text:
Sunday, April 22, 2012

2012 Boston Marathon...done and done!

Ya know, the 2012 Boston Marathon was the most surreal, awesome experience of my life. I mean, DUHHHH....right? I simply don't even know where to begin. I wish I wasn't so lazy the last week leading up to the run to really give you better perspective on what was going through my mind.

I was stressing the F out over reaching my fundraising goal of $5,000 for the Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership, but we made it happen the Friday before the run!!! How awesome is that!??? (and by the way, thank you so much to all my friends, family and professional contacts for your relentless support and generosity - I am completely humbled by the out pour of support....and acknowledge that I need to start saving up for all the causes you'll be supporting and will be hitting me up for donations...hey what's fair is fair!).

I was quite relieved when that was all said and done, then Mother Nature decides to strategically have the mother load of menopausal hot flashes ON MONDAY, APRIL 16th. Really, Momma couldn't post-pone a day or two? As I'm sure you all were made aware, the Northeast was about to have an unseasonably warm day on race day. Now, I understand one would think, "ohhh that's great right??? Warm weather is easier to run in??". And the answer, unfortunately is "yes, it's great or the Kenyans who are quite acclimated already". As you all know, I am not Kenyan. Naturally, I panicked, had my girly emotional roller coaster waaaahhhhhh moment, then decided to suck it up. The Marathon organizers were sending out emails discouraging people from running and giving us the option to defer to next year's race, which scared me even more. However, the only thing I kept thinking is, knowing my luck, I'll defer to next year and it will be another freakish 90 degree weather day. So, I said, time to put on my big girl pants, suck it up, be extra cautious and just get through it. And that I did!
Me at the Runner's Expo picking up my Bib

Then came Monday - what an explosive, awe-inspiring day. Turns out there were plenty of other nut jobs out there who said the same thing as me, "F*&*! It! I trained the last 5 months for this thing, I'm running it!"
Hey, I have to go to the Vet....Cause these puppies are SICK!!!

I purchased some damn good sun block, sprayed myself down multiple times in the morning before I even got started and one last spray right before go time. I figured I'd be out in the sun for a stupid amount of hours and my pasty white, winter skin is not prepared for it, but dang that sunblock did the trick! I also took the sound advice seriously from an old-father-time looking runner to keep dumping water on my head to keep me cool. By the look of crazy in his eyes and his clearly emaciated running physique, I figured home boy knows a thing or two and I should listen to this guy! So, I ran the entire thing soaked from head to toe...literally.

Go Time Baby!

The spectators were amazing. Really, all the communities along the route really come out and support the runners. There were people with hoses, sprinkler systems set up, one automechanic with his power washer - it was honestly what saved my ass. Any chance I got, I ran under a hose, dumped a cup of water over my head, soaked my clothing to keep my core temperature cool. Had I not done that, I would've been puking alongside the road like some of my less fortunate compadres.

The crowds energy was explosive and so supportive. When I felt myself struggling with the heat, hunger or fatigue, I simply started giving high fives to the crowd who would burst with explosive cheers, or talk it up with a random runner next to me on the course. Matter of fact I stopped listening to my music a couple miles in to it, because clearly what was going on around me was much more entertaining!

I think I enjoyed the simple fact that I could control whether or not spectators were energized. The best part was an old Vietnam Vet war looking dude standing outside his house hooting-hollering at us runners. It was rather quiet till I started hollering back at him - the best part of the whole run, his response, might I add at the top of his lungs, "PAIN IS TEMPORARY....PRIDE IS FOREVER!!!!" Every runner around me starting cheering uncontrollably and you just felt everyone picking up their pace. Myself included because I triggered that very moment.

This race was not about competing, it was about completing it and enjoying the experience of it. Once I let go of the idea of beating my best time and just enjoying the moment, I truly did just that.  The best part about crossing that finish line was knowing my parents and my dedicated Coach (aka Boyfriend) were there waiting for me - Yeah, I'm a happy girl!
It is an experience I am really proud of and grateful for the opportunity to run for a great cause.

Might you ask what is next for this little Portuguese-Sicilian pit bull?

Welll......Tough Mudder, Mt. Snow Vermont is in a month....

ANNNDDDDD.....I dropped my name in the bucket for the 2012 NYC Marathon...we shall see!!! Stay tuned for more adventures from Maria's Jog Blog!

Thanks for following my journey!

Maria D.

Monday, April 2, 2012

Peanut Butta Taper Time!

"Peanut Butta, Jelly, Peanut Butta, Jelly, Peanut Butta, Jelly, wit a baseball bat!!" Who doesn't know that precious dancing banana, singing that famous song that went viral quite a few years back?!?! Ok, well, if you have no clue what I'm referring to, You Tube it.

Anywho, please excuse my silliness...the miles are impacting my brain along with my knees and IT band. All in all, feeling good! I completed a 20 mile run this past weekend in 3 hours and 45 minutes...and I may have love-hated the entire thing. I loved it because I had my Coach (Aka Boyfriend) biking alongside, pushing me through those last crucial miles. And his momma even joined for some of it, via rollerblades (I know, badass! Right?!?!). I hated it because it was 20 miles and I have half the leg size of normal people. People mistake me for one of the family members from "Little People, Big World" when I'm out running. Heck, I would if I saw me out running!

You ask, what does "taper" mean? It is the glorious few weeks after running the 20 miler where you get to taper back the amount of miles you run before the big day. It is crucial to give your body ample amounts of rest before the main event. Now, tapering back doesn't mean you stop, it just means instead of me running 18 this weekend, I "only" have to run 10. This is very exciting to me!!! Going for a 5 miler tomorrow and am so looking forward to a "shorter" run.

Did I tell you?? I raised $1K in like a 24 hour time span last week! How rad is that??? Now, I just have $1,500 more to go and T-minus 14 days to do it!
Please help me reach my fundraising goal of $5K. Donate to

T-minus 14 days till the 2012 Boston Marathon. Can not believe I'm so close now!!! Hope you can come cheer me on-Monday, April 16th!!

Thanks for reading my awesome blog!!!

Rock on!

Maria D.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

I Think I Can...I Think I Can...

"I KNOW I can!" Is what I need to be telling myself at this point in the game. So last weekend was not my finest work. I was supposed to get a 13 miler in and gave up at 7.5. I was simply O-V-E-R IT! I had a big fat WAAAHHHHHH moment, where I just did not feel like running. All I wanted to do was spend time with my family, my boyfriend, have fun and not stress out over spending endless amounts of time training. I believe that is what's commonly referred to as, "hitting the wall". I gave myself the break I needed and now it's time to get my head back in the game. And by back in the game I mean, 10 miles tomorrow, cross training Thursday and going for 20 this weekend (Booo-ya!)

These past few weeks have been quite challenging with balancing a very hefty workload, trying to raise $5,000 for the Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership (MBHP - the awesome cause I'm doing all this for...please donate endless hours of running and cross training, eating, eating, eating and yes, more eating and etc, etc, etc etc. I don't mean to bitch and complain by any means - I'd MUCH rather be super busy then bored, it's just that I think I'm in need of restoring a little balance in my life...ASAP!

Well, the 2012 Boston Marathon is just around the the light at the end of the tunnel is near.

Oh, did I tell you?? I'm signed up for a Tough Mudder event in Mt. Snow, Vermont one month after the Boston Marathon...what was I saying about restoring balance again???

Keep those donations coming folks! MBHP and I NEED your help! Donate now

Rock on wit yo bad self!

Maria D.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

I Got Your Hunger Games!!!

I am quite amused by all the buzz around the tween sensation, Hunger Games.  Not hating on the series by any means -- I actually bought the book, but haven't had time to actually sit down and read it.  I just laugh every time I see a Facebook posting or other advertisement for the Hunger Games, because I literally chuckle to myself and think, "HA!  I got your Hunger Games!".  Literally, I can not stop eating, constantly hungry, not enough calories in this world to satisfy this "hunger game"...except it's not a game, it's expensive and my teeth are going to rot and fall out of my face from the constant grazing required to prevent me from turning into the Sicilian Hulk.  My stomach is grumbling, literally as I am sitting here typing this.

I know this is quite normal and quite healthy with the amount of miles I am up to at this point, I just do not recall being THIS famished the last marathon I trained for...then again I don't have the best memory.

