text:
Monthly Archives: April 2017

Adam Goldenberg Explains the Reason Behind JustFab’s Rebranding

Giant online fashion retailer, JustFab recently announced a change of name to TechStyle Fashion Group. The company’s co-founder Adam Goldenberg asserts that the change of name was long overdue. It is a reflection of the company’s rapid growth, intention to transform the fashion industry, and evolution. The new corporate identity adopted by JustFab captures the firm’s origins, which are rooted in technology. In addition, it heralds its transformation from a single ecommerce platform into a global brand with over 4 million subscribers.

TechStyle Fashion Group brings together four notable brands, which are ShoeDazzle, FabKids, Fabletics, and JustFab. The corporate rebranding exercise comes at a time when the retailer is seeking to solidify its market share on Merging all its subsidiaries under a single platform will help TechStyle Fashion Group to reimagine the fashion business through vertical integration and personalization. There will similarly be more control of the company’s aspects starting with manufacturing and distribution to software development and marketing.

Delivery of On-Trend Fashion

Adam Goldenberg points out that when the co-founded JustFab with Don Ressler, they wanted to change the way customers shop for clothes. Therefore, they started the membership subscription model that delivers fashionable clothing at a remarkable value. He concedes that the company’s success has mainly been driven by personalization and date utilization. The new corporate identity full encapsulates the principle of what the company has snowballed into. It is the epitome of the popular phrase, “Silicon Value Meets Fashion Avenue”.

The Road to Success

Barely three years after its formation, the company was already a force to reckon with in the online fashion retail market. In August 2014 for instance, it raised $85 million in venture funding from investments firms such as Shining Capital and Matrix Partners. Subsequent rounds on saw JustFab attract funding to a tune of over $300 million. What’s more, its market valuation jumped to more than $1billion. Despite the success, Goldenberg doesn’t see Ressler and himself as unicorns.

Goldenberg instead attributes the success to the company’s employees who have been wholly dedicated to making clients happy. The company still maintains its culture despite the massive transformation that it has experienced over the past few years. Despite the prevalence of unicorns in the corporate world, Goldenberg maintains that they are unfazed with all the existing attention. His focus is on building a great brand that mainly focuses on retail. This he says, is the only way the company can remain relevant as the more consumers opt for online shopping at

EOS, Pastel Orbs of Lip Balm in Delightful Flavors, Lead the Industry

For the past seven years, EOS lip balms have been rising to the top of the lip balm industry, and today they are second only to Burt’s Bees. EOS, or Evolution of Smooth, lip balms are fun and delightfully flavored lip balms that are completely hypoallergenic and all natural. They are filled with vitamin E, moisturizing shea butter, and jojoba oil, so they are smooth to the touch and packed with antioxidants.

EOS lip balm entered the lip care industry in 2000 when Chapstick and Blistex were the only brands, and customers only had two choices regular and mint. Mehra, co-founder and CEO of EOS, wanted to create lip balms that were light and had a delightful touch that brought joy to the user.

The packaging was designed to be pleasurable also, colorful, little round pastel orbs, which are totally unique and different from the dull, cylindrical tubes from the past. Celebrities like Miley Cyrus, Christina Aguilera, and Kim Kardashian have adopted EOS, and you will see them pulling out the little globes of lip balm all over Hollywood. Mehra designed the lip balms to be enjoyable and easy to use for the unisex population. Not surprisingly, the young, female millennials adopted EOS as their own brand and makeup 90 percent of the sales.

Visibly appealing and pleasurable, EOS has skyrocketed to the top of the industry worldwide. There are 16 amazing flavors such as passion fruit, strawberry sorbet, blueberry acai, honeysuckle honeydew, vanilla mint, pomegranate raspberry, sweet mint, coconut milk, and blackberry nectar, which are a sweet and sensual way to smooth your lips.

Go straight to this useful site,

The EOS Lip Balms are responsible for expanding the global lip care industry. By the year 2020, lip care is projected to be a $2 billion market with pretty, pastel, organic EOS lip balms in the lead. Check this on  One million orbs are now sold every a week as the way to keep lips soft and sensual.

For more details, have a peek on

Sunny Days

The founder of EOS- Evolution of Smooth products is founder Craig Dubitsky. First, Evolution of Smooth started out with lotions and skin care products. Now they have a plethora of flavors. EOS was founded in 2009. The lip balms have made into the care of many stars. EOS is known all over the world for its unique and delectable variety of flavors. Places such as Germany, Canada and the United States. They are all organic and made to the best quality, more of this on Cherry is one one flavored loved by many. It comes in a dark purple container that is easy to carry. The flavor is rich in cherry. It adds a sleek texture and a healthy feel to your lips. More of this on Once you place it down for a moment, it will not get away from you. These containers have a flat side so it stays in place. It is easy to retrieve from your handbag. All flavors will heal the driest lips. It doesn’t matter what your skin texture is, EOS is made with all natural healing ingredients like jojoba oil and vitamins. It is paraben-free. Not to mention, very affordable.

Another flavor is the yellow Lemon Drop. tastes refreshingly like lemon, it is like many others-SPF 15 enhanced.  Related info here.  It’ll leave your mouth moist and delicious. Enjoy the sunshine with EOS. Your lips won’t burn, nor will they chap in the winter cold.

Jason Hope’s Future

A successful entrepreneur, and a writer who focuses on recent technology developments: Jason Hope has an important perspective on how the technology and the internet will develop. Hope believes there will be an “Internet of Things” meaning that connected technology will enable a variety of electronics to work together and make what some would call a “smart world”.

In this vision of the world, streetlights, appliances and just about anything electronic will likely become more and more integrated into this Internet of Things. These developments will be hugely important for a variety of businesses and Jason Hope is who a leading expert in the field. The market is already important, and will only grow in the future as development continues.

Through this “Internet of Things” Public transportation will allow commuters to have a better understanding of the system, broadcasting arrival times and speed. The general belief is that a more connected world with freer access to information will inherently be more efficient. To ignore the technology and the improvements to come is wasteful, and work to nobody’s advantage. There is a growing need to take advantage of these opportunities and invest in the implementation of these technological developments.

Jason Hope is a “futurist” entrepreneur based out of Scottsdale, AZ who works to make this more connected world possible. Despite his background in finance, He earned an MBA from Arizona State University he is a philanthropist who focuses on supporting technological endeavors that will make the world a better place.

Insight to the Life and Philanthropy of Andrea McWilliams

Andrea McWilliams is a lobbyist and political fundraiser. She is a skilled strategist and combines grace with grit and persuasion. Her attention to details as she tackles every issue is a sought after trait. The major news outlets have reported on her role as a political strategist. Additionally, she is a political commentator and several publications in Texas have profiled her.

In the course of her career, McWilliams has received several awards. She is the recipient of the Profiles in Power Award, an award from Austin Business Journal. She got bestowed with the Woman of Distinction award by the Girls Scouts of Central Texas. She got honored as a member of Glossy 8 list by the Austin- American Statesman. As a result of her dedication to non-profit organizations, Andrea McWilliams received Style Setter from Austin Fashion Week.

She became chief of staff at the age of 21. Later, she ventured into the private sector and worked with Public Strategies Inc. Today, she is the co-founder of McWilliams, an organization that offers services to the government. A Combination of Andrea and Dean talents have skyrocketed the company to success. McWilliams has become a respected alliance in the state and local levels. She resides in Old Enfield and is a mother of three.

On top of her career, Andrea McWilliams participates in several charitable activities. Additionally, Andrea McWilliams serves as a board member is several non-profit organizations. She is on the board at; Peace Park Conservancy, Rise Across Texas Challenge, Heart Gift, The Elizabeth Ann Seton Hospital among many others. She was the president of Inherit Austin, an institution responsible for the preservation of the city’s landmark and historic fabric. Andrea commits her time and resources to the fight against breast cancer. She has represented the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. At Mamma Jamma Ride, she held the role of honorary chair. The institution, since its inception, has raised millions of dollars towards the fight of breast cancer.

A Delightful Strawberry Lip Balm

I recently tried the strawberry sorbet flavor of EOS and found myself entranced by how tasty it is. Strawberry sorbet has risen the ranks to be the best flavored lip balm that I have ever tried.

I have been a gardener for the past ten years and love the flavor of fresh strawberries each June when they are abundant and at their best, but loathe the manufactured flavor of store bought strawberries. Most strawberry lip balms are even worse. The strawberry flavored offering from Chapstick is particularly disgusting; I has a wholly artificial flavor that offends and disgusts my palate.  See this on

Hard up for a lip balm I came across the strawberry sorbet offering by EOS. The flavor is subtle and tasty, without any hint of an artificial flavor at all. No wonder either after reviewing the ingredient list for the EOS lip balm. Their ingredient list is not only full of high quality all-natural and organic ingredients, but is made with a high quality oil base that is longer lasting than the petroleum jelly base Chapstick.

EOS lip balm has long differentiated themselves from the competition by issuing elite quality lip balm in these neat orbs that are colored to match the flavor that they have. The brand prides itself on providing better quality balms that last longer than the competition and provide for a luscious and smooth feel that makes their moniker, the Evolution of Smooth, no misnomer. They are a relatively young brand that emerged in the industry by creating lip balms that met the changing tastes of clients for better sourced and less artificial lip balms.  Check this on

Stop by your local retail store and give EOS’ strawberry sorbet lip balm a chance. Maybe you will be reminded of fresh June strawberries like I was and will find yourself able to avoid the low quality lip balm for sale on the market.

How Vanilla Mint by EOS Became Part of My Daily Routine

The Evolution of Smooth, or EOS, has emerged as the premier brand of lip balm for customers. They offer high quality lip balms loaded with shea butter and coconut oil that are a step above those offered by their competition. EOS lip balms also have vitamin C and E and provide added protection from the sun and elements as a result, all in their unique applicator orb color coded by flavor.

