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The Art of the Home Bar (with Ori Geshury)

Much like being able to change the oil on your car or build a bookcase, I think being the proud owner/operator of a home bar is a dying art.

Mixing cocktails is a gentlemanly skill that far too few possess.

I'm always taken by the charm of old movies when the first thing a host does is offer their guest a drink.

And they actually have the know-how and supplies to meet that request from their home bar!

Being able to whip up a Manhattan or Mint Julep at a moment's notice has always been a goal of mine, but I have to say that I'm nowhere near an expert.

So when Ori Geshury, Director of Education/Co-Founder of Aqua Vitae Institute, offered to educate me in the way of mastering the home bar, I jumped at the opportunity.

And he took our lesson in a completely different direction than I expected!

But first…

Social significance of the home bar

Why do we drink and what is it about drinking as a group that is so appealing?

Is it just a means to getting hammered?

I don't think so.

If that were all we were interested in, everyone would just slam the cheapest, strongest alcohol available and stumble around like brainless zombies until they passed out.

There's more to it than that.

Ori and I discussed the traditions of drinking (the Italian way of hosting a cocktail party is particularly fascinating) and the cultural significance of alcohol in our lives.

It really got me thinking about why we drink and the role it plays in our relationships with each other.

So here are my musings on the reasons we raise a glass together and the case for keeping a home bar.

A motive to gather

I've said this before about food.

We're social creatures by nature, but it would be kind of odd to call everyone over just to sit in your living room for a nice chat.

We need a reason to get together such as “meet me for a drink,” “want to grab a coffee?” or “come to my place for a cocktail.”

Even though the desired outcome (conversation) is the same, those all sound a lot more appealing than “wanna sit on that bench together?”

And when we do gather, alcohol (in moderation, of course) can provide a social lubricant that let's us open up.

I know I'm not exactly a social butterfly, so I certainly find it easier to mingle after my second or third Old Fashioned.

For me, it's a way to calm my hyper-analytical brain, remove my last lingering bit of social anxiety (a relic from my old life), and simply enjoy the company of others without overthinking things.

If you want to truly stand out in an age of voluntary helplessness, it's important to learn how to do things on your own.

And it's rarely as hard as it looks.

To justify the high price tags, restaurants and bars like to make their creations seem like magic.

But the truth is, with practice, you'll be able to master the same drinks just as you can learn to cook a perfect steak at home.

Instead of handing your guests a cheap beer or random soda mixed with vodka, learn how to perfectly execute just a few cocktails.

Not only will you have the satisfaction of a job well done, your guests will no doubt be impressed by your unique skill and expertise.

Stimulate the senses

When you're hosting friends at your home, being able to serve a simple yet elegant drink is an experience for the senses.

No one gets excited about shotgunning a Natty Light.  People aren't looking forward to chugging Diet Coke laced with cheap rum.

With a good home bar, you're able to offer your guests something to eagerly await and enjoy.

Guests experience the anticipation while watching their host craft the perfect cocktail. And just like food, a good cocktail looks great and provides a feast for the eyes before the first sip.

They feel the weight of the glass and the accompanied cold (or hot) in their hand.

They may smell the citrus zest, herbal notes, sweet fruit, or warm, spicy bitters before taking their first drink.

And, of course, there is the taste.

Unique flavors and combinations will stimulate their palate.

Who knew strawberry and basil was a wonderful combination? Or maybe they'll realize they really like gin when presented in the right cocktail.

It's all about preparation and providing an experience for all the senses.

Get closer

The lost art of the cocktail party and managing a home bar gives us a reason to invite others into our homes.

We give friends a better understanding of who we are by showing them where we live, what we bring into our home, and what things are important to us.

And this isn't about showing off an expensive condo or a giant flatscreen.

It's about allowing others to feel closer to you after having shared your personal space.

Just as your body is a representation of “you”, I feel that your home is another expression of self and can have an equal impact.

In essence, it's a way to let people in.

Now, onto the nuts and bolts of managing your home bar.

Mastering the basics of bartending

I fully expected (and asked) Ori to give me a list of basic spirits, mixers, and tools as well as a collection of cocktail recipes every man should know.

But he had a much more fundamental and practical approach.

As an educator, his methods lean more towards teaching a man to fish and feeding him for a lifetime, rather than giving him a fish so he can eat for a day.

Here was Ori's advice.

Step 1:  Forget recipes.

Is he serious?

Yes, and his logic is solid.

Just as building an aesthetically pleasing physique requires attaining certain shoulder to waist proportions, mastering the cocktail is all about ratios.

By learning just a few ratios, you can skip the need to memorize an endless list of recipes and create some impressive cocktails, nonetheless.

Components and cocktail families

home bar components

Ori's personal collection of sweeteners.

The basic cocktail components are:

  • strong (i.e., the spirits)
  • sweet
  • sour

The individual ingredients, such as type of spirit or sugar used, isn't as important as maintaining one of the three proven ratios listed below.

Almost every cocktail is based around three essential templates (or families) using these components.

Compare this with weightlifting.

Experienced lifters don't think of every exercise under the sun as unique, but rather classify everything as a variation of a push, pull, or squat movement.

Similarly in the world of bartending, the main cocktail types are: the spirits forward cocktail, the balanced cocktail, and the long cocktail.

Ori described these cocktail types and the ratios of the basic cocktail components in each, as detailed below:

The Spirits forward cocktail

As the name suggests, a spirits forward cocktail is designed to showcase the chosen spirits. All other elements are there to enhance flavors.

Spirits forward cocktails will always be on the smaller side due to the lack of dilution.

Example – Old Fashioned, Manhattan

Ratios:  2 oz. spirits, sugar, bitters and/or vermouth, splash of water, and garnish

The Balanced cocktail

Balanced cocktails are all about harmony between the ingredients.

The characteristics of the spirits will be there, but they won't dominate the drink (hence, balance).

Balanced cocktails will be a little larger in volume than the spirits forward variety.

Example – Margarita, Whisky Sour, Daiquiri

Ratios:  2 oz spirits, 3/4 oz sweet, 3/4 oz sour

The Long cocktail

Long cocktails are drinks like those listed above, but are diluted with a significant volume of non-alcoholic ingredients for a more refreshing effect.

Example – Mojito, Gin & Tonic

Ratios: Build the drink using a spirit forward or balanced drink and then dilute with sparkling water, juice, tonic, or soda.

Choose a drink, get creative

Now that we know the basic types of cocktails, how the hell do we get good at making them?

The best way to improve your skill is to pick a drink from one of the three families and then get creative with the elements.

Ori recommends starting with the Old Fashioned, and as it's my favorite cocktail, I wholeheartedly agree!

TIP:  My preference is to master the basics of your chosen cocktail.  Begin with the most traditional ingredients – aromatic bitters, a good bourbon, and simple syrup made from cane sugar.  Following a known recipe lets you rule out any technique errors.

Once you can consistently produce an exceptional classic Old Fashioned,  it's time to learn how different ingredients and flavor profiles work together.

And for that, you need to try different elements. But remember to keep the ratios constant.

To get started, Ori recommends that you go to the grocery store and pick up a few different sweeteners, such as coconut sugar, grenadine, honey, or stevia.

Next, get a couple different bottles of cocktail bitters. You can try aromaticorange, or rhubarb.

Although you will use these ingredients in your Old Fashioned's, many of these will be able to be used in a wide number of cocktails as you expand your expertise.

TIP:  To aid in the learning process, I suggest that you experiment with one variation at a time.

If you combine grapefruit bitters with molasses and it tastes horrible, you won't know which ingredient is to blame or if it's simply a bad combination.

So change it up one element at a time.

The slow tinkering process is part of the fun of mastering your home bar and building your bartending skills.

The essential tools

home bar tools

Ori's tools also include a zester and an ice bucket.

As long as you already have a selection of glasses, kitchen knives, and other basic utensils, there are only a handful of “bar-specific” tools you need to have a fully functional home bar.

And if you're looking for more detailed guidance on building your home bar, Ori suggested this:

General tips

1. Just know that every time you buy an ingredient to experiment with, you'll have plenty left over and will slowly start building your home bar. Most ingredients, like sweeteners and spirits, are essentially immortal, so no worries about shelf life.

