear about your Daughters difficult time, we have the same problem with my son and Grandchildren , all we can do is be there for them .
    Take Care
    Elaine H X

  14. Hi Nikki. Only just come across your blog and glad i have. Such a beautiful card. Best wishes to you and your family JuliaTx

  15. Morning Nikki, what a stunning card, am just looking at this collection on the site where I normally purchase from & deciding which stamps to buy along with the dies. Hope all goes well with your daughter & grandchildren, it doesn't matter how old they are you never stop worrying about them. My eldest daughter split with her partner of 20 years almost 2 years ago & it has just been an on going saga ever since with new dramas every other week, so I appreciate how you feel & you want to be there to support them. I think that's what mums do best. Enjoy the sunshine, Sue x

  16. Hi Nikki this card is really stunning, absolutely beautiful!
    So sorry to hear about your daughter's troubled time, it is so hard for us parents to see our children unhappy but we can only be there for them and support as much as possible. Hope it sorts itself out soon for them xx
    Hugs Annie

  17. Hi Nikki
    Another stunning card, just know what you are going through, our daughter split from a husband who was living two lives with another woman he bought over from abroad - but
    our daughter and the children are now in their own home and she now has a new loving partner so hope all goes well for your daughter too
    Carol x

  18. Hi Nikki,
    What a burst of beautifulness...oh I do love your fabulous creations!
    Do hope your daughter gets through this awful time whatever it is and I'm sure with your help she will. Thinking of you all.

    Love Sheila xx

  19. Evening Nikki, A truly beautiful card, so uplifting in colour and the die-cuts are gorgeous.
    I am sorry your Daughter is having troubles, but having you to 'lean on' will help her burden, and I hope it eases really soon.
    Lots of love from Patricia xx

  20. Hi Nikki. This is an amazing card ~ I love that flower! Hope things are soon more settled for you all. Hugs,
    Maggie x

I hope I have inspired you with my creations :)
Thank you for visiting my blog & please call back soon :)


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I'm back  posting looks, just too busy lately but will try to update twice a week to post new flamboyant looks, Anyways guys please browse my photo blog here, its not updated yet but i will post some of my works here just for you. hahhahaha I'm sure you'll enjoy it even though i'm not a pro yet in photography. Thanks to my officemate and our fab Pink Parlour designer ana!

don't forget to like me on facebook , follow me on twitter, follow me on instagram
and also hype my looks on lookbook! hahahha mwah! until next time.

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Brian L. Katz, Esq.

“I never forget that I work to protect the rights of people, and not corporations. I view it as my responsibility to tirelessly pursue justice as well as the best possible financial result, for each and every client that I have the privilege to represent.”
Catastrophic accidents
Motor vehicle accidents
Construction site accidents
Premises liability
Wrongful death cases
Slip and fall injuries
Liquor liability cases
Amusement park injuries
Dog-bite injuries

Attorney Profile

Mr. Katz has focused his distinguished 30+ year career on protecting the rights of injury victims. He brings to his cases a notable record of success on behalf of clients injured or victimized by the negligence of others, as a result of automobile, slip and fall, dog bite, wrongful death, personal injury and all catastrophic accidents. He advocates loyally and fiercely on behalf of his clients in the State of New Jersey and Federal Courts.

He takes each case seriously, analyzing details of the case to identify unique needs before following through with an in-depth investigation, leaving no stone unturned as he works toward a positive resolution for clients who rely upon him to restore justice. Mr. Katz provides caring, compassionate legal counsel followed by swift and resolute action to protect his clients and their loved ones.

  • New Jersey Supreme Court-Certified Civil Trial Attorney. Certified Civil Trial Attorney is a designation granted by the Supreme Court of New Jersey to only those Attorneys who are able to demonstrate sufficient levels of experience, education, knowledge and skill in civil trial practice.
  • Supreme Court of NJ District Attorney Ethics Committee for District 3B, appointee

Bar Admissions

  • New Jersey

  • American Association for Justice
  • New Jersey State Bar Association
  • Burlington County Bar Association
  • Camden County Bar Association

  • J.D., Rutgers School of Law – Camden
  • B.A., History, cum laude, State University of New York, Albany

  • Amusement park/playground
  • Car accidents
  • Catastrophic accidents
  • Construction accidents
  • Dog bites
  • Medical malpractice
  • Nursing home and abuse
  • Premises liability
  • Slip and fall accidents
  • Trucking accidents
  • Workplace accidents


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Monday, November 5, 2007

Do I Need a Second Life?

I have to be honest. It intrigues me. I hear people writing "SL anyone". I wanted, of course, to know what it was all about. So back in September, I signed up and downloaded Second Life onto my computer. I had no idea what it was.

I assumed it was some sort of game. Having experienced a Massive Multiuser Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) in Runescape, I thought I knew what I was in for. I signed up for a Runescape account two years ago when my then end-of-the-year fifth grader wanted to play. It was fun. I got sucked in for most of th summer.

When I first logged in to Second Life, it was certainly "prettier" than Runescape. I got the idea that I needed to learn to move around, but after spending a half hour or so, I put it away.

Over the course of the last couple of weeks, I've been listening through Kevin Jarrett and Sylvia Martinez on the K12 Online Presentation "Second Life: K-20 Educators Exploring Virtual Worlds. It is very interesting to understand that it is NOT a game. It's a virtual world to interact with others. I can see the draw of being able to move around and interact with people. I'm still trying to figure out how it would enhance life for me.

Certainly, it would be interesting to go there if something is only happening through Second Life. I won't know until I try it. So, I'm back again. I created a new person and started over through the Ben and Jerry Welcome Center. I figure that I'll spend time now and again there and if by the time NECC comes around and people use it, I'll be ready.

I've been to UStream sessions, WorldTechTalks, Twitters, RSS, and Blogs. Each have their own draw. I'm sure I'll find the same with Second Life. I'll report back as I learn more.

1 comment:

  1. Hello Ann! Found you and this blog via your twitter exchange with Lisa Parisi. I would love to connect with you regarding Second Life. Are you going to the Kean Education 2.0 conference in November? Here is the link:

    I will be there, presenting in fact, once on SL and once on tween social networking, with my 12 year old daughter. Would be great to see you there!

    Anyway, friend me in SL when you get a chance - unless you have already and I'm getting your avatar confused with someone else's!

    Also, just FYI, I run a free residence hall of sorts for K-20 educators in SL ... you can have a place to "live" for two months, no charge at all, no cactches, other than we want you to blog about the experience, which you are already doing! :) Email me for more info!


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Friday, March 31, 2017

Weekend Book Club--The Unyielding by Shelly Laurenston

This past week I read THE UNYIELDING by Shelly Laurenston. This is the third book in her amazing Call of Crows series. She takes Norse mythology and makes it her own in this exciting, action-packed, and funny romance series. She is one of my absolute favorite paranormal authors.

If you love hot Vikings, kickass heroines, and paranormal romance, you must try this series.

The first two books are The Unleashing and the Undoing. I can't wait to see what she does next in this series.

The Unyielding
Book 3 in the Call of Crows series

Stieg Engstrom, Angriest Viking Ever, has got big problems. The human Viking Clans of earth are in danger of being obliterated—along with the rest of the world—and the only one who may be able to save them is a super pain-in-the-ass Crow. Most people annoy Stieg, but this is the one woman he really can’t stand…

Erin Amsel loves being a Crow! Why wouldn’t she when the other Viking Clans are so hilariously arrogant and humorless? She’s not about to let all that come to an end! She just didn’t expect to be shoulder to shoulder in battle with Stieg. Then again, he’s so easy to torment—and also kind of cute.

With the future of the world riding on them, Stieg knows he’ll have to put aside his desperate need to kiss the smirk right off Erin’s face. Wait. What? He didn’t mean that—did he? No! They have one goal: To conquer the idiots. Because nothing bugs Stieg more than when idiots win. If only he can keep himself from suddenly acting like one…

Thursday, March 30, 2017

Drakon's Promise Keychain Giveaway

I'm giving away two prize packs containing a Drakon's Promise magnet and keychain over on my Facebook Author Page. Be sure to stop by and enter (it's the pinned post at the top of the page) for a chance to win.