The wide range of different flavor lip balms offered by EOS lip balms is a real benefit to those who like to sample flavors, but can be a real challenge given the sheer variety that they offer, check this at   It is truly difficult to find the right lip balm, particularly for everyday use.

Luckily I found my everyday lip balm when I tried the vanilla mint flavor by EOS. Mint flavors always interest me but are often too powerful for me to enjoy using them multiple times a day. Mint lip balms often leave a stinging sensation on my lips that gets old quickly and I only occasionally use them.  Head over to this!

The vanilla mint offering by EOS is subdued in flavor and doesn’t have an overwhelming flavor. It works well for a daily, or even hourly, application and is gentle on the lips. The vanilla component adds some complexity to the flavor that makes it interesting to use so it doesn’t become boring. Further, the vanilla min flavor is not artificial tasting and doesn’t have a nauseating medicinal flavor.  For additional info about the products, see

Would highly recommend trying the vanilla mint lip balm from EOS. While you may prefer fruit flavored offerings for their strong flavor, the vanilla mint flavor doesn’t disappoint and makes for a great addition to any rotation. For me, vanilla mint is at the forefront of my usage, mixed in with their honeysuckle honeydew and strawberry sorbet flavors for some added variety.  Check this on

Follow EOS on

Evolution Of Smooth Offers Many Flavors Of Lip Balm To Choose From

The lip balm brand known as Evolution of Smooth made its name in part by offering customers a wide range of flavors to choose from among their lip balms. Its five lines of lip balms offer the customer the ultimate selection of flavors to choose from when compared to any other brand on the market. The following is a sample of some of the EOS lip balm flavors available from Evolution of Smooth.

EOS lip balm‘s most popular line, the organic smooth spheres, has eight different flavors. They are passion fruit, sweet mint, strawberry sorbet, honeysuckle honeydew, blueberry acacia, summer fruit and pomegranate raspberry. The newest flavor added to this line is the vanilla bean. It was added in time for the holiday season. The warm and sweet flavor of the vanilla bean lip balm is perfect to give as a gift around Christmas time.  Check details on

The visibly smooth soft spheres features three different flavors. They include coconut milk, blackberry nectar and vanilla mint. The visibly smooth soft spheres line is the line of lip balm that is specially formulated with moisturizing and softening agents to soften lips and make them more supple.

The shimmer smooth spheres line comes in two different varieties. These are sheer pink and pearl. The sheer pink is pinkish in color, while the pearl is whitish in color. Both have a mild natural flavor. This line is designed to your lips shimmer or sparkle slightly.

The active protection spheres also come in two different flavors. These are lemon twist and fresh grapefruit. The lemon twist active protection sphere lip balm has an SPF sunscreen rating of 15. The fresh grapefruit active protection sphere lip balm has an SPF sunscreen rating of 30.

Evolution of Smooth also has three different flavored stick lip balms. The flavors include vanilla bean, sweet mint and pomegranate raspberry. These come in the lipstick like packaging that most lip balms come in.

Hit this


Content-Type: application/http; msgtype=response

WARC-Identified-Payload-Type: text/html

WARC-Type: response

text:
Tuesday, May 10, 2011

The rest of my NSD Challenge Layouts

This was the Raising Sextuplets challenge.  You had to pop-up (raise up) 6 things on the page.  I did Nathaniel's 2nd Easter and "raised up" six of the eggs.  The background paper is from Storytellers, the journaling block and blue, orange and green paper is Creative Memories paper and the red paper is Bazzill.

This was the Addiction Challenge.  We were supposed to show in our layout what scrapbook item we're addicted too.  Well, I'm sure my main addiction is paper, but I didn't feel like cutting lots of pieces of paper up.  I also "collect" my storytellers kits (which I have quite a few of, even though I haven't been able to subscribe for several years, thanks to friends sharing their surpluses).  And, I love autumn themed supplies.  So this is a family picture from 2007 at the FFA Harvest Festival in Winters.  The paper is from Storytellers, as is the photo corners and tab, the stickers are from Joanns & Die Cuts With a View, as is the orange cardstock. The green paper is from Creative Memories.

No comments:

Post a Comment

warcinfo:
robots: classic
hostname: ip-10-164-221-253.ec2.internal
software: Nutch 1.6 (CC)
isPartOf: CC-MAIN-2017-43
operator: Common Crawl Admin
description: Wide crawl of the web for October 2017
publisher: Common Crawl
format: WARC File Format 1.0
conformsTo: http://bibnum.bnf.fr/WARC/WARC_ISO_28500_version1_latestdraft.pdf


text:
She's back!

Can it be I've taken a two+ month hiatus from blogging?  (I've been away so long Google has changed the blogger dashboard and I am completely lost!) I wish I could say I've spent the last two months on safari, or  immersed in a creative project, or perhaps juggling coffee dates with Robert Downey, Jr. look-alikes.  But, alas, none of the above is true.  That's not to say I haven't been doing anything.  Here's what I've been up to...
1. For several weeks I was obsessed with a game called, Draw Something. I racked up hundreds of points and added dozens of colors to my palette until one of the game updates shut me down leaving me a blubbering mess.  Having now experienced it firsthand, I have a new appreciation for the concept of withdrawl.  At one point I considered dipping into my savings to purchase a new phone or an iPad, just so I could continue sending funny little drawings, done with my thumbs, to family and friends. I'm okay now, but every so often I reload the app to my phone, on the chance that whatever bug shut me down has been remedied.  So far, no luck.
2. Another game that  caught my fancy is Word with Friends and I am consumed with trying to raise the win/ loss ratio with my sister.   She is a fearsome opponent and has defeated me soundly more times than I can count.  I've never been an aggressive board game player. Playing Scrabble I've always been happy just to add a word to the board that is more than three letters long and I've never been one for keeping score. My sister, I have learned, is a ruthless player, with a large vocabulary, and is a strategic master when it comes to using the double and triple word tiles.  Presently, we have four active games and we're 50/50, (I know you're interested).  I'm also playing a rematch with my nephew who, like my sister, is a cutthroat player and toys with me like a cat toys with a wounded mouse.  Personally I think it should be against the rules to score over 100 points on a single word.  Not a competitive person by nature, I am quite surprised at my desire to beat the pants off of both of them.
3. The most interesting thing to enter my world in the past two months has been an up close experience with copyright infringement.  This venture has left me feeling disillusioned, hoodwinked, and very hesitant to share anything on this blog or the internet.  I am still processing this occurrence and deciding how to write about it in this forum. I want to give other artists the heads-up about what can happen, but at the same time, I'm a little embarrassed about my naivety.

In addition to the games and the copyright thing, I've also traveled to visit my hip, handsome and hysterically funny son who lives in San Francisco...
and have made a (return) visit to Oysterville, Washington to help an old friend and to relish in the quiet slow pace of life on the peninsula.  Oysterville's church is picturesque, both inside and out.

Making art is still a part of my life; I'm working on a print in spite of the 'fits and starts' way in which I have to approach my studio time, which is sort of a ridiculous statement coming from the gal who has spent HOURS over the past two months playing games on the internet.  Sheesh.

  1. Sorry to hear about the copyright issues. Very tricky stuff. Happy to hear more about it if and when you're ready...
    Sorry too about the gaming issues. I've been seriously game-addicted on several occasions (addictive being a personality trait of mine) so I try to steer clear, but sometimes it just happens.

  2. I'm just glad there is no money riding on these games, otherwise i'd be broke.

  3. I´m glad you´re back. I missed your drawings. I´m sorry to hear about the copyright issues too. I haven´t had that problem yet (at least I think so!) but I have read what others have written about it.

  4. Hi Elin! Thanks so much. It's nice to know I've been missed. :-)


text:
April 17, 2014

Looking back from 80

Hell, when you are 80 it doesn't make a lot of sense to look anywhere but back does it!
I have a rather dramatic story to tell. I haven't lived an ordinary life although I suppose few people consider their life ordinary. We all have a story to tell. I intend to tell mine! I have given a lot of thought to how, when,  where it should be told and decided to do it within and as part of my blog. The  internet and the World Wide Web is such a wonderful, inviting, interesting, comfortable, and forgiving place for an 80 year old to let it all hang out that I have decided to do just that. These words are part of my fight against becoming invisible.  I also hope they will comfort an older women and help a younger woman  learn from my mistakes as well as my gumption. As my psychiatrist said "you are a survivor". I am that. I don't pretend to be a writer.

I wasn't born into kindness and I can't say I have had an easy life. However, at age 80 I am still putting one foot in front of the other (fairly confidently) and hopefully with a smile on my  face most of the time. I have been lucky or resourceful or clever or desperate enough to buy myself financial security. I assure all women this is of the utmost importance! It is bad enough to be a lonely old  woman but you definitely don't want to be a lonely POOR old woman. Hell, if I was poor I couldn't be dictating this into my iPhone while I lay in my very comfortable bed, in my rather luxurious apartment with my sweet (but expensive) little dog at my feet. I couldn't have travelled, wouldn't have seen the Acropolis, the Coliseum or talked to that Jewish man in Germany in 1990 or so. Females - earn your own money and save for your old age!  More and more of us are going to be alone in our old age. Money won't make you happy but it will make life bearable.
Despite being financially comfortable - despite having most of my marbles, despite having good physical health some good and interesting friends and a wonderful hobby I often feel very alone and lonely at 80. I am grateful but I can tell you 80 ain't easy for me. It may have to do with the life I have lived and the decisions I have made. That is for you to decide.

No comments:


WARC-Truncated: length

text:
Mid Century - Beverly Hills Classifieds

1 item
21-Sep-2017 Inverness, FL (11 miles) Household Items for Sale
Vintage Mid Century Light Black metal with white glass globe. Chain and electrical cord that plugs into wall outlet or you can wire it for hardwire in the ceiling. Cash only $65 firm Inverness/280 area Cp 1st come 1st serve
Post new Ad


text:
Andrew AlbaneseHer decision finding Apple liable in the e-book price-fixing case came swiftly and firmly enough, but Judge Denise Cote has recently shown Cupertino some measure of mercy.

“The judge revealed this week that her final order would spare Apple on what she considered the two most contentious issues proposed by the DoJ,” explains Andrew Albanese, senior writer for Publishers Weekly. “First, the final injunction will not seek to regulate Apple’s activities in the App Store, and second, Cote said she would employ only a scaled-back version of an external monitor for Apple.

Also feeling the love this week are e-book consumers who stand to benefit from generous settlements in the same case. Projected rebates from the publishers’ e-book settlements in the Apple case will more than double.

“That’s because a new ‘plan of distribution’ has been submitted to the court that will combine roughly $93 million from the most recent Macmillan and Penguin Settlements with $69 million from the first publisher prior settlements into one fund,” Albanese notes. “If Cote signs off on the deal immediately, then those credits will be pumped into the holiday book-buying season.”

Every Friday, CCC’s “Beyond the Book” speaks with the editors and reporters of “Publishers Weekly” for an early look at the news that publishers, editors, authors, agents and librarians will be talking about when they return to work on Monday.

Share This


text:
Rottweiler dog Rottweiler dog
Rottweiler dog
Rottweiler dog
Rottweiler dog

Rottweiler Temperament

The Rottweiler has a reputation as a breed of protection. This breed is self-assured, brave, and attentive, but has a tendency to be stubborn. Because the Rottweiler is naturally protective, it may be standoffish around people it does not know. It will react with force upon sensing any threat to its owner or family. The Rottweiler is authoritative and dominant and requires a significant amount of social interaction to cultivate these qualities.

Rottweiler Upkeep

The Rottweiler requires a significant amount of exercise on a daily basis. These needs can be met with a lengthy walk, a jog, or a high energy play session outdoors in the yard. It is important to train this breed with consistent obedience instruction. The Rottweiler does best in a cool to moderate environment and has the ability to live outdoors in these conditions. As a house pet, the Rottweiler should experience more time indoors to socialize with the family. The coat of this breed needs minimal care, with occasional brushing to remove dead hair.

Rottweiler Health

The major health concerns for the Rottweiler are CHD (canine hip Dysplasia), elbow Dysplasia, and osteosarcoma. The minor health concerns for this breed include gastric torsion, hypothyroidism, and allergies. On occasion, PRA (progressive retinal atrophy), cataracts, seizures, vWD (Von Willebrand Disease), panosteitis, entropion, and ectropion are seen. It is suggested that regular testing of the hips, elbows, eyes, and cardiac system occur. The average life span of a healthy Rottweiler is 8 to 11 years.

Rottweiler History

The Rottweiler is believed to have come from the Roman drover dog. These dogs would travel along with Roman troops and keep the cattle moving and safe along the march. One march led these dogs and some individuals to Germany where they remained. The drover dogs persisted in their role as drovers and guardians for livestock for many centuries. These dogs found their way into Rottwell, a town named after the red tile roof Roman baths that were constructed there. This town flourished as a core for the cattle market. These dogs not only protected the cattle, but also the funds earned during cattle sale transactions. These dogs earned the name Rottweiler metzgerhund, or butcher dog, in the town of Rottwell up until the middle of the nineteenth century. Driving cattle became a prohibited activity and the need for the Rottweiler was diminished so vastly that it was almost extinct. A club was formed to attempt to save the Rottweiler, but it did not last. However, the creation of a standard was one of the results of this club. In 1907, a new club was formed that endorsed the Rottweiler as a police dog. In the mean time, another club had formed and the two clubs joined forces to become one in 1921. In 1931, the Rottweiler made its way to America and became recognized by the AKC. This breed quickly gained popularity and by the 1990’s found itself to be the second most popular American breed. The popularity of the Rottweiler has remained since this time, although at a reduced level.


text:
Theology Gals | Episode 14 | Mother’s Day Special

This is Theology Gals first Mother’s Day special. Coleen and Ashley are joined by Ashley Bacon and Rebekah Womble to discuss Motherhood. The gals talk about the joys and challenges of mothering in the various seasons of child rearing. They also discuss raising children in the Lord and training them in the faith.

Special guest appearance by five year old, Aubrie Bacon.

Check out Rebekah’s blog, Wise in His Eyes

Resources on Infertility & miscarriage:

Infertility by Marlo Schalesky

My Own Dance Upon Barren Land: A Story of Infertility by Lesli A. Westfall

Miscarriage This is a great list of resources from Pastor David Murray, for those who have suffered a miscarriage.

Book Recommendations:

Give Them Grace by Elyse Fitzpatrick

Comforting Hearts Teaching Minds:Family Devotions Based on the Heidelberg Catechism by Starr Meade

Training Hearts, Teaching Minds: Family Devotions Based on the Shorter Catechism by Starr Meade

My First Book of Questions and Answers by Carine MacKenzie

Spiritual Mothering by Susan Hunt

Susan Hunt has several great books for children including Big Truths for Little Kids, My ABC Bible Verses, My ABC Bible Verses From the Psalms, Discovering Jesus in Genesis, Discovering Jesus in Exodus. Several of her children’s books incorporate the children’s catechism.

Mentioned on this episode:

Singing the Psalms: Sisters Let’s Sing the Psalms Part 1 and Part 2

The Kids Catechism: An Introduction to the Shorter Catechism (Westminster)

A Catechism for Girls and Boys (Baptist)

Children’s Catechism Resources – This a great resource for those working through the children’s catechism with your little ones or if you’re interested in learning more about catechizing your children.

Episode Music from Castle Pines

Click here for all Theology Gals podcasts and blogs.

Women can join our Facebook Group Theology Gals-Ladies Theology Discussion and Encouragement

Follow us:
On Facebook
On Twitter @TheologyGals
On Instagram theologygals
Email us at

If you’d like to ask Theology Gals a question which may be answered on a future episode, you can text or leave us a voicemail at 951-364-0221. You may also send an email.

Consider supporting Theology Gals with just a few dollars a month.

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Questions, comments, encouragements & condemnations welcome.

©2017 Bible Thumping Wingnut Network | A Ministry of Striving For Eternity

Log in with your credentials

Forgot your details?

Create Account


text:
Saturday, March 14, 2009

IRISH DANCERS VIDEO CLIP ~ COMMENTARY offered a free Irish Dance video clip for St Patrick's Day. All I needed to do was upload images, do some cropping and add the "heads" to the video clip.

Why I'm putting notes about the clip in a new post is cos every time I write something there, the video clip doesn't show! So ... here is my commentary on the guest stars.

The lead dancer is my nephew Amos Tan. The lady dancers are from left, Emmy {my sister}, Nicole {niece}, Mary {sister-in-law} and Kimberly {niece}.

I only had their pictures in the computer cos the rest are in the external hard drive...too lazy to transfer...haha.

Hope ya'll had a good time watching ;o). I did ... especially when Amos did the leap! haha!

No comments:


text:
Wednesday, September 02, 2009

Harith did it again.  He has a knack for finding good books.   Two days ago he came back with this book from the library.  I was reading another and only started reading this book at 12 midnight yesterday.
It's heartwarming to know there are lots of families around the world who are going through the same situation as I am.  I'm not rejoicing in their sufferings, but rather, I rejoice in their positive attitudes.  For many, our children may not be what we have planned for them to be.  Before Jonathan was born, we had hopes of him following in his daddy's musical skills of playing the violin.  We wanted to go for mission trips, holidays to Austria and dreams for our future.

But all that has changed.

\Now Jonathan only listens to his daddy playing the violin, with occasions when he gets a chance to hold the bow.  We still go for trips but within Singapore, the only overseas trip is to Sentosa Island LOL.

Our outlook in life has changed.  Reality struck and it was the hardest hit for us.  But this reality woke us up to see that no matter how harsh our situation may be, there's always something good or even better that comes out in the end.  The tunnel, though very dark in the beginning, is becoming greyish as we move on.  And soon, it will become brighter.

Acceptance is good but never believe things will not improve.

No comments:


text:
Hougoumont Terrain At Waterloo.

Pire’s Cav is on the ‘plateau’ at about 130 feet high. The hill falls away  down to 110 by the looks of it over a fairly short distance. The variation in terrain examination was prompted by Waterloo 200’s lack of Western flanking opportunities. Why was that cut off?

The designer felt that due to weather and terrain that the Western parts of the area were not suited to moving troops, but in particular artillery.

What do other games I own have to show us?

Wellingtons Victory  the SPI/TSR title gives a very detailed look at the terrain with 4 levels of terrain across 100 yard hexes. It seems to paint a broader picture than historically. But it also suffers from some other miss location of geography.

Wellingtons Victory

The new kid on the block Fallen Eagles provides this to area to play with, and deems it flat. In game terms not steep enough to matter as a hill or slope such as around Le Haie Saint. I think hexes are in the 200m range in terms of size.

fallen eagle

The Return of the Emperor, shows the hills as a one level variation. This is consistent across the entire map. Here hexes are 250 m on this map.

2015-07-08 12.56.31

All the maps that add this area seem to play that terrain gently. Hard to say which is design for effect.

What other Waterloo games have differing details for terrain?

Chandler’s Campaigns of Napoleon does not refer much to the topographical nature of the Chateau area, but does refer to the sodden nature of the ground.

5 thoughts on “Hougoumont Terrain At Waterloo.

  1. I have been on the battlefield 6 times and I have been in that area on at least two occasions, although it has been a long while ago. That said I did have the Wellington’s Victory maps with me and I think its portrayal seemed consistent with what I saw. Of course when I saw it in the late 80’s the terrain could have changed quite a bit, but I do not recall any abrupt terrain feature in that area.