2. Add a pinch of salt. This is an insider trick that won't make the drink salty but, as with baking, it'll enhance the flavor and sweetness of the cocktail.

3. Approach your home bar with the principle of Progressive Overload. Just as you wouldn't attempt a 500 lb deadlift on your first visit to the gym, don't concern yourself with making the most complex cocktails from the start. Start simple, master the basics, and then grow from there.

What now?

If you're interested in taking your home bar skills to the next level, follow these steps:

  1. Choose a starting cocktail
  2. Get the traditional ingredients and tools
  3. Practice to perfection
  4. Expand with different spirits, bitters, and sweeteners

And if you're really serious and want to make an event out of it, contact Aqua Vitae Institute to set up a group class.

Finally, I just want to extend my thanks to Ori for taking time to talk to me. I'm amazed at how much there is to know about the art of bartending!

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  • Reply
    November 2, 2015 at 12:22 pm

    A man without a good home-bar or one who doesn’t know how to make the most of it is a man lacking an essential skill. I liked that you mentioned the wider meaning of a home-bar – somethink most people don’t ever give a thought to.

    • Reply
      November 2, 2015 at 3:12 pm

      In my experience, visiting a home with a decent bar setup is very rare. But it always makes the experience that much more enjoyable when it’s there.

    • Reply
      Ori Geshury
      November 4, 2015 at 11:19 pm

      I’d settle for a man who can MacGyver basic cocktails. A full home bar set is is very rare as Nate said. But being able to walk into a kitchen and see: Wooden spoon, sugar, oranges, limes, bourbon, and say: Let’s get to work! That’s a cool feeling. In minutes you sort of own the room.

  • Reply
    November 2, 2015 at 4:54 pm

    The Old Fashioned is a great starter for men in regards to mixed drinks. I have been dabbling more with unmixed whiskey and scotch lately, but never turn down a good mixed drink like this. Beats the over sweetened crap they sell at restaurants, hands down.

    • Reply
      November 2, 2015 at 5:05 pm

      It sure does. It’s actually funny when you compare the classic preparation of certain cocktails to the monstrosities they’ve become. Take the Daiquiri for example. The classic preparation is something like 2 oz rum, 3/4 oz lime juice, and 3/4 oz simple syrup. That’s quite a stiff drink. But what most bars and restaurants sell as a Daiquiri comes in enormous fish bowl glasses and is probably more than 8 oz of some kind of sweetener. Not only do those drinks look feminine, they give me heartburn and aren’t much help in maintaining a lean physique. Like you, I’ll take my spirits neat or in a more concentrated cocktail.

      • Reply
        November 2, 2015 at 7:07 pm

        There is an episode of Good Eats with Alton Brown that I really enjoyed. He shows you how to create a traditional bloody mary and margarita, not the bastardized restaurant versions we get these days. Very interesting if you ever have the time to watch it.

        I am also a fan of my drinks neat, but I’ll never turn down a good Old Fashioned or dry Manhattan.

        • Reply
          November 2, 2015 at 8:25 pm

          I’ll have to look that one up. After watching an episode where Alton Brown explained why pre-made deli sandwiches are always delicious I started making mine hours ahead of time, wrapping them in plastic wrap, and then letting them sit on the counter. Haha.

      • Reply
        November 2, 2015 at 8:45 pm

        I actually have a margarita mix that I whip up from time to time. It’s basically tequila, some lime juice, and club soda. It’s called the NorCal Margarita if anyone is interested in google searching it. It has a very clean taste and won’t kill your waistline like a regular margarita will.

        • Reply
          John Tyndall
          November 2, 2015 at 10:50 pm

          I drink that same margarita! I first read about that mix in The Paleo Diet Solution. Sometimes I’ll put a splash of OJ in it — just enough to turn it orange. I like it with Cabo Wabo silver. I like a good tequila, but I think Patron is overrated and overpriced.

          • Jacob
            November 3, 2015 at 1:13 pm

            I honestly don’t know enough about tequilas to know which ones are good or not. I typically use Patron Silver simply out of ignorance. How pricey is Cabo Wabo silver or do you have some other suggestions? Orange juice is an interesting idea. Would certainly give it a little bit more vitamins and probably lessen any hangover from overindulging. ;-)

          • Nate
            November 3, 2015 at 2:58 pm

            John, have you tried Casamigos? It’s the one made or endorsed by George Clooney. I picked up a bottle on sale at Walgreens for $7! It normally runs around $40. I haven’t cracked it open yet buy you and Jacob are giving me a reason to.

        • Reply
          Ori Geshury
          November 4, 2015 at 10:46 pm

          Another variation of that is a Paloma, which is made with grapefruit and lime, and sugar (you can omit the sugar). If you really hate the taste of low calorie cocktail what a lot of bartenders and brands have started to do is to layer cane sugar and stevia together. Stevia is very sweet, but the flavor manages to be both cloying and bitter to many palates. Cane sugar has a rounded flavor, and works well. Two really good examples of the combination are Coca Cola Life and the king of IIFYM ice cream, Halo Top (which beats the crap out of Arctic Zero any day of the week). I’ve been experimenting with making sours/margaritas, daiquiris this way and it really works!

  • Reply
    November 3, 2015 at 4:27 pm

    I was bartending a few years ago and I can confidently argue that mixology is an essential skill for men. You will finally understand your drinks and also enjoy cocktails more. Not to mention that you can finally have interesting discussions with the bartenders.

    • Reply
      November 3, 2015 at 5:03 pm

      You said it, Andrian. The only times I’ve received free drinks in my life are the occasions when I’ve started talking bourbon with passionate bartenders. Just demonstrating a base knowledge lead them to handing me complementary glasses of their favorite spirits to keep the conversation going.

      • Reply
        Ori Geshury
        November 4, 2015 at 10:51 pm

        Great Points, rapport building tips to get free stuff, special attention from bartenders:

        1) When ordering off menu, specify the base spirit, and if you want a balanced or spirit forward cocktail.
        2) Tip a LOT EARLY, and then remind them that you’re there.
        3) To become a regular, Tuesday and Sunday is the best. Sunday is particularly good because it’s known as Industry Night, where all the bartenders go and visit each other.
        4) Join your local USBG (United States Bartenders Guild) chapter. It’s $100/year, and you can go to free super premium tastings and get loads of information. It pays for itself in about two weeks.
        5) For craft cocktails, there’s a new app called On The Bar. It’ll actually give you the bartender’s name and their favorite off menu drinks. If you go there and address them by name, and order an off menu drink, they get really happy and caught off guard :)
        6) Tell them you are tasting your way through a whisky/cocktail book, and want to know what they’d suggest.

  • Reply
    John Tyndall
    November 4, 2015 at 12:59 am

    Nate, I have not tried Casamigos, but I’m sure it’s going to be good! It’s made from 100% agave which is one of the key things to look for. And for $7? Many bars would charge $7 for one margarita with 2 ounces of a tequila like Casamigos in it. Great buy! Let us know how you like it!
    Jacob, In my area, Cabo Wabo goes for $10 or $15 less than Patron. You can get Milagro for slightly less than that, and it’s also excellent. If you want a “best buy” try Espolon. It’s $20, and not bad at all.
    I’m only speaking of silver varieties. I was told once by a restauranteur that silver tequilas are best because they are not aged, and he claimed that tequila is supposed to be had “fresh.” I bought into that, and just developed a taste for the silver variety from there.

    • Reply
      November 4, 2015 at 11:27 am

      I picked up the bottle on sale at Walgreens. In case you didn’t know, they randomly clear their shelves and basically give away anything that isn’t selling. When I bought the Casamigos, I also picked up 3 bottles of Crown Royal Maple Finish, 3 bottles of Malibu Spiced rum, 2 bottles of Jameson Caskmasters (aged in beer barrels), and a bottle of Jameson Select. I left with 10 bottles for a grand total $65!

    • Reply
      Ori Geshury
      November 4, 2015 at 10:35 pm

      The perception that people have within the industry and outside the industry of tequila is very different. What the restauranteur was referring to is that tequila is the most complex spirit in the world, because the agave takes from 7-15 years to mature. And aging it can interfere with the bright vegetal flavors and complexities of the spirit. If you are even a little interested in tequila I encourage you to listen to our soundcloud with David Suro, who started the Tequila Interchange Project to educate the public about it:

  • Reply
    November 4, 2015 at 3:17 am

    I could tell by reading your cologne blog that you knew your way around a whisky or whine nosing. I’ve spent the last few years developing (somewhat recklessly) a fairly respectable spirit collection. I’ve found that my ability to analyze and appreciate smells and tastes in other aspects of life has greatly increased. Whether it be the pages of an old book, a nice cigar, or the smell of cold fallen leaves in the morning. The majority of my closest friends are the “drink for effect” types and I feel like they are missing out on that carryover.

    • Reply
      November 4, 2015 at 11:33 am

      I wish I could say that it was a natural talent, but I have an average nose at best. But it was something I wanted to learn so I’ve been working at it. The real trick is to have side by side comparisons. It’s hard to detect certain flavors if they’re experienced days apart. Our sense of smell is nothing short of amazing. I sampled a cologne for the first time at Marshall’s the other day and it was instantly familiar. I racked my brain for over 48 hours (I went back for another spray) trying to place it. Then it hit me. It smelled exactly like a can of spray deodorant from Right Guard I had about 18 years ago. And all the memories from that time came flooding back.

      • Reply
        Ori Geshury
        November 4, 2015 at 10:29 pm

        Paul Pacault, who is arguably the best “nose” in the business, has stated on many occasions that everyone can do what he can do, all it takes is experience, and comparative study. Bartending itself is a lot about building a sensory lexicon, not just of spirits, but also of sweeteners, water, coffee, tea, ice, strange ingredients (golden berries, cactus pear) etc.

  • Reply
    Ori Geshury
    November 4, 2015 at 10:27 pm

    Hey guys. This is Ori. I was very happy to work with Nate on this and I’m really happy it was well received. If you guys have any further questions, I’d love to answer them.

  • Reply
    November 5, 2015 at 1:20 am

    This post resonated with me.

    Just started working as a bartender. In reality, it’s mostly pouring beers and polishing glasses, but I do the occasional cocktail.

    Right now my home bar consists of one bottle of bourbon. I’m not a fan of bourbon straight up, so I’ve been mixing it with whatever I can.

    Straight up/on the rocks: too much bite, probably because it’s an average bourbon.
    Bourbon + coke/soda/juice: eh.
    Old fashioned: wasn’t bad with muddled sugar/cherry/orange, but without bitters it was missing something.
    Whiskey sour: not too bad, also wasn’t my favorite. Used fresh lemon juice, sugar, and an egg white.
    Mint julep: currently my favorite bourbon drink. Bought a mint plant so I use fresh mint. Absolutely delicious.

    When this bottle is gone I’m planning to repeat the same process with another spirit, maybe rum. The best way to learn cocktails as a bartender isn’t memorizing recipes, it’s making and drinking them.

    • Reply
      Ori Geshury
      November 5, 2015 at 4:39 pm

      Jeff. It depends on where you work. You have to inspire people to drink better and to make your bar more money. Ways to do that:

      Infusions: Easy example, homemade fireball. Bourbon, brown sugar simple syrup (sugar and water at a 1:1 ratio).

      Punch: Make a simple Hendricks punch for people that don’t “like” gin, and feature it as a special.

      Tequila/Rum/Whisky etc. Flights: Add a tasting featuring a succession of different spirits, and put it on the menu.

      Desert: Italian Bitters, Dark Chocolate, Salt

      The most important thing is to build your skills up, while making the bar money, and giving your customers something unique.

      PS Old Fashioned is: Spirit, sweetener, bitters, water, peel. Nothing else. The muddled orange and cherry are prohibition relics from when the whisky was shitty. Go to a craft cocktail bar and try it the traditional way. You’ll never go back. Traditional rations + fresh ingredients is a paradigm shift. You will NEVER go back. It’s like realizing that you’ve been eating sushi made with canned tuna all your life and then tasting the fresh fish.

  • Reply
    January 14, 2016 at 3:27 pm

    I have to ask:

    “the Italian way of hosting a cocktail party”???

  • Leave a Reply

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Rabies- Not a Disease of the Past

Did You Know?

If a person or a pet is bitten by an unknown or unvaccinated animal (dog, cat, or wild animal), the local health department or your veterinarian should be consulted. The animal that bit should be apprehended, if possible, and your veterinarian or local health official should be contacted immediately.

Did you ever think that your pet's rabies vaccination wasn't all that important? Did you know that if your cat or dog is not current on its rabies vaccination, and a stray or wild animal bites your pet, the County Health Department can, and will, demand that the pet be euthanized or strictly quarantined for six months, and they will not allow them to be quarantined at home? Did you know that if your cat or dog bites someone and it is not current on its rabies vaccination that the County Health Department can demand that the pet be euthanized and tested for rabies? Do you think an indoor only cat has no possible exposure to rabies?

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Rabies Statistics

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  • Cloud Analytic Center (CAC): The Cloud Analytic Center (CAC) extends the capabilities and video analytics offered by the CityEyes™ System. It seamlessly pools multiple analytics engines used by the PaaS framework and provides end users with advanced video search and video mining features. This capability helps modernize legacy systems that rely on dedicated servers, saving hardware and software resources across the board. With Compute Node Appliance (CNA), the CAC can horizontal scaling and distributed computing by adding additional CNA to increase the computing power and analytic capabilities.
  • Cloud Video Recorder (CVR): Unlike traditional and costly DVRs and NVRs, our CVR is a multi-tier, highly-reliable, and scalable private cloud device that is designed to record and store analog and digital ONVIF IP cameras videos for short-to-long-term storage. CityEyes™ CVR can be configured to accommodate up to twelve 6TB enterprise grade hard drives or a total of 72TB storage capacity. In applications where more storage is required, the system can be extended by connecting the CVR to the external JBOD disk storage system. This type of expansion can increase the storage capacity to an amazing number of 360 hard drives or 2.1PB of raw capacity!
  • CityEyes™ Appliance (CEA): The CityEyes™ solution is available in 2 distinct offerings. The CEA-100 Series is recommended for small medium enterprises. The CEA-100 supports up to 128 IP cameras with two (2) CVRs. The CEA-500 Series is recommended for Clients who have larger areas to monitor or the need for over 256 IP cameras. The CEA-500 supports up to 1,000 IP cameras with four (4) CVRs. For very large deployments, multiple CACs can be configured to work as a cluster to manage up to 50,000 or more cameras!
  • Optimized Performance in Virtual Machine: Supports powerful cloud computing virtual machines for sharing of hardware resources between software video analytics engines. Thus lowering the cost of deploying intelligent video analytics (IVA) engines.
  • No Need for NVR: Connect IP cameras directly to Ethernet network switches. Save infrastructure cost and maintenance cost. Video storage will be provided by CVR appliances.
  • Multi-tier Cloud Storage Architecture: Support for multiple levels of high-performance video storage architecture. First tier storage system includes highly reliable enterprise-grade RAID (0, 1, 5, 6) storage systems for the protection of sensitive video files. For large capacity and long-term video storage needs, CEA can be expanded to include second tier CTSX (NAS) storage for Petabytes of retention or third tier tape storage for unlimited on-line or near-line storage.
  • Big Data IVA Enabled: Supports growing lists of intelligent and sophisticated IVA (Intelligent Video Analytics) engines. All IVA can be run on the CAC appliance with CNA appliances to save software licensing cost and ease of management.
  • Proven IVA Application Support: Supported IVA engines including LPR/ANPR, face detection, face recognition, virtual fence, object and people counting, object left behind and object missing, video summarization, camera health monitoring, vehicle route & path analysis and many others. IronYun has assembled a large and growing list of IVA engines and patents for our customers demanding needs.
  • Centrally Managed VMS/CMS: Running VOS in the CityEyes™ enabled private cloud provides users with the maximum flexibility and efficiency. The VOS software enables the efficient administration of very large-scale video camera networks, includes distributed and multiple site video networks.
  • Robust Media Stream Server: CityEyes™ Media Stream Server is a powerful, easy-to-use application for professional video management where there is a need to simultaneously stream multiple live views. This can be done without affecting the quality to the analytic engines or recording system.
  • Central Video Wall (VW) and Mobile App: Allows users to monitor all videos and alerts seamlessly and quickly with CityEyes™ VW application and Mobile App. VW capabilities include: easily manage camera video, view video tours with customized layout, show instant alert notification, interact with video, zoom, snapshot, and note. CityEyes™ Mobile App allows users easily to monitor videos and alerts with maps anywhere.
  • Data Redundancy and Backup: CVR appliance is built with enterprise-grade RAID 0,1, 5, 6 for maximum hard disk drive failure protection. The CVR can be configured for data redundancy, mirroring, remote backup and Disaster Recovery (DR).
  • Intelligent Alert Management: CityEyes™ Alert Management framework supports alerts from IVA engines and applications. With CityEyes™ easy-to-use interface and alert rule management process, users can efficiently manage and monitor all video events and alerts.
  • Stackable and Scalability:  IronYun’s CityEyes™ Appliances and Software are built with scalability in mind. Start small with the basic 100 Series for up to 128 cameras and grow with our service to support an unlimited number of cameras with the 500 Series.
  • Application Performance Management:  IronYun CityEyes™ appliance comes with powerful and easy-to-use APM management software. APM will monitor the appliance and hardware performance and availability. Automated alerting and logging reports features are a must for administrators to maintain Service Level Agreement (SLA).