Ohh well, on a very exciting note!  I completed 18 miles this past weekend!  And had my "Coach" (AKA Boyfriend or Ginger) along with his mini clone (AKA son) biking alongside me for a very crucial part of the run - Mile 10 - 16.  I say this part of the run is very crucial because I am ok to be alone with my thoughts for 2 hours, beyond that, I struggle.  I need that mental distraction, someone to crack a joke with, keep me laughing during these really long runs.  Can't even tell you how much that helped me.  This run was soooooo much easier than 16 - go fig!

I'm really excited because this coming weekend I "only" have to run 13, the following weekend I'm going for the BIG SHA-BANG, 20 and it sounds like I may have recruited a couple "Coach's" to help me get through portions of that run.  PS - Those of you who are joining me on that 20, I'm giving you a hug right now (SQUEEEZZEEE!!!).

I LOVE the support everyone!  Thank you!  YOU ROCK!!!

2012 Boston Marathon - I'm coming for ya baby!!!!  See you in t-minus 26 Days!

Sunday, March 11, 2012

16 Miles...Gets Me Every Time!

Today I rocked 16 miles!...ok, maybe 16 miles rocked me...Whatever, minor details!  This was probably the first run in a long time, where I felt muscles and joints I did not know existed.  As the saying goes, "no pain, no gain", right?  I'm stoked I got 16 miles under my belt, just now feeling a little nervous for 18, 20 and the big sha-bang, 26.2!  The miles are now getting up there in preparation for the big day - it's exciting and nerve wracking all wrapped into one!

As I was wrapping up 16 miles today, clearly in pain, the thought that crossed my mind is, "Holy Crap!  In 1 month, I'll be running this...PLUS 10 more miles!" I suppose 16 miles wouldn't have been so challenging if I had a running buddy to keep me out of my own brain for 3 whole hours, but such is life.  Today really was a good mentally challenging run.  I ran solo and had to figure out a way to shake the negative thoughts out of my brain a few times, I resorted to pretending my old running buddy was running along side me, then mixed it up and pretended my boyfriend was biking alongside was not as good as the real thing, but totally did the trick!  It's amazing really, our body's will do anything to get us to stop doing whatever it is that is conflicting pain.  Thoughts will turn from positive, "I got this in the bag!!!" to "you can't do this, there is no way you are finishing today's run".  It's a humbling experience to overcome those pessimistic thoughts and finish what you sought out to achieve.

The funny thing is that when I was training last year for the San Francisco Marathon, the 16 miler run was a physically and mentally exhausting run as well...only difference is that last year it was 20 degrees out and snowing/ least today was close to 60 degrees and a perfect blue bird day!.  Either way, glad to be past this threshold.

Next weekend, I'm going for 20 miles and already recruited my "Coach" aka boyfriend to bike along side me.  Not going alone on that one!

Stay tuned to hear how it goes!

Countdown is getting real, people!  Please donate now to MBHP...for reals, like NOW!!!!

Thanks for following my journey!

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

I Miss My Running Buddy!!!

I have to take a moment to tell you about THE best running buddy on the face of the planet...her name is Amber Wood and she is the one who essentially created this Monster!

This is Amber and I after the Reno Rock and River 1/2 Marathon - the run that started it all!

Amber and I met a couple years ago when I lived in Reno, Nevada and one day she informed me that she randomly ran a 1/2 marathon up at Lake Tahoe - mind you, this is 13.1 miles at 6 - 8,000+ ft. elevation. For you flat-landers, that means she went for a really long run at an elevation where the air is a tad bit thinner. Naturally, this gave Amber some serious street cred in my books!

Amber's Super Woman-esque accomplishment triggered a little voice in my head that said, "Hmmmm, maybe you can give this whole long distance running thing a whirl...who knows?? You don't know till you try!?". And so, I expressed interest to Amber that I wanted to give this whole crack head, long distance running thing a go and we should start training together. Naturally, she was down with the sickness! So, we started our running journey together. At first, I was some what annoyed by Amber's always positive and peppy demeanor and wanting to talk the whole time, but it didn't take long for me to see that I was the one who had it ALLLLLL wrong! After the first couple runs together, talking the majority of the run, I quickly realized that the long 2, 3 hour runs were going by SOOO fast. Matter of fact, it hardly felt like long distance running! Not to mention, all these miles together, gave us time to get to know one another and get the weight of the world off our shoulders. It became our therapy session for the week!

Amber and I ran 2, 1/2 marathons (13.1 miles) and 1 full marathon together (26.2 miles). While training for all these races, we helped keep each other accountable, motivated and pushed each other through those long grueling runs.

If it weren't for my running buddy, I don't know that I would be where I'm at today!

So, if you are looking to take up running, reach out to someone and recruit them as a running buddy - you will be surprised at what you can accomplish and who knows, you may just make a life long friend!

I'm going for 14 miles this weekend...minus a runing buddy :-(  Wish me luck!!!

2012 Boston Marathon - T-minus 6 weeks!

Please help me clear $2k in my fundraising goals - donate now to Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership (MBHP)

Thanks for being a good person!

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Por Que!?!?!?!

I never really filled ya in on why I'm doing all this in the first place, right?  Well, here is my story and I'm sticking to it!...

Once upon a time, I was dependent on my parents, naturally, from infant age up until I graduated from college and decided it was time to cut the umbilical cord.  During this time, my parents served as amazing role models in my life and did the best they could with what they had.

My mother born and raised in Sicily and my father from Portugal (hence why I call my rents "F.O.B.'s" - Fresh Off the Boat.  It's not offensive, it's a term of endearment).  My father will boast (rightfully so) how he left home at 14, was drafted into the Portuguese Army at 18, spent time in Angola, Africa fighting in the war, always held a job, worked hard, earned an honest living and owned/ran a restaurant business for 22 years...all with out even a High School level education.  My mother, although didn't have it quite as rough, had her own journey.  She came to the United States at 14, had to learn the English language, faced discrimination in her high school years (kids are mean anyways, but some kids were real jerks to my mom and called her all kinds of mean names - all because her nose was bigger than theirs - I personally think they were jealous!).  My mom obviously got over it though - built a career for herself, went back to school for her AA when she was in her 50's and has worked for the same company for over 35 years!  Both my parents worked hard and fought relentlessly to provide me, my brother and sister with a roof over our heads, food on the table and opportunity for higher education (something they personally didn't have quite so readily available).

I'm not too proud to admit that I would NEVER in a million years be where I am today, had I not been blessed with 2 loving parents to provide me with all the basic necessities I needed to launch me in the right direction.  Let's be clear about something, times were NOT easy!!!  My parents were ALWAYS stressed; they had to support 3 kids and a business and there were times where the food on the table was no-frills hot dogs and mac-n-cheese because times were tough (as a kid though, it was like the greatest thing ever - we loved it when Mommy and Daddy were poor!).

As I start to work on this whole grown-up thing and dream of raising my own family some day, I really see what kind of time, energy, commitment and $$$$ it really takes to do it right.  I also see a lot of unfortunate situations where other children in this world just aren't being offered the same "luxuries" I had as a child, like a safe house to come home to, protective loving parents, food on the table (even if it was kinda ghetto at times), opportunities for socialization, and most importantly the valuable lesson I learned of "how to go fish, rather then just being provided with the fish" - No pun intended...well, ok, maybe just a little bit! :-/

And that is why I decided to support MBHP (, they offer tons of different programs to those in need, to help them feel empowered to become self-sufficient and self-reliant.  MBHP is helping afford individuals opportunities their environements wouldn't otherwise provide.  If all the running and fundraising I'm doing can help launch one young child's life in the right direction - then I can sleep pretty sound at night.  That's all I can ask for - help me get a good nights rest!!!

Please help me reach my fundraising goal of $5k - I swear it's going towards a great cause!

Donate now -

Thanks for reading this awesome blog - I know, you feel all sorts of warm and fuzzy! :-)

Maria Dias

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Can I Get a Do-Over Please!?!?

Let's just say, today was a random day that I would like to simply forget EVER happened. Where do I start? Last night, woke up at about 3:30am because my sinuses were reeking havoc on my life, yet once again. I hardly slept, that is somehow miraculously till it was time to get up in the morning. Running late into work this morning sucked as is, but it gets better! As I was driving in to work, I realized that I had a 9am meeting on my calendar that I was clearly late to. The day just got better and better and better as you can imagine. It's like you know when you get a bruise on your body, it's like that bruise becomes a magnet for more beatings?? That was my life in a nutshell today. So to sum this whole day up - Can I PLEASE get a do-over???

Uggghhh!!! Someone please call me a WAAAAAhhhmbulance!

So, here I am, once again dealing with a sinus cold (3rd luck's a charm, right???). I'm going to try to keep positive here people...however, I ain't gonna lie, I am STRUGGLING.

Any words of wisdom or encouragement you can offer is much appreciated. I just need some love right now.

T-Minus 8 weeks till the big day - I'm still convinced the Boston Marathon will be an epic day in my life.

Please help me reach my fundraising goal of $5k (time is a tickin'!) - donate now to MBHP

Thanks for your support -- YOU ROCK!!!

That's me this past weekend!  I ran 12 miles with my amazing "Coach" (aka boyfriend), biking alongside me the entire 2 hour run.  Talk about love and dedication!!! :-)

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Milk Was a Bad Choice

As previously mentioned, this week was pretty rad for me!

I not only got back into the swing of things, but I'm losing a toe nail (yeah, it happens and it's kinda bragging rights for runners), I broke $1,000 in my fundraising (by the way, I still need to hit my goal of $5,000 for MBHP - please donate now!!!, and I ran 10 miles this weekend (and it was AWESOME)!!!

So let me tell you a bit more about this 10 mile run - first of all, not only did I shave a full minute off my average pace, but I maintained a stupid fast (well, fast for my standards, 9 - 9.5 minute miles) the entire 10 miles - YEAAAAAHHHH BUDDDY!!!! I'll admit, the terrain for this run was primarily flat, which is not the norm for me. Typically, I'm running some good hills and that impacts my pace. So it was nice to know, that if I don't run hills, I can really huff it!

So, you ask why am I quoting Ron Burgundy, "Milk was a bad choice"?...because IT IS!!!! I typically drink Almond Milk now-a-days because it is much kinder to me then the creamy cow-produced, goodness. However, on occassion I yearn for the real deal and unfortunately opted for a big bowl of cereal with real milk the morning I went for this awesome 10 mile run. Thankfully there was no need to wear a runners diaper (like the hard core marathon runners actually do!! No joke!), but I will admit my tummy was NOT having it! It was a great reminder of A. Why I no longer drink real milk and B. It is now crucial to keep my diet on track as I get into the longer mile runs.

So word to the wise kids - don't drink milk or anything that will bloat your tummy up like a balloon prior to a 10 mile run!

2012 Boston Marathon - T-Minus 9 Weeks!

Whoop Whoop!!

Me working the camera, in my new winter running gear, post-10 mile run...I'm a tiger, now I'm a kitten...raaarrr!

Baby It's Cold Outside!

This week was an amazing week for this girl!

I ain't gonna lie, I was pretty cozy in bed Wednesday morning contemplating life, trying to decide if I should stay in the warm cozy bed or get my Porkchop butt out into the cold (21 degrees to be exact) to get a good run in. After a good 15-20 minute debate (aka, hitting the snooze button on my alarm multiple times), I finally reminded myself that I was out of commission for a solid 3 weeks and there was NO doubt, it was time to get my butt out of bed and go for a run.

Needless to say, I was so thankful I did, it was the most beautiful morning for a run - cold, but still beautiful. I happened to stumble upon a great running spot, Lake Park, which is right on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, MA. The best part, I got to see a pretty rad sunrise on the lake that morning...
Lake Park, on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, MA - new fave running spot!

Monday, January 30, 2012

Positive Thoughts Bring Positive Results!

Man, all it took was a shift in my crappy attitude and I'm back out there running and the donations have started to trickle through again! I have raised $600 to date, only $4,400+ to go!!! Naturally the goal is to reach $5K then keep going-the buck doesn't stop there folks! I guess every once and a while we all need to be reminded that the power of positive thinking is far more powerful than any protein shake, antibiotic or any other symbol of something really, really, really strong (oh you get the point!).

So, if things aren't going exactly how you like, take a long deep breath, look yourself in the mirror and tell yourself to suck it up you big cry baby and smile! :-)

By the way, I have exciting news! I think I'm about to lose a toe nail...yeah, normally runners lose toe nails because their sneakers are too small, but in my case, i have monkey toes...doesn't matter how big the shoe. Yes, it's kinda gross, but NOT the end of the world. Did you know that your running shoes should be a half size to one whole full size bigger then you normally wear? This is to allow space for your feet to swell up during those long runs. Eh, that happens too.

How many miles are you going to run this week???

Keep MBHP happy! Donate now

Giddyup! :-) Boston Marathon 2012 here I come!!

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Working On My Comeback!

I never really realized what a plague infested, petri dish the Northeast truly is during the winter months. I struggled with a stupid sinus cold for a solid 3 weeks, but thanks to the Neti Pot, I'm working on my comeback, folks!!

I have to be real confidence has sucked lately. I have had to go 3 solid weeks without my running routine and only doing a handful of workouts and a 2.5 mile run somewhere in the mix really sucks! This past weekend, I decided I had enough of snotting all over myself and woe-is-me and the only way to boost my confidence back up was by putting on my Nike Free's and pounding the pavement!!! Once I got out there, it's like my body was saying, "thank you baby Jesus!!! Where you been, girl!!??". Needless to say, I felt so good just to be out there, I not only ran 5 miles, but maintained 10 minute miles. Moral of the story...I need to trust myself and trust that I will have enough time to train and be ready to run the Boston Marathon, come April 16th!

Thank you to everyone for cheering me on and keeping me positive!!

Sunday, January 22, 2012

I'm Drinking the Nike Kool-Aid!

I decided that the only way to dig my way out of a 2 week, woe-is-me, rut is by good ole' fashion retail therapy!  For those of you that don't know me well, I'm not your typical "addicted-to-shopping" chick.  Matter of fact I despise shopping, unless it is for new running gear!  There is something so incredibly motivating and awe-inspiring with purchasing brand new gear.  So, on this venture to Sports Authority I decided I was going to splurge on some MUCH needed outdoor, Northeast winter appropriate gear.  I  have come to realize that I'm a bit of a brand snob and always go with Nike and Under Armour apparel.  This splurge consisted of a pair of Under Armour long, fitted running pants, running shorts to go over them (don't judge! I don't like my big Sicilian booty just hanging all out there when I run!) and a long sleeve fitted, Nike thermal/shirt. Oh and of course, why stop there!  Also picked up a new Nike head band and running gloves.  The colors you ask?  As bright and pink and obnoxious as I could get!!!

Naturally, I was so excited to test out this new gear and how well it could protect me from the winter conditions - I opted for a quick run this the snow (yeah, I'm pretty bad ass like that).  Let me tell you...I am DRINKING the Nike and Under Armour Kool-Aid folks!!!  All the gear lived up to my expectations and I really enjoyed "playing" in the snow!

Moral of the story - Mother Nature doesn't stop you from running, she simply provides obstacle courses so you can challenge yourself.

Today's run was the confidence booster I needed to get my butt back on track.  2012 Boston Marathon...I'm coming for you, baby!!!

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

SO Sick of Being Sick!

It has now been a week and a half and my stupid sinus cold is finally going away.  This one whooped my butt.  I actually broke down and went to the doctor and agreed to take Antibiotics for 10 days.  I have not ran in 12 days....12 DAYS PEOPLE!!! AND I'M GOING BONKERS!  Let me explain 2 things to you none runners; 1. It's hard to go a day with out a good hard run, never mind a 2 week span.  2. When the perma-toe blisters actually start to heal, this is a sign you aren't running frequently enough.  Believe me, it's better when the toe blisters are hard and callused and can't get any worse off.

On a positive note, I did hit the gym today and was able to handle 20 minutes on the elliptical and focused on weights, abs and good ole fashion cross training.  If I can end this week with at least a 2 mile run (fingers and monkey toes crossed!)...I'll be one happy Pork Chop!!!

In short - I need all the cheers, positive vibes and "get your ass out running, bitch!!!" that I can get!

Oh and my donations are looking weak people!!!! DONATE NOW!!!!


Content-Type: application/http; msgtype=response

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

WARC-Truncated: length

WARC-Type: response

text:
Fashion does it Better

Rasa's Razzia

        Rasa Zukauskaite @ Next Rasa on the radar. Our radar too. Days and nights. She was the heart of one of our late-at-night convo yesterday. That Prada video is the most delightful thing we've watched in ages and her other one from Love wasn't bad at all. What's the secret behind Rasa's rise. Only time will tell how high she'll go and how far she'll fly but for now she's going as fast as the speed of light. The right girl at the right place. Right time too, even if sometimes it seems she got rid of time. Not... [Lire la suite]
Posté par petitou à 07:41 PM - Commentaires [0] - Permalien [#]
Tags : , , , ,

warcinfo:
robots: classic
hostname: ip-10-185-224-210.ec2.internal
software: Nutch 1.6 (CC)/CC WarcExport 1.0
isPartOf: CC-MAIN-2017-22
operator: Common Crawl Admin
description: Wide crawl of the web for May 2017
publisher: Common Crawl
format: WARC File Format 1.0
conformsTo: http://bibnum.bnf.fr/WARC/WARC_ISO_28500_version1_latestdraft.pdf


WARC-Identified-Payload-Type: text/html

text:
wedding veil designer austin tx custom veil designs wedding veils bridal headpieces bridal combs
wedding veil designer custom veils wedding veils Marina Marsili Veils - Wedding Veil Designer couture bridal veils 1920's vintage wedding veils couture wedding veils

Offering one-of-a-kind designs to compliment your special day!

    custom design wedding veils
    original custom headpieces
    hand beaded bridal combs
    stylish handmade roses
    unique garters and more!

"Simply Elegant and Uniquely Yours"
custom made wedding veils

Custom wedding services always offering seasonal specials!

    online & offline services available
    receive free design consultation
    call for appointment 512.468.7070
    request custom design service

~ Introducing Marina Marsili Veils! ~

Veil Designer Marina SeitsingerElegant Designs by Marina

Marina Seitsinger is the founder and owner of Marina Marsili Veils, specializing in custom wedding veils, headpieces and hand beaded combs. A Massachusetts native, Marina has been designing wedding veils for more than 25 years. She is a Designer who pays attention to the finest details. Her creations are labor intensive acts of love and she readily admits that she designs and cares for each veil and headpiece as if it were her own.

Brides often come to Marina because they are looking for something special and unique or because they often cannot find a bridal veil or headpiece they're looking for in a Bridal Salon. Marina can custom design to a Bride's specific liking whether it's a veil for a themed-era dress such as a 1920's vintage style, a custom shaped headpiece, or specific veil trimming to compliment the gown or dress design. Custom designing is Marina's speciality!!

Marina prides herself on her ability to… -

search for and discover special materials, which has produced relationships with numerous suppliers around the world. Among the many fabrics she works with, one of the favored among Brides is the beautiful English Silk Tulle. View Bridal Photos encompassing Marina's custom designs.

Marina has a particular talent for creating handmade roses with a variety of fabrics, which is one way she creates one-of-a-kind bridal headpieces. She has sewn practically all her life and has been making bridal headpieces since 1987. Sentimental at heart, Marina has a collection of 20 plus veils that bear the names of family members, friends, and brides that have impacted her life in some special way.

How Marina Marsili Veils began, Marina Says…

"I've been sewing since I was 10 years old. I have always had a joy for designing pretty, delicate hand sewn pieces. My love for wedding veils began over 25 years ago when a Bride named Elaine asked me to design and make her veil. Out of that veil, my business was born."

She also adds; "I have met some really wonderful people over the years and that is what I love about it. A lot of Brides have shared personal stories with me and we have laughed and cried together. In designing for a Bride, you really get to know her."

One-of-a-kind Designs

Marina proudly puts a lot of TLC into the creation of each design item and feels there is nothing more rewarding than creating a one-of-a-kind piece that is of high quality, priced fairly, and one that makes the Bride very happy. View some of Marina's Custom Designs.

Contact and Consult with Marina today for your special something, "Simply Elegant and Uniquely Yours".

wedding veils bridal
custom designed wedding veils bride on vintage sofa

"It's wonderful to be a part of such a special day in someone's life and to know that I have created something beautiful, maybe even an heirloom, that they will remember wearing and even pass down to their daughter someday." — Marina Seitsinger

wedding services vintage wedding products
custom wedding veils custom bridal veils

dtp & design by TechLand Creations


text:
Digital politics in U.S.A.'s teen years

This will be the last election candidates can be lame in digital media and still win.

Be it Iowa, Arizona, or South Dakota, local candidates need to absorb what national politicians have learned during election cycles in the past 10 years, digital media is replacing lawn signs and television advertising.

Two Arizona county supervisor challengers just established their Facebook pages this spring during the registration period for running for this position. Both are viewed as "digital carpetbaggers" by those knowledgeable in digital political marketing.

Today you do not wait until the election cycle to establish your credentials. If you're planning to run for an office in 2014 or 2016, you must, and I mean emphatically, must establish your digital credentials today. I don't mean October, 2012; I mean right now (shouting)!

The incumbent county supervisor above was advised of this a year ago. He waived off this as silly marketing and is sticking to his traditional way of politicking as he has for the past two decades. His political consultants he's used for those two decades are advising him on this.

He is now in the fight of his political life with a 30-something challenger nearly half his age and computer-generation savvy. While she uses YouTube, Twitter and Facebook, the incumbent does not post to Facebook and recently rebuilt his website using strict HTML code. Strict HTML code is death for those using mobile marketing - which by 2014 will be the majority of how voters get their information about candidates.

His challenger is out knocking door to door, carrying her mobile device, meeting with prestigious law firms and businesses, while the incumbent drapes himself in the fact he has held the office for two decades - something his challenger is successfully using against him.

Digital video

A Republican moving from the state house to senate has her website up. She has her Facebook ikon on it, no Twitter, no Instagram, no YouTube, no Pinterest , no Viddy and no Linkedin profile. Again, her website is not configured for IOS6, Android or other mobile platforms.

Yet a man running for U.S. Senate in this state politician's district has all his television ads up on YouTube - and releases them before they hit television. He tweets about them. No, he's not using Viddy or Instagram yet, but he is exploring Pinterest. The difference between a local contest and national is the higher office seeker needs to be on top of the digital game - something local politicians now need as well and it will be crucial during the 2014 election.

My own Phoenix Councilman Jim Waring (and I will call him out) is doing things right in the digital arena. He was an advocate of putting the Phoenix City Council meetings online. I now save more than $10 in gasoline each time the council meets because I'm watching it online, saving on parking too. Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton has encouraged me to tweet during the meeting - using a tweet to do it. The tweets have yet to make it into the council minutes.

Waring does what I curse other politicians for not doing. Facebook has an "events" feature (So does Google+, but Google locked me out of Google+, saying Marketing Sociologist is not a real name. As soon as I replied neither is Lady Gaga or Elton John, Google shut down my Google+ account and refuses to discuss opening it). Waring creates an event tab for meetings, fund raising events and posts to Facebook after and recently during these meetings. Bravo for Waring. In February he will celebrate his third year on Twitter.

Digital politics is not advertising or public relations driven

If city politicians are exploiting teen years technology, it is time those running for judge-ships, state offices, etc., to move to 21st Century political marketing.

Last night a woman running for Arizona State Senate told me she has an advertising firm running her campaign. I advised not to have advertising firms involved. "Media companies don’t understand technology because they are not run by technologists," Eric Picard, CEO of Rare Crowds, wrote in Ad-Exchanger in August, 2012. My saying is "Social media = we were an advertising or public relations firm in 2010." Same reason as Picard. Less than 25 percent of Public Relations Society of American members are APR accredited, and those in the field are bringing this lack of dedication to the digital realm. Why I became C.I.W. certified.


text:
Mystery Box Prop

Mystery Box Prop COD: Black Ops II

Download this avatar item.

Copy and paste this link into an e-mail or instant message:

Click to create and send a link using your email application

€2.99 Purchase
to see this on your avatar.


text:
Thursday, January 10, 2008

Nursing Update

Attention male reader, the following post is entirely about breastfeeding. Tune out now.

Thank you to those that have commented and emailed me privately about their experiences and advice. I contacted our naturopath doctor on Tuesday, who is also a midwife, to talk to her about the problems we have been having. She was baffled by my explanation of what has been happening. She said that teething doesn't usually make a baby not want to nurse at all. There are no other food allergy symptoms like red cheeks, red bottom, eczema or rash, green stool etc. My other kids had these symptoms of food allergy. She said that she would be uncomfortable and fussy after she eats if her tummy were hurting her, not solely while she was nursing. She said that it is a little late to start having colic right now. The other weird thing is that she nurses fine if I can get her calmed down enough to do it. She screams and turns her head and fights it, but will usually calm down once my milk lets down, although not always. Sometimes she will still fight and then chokes and sputters and screams while she is getting some of the milk down. My doctor really thinks that this is behavioral. For whatever reason, this is how Ellie is exerting her little will and trying to control the situation. She encouraged me to wait until she is hungry to nurse her which I have started doing anyway and to try teething tablets. They contain chamomile and it might be what she needs to calm down before she nurses. I tried them before I nursed her that night and sure enough, she nursed just fine. Now, I am fully willing to admit that maybe I was calmer and less stressed because I thought the teething tablets were going to work. Maybe it was a placebo effect on ME. Ellie is very sensitive and gets upset if I blow it and lose my temper with my older two. (What a good reason to work on anger issues!) She even is sensitive to me calling them downstairs because I am raising my voice. So, I don't know whether or not she is feeding off of my emotions or if the problem originates with her. The other puzzle piece is that I have stayed off corn for the last few days. I will introduce some maybe tomorrow to see if she has a reaction. It is hard to know though because maybe she will sense that I am stressed about it and then have the problems again. Sigh. At least she is nursing well today, for that I am thankful.

Brenda Williams said...

Shawn was been bottle fed on formula his entire life. He always needed quiet environments to eat well. Around 4 or 5 months he started throwing fits about eating, arching his back and screaming. I knew he was hungry, but he was resistant to eating. And I couldn't attribute it to anything like teething real definately. If I could get him started sucking he'd finally settle in and hammer the bottle right down.
When he got a bit older and could hold his own bottle he actually preferred to eat that way for a while. Now he's back to letting me feed him :)

All that to say, my kid had a bit of a similar issue but he got over it. Who knows what the deal was, something he was going through in his adapting to our world, but it passed.

Rachel said...

Aubrey's was very much like that for the longest time. It was like doing a show to get her to eat. It acually took another person to shove her on my breast most times. What worked the best was waking her from her nap and slapping my breast in her mouth before she came too. It was the ONLY time it wasn't difficult through the first four months. Hang in there.


text:
College Life

September 8, 2011 at 11:26 pm

Presidency & Residency: Fr. Pilarz makes himself at home in Campus Town East

At Marquette, junior Dennis Harrington is 1,000 miles from his home in Cedar Run, N.J.

So when he heard that University President the Rev. Scott Pilarz S.J., was also from the Garden State, he did what any hospitable student would do.

He sent him a welcome e-mail.

And he got one back the very next morning, inviting Harrington to stop by his office at Zilber Hall.

So that’s just what Harrington did.

“That’s the kind of guy he is,” Harrington said. “I just dropped by and said ‘hi.’ We had a nice laid back conversation.”

And all he had to do was send him an e-mail.

But like Harrington said, that is “the kind of guy he is,” and that’s the guy he’s appearing to be. Pilarz is all about his students.

So much so that he’s willing to live with them.

Pilarz created a buzz on campus last week, officially announcing to students in an e-mail, his decision to live in Campus Town East: an apartment building regularly designated for Marquette upperclassmen.

“I think that’s really cool actually,” said Dave Cushwa, a senior in the College of Business Administration. “He is going to get close to the students, that’s for sure.”

Harrington echoed similar thoughts, taking a liking to Pilarz’s unlikely quarters.

“When you live with us (students), you know what we have to deal with and see what we do everyday,” Harrington said. “It’s cool that he will experience that.”

But while most students have plenty to say about Pilarz living down the hall, they have much less to say about what their University President actually does. In fact, most students have nothing to say.

“Yeah I have no idea what a University President would be up to right now,” Cushwa said.

Father Fred Zagone, assistant to the vice president of university advancement, assured students that Pilarz is not only keeping himself busy, but Marquette students should be excited.

“Right now, his number one task is getting to know the university, the faculty and the students,” Zagone said. “I wouldn’t call his effort something that a university president would typically do or has to do, he is doing it because he genuinely cares.”

As for how students should feel, Zagone said, “Students have alot to look forward to. Father Pilarz has a very unique approach to students, takes great interest in their wants and needs and he listens very carefully. They [students] are getting a president who takes a great interest in them.”

Some students however aren’t happy about the fact they don’t know what their university president does, some pointing fingers at the people who formally held the role.

“I think the fact we don’t know what he does, shows he is just a figurehead and that goes back to those who came before him. There was always poor vocalization to the students. We never knew what our president was doing.”

Kozlowski said his biggest complaint about Pilarz’s predecessor Rev. Robert Wild, S.J., was that he was out of touch with students—something Kozlowski hopes Pilarz can change.

Theresa Woods, a junior in the College of Health Sciences agreed that there is a need for the university president to get closer to students than those who came before him.

“I really hope he bridges that gap. Not just with students, but especially with groups of students that don’t always feel welcome at Marquette,” Woods said. “I think for a lot of reasons it [Marquette] is a hard school to be the president of. I don’t know exactly what he does but getting to know those groups should be on his to-do list.”

What students want may be as simple as a president who just takes the time to know them. And Pilarz is working on that.

In his welcome e-mail sent out to all students last month, Pilarz signed off by writing, “If you see me around campus, please stop and introduce yourself.”

He isn’t kidding. Just ask Harrington.

Or maybe just send him an email.


text:
Thursday, February 3, 2011

The Cool Kids of Marseille's Cours Julien

The boho-chic Cours Julien quarter of central Marseille is a perfect place to explore with children. The Cours itself (a cours is a wide boulevard) has a large play area with a fountain that's made for paddling surrounded by cafés with outside tables, the street art is colourful and the shop fronts brightly painted and the whole district teems with shops, markets, snack bars and restaurants. Click here to read more.

No comments:

Post a Comment


text:
Saturday, October 19, 2013

A Fiesta of Autumn Music in Marseille

Who says there's nothing going on the Provence outside the summer season? Marseille has a real feast of music for all tastes this month. On this week, the Fiesta des Suds festival of world music has Che Sudaka, Africa Express, Kassav, Monophonics, Temenik Electric and more:. And traditionalists are spoiled too with the city's Festival de musiques classiques et baroques - starting tonight - which offers eleven free concerts of works by Mozart, Vivaldi, Bach and more throughout the autumn. Click here to read more

No comments:

Post a Comment


text:
Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Days 45 and 46: Marsh, farewell

My apologies for the radio silence. Much has transpired since I posted last, and this, I regret, will be my penultimate post. I'll explain later, but first, let me dutifully recount the events of the last two cleanup days. The first was October 10th, when Rocky Point was besieged by more monarchs then Willy and Kate's wedding.

Wherever there was goldenrod there were butterflies. So consumed were they with their migratory feast that they forgave the big black lens violating their personal space.

Tony, Broc, Moshe and I spent that afternoon inching massive logs out of the water with the help of a come-along. It was back-breaking stuff, but we managed to get them high enough to dry out and prevent them from being reclaimed by the next big tide. We were all too occupied to take pictures but here's how it went down:

The camera trap disappointed again. Pointing down at the platform, it yielded only a few shots of phoebes, sparrows, and other small fry. Don't get me wrong, I think these little guys are swell. But I wanted something new.

So I tilted it up to aim at the opposite brace. A week later, I returned to check the results.

And darned if I didn't camera-trap my first fish. A bunker (aka menhaden), slowly being eaten by the osprey perched atop the mount.

A total of four bird species were subsequently captured. Clockwise from upper left: fish crow, flicker, mockingbird, kingfisher. The framing made for an interesting size comparison.

How do I know it's a fish crow? I don't, really, but here it is eating a crab.

October 19 was not an easy cleanup day. The rain fell on an epic scale. An oppressive haze of swirling mist punctuated by jolts of sideways rain clouded the marsh sufficiently to obscure the bay and the city beyond. But I couldn't leave, because it was to be my last day in the marsh, maybe for a long time. A confluence of events compelled me to move back to my hometown of Portland, Oregon, and I couldn't take the marsh with me.

The irony was piercing. No lazy Indian summer farewell, none of the familiar birds flitting about. Marsh dwellers know better than to linger during a storm. Just me and the brutal downpour. It was as if the marsh was trying to shoo me away like Timmy did Lassie.

Then, as I waded around looking for debris to ceremoniously rake up, this appeared. At first glance I took it for a shred of plastic.

It's called salicornia, or Virginia glass wort. It was there all along, but in Autumn it turned this neon, impossible fuchsia. I didn't know such a thing could exist outside of the sci-fi realm.

After staring at it a while I hauled my last load of wood to the culvert, where I launched this operation a year ago. And there I considered all we'd accomplished.

We had a good run. And with that, I bow to the marsh, the NPS, Breezy Point, Jamaica Bay, New York City, and all of the wild creatures that dwell therein, or just stop by on their way somewhere else. I hope they find refuge here.

What will happen to Rocky Point marsh? Check back soon for the final installment.

  1. Sorry to see you leave the marsh and we will miss your updates. Hopefully we can read about a new adventure in the Pacific Northwest at some point.

  2. I'm very sorry, too. But some great images for this post.

    The glasswort is amazing. The Then and Now shots are very impressive.

  3. JK and Marie, thanks. I'm looking for a cleanup site out here but nothing will replace the beauty (and bounty of trash) that the marsh offered.

  4. Oh, I will sorely miss all of this: your work at the marsh and the satisfaction you derived from it, and your blog - the science and wit, ace shots of marsh homesteaders and mystery visitors, satiating before & after photos, and the videos...

    I know you will always be a part of this place, whether far away or on your visits back East.

  5. Having just found you and now there you go. I hope your fellow (and women) volunteers will continue on with your good works. For this short time that I've had the pleasure of reading, watching and listening to your blog, I am extremely glad. Good fortune in the Northwest.

  6. Good luck to you Shervin! Let us know what good things you are up to out West!


text:
Contact Us

Martha's Pantry
Corner 276 Cuba St and Karo Drive,
Wellington 6011
Telephone:(04) 385 7228

Our Hours

Monday: Closed
Tuesday - Friday: 9am - 5pm
Saturday & Sunday: 10am - 5pm

Get In Touch

Contact form submitted!
We will be in touch soon.
"If man has no tea in him, he is incapable of understanding truth and beauty" - Japanese Proverb


text:
Walking With Dinosaurs - The Arena Spectacular

Presented by Global Creatures in association with BBC Worldwide Ltd
Press & Marketing Events Manager
National Press Tour
It’s a dazzling $20,000,000 arena spectacle of unprecedented size and quality set to captivate young and old alike. Marvel at the story of their 200 million year domination of life on earth. Watch them walk. Hear the roar. Be there as they fight for survival and supremacy. From the ripple of their skin to the glint in their eye, you will know the dinosaurs really are back!


text:
Thursday, February 18, 2010

Scrapping History

World War II, Take 2

by Roxane Ramos

Never one to back away from a fight, Quentin Tarantino takes on an epic one in his latest venture, Inglourious Basterds, vanquishing the Third Reich and rewriting a prominent chapter in 20th-century history along the way. His movie re-imagines the trajectory, though not the ultimate outcome of the Second World War (the Axis still loses), using his trademark tropes of oddball manifestos, mesmerizing banter and flamboyant violence at turns barbaric and comic. Not since Mel Brooks mounted the Nazi musical “Springtime for Hitler” in The Producers (1968) have we seen such a giddy, raucous romp through World War II.

In typical genre-mashing style, Tarantino opens his war movie with plaintive strains of tumbleweed music, leaving no doubt of where we are existentially—codes of honor, black hat/white hat, cowboy justice. Geographically, the scene is Occupied France, starting in 1941, and the dueling parties—black hat and white hat respectively—are the sinisterly cheerful, rumor-sniffing SS Colonel Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz) and the take-no-shit, take-no-prisoners US Army Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt). A Tennessee native with unexplained rope burns around his neck, Raine leads a team of Jewish-American soldiers, those inimitable “Basterds,” in a quest for Nazi scalps.

Each of the two men loves, indeed revels in, his work and the collision course between them is accelerated by an entertaining roll-call of Tarantino creations—a chatty Nazi war hero, both bolstered and sickened by his achievements; an unflappable British undercover agent, always combining a stiff upper lip with a stiff drink; a strong, silent soldier who annihilates Nazis with brute force and a baseball bat; and a glamorous German movie star-cum-British spy. But the catalyst for the action comes in the form of the seemingly unassuming, steel-willed Shosanna Dreyfus (Mélanie Laurent). Cinema proprietor, femme fatale (evidence of yet another genre) and sole survivor of her family, Shosanna is a woman on a mission: to kill the Nazi high command and thereby avenge her family and end the war. A Nazi film premiere provides the perfect opportunity, inevitably attracting the attention of the “Basterds” who hatch an eve-of-destruction plan of their own.

Like all Tarantino pictures, this one is filled with Jeopardy-worthy trivia—nitrate film burns three times faster than paper, Goebbels was the Nazi David O. Selznick—and peppered with unusual props, sometimes meaningful, sometimes just fun (a calabash pipe, a recurring glass of milk). It’s all the spillage of Tarantino’s overstuffed mind, as obsessed with a good (even if improbable) story as with esoteric or banal minutiae. (Royale with cheese, anyone?) This is why his movies are such a great ride, crammed with elaborate set pieces and unexpected, yet satisfying, plot twists.

Oscar will surely recognize Tarantino’s writing efforts, if not his directorial skill, and buzz has surrounded Austrian TV actor Waltz in his breakout role as Landa, deservedly so. But I’d like to take a moment to appreciate Brad Pitt, the Clark Gable of our era. Like Gable, his acting talents are overshadowed by his movie-star looks, sardonic smile and mega-celebrity life. But he’s turned out to have a real knack for comedy and, sometime while we were busy swooning, he’s built a reputation for indelible comic portrayals, starting with his rooster-strutting charm in Thelma & Louise, through the impassioned gibberish of Snatch, to, in more manic form, aerobically-fuelled ADD in Burn After Reading. Here, he adds to that growing resume with a quirky performance of drawl-infused nonchalance and deadly conviction. It’s time to give the man his props and let him be Cary Grant for a change.

Inglourious Basterds has received some heat for playing fast and loose with facts—the movie is “unconcerned with moral dimensions,” “trivial,” “appallingly insensitive.” Perhaps these reviewers missed or were less than charmed with the spirit of the enterprise. But Tarantino’s not making documentary nor is he interested in moralistic drama. Or perhaps it is more accurate to say, he is interested in classic battles between good and evil, a movie mainstay, but he regards his role as that of ringmaster or impresario of the proceedings, letting us decide what to make of the action. In the end, history (incidentally, also a dispassionate onlooker) gave the Allied Forces victory as the culminating moment; Inglourious Basterds offers a different kind of catharsis, though in fantasy form—sweet revenge.

1 comment:

  1. Without question, Hans Landa wins my vote for best movie villain of the decade.


text:
Marvel Movies

Big Hero 6 culture

Category page

5,470pages on
this wiki
Add New Page

Pages in category "Big Hero 6 culture"

The following 2 pages are in this category, out of 2 total.

Ad blocker interference detected!

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

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


text:
The Instagram 'pods' using likes to fight the new algorithm

Image: vicky leta / mashable

You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. That's the vibe in Instagram "pods" — secret communities trying to fight the platform's algorithmic timeline, one like at a time.

In June 2016, Instagram began rolling out its new algorithmic timeline which changed the order of posts in people's feeds, favouring popular posts over chronology. Instagram bloggers have been complaining that it's becoming harder to gain followers organically. Faced with this new challenge, they're fighting back. In pod-form.

"A pod is family of dolphins who live together in harmony and support one another." says photographer Natalie Franke. "The members of your pod become your Instagram family and work to support you as you grow your platform. Think of pods like a group of cheerleaders who help one another on Instagram through likes and meaningful comments."

Instagram blogger Meggan, who runs @CardiganJezebel, describes a pod as "essentially a group message on Instagram". Members of the group follow each other, and constantly like and comment on one another's posts to keep pod members' posts showing up in other people's timelines. After Meggan became part of a few pods through Facebook groups and Twitter, she says she's been getting better reach and engagement on her Insta posts.

"These groups help push our pictures up a little bit on the timeline."

"The new algorithm kind of ruined a lot of smaller Instagram accounts. It made it impossible for our photos to be seen. These groups help push our pictures up a little bit on the timeline in the hope more people can see them and interact with them," she says.

Amanda Rose — an Instagram blogger who works in digital marketing — is part of eight pods which, have been helping her bolster her position on her followers' timelines.

How do Insta pods work?

Pods are formed by creating group messages of around 10 to 20 users, usually bloggers, influencers and content creators, with the occasional business in there too. Users are expected to follow one another in the group. Once that's done, they send over a photo they've just posted so that other pod members can like and comment on it.

The hope behind the pods is that the increased engagement from comments and likes on the posts will make them more likely to appear higher in their followers' feeds. Since joining the pods, Rose gets around 120 likes for each picture she posts within the space of a few hours. She also gets around 40 comments per post. "Prior to this I was getting around 30-40 likes, 60 on a good day! And only 1 or 2 spam comments," she says.

There are, of course, some ground rules, but these depend entirely on the nature of the pod. Some groups are strict and expect you to be a very active user, posting at least once a day and expecting you to like and comment posts soon after they're posted. "For others it’s a bit more relaxed as long as you can catch-up before you post your own picture," says Rose.

Strictly by invitation only

Amanda Bootes, a lifestyle blogger who works in PR, is part of four Insta pods. She says they are strictly invitation-only. "You need to be invited into them from the creator, or by someone that is already inside. You will normally be accepted based on your content and if you fit the theme, such as beauty, food, fitness."

There's a sense of solidarity among pod members, says Bootes, who has met some "incredible" bloggers and Instagrammers through the pods. "For me, it shows that bloggers and influencers will always do what they can to help support other people’s content."

That said, it's not always fun."There are times when you are unable to upload, or want a break from social media but still feel obliged to like or comment on other people's [posts]." Nonetheless, for Bootes, the benefit of "helping other people by something small like this" far outweighs the negative.

If you're serious about your Instagram following, becoming a member of a pod could be well worth the effort and you might connect with new people that you wouldn't otherwise have met.

WATCH: Instagram captures stunning electric blue 'sea sparkle' phenomenon

Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint api uploaders%2fdistribution thumb%2fimage%2f4326%2f4d6b1893 8ad1 4c10 bb99 22df503f3c2b


text:
Home / Practice Areas / Bankruptcy / Bankruptcy – Attorney – Fees

Bankruptcy – Attorney – Fees

Where an attorney, whose first fee application was allowed in the full amount of $9,762.50 in compensation and $636.13 in expenses, has requested an additional amount, that request should only be allowed in the amount of $750. “At a hearing on September 6, 2011, the Court granted the First Fee Application in full. However, the Court ...

Leave a Reply


text:
Historic Art | Paul V. Beaulieu R.C.A.

Le clown oc 10

Click to view larger version
Print This Page

Le Clown

Technique: oil on canvas

Dimensions: 10.5x8.75 in.

Galerie Walter Klinkhoff, Montreal
Galerie Agnès LeFort, Montreal

About the Artist

Born in Montreal, Quebec, the eldest of seven children. His father, a barrister, enjoyed painting as a hobby. Paul spends four years at the École des Beaux Arts de Montréal, in two periods (1927-30 et 1936-37), where Robert Pilot teaches him etching. At the Beaux Arts, his friends are Jean Paul Lemieux and Stanley Cosgrove. Disappointed by the academic teachings of the École des Beaux Arts, in 1930 he opens a commercial art studio in with Gonsalve Desaulniers, who leaves after one year. With the difficult context of the 30’s, Beaulieu manages to make a living for six years. A chance meeting with a café owner brings him to be hire as a waiter at the café, where he is allowed to exhibit his paintings.

In 1938, he’s saved enough money to travel, and makes his way to Paris, where he joins his brother Claude who’s been there since 1935. Beaulieu then buys a studio in Montparnasse. He studies at the École des Beaux-Arts de Paris (1938) and continues to work in his Paris studio until the Nazi invasion in 1940. As a citizen of a country at war with Germany, he is interned at St-Denis from 1940 to 1944, along with brother Claude, Canadian artist Jean Dallaire, and 160 other fellow Canadians. Beaulieu continues to paint throughout his internment.

After the war he came back to Montreal where he had two solo shows. He then went back to France to his old Paris studio in 1947 and continued to work and travel around France and Europe during the next two decades. During these years he also exhibited in France, as well as in Canada, at salons and galleries. In 1951 he received a prize for painting at the Quebec Provincial Exhibition and in 1960 he received a grant from the Canadian Arts Council for a study trip to Italy.

Over the years he has also exhibited his work in New-York City, Mexico City and Rio de Janeiro. He returned to Canada in 1973 and bought a house in Saint-Sauveur, Quebec, where he died 23 years later at age 86.

Read Less..

Read More..

Back to Historic Art Main


text:
Q&A #221

Teachers' Lounge Discussion: Teaching dividing fractions

T2T || FAQ || Ask T2T || Teachers' Lounge || Browse || Search || T2T Associates || About T2T

View entire discussion
[<< prev] [ next >>]

From: Mike

To: Teacher2Teacher Public Discussion
Date: 2003041513:17:46
Subject: Re: teaching dividing fractions

In response to those who are wondering about why we flip and multiply when dividing fractions, I have the following to say. Division is the process of finding how many groups of one number "fit" or "go into" another (usually larger) number. For example, 10 divided by 2 - means how many groups of 2 are in 10, which is, of course, 5 groups. Similarly, when dividing fractions we are trying to find out how many groups of one fraction fit into another. So, 3/4 divided by 1/8 means how many groups of 1/8 are in 3/4. Without calculating, but just thinking, we could realize that there are 6 groups of 1/8 in 3/4. (Hence, 6/8=3/4.) Likewise, we can get this answer by flipping 1/8 to get 8/1 and muliplying it by 3/4. (24/4 = 6) How does flipping and multiplying get us the right answer? Generally speaking, when dividing, you are asking yourself by what number do I multiply this number by to get that number. For example, 10 divided by 2, could also be stated as 'what do I multiply 2 by in order to get 10' (the answer is 5). Similarly, with dividing fractions, we could say what do I multiply 1/8 by in order to get 3/4. Well, I am going to multiply 3/4 by the reciprocal of 1/8 and THAT is what I multiply 1/8 by to get 3/4.

Post a reply to this message
Post a related public discussion message
Ask Teacher2Teacher a new question

[Privacy Policy] [Terms of Use]

Math Forum Home || The Math Library || Quick Reference || Math Forum Search

Teacher2Teacher - T2T ®
© 1994- The Math Forum at NCTM. All rights reserved.


text:
Category: welcome

Welcome to MattDennys

The MattDennys invites you to come and experience the world of coffee at any of our warm and welcoming stores, with an added touch of European ambience and culture.

At The MattDennys we source the finest premium coffee beans from the best coffee regions of the world, including South and Central America, Africa and Asia.

We blend and roast weekly in Sydney to ensure freshness and consistency. We are a traditional Retail Coffee House that stocks a variety of over 30 different types of coffees, including single origin, continental, blends and flavoured coffee, as well as a selection of high quality teas.

While you’re experiencing our rich and smooth coffee you can indulge yourself with our famous cakes and biscottis’.

We also have a selection of high quality European Accessories including, Cafettieras, Percolators, Plungers, Turkish Pots and many more. We specialise in high quality domestic / semi commercial espresso machines, grinders and Barista tools, (training is available when purchasing a coffee machine).…

Read Full


text:
The (Boston) Hills are Alive with Photography!

The Footlight Club was back in the studio with Kim Igoe-Kasper in the lead roll of Maria, in their production of everyone’s favorite classic: Rodger and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music.

We had two challenges facing us during the concepting stage of this poster shoot. The first was just how iconic the Julie Andrews poster was. We tried a number of concepts that shied away from anything that looked too much like Ms. Andrews spiraling in an alpine meadow. But, ultimately, we decided that we wanted to take advantage of the recognition of the original marketing. We just needed to update it to a more modern feel.

Our second challenge was the December 2013 Carrie Underwood televised version. While I haven’t actually seen that production, the posters and marketing that I saw was also trying for a modern feel. We wanted our posters, cards and all to feel warmer than the Underwood versions, to better support the core concepts of the piece.

Richard Repetta, the director, was in the studio to supervise the shoot.

The Sound of Music at the Footlight Club

The photoshoot was done in studio, with a clean background for silouetting. The sky and meadow were simple gradients. And the clouds were added with my favorite clouds brushes.

As always, my thanks to Kristin MacDougall, Marie Wardell, Jesse Martin, Susanna Crampton and all of the great people at the Footlight Club who pour their blood, sweat and tears into each production over there.

You should really go and check out the show!

Share Button


text:
Close [x]

(518) 587-2064

Saratoga Springs Chiropractor, Dr Matt Smith , Chiropractic PhysicianDr. Matt Smith holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University, as well as a Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic West. He is a diplomat of the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners and is licensed by The New York State Board of Chiropractic.

To provide the best treatment available, Dr. Smith pursues courses of advanced education in his own and related fields. He has completed post-graduate work in the non-surgical treatment of neck and back pain, sciatica, sports injuries and wellness.

Dr. Smith has developed numerous home stretching and exercising programs, which can be seen on YouTube. He also writes a monthly newsletter on general health, and wellness.

Dr. Smith’s professional affiliations have included membership in the following organizations:

  • American Chiropractic Association
  • New York Chiropractic Association
  • American College of Sports Medicine
  • ACA Clinical Council on Sports Injuries
  • American Back Society
  • International Chiropractic Association

Dr. Kevy Smith graduated from St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and Palmer College of Chiropractic- West in San Jose, CA with a doctorate of chiropractic degree.

While attending school at Palmer, Kevy was a member of the Palmer West Sports Council where she gained valuable hands on experience providing on-site care to athletes at a number of major sporting events. As a member of SACA, she attended the annual NCLC event in Washington, DC where she met with congressional policymakers and lobbied on behalf of the chiropractic profession.

Dr. Smith believes in tailoring treatment plans to fit the specific needs of each of her patients and she strives to help each person reach their healthiest potential. She employs a mixture of manual adjusting, myofascial release techniques, physiotherapies, and rehabilitative stretches and exercises to get fast and effective results.

When she is not caring for her patients in the office, Kevy enjoys being outdoors, traveling, and spending time with her family. She is an avid skier in the winters and spends her time on Lake George in the warmer months.

Go to top of page


text:
Matt Yang King is the winner of the CAPE/Hollywood Foreign Press Young Screenwriters Award and the creator, writer and director of The World of Steam; a Twilight Zone-like seasonal anthology series set in a Steampunk universe.   Born in New York City, Matt began playing violin at the age of 5 and started studying Aikido at age 8, twin disciplines that would lead to a lifelong love of music and martial arts.  His love of performance and acting would ultimately lead him to NYU's Tisch School of the Arts.

After leaving school Matt worked in every job imaginable, from studying Zen while sweeping mats in a dojo, to working as a broker's assistant on Wall Street. Through a series of strangely coincidental events Matt found himself in the Broadway Show Titanic: The Musical,  where he ended up touring around 38 of the 50 states, eventually landing in Los Angeles 486 shows later.

Matt has appeared on numerous TV shows, as a series regular on the shows Washington Field  and GI Joe: Renegades, and guest starring on everything from Friends to BonesFrasier to 24. He is most noted for his long running roles on Strong Medicine as Dr. Matt Lin, and on Numb3rs as Agent Matt Li. Matt is also widely known for voice work in many movies, television shows, and video games.  Currently he can be seen on Nickelodeon's Supah Ninjas and heard on World of  Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria and many others. Matt lives and works in Los Angeles with his wife and three children.


text:
Thursday, August 4, 2016

Blog Tour 'The Last Day of Jack Sparks' by Jason Arnopp

Today I’m super excited to participate in the Blog Tour of ‘The Last Days of Jack Sparks’ by Jason Arnopp. ‘The Last Days of Jack Sparks’ is a thriller and was published in July.

About the Book:
It was no secret that journalist Jack Sparks had been researching the occult for his new book. No stranger to controversy, he'd already triggered a furious Twitter storm by mocking an exorcism he witnessed.

Then there was that video: forty seconds of chilling footage that Jack repeatedly claimed was not of his making, yet was posted from his own YouTube account.

Nobody knew what happened to Jack in the days that followed - until now.

Prepare for the cleverest, most addictive thriller you will read this year. This is the story of the ill-fated Jack Sparks - a man who plays with fire, and pays the price . . .

The Facts:

Publication Date:
July 28th, 2016
eBook, Paperback
Available at:

My Review:

A view weeks ago I was approached to read ‘The Last Days of Jack Sparks’. After I read the book description, I was fascinated by this book and couldn’t wait to start reading. This book sounded very different, and I just really didn’t know what to expect. A book about someone who died? How can that be fun?

Well, this book really was something else. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book like ‘The Last Days of Jack Sparks’ before. This book is about Jack Sparks, obviously. Jack is a journalist and he is not a very nice person. Jack is arrogant, and self-centered and really a strange guy. But above all Jack is very good in what he does. Jack wrote several books and now he is writing a book about the supernatural. While writing his latest novel Jack suddenly dies.

Although Jack really isn’t a ‘nice’ guy, I loved him. Jack was different, a little weird and very set on doing the best job he could. Jack also wasn’t shy about telling people what he thought to be true, and I really enjoyed that.
‘The Last Days of Jack Sparks’ was a thrilling read, I couldn’t put down. It was funny to read and definitely a little scary at times too. I just didn’t know what to expect while reading this book. And it made the read even more fun.

The writing in this book was definitely good. I loved reading every single word of this book, and I was hooked to the pages. If you talk about page-turners.. ‘The Last Days of Jack Sparks’ definitely belongs to that category. And what I loved most? I loved how un-perfect this book was. The unkind and arrogant main character, the death of the main character, supernatural stuff and you never really know what is going on.. it was just a great read.

My Rating:

The Blog Tour:

About the Author:

Jason Arnopp is a British author and scriptwriter. His background is in journalism: he has worked on titles such as Heat, Q, The Word, Kerrang!, SFX and Doctor Who Magazine. He has written comedy for Radio 4 and official tie-in fiction for Doctor Who and Friday The 13th. ‘The Last Days of Jack Sparks’ is the first novel which is entirely Jason’s own fault (though some readers will blame Jack himself).

For more information about Jason Arnopp please visit his website. Or visit him on Facebook and Twitter.

I received this book from the Little, Brown Book Group in exchange for my honest review.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Imagination Designs
Artwork from:


text:
Submit a Suggestion!

Please fill out the form below to submit your suggestion to
the Maverick Region Club President

If you have any issues with the form, please contact directly.

These fields are optional, but if you would like to be contacted about your suggestion, please fill them out.

( ) -

You don't particularly LOOK like a robot to me, but I need to be sure. What's the numeric value of three plus four ?


text:
Board Logo
« An Error Has Occurred! »

Welcome Guest. Please Login or Register.
May 23rd, 2017, 7:26pm

An Error Has Occurred!

Guests are not allowed to access this section.

Donate $6.99 for 50,000 Ad-Free Pageviews!

| |

This forum powered for FREE by Conforums ©
Sign up for your own Free Message Board today!
Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Conforums Support | Parental Controls


text:
I who may well be...

Musings from the perspective of a human being who may well be not locatable completely within the usual categories of male or female or gay or straight or transsexual or intersexed or exploiter or exploited or supplier or consumer or performer or spectator.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Neither M nor F: Australians can tick the X box - Monsters and Critics

Post a Comment

Links to this post:

Create a Link

<< Home

FREE hit counter and Internet traffic statistics from freestats.com