    I know that the designer of Fallen Eagles has been over that ground several times and I think his map captures what is there. Was it more abrupt 200 years ago, possibly, but the other question is how accurate is the map portrayed at the beginning of this post. I have found that even period maps have mistakes.

  2. I’ve looked at maps and wargame maps. The new maps for Grognard’s Waterloo set show the terrain from new topo maps with considerable more accuracy than the older La Bataille maps. They clearly indicate the impracticability of a sweep around Wellington’s western flank. There’s a Netherland (IIRC) Division in the villages that would slow you down and allow the British units nearby to deploy. Yes, there are lots of fine British brigades nearby and lovely terrain for them to occupy in a a fishhook with Hugomont as the pivot-point.

    Also, if you drove the British to the east you help them unite with the Prussians. The eastern flank offers more opportunity. The British and French infantry are roughly equal in numbers and the weaker allies are balanced by some exceptional British infantry. The one great French advantage is in artillery, roughly 250 guns to 150 Allied and the French guns are of larger caliber. You must get them astride Wellington’s Ridge so the English cannot hide in defilade. So, screen the small chateau on the British left (east) and get astride the ridge as you send light cavalry to delay the Prussians. Send VI Corps to hold Blucher and use your artillery to attrit the wonderful British infantry.

    Sweeping around to the west won’t likely succeed. Sweeping around the east is the better choice. Only two mixed divisions and a Dutch division. on the end.

  3. In John Tiller’s Battleground: Waterloo computer game, the computer program will occasionally make a major flanking operation on this side of the map at the start of the game. If this is something you’re really interested in, it’s worth a look. The whole corps on that side of the battlefield marches around Hougoumont on the north side, eventually followed up by (the idea being to draw reserves away from the center) a total frontal attack in the center.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


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

text:
Tutorial - Styling the Alphabet Banner ITH Project.

This is a little step-by-step tutorial on how I styled the Alphabet Banner ITH Project.

Working with one eyelet at a time...
1.  Use something pointed (but not sharp) to push part of the length of hanging ribbon from the back to the front of the eyelet - pull through 1" of ribbon to create a loop.  Make sure this longer length of hanging ribbon stays untwisted and horizontal as you proceed with your banner.
2.  Take a 13" long piece of ribbon and place it vertically midway through the loop.  You may need more or less than 13" of ribbon - it all depends on how nimble your fingers are.
3.  Gently pull the horizontal piece of hanging ribbon so that the loop disappears and gently gathers the vertical piece of ribbon.  Don't pull too much or it will disappear into the eyelet and you will have to start again from step 2.
4.  Take the bottom half of the ribbon and loop it over to the left with the tail to the right.
5.  Take the top half of the ribbon and bend the tail over to the bottom left corner while pushing a loop of it through the middle and out to the right hand side.  Now you should have a loose bow.
6.  Spend a minute teasing the bow into the right size and shape by gently pulling and re-pulling the tails and loops until you are happy with the result.
 7.  Repeat the steps for the other eyelets along your banner....

8. Trim your tails. ...I recommend you do the trimming after all of your banner pieces and bows are made.

This method is just one of the many ways you can style your own beautiful banners. I'd love to know your styling methods too!

Have fun!

Alphabet Banner ITH Project

Here's a versatile set of files you will have a lot of fun with!

Choose your fabrics and threads and you will soon be creating fun personalized banners for every occasion and for fun home decor too.  The hardest part is deciding which colors to use!

The set comprises of uppercase letters and numbers (and an ampersand too) in 3 sizes 4", 5" and 6".

You will be delighted at how quick and easy it is to make this two-sided banner all done in the hoop with step-by-step instructions to guide you. You are hooping stabilizer only, appliqueing your fabric over the top, applying backing fabric behind your hoop, finishing the edges and eyelets and cutting away the stabilizer.

3 sizes - 4", 5" and 6"
PICTURED is the 4" size.

Exact sizes:4x4 hoop - 3.93" high. Width varies to 3.93"5x7 hoop - 5" high. Width varies to 5"6x10 hoop - 6" high. Width varies to 6"

- ALPHABET BANNER ITH Project in the hoop in the format of your choice.- Easy to follow Step-by-Step instructions – simply cut as you sew!
- Easy to follow Assembly instructions!"

You can find this ITH Project at my website: www.bigdreamsembroidery.com/alphabet-banner-ith-project

Happy embroidering!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...


text:
Main | Today's Big Deal Win Tickets to See Kylie Minogue in NYC »

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Feed You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

Account Deleted

eyredebileceğiniz sinema kaçırdığınız tv programları nı sitemizden izleyebilirsiniz. Online film izle dizi dizi izle belgesel izle, sinema, sinema izle, kaçırdığınız tv programları

Verify your Comment

Previewing your Comment

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Your comment could not be posted. Error type:
Your comment has been posted. Post another comment

The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Post a comment

Your Information

(Name is required. Email address will not be displayed with the comment.)

Towleroad News #gay

Become a Fan


text:
Media Kit

Thank you for your interest in Big Goose Egg games. Please see below for resources related to Big Goose Egg, LLC, its games and its founder.

About Big Goose Egg, LLC
Big Goose Egg Games was founded in 2011 by a Baltimore-area physician as a lesson in entrepreneurship for his 6 children and as a way of gamifying health, wellness, and education. The name “Big Goose Egg” combines the concept of zero, computers, fairy tales, and growth. Zero is for “nothin’, nada, zip, zero, the big goose egg”, since nearly all Big Goose Egg games are free. Egg is not only for birth and growth, but also for “egghead” as a symbol for geeks, computers, and intelligence. Finally, “goose” as a reminder of stories and fairytales and their role in making learning fun.

Contact information

Big Goose Egg, LLC
6727 Johnnycake Road
Baltimore, MD 21244

Press Kits (Coming Soon):

  • Big Goose Egg, LLC – The Company
  • Dr. Edmund Tori – Big Goose Egg’s founder
  • The Platinum Egg Award
  • Guano! – The Bird Targeting Game


text:
The Mueller Homes was the house of George Mueller.

It only appeared in Gideon: Tuba Warrior, though it was redressed as Rockwell Orphanage.

Fun Facts

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:
2016 Hyundai Accent SE

2016 Hyundai Accent SE

1.6L I4 DGI DOHC 16V

Vehicle Details

McCloskey Imports & 4x4's

Come Test Drive Today!

6710 N Academy Blvd

Colorado Springs, CO 80918

Estimated By E.P.A.

Actual Mileage May Vary

Pristine 2016 Hyundai Accent SE offering Integrated Phone, Traction Control, Tilt Steering Wheel, Power Lock and Windows, and Much More! The SE sedan comes equipped with 14-inch steel wheels, keyless entry, air-conditioning, full power accessories, a height-adjustable driver seat, a tilt-adjustable steering wheel, a driver-seat armrest, a 60/40-split folding rear seat, a trip computer and a six-speaker sound system with a CD player, satellite radio and USB and auxiliary audio inputs. In government crash testing, the Accent received four out of five stars for overall crash protection, with four stars for frontal-impact protection and four stars for side-impact protection (although the government noted an increased risk of spinal injury for rear passengers involved in side-impact crashes). The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the Accent the highest possible rating of "Good" in the moderate-overlap frontal-offset and roof-strength tests and the second-best rating of "Acceptable" in the side-impact test. McCloskey Assured with limited Warranty! Awards:
* JD Power Initial Quality Study (IQS) * 2016 KBB.com 5-Year Cost to Own Awards
This vehicle passed our 110 multi-point inspection and is backed by our National Quality Dealer of the Year Award. We are an ''A+'' Better Business Bureau Rated Business. We offer low interest rate financing, low down payments and the highest trade allowances in the state! Here at McCloskey we do things a bit differently, we shop our competition every day to ensure a great value to you. Come on down and experience it for yourself. This McCloskey Assured vehicle includes a 2 month/2000 mile Warranty and a Vehicle History Report!! At McCloskey we strive to provide ASSURANCE, TRUST, VALUE AND QUALITY! Call 719-434-4492.

Strong acceleration; comfortable and quiet ride; spacious cabin has an upscale ambience; long warranty. Source: Edmunds

Visit Big Joe Auto - McCloskey Motors Inc online at bigjoeauto.com to see more pictures of this vehicle or call us at 719-594-9400 today to schedule your test drive.

Vehicle Options

  • 6 Speakers
  • ABS brakes
  • Air Conditioning
  • AM/FM radio: SiriusXM
  • AM/FM/CD/MP3 Audio System
  • Anti-whiplash front head restraints
  • Brake assist
  • Bumpers: body-color
  • CD player
  • Cloth Seat Trim
  • Driver door bin
  • Driver vanity mirror
  • Dual front impact airbags
  • Dual front side impact airbags
  • Electronic Stability Control
  • Front anti-roll bar
  • Front Bucket Seats
  • Front reading lights
  • Front wheel independent suspension
  • Illuminated entry
  • Low tire pressure warning
  • MP3 decoder
  • Occupant sensing airbag
  • Outside temperature display
  • Overhead airbag
  • Overhead console
  • Panic alarm
  • Passenger door bin
  • Passenger vanity mirror
  • Power door mirrors
  • Power steering
  • Power windows
  • Rear window defroster
  • Remote keyless entry
  • Speed-sensing steering
  • Split folding rear seat
  • Tachometer
  • Tilt steering wheel
  • Traction control
  • Trip computer
  • Wheels: 14'' x 5.0J Steel w/Cover
  • Vehicle Disclaimer

    By providing your information through this website to McCloskey Motors, Inc. and/or McCloskey Isuzu, you, the customer are consenting to contact through any means by which you provide contact information. Contact is including but not limited to: SMS Messaging, MMS Messaging, Text Messaging, Email, Traditional Mail and Phone Contact. We may transfer personal information to companies that help us provide our service. Transfers to subsequent third parties are covered by the provisions in this notice. You may unsubscribe from one or more contact methods at any time by replying with "stop" in the body of the communication or contacting us directly.

    McCloskey Motors, Inc does not discriminate against any person because of race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, veteran status or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal or state law. The views, opinions and positions expressed by past or present employees and those providing comments on any social media outlet are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or positions of McCloskey Motors, Inc. any of its affiliates, officers or any employee there of.

    Send to a friend

    Message: Thought you might be interested in this 2016 Hyundai Accent.

    Share to Social Media


text:
Monday, June 13, 2011

Listen to the King

When the NBA Finals kicked off, I swore I wouldn’t be one of “those guys” who cheered for the Mavs simply to spite the Heat. Though Lebron James has done enough to make people criticize him from afar (see here and here) and the Miami fans are rumored to be the worst in the NBA (according to Charles Barkley’s trustworthy opinion), rooting against a team--or player--seems to suck the fun out of sports and replace it with bitterness. Even with all of this well-reasoned basketball moralizing, I caved in by Game Six and caught myself hoping for a Heat loss.

I turned sour towards the Heat after I saw a video with Dwayne Wade and Lebron mocking Dirk Nowitzki. I don’t watch a lot of Mavs basketball, but while we visited our family in the Dallas I was able to catch the Western Conference Finals. Dirk played incredibly and with great character, doing little, if any, trash talking. So when it was reported that Dirk played sick and with a fever against the Heat in Game Four of the Finals, I was impressed! The Heat, not so much. Apparently Wade and Lebron thought his sickness was a little feigned and that the media blew it out of proportion--hence the video linked above.

Whatever their reason for poking fun at Dirk, the whole incident was arrogant and, in Dirk’s own words, “childish.” So I decided from that moment on to cheer against the Heat (oh yeah, and for the Mavs). What was I looking for in a Mavs win? For Wade and Lebron to be put in their place, to learn their lesson and recognize the higher road of integrity. In two words: too much.

I became like so many sports fans who put entirely too much stock in a game. In wanting “justice” for Dirk and heaping contempt on Wade and Lebron, I was acting no better than the European soccer hooligans I hear so much about, who fight and maim “football” players--on the home or visiting team--for winning or losing. All of the negative energy is tied to an unmerciful and unforgiving attitude. So I cannot help but wonder, what does my so-called defense-of-Dirk say about me?

When the Heat finally lost Game Six, Lebron was asked if it bothered him that so many people were hoping he would fail? He answered,

“Absolutely not, because at the end of the day, all the people that were rooting on me to fail, at the end of the day, they have to wake up tomorrow and have the same life that they had before they woke up today...They have the same personal problems they had today.” (Brian Mahoney, AP)

I believe I’ve just been told. The uncrowned king has a point. All of us sports fans who hang our entire hopes and hate, cheers and boo’s or dreams and despair on professional sports need to get a life: our own. Lebron exercised outstanding wisdom by sending the hate he so often received back to its rightful owner. My hatred for Lebron, any athlete or team says a lot more about what’s inside of me than it does about someone’s sports performance.

Another King once said, “[O]ut of the overflow of [the] heart [the] mouth speaks.” And, “[H]e who has been forgiven little loves little.” I must admit that I’ve had a tough week and Lebron James made for a perfect whipping boy. On him I could hang my condemnation because it felt good to hurt other people when I was hurting. The times when I am most harsh on my favorite or most hated sports icons are usually those very times when I myself feel hated or condemned.

Lebron is right. I still have this aching heart and imperfect life, even after a Mavs victory. Sports is great for entertainment, but in terms of therapy it can only indicate which problems we have in life; not solve them. Jesus is also right. My reactions to these sports events are a telling barometer for where my heart lies. In the meantime I will continue to watch and enjoy sports. More importantly, I will continue to be thankful for the King who was and is willing to take my scorn, abuse, blows. For the One who through life and death revealed my hatred and then was gracious enough to begin healing it.


text:
AAA Los Gatos

+1 408-399-8400
15450 Los Gatos Blvd, Ste 300, Los Gatos, CA, 95032-2502

AAA membership gives you more than just peace of mind on the road--Members get access to big savings including exclusive rates on AAA Insurance and discounts at hotels, retailers, and more.

Business Hours
Monday 8:30AM - 5:30PM
Tuesday 8:30AM - 5:30PM
Wednesday 8:30AM - 5:30PM
Thursday 8:30AM - 5:30PM
Friday 8:30AM - 5:30PM
Payment Types


text:
100 Red Moose Lane
Big Sky - $2,595,000
4 4 20.2 ACRES 4096 SQ. FEET
204 Lone Moose Meadows
Big Sky - $599,000
2 2 1576 SQ. FEET
David Cyr
Subscribe To Our Emails And Stay Connected With What Is Happening In Big Sky & Bozeman Real Estate And The Communities Of Big Sky Country. We Will Let You Know About Local Activities And Events Throughout Our Great Area.

Real Estate Website Design, Development and Optimization by Organic Return
Sotheby's International Realty ® is a registered trademark licensed to Sotheby's International Realty Affiliates, LLC. Sotheby's International Realty, Inc. is Owned and Operated by Realogy.

Visit the Sotheby’s Auction House


text:
Tuesday, May 25, 2010

My Bank Just Sent Me a Dollar Bill in the Mail

No, really. A crisp one dollar bill. In the mail.

All I'm saying is, I could've used that dollar before I went to Sonic.

Monday, May 24, 2010

I Just Got My Ass Kicked... But In a Good Way

Tonight I went mountain biking for the second time ever, the first time in over a year, and the first time with people who know what the fuck they're doing. Holy crap y'all, mountain biking is terrifying! And I was only on a semi technical trail on a city park in Houston. Houston! Where if you want a "hill" the Kemah bridge or a parking garage are pretty much your only options.

Whatever, it was totally fear inducing. Tight turns bordering steep precipices. Small woodland creatures ready to pounce at any moment. Wicked dips strewn with rocks and roots. People who actually know what they're doing coming at you at a high rate of speed from the other direction while you're just trying to stay upright. OK, so there weren't any actual rabid animals about but the rest of that is true. I never thought I'd miss assholes trying to run me over, car doors opening as I pass, bottles of insect repellent and pizza slices being thrown at me and broken glass all in whatever bike lanes my side of town actually has, but shit, I know that mess. I have the finest toned middle fingers you've ever seen. Alas, middle fingers mean nothing when you're in the middle of the woods trying not to take a header into a tree.

I did have to walk my bike up a couple inclines and I racked myself more than once on the handle bars, but I in fact did not run into any trees, fall off any precipices, or run into any other riders. I even stayed upright (or mostly upright) the entire time. SUCCESS!!

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

I Suddenly Feel Significantly Less Special

Evidently I’m not the only one who’s had a tattoo complimented by Enigma. My delusions of tattoo grandeur are shattered. :(

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Art Salon

Not long ago, a few friends of mine had the brilliant idea to have artist workshops of sort every month. These aren't classes, just get togethers where people can work on art in whatever medium they choose in a space that is purely dedicated to art. It was born in part from one person in particular who had an extra building in back of his place and decided it would be a great place for people who couldn't have dedicated art spaces in their own places due to size constraints among other issues. So the Art Salon was born and with 4 (I think) salons so far under its belt, it looks like it'll be a continued success. A much better success than my failed art postcard attempt in college which despite a lot of interest, never got past me sending out the first few postcards. :(

My first experience with the Art Salon was the 2nd time they held one. Sadly I couldn't get out of my non artistic funk and walked away with only one quick simple sketch to cling to. (I apologize in advance for the picture quality)

Last night was a lot better for me, partly due to me refusing to pull the same crap I had last time. It's still not up to what I know I can do when I actually practice at my art (I'll probably post drawings later of some of the better stuff I've done), but I'm not unhappy with what I came home with.

The theme for last night was Apocalypse (there was a steampunk goggle making class) and the following was the only sketch I did a long those lines (yes I know it's a stretch):

Strangely, I'm both happy and disappointed with the result. I'll try to go back to it later and tweak it or just redo it to take care of some the problems I'm having with it (mostly with the horrendous typography; I also think it would work and look a lot better if the words weren't so fucking stark but that part I'm not sure about yet).

Past that I mainly just did quick sketches of the other people there, like these:

When I got bored with that I decided to play around with some cheap water colors and, I have to say, I like the result. Especially considering it's really only about the 3rd time I've tried anything with paint since I was in kindergarten.

Despite the resemblance, even in watercolor, this is not in fact my ex-boyfriend (at whose place we have these things). Just someone who looks remarkably like him and has his same taste in hats.

I also did a fan art piece of Tulip, but to see that you'll have to go to her facebook page... which I don't have the address for because I'm not on facebook myself. Woohoo mystery art!

The last piece is of me instead of by me. Enjoy some art by someone with more skill than I!

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Tears of Anger

My eyes start to well up, and my voice shakes. Soon, regardless if I'm careful or not, the tears are running down my face and I can barely choke out another word. I'm not sad, or even just extremely frustrated. I'm fucking pissed. And this crying business? It's doing nothing but piss me off more.

It happened again tonight when I decided to call someone out on how they've been treating me since they found out my sex life isn't approved by them. Luckily, I caught her voicemail and not her directly, but my voice still shaked and I forgot half of what I thought was important to tell her. And when I hung up, I couldn't stop shaking. Fuck, I'm still shaking.

I used to think this was just me. That I was broken because I was child suffering from severe depression and I kept every emotion of mine buried deep inside, so when something extreme happened to me I couldn't help but cry. But nothing I tried could control the tears, or the additional anger I felt for doing something as stupid as cry.

Now I know that this isn't an uncommon reaction at all. But that doesn't help the frustration when it happens. Crying is a sign of weakness in our society. It means you're too invested, too emotional, too much of a silly girl. And that just makes me want to cry some more.

ETA: Hey! Person in the 2nd paragraph just called me back and not only did I not cry but I made clear the rest of what I forgot to add in my message. Woohoo! Now If I could only convince people that, "I'm sorry if that offended you" isn't a real apology. sigh.

Sunday, May 9, 2010

All My Exes Live In Texas (except for that one in California, who isn't really an ex anyway, but that's not how the song goes)

Recently through an absurd and completely unrelated series of events I've gotten in touch with a number of my ex boyfriends/crushes/booty calls/etc. So I figured what better way to celebrate this randomness than to share with others my impeccable taste in men.

Tri-guy was the start of this trip down memory lane. He was a guy I used to work out with and occasionally go dancing with in college and who I once asked on an only slightly awkward date. Tri-guy was awesome: incredibly sweet, hella smart, and ridiculously good looking to boot. I got the friend spiel after that one date but we actually did remain friends for a while after that until we both graduated and went different places. Last weekend I was registering for a softball tournament that was being held back in my college town when I look up and there's Tri-guy! Still as gorgeous as ever and from our brief reunion, evidently still an all around great guy. Just one problem though... I play in an LGBT softball league, this was an LGBT tournament, and tri-guy was wearing the shortest shorts since Reno 911 and a rainbow flag tank top. Whatever, I was still totally justified in my crush.

George is the next old flame up to bat, a guy so awesome I named my succession of mint plants after him and who left me a hilarious drunk dial voice mail just a few nights ago. He was another person I knew from college and it was all I could do to keep from hooking up with George while I was still with The One Who Got Away (coming up later). Unfortunately, George came around when I was trying to reconcile my waxing sexuality with my not-yet-waning Catholicism, so he had to deal with damaged grog. However, he made clear what his interest was and then stepped back. He never once pushed me to do anything I wasn't sure about or ready for. And if it wasn't for him I wouldn't have the awesome story about a hot make out session on the hood of someone else's car which is a lot better story than the time another college crush of mine passed out on the hood of my car and while I tried for an hour to get him up and back into the house, another person sat there and played the free games on my phone. George has promised to keep me in the loop for the next time he makes it back to Texas and I've promised to start scoping out car hoods.

Next up in the parade involves tales that aren't mine to share so instead I'll leave this warning to any future exes of mine:
If you want to tell stories after we break up that make me out to be an unreasonable bitch, chances are I can give you enough actual material to work with. You don't have to make shit up. Because if you do, you'll just wind up looking like a dumb ass and a douche bag when I talk with your current girlfriend and we compare stories about the different things you told each of us. And I will talk with your girlfriend, because evidently my superpower is the ability to become friends with the subsequent paramours of my exes.

Finally we have Cuba, The One Who Got Away (actually last up is another high school boyfriend who my mom just informed me is married and expecting a kid but that's all there is to that story so we'll just ignore him). Cuba's brief resurgence in my life came this morning when I went to get some coffee and one of the baristas there was a dead ringer for a slightly younger and shorter version of Cuba. So naturally I have to share this with him even though I wasn't able to send him photographic proof and we spent the next hour or so catching up. In actuality, Cuba didn't get away so much as different things in life: we wanted them. But I still care for him deeply and I'm glad we're still friends even if we only catch up a couple times a year and occasionally drunkenly make out when I go back to visit my home town. But Cuba, babe, if you ever want to join the poly circle you got my number. Rawr.


text:
Saturday, May 14, 2011

Been A While...

Not a lot going on lately. I have managed some quality rides. Last weekend we had a nice group for a 6 Park ride from my place. I was hoping for another one this weekend but the weather had other ideas. We have a great new pub near by.

Two Stones Pub is a craft beer lovers dream come true. The best part for me is that it is only a mile away.

I have also been busy around the house, between pressure washing the siding and cutting the grass twice a week, it's been hard to do a lot else. I am hoping to get in a lot of riding in the coming weeks. I was hoping to do the Stoopid 50 in a few weeks. We'll see how that goes.

Pleas help me reach my money raising goal for this years Livestrong Challenge.

No comments:


text:
Sunday, June 27, 2010

Looks Like This

There are many like it, but this one is mine.

Before today’s ride I swapped saddles, moving my well-worn WTB from the Giant OCR1 to the Raleigh. That change and a slight adjustment to handlebar tilt made today’s ride much more comfortable than any of the three previous rides on the Raleigh. And you can see from the picture that I went ahead and added a frame pump, the same model as the one I had for the OCR1 but small enough for the Raleigh’s geometry. There’s a thin strip of rubber pinched between the pump handle and the frame to prevent scratches (hopefully).

So, the list of outstanding issues is now pretty short. The big one continues to be the front derailleur shifting, and that likely will get professional attention. And I’m still trying to decide whether to keep the Tacx Tao cages. They’re cool, but they don’t work especially well with this frame geometry and they don’t work well with my CamelBak Podium bottles. I really like those bottles but they don’t slide easily in or out of the Tacx Tao cages … it’s like the circumference of the bottles is just a little too big and those cages have no wiggle room. I shouldn’t have to restrict myself to smaller bottles; I don’t drink enough on the bike as it is!

No comments:

Post a Comment


text:
Saturday, 24 November 2012

A Thousand Splendid Suns: Review

Genre:Literature & Fiction
Author:Khaled Hosseini
There is, or should be, some sort of limit to what human beings should be asked to tolerate.

Mariam is a bastard, a harami – her mother’s favourite epithet for the little girl living in a hovel near the Afghan city of Herat. Her mother, the cast away mistress of one of the city’s richest men, is the troubled and bitter Nana, who warns her constantly against her father’s wiles during his weekly visit to see her.

Then comes the day when Mariam breaks out in rebellion against her mother’s control over her, dresses in her best clothes, and walks down to Herat to find her father Jalil’s house – to be rejected and forced to spend the night sleeping on the pavement before his gates. Returning to her mother the next day, the little girl, just turned fifteen, finds she has hanged herself. Jalil, unwilling and unhappy, takes her into his house, and marries her off at the earliest to a man three times her age. This is Rasheed, a widower and shoemaker from Kabul, far to the east, where Mariam has never been.

Life in Kabul, difficult for the almost illiterate, lonely, disillusioned girl, is made tougher by her domineering bully of a husband, who rails against Western values, forces Mariam into a burqa, and yet has a shelf full of pornographic magazines full of pictures of naked white women with their legs apart. She endures his nightly marital rapes, becomes pregnant, is full of joy at the prospect of motherhood…and then suffers a miscarriage.

“The grief kept surprising Mariam. All it took to unleash it was her thinking of the unfinished crib in the toolshed or the suede coat in Rashid’s closet. The baby came to life then and she could hear it, could hear its hungry grunts, its gurgles and jabbering. She felt it sniffing at her breasts. The grief washed over her, swept her up, tossed her upside down. Mariam was dumbfounded that she could miss in such a crippling manner a being she had never even seen.”

Miscarriage follows miscarriage over the succeeding years, and Rasheed becomes ever more violent and abusive. Mariam bears up, like a rock in the stream. She endures.

In the meantime, King Zahir Shah is overthrown by his cousin Daoud Khan, Afghanistan becomes a republic, and Daoud Khan is himself unseated by a Communist rebellion. The Soviet Union sends in troops to bolster up the new regime (of Babrak Karmal) and the Americans and other western powers begin the familiar and sordid tale of pouring weapons, advisers and money to train, arm and finance the people who form the nucleus of Islamic terrorism today.

Laila is the living antithesis of Mariam. The daughter of an ex-schoolteacher, she is loved and cherished and educated by her father who, despite the fact that his two elder sons are both off fighting the anti-communist jehad, tells her that the communist regime is the best possible thing that could have happened to Afghanistan’s women and that Laila can be whatever she wants. The two sons are both killed and Laila’s mother retreats into semi-insanity, leaving her in de facto charge of the house. During these days she falls in love with Tariq, the son of a neighbour who has lost a leg to a mine and uses a prosthesis.

The Soviets withdraw, the government of President Najibullah falls, and the jehadis take over Kabul – only to immediately begin fighting each other…not to mention killing, robbing and raping the hapless civilian population of the country on the side. As more and more people die, Tariq’s family decides to leave for a Pakistani refugee camp. On a goodbye visit to Laila, Tariq makes love to her, unknowingly leaving the fifteen-year-old girl pregnant.

Soon the situation is so bad even Laila’s mother agrees that they have to leave the country. As they gather up their possessions, a rocket hits the house, leaving Laila the sole survivor. Partially deafened, severely wounded, she is taken in by Rasheed and Mariam and nursed back to health.

Knowing Rasheed, what happens next is predictable. He sweet-talks the girl, woos her, makes up his mind to either take her as wife or – when Mariam objects – to throw her out of the house, to go among the rapists and murderers that fill the “liberated” city. In the middle of this a stranger arrives with an account of having witnessed Tariq’s death in a Pakistani hospital from injuries sustained in an attack on the truck in which he was fleeing. Devastated, pregnant, Laila accepts Rasheed’s proposal.

Then it is that life becomes truly hell for Laila. After she gives birth to Tariq’s daughter, whom she has to pretend is Rasheed’s, she has to contend with Rasheed’s disappointment (he has wanted a son) as well as Mariam’s jealousy. After she begins to gather her own share of beatings, Mariam slowly grows closer to her and begins to share in taking care of the baby.

In the meantime, Laila has begun stealing money from Rasheed, and she and Mariam, along with the baby (Aziza) try to escape to Pakistan but are arrested at the bus station and returned to Rasheed, who brutally beats them and starves them for days in punishment.