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In the Words of Feynman

 Physics  Comments Off on In the Words of Feynman
Oct 042009

Richard Feynman is a great popularizer of physics. He mastered the mathematics of light and wrote the QED, which is the most accurate and detailed description of the behavior of light, which is accessible to a lay audience. The following links are to a series of videos on You Tube. Similar to Six Easy Pieces, [more …]


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Saturday, March 17, 2007

The Pistol 'Pete Maravich'

Since we're celebrating March Madness ( sorry Dukies), allow me to segue to the brilliance and tragedy of a basketball player and a person that is Pete Maravich - one of, if not, the greatest player to play college basketball.

More than an athlete, Pete was a tortured soul. There are plenty of great athletes but more than the beauty, it's the labour, both physically and mentally, that draws people to shake their heads and wonder how life is such a mystery after all the applause has died down. People like reading about achievements but it is the struggle which ultimately draws the connections with humankind - to remind everyone what it is to be human.

So please, if you've some money to spend and would like a great read on basketball, not just a sport but as an interesting story about a remarkable man, pick Maravich (and if you're through, send them to me). Fon now, I can only read Bill. And I could always wish for some more.
To think I had been pondering over setting up multiple kiddie hoop goals - but now resolve to delay teaching my daughter about basketball, not until she has been toilet-trained.

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Sunday, April 11, 2010

A Weekend at Wilderness Awareness School

A few weeks ago, instructors from IslandWood and North Cascades Institute (NCI) converged at Wilderness Awareness School (WAS) for the second portion of the exchange between the three programs. The first portion of the exchange was at NCI and can be read about here.  It was good to see familiar faces from our weekend at NCI but this time, the scenery was a little different. Instead of tall snowy peaks gazing down at us, we were amidst mossy vine maples and tall cedars in a little pocket of forest right outside the town of Duvall. We had gathered some preliminary knowledge of WAS's programs from chatting with their instructors at NCI, so we knew that they took more of a "listen to the earth" approach than the other two programs, but we didn't know what we were in for when we arrived to spend the weekend there.

From the very beginning, their instructors helped us explore by engaging all of our senses and asking us questions to guide us to a deeper understanding.  They taught us how to use owl eyes, fox feet, and deer ears in order to be aware of as much as possible around us.  They encouraged us to slip off our shoes to truly feel the ground beneath us and walk even more silently, then, barefoot, we padded to find our own special place within the trees, a Sit Spot, from where we could observe the world around us.  They took turns telling us the story of how Wilderness Awareness School came to be as we sat around a fire that had been started with a hand drill in a round hut called Malalo ya Chui, which means Lair of the Leopard.

We learned bird language, experienced the WAS questioning approach, discussed edible plants, and tried our hand at a 2-match fire.  We had a pasta potluck that evening, complete with stinging nettle tomato sauce, and chatted while passing around one of the WAS instructors baby, Wilder. After dinner, we played games of stealth in front of the blazing wood stove, then a small group of us hiked through the darkness down to the pond to star gaze.

After a night spent shivering in my sleeping bag in below freezing temperatures, a cup of coffee and my enthusiasm to learn more about WAS's programming gave me energy to face the new day. Between sips of freshly brewed hemlock tea, a group of us learned how to make bow drill sets and sat whittling away around a fire until we all had our very own bow drill kits to bring home.  While we made our kits, other groups tracked cougars, followed the beat of a drum blindfolded through the forest on a Drum Stalk, and explored the rest of WAS's land, called Linne Doran, meaning Pond of the Otter.

When all the groups finished, we came together to try making a coal using a giant bow drill kit.  The drill was about 3 feet tall, so it took a lot of us to pull the rope wrapped around it back and forth to get the base board hot enough to form a coal. But we did it, and it was sure a sense of accomplishment! Before leaving, we had an enlightening conversation about the natural directions and the indicators of awareness within teaching. They're hard to explain, but in brief, they are part of an educational theory that is based on the natural tendencies of humans over the course of a day and the course of a program, including energy levels and times for reflection. I found a lot of truth in the theory and you can learn more about it in Coyote's Guide to Connecting with Nature, the book on everything WAS.

It was an incredible weekend and all of the IslandWood instructors who attended picked up new approaches to teaching that we have been weaving into our School Overnight Program lessons. I personally have started doing Sit Spots, animal senses, bird language, and a story of the day with my students, all of which I learned more about at WAS. The instructors from NCI, IslandWood, and WAS also formed a warm supportive community, the ties of which will hopefully hold strong into the future.

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Thursday, October 31, 2013

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from IslandWood!

Here is Clancy showing us the power of silence and wait time while asking students questions, with a bit of Halloween flavor!

A few of the amazing EEC instructors prepping for their teaching day!

And an awesome stump covered in sulfur tufts. Mushroom Mania!!

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Beach Field Trip!

Wow, these past few weeks have been a whirlwind!

The beautiful golden Big Leaf Maple leaves are starting to fall, the Alder branches are almost bare and there is a brisk chill in the air. Autumn is here and our first semester as graduate students is in full force.

One of my favorite aspects of the IslandWood Graduate Program is that our learning is hands on too. Our professors strive to model the kind of teaching they expect from us in the School Overnight Program. Not only do we read books and write papers, but we too get to play, explore and wonder.

So today I want to keep my post short and share some amazing photos from our class field trip to the beach. We had the chance to chat with professional divers, play games and get up close and personal with some of the incredible creatures that make up the Puget Sound marine eco-system.

Sea stars and moon snails, Oh My! The group shared many laughs and smiles playing with these mysterious ( and slimy) ocean critters.

It was the perfect chance to step back from the world of academia and experience the excitement, curiosity and adventure that touch our students each week!

Sunday, October 27, 2013

What is a Scientist?

What does a scientist look like?  It’s a simple question that most people can quickly answer.  I encourage you to think of a few words to describe a scientist before reading past this sentence.
As a formative assessment each week, many of the Education for Environment and Community (EEC) instructors ask that same question of the fourth and fifth graders we have the privilege to educate, and we give them time to draw their interpretation of a scientist in their field journals.  Here is what we frequently see: men, crazy hair, words like “mad”, white coats, mystery liquids with bubbles in beakers, and eye glasses.  Did you think of some of those too?

How is it that all the students have the same image in their mind about what a scientist is though, and how can we change that view?  Developmental psychologist Jean Piaget would say the answer is through disequilibrium.  I had the opportunity to see this in action this past week while observing Kelvin, an EEC instructor.  He asked the students if they viewed themselves as scientists.  The team all responded in the affirmative, and then he asked them to describe a scientist.  The students immediately gave an expected stereotypical answer as described above.  Kelvin’s next question served to cause a disequilibrium that was truly amazing to watch.
                              “Well, if you’re scientists, where are your white coats?”

The question was followed by silence as the students struggled to find the connections between their previous statements.  There was no standard “this is what the teacher wants” kind of answer so they were forced to synthesize information into a new pathway, create a new understanding.  This was true learning, but the question remains of how did all the students already have a similar preconceived idea of a scientist?

We all move through life as part of a specific and identifiable community, sometimes moving fluidly between multiple.  Our chosen communities are often related to hobbies, socio-economic status, academic goals, chronological age, geographical location, and moral belief systems.   That is a lot of groups to mingle with, but what is the linking force that cements our status in those communities?  It is often the way we think and what we chose to think about.

Socialization can be an amazing tool for expanding understanding of any topic, but socialization within the bubble of the same community built on thinking the same way is not going to cause disequilibrium.  Growth can come from understanding and appreciating the contributions, differences, and similarities present in other communities.  At the end of the day, we only have one Earth, and we all have to share it.  What simple question do you have a stereotypical answer to, and where can you find new meaning?

Monday, October 14, 2013

Why I Chose IslandWood ...

After just completing my first week of solo teaching, I know I made the right decision to come here to IslandWood. To be completely honest, the transition into graduate school has been challenging. Busy schedules, homework, very little free time... Moving to IslandWood has been an incredible lifestyle change for me, especially after spending the past year in Latin America where time moves quite a bit slower. Yet, after waving goodbye to my first round of students from the School Overnight Program on Thursday afternoon, I knew that my choice was worth it.

Since graduating college, I have been working with students through experiential education programming with a focus on global citizenship and community development. Most recently, I spent the past year working as an instructor for Where There Be Dragons, facilitating learning adventures for students across rural Latin America. It was abroad, spending time in and trekking through small agricultural communities, where I realized the incredible interconnectedness of human and ecological communities. I discovered the ripple effect of my actions as a North American and their full impact on my friends abroad. I learned to share these stories to inspire my students to take action.

 It was through this work that I realized I wanted to pursue education in the United States, to make these communities and connections come alive to students. I care passionately about empowering our youth with the skills they need to make a difference. I want them to explore the world around them and see wonder, inspiration, and solidarity. Working abroad helped me teach to those values. Every day my assumptions and worldviews were challenged and changed. When looking for a graduate school, I wanted to find a program that would support me in teaching this way.

I chose IslandWood because of the school’s emphasis on integrating stewardship and community into education, and in particular, environmental education. In the future, I believe that we must create a more holistic curriculum that focuses on empowering students to be community minded citizens and global activists. IslandWood’s unique vision stood out to me amongst the many M.Ed programs I was looking at. In fact, IslandWood’s way of doing things spoke to me so much that it ended up being the only graduate program I applied to. It seemed like my perfect program.

And now that I am here, I know that it is the perfect program for me. I look forward to sharing the delightful moments, the reflections, the wonder and inspiration, and the many challenges I will experience this year with you all. And please, feel free to ask questions in the comments if you would like to hear more about anything in particular or have questions about what we’re doing. I would love to hear from you!

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Education Through Outdoor Adventures

Visiting intertidal creatures at Blakely Harbor, inspecting macro invertebrates at Mac’s Pond, investigating fungus in the forest, answering questions about flora and fauna, and looking over the bog from the tree house are just a few examples of the adventures experienced while leading a team of ten fifth graders through the 255 acre campus.

The adventures in the forest, bog, marsh, pond, estuary, and stream are only accents to our purpose as graduates because we are also instructors while in the field.  Islandwood’s Education for Environment and Community (EEC) graduate program is going strong with a new group of graduate students, and I am very excited to be part of the 2014 class.

I am originally from Texas, and I have lived in Seattle for a little more than a year.  After graduating from Texas Tech in 2008 with a major in Kinesiology and minor in Education, I taught eighth grade science for a couple of years before relocating to Seattle.  I am certified to teach middle level science in Washington State, and after completion of my Masters in Education from the University of Washington, I plan to return to the classroom.

A focal point for my blogs will be on the experience and instruction at Islandwood as they intersect the outdoors, science, art, and theory.  I am particularly interested in the connections between Islandwood's outdoor instruction and the application of educational theories.

This will be an amazing year, and I am very excited to share it with you through the EEC blog.


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söndag 17 april 2016

Brysselbombare ville avliva passagerare till Tel Aviv.

Brysselbombare ville avliva passagerare till Tel Aviv.

Israel-bound flight targeted by Brussels bombers

Mohamed Abrini, nicknamed ‘man in white’ or ‘man in hat’ due to the security camera footage circulated before he was arrested as one of the perpetrators of the terror attacks in Brussels, told his interrogators that one of the attackers’ targets was the waiting area for passengers flying to Tel Aviv.

Rachel Cadars
Latest Update: 04.14.16, 11:27 / Israel News

It now appears that Israelis were a specific target of the Brussels terrorists, as Mohamed Abrini, the attacker known as ‘man in white’ or ‘man in hat’ due to his appearance in security footage from before the deadly bombings (and who, unlike the other two attackers, did not die in the explosion at the Brussels airport), told interrogators that one of the terrorists’ specific targets at the Brussels airport was the outgoing lounge for passengers embarking to Tel-Aviv, according to reports by French television network BFM on Thursday.

Israeli defense official: Hamas's military wing doing whatever it wants

Mohamed Abrini, the terrorist in white. (Photo: AP, Reuters)

Abrini, caught last weekend, said that fellow attacker Ibrahim El Bakraoui was the one who picked the targets at the airport: Waiting areas for flights to the United States, Russia, and Tel Aviv.

Apparently, the plan went awry when Abrini hesitated, and fled the scene after the two other attackers exploded. “I couldn’t hurt a fly,” he said during questioning. “I haven’t become an extremist and never visited Syria.”

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Monday, March 15, 2010

Waiting for the Premier

It's been about a month since we first saw the Keystone Premier 31BHPR at the Earlybird RV Show. The dealership said they ordered 4 of them and we were 3rd in line. The picture on the left shows the outside kitchen which features a refrigerator, sink, 2-burner grille, and a swivel-mounted LCD TV. We were told that it would take about 2 weeks for the new travel trailer to arrive, but it's been about a month now and it's looking less likely that we will get it in time for our Spring Break trip at the end of March.

I've read comments on the forums and there have been a couple of rumors why there might be a delay. One reason is the incredible popularity of the unit and the large number of recent orders. Another is that Keystone RV made some design changes and they were incorporating them into the new RVs.

Whatever is causing the delay, we've taken advantage by removing almost all of our gear from the Tango. It took us three trips of filling our Denali XL up to the roof to do it. It's surprising how much was packed in there. Now with the campsite already booked for our first trip of the season, we'll probably need to de-winterize the Tango and pack it with the bare minimum to take it out.

Stay tuned for more.

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Keystone Premier by Bullet Ultra Lite Travel Trailer

We saw the Keystone Premier 31BHPR in early February at the Early-bird RV Show in Abbotsford. We fell in love with the floor plan and decided to trade in our old travel trailer after only having it for less than a year. With the good weather we've been having and spring break only a couple of weeks away, I'm starting to go a little stir crazy trying to find as much information and pictures about the Premier to carry me through until when it arrives. This video gives a little glimpse at the new trailer.

Archives / Past Journeys


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Monday, January 28, 2013

Aliceville, Alabama

The claim: WWII German POW camp - capacity 15,000

What it really is: Yes, it is true that a German POW camp was located there, but it only had a capacity of 6,000, not 15,000, and the only remaining structure of the original camp is a fire place and it's chimney.

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Thursday, July 1, 2010

Wednesday, June 30, 2010 : Cartoonist Takes Classic Strips Into War With WEAPON BROWN

A hard-boiled, cyborg Charlie Brown gets the revenge he's been due all his life.

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Thursday, June 24, 2010

Pixar Wars

Pixar characters as Star Wars characters.

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Star Wars The Old Republic: An Excerpt from The Old Republic: Deceived!

Here's an excerpt from his excerpt:

Ahead, he saw the four towers surrounding the stacked tiers of the Jedi Temple, its ancient stone as orange as fire in the light of the setting sun. The civilians seemed to give it a wide berth, as if it were a holy place, rather than a place of sacrilege.

He would reduce it to rubble.

He walked toward it and fate walked beside him.

Statues of long-dead Jedi Masters lined the approach to the Temple’s enormous doorway. The setting sun stretched the statue’s tenebrous forms across the duracrete. He walked through the shadows and past them, noting some names: Odan Urr, Ooroo, Arca Jeth.

“You have been deceived,” he whispered to them. “Your time is past.”