Winning names will be drawn at random on Sunday, April 2nd.

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Drakon's Promise ON SALE

DRAKON'S PROMISE is on sale for a limited time for only 99-cents USD! If you haven't tried the first book in my new paranormal shapeshifter series, now is the time to grab it!

Night Owl Reviews gives it a Top Pick and says, "This is another winner from this author. I highly recommend this first book in this series."
Darius Varkas is a drakon. He's neither human nor dragon.

He's both.

He's also the target of an ancient order who want to capture all drakons for their blood. When fresh, a drakon's blood can cure any illness and prolong a human's life, and the Knights will stop at nothing to get it.

When librarian Sarah Anderson stumbles across a rare book belonging to the Knights of the Dragon, she's quickly thrust into a dangerous world of secrets and shifters and things she never would have believed possible. When the Knights realize Sarah has a secret of her own, she becomes just as much a target as Darius. Her scary dragon shifter just might be her best chance at survival.

Thursday, March 23, 2017

New Contracts

I am thrilled to announce that I've just signed with Entangled Publishing to bring back my entire Samhain Publishing backlist. Not sure how fast it will happen or when books will be available, but things are moving. I'm so excited and thrilled.
More news as it becomes available.

Monday, March 20, 2017

Movie Monday--Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast – US Official Final Trailer

Saw Beauty and the Beast yesterday. LOVED IT! It was everything you'd want from a live action version of the story.

Have you seen it?

It's Officially Spring!

Happy Equinox!

Welcome to spring!

The calendar may say it's officially spring but it still looks and feels like winter outside. But there is now hope for warmer weather and the first flowers of spring.

Saturday, March 18, 2017

Wintery Saturday

This was the view out the window this morning. Spring may only be a couple of days away, but winter is hanging on.

Friday, March 17, 2017

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day, the day when everyone is a little bit Irish. :)

Weekend Book Club--Echoes in Death by J.D. Robb

I recently read ECHOES IN DEATH by J.D. Robb, the 44th book in the In Death series. It has it all--action, mystery, a kickass heroine and an incredible relationship between Eve and Roarke. This series just keeps getting better and better.

As NY Lt. Eve Dallas and her billionaire husband Roarke are driving home, a young woman―dazed, naked, and bloody―suddenly stumbles out in front of their car. Roarke slams on the brakes and Eve springs into action.

Daphne Strazza is rushed to the ER, but it’s too late for her husband Dr. Anthony Strazza. A brilliant orthopedic surgeon, he now lies dead amid the wreckage of his obsessively organized town house, his three safes opened and emptied. Daphne would be a valuable witness, but in her terror and shock the only description of the perp she can offer is repeatedly calling him “the devil”...

While it emerges that Dr. Strazza was cold, controlling, and widely disliked, this is one case where the evidence doesn’t point to the spouse. So Eve and her team must get started on the legwork, interviewing everyone from dinner-party guests to professional colleagues to caterers, in a desperate race to answer some crucial questions:

What does the devil look like? And where will he show up next?

Monday, March 13, 2017

The Dalakis Vampires are Back!

I am thrilled to announce that the Dalakis Passion vampire series is back, starting with Harker's Journey, the erotic novella that started it all.

This is a revised edition of a previous published book.

Harker's Journey
Dalakis Passion, Book 1

From the first moment Johanna Harker read Bram Stoker’s Dracula, her life changed forever. The book unleashed an obsession with vampires that was all the more compelling for the intensely erotic dreams that filled her nights. It wasn’t long before she was consumed with thoughts of the dark creature who returned to ravish her in her dreams again and again.

Abandoning any hope of finding a flesh-and-blood man who can fulfill her, Johanna resigns herself to pouring all her energies into her demanding job by day and her enthralling fantasies by night. But when her job takes her to the fabled Carpathian Mountains of Transylvania to meet her company’s largest client, she’s suddenly overcome by the thrilling sensual promise of the secretive and demanding Cristofor Dalakis, the very man who’s been haunting her dreams.

But Cristofor, the enigmatic and formidable patriarch of the Dalakis family, is harboring a dark family secret and makes it clear he will use his every skill to seduce and possess Johanna. And as Johanna realizes that her every fantasy may come true, she also makes the haunting discovery that it may come at a terrible price.

Friday, March 10, 2017

Weekend Book Club--Brighter Than the Sun by Maya Banks

I love the KGI (Kelly Group International) series by Maya Banks. This week I read BRIGHTER THAN THE SUN, book 11 of the series. It's everything you'd expect and love in a KGI book--action, suspense and, of course, romance. This is one series I can read again and again.

The Kelly Group International (KGI): A super-elite, top secret, family-run business.
Qualifications: High intelligence, rock-hard body, military background.
Mission: Hostage/kidnap victim recovery. Intelligence gathering.
Handling jobs the U.S. government can’t...

As the last unattached member of the Kelly clan, Joe is more than ready to risk life and limb on any mission he’s assigned to, but when it comes to love, he’ll keep his distance. He’s content to watch his brothers become thoroughly domesticated.

Zoe’s had nothing but heartbreak in her life, and she’s determined to start over with a completely new identity, thanks to her college friend, Rusty Kelly. But it’s the gorgeous smile and tender words of Joe Kelly that begin to weaken her resolve to never risk her heart again. And Joe will have to put everything on the line to save Zoe, when secrets of her past resurface—and threaten to tear them apart…

What are you reading this week?

Thursday, March 09, 2017

Cover Reveal--DRAKON'S PREY

Check out my GORGEOUS cover for Drakon's Prey, book 2 in my Blood of the Drakon series. It will be releasing on April 24th, so mark your calendars.

And, if you missed it, here is the cover for book 1, Drakon's Promise. It's available at most e-retailers.

Find buy links at Entangled Publishing:

Friday, March 03, 2017

Weekend Book Club--Devil in Spring by Lisa Kleypas

This past week, I read DEVIL IN SPRING, the third book in The Ravenels series, by Lisa Kleypas.

I loved it.

The first two books are Cold-Hearted Rake and Marrying Winterborne. Honestly, Marrying Winterborne was one of the best, if not the best, historical romance I read last year.

If you love historical romances that are a bit different from the rest, try this series.

An eccentric wallflower  . . .

Most debutantes dream of finding a husband. Lady Pandora Ravenel has different plans. The ambitious young beauty would much rather stay at home and plot out her new board game business than take part in the London Season. But one night at a glittering society ball, she’s ensnared in a scandal with a wickedly handsome stranger.

A cynical rake  . . .

After years of evading marital traps with ease, Gabriel, Lord St. Vincent, has finally been caught by a rebellious girl who couldn’t be less suitable. In fact, she wants nothing to do with him. But Gabriel finds the high-spirited Pandora irresistible. He’ll do whatever it takes to possess her, even if their marriage of convenience turns out to be the devil’s own bargain.

A perilous plot  . . .

After succumbing to Gabriel’s skilled and sensuous persuasion, Pandora agrees to become his bride. But soon she discovers that her entrepreneurial endeavors have accidentally involved her in a dangerous conspiracy—and only her husband can keep her safe. As Gabriel protects her from their unknown adversaries, they realize their devil’s bargain may just turn out to be a match made in heaven .


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Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Shopping with Mimi and Liam

On Saturday, my mom, Liam, and I went shopping at Macy's! We hadn't been there together since Mother's Day last year when I first told my family I was pregnant. We had gone shopping for maternity clothes. I always remember that weekend. It was one of my favorites. This time around we shopped the sales racks and looked for an Easter outfit for Liam. We didn't find any good Easter outfits, but we did find some amazing clearance items.

I bought five sweaters and one pair of pants for $83! I've never shopped that well! I was pretty happy with what I picked out. My mom and I agree that we always find different things when we shop there.

It was pretty surreal having Liam there. He's so good when were out in public with him. I started taking him out to different places early on, and I think he's used to it now.  I fed him once while we were out. He ate quickly and enjoyed looking around. I think he was in shock. He's never been to the mall before this trip.

Oh, you're probably wondering who "mimi" is? Ha I think we've decided that Liam will call my mom Mimi instead of Grandma. ;)

Little Pink Book

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Friday, 10 April 2015

Mbook: A new Electronic Laboratory Notebook that speaks NMR

When we founded Mestrelab back in 2005, our only commercial product was 100% about NMR data processing / analysis. Over these years, our NMR products have matured with an increasing number of features and robustness. At the same time, we have released other products such as LC/GC/MS and analytical DB software.
This week, we have released a new brand product, Mbook: This is an electronic Lab Notebook which we have been developing in collaboration with the Universities of Santiago de Compostela and Vigo, both in Spain.
There are many ELNs out there already so why have we ventured into developing a new one? The short answer is that we believed that most of the existing solutions lacked a real integration between chemistry (i.e. reactions) and analytical data (e.g. NMR): One of the unique features of Mbook is that it is tightly integrated with Mnova so that any analytical data supported by the latter (1D & 2D NMR, LC/GC/MS) will be automatically handled by Mbook. Technically speaking, Mbook comes with a special version of Mnova which runs in the background. This means that when you upload, for example, and NMR experiment (i.e. raw FID), Mbook will process it automatically for you (via Mnova) so that you will see the processed spectrum automatically in your reaction. Of course, the raw data will always be available should you want to process it differently, either with your Mnova client or with any other NMR processing software.

Another feature worth mentioning is that Mbook has been designed solely and exclusively for synthetic organic chemists. If you do any other type of chemistry, Mbook will not be for you. If you are an organic chemist and you are looking for a new ELN, please give Mbook a try, we will be very happy to hear your feedback!
Oh! And it will soon be available as a native Android and iOS application, and, on that, we think it might be the first of its kind!


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Hezbollah in Mexico :: by Anna Mahjar-Barducci

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In June, a computer hacker group, Luiz Security, commonly abbreviated as LuizSec, targeted the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS). LuizSec has claimed responsibility for several high profile attacks; this time, however, the 440 megabytes AZDPS documents displayed a bulletin mentioning the presence of Hezbollah militants operating in smuggling corridors on the U.S. border with Mexico.The document, from the Tucson Police Department, is dated September 20, 2010. At the time, just few months earlier, the Kuwaiti daily newspaper Al-Seyassah published an article saying that operatives of the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah were employing Mexican nationals to set up a network in Latin America to target Israeli and Western interests. According to the newspaper, the Hezbollah group's alleged leader, Ali "Jameel" Nasr, a 30-year-old Mexican national of Lebanese descent, was arrested in the Mexican city of Tijuana in July 2010. The Kuwaiti daily also mentioned that for a period before his arrest, Nasr was under surveillance by Mexican authorities. He was also reported to be travelling frequently to Lebanon to receive instructions from Hezbollah, and making trips around Latin America, including a two-month stay in Venezuela in 2008.
As reported in 2010 by Fox News, however, U.S. and Mexican officials did not (or did not want to) confirm that a Hezbollah leader had been arrested in Mexico. "Police officials in Tijuana told FoxNews.com that they have no information pertaining to Nasr [...]. U.S. State Department officials said they could not confirm Nasr's arrest, but would be unable to do so if the arrest occurred in Mexico. [...] The Department of Homeland Security said it does not have 'any credible information' that terrorist groups are operating along America's Southwest border," wrote FoxNews.com.
After a year, in June 2011, LulzSec disclosed instead not only that the Tucson police were informed about the arrest of Nasr, but that LuisSec was seriously worried about Hezbollah infiltrations in the U.S. through its neighbor, Mexico. The document states the following:
"Based on a study done by Georgetown University, the number of immigrants from Lebanon and Syria living in Mexico exceeds 200,000. Along with Iran, Syria is one of Hezbollah's strongest financial and political supporters, and Lebanon is its country of origin.
"In July of this year, Mexican authorities arrested Jameel Nasr in Tijuana, Baja California. Nasr was alleged to be tasked with establishing the Hezbollah network in Mexico and throughout South America.
"In April of last year [2009], the arrest of Jamal Yousef – in New York City - exposed a weapons cache of 100 M-16 assault rifles, 100 AR-15 rifles, 2,500 hand grenades, C4 explosives and antitank munitions. According to Yousef, the weapons, which were being stored in Mexico, had been stolen from Iraq with the help of his cousin who was a member of Hezbollah.
"With the arrest of Jameel Nasr and Jamal Yousef, obvious concerns have arisen concerning Hezbollah's presence in Mexico and possible ties to Mexican drug trafficking organizations (DTO's) operating along the U.S.–Mexico border. The potential partnership bares alarming implications due to Hezbollah's long established capabilities, specifically their expertise in the making of vehicle borne improvised explosive devises (VBIED's).
"Recent incidents involving the use of VBIED's in Mexico mark a significant change in tactics employed by DTO's and conjures images expected to be seen in the Middle East. While no connection has been made, Hezbollah's extensive use of VBIED's raises strong suspicion concerning a possible relation to Mexico's DTO's."
The case of Jamal Youssef, arrested in New York City, is even more worrying than the arrest of Jameel Nasr in Tijuana. As reported by the Center of Immigration Studies in February 2011, Jamal Yousef, a former member of the Syrian military and senior agent of Hezbollah, was conducting a business deal to provide thousands of new U.S. arms stolen from American forces in Iraq that had been shipped and stored in Mexico, and were to be sold to the terrorist group Colombian FARC, allegedly supported by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, in exchange for drugs that were to be couriered into the U.S. by Mexican cartels.
In a letter that U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick, R-NC addressed to Homeland Security a year ago, she called for more "intelligence gathering" on Hezbollah's presence along the U.S.-Mexico border." "Many experts believe Hezbollah and drug cartels have loosely been working together for decades. We have seen their cooperation in countries across South America […] Hezbollah operates almost like a Mafia family in this region, often demanding protection money and "taxes" from local inhabitants," Myrick wrote.
Congresswoman Myrick adds in her letter that in the U.S., particularly in the Southwest, officials are beginning to notice that tattoos of gang members in prisons are written in Farsi, implying an Iranian influence that can be traced back to its proxy army, Hezbollah. Further, these tattoos in Farsi are usually seen in combination with gang or drug cartel tattoos, meaning that the individuals in jail are tied both to Hezbollah and to gangs and drug cartels. In the document hacked by LulzSec it is possible to see photos of these tattoos on individuals in jail; some of them portray a crossed AK-47 gun, the symbol of Hezbollah.
Law Enforcement Finally Admits Hezb'Allah is Operating in Mexico - Atlas Shrugs
...I could not find any other sources for this information
Arturo Zamora Jiménez, a Mexican congressman affiliated with the Institutional Revolutionary Party, recently stated that Hezbollah is operating in drug trafficking in the North of Mexico. Without any doubt, he said, the Lebanese terrorist group has links with Mexican drug cartels and has trained Mexican organizations on how to handle guns and explosives. Zamora also stated that Hezbollah is using drug revenues to buy weapons to fight in the Middle East. Moreover, political analysts point out that tunnels used for connecting drug trafficking are also used to infiltrate Hezbollah operatives in the U.S.
As noticed by the Center for Immigration Studies, the presence of Hezbollah on the U.S. border provokes several questions about security, and on how to face the problem: "These questions go beyond the horrendous cartel violence in Mexico we are witnessing on both sides of our border, bringing to light the national security aspect of drug- and gun-running, the volatility of our southwest border, and the playground northern Mexico has become for extreme lawlessness and anti-American activity."by Anna Mahjar-Barduccivia hudson-ny.org

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Monday, October 23, 2006

Ruthie Monday XXVI

I cannot get the pictures to post!!!!!!

rcs said...

I was just able to post a picture... what kind of error are you getting?

Gotta have that Ruthie fix!

NolaNik said...

Got it, thanks! I don't know what the deal is, my connection interrupts. It is VERY annoying.


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Welcome to Nolver's Science Corner! If you would like to read my blog, visit my website on Nolver's Cozy Corner. This page is dedicated to people who are into scientific subjects. Don't hesitate to be a member of this page!

For tags, visit my website on Nolver's Pretty Tags, for PSP tubes, visit my page on Nolver's Cool PSP Tubes. For my personal blog, visit my page on Nolver's Room.

**Always scroll down to read the actual post**

©2013-2017 Nolver's Science Corner. Images with my watermark are copyrighted by me, so I reserve all rights. It is not allowed to edit or to modify the pictures in any way. It is not allowed to use the images/backgrounds from the layout and from the welcome box. Please respect my work.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Soft Soap

 The brand Driehoek is a well-known soft soap in The Netherlands.

Soft soap, also called green soap or brown soap, is a soft and gentle soap with a yellowish-brown colour that is mostly used as a household detergent.

Originally soft soap was made of hemp oil. This oil is naturally
coloured greenish, thus making the soap that was made of it, a little bit green. Hemp oil was used because it was a cheap byproduct of the rope-makers.

Nowadays, soft soap is usually made of other cheap vegetable oils, for example soybean oil or turnip oil. The soap is week because the oil is saponified with potassium hydroxide instead of sodium hydroxide, such as hard soap.

Soft soap has the reputation of being a particular good degreaser. It is used, for example,
to get extra contaminated hands (with lubricating oil) clean, but also in removing persistent grease stains from fabrics. However, many modern synthetic surface-active agents have a considerably larger grease dissolving capacity than grease-dissolving soap.

Soft soap is usually not perfumed and has therefore the characteristic own soap fragrance that is not appreciated by everyone, while others are satisfied with the scent, described by them as "old-fashioned scent" and associate this scent with "clean".

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Sunday, February 11, 2007

Turned away by security at Obama's Chicago event

I was planning to go to Obama's Chicago appearance this evening. We had tickets and everything. We got there in reasonable time and waited in line for admittance, but upon reaching the door I was informed by security that I would not be permitted to enter with my dSLR. (This despite the fact that I had already seen several people with dSLRs enter.) Apparently the UIC Pavilion considers "cameras with detachable lenses" a security risk because (get this) someone might be tempted to throw the lens. Yeah, right. If there's a risk that I might throw my detachable lens, then there's just as much a risk that I might throw a cheap disposable camera, most of which cost less than the EF and EF-S lenses that my Canon 400D uses.

I was not interested in handing my camera over to some check counter (yeah, right, I'm going to hand over $1200 in midrange photography equipment just because the professional photographer lobby has managed to convince your security people that amateurs with dSLRs are a "security risk"), and so we left the venue. So much for the idea of getting decent photographs of Obama.

I did manage to get a few half-decent shots in on Saturday. Here's one of the best:

If Obama continues to appear in such restricted forums, though, I won't likely be able to do much better, unless, that is, I manage to score press credentials somehow. Maybe I can get them from WikiNews.


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Saturday, October 18, 2008

Silly APRS idea

This came up on freenode #hamradio channel: little floating APRS buoys set afloat in the ocean, with a GPS receiver and a digipeater.  You'd have to program them to alter their operation based on where they are, because APRS frequencies vary around the globe, and in some places operations might not even be permissable.  Getting a few operating in the North Pacific Gyre could provide interesting scientific data to boot, especially for those people tracking flotsam patterns in the Pacific.

No idea what it would cost to build a APRS buoy, and certainly nothing I'm planning on doing any time soon, but could be interesting.


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Journal: 31 December 2016

We want to thank you all for being so supportive this year. It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster at times but we’ve learnt a heck of a lot along the way and are really excited for what this year will hold.

Working with Ikea,, tokyobike, Adnams and exhibiting at two tradeshows – Playtime & Dot to Dot are definite highlights from 2016.

My personal new year’s resolution is to slow down a bit, so a trip to Winterton beach to see the seals seemed a very fitting way to spend the final day of 2016 as a family.

Once Stanley was in bed, we enjoyed homemade cocktails, including this amazing champagne cocktail with brandy (pictured above). We also made a grapefruit mojito. And, of course, we had to have some sparklers.

This year, Nor-Folk is set to change a bit – we will be featuring more of the places we love and what things inspire us. We will soon be launching a brand new website which will better reflect what Nor–Folk is all about. We will continue to collaborate with other brands and I will take on more photography commissions. I’m very much looking forward to sinking my teeth into new creative pursuits this year.

Thank you again for your amazing support (from the bottom of my heart). And we wish you every success and health and happiness for the year ahead.

Love Fiona.

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Thursday, January 2, 2014

Big Knits

We have a new yarn in our midst that has so many possibilities, we're dedicating a blog post to it!

It's called Magnum, and let me give you some stats:
It's a Super Bulky Weight (That means it works up on BIG needles, US 15-19)
Made of 100% Peruvian Highland wool (That means its great quality and definitely soft)
It has gorgeous heathered colors (that means no bland solids, but beautiful mixes and dimension)
With 125 yards per skein, just one skein gets you a long way.

Find all Magnum Colors in our Webstore

You can knit Cowls, Hats, Scarves, Sweaters, or anything on this yarn.

We think it would be fun to ARM KNIT with Magnum!

Grab a skein of Magnum and use your arms as needles for a big bulky scarf that you can make in under an hour!

If you missed our post with the Arm Knitting tutorial,  find it here.

You can find a wide range of patterns using Magnum on Ravelry. Check out this page to get you started.

If you don't want to knit with your arms, we have tons of BIG needles in stock to use with this yarn.
Big Double Point Needles
Big Circular Needles

Happy Crafting!


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Indians Notebook: Pushing the deadline on trade possibilities; Fultz update; Martinez and Lee at it again.

If the Indians find themselves in need of an alternative for their starting pitching rotation, they may actually have a couple.

Left-hander Jeremy Sowers, demoted to Triple-A Buffalo on June 10, appears to be finding himself. Left-hander Aaron Laffey has been impressive enough that the Bisons’ starting rotation was juggled this week to allow Laffey to be on the same turn as struggling Cleveland lefty Cliff Lee.

While Lee prepared to start against Boston at Jacobs Field, Laffey worked the opener of Buffalo’s doubleheader against Charlotte, allowing two runs over six innings of a 5-4 loss. He is 7-0 with a 1.75 ERA in June and July and 11-4, 2.94 in 13 combined appearances at Buffalo and Double-A Akron.

Laffey told the Buffalo News he was able to concentrate despite rumors of an impending promotion and having been pulled from his start Sunday after 48 pitches to allow him to work Thursday on three days of rest.

“I came in and tried to treat it like any other start,” said Laffey, who threw 97 pitches against Charlotte.. “I didn’t have time to let a lot of outside thoughts enter my mind. I treated it as if I was going to be here and, if I did get the call, I’d be happy and excited.”

The 22-year-old Laffey, drafted in the 16th round in 2003, has been one of the fastest-rising pitching prospects in the organization.

Sowers was no longer considered a prospect in 2006, not after he fared well in 14 starts for Cleveland (7-4, 3.57). He could not duplicate that success this summer, however, and was sent to Buffalo after 12 mostly forgettable starts for the Indians (1-6, 6.93).

The 24-year-old first-round draft pick from 2004 fared nearly as poorly during his first six starts at Buffalo (0-4, 5.82 ERA), but may be on the way back. In his two most recent starts, Sowers has allowed one run over 14 innings, striking out 13.

“I think he’s starting to figure it out, feeling things he’s felt before in a positive sense with his delivery,” Indians Manager Eric Wedge said. “There were a bunch of little things that needed to come together to make a difference for him.”

Wedge was asked if Sowers would be a candidate, should the Indians find themselves with a potential opening in their rotation.

“He would obviously be involved in conversations,” Wedge said.

TRADE TIME?  Indians Manager Eric Wedge said he has “a sense” any trade the Indians might make won’t take place until shortly before Tuesday’s deadline. “If we don’t do something, it wasn’t for a lack of effort, not being aggressive and not kicking every tire and turning over every stone,” Wedge said.

THE FULTZ WATCH  LHP Aaron Fultz (rib cage) will throw a simulated game today. If all goes well, he will begin a minor-league rehabilitation assignment next week. Wedge said Fultz would probably pitch in at least two minor-league games before being activated.

PLAY NICE  Victor Martinez and Cliff Lee were battery mates again Thursday, five days after being involved in a dugout scrap that led to a postgame team meeting. “In all honesty, I did not give it a thought until five or six seconds ago, when you mentioned it,” Wedge told reporters.

CELEBRITY GUEST  Former Indians Manager Frank Robinson threw out the ceremonial first pitch. Robinson was in town to appear at a corporate function.

ON THE FARM  Single-A Lake County left-hander Ryan Morris allowed only a solo home run over four innings Wednesday, but the Captains fell 4-3 to the Hickory Crawdads. Morris had made his first five starts of the season for the Gulf Coast League Indians (3-0, 1.80) before being promoted. He was drafted in the fourth round last year from South Mecklenburg (N.C.) High School.

Reach Canton Repository sports writer Andy Call at (330) 580-8346 or e-mail


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Monday, September 6, 2010

The Benefits Of Modern Portfolio Theory

¹²The Benefits Of Modern Portfolio Theory

By Charles Rotblut | 6 September 2010

There is a secret to investing that many investors are never told: You can achieve higher returns and reduce your portfolio's level of risk at the same time. Yes, you read that right, higher returns and lower risk are both possible. This is not a magic formula designed by someone to sell you a get-rich-quick scheme. Rather, the creator of this strategy was awarded a Nobel Prize in economics.

Modern Portfolio Theory

In 1952, Harry Markowitz wrote an essay titled "Portfolio Selection" that became the basis for modern portfolio theory MPT. Modern portfolio theory holds that when various uncorrelated assets are combined in a portfolio, [[overall, long-term: normxxx]] return is improved and risk is lowered. The risk level of the individual security does not matter as long as its return varies from the other securities in the portfolio. [[Where risk is measured solely as the volatility of a security.: normxxx]]

When constructing a portfolio, you could opt for an extremely low-risk, but unsatisfactory long-term portfolio by holding only short-term government bonds. At the other extreme, you could create a long-term portfolio comprised of only [[extremly volatile: normxxx]] 'high-growth' stocks. Between these two extremes are portfolios that contain just the right mix of assets. In other words, you want a portfolio with assets and securities that complement each other.

The Efficient Market Frontier

Markowitz formulated that there is a line at which a portfolio produces the ideal amount of return for a given level of risk: This is known as the efficient market frontier. It shows whether a portfolio is taking on too much risk for a given a level of return. It can also reveal whether or not a portfolio is achieving a high enough return for the amount of risk it is taking.

Figure 1. The Efficient Market Frontier

Click Here, or on the image, to see a larger, undistorted image.

As you can see in Figure 1, the efficient market frontier is curved. The reason is that there is a point of diminishing performance relative to risk. After a certain point, the amount of additional return diminishes as the level of risk is increased (upper, right-hand end of the line). Similarly, a portfolio that is too conservative does not even generate enough return to compensate for its inherent low risk (lower, left-hand end of the line).

Putting Theory Into Action

The goal for investors is to build a portfolio out of uncorrelated assets and securities— this holds true regardless of your risk tolerance. I will give you two examples. First, investors who are risk-averse will want to allocate the majority of their portfolios to bonds or bond mutual funds. The types of bonds included in the portfolio should have differing maturity dates, varying issuers (Treasury, municipal, corporate, international, etc.) and various credit ratings. A smaller portion of the portfolio should be allocated to other asset classes (e.g., stocks) to provide protection against inflation and periods of rising interest rates.

Second, investors with a higher tolerance for risk will want to allocate the majority of their portfolios to stocks. The equity portion should mix various sectors and industries, styles (growth and value), market capitalizations (small, mid and large), and geographic regions (domestic, Europe, Asia and Latin America). A smaller portion of the portfolio should be allocated to other asset classes (e.g., bonds) to provide protection against bear markets as well as a stream of income.

In both examples, the idea is to lower the risk by combining several different types/classes of securities. This moves the portfolio closer to the efficient market frontier by enabling it to benefit from several market forces instead of just one or two. [[In particular, by having the good effects of one asset class 'balance out' the bad effects of another asset class, at any given time.: normxxx]].

Other Considerations

The examples above used stocks and bonds. A truly diversified portfolio should include other asset classes as well, such as real estate and commodities. In both cases, owning the physical asset (e.g., actual land or bullion) provides more diversification than a real estate investment trust REIT or mining company. (However, a REIT or shares of a mining company would be easier to buy and sell.)

During times of financial distress, correlations of different asset classes can move toward 1.0, meaning they move in the same direction. This occurred during the bear market of 2007–2009. But even when all classes become seemingly correlated, the actual level of loss will differ from the decline that would have been experienced if the portfolio were invested in a single asset class. [[Ie, it should prove less catastrophic than the worst asset class.: normxxx]].

[ Normxxx Here:  Even those of us (eg, the behavioral economist/analyst types) who do not subscribe to MPT must be fully cognizent of it and always take it into account. While the 'strong' version of the Efficient Market Hypothesis (derived from MPT) says that market prices are always in balance, and hence, investing is mostly like betting on the red or black at a casino— is easily disproved (eg, it can be shown that the market trends on intermediate and long term time frames), the more subtle, 'weak' version has never been disproved, to my knowledge. (This latter version says that, in the long run, you cannot profit from any perceived market anomalies— as the 'quants' discovered in the summer of 2007.)  ]

The contents of any third-party letters/reports above do not necessarily reflect the opinions or viewpoint of normxxx. They are provided for informational/educational purposes only.

The content of any message or post by normxxx anywhere on this site is not to be construed as constituting market or investment advice. Such is intended for educational purposes only. Individuals should always consult with their own advisors for specific investment advice.

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Cars Under the Stars Returns to Palm Beach International Raceway

Get ready to race, rock and roll at the second Cars Under the Stars event Nov. 22, 2014, at Palm Beach International Raceway in Jupiter.

The public is welcome to an evening of off- and on-track fun, including food and drinks, music by the four-piece, classic-rock band Breeze, a live auction and track rides — all to benefit foster children displaced from their homes because of abandonment, abuse or neglect. This year’s underwriters are Lamborghini Palm Beach and Lexus of Palm Beach.

A VIP Experience will take place at 4 p.m., featuring rides in exotic cars on the two-mile, 10-turn road course. A Celebrity VIP Experience will include rides with sportscar champions Derek Bell, Guy Cosmo, Shane Lewis and Brian Redman. General admission begins at 5 p.m., and the event runs through 10 p.m.

General admission costs $100. Track rides can be purchased for $50 to $100. The VIP Experience costs $250, and the Celebrity VIP Experience costs $500.

For information, call 561-775-7195, visit or click Cars Under the Stars.

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Amy Woods

About Amy Woods

As a writer at North County Current, I want to connect with the causes that make northern Palm Beach County a better place to live.


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Northstar Pools

Pool Ad Ons & accessories

Choosing add-on options is as much fun as choosing the shape of your pool.  For a full range of options, just ask Doug or your Sales Rep during your in-person consultation. Check out some of your options below!

Norstar Pools

Lighting can add a whole new dimension to your poolscape. Outline your poolshape with fiberoptics and program the lights to change colors or remain a constant color. The options are unbelievable!

Norstar Pools

Relax to the soothing sound of a relaxing watefall. From floating fountains to spillovers and more!

Norstar Pools

Enjoy the coolness of the pool water while you drink your favorite beverage with your very own tequila bar! Relax, entertain, and socialize with this special feature.

Norstar Pools

To add the magic of movement and soothing sound to your oasis , add a spa to your poolside. Then, create a water spillway that makes a natural, refreshing waterfall!

Norstar Pools

From brushed concrete, peagravel, or a spray deck in various colors to stamped overlay, which gives the look and feel of stone or brick...the choices are endless. Let us help you decide which option will compliment your overall pool design.

Norstar Pools

This is a relatively new concept to poolscapes. Fire pits allow you to enjoy a naturalistic approach to you pool. Imagine the possiblitie... roasting marshmellows, cuddling with your spouse, etc.


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Monday, February 9, 2009

The Arran Malt 10yo

Finally, another tasting note! This one comes to us from the Isle of Arran, and the only distillery on the island. As far as the region goes, it's technically called an "Island malt," but that isn't very meaningful; the islands are all different, and the whiskies are said to have little in common.

Anyway, let's get to it!

The Arran Malt
Aged 10 years
Single Island malt Scotch whisky
46% alc/vol

This little light golden dram smells wonderful - light and sweet, malt and melon. It's smooth, despite its high-ish ABV, and slighly vegetal, but not overpoweringly so. A bit of water makes it explode with sweetness on the tongue.

This is a delightfully light, airy whiskey - inoffensive in all ways, and very enjoyable. It strikes me as one of the better Scotches I've had, and I'll be sad to see the bottle go!

Anonymous said...

And for your main course?

I'll have a whiskey! :)

Anonymous said...

I hope you’re doing well. I work for a PR firm that represents various spirits and we have a lot of exciting things going on, from events to new product launches and everything in between. Would you mind sending me your address so we can add it to our database? Also, please let me know if you’re currently working on anything so we can get press materials and/or samples out to you.


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Nostalgia Theater: A MovieFilm Podcast Join host Zaki Hasan for a jaunt through your favorite pop culture artifacts of yesteryear!

After a brief gap, we're back with an all-new episode of the Nostalgia Theater show! This week, we’re talking about Disney's Darkwing Duck, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this very year (read my article on the show here). A spin-off of Disney’s very successful DuckTales, Darkwing was created by veteran animator Tad Stones (Chip 'n' Dale's Rescue Rangers, Buzz Lightyear of Star Command), who was gracious enough to join me for a fun and insightful hour of conversation as we took a fond look back at the terror that flaps in the night, plus his many other experiences in the world of animation. Check out the show via the embed below, or subscribe via iTunesStitcher Radio, or TuneIn Radio. As always, send all questions or comments our way via, and don't forget to hit "like" on our Facebook page


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Sunday, March 31, 2013

CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Sampler

Hi all, Happy Easter! Ttoday's my day on the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps blog to showcase cards made with Michele's really awesome stamps. They inspired me to make quite a few, so I'll get right to it ...

First up is a card that uses the "mazing" portion of "ah-mazing" in Exclamations.

 I found a web site that has a printable maze for every capital letter. How fun is that for a little person card? They can do some "mazing" of their own right on the card. I resized the A and H and printed a bunch of card bases out. Then the fun began.

 I cut out a mask and played around with blending the Hero Arts neon inks.

You've got a straightforward, solid color on each letter,

a vertical ombre effect on the letters and sentiment,

a splotchy rainbow,

a diagonal ombre rainbow (Moxie Fab ombre challenge),

black & white with a gradient sentiment,

 and black & white with vertical edging.

SO EASY to print these out, stamp the "mazing" and do minimal decoration to the rest of the card. My 5 year-old loved doing the mazes in my "reject" pile. These would be great for a birthday, congrats, any special occasion you're excited about.

The next card uses some old bases I punched out maybe 5-10 years ago, and the brand spankin' new Amazeballs set.

 I slid the U through the hole in the R, and adhered it to the top of the window. This lets the glittery R dangle freely, and sparkle even more as you open it. U R Amazeballs. The background has some amazeballs colored with alcohol markers.

This next feature shows a card I made for the Ka-boom sneak peek, where I really liked the concept, but something didn't set quite right with me in the execution.

 I added some of the random circles from Amazeballs to the masked strip on the bottom. Now I think it has a little more energy, matching the tone of the sentiment.

The last card uses the Ka-boom set:

The gray "tick tick tick tick" goes around the border, ending at "You're the Bomb." I put the sentiment on an angle to be a little more dynamic. The bloom builder dies from Papertrey worked out perfectly for an explosion behind the fussy-cut bomb.

Thanks for sticking with me, I know there were a lot of cards! All of the stamps you see here are available at CAS-ual Fridays Stamps.

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Double Negative Cut Birthday Card

My boys are going to a birthday party about every other weekend, and for quite awhile I've been looking for a quick, yet personalized, boy birthday card that could be reproduced easily.

Usually I have my son draw a picture for the outside of the card and then sign the inside. But as a card-maker, I always felt a little guilty for not making something a little bit more involved. The Silhouette was my answer. I wouldn't mind spending time designing something if I knew it could be easily altered, cut and assembled as needed.

This card is the result. It's a double-negative die-cut birthday card. The "9th" is cut out of the purple, "happy birthday nathan!" is cut out of the light blue, and it's all mounted on dark purple. For the next 10 birthdays, I can just change the name on the cut file, and cut out another set. I still had Logan draw a picture for the birthday boy, but we mounted it on the inside this time.

If you're interested, here's the Silhouette cut file for this card.

Sharing this with the Moxie Fab Challenge to emphasize the negative.

Thanks for looking!

Friday, March 29, 2013

CFC #96 - Easter, But Not a Card

Has to be Easter, but not a card, for the CAS-ual Fridays challenge this week ... OK, let's make some Easter eggs with stamp supplies!

There's a great prize package from Timeless Twine waiting for the winner!

Here's the first project. My husband's dear Grandma Griglione was a huge crafter, and in the 1970's made a ton of egg dioramas. Most were for Easter, but there were some Christmas ones too. When she passed away and we started dividing her estate, the one thing everyone wanted was her eggs. They held so many memories, and you could see a piece of Grandma G in each one of them. So the cousins all got together, and with the eggs in the middle of the table, took turns picking our favorites to display at home. Now as a crafter, I could not think of a better legacy when I pass, where my descendants would treasure and respect the things I made so much that they would prefer those over other material possessions.

I wanted to honor Grandma Elaine Griglione with an egg diorama of my own. It's nothing like hers, but it uses my stamp supplies.

I cut right into the egg, yolk and all.

 Then colored the shell, added trim around the opening, backed it with a shimmery wrapping paper, added some curly strips of paper, and fussy cut my only bunny image, from Papertrey's Tiny Treats Valentine's set.

 The sentiment that goes with that image is stamped on the top.

 I also made the stand from stringing seed beads on some fine gauge wire (I think 28) and winding it to make 3 rows. It's hot glued to the bottom.

For the rest of my projects, I made Easter eggs using my stamp supplies. Since I was going to be spending some time on these and wanted to keep them for future years, they needed to be blown out. Now nothing gives me a headache more than blowing out Easter eggs. So, since it's Spring Break and the kids are home, I enlisted my son and his friend Connor to do the dirty work. They loved it!!

Here's Logan punching a hole in the top with a needle. Repeat on the bottom side, and stick the needle inside several times to break up the yolk so it's easier to blow out.

 Then blow! The ooey-gooey stuff coming out was quite a hit. They wanted to keep going after we ran out of eggs. And, surprisingly, did a wonderful job!

For the coloring, I used Hero Arts Neon Inks because they have such great coverage.

These eggs all use masks. From left to right:
  1. Sponge ink over a circle graph mask;
  2. Sponge ink through a hole punched in printer paper;
  3. Sponge ink around rubber bands on the egg.

These eggs all use stamps. From left to right:
  1.  Stamp a tiny dot background stamp in pink, blue, purple;
  2. Stamp a bunny on a brown egg, color with chalk and marker, stamp sentiment;
  3. Stamp the Lawn Fawn border builder for a feathery look;
  4. Stamp a grid pattern.

These eggs are all ombre using the Hero Arts Neon inks (linking to Moxie Fab's ombre challenge). I should also mention that burlap strands make great nests/holders for the eggs. You just wrap the strings in a circle and they stay like that!

Thanks so much for looking!

PS. For those reading this post Thursday night, I'm at the Green Day concert now with my friends!! It's the kick-off show for their 2013 US tour in Chicago! Yay for Billie Joe getting rehab and rescheduling the tour dates : ) SO EXCITED, I can hardly stand it. LOVE THEM!! Who else can release 3 full-length albums at the same time?!

Then, we're taking advantage of Mom staying overnight to watch the kids and will go to the gambling boat afterwards. Will be a long, fun night : )

Monday, March 25, 2013

Papertrey March Blog Hop (Framed Sequins)

One more sequin card for the March Papertrey Blog Hop.

This one uses the Framed Out #12 Die to highlight several strings of ombre sequins.

To suspend the sequins, I built a shadow box frame with die cut layers.  Ardyth Percy-Robb's creatively layered snowflake was still in my head, so thought as long as I was building layers, I might as well make them ombre too. The thick frame allows the sequins to wiggle around freely if you touch them.

For a split-second I considered using invisible fishing wire to sew the sequins with. And then I voted in favor of my sanity. That stuff is so darn slippery. Double stitches of plain white thread seemed to be enough to hold the sequins. I used washi tape during the process to keep the strings in place on the frame.

And mounted it all on some glitter paper, just in case there wasn't enough bling! I'm linking this up to the Moxie Fab ombre challenge as well. And, I'll take Ardyth's advice and head over to LIM ... beads on an abacus? Sure!

Thanks for looking!

Papertrey March Blog Hop (Phone)

One of the oldest crafting staples, sequins seem to be the hot new kid on the block. While I've enjoyed using them as accents scattered across a card, I wanted to try using them as more of a design element in honor of this month's Papertrey Blog Hop.

I combined the phone from Heart-2-Heart and the Hello from Wonderful Words: Hello Mini Stamp Set on this card. Hopefully more people than not remember the curly-cue phone cords ...

 Who is having a panic attack right now? Uggh. Right?

So, instead of those curly-cues that always got tangled a million different ways, this phone cord carries a friendly message. "Hello" is stamped in gray and used as a guide for the embroidery thread. A thin line of glue traced along the letters holds the thread in place.

And did you notice I sneaked some  patterned paper in there? It's pretty basic, but I'm using it, thanks to the Pattern Play Online Card Class. Did you also notice that the pattern is centered both vertically and horizontally? Another tip from the class.

My first strip was not centered vertically (I put it on top of the card so you could see here) so I cut a different piece. You end up using more patterned paper to get the section you need, but it made a  difference to me when I looked at it again.

The sequins are glued to the edge of a acetate circle for the dial. A brad in the center attaches it to the phone, with additional sequins on the brad behind the circle to hold the dial above the phone. In theory, you could actually turn the dial, but I'm not 100% confident that the sequins would all hold! The phone itself is embossed with black glossy powder.

Thanks for looking!

Friday, March 22, 2013

Emboss Resist on Patterned Paper + an Interview

(note, this is my second post of the day, please click here for the CFC #95 Challenge post)

Before I show my homework for this class, I wanted to mention that the super-creative-and-talented Tasnim asked me if I would do an interview for a blog she contributes to, called Paperie Design's Studio. How sweet of her to ask! It was a little strange answering the questions, as I've never given an interview before on card-making : ) If you're interested, head on over to check it out!

Now you wouldn't know it, but I've been taking the newest Online Card Class on using patterned papers. Love it! So far, it's been a mix. I've watched all of Day 2 videos, and the first of Day 4. These cards are a combination of those random lessons.

 First is a card using clear embossing on patterned paper. Now this paper is really bossy. But I thought that would be a good challenge for me. I'm shy around these patterns. Part of why I signed up for the class is to get more comfortable hanging around them. So I'm forcing myself.

All cards have this same clear-embossed damask on the same bossy paper.

Brown distress ink around the damask, a gold embossed sentiment and 3 aqua sequins for good measure (had gold sequins on there first, and then told myself to stop being so "safe" in this exercise.) One tip Jennifer shared was to add a narrow strip of paper to separate the papers if they're not looking right. I added the brown strip and think it looks better.

This card uses the white wash technique from Day 4. I don't have the Ranger white wash stain, but just used some white acrylic paint. At first I mixed it with a lot of water, but it allowed too much of the pattern to show through. I really just wanted it to look like an orange patterned paper damask on white paper. So I dry brushed the paint without any water. It was a little tricky, because you had to wait long enough for the paint to stick to the paper, but not so long that it wouldn't come off the emboss resist area.

Now if I were the artistic Alexandra, I would show you all manner of creative photography on my process along the way. But, I realized you have to be pretty darn confident that what you're doing is going to turn out well before investing all that time in setting up and taking photos. And I certainly was not confident at all. So, no artsy photos to share of the process!

Also, I originally had tan cardstock where the green dots are now, and then scolded myself for not stretching. Then I found a patterned paper I liked ... and it was beige on beige. Sheesh, this is harder than it looks! So green dots it is. There. I did it. Two patterns.

My last attempt is a sympathy card. This time the paint sat on the damask longer than the last card. I was going to toss it, then figured it would make a nice, soft sympathy card. Hard to see, but the sentiment is Papertrey's "may you find peace and love in the memories you cherish." It was too dark, so I thought I could just paint over it and start over, but it still showed through. I left it because the wispiness went along with the "memories" sentiment, and the barely-there damask. I have the main sentiment on the inside in case this one is too difficult to read.

I used Jennifer's Day 4 tip to add a large, grainy glitter for more interest.

Never in a million years would I have come up with these cards on my own, so I'm really glad I'm taking the class. And I'm looking forward to catching up on the other lessons. Sharing these with Papertrey's MIM on inking your own background.

Thanks for looking!

CFC #95 - No Stamps

Yep, you read right, NO STAMPS on your project for the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge this week! What a great opportunity to use some of the pre-made embellies you may have, stickers, die cuts, patterned paper, embossing, etc.  This week's sponsor is SRM stickers, who generously provided the design team with a sample of stickers to use for this challenge.

Here's a Happy Graduation set with a money holder card and a pillow box filled with candy. The nice thing about this set is the opportunity to customize it for the graduate. For High School graduates you can either use their high school colors, or college colors if you know where they're going. The orange and blue is in honor of University of Illinois (Go Illini ... good luck in the tournament today!!) I used orange Reese's Pieces to fill the SRM pillow box. Do you know M&Ms sells packets of green M&Ms (mint) and red M&Ms (raspberry)? I found them at the grocery story yesterday. Custom colors without having to pick through a mix of candy!

Using acetate for the card front (actually packaging from a Cricut cartridge) lets you take advantage of the clear SRM stickers. I thought it would be fun to dress up George and get him in the graduation party mood by putting the graduation cap sticker on the acetate. The sentiment is on the front too. Now, please don't think I'm the cheapest gift-giver around. But the scale of President heads on the $1 bill are better than the ones on the "new" currency. When it's time to actually use this, I'll get an old $20 or $50 from the bank.

See? Not the best.

 Here's a side view.

The pillow box is decorated with a Memory Box Beautiful Bows die cut. SRM stickers on the bow, and on the ribbon ends. "Graduation" wouldn't fit on the right side of the bow, so I just cut off  "uation" and then added the exclamation back. The clear stickers also work out well as a border for the top of the box.

This would be great when you want to give something a little extra along with your typical card and money. You can coordinate it with the envelope.

Here's another version with red school colors. These are "sour cherries" I found for less than a dollar, and still had most of the package left over.

Thanks so much for looking, and I hope to see you in the gallery! Check out the other design team inspiration there too : )

PS. A clue on the wooden molds that I'm using for card stands ...

Upon closer inspection, I found an inscription on one of them. Here it is:

I tried playing with the brightness and contrast to make it more readable, but my guess is that it says "??? Spray Equipment Co." and then perhaps that's a town on the next line? From Ohio or Oklahoma with that big "O" at the end? Or maybe it's a name.

Eureka!!! I just googled "spray equipment company ohio" and guess what popped up?

 Plummer Spray Equipment Co Napoleon, OH

That's exactly what it says!! Looks like the company was established in 1912. They don't have a web site, but maybe I'll give them a call one day. Still have no idea what it was used for, but happy another piece to the puzzle is found.


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April 1, 2013

Be Silly Monday

Left brain - serious. Right brain - silly.
Our brains consist of two halves, each with its own special capabilities.

The right brain is the imaginative, spontaneous, creative, silly side of. The left brain is the serious, linear, time-restricted, follow-the-instructions, analytic side of the brain.

We live in a left brain dominated world. This tends to get stuff done, albeit in a linear, on the clock, terribly predictable way. Often our creative brain half gets set aside for more 'serious' business.

That is why we have cultural notions about "all work and no play..." even if we do mostly ignore them.

Einstein recognized the difference between left brain knowledge, and right brain imagination. “Logic," he said, "will get you from A to Z", whereas, "imagination will get you everywhere.”

Every once in a while we should indulge in right brain activities in order to balance things out and have some fun.

I like to exercise my right brain, take it on a walk through Silly Land, and let my creativity loose. I  daydream, giggle, hum a tune, and engage in extreme silliness until tears of happiness roll down my cheeks.

Ralph Waldo Emerson must have been a kindred spirit that also liked to indulge his right brain. Why?

Because he said,

"Be silly. Be honest. Be kind."

I assume, since Emerson was a philosopher and writer, that he listed the three qualities after carefully considering the importance of each. I like that he decided to put 'be silly' first.

Definitely be honest. And kind. But more importantly, remember to be silly.

Both hemispheres of the brain are important, but our system
often values left brain functions over right

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52 Cameras – Week 4 – Preliminary Results – Anscoflex II

The Anscoflex was an interesting experience for me. I've never worked with a bulb flash before.

Initially the flash was not working. I cleaned the contacts and replaced the batteries to no avail. The next step was to disassemble the camera and clean the internal contacts. Upon reassembly I learned a valuable lesson: DON'T LEAVE A BULB IN THE FLASH UNIT WHEN ASSEMBLING IT.

Once my vision returned, I assembled the unit and tried again. This time I wasn't looking directly at it when it fired. I soon discovered there was an insulator missing and the unit was grounding to the camera shell. A quick trip to the workbench produced a suitable substitute, and we were in business.

My first subjects were dazzled. Those P25 flashbulbs are impressive.

In use the viewfinder is large, clear, and easy to use. The shutter button sticks out and is easily bumped; I had to remember not to wind until ready to shoot. The double exposure prevention means I accidentally wasted a few shots.

These shots are from a previous roll that was in the camera. This week's roll is still at the lab. I accidentally discovered that using the yellow filter with Ektar produces an interesting color shift.

Above, with yellow filter. Below, without.

More to come when the other roll comes back from the lab.

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Wednesday, May 26, 2010

summer is here

My friend took some photos this week of my room and me. (check out her tumblr here). Here are a few of the photos. Also, school is out finally!! Yay summer!! (:

vdcouture said...

i love the shot of your stuffies. great blog! visit mine
love, vdcouture

agnes said...

j'aime beaucoup ces photos


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Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Review - Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

With more than five million copies sold, Flowers for Algernon is the beloved, classic story of a mentally disabled man whose experimental quest for intelligence mirrors that of Algernon, an extraordinary lab mouse. In poignant diary entries, Charlie tells how a brain operation increases his IQ and changes his life. As the experimental procedure takes effect, Charlie's intelligence expands until it surpasses that of the doctors who engineered his metamorphosis. The experiment seems to be a scientific breakthrough of paramount importance--until Algernon begins his sudden, unexpected deterioration. Will the same happen to Charlie?
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes is not the type of book that I generally read, but it was recommended by someone very special to me, so I read it.

We follow Charlie Gordon in his quest to becomeone more intelligent, remember the past his mind has locked away in an effort to protect him from himself, and cope with his new awareness of everything around him.

It's a sad story. It made me angry in many places and completely heartbroken in others. I "watched" as people he thought were friends made fun of him and treated him the way someone with compassion wouldn't even treat a dog. And I "watched" as he remembered horrible things from his past that his mental condition had allowed him to hide away in the dark recesses of his brain.

He struggles the entire book to break away from the old Charlie, the child like adult who wanted so much for everyone to like him. He struggles to remind everyone that he IS human. That he's NOT just a science experiment. He's not just another mouse running through a maze like his companion, Algernon. He's a living breathing person with thoughts and feelings and was so long before science got ahold of him.

Charlie is desperate for love and friendship but when faced with those things is unsure how to respond. Despite the "help" from those around him. He feels as if he's fighting with his old self to gain control over his own body. And he fears that he's losing.

It's an interesting book to read because you can literally SEE the transformation going on in his brain by reading his progress reports. It makes the book feel more personal, makes you feel closer to Charlie and more invested in his development. I'd recommend this to anyone interested in realistic science fiction. Is that even a thing? I'd really recommend it to anyone over the age of 18. No matter what genres you prefer. You won't be the same when you're finished with it.

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Friday, May 25, 2012

Its started...well sort of. We (my son and I) had his Kindergarten orientation for the Fall. It was in two phases with just the parents on one day and another day we had the kids come with the parents for their own introduction. It was mind boggling, overwhelming, exciting and bitter sweet.

The parents orientation gave an overview of everything from size of backpacks (no damn rolling back packs or ones with too many pockets...gotcha) lunch cost, and all about transportation. The only thing that made me feel a bit better is knowing how safe they make it for the little kids to go back and forth to school. Obviously I knew they would make some attempt to keep the kids safe, but their policies are pretty great. I left there saying something I never thought I would say...I'll be joining the PTA. I don't crave the spotlight or feeling like I need to fill a void somewhere in my life. My life is plenty busy. I am doing it for selfish reasons. I want to know the faculty in the school and participate and have a say in the activities my son will be in.

The orientation for my son was on a different scale. They were separated from their parents to explore a Kindergarten classroom. When they called the rising Kindergarteners up, he took off and never looked back. I didn't see any hesitation, didn't get a wave or even a look back. I was glad he didn't hesitate...he never really does. I just wish he at least looked back and gave me one his beautiful grins. It was just another reminder that he is growing up. The parents were taken on tour groups to different parts of the school. My husband and I both kept commenting how much he'll love it. The art room was enormous and cool (even for an adult). It had pottery wheels, beautiful works of art hung from the ceiling and a really neat kiln. The music room looked really fun and he'll thoroughly enjoy all the musical instruments. He loves playing anything he can get his hands on. The gym is certainly going to be a favorite for Zaichik and his never ending energy.  The computer lab is going to blow his mind because he only uses our laptop as a special treat at home.  Finally, the library is just really cool with a huge aquarium and a fun stadium like reading area.

I love that Zaichik is so sure of himself. It makes it easy to go through these big milestones in life. I would never tell him I'm nervous for him or let him show my anxiety. Quietly and secretly I'm calling out for him in the inside and wish I could scoop up my baby and run like a mad, crazy woman out of the school. This whole school business is a new territory I have never experienced before. Sure he goes to day care because I work, but I have a lot more control. I know his teachers as I talk to them every single day. I know the kids he hangs out with and I also have talked to the directors about my concerns. While I will sort of have that at his school, it certainly will not be on an everyday basis.

Kindergarten for any parent going through it the first time is just freaking hard. Its hard handing the reins over and seeing your little baby take another big leap into kid-hood. I just hope he doesn't grow up too much. I hope he still has time to snuggle up on my lap, give me a million kisses/hugs before he leaves me and  still tells me how much he loves me. He's my stinky boy, but that boy has such a beautiful sweet side that I just wouldn't trade for the world. I just don't want to lose that too quickly.

I love you Zaichik. Mommy is so proud of you but stop growing up so darn quickly!


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Stop mechanical monsters from ruining your island home in Pauli’s Adventure Island – a retro platformer now available on iOS and Windows 10. Hop, dash, fly, and float in this fun side-scrolling romp from Dutch developer HEJVISJ.

Bunny buddies Pauli and Gemmi discover their beloved island has been overrun by mechanical monsters determined to build an enormous, exclusive resort. Now it’s up to Pauli, Gemmi – and you – to do something about the invaders. Dash through more than 30 unique levels across four spectacular worlds. Explore rolling hills, mysterious forests, dark caves, and ancient temples to collect the stars scattered throughout – and help Pauli and Gemmi stave off those evil machines!

Pauli’s Adventure Island has been featured in a number of outlets – including DarkZero, Kitsuga, Gaming Cypher, Invision Community, TouchArcade, and Droid Gamers.

Read more about Pauli’s Adventure Island and HEJVISJ here.