Things move on. There is a new force that rises in the south, an army of religious students called the Taliban, who capture most of the country with astonishing speed and impose such brutal restrictions on women that Laila, pregnant again, has to undergo Caesarean section without anaesthetic while the woman surgeon positions a lookout at the operation theatre door because she is supposed to operate wearing a burqa.

Drought comes, crops fail, Rasheed’s shoe shop burns down. Things go from bad to worse and Aziza has to be dumped, albeit temporarily, in an orphanage while Laila has to brave Taliban whips to go and meet her once in a while. And then, the supposedly “dead” Tariq turns up again…earning Laila and Mariam a murderous attack from Rasheed.

The novel has four parts. I won’t give away the end of this story, except that the true end is at the conclusion of Part Three, where Mariam – the real soul of the story – makes her exit. The last part is mawkish, sentimental, and also inaccurate in its hopefulness about Afghanistan’s future. It is also the reason why I’m giving this book four, and not five, stars.

I read this book in two sessions, and could have finished it in one if I'd not needed to sleep.

Incidentally, I'm amazed at how many words Farsi has in common with Hindi - no Hindi-speaking person will need translation of such words as "harami", "moochi", "jan", and so on. But then we're all South Asians, so I guess it shouldn't be all that surprising after all.

No comments:

Post a Comment


text:
Organisational Change Management Volume 2

More on the Art of Persuasion

{product-noshow 23|name|cart|picture|link|border|menuid:206|pricedis3|pricetax1}

This is based on a legalistic approach, ie

. Before you start, ask yourself

- what is your objective?

- why are you trying to achieve it?

- how are you going to do it?

. Develop a strategy and structure to your argument; break down your argument into parts and deal with each, one by one

. Know your audience and know the story you want to tell them

. Prepare so that you know your material inside out

. Start strong. Look at what needs to be done to maintain your audience's attention

. Start with a brief description of what your argument is about, ie two sentences or a paragraph is sufficient

. Outline the main issues to be addressed in your argument

. Work out the weaknesses in your argument and how you are going to deal with them

. Emphasize your good points and acknowledge your negative ones

. Be confident, but do not oversell your case

. Maintain control of the situation - never let your opponent take control

. Maintain eye contact

. Anticipate questions and have answers ready

. Use short sentences

. Avoid padding words, phrases and unnecessary mannerisms

. Use pauses to add emphasis

. Vary pace to hold attention

. Use gestures for appropriate impact - do not overdo it

. Admit mistakes immediately

. Use notes only as aids - do not read them word for word

. If you have materials to use, have them ready so do not waste time fumbling with them

. Maintain a relaxed posture

. Finish strongly

Hallmarks of a good argument

. Clarity of purpose

. Logical structure and organisation

. Identification of issues

. Audibility

. Pace

. Clarity of expression

. Use of appropriate language

. Appropriate eye contact

. Anticipation of counterpoints

. Acknowledgement of opponent's points

. Courtesy

(source: Marcus Priest, 2007)

5 5 1 Product

1 Month

Start your Change Management Plan today

With our FREE Basic membership

FREE fast start guides to review your organizations

FREE access to change management knowledge base

FREE change management case review

Become a Member - the benefits:

  • Ability to download a hardcopy(s) of the entire 5 x volume knowledgebase
  • Copy, paste and print content of interest
  • Be personally notified about regular content updates
  • Receive advance copies of the newsletters (including interesting articles)
  • Receive notification of upcoming events like Change Management Masterclasses

designed by: bluetinweb

Free 1:1 Consultation

get a free 1:1 consultation to apply
the relevant concepts to your specific
change management project


text:
Filename: rascal.pdf
ISBN: 9781101660492
Release Date: 1990-02-01
Number of pages: 192
Author: Sterling North
Publisher: Penguin

Download and read online Rascal in PDF and EPUB A Newbery Honor Book Celebrating 50 years of a beloved classic! Nothing's surprising in the North household, not even Sterling's new pet raccoon. Rascal is only a baby when Sterling brings him home, but soon the two are best friends, doing everything together--until the spring day when everything suddenly changes. Rascal is a heartwarming boyhood memoir that continues to find its way into the hearts of readers fifty years later. This special anniversary edition includes the book's classic illustrations restored to their original splendor, as well as a letter from the author's daughter, and material from the illustrator's personal collection. "Everyone should knock off work, sit beneath the nearest tree, and enjoy Rascal from cover to cover."—Chicago Tribune From the Trade Paperback edition.

Filename: rascal.pdf
ISBN: 0756955157
Release Date: 2004-09-01
Number of pages: 189
Author: Sterling North
Publisher: Perfection Learning

Download and read online Rascal in PDF and EPUB The Newbery Honor-winning tale of a young boy and the young, mischievous raccoon he befriends is now reissued.

Filename: rascal.pdf
ISBN: PSU:000054187825
Release Date: 1984
Number of pages: 189
Author: Sterling North
Publisher: Dutton Childrens Books

Download and read online Rascal in PDF and EPUB The author recalls his carefree life in a small midwestern town at the close of World War I, and his adventures with his pet raccoon, Rascal.

Filename: rascal.pdf
ISBN: 0439793823
Release Date: 2007
Number of pages: 74
Author: Ellen Miles
Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks

Download and read online Rascal in PDF and EPUB When Lizzie and Charles take in Rascal, a pesky Jack Russell terrier puppy, they have their hands full keeping him out of trouble and finding someone who will adopt him.

Where s Rascal A Surprise for Rascal

Filename: where-s-rascal-a-surprise-for-rascal.pdf
ISBN: 9781617390937
Release Date: 2011-02
Number of pages: 32
Author: Jan Shafer
Publisher: Tate Publishing

Download and read online Where s Rascal A Surprise for Rascal in PDF and EPUB Where's Rascal? and A Surprise for Rascal are teaching stories that revolve around an abandoned puppy named Rascal and his two Yorkshire terrier sissies. The stories offer a hint of suspense, fun, laughter, and love. Rascal's questions at the end of each story: • help children to understand their feelings, • offer Bible truths related to each story topic, • and challenge children to ask themselves, 'What would Jesus do in this situation?'

Filename: rascal.pdf
ISBN: 0985338717
Release Date: 2014-02-15
Number of pages: 219
Author: Chris Brady
Publisher: Life

Download and read online Rascal in PDF and EPUB Some things are easier to demonstrate than they are to explain: easier caught than taught. The concept of a unique type of person, affectionately called a Rascal in this book, is a prime example. In the book, we will consider the characteristics of Rascals, noting their greatness and analyzing their behaviors. As we do so, it will be most illustrative to simply observe some representative individuals as a way to shine light on the whole concept. What you may notice while reviewing this gallery of Rascals is the large range of background, circumstances, age, gender, and race they collectively represent which have nothing to do with the concept. Being a Rascal is an outpouring of who a person is on the inside. It is a spirit of willfulness and strength, a dynamic force that drives one forward toward a unique path and contribution. It is authenticity in courageous display. It is life lived on purpose and for a purpose.

Rita and Rascal

Filename: rita-and-rascal.pdf
ISBN: 9781466969728
Release Date: 2013-01-10
Number of pages: 116
Author: Autum Agusta
Publisher: Trafford Publishing

Download and read online Rita and Rascal in PDF and EPUB Rascal grew from an unmarked newborn baby to a twenty-five-pound raccoon before he was turned outdoor. He didn’t know he was a raccoon and tried to do what people do. The book contains suspense and many laughs.

Dancing at the Rascal Fair

Filename: dancing-at-the-rascal-fair.pdf
ISBN: 9781439124949
Release Date: 2013-08-06
Number of pages: 416
Author: Ivan Doig
Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Download and read online Dancing at the Rascal Fair in PDF and EPUB The central volume in Ivan Doig's acclaimed Montana trilogy, Dancing at the Rascal Fair is an authentic saga of the American experience at the turn of this century and a passionate, portrayal of the immigrants who dared to try new lives in the imposing Rocky Mountains. Ivan Doig's supple tale of landseekers unfolds into a fateful contest of the heart between Anna Ramsay and Angus McCaskill, walled apart by their obligations as they and their stormy kith and kin vie to tame the brutal, beautiful Two Medicine country.

Confessions of a Rascal

Filename: confessions-of-a-rascal.pdf
ISBN: 9781552123287
Release Date: 2000
Number of pages: 71
Author: John Turner
Publisher: Trafford Publishing

Download and read online Confessions of a Rascal in PDF and EPUB A rascal is a bemused contrarian who seriously doubts the sanity of the human race and behaves accordingly. In a word: Men love sex.....woman love sexy.

Grabbit the rascal

Filename: grabbit-the-rascal.pdf
ISBN: 0670347191
Release Date: 1969-03-24
Number of pages: 46
Author: William Wiesner
Publisher: Viking Juvenile

Download and read online Grabbit the rascal in PDF and EPUB The adventures of the master thief, Grabbit, and how he and his two apprentices were forced to become honest men.

Rascal and Rainbow

Filename: rascal-and-rainbow.pdf
Release Date:
Number of pages:
Author: Janice Braun Williams

Download and read online Rascal and Rainbow in PDF and EPUB

Dizzee Rascal

Filename: dizzee-rascal.pdf
ISBN: 9781409133988
Release Date: 2011-04-28
Number of pages: 288
Author: Alex Kitts
Publisher: Hachette UK

Download and read online Dizzee Rascal in PDF and EPUB No-holds-barred account of one of Britain's most gifted and creative musical talents In 2003, at the age of 17, Dizzee Rascal became an overnight name to drop when his debut album, Boy In Da Corner, beat Coldplay, Radiohead and The Darkness to the Mercury Music Prize. Dizzee was born in Nigeria, but raised by his mum in Bow, east London after the death of his father when he was two years old. Dizzee was thrown out of four schools in four years, got involved with drugs and crime. But, whilst he dropped out of most formal education, music always had a guiding influence on Dizzee. With four bestselling albums to his name, Dizzee is not only famed for pioneering grime - his style has evolved and progressed and he has become one of the biggest popstars in the UK today. Recent collaborations with artists as diverse as Arctic Monkeys and Fatboy Slim demonstrate Dizzee's vision and musical genius. Citing influences which range from old skool hip hop to jungle and heavy metal, Dizzee embodies an artist with a unique talent who's pioneering approach guarantee his longevity.

Rascal 2 the Rescue

Filename: rascal-2-the-rescue.pdf
ISBN: 9781480972858
Release Date: 2016-09-22
Number of pages: 60
Author: Audrey Brahler
Publisher: Dorrance Publishing

Download and read online Rascal 2 the Rescue in PDF and EPUB Rascal 2 the Rescue! By Audrey Brahler Rascal is back with a whole new adventure! Benny has found a new job that takes him, Rascal, and Fluff up to the mountains in Alaska. A new chapter in Rascal’s life brings new challenges that he must face. Through hard work, he has a chance to prove he is more than just a clumsy dog. Rascal learns along the way that having great friends, determination, and faith in yourself means anything is possible!

Our Rival the Rascal

Filename: our-rival-the-rascal.pdf
ISBN: 149416406X
Release Date: 2014-03
Number of pages: 534
Author: Benjamin P. Eldridge
Publisher: Literary Licensing, LLC

Download and read online Our Rival the Rascal in PDF and EPUB This Is A New Release Of The Original 1897 Edition.

Rascal Lost in the Caves

Filename: rascal-lost-in-the-caves.pdf
ISBN: 9781780316666
Release Date: 2015-05-07
Number of pages: 144
Author: Chris Cooper
Publisher: Egmont UK

Download and read online Rascal Lost in the Caves in PDF and EPUB A heartwarming canine adventure series for boys and girls aged 6+. Perfect for fans of Holly Webb and Michael Morpurgo. This is the story of one brave dog's journey home. Rascal isn't the bravest dog in the world. His playful nature sometimes gets him into trouble. Luckily his owner Joel is always there to stand up for him. But when exploring on holiday puts them in great danger, Rascal knows that only he can save his best friend. Packed with entertaining illustrations from James De La Rue. Fans of Morpurgo's Shadow will love this. Have you collected all of Rascal's adventures? Rascal: Lost in the Caves Rascal: Trapped on the Tracks Rascal: Running for his Life Rascal: Facing the Flames Rascal: Swept Beneath the Waters Rascal: Racing Against Time Chris Cooper is the pen name of Paul Shipton, who grew up in Manchester and went to university in Cambridge. He spent several years teaching English as a foreign language and lived in Istanbul for a year. Paul then moved into publishing, working on science activity books and primary school English materials. He published his first book, Zargon Zoo in 1991. Four years later, he published Bug Muldoon and the Garden of Fear, and relocated with his family to Wisconsin, United States where he works as a freelance writer and editor. He, his wife and two daughters, now divide their time between Cambridge, England and Madison, Wisconsin.


text:
Doctor Profile

Danielle Gardini, Psy.D

Post-doctoral Fellow
Dr. Danielle Gardini is well known to Bio-Behavioral having served as a research assistant in 2010 and having helped organize the First All Day Conference on OCD for OCD New York. She went on to get her doctorate in school psychology at Nova University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She did her internship at Centerstone in Sarasota, Florida and found her roots back to Bio-Behavioral Institute where she is currently a postdoctoral fellow.  Dr. Gardini specializes in the treatment of anxiety and mood disorders for children, adolescents, and adults.  Because of her training as a school psychologist, she is very proficient in helping parents and children/adolescents receive the proper services within school districts and conducting psychological assessments. Her doctoral dissertation was on school-based mindfulness interventions for children and adolescents to improve social-emotional learning and academic performance.  In addition to her knowledge on how to facilitate child parent and school issues, Dr. Gardini has received advanced training in the treatment of OCD and Related Disorders such as BDD and OCD with comorbid conditions through the Behavior Therapy Institute of the International Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Foundation.  She has also received advanced training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), a treatment modality focusing on emotion regulation, mindfulness, distress tolerance, and interpersonal skills. She practices evidence-based treatment, always focusing on the latest advances and always looking to provide both traditional cognitive behavior therapy as well as third wave cognitive behavior therapy such as Mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and DBT.


text:
Monday, November 3, 2014

Nature is full of surprises!  This Blue-headed Vireo (Bldg. 11C) was just reported at 3:00pm today.  I went over to document it and as I held it in my hand, I was gently dive-bombed by a hawk, a Sharp-shinned or Cooper's.  It was so close I could feel the soft breeze from its wing against my face! I wish I had gotten a better look at it.  Maybe this vireo was chased for some time until it crashed into the window?  I'll never know the details of what happened, or what species of hawk it was, but I will certainly never forget!  Hopefully the hawk will come back and finish what it started.

No comments:

Post a Comment


text:
Thursday, April 27, 2017

Fraud by JL Berg

We're less than a week away from the release of USA Today Bestselling Author J.L. Berg's FRAUD - and we have an excerpt for you! Check it out below and preorder your copy for a special price of just $2.99!

Available May 1st, 2017
From USA Today Bestselling author J.L. Berg comes a sexy standalone about love, lies and every dirty little thing in between.
It wasn’t just a job. It was my way back to the top. After losing my position as a journalist for one of the biggest news publications in the world, I knew I’d do anything to get it back. Even if it meant breaking a few hearts to get there. She was the hottest author in the country. Known only by a pen name, there wasn’t a person alive who wasn’t dying to discover her true identity. And I’d figured it out.
Her real name was Kate O’Malley and not only did I plan on finding her, but I fully intended on learning every dirty secret she had and exploiting it for my own gain. But I underestimated my prey. I didn’t anticipate how her words would intoxicate me, or how the curves of her body would consume me. I never meant to fall in love. And now I had a choice to make.
Do I give up everything for the woman I set out to destroy, or walk away, making me the biggest fraud of all?
Add FRAUD to your to be read shelf on Goodreads!

Preorder FRAUD for a special preorder and release week price of $2.99:

Find out when FRAUD goes up for sale on other retailers by subscribing to J.L. Berg's newsletter!

Read an excerpt from FRAUD

What had started as a fun little game to bring this timid beauty out of her shell somehow turned into a wrestling match. And I was the one about to lose. Katelyn O’Malley was nothing like I’d imagined. What had I imagined? I wasn’t sure exactly. I’d diligently done my homework— reading Scandal not once, but twice— before I’d hopped on a plane to Oregon. I’d thought the novel would give me insight to this perplexing woman I was about to meet. It hadn’t. Not one bit. If anything, it’d created a thousand more questions. At first, cracking her ironclad shell seemed like a daunting task. She had come off dry and dull. God-awful boring. But boring women didn’t do tequila shots until two in the morning. Boring women didn’t lie to waiters for free wine and dessert. And boring women definitely didn’t make me feel this way. Needy. Desperate. And fucking horny as hell. Even the way she licked the chocolate off her fork was making me shift uncomfortably in my seat. This was a job. Get your head in the game. “You were pretty good at that,” I said, trying not to stare at the way her pink tongue darted out to grab the last bit of mousse from the tip of her finger. “Good at what?” she asked. “Lying.” She let out a choking cough, patting her chest with her palm. “I’m not a good liar,” she argued. “Really? You seemed to have everyone around us fooled, including that charming elderly couple who offered their congratulations on their way out.” “That really was sweet.” She smiled, a touch of whimsy in her gaze. “Did you see the way they held hands? I’m pretty sure he even grabbed her ass when she walked past him to go to the restroom.” I laughed. “My kind of guy.” “I just wonder what it’s like— to be that in love after all that time,” she said, bending forward and resting the curve of her chin on her hand. “How do you know it has been a long time?” I asked. “Maybe they got married late in life.” She shook her head. “I don’t think so.” “Why?” I asked, curious how she’d reached that conclusion. “There was a familiarity in the way they touched. The way they leaned into one another, the way they walked. It was as if they’d been doing so forever.” I studied her for a quiet moment, recalling the intensity of her words and the passion in her voice. It was the first time since meeting Katelyn O’Malley, I could actually see a sliver of Laura Stone, the author, somewhere inside. “I do believe you are a bit of a romantic at heart,” I replied. She smiled sweetly. “Maybe a hopeless one.” My hand reached out to hers, a needless gesture since we’d already achieved our goal for the evening and sold everyone on our false marital status. This time, I touched her because I wanted to. “Definitely not hopeless,” I said softly, knowing that instant that I was crossing the line between business and pleasure. And heading straight to the land of hell. “So, tell me about technical editing,” she said, shifting topics. “How does one get into something like that?” I suddenly felt like I’d been hit in the face with a bucket of ice water. Here I was, in a dimly lit room, romancing the hell out of a woman I’d just met, and then reality hit. I was lying to her. Flat-out lying. I needed to remember that. “There’s not much to tell,” I said, straightening slightly in my chair. “Rather boring really.” We continued to chat about our lives. She told me more about her work at the college. I rambled off more lies about mine until the check came around. I was feeling quite good about myself as I led us outside. My head was clear. But then I saw the way the moonlight highlighted her golden-blonde hair. I became mesmerized by the sway of her hips and the soft curves of her body. Katelyn O’Malley was casting a spell on me, and she didn’t even know it. And I wasn’t sure I wanted her to stop.

About J.L. Berg

J.L. Berg is the USA Today bestselling author of the Ready Series, The Walls Duet, and the Lost & Found Duet. She is a California native living in the beautiful state of historic Virginia. Married to her high school sweetheart, they have two beautiful girls that drive them batty on a daily basis. When she's not writing, you will find her with her nose stuck in a romance novel, in a yoga studio or devouring anything chocolate. J.L. Berg is represented by Jill Marsal of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency, LLC.

No comments:

Post a Comment