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Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Appreciating Old Comics - CBRs "A Year of Cool Comics"

I've been enjoying the Comic Book Resource's "A Year of Cool Comics" feature. It highlights some great comics from the past. And looking at today's post gave me an idea. I have a ton of old comics. Why not scan and review some of them?

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Thursday, April 29, 2010

Tervis introduces Marvel cups that Hulk couldn't even smash!

Famous makers of unbreakable cups Tervis is introducing new cups with Marvel Characters. They have a number of Spider-Man designs and one set with Spidey, Iron Man, Hulk and Captain America.

Introducing Marvel at!

My wife and I have been fans of these cups for some time. They are not only unbreakable, but they're so well insulated that I've found ice cubes unmelted after four hours. However, they are not cheap. The 4-pack of 12 oz. tumblers with four different heroes is $62.00. But, these cups do last forever. And if they don't, you can return any damaged cup for a full replacement.


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Monday, January 19, 2015

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Rugged Bangles

Rustic and lots of fun.  Polymer clay bangles I textured and layered with acrylic paints to create the dark and bright pops of color.

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Polymer Clay Adventure

 I'm still in the process of creating and compiling gifts.  They will be part of the Polymer Clay Adventure Online Retreat giveaways which will occur throughout this year via contests and challenges.  I made the above Rugged Beauty Beads and strung them on rubber cording with a Sterling Silver clasp.  The necklace is included in the first package of tools and molds I'm donating.  My class is not until the last quarter of 2015, but I'm sending a few goodies on and off throughout the year.  You can read more about the online retreat by clicking HERE.  You can still join the fun at any time.
I cannot believe it is January 8 already.  This first week as flown by.  I'm heading out to California for a few days of R&R.  Hope your new year is off to a great start!!!!


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Sunday, March 18, 2012

Bandito # 39 Its time for every Bandito to take a stand!

I have also discovered that Sand is one of the worst backdrops to try and add text to. there's just to much variance in the texture and color tone.
oh well.
we live and learn.
i'd also like to apologize for the longer then usual delay in posting a new Bandito.
i took a vacation from my unemployment, and went and found me a woman.
I had no idea she'd just be waiting for me across an Ocean.
Sometimes you just get lucky.
and i feel like the luckiest girl around.

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Thursday, 7 January 2016

Flying With Mozez~ Intro

2016 is going to be a fantastic year and I feel extremely joyful following my recent meeting with Mozez, concluding 2015.

As many of you are aware I reviewed Mozez album, 'Wings'' in December and found it to be of exceptional quality vocally, lyrically and musically. Wings is very inspirational and throughout the album Mozez speaks of his life journey in a way that many of us can relate to. Wings may well awaken people and help them connect with their mind and spirit. This album strikes a chord particularly as Mozez views are akin to my own; life really is more like a river than we might realise.

I am fascinated by the impact Wings has had on me, partially due to my inability to relate to Zero 7 whom Mozez recorded with when he achieved a degree of fame. Mozez vocals are stunning, possibly because he is fully expressing himself  through this highly personal album and because he has a burning desire to share his thoughts to help guide others through similar experiences. We will shortly be finding our more about the album when I post our first interview.

When Mozez set up his record company, ‘Numen Records,’ he invited me to write blogs for him that were posted on the company website. I did this for quite a while and now am pleased to be embarking on a new joint project! We are going to be, ‘Flying with Mozez,’ this year and bringing a little something each week to your attention; keeping it in the mix. Our intention is:

  • For you to come to understand more about the album,
  • Mozez overall motivation
  • Give you exciting information about future projects
  • Garner a little of Mozez musical history
  • Get to grips with Numen Records
  • Receive notification of Mozez live performances.
To catch up, please follow the highlighted link to my review of Wings. Next week I will be sharing the video along with further commentary regarding the song. Mozez and I hope you will really enjoy this journey!

Jaz McKenzie~ Word Magician, Poet and Writer. Contact me for a professional review or bio that will be presented in my original, distinctive style to help create YOUR desired image.

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Rising from the dead

After being a vampire for the past two months on surgery, I finally feel like I've emerged from my hole of darkness and hibernation, just in time for what finally feels like spring in Baltimore. Even though my surgery hours weren't bad, waking up at 4:30 am meant going to sleep around 9, which cut down significantly on the free time I had after I got home for the day. Now I'm on Family Medicine and I feel like I've rejoined the real world! Never has 7:30 - 5:30 felt so good and normal than after surgery.

I spent this weekend getting reacquainted with the sun, my bed, Game of Thrones, family and friends, and it feels so good. World, I'm alive again!
 Inner harbor during my Saturday am jog

 My uncle and aunt from China came to Bmore to visit

 First farmer's market run of the year. Underwhelming, but picked up some tomato and lettuce plants.
 Trying out the new little Italian place that opened up a block from our apartment
Cheers to the beginning of summer in Baltimore!

Popular Posts


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Hello 2017

Art, Fashion and Designing is what makes my life more colorful everyday. Though I'm currently working as a Business Analyst in an IT industry, to be a Fashion Designer/Stylist is still my forever dream. I can still remember during my first semester I always cried at my aunt because I'm having a hard time to get a passing grade on math subjects. haha! I'm not mad at my aunt who pushed me to study BS Computer Science when I was in college. In fact  if it's not for her eagerness and sacrifices just to send me to a good University, I wouldn't be able to have a degree and a  land a job with a reasonable salary. I wouldn't be able to collect shoes and bought fashionable items online. haha!

But this little dream, my passion for fashion has started to grow deeper and deeper. When I was in college, my friends used to ask me about what to wear on their dates, debut, special occasions, etc. In that way, they helped me practiced my little dream. :)

Now that I'm 26, I think that it is the perfect time to do what I love to do. To pursue and be who I want to be.

Two months ago, I enrolled a fashion styling class at SOFA (School of Fashion and the Arts). After that I enrolled to their Fashion Styling Master Class and finished it last April.

Then suddenly God showered me clients for Engagement Shoots, Campaign shoots, Fashion Shows and even Celebrity Styling. I even entered the world of clothes construction and make up.

This year I wanted to continue what I started last year but turning it into another level.

I'm opening again this blog of mine. Assuring all of you that I will flood you with fashion stories. My journey into styling, sewing and even beauty product reviews and more.

Hello 2017!

Engagement Session: Bok and Marse-Set 1

 Today, Bok and I celebrate our 2nd month as husband and wife. That is why I'm sharing with you our engagement photos taken last January.


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What your tennis court surface says about you

Though the ITF recognizes a bunch of different tennis court surfaces, for simplicity I’ve chosen to only discuss the three major surfaces represented by the four Grand Slam tournaments. Scores after every passage are on a scale of 1 to 5 stars.

The “No Line” Court; World Team Tennis

GRASS COURTS: You are a purist. You enjoy tennis the way you enjoy a gin martini or a Japanese rock garden: traditional, tranquil, and as nature intended. Your most valued athletic qualities are agility, balance, and creativity– the quieter the atmosphere, the shorter the points, the more you feel like you’re witnessing something that’s been around since the dawn of time. However, you overlook that this is false nostalgia: grass courts and lawns in general are not pure nature, they are humankind’s aborted and artificially manicured image of nature. In fact, the great tradition of most British lawn sports (golf, cricket, croquet, bowling, even billiards) involves a disproportionately large area of land being occupied by a disproportionately small number of people for a disproportionately long period of time. You cling to the glory of past empires, when land ownership was the prime signifier of wealth. Nonetheless, this clinginess also means you value sportsmanship, civility, and the rule of law. You are a proud minority.

Predictability: ***

Maintenance: *****

Rain Resilience: *

Chance of Injury: ***

HARD COURTS: You are enterprising and resourceful. Eager to get the job done, you set out for modern, pragmatic solutions that make sense to you, the everyman, rather than the tried-and-true formulas of unknown origin. Your most valued athletic qualities are power and charisma. Instead of pretending to control nature, you wipe it out entirely, replacing it with something simpler. However, in prioritizing short-term gains, you willfully ignore the inevitable moment when nature reclaims its domain. At that moment you will be forced to replace your replacement of nature, since it is patently inflexible and impossible to maintain. But this is the New World Order, where there are clear boundaries between opposites, like hot and cold, black and white, mine and yours, fit and injured… Hell with your body. The road to heaven is paved with concrete… and topped with a fine acrylic membrane.

Predictability: ****

Maintenance (short term): *

Maintenance (long term): *****

Rain Resilience: **

Chance of Injury: ****

CLAY COURTS: You are unpretentious and open-minded. Taking inspiration from the Earth itself, you strive for a solution that is soft, carefully layered, undeceptive, and encourages the user to maintain it him or herself (as opposed to hired staff) using basic tools. Your most valued athletic qualities are grit and patience. You often refer to your work in nuanced terms, unable to single out a superlative weapon or a preferred pattern, rather utilizing the full range of terms: power, speed, stamina, intelligence…. Minor impositions of nature such as drizzle, unpredictable bounces, or laundry do not bother you. In fact, these assets make you quite adaptable and attractive to many climates and cultures around the world, especially poorer ones. Moreover, most of the world’s best grew up playing on clay. You are global. But this also means you suffer from a crisis of identity: are you red clay, crushed brick, metabasalt, or sand? Are you old school, or the future? Are you popular, or imposing yourself? Are you original, or living in compromise?

Predictability: **

Maintenance: ***

Rain Resilience: ****

Chance of Injury: **

Roger Federer & Rafael Nadal; Battle of the Surfaces; May 2007

References, for fun:


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We are NC precision lathes factory of the stainless steel, iron, aluminum, brass, plastics & etc., from 3 to 300mm diameters.

We, IWASE, developed the Artificial Sparkling Spring DeviceBATH corroborated with Futech Niigataattached ultra-homogeneous mixerJet-Mixer we developed for the hairdressing industry.
The Sparkling Spring that was generated by this Artificial Sparkling Spring Device "BATH" will be possible to generate the sparkling spring more than previous product efficiently with the feature of high concentration(1000ppm) for a long time sustainability.

Measurement result of Artificial Sparkling Spring (0.06MPa、normal temperature, tap water)

Measurement result of Artificial Sparkling Spring (0.06MPa、40 degrees temperature’s hot water)

The Sparkling Gas that is included the sparkling spring indicates the various effects  through the skin efficiently.
It call Sparkling Springon the groundwater that is dissolved sparkling gas in a high concentration in the nature.  Equivalently, produce the good quality artificial sparkling spring device easily is BATH.
Bathing effect of sparkling spring is introduced by the various literature or the hot spring advertisement. The maximum of physiological action will be effect of vasodilatation. Namely it is expected the various effects that the blood circulation is improved.

Artificial Sparkling Spring Basis

Natural Sparkling Spring is including Separated Sparkling more than 1000 ppm. Separated Sparkling is Sparing gas(CO2) melting into water but it is different from the Sparkling gas that doesn’t melt into water. This Separated Sparkling will be became an important component to promote Sparkling spring effect.

Effect of the Sparkling Spring

Ａ　Phenomenon which is observed by immersed position(Immersed it is effectively)
You will be able to see sparkling gas small bubbles on the skin surface and also the flushing skin on the immersed position
Sparkling gas small bubbles is noticeable(picture 1) but it is not recognized sparkling spring effect at the small bubbles itself(It is good for psychological effect)
Flushing of the skin of the immersed position is seen only in the immersed position, your can see clearly the border line between the skin that is not immersed and the skin the is immersed(picture 2)
This is indicating that there is a topically action in sparkling spring.

Ｂ　Influence on the cold feeling (you can feel about 2 degrees higher than actual water temperature.)
You can hardly feel the coldness that the cold feeling is suppressed by the skin immersed position.
Usually you can feel the cold in 34-35 degrees or less of fresh water but in case of Sparkling Spring, you can not feel the cold in 34-35 degrees.
You can feel a little hot with the neutral fresh water bath at 34 degrees in sparkling spring.

Ｃ　Influence on the self-control function
Mainly it seems to influence the cardiovascular system and also skin blood vessels expand by sparkling spring so that skin bloodstream.

Summary of Clinical application. 　Adaptation and contraindication.
There is over 120 years history about the treatment with natural sparkling spring and also already a record of sparkling spring bathing in Roman period.
Artificial sparkling spring of CO2 concentration 1000ppm is has been clarified the same effect as natural sparkling spring.
Therefore, artificial sparkling spring also can be expected the same effect as natural sparkling spring.

An example of adaptation
It will be adapted vascular disorder, autonomic neuropathy, neuropathy and etc.
There are disease that currently heart disease & etc. are on discussion if it will be adapted.

An example of Contraindication
①Requires attention to dizziness caused by decreased blood pressure, a person who trend to have lightheadedness. (When moving after sparkling spring shampoo, pay attention to wander)
②Heart disease patients, there is a possibility to increase the heart load.
③Requires attention to bronchitis, Lung disease　& etc. because they tend to be high sparking hyperlipidemia.

Picture Picture

There are the following effects in the sparkling spring.

The Clients who are using our Sparkling Spring Generator Device BATH
 　Oshare salon Minami  　Aitech  　Pet salon Tanaka

We are NC precision lathes factory of the stainless steel, iron, aluminum, brass, plastics & etc., from 3 to 300mm diameters.

1965-2 Yoshida Hokkedo, Tsubame, Niigata 959-0214, Japan

TEL．+81-256-92-3750　FAX．+81-256-92-2859　E-mail　info@iwase-monozukuri.com

・Home　　・About us　　・Products　　・Machinery　　・Help　　・Link　　・Carbonated spring generator　　・Micro protector
・Hai is in charge of Vietnamese. From Vietnamese communication to Hai.
Copyrigte 2015　IWASE Company Limited All Right Reserve


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Call for Cities

IxDA is pleased to open the Call for Proposals for North American cities interested in hosting Interaction Week 2019, which includes the annual Interaction conference, a full-day Interaction Design Education Summit, the IxDA Student Design Challenge, and the Interaction Awards ceremony). Interaction Week is held in February.

Since its inception in 2008, the Interaction conference has grown to be a significant and must-attend event for design professionals interested in the practice and discipline of interaction design and related fields. The Interaction conference, which is a sell-out event each year, is envisioned and created almost entirely by passionate volunteers from local design communities. In 2016, IxDA created the Interaction Week brand to recognize the integrated nature of the activities that take place each year around the conference. This year’s Interaction Week, held in New York, United States was a tremendous success, and we’re looking forward to Lyon, France hosting a fantastic week in 2018.

Hosting Interaction Week will bring the world’s interaction design community to you. It is a great way to showcase your local design community, share your city’s unique voice in design, and expose local designers to the leading thinkers and practitioners in interaction design. It is also great outlet for networking and recruitment with companies from around the world gaining access to a skilled practitioner base.

Timing for Submissions

  • All submissions are required no later than midnight GMT 4 August 2017

  • Review of submissions will take place 1-14 August 2017

  • Shortlist of locations presented to IxDA Board, August 2017 (Date tbd)

  • Site visits of shortlisted candidates, September 2017 (Date tbd)

  • Final selection of location for Interaction Week 2019 will be made by 25 October 2017

The ideal host city candidate for Interaction Week will

  • Have an active IxDA local group
  • Feature a strong and vibrant design community, and unique contributions to the field of interaction design
  • Name a conference chair and co-chair, submitted with biographies. The chair/co-chair do not need to be local, but they need to be active in field of design and present a strong vision for the Interaction Week events. (Leads for the Education Summit, Student Design Challenge and Interaction Awards are selected through a separate process from the Call for Cities.)
  • Partner with a local design school with a strong interaction design program to support the Interaction Design Education Summit and pre-conference workshops
  • Demonstrate an engaging conference experience for ~1500 attendees, including the potential venues, a range of convenient hotels and high-level conference logistics

Conference committees and the IxDA

Hosting an international conference is a significant undertaking. The IxDA is committed to providing guidance, support and infrastructure components to ensure continuity from the previous conferences and a strong foundation for the planning team.

Submitting your city

We encourage local interaction design communities to make a case for Interaction Week to be held in their city. The detailed requirements for proposals are outlined below, along with a summary of the submission guidelines, timing, review and selection process.

Should you have any questions about the process, the requirements, or the conference itself, please send an email to All questions relating to clarification of information surrounding this Call will be responded to publicly.

Timing for Submissions

  • All submissions are required no later than midnight GMT 4 August 2017
  • Review of submissions will take place 1-14 August 2017
  • Shortlist of locations presented to IxDA Board, August (Date tbd)
  • Site visits of shortlisted candidates, September (Date tbd)
  • Final selection of location for Interaction Week 2019 will be made by 25 October 2017

Each proposal will be acknowledged via email to confirm receipt within the deadline.

Selection Criteria & Submission Requirements

A successful proposal will both illustrate a vision for an engaging Interaction Week and demonstrate the ability of the team to plan and execute that vision. Some of the key elements include:

  • A proposed conference chair or co-chairs and key members of the planning committee; including brief biographies for each individual
  • A location that is convenient for attendees arriving internationally
  • An active IxDA local group, and a strong and vibrant local design community
  • Conference venues capable of seating up to 1500 people theatre-style; three smaller rooms capable of seating up to 500 people each; areas for partner booths and catering
  • 8-10 rooms suitable for small sessions and workshops during the pre-conference workshop day
  • A selection of hotels near to the conference venue(s) at various prices and quality to suit the range of needs of conference attendees (i.e from 3-star to 5-star accommodation). Standard room rates for Feb 2019 must be included in the proposal along with any considerations included in the room block proposed (i.e.: upgrades, commissionable rate)
  • A plan for providing Internet access (wi-fi) for attendees at all conference venues and events
  • A draft budget with an indication of conference rate for registration, sponsorship targets and other sources of revenue within a provided template
  • A summary of the process by which the submission was created. Additionally, the proposal will outline support of the other events included in Interaction Week
  • A partnership with a design school to support the Interaction Design Education Summit.
    1. Additional venues for Summit workshops and presentations
    2. Student volunteers
    3. Participation in Summit planning
    4. Logistics such as a/v and catering
  • Potential venues for ancillary events such as the Interaction Awards ceremony, conference Opening Night, the Local Leaders’ workshop and the IxDA Board Retreat.

Design School Partnership

In order to stay engaged with evolving approaches to design education and the most junior members of our community, the conference team will select a school or schools for partnership. The host school may provide support and planning for the Education Summit as well as logistical support, venues, student volunteers, recruitment events, etc. for the main conference.

Benefits to co-hosting the Interaction conference include

  • Recruitment of your students. Many of the professionals in attendance are in Director-level positions at leading creative agencies and Fortune 500 companies, and are in a position to hire. This creates an opportune time for a recruitment event for your students. Companies recruiting at Interaction Week 2017 included Adobe. Bloomberg, IBM, as well as design consultancies such as Razorfish, Moment, Perka and R/GA.
  • Research partnerships. Many companies attending Interaction Week have faculty/corporate research cooperatives and present opportunities for relationship building.
  • Promotion of your higher education programs. A great number of the attendees at IxDA events seek higher education in design, business, and other disciplines; this creates an ideal opportunity to promote degrees.

IxDA will work with the chosen school to create a strong branded presence of the school’s offerings at our conference; this may take the form of a workshop, a recruiting event, portfolio reviews, or other unique events intended to connect the school with the attendees in a meaningful way.

Notice of Intent & Questions

Please let us know if you are considering submitting a proposal for your city. We will provide a budget template and other resources on request, and are available to answer any questions. All questions and notices of intent should be sent to

Submission Format

Submissions must be web-based, and the URL link sent via email to Each submission should clearly indicate the contact person for the proposal.


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Friday, March 20, 2015

I am so Proud of You

Parent-Teacher conferences can be very unpredictable. I am never sure which parents will actually show. Sometimes the parents do not show up at all; older siblings will come with their younger brothers and sisters.

I love meeting with parents, especially my new parents. But what really makes my conference hours special is when I get to see students that have graduated years ago now accompanying their younger siblings or acting as translators for parents or other relatives. I get to hear their stories!! Last night I heard two stories.

Sammy (name changed) came with his younger sister and brother. I had not seen Sammy in about three or four years. I heard how he is pre-med and getting ready to apply to medical school. I heard about him taking his second grade brother to the library, but not really knowing what level books to get for his little brother. After talking with his brother's teacher, he now understood what books are his level.
I also heard about his older brother who is getting married in a couple of months. I was smiling for a long time after Sammy and his siblings left!

Later in the evening I went to meet a 5th grade student's parents and had another wonderful surprise when Moe was the translator for his mother! Mow graduated last year after almost not making it! Here he was with great concern asking about his sister's NWEA scores and asking what could be done so that she would do better at school. All of this is even sweeter when you realize that Moe is taking great care of his sister who has a potentially terminal illness. He is such a loving older brother. He was also telling how he is doing so much better in college. He reminded me that his GPA when he graduated high school was 1.9, but after one semester of college, his GPA was 3.3!! I am so proud of him!

These are the stories that make it so worthwhile to walk extra steps, spend more time talking with them during my lunch or prep time, or stay after school to make sure that they are ready for the next day or for the next week! I am so proud of Sammy and Moe!

  1. I have tears in my eyes!!! To get the chance to see these students again...what a gift!!! Thanks for the uplifting post!

  2. It is always so nice to see and talk to former students. We often don't know the impact we had on them until they come back and tell us. These are such great stories.

  3. These are wonderful stories to experience, record and share. I am happy for you.

  4. We don't realize that there are stories out there to share like these, Jaana. I think you should gather these and send them to your local newspaper. They're wonderful.

  5. We are in for the long haul and often we do not get to see the kids after they leave us. What a treat to get caught up. Warms my heart!

Thank you for taking the time to comment. Please stop by again.


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Thursday, June 07, 2012

Father's Day Gift Idea

Father's Day is ten days away, and if you're still looking for a gift, may I suggest our latest adoption fund-raiser?

For $5.00, you'll receive this DIY printable pdf file. (Yours will come without the handprints, of course.)

It will help you make a sweet keepsake, while supporting the cause of a baby girl finding her father. This guy here. He's a good one. She'll be lucky to have him as her dad.

Order the pdf and print the file from your printer at home. You could also take the file somewhere like Staples and get it printed bigger if you want. I printed on drawing paper, but regular printer paper or card stock would work too.

Then have your kids make leaf handprints. I used acrylic paint for these. Frame and you're done! (I think I should have used a thinner mat.) Kids could also write their names near their handprints, or notes for Dad.

Also, the text is totally customizable. Tell me in the paypal notes or via email what you want it to say: your kids' names, a quote, a Scripture verse. Here are some ideas:
(says "Together we make a family")

(kids' names)

(the classic "Happy Father's Day")

And there you have it. A sweet, easy, special DIY Father's Day craft. Pinterest would be proud.

--Click the "Chip In" button on the right.
--In the notes field, tell me what you want your text to say (or send me an email at brannonadoption (at) gmail (dot) com.
--make sure the email address is the one you want me to send the pdf to, or let me know via email if you want it send somewhere else.
--print, paint, frame, enjoy!

Jeremy said...

In all the hustle and bustle I hope I still get one :)

jill m. said...

love this!!

Adrienne said...

oh I LOVE this!!!!

Adrienne said...
This comment has been removed by the author.


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Thursday, September 10, 2009

Southern Gentleman and His Lady - By JeweledAmbrosia on Etsy

Jeweled Ambrosia is a shop on Etsy that is a collection of beautful composition jewelry pieces, a lot of which are inspired by the Twilight book series by Stephenie Meyer.

I originally became acquainted with Lisa and Jeweled Ambrosia when she was so kind as to feature one of my jewelry items on her blog: http://www.littlelovables.blogspot.com/. She has since been one of my favorite sellers, and we have even traded items in our Etsy shops.

Southern Gentleman and His Lady is a necklace inspired by the character Jasper in Twilight, and is a gorgeous and elegant statement piece for anyone's jewelry wardrobe.

1 comment:

Little Lovables said...

Thanks so much! you are so sweet and I love your shop!!


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Breakfast Menu

All breakfasts are served with hash brown potatoes.

Two Egg Breakfast
2 eggs, bacon or sausage, toast

Healthy Omelet
Spinach, tomatoes, ricotta cheese

Cheese Omelet
Cheddar, mozzarella and fontina cheese

Hearty Breakfast
3 eggs, bacon and sausage, 2 pancakes

Eggs Benedict

Blueberry Pancakes
Short stack, $3.95 Tall stack, $5.95

French Toast

Golden Waffle

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