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Sunday, 31 July 2011

I'm Back :)

Over the last 2 weeks I have not added any posts to my Blog, DH & I  have been on our Summer Holiday (6 Days in Italy & 1 Week on the Norfolk Broads).

We are now back and having to try and catch up on the washing, ironing, shopping and get ready for work tomorrow :(

I took many photos (probably too many to scrap - It is just as well we now use digital or it would have cost a fortune in film processing!!!) and have a lot of amazing memories.

Once I get caught up with the non-crafting Stuff I will be back online and ready to go, I have so many memories and photos I want to share with you all.

Just a few highlights: Mountains, Venice, Osprey, the 'Yellow Perral'  & lots of people watching :)

Friday, 15 July 2011

Blogging for Scrapbookers – The Beginning

I am now finally starting to look at the content of Shimelle’s Blogging for Scrapbookers course… although I am not able to follow the structure for 1 Blog per day, but I will get there.
So far in the Day One Information I have discovered Google Reader… what a great tool.  I was beginning to get to the point that using Blogger Dashboard was a long winded way of keeping up to date with the various Blogs I had subscribed to.  Working this way saves so much time… on the down side you don’t get to see the lovely headers and page layouts people create.

In the Prompt One Shimelle asks us to post a Blog with our intentions for the next 3 Weeks, however as I am not able to post every day and also have a holiday coming up I have decided to give my intentions for the next 2 Months.

So here they are in no particular order...
  1. Take part in the WOYWW and to link to the original Post
  2. Continue taking part in the ‘Less is More’ Challenge
  3. Make time to work through more of the ‘Blogging for Scrapbookers’ Prompts
  4. To be creative in the content of my Blog
I'm sure that more will following in the not too distant future - so watch this space :)

Thursday, 14 July 2011

Not a good Thursday

Well I don't like the Weight Watchers scales today... The say +0.5lb :(

The bad news is I'm not sure why!!! Never mind that was last week. Tomorrow is a new week :)

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How To... Create a Custom Envelope

Well this is my first ever How To... on this blog, Please feel free to leave any feedback & comments :)

Decide on a co-ordinating paper to match your card. It is up to you if you want to see the patten on the inside or outside of the envelope.

The aim is to create an envelope which is big enough for your card with a bit of extra room so you will need to ensure that your envelope paper is big enough to fold around the largest dimension of your card with a bit of room to spare.

Start by working out how much room you will need for the card and then score and fold the paper to create the 'bottom' of the envelope.

Decided where to score for a bottom fold
Fold the paper to create the bottom fold
Unfold the paper and then work out the width of the envelope - ensure that you leave at least 2cm (3/4 inch) each side of the card to allow extra space & side flaps.  Cut the envelope paper to the required width.

Next you need to work out where you want to create the side flaps, ensure that you leave a bit of extra space around the card.  Score and Fold each side of the card.

Next we will cut the envelope paper to create the Top Flap.  You should allow at least 2cm (3/4 inch) in addition to the area required for the card. (I fold the bottom of the envelop up and then measure the width of the top flap.)

Once you have cut the paper to the correct size you will need to fold the Top Flap - do not fold it up close to the top opening of the envelop, leave a slight gap.

When you unfold the envelope paper it should look something like this...

You will then need to cut away the sections shown in the image above.  The next step is optional, but I have found that it gives a cleaner envelope if you do...

Using a Corner Rounder round the corners of the envelope (Side Flaps & Top Flap)

The last task is to glue the Side Flaps, it is up to you what type of glue you use, I used a tape roller.

Fold the back of the envelope and stick it to the Side Flaps.

Well Done... You have now created your envelope to match your card.

I'm So Excited!

A friend asked me on Tuesday if I would like to go to Nottingham in November and see Bruno Mars... well as the 'Lazy Song' is my favorite at the moment I said Yes!!!!

DH said that he would come as well, so my friend has booked a total of 5 tickets this morning!!!!!!

This will be the first time I have been to a concert and I can't wait!!!!!!

Is it the 1st November Yet?????

Ok... time to calm down and get back to work. But I'm so excited, I just had to quickly add a post.

Wednesday, 13 July 2011

Home Alone...

This evening DH has gone out and I have been home alone,  the phone has rung several times and apart from that I  have been able to craft :)

The question was then... What do I do?????  the choices were endless but in the end I decided on cards.
  1. So here is the list of what I have achieved this evening...
  2. Envelope for a card created as a 'Less Is More' challenge
  3. 2 x Easel Cards for Christmas Gifts
  4. A card from scratch, with matching envelope
I even took a series of photos to try and create a 'How To' for creating a envelope to match a card, all I now have to do is try and put words to the pictures.

In the mean time here a couple of pictures of the cards I created this evening...

All 3 cards

One of the Easel Cards, both have Calendars for 2012

This card was made from Scratch, along with a matching Envelope
 I am so proud of the Happy Birthday card, I have never made a card from scratch before.  The image was printed from a CD and coloured using ProMarkers, I then mounted it on a brown/orange card and added the Happy Birthday peal-off.  As I did not have a card blank the right size so I found a piece of 12x12 card stock and created a card blank the right size.

What a GREAT evening and so productive & I even had time to add to 'Helen's World'!

I think I am  now going to make a cuppa before DH arrives home.

WOYWW - 13th July 2011

On the go at the moment - I have decided to make an envelope for a card I made for the Less is More challenge a couple of weeks ago.

This is the first time I have tried to make a envelope to fit the card, and after watching a Video on YouTube it was very easy.

Monday, 11 July 2011

LiM Week 23 - One Layer

I have decided that I am quite enjoying the Less Is More challenges, for me making cards is something that I very rarely do.  So 3 cards in 3 weeks is a record for me.

This one took a bit of thinking... I don't have many good stamps, and most of them feature owls, but I knew that I did not want to use an owl - the only other stamp I have that I felt would be suitable was one of an Angel. I do like (in believe in my Angels) and decided to give it a go... I found it scary stamping straight onto the card as normally I would stamp onto White Paper and then mount that onto my card.

Even though I was outside of my comfort zone I plowed on... and it worked!!!!!

I did not use much in the way of colour as I did not feel that she needed it... but here is my Angel ' Just Becuase'.

Words Like Honey

While at the Crop Wednesday evening The Craft Room had received a delivery of 12x12 papers & stamps from Words Like Honey.

Although I am not a very religious person I do have my beliefs (more about those another time). If you are not in the Lincoln area and want to see the full range of papers 'Time To Sow' has them on line.

I brought 3 papers which are shown below - but there were many more:
Swans & Ducklings (wlh055)

Text (wlh045)
Swans & Ducklings (wlh053)

Sunday, 10 July 2011

Who's Been a Naughty Boy?

On Saturday we were invited to take our Kids to a local village fete, it was only for a couple of hours in the afternoon.

About 10 minutes before DH & I went to get the Kids out of their aviaries, Delta had decided that he wanted a bath - To look good for the public.  When we went out he looked like a punk rocker, with feathers poking in all directions, he was soaked.  By the time we arrived and had our stand set up he was slightly drier, it took about 1 1/2 hours for him to dry out completely.

Along with some of the more traditional stalls, (we won a bottle of Coke on the 'Bottle Tombola') the village had also arranged for the Police to attend with a van & 2 Community Support Officers.  The fete was good fun and the weather stayed dry, which was a big bonus.

As Delta is such a wimp we had a chat with the Police and they agreed for us to put him in the back of the Police Van to take his picture... Delta can now add a Police Van to the list of vehicles he has been in/on.

Delta in the Police Van
The only way to get Delta in was to send DH in as well

Friday, 8 July 2011

My First Ever Easel Card

I have seen many Easel Cards over the last few months and always felt that they looked really difficult to create, so never attempted one.

 I have been inspired by watching Create & Craft the other day when they had a demonstration and it looked easier than I thought to create one.

So I decided to finally have a go creating a Easel Card. I included a 2012 calender so it can be used for the next year.

I am thinking of doing a number to give as Christmas gifts.

The question is: Am I good or bad for thinking of Christmas gifts this far ahead????

As this proved so easy to create I think I might have a go at another one...  TTFN

Light Bulb Moment

It amazes me when our brain has 'Light Bulb' moments -  those thoughts that just happen out of the blue and can mean so much.

I was sat at work creating a Process Map and this thought arrived out of no where... 'My scrapbook albums need to be in Year Order'.

Don't ask where this though came from, I had not even been thinking of scrapping!!! I had not even been thinking about changing the order of my albums.

At the moment I have several albums on the go, there is one for the Kids, the Nephew, my Book of Me & then 3 for past holidays, and 2 general albums.

So all I now need to do is find time to look at the content (in particular of the General Albums) and create Title Pages for each Year. It sounds simple doesn't it????

I think that this might be something that is done slow time - but I must say thinking about it now it does make more sense!

Thursday, 7 July 2011

I'm on a roll!

The scales at Weight Watchers have been kind again. I have lost another 1lb.

Total Weight Loss: 26.5lb

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Time to Chill Out

DH has now been to see the Dr, the outcome of which is a referral is to be sent to the Hospital & another blood test on Friday... the good news is that the Dr does not think that the problem is serious, however they are still worried - hence the referral.

Our main concern was that something was seriously wrong,  the Dr has put our minds at rest (slightly) and said to carry on life as normal and wait 2-3 weeks for a appointment from the Hospital.

As much as I hate the waiting and not knowing what is happening the fact that DH has not been admitted to Hospital now is partly reassuring.

So in the mean time, life goes on and hopefully the anxiety will chill out for a bit - I know that it will still appear from time to time until we get a definite answer on what is wrong.

McDonald's & the Crop

Ok, time for an explanation of the McDonald's paper on last nights photo.

A group of us meet every 1st & 3rd Wednesday of the month at The Craft Room in Lincoln. Karen opens the shop and we use the craft space on the first floor for the crop, with access to the stock in the shop and a selection of tools.

Last night 4 of us arrived at 6.30pm ready to start work, only Karen arrived late... not a problem, we walked across the road (with large numbers of bags/trolleys etc) to McDonald's for a Cuppa. As we ordered the tray we were given had the Place Matt already on, it featured a alphabet (McDonald's A-Z) so being scrapbookers we asked for extra copies.

A challenge was then issued... to create a layout featuring the Place Matt from McDonald's.

As we were late starting the crop I had a mixed evening, I did complete a Double Layout and I completed the challenge of using the Place Matt.

My McDonald's layout was very 'Out Side the Box' for me, with individual letters taken from the Place Matt.

The completed McDonald's Place Matt Layout

I decided to use a few letters from the McDonald's A-Z and use my selection of Die Cut frames to cut them out and mat them on the card.  The frame for the journaling was created with the Cricut (I can't remember which cartridge).

The Letter E, taken from the Place Matt

The Letters T & U, taken from the Place Matt

Well it was something different LOL and it did get me thinking!

Wednesday, 6 July 2011

Well this evening is the local Crop at The Craft Room. Here is my desk so far...

I will explain the importance of the McDonald's paper (the green & white alphabet sheet) tomorrow :)

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Tuesday, 5 July 2011

Digi Scrapbooking

Does anyone use Scrapbook MAX for their Digi Scrapping? I picked up a copy of Version 1 with one of the Scrapbook Magazines a while ago (but I can't remember which one). I found that Scrapbook MAX v1 was easy to use and it made sense to me (Photoshop did not). I then decided to upgrade to Version 2 (which I paid for) and I am really glad I did.
I have tried several times to use Photoshop before and I just get very frustrated .

If anyone is interested, I was thinking about trying to create some short tutorials and add them to my Blog.

Any comments would be great...

Anxiety on the Loose

Over the past week DH has not been too well, after a visit to the Dr he was given antibiotics for a Bladder Infection.  They have now done a full set of tests (the problem still persists) and DH has now been told that it is not an infection.

He needs to see a Dr to get more details - he now has an appointment for tomorrow at 11am.  In the mean time my anxiety has started to go crazy imagining the worst (as you do).  All he has been told at the moment is that the Dr will need to send a referral letter to the Hospital.  As you can imagine DH is now also thinking the worst as well!

I know that in reality there is probably a simple answer and it is only something minor... but my brain does not work that way and I can only think of the possible major causes.

When we know what is happening and causing the symptoms I will be able to cope, it is the not knowing which causes my anxiety levels to go out of control.  I have the flutterbyes as well as occasionally feeling sick.

I think it is now time to get on with Stuff at work to take my mind away from all of the negative thoughts flying through my brain at the moment.

Monday, 4 July 2011

Happy Wedding Anniversary

DH arranged for these flowers to be delivered to say Happy Wedding Anniversary - today 13 years ago we got married in Cambridge Registery Office.

Less is More

I spotted the next 'Less is More' card challenge and decided to have a go...

As the theme was 'Shades of Blue' I decided to attempt to create a card from scratch, so with a A4 peice of paper folded in 1/2 I stamped straight onto the card (not something I had ever done before - I usually stamp onto white card and then add this to the coloured card base).

All I need to do now is to create a envelope to match the card!

The stamps are from Little Claire Design and were coloured using my ProMarkers.

Scrapbook Papers & Embelishments for UK Armed Forces

If any of you have friends/family who have served in the UK Armed Forces you will know that it is difficult to find any paper/embellishments.

While at the RAF Waddington Air Show I happened to find a company who have just started up creating Scrapbook Papers (12x12) and embellishments for the UK Forces (Army, Navy & RAF)

Please have a look at the Uniform Memories Web Site and contact Eve Parris if you have any ideas for other papers.

Photos from Waddington

The RAF Waddington Air Show is over for another year... I am now starting to recover, but I'm thinking about heading back to bed to catch up on a bit more sleep!

I did promise photos of the birds on our stand at the Air Show... here the pictures of the 8 birds brought up from the Raptor Foundation.

10 Week old babies: Indian Eagle Owl (Left) & African Spotted Eagle Owl (Right)

Forsters Caracara

British Barn Owl

Long Eared Owl
Red-Tailed Buzzard
White Faced Scop Owl

Bateleur Eagle

Sunday, 3 July 2011

RAF Waddington Air Show - Day 2

Well day 2 has started and I ache all over. We left site at 9:30pm last night and were back on site for 7:15am this morning.

Today should be a slightly shorter day - but we will be exhausted by the end!

The weather is due to be hotter than yesterday - with no clouds :( So sun cream will be required in quantity!

I now have pictures of all 11 birds which I will post tomorrow.

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Saturday, 2 July 2011

Air Show

We were able to set up without too much trouble and got home at 9pm.

In total we have 11 birds of different types and sizes - including 2 babies at 10 weeks old.

While thing are quite (the Red Arrows are flying) I took a couple of pictures of our stand.

Pictures of the other birds will follow on Monday.

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Recently Added Images

- Art Gallery -

Levidi (Greek: Λεβίδι) is a small town and a former municipality in Arcadia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Tripoli, of which it is a municipal unit.[1] The village sits on the eastern part of the slope of the Mainalo mountains. The pine forests are surrounding the town. The valley which contains potato and mixed farming is about 500 m lower which extends up to near Kandila and is east of Levidi. The Greek National Road 74 (Tripoli - Pyrgos) passes through Levidi. It is located about 130 km SE of Patras, S of Stymfalia, about 90 km SW of Corinth, W of Argos, WNW of Sparta, N of Kalamata, NNE of Kyparissia and E of Pyrgos.

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Division of the municipality

 Πελοπόννησος - Αρκαδία - Δήμος Λεβιδίου Λεβίδι, είσοδος στο χωριό

It was the site of several battles during the Greek War of Independence from the Ottoman Empire. The surname Tsardikos originated in Levidi.

Alexandros (Alekos) Papanastasiou ( Αλέξανδρος Παπαναστασίου) (1876-1936)., "Alexander Papanastasiou Museum"

Historical population
Year Municipal district Municipality
1981 1,442 -
1991 1,142 4,334
2003 1,219 4,131

^ Kallikratis law Greece Ministry of Interior (Greek)

External links

In Greek:

Ancient Greece

Medieval Greece / Byzantine Empire

Modern Greece

Science, Technology , Medicine , Warfare, , Biographies , Life , Cities/Places/Maps , Arts , Literature , Philosophy ,Olympics, Mythology , History , Images

Science, Technology, Arts, , Warfare , Literature, Biographies, Icons, History

Cities, Islands, Regions, Fauna/Flora ,Biographies , History , Warfare, Science/Technology, Literature, Music , Arts , Film/Actors , Sport , Fashion

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/"
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License

Hellenica World

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Thursday, 18 August 2011

yaaaay for employment!

I went in and saw my boss this morning and he gave me my job back! Yaaaay :)

I gave smart/casual a go with black leggings, layered vest tops and a pink blazer

And did very simple make up with cat-eye liquid eye liner. I found the most beautiful earrings that I'd forgotten I'd bought. They are exactly the same pink as my blazer!

I also celebrated after by buying 3 Models Own nail polishes from Boots. I only paid for two as Lilac Dream is currently free when bought with any two other Models Own cosmetics (apart from the Pro range)

A great start to my day :)

xo xo

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Saturday, 10 December 2016

Merci Handi // Keeping Germs Away...

Merci Handy - hand sanitiser gel

Merci Handy, the French born lifestyle gel brand, will soon be hitting Topshop's shelves.

The little bottles contain the gel sanitiser and little emollient pearls that help soften the surface of the skin, whilst killing the nasties that we pick up on an every day basis.

Merci Handy - hand sanitiser gel

They all have their own individual scent, ranging from fruits to florals. My favourites are definitely Oh my Lemon and Cherie Cherry - I love the smell of both.
They're not sticky, and they don't leave any residue either. It's a case of popping a drop on your palms and then rubbing it across the surface of both hands, between your fingers and across the backs. Done!
From what I can tell, these products are all free of any animal derivatives and are not tested on animals, but they are packaged in China so depending on your views they may/may not be cruelty free.

You can grab your own little bottle of Merci Handy from Topshop this month for the price of £2.90/bottle* - that's less than a toffee nut toasted marshmallow caramel frappe.

I've got a sneaky lil feeling there will be more from Merci Handy, the brand that are already brightening up my every-day products.

Let me know what you think of these little bottles of love! Given the nature of my day job I don't think Cherie Cherry will have much left by the end of term...

// //////
* These products were sent to me free of charge
however, as usual, my thoughts are honest and entirely my own.
I would hands down (heh, punny) buy these of my own accord.

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19 February 2010

Franklin Mint and his horse, George of Washington

In the future robots with mullets are the upper class and they all ride a creature that is a horse spliced with a historical figure. How do I know this you ask? Cause I saw this in a vision I had when I was passed out from eating a bagel with expired cream cheese.

Joel said...

Yo this would make an awesome cartoon series!

Godfrey Tabarez said...

omg!!! this is fucking amazing1 I can't stop laughin.


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Contact Us Advertise! Newsletter
28 May 2012

Review: Werewolf Songs (Various Artists)

This is a very rich, atmospheric, and beautiful compilation album of folk music inspired by Swedish werewolf folklore. It includes artists such as Faun Fables, Hedningarna, and Birch Book! …

[read the full article]

17 Mar 2012

Review: Achega Solar (Arde Fero)

Achega Solar is a rich and beautiful adventure into archaic folk consciousness, delving into that special realm of speculation and fancy from which all tall stories of wisdom and grace descend. Its a wonderful musical achievement, and a precious listening experience. …

[read the full article]

26 Feb 2012

Review: Die Große Göttin (Falkenstein)

Falkenstein is a one-man neofolk outfit from Germany, a creative vessel for musician Tobias Franke. Its music is dark, muscular, and resonant. The songs evoke myriad images of rural, pre-modern Europe: farmland at the rim of dark forests; black, moist earth; skies pregnant with clouds. This is Romantic music, to be sure, and in the best possible sense: an evocation of nature and humanity interwoven impeccably. …

[read the full article]

29 Nov 2011

Review: Self Titled (Tuhat Kuolemaa Sekunnissa

Tuhat Kuolemaa Sekunnissa is a neofolk outfit from Finland. Their music is dreamy, earthy, and yet also muscular. It feels carved from hard wood, bristling with a raw and rough texture that feels good against one’s skin. …

[read the full article]

21 Sep 2011

Review: Somnivore (Clergy of Oneiros)

True to their name, Finnish experimentalists Somnivore have served up a dream-laden sonic voyage with their album Clergy of Oneiros. Using found sounds, samples, noisescapes, and a stately sense of drama, they’ve created an unsettling, absorbing, and subtle piece of otherworldly work. …

[read the full article]

1 Sep 2011

Review: Self-titled (Tervahäät)

Tervahäät is highly recommended for fans of folk music, ambient music, doom metal (although I stress that is is not metal by any stretch), and lovers of nature in its colder incarnations. It is not for those who cannot tolerate darkness and depth – the shallow and easily satisfied should look elsewhere. This album is both dark forest and reflective waters, and invites us to find ourselves in surprising new ways and places. …

[read the full article]

16 Jul 2011

Review: Tuhkankantajat (MAA)

Tuhkankantajat is darkness tempered with ecstasy; raw and sophisticated; deeply interior yet verging on the boundless. These Finnish masters have been quietly forging rich new possibilities for neofolk, and it seems to me only a matter of time for their influence to pervade widely. …

[read the full article]

10 Jul 2011

Review: Silver Moon Slumber (Key)

Hailing from the cold but beautiful climes of Finland, Key are purveyors of dreamy and evocative neofolk. Their new release Silver Moon Slumber is a beautiful album, at once trancelike and atmospheric. Loaded with unique groove, and resonant with inflections from New Wave, this release conjures cold but joyous landscapes in the mind’s ear. …

[read the full article]

28 Jun 2011

Review: Medicine (Marc Broude)

Medicine is a kind of ambient/experimental/jazz monster, a cold and misty dream, a delirious wandering into the frigid canyons and plateaus of frosty Niflheim. Medicine? This is shamanistic medicine, seidhr medicine, medicine of the heart, the spirit, the soul. Ordeal medicine, dancing with death, drawing us into mystery, puncturing the thin skin of self-evident, everyday life. …

[read the full article]

23 Jun 2011

Review: Restless in Flight (Forest of the Soul)

Forest of the Soul is the newest project from Nechochwen’s Andrew Della Cagna and Aaron Carey. Given the excellence of Nechochwen’s folk-black metal fusion, I had high hopes for Restless in Flight, which sees Della Cagna’s intimidating multi-instrumentality paired off with Aaron Carey’s talented guitar playing. Excellent though it is, I unfortunately fear that this release does not sit as well with me as Nechochwen’s work. …

[read the full article]

20 Feb 2011

Review: Cult of Youth (Cult of Youth)

Whether delving into psych-folk head-trips, wild western digressions, or good old foot-stomping punk anthems, Cult of Youth are always in total control – and yet always feel on the very brim of total chaos. These guys are an unstoppable juggernaut. …

[read the full article]

18 Feb 2011

Review: Possessed by the Forest Queen (Lasher Keen)

Presented as a limited edition vinyl release, Possessed by the Forest Queen is a splendorous invocation of the divinity of nature. With it US outfit Lasher Keen have well and truly proved themselves a dark and rising star in the world of folk music. …

[read the full article]

18 Feb 2011

Review: The Seven Deadly Sins: Luxuria (Various Artists)

The Seven Deadly Sins: Luxuria is a digital-only free double album compilation of post-industrial music. Organised by Schattenspiel, the release is part two of a series of compilations exploring – and indeed celebrating! – each of the seven deadly sins from Christian mythology; Luxuria is otherwise known as lust. Being a free release, you really cannot go wrong, so if anything in my review piques your interest then do not hesitate to check it out! …

[read the full article]

22 Jan 2011

Review: Anitya (The Joy of Nature)

Anitya is the final instalment of The Joy of Nature’s three part alchemical trilogy, The Empty Circle. I will state immediately that it represents a more than fitting crown to the series. Its eerie fusion of folk, ambient, and world music influences creates endless dream states and liminal visions, subtle and absorbing allusions to the lapis, the elusive goal of the alchemical process. …

[read the full article]

21 Jan 2011

Review: Godsaga (Sig:Ar:Tyr)

Sig:Ar:Tyr’s combination of metal, folk, and ambient influences gives it an appeal that draws in the listener regardless of their usual music genre preferences: Godsaga is a solid continuation of a legacy of music which really transcended conventional genre boundaries…highly recommended for anyone who likes inspiring, mythic, and stirring Heathen music. …

[read the full article]

25 Dec 2010

Review: Manifest Destiny (Various Artists)

The concept of Manifest Destiny is – as the name and artwork suggests – to give a host of American underground/post-industrial acts the opportunity for exposure to the world. Spanning neofolk, martial pop, industrial, psychedelic, and dark ambient influences, The CD includes both some well known names and some more obscure artists as well. Unfortunately as is often the case with compilation CDs it is a bit of a mixed bag. …

[read the full article]

7 Dec 2010

Review: The Bells Before Dawn (Awen)

The Bells Before Dawn is a voyage into neofolk marked by minimalist arrangements, deep male vocals, and a passion for history and heritage. …

[read the full article]

19 Nov 2010

Review: Asa (Voluspaa)

Voluspaa was born in Norway in the mid 1990’s black metal scene, but despite having been around for a while, Asa is their debut full length release. The wait was worth it: Voluspaa mastermind Freddy Skogstad has done a brilliant job orchestrating these epic, atmospheric, and evocative songs into a beautiful collection of folk-infused black metal (and at times…the reverse). …

[read the full article]

17 Nov 2010

Review: Runaljod ~ Gap Var Ginnunga (Wardruna)

Runa means mystery, and to me the word mystery conjures a dark, cloud-stained horizon, a pregnant foreboding, a sense of awe in the face of the wilds of nature. This album is an exploration of the spirit of the runes (eight of them to be exact), and insofar as it evokes exactly these same images…I have to pronounce it a brilliant success. …

[read the full article]

10 Nov 2010

Review: Der Verborgene Gott (Art Abscons)

I guess the old Nietzschean Gay Science comes to mind in listening to this recording – because although it lightly dances across one’s ears, it certainly is not frivolous or light-weight. There’s a seeming effortlessness to the creative spark of this music, which celebrates darkness and light; intimacy and spaciousness. …

[read the full article]


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Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Failure to Communicate

I'm not going to make it to 100 posts this year.  Maybe I'll do better in 2012.

For Christmas, my girlfriend bought two copies of Star Wars The Old Republic and it has taken up much of my spare time.  Thus, the lack of blogging.  My youngest daughter saw us playing it and was awe inspired and said she wanted a copy too.  So, now, we three have spent our vacation time sitting around the fireplace with laptops tucked snugly on our laps fighting the misguided Separatists or the evil Imperialists.  It's been a blast.  There's nothing quite like getting your first "real" light saber at level 10.  I walk on the dark side while they sleep.

Tomorrow, we're driving to New Orleans and will spend New Year's there.  We'll be coming home on the 2nd,  I've never been to New Orleans before.  I'm kind of looking forward to it.

I had an epiphany regarding Ron Paul and the Libertarian Party.  I might have to share it with you after I've worked out the details.  It's an epiphany that has lead me to believe that I might need to become a Democrat.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

I believe in Astrology.  I've discovered through scientific methodology that by talking to people, I can easily and correctly predict their astrological signs 8.3333% of the time.

That was just a setup for this rather dull, but interesting video.

Monday, December 19, 2011

American Football News

It's often strange how the government comes up with its "punishments" for crimes.

This weekend's football escapades brought this to the forefront of my thoughts. Chicago Bears wide receiver Sam Hurd was fired (err, cut from the roster) for allegedly purchasing drugs for distribution. Sources say 1,000 pounds of Marijuana along with some cocaine.

Throw your feelings about drugs out the window for a second. I know some people hate drugs for one reason or another and that's okay. But, according to the allegations all he did was attempt to purchase a large quantity of Marijuana and cocaine. He wasn't accused of robbing anyone. He wasn't accused of shooting anyone. He wasn't even accused of being mean to anyone.

If he's found guilty, he'll spend a minimum of 10 years in prison. A minimum. I looked it up here.  I don't really feel like doing too much verification, but it seems right.  I went here too, but it was like a legal rabbit hole from hell.

Now, let's go back a few years to Michael Vick.  He confessed to being a player in dog fighting activities.  This is, at a minimum, cruel to animals.  He may not have been hurting people, but he was hurting domestic animals.  Something capable of feeling pain was being hurt for his entertainment.  How much time did he spend?  A little less than 2 years.

If my understanding is correct, not hurting someone, but purchasing something the government says you can't purchase (10+ years).  Being cruel to animals (up to 24 months).  Go figure.

In unrelated news, Romo said something about not trying so hard to correct for his teammate's mistakes.  They need to send that boy to leadership training.  And send me to reporting school because I didn't write down what he said.  It was funny though.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

The English Language

One of my lovely children the other day was complaining about the English language.  I think she may have asked how I was feeling and I said, "With my hands."  Then she said, "I hate the English language!"

It was probably more in depth than that, but my mind is drawing a blank at the moment.  Is that like getting a blank from the well after throwing the water bucket down or trying to etch what you are thinking on a piece of paper and coming up with nothing?  Which analogy is it?

If the English language were to change to have definite pronunciations and meanings for all the words, we'd lose an entire industry of comedy.

I was watching an Eddy Murphy movie in Germany once.  It was one that I had already watched in the USA so I kind of knew the dialogue and the funny parts.  My favorite part in the English version is when he's walking up to the big doors of the house, looks at his wife and says, "Look at those knockers."  Watching it in German, in Germany, with a bunch of Germans and no one even snickered (except me).

My favorite Three Stooges skit is when they are about to be executed, but decide they have to eat something first so they can digest (die just) right.

What lead down this path of fun is after 40 some odd years, I've just discovered that I've been pronouncing groin wrong all my life.  I just recently thought I pulled my groin, but have now decided it's a nasty bursitis in my hip.

I've been telling everyone I've met that I pulled my groin.  Often this happens after they look at me questioningly during one of my shuffling episodes.  After I tell them I've pulled my groin, they laugh at me.  "What's so funny?" I query, "My groin really hurts!"

Then, they have to tell me, "It's pronounced gro een, not gro in."  Then I have to argue, but it gets nowhere because people come out of the woodwork to laugh at me.  I still can't pronounce it right.  I can't pronounce it left either.  Because it's still there.

Today, I finally went to dictionary.com to hear the correct pronunciation.  As you all know everything you learn on the Internet is gospel.  I'm still recovering from the truth.  You should hear me say bursitis.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Cynical News Fun

I haven't blogged in weeks and no one has complained!  I'm mortified.  I'm never going to make it to 100 by the end of the year.  My topics are becoming consistently more narrow minded and cynical.  Not a good way to end the year.

When I firsted start writing this feeble blog, I'd get bent out of shape around the "political" season which seems to be starting sooner and sooner.  It gets to the point that it's so irritating I don't even like thinking about it, much less writing about it.

In case you haven't been paying attention, I don't really care much for American politics.  It's like watching a TV evangelist pay for infomercials trying to convince you how honest he is.  There's no such thing.  It's a waste of time and money.

But, the only thing worse than a bunch of politicians blowing their horns and lying about their indiscretions is the news outlets and America's gullibility.  Admittedly, sometimes the news is true or maybe there is a hint of truth, but more often than not, it's not the whole truth and it's always spun in a way to make the most cash and/or do the most damage.

So why do we believe them all the time?  You know they make things as dramatic as humanly possible for higher ratings.  Think about it.

If I own a television network and I don't want someone to be elected into public office all I have to do is go find someone, pay them some money, and have them say something derogatory about the candidate.  It doesn't matter how stupid it is.  It doesn't matter how true it is.  Just make something up.  The more derogatory and exciting the better!  Americans trust the news and they love drama.

I'm kind of old fashioned.  I trust my instincts.  I don't believe anything the news says about Herman Cain.  I don't care much except it irks me that people believe it.  I was out at a bar and this girl was telling me that he raped four women.  Really?  Where did you hear that?  Have you met Herman Cain personally?  Why are we so quick to judge?  I'd never believe that about anyone until I was able to sit at a bar with them long enough to get them nice and inebriated.  Then, the truth would emerge.

I don't trust anything the news says about anyone.  The reason I didn't like Herman Cain was because he was too religious.  I won't vote for anyone that mentions the need for more faith, religion or God in our lives.  If you think God's going to fix our problems then I won't be voting for you.  Moron.

You are correct, I'm not voting for Newt Gingrich either.  Nobody is trying to remove "the Creator" from your life Mr. Gingrich, but we don't need the government mandating our relationship or lack of relationship with Him either.  Let them tell you who to believe in and next thing you know they'll be telling you who to marry.  'Doh!  Well, I guess we're a little late for that.


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Recruitment for the project Unbreakable!

Are you the toughest of the toughest, are you Unbreakable?! This spring’s Unbreakable was a success and we are now recruiting for this year’s project group.

Are you willing to take on the challenge to make 2017’s version even better? If you are interested in arranging events, sports, sales, marketing etc, I truly recommend you to apply. We are looking for project managers, salespersons, marketing managers and event managers. This is quite a new project so we welcome creative ideas!

About the event:

Unbreakable is mainly an obstacle race for students. It is conceived at HHUS but is open for everybody at Umeå University. The goal of Unbreakable is to inspire students to meet, network and live a healthier life. The race is meant to be a fun challenge for everybody, irregardless of experience level.

As a part of the project group you will have the opportunity cooperate in a fun group of students, take on exciting challenges and partake in shaping Unbreakable. It’s also an excellent chance to strengthen your CV with something unique!

So what are you waiting for? Apply today!

13417040_970668003053798_1091287058526082668_o 13415455_970669063053692_6832751614727817378_o

We are recruiting:

◊ Marketer:
– Create ideas and media for posts on social media. Experience with photo and video software (Photoshop, iMovie etc.) is a plus, but not a requirement.

◊ Communicator:
– Meet students and share information about Unbreakable (booth in Lindellhallen, lecture presentations, give out flyers etc.)

◊ Training leader
– Lead a weekly workout for students in preparation of Unbreakable.

◊ Race-chief
– Responsible for race track and obstacles, coordinate for volunteers on race day.

◊ Social organizer
– Plan EPP and sittning

◊ Track-designer
– Design the track and create exciting obstacles.

◊ Company coordinator
– Responsible for cooperation with companies and sponsors.

 ◊ Company and sponsor contact (2 pers)
– Contact and set up collaborations with companies and sponsors.

Your application should contain:
-  Your name, class and contact information.
-  A short presentation about youself.
-  What you want to learn and/or contribute with.
-  If you are interested in any particularly position.

Write “Unbreakable” in the mail subject line and send you application too

If you have any questions please contact

The project will extends to 13th May
Last day to apply is 12th February!!


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by Andy SmithPosted on

Oil painter Alex Garant, also known as “Queen of Double Eyes,” brings a new collection of works to Arch Enemy Arts in Philadelphia. “Viscera,” which kicks off Friday (Jan. 6) and runs through Jan. 28, features four new paintings and three ink studies. The ink works are intended to represent a broader trinity of life: mother, daughter, and spirit. Garant was last featured on here.


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Holy Qur'an
And Islam

Revised 2nd Edition
Zahir Ebrahim

Copyright © 2003-2015 by Zahir Ebrahim
All rights reserved.
Revised 2nd Edition 2015
Words: 292088 | Pages: 1100 | 6x9 | Fri, September 11, 2015 12:00 am
Published by Project HumanbeingsfirstTM
The Plebeian Antidote to Hectoring Hegemons
This free education edition may be reproduced verbatim-only.
Copyright © Zahir Ebrahim. Project-Humanbeingsfirst-Reprint-License Verbatim-only reproduction of this book, or its self-contained chapters, for non-profit educational use to raise public awareness is encouraged. No derivative work is permitted. Full permission to copy, repost, and reprint, in its entirety, verbatim, unmodified and unedited, for any “fair-use” purpose in the public interest, in any reproduction medium, granted provided this copyright notice page is also reproduced verbatim as part of this reprint license, and not doing so may be subject to copyright license violation infringement claims pursuant to remedies noted at All images, quotations and excerpts are based on non-profit “fair-use” for personal education and research, and for documenting war crimes and mass deception in the public interest, consistent with the understanding of laws noted at Partial replication or dissemination of this book with any page omitted is an infringement. Any use beyond non-profit fair-use requires written consent from all copyright holders. Notices at Home website
This book is typeset in StarOffice 7 and OpenOffice 4

Zahir Ebrahim
Political Islam

Current Affairs / Religion / Islam / Psychology / Sociology / Empire Studies

Why is the Holy Qur'an
so easy to Hijack?

This book which you now hold in your hands, Hijacking The Holy Qur'an And Its Religion Islam – Muslims and Imperial Mobilization, 2015 Revised Second Edition, abbreviated to Hijacking Holy Qur'an And Islam, is a mini compendium of topics at the intersection of religion of Islam and political science. It is a case study in social engineering, of why the Holy Qur'an is so easy to misinterpret for self-interests, and consequently, so easy to hijack for “imperial mobilization”. The book is not about faith or on proselytizing Islam, but about understanding the mechanics of power and how it makes the public mind to achieve global primacy using “Islam” as the bogeyman.
The religion of Islam since its inception had been hijacked into an absolutist system for the exercise of imperial power by Muslim rulers. Anyone on the throne or the pulpit could interpret the verses of the Holy Qur'an any which way they liked, simply by making recourse to outside narratives written by their own favored scribes. By thus fixing the values of the Indeterminates in the Holy Qur'an to suit narrow self-interests, it was easy to hijack Islam to motivate the public to accept Muslim empires in the name of Islam. Fanning the flames of gratuitous interpretations by overzealous scholars and fixing these Indeterminates throughout the ages with partisan and imperial narratives, reinforced different socialized interpretations among the masses of the same common text of the Holy Qur'an. It made divide et impera (divide and rule) even simpler.
How is one to prevent the hijacking of the Holy Qur'an from a self-serving understanding for oneself due to the inevitable socialization and perception biases, before one can even begin to interdict the pious pulpits and superpower think-tanks hijacking Islam for imperial mobilization? Hegemony, they say, is as old as mankind. Can it be effectively resisted? Or, is mankind doomed to the perpetual battle of Darwinian primacy until the Last Days?

Hijacking the Holy Qur'an and Islam 2015 2nd Edition

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About Our Parks

Dedication, Veteran’s Day, 2009

Hillsdale has two wonderful parks: the Hamlet Park behind Town Hall and the Roeliff Jansen Park, just south of the Hamlet. The land of the Hamlet Park was donated to the Town after World War II and designated as a memorial for those who served. The Roe Jan Park is on land owned by New York State (in the northernmost part of the Town of Copake) and is managed by the Town of Hillsdale.

Jill Sims-Elster – Chair,  Parks and Recreation

Over the years, the park behind Hillsdale Town Hall has been home to town celebrations, summer youth programs, softball games, Egg Hunts and many other events. On Veteran’s Day in November 2009, we dedicated a much expanded memorial, pictured here, to those from Hillsdale who served in both World Wars, Korea and Vietnam. In recent years, the Hamlet Park has been home for giant Memorial Day Flea Markets and a Farmer’s Market (much expanded and moved to the Roe Jan Park).

A scenic 300-acre farm and four-season, community-managed park with trails, alfalfa and corn fields, public parking and gorgeous views. Located just south of the Hamlet of Hillsdale, look for the entrance sign on the east side of Route 22 below a small bridge that crosses the Roeliff Jansen Kill. A walk in the park here.

Roe Jan Park


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Friday, 6 June 2014

Flower Dream Catcher, Russian Doll and Fern's Flower on Birthday

Having +40C and above in day time, air feels like hot "milk" if you walk out, it is not possible for me to be without air conditioning and fans on, craving for juicy fruits and milk shakes - all that means that the Indian Summer has put its foot firmly in the city. I have a hope (a tiny one) that by the mid July the weather will get "better", however most probably it is going to be humid then, the monsoon season will be on its way.
Meanwhile I am getting more and more worried for all the things which need to be done in the house - cleaning, rearranging, refurbishing etc. I read somewhere not to try to get all done, not to stress and exhaust yourself - easy to say. When having a baby is no more just a "talk" but a reality you cannot help but keep on thinking how all is going to be. In order to divert that persistent thinking I devote some of my evenings to craft activities.
"Aunt Alexandra was hooking a rug and not watching us, but she was listening. She sat in her chair with her workbasket beside it, her rug spread across her lap.  Why ladies hooked woolen rugs on boiling nights never became clear to me".- a quote from Nelle Harper Lee's "To Kill a  Mockingbird". Okay, so I don't weave any blankets these hot days but on a "lighter" side. I remembered that many years ago I made a crochet wrist band with cross stitch floss which thought gave me another one "why not to use the cotton floss for something other than cross stitch again?". The inspiration for that "something" was also one broken plastic curtain ring. At first I did't know what I was going to do with the emerged flower but then... okay you know how the ideas are born - it turned out to be a flower dream catcher I made almost two weekends ago. I love it! The thread colors make me happy and the colored wooden beads which are actually embellishments from some scrunchy finally found their use. I blocked the flower and now it hangs above our heads on the wall.
But where is the Russian Doll? Here she is in her new custom frame, and I shall tell about the experience.
It was done from a local shop which deals in making of frames for photos and pictures. It seemed natural to me to do the same for a cross stitch picture. My D went with me to the market, we chose a frame and I (fingers crossed) handed over the Russian doll to a shopkeeper. After three days he gave it back: it looked nice, my first ever hand made work under the glass but.. it was tilted! Obviously that the person who executed framing had no idea of how to actually do it. I regretted that I simply didn't customize a frame and didn't do the fitting myself. Well, now it cannot be undone and I like my Russian doll as she is, though slightly constricted.
Yesterday was my D's birthday. Yey! I made something special for him this year - Slavic vedic amulet called in Russian "obereg". The symbol itself is called "Fern's flower". It was my first such kind of cross stitch and I enjoyed creating it. I put it in a hand made frame, and we will be hanging it on the wall in our room so that he can see it every day and get charged with its energy.
I needed to decorate it with oak leaves and acorns and found a very cute cross stitch pattern which I altered a little. Now I really want to cross stitch oak leaves and acorns alone :) Maybe to add some forest berries too?

Have a happy weekend ahead, my dears!
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Friday, August 05, 2005

Friday, August 05, 2005

And so Goose was here...

Posted by Hippo Bean at 11:05 PM Links to this post
"I will hide when he comes!" The Hippo said. "Dont be such a baby. You gotta meet him." said Tomo. "But if he meets me he will know how lame the Hippo really is. I've worked hard to create that image and he might even think the Hippo was cool, you know". "Well, he's gotta find out sooner or later." Sigh. I really do want to meet the Goose in person but I'm so boring, dull and lame, I was just afraid he'd discovered the real me and laugh.

After a 3 hr bumper to bumper on HI-1, I've simply forgotten that I should be nervous and so when I turned around the corner and spotted them (he) standing in front of the video room at MBARI, I wasnt afraid anymore. The Goose was exactly how I imagined him to be, only a bit quieter, more soft-spoken, taller and all americanized. I think I managed OK until later that day, during our seafood dinner at Phil's, after a few sips of my favorite Blackstone Merlot, suddenly I remember I should be nervous. Well, the wine, as usual, did the opposite effect on me. Made kinda sleepy and the nerves gave. I got tongue tied. Later when we finally took them back to the hotel in Monterey, while M and Tomo kept on chatting away, unwilling to part company, Goose and I was standing on the other side of the Chick Magnet, silent as a lamb. So when he was finally next to me in flesh and blood, I got nothing to say. After all this was the guy who made a pilgrimage to Hippo's birthplace, who taught me everytime I know about web development, and now that he was finally here, standing next to me, I got nothing to say to him. Another deja vu, didnt this happen with some other guy, some other time, not long ago, in some other place? Sounds like the story of my life. I'm not one for small talk, and I remembered discussing silence with him, so I hope he didnt think I forgot my manners (I dont have any to begin with!) or that I didnt like him or anything like that. It was, well, a bit embarrassed and I was hoping Tomo would come to my rescue, but he was enjoying M too much to remember me. Finally it's time for the goodbyes and only then did I dare to touch,, with both hands, his clean shaven face, like I had wanted to do, on one brief moment, oh so long ago (I couldnt really remember why I had wanted to do this, only that I've promised myself, if I ever met him in the flesh, this was something I would do).

Dunno what he thought of me (I wont even dare to ask!) . I just hope I didnt scary the shit out of him.

"I'm so proud of ya, Hippo, so glad you didnt chicken out. So, what did you think?" asked Tomo, on our way back. "I had a honest to God good time, and it wasnt scary at all".

Hm, truth be told, I really hate these kinds of meeting. After 7 years, one would build up some kind of image about someone, and the tone of writing may or may not coincide with the tone of a real voice. But I have no fantasies about this guy. He's just what his words said he was. Wouldnt it be nice if everyone was like him?

M was very nice and less scary than I thought. She's really more down to earth than Goose made her to be. She even laughed at my jokes. I thought I would just desintegrate into splinters at the sight of her. But she was a lot nicer and likable than I've imagined.

Now there would be no more mysteries in my life. Now everytime I write to Goose, his face with a shy smile would materialize in my head , and I no longer think of him of simply just a virtual thought in my mind.

HippoBlog Copyright © 2012 Design by Antonia Sundrani- Vinte e poucos


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Category Archives: travel

Fashionable Pooches Go to the Vet in Style

People love their pets! Dogs and cats seem like family members to most of us. So when your little animal needs the care and attention of a veterinarian you need to find an animal hospital with caring staff that can make things right. Obviously, you want to work with a vet clinic near you if …

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SXSW 2017: Key Takeaways on Digital Marketing

SXSW 2017: Key Takeaways on Digital Marketing

Posted on Mar 13, 2017 by Emily Ballard

The world of marketing is ever-evolving, and though there is no universal marketing strategy that will “just work” for every type of company, some marketing professionals make it seem like they possess the secret formula. Now that digital marketing has taken over, there are many new aspects of marketing that we must take into consideration when creating our marketing strategies. I went to multiple masterclasses on digital marketing that were held during weekend one of SXSW, and I’m here to share my key takeaways on where to focus your efforts when creating your digital marketing strategy.

Digital Marketing:

Lawrence O’Connor spoke on the fundamentals of marketing and shared in-depth, valuable information on how to understand your target market. While I found the entire masterclass extremely valuable, these are the key points I took away when focusing on digital marketing:

  1. Know your business. Ask yourself these questions: Why does my business exist? Why should anyone care? What am I not willing to compromise? What are my goals and how will I get there?
  2. Don’t skip testing and keep track of your data. Try both qualitative and quantitative testing. For qualitative you can focus on surveys and interviews and for quantitative focus on user engagement. When focusing on engagement, always pay attention to your analytics. If you are constantly recording your analytics, you will see what is working for you and what’s not.
  3. Recognize which platform your target market uses most. From your data, you will see trends emerge for where the most engagement is occurring. You can then increase your engagement with your core-users, through strategic interactions in social media.

Creating Your Social Media Strategy:

Vin Clancy, social media expert and owner of Traffic and Copy, shared his insight on how to grow your business using only social media. Through his in-depth presentation covering social media strategies, the main focal points that stuck out for me were:

  1. Add value. Bring your expertise to the table and offer your knowledge. Nothing beats staying genuine and true to who you are.
  2. Show up every day. Posting every single day on social media keeps you relevant, and people will create a connection with you. Keep your content fresh and relevant, and focused when engaging with your followers.
  3. Use content scheduling. There are multiple websites such as Buffer, Hootsuite and Spredfast that you can schedule content up to months in advance on multiple platforms at a time. These are great tools to use when you are trying to reach your audience through multiple platforms, on a daily basis.

Both of these masterclasses dug way deeper into these marketing strategies and covered topics of which I could only scratch the surface with this post. These key takeaways will help in understanding the basics of digital marketing, and are essential to the early development of your marketing strategies.

The Guide to Take Big Brand Ideas by Rediscovering Your Own- Part Two: Fresh Content

Posted on Dec 05, 2012 by Amy Kauffman

There is a reason that there are thousands of articles online that address ways to improve your company’s social media presence — Social media is fun to talk about, tough to implement and an even bigger challenge for companies to be creative and stay consistent.

The truth is there is no cut and dry answer to social media. It’s subjective, ever-changing and ideas must be adapted to fit your business and brand. Wait, what was that? Yes, adapted means you have to do some work. Perhaps this is why so many struggle with social media. We hear words like “strategy” and “content creation” and we automatically cringe at the thought of where we should start climbing this beast of a social media mountain.  It’s simply too much work. Your company is not that complex, Right? (These are probably some of the same people who said four years ago, “I don’t have time for social media” or “My customers don’t use Facebook.”) Think again.

“Shop the World, Steal from the Best.”

You do learn some things in school. An advertising professor at The University of Texas said the above quote and it holds true for many aspects of marketing in any industry. (Don’t take the word “steal” literally, please.) Shop around for strategy and tactic ideas like Instant Profits with Instagram . Check out all kinds of brands and companies across the board, on Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter. Note what you love and what you don’t. Take a look at regional competitors in your space and similar companies in your industry across the country. See how they engage fans from contests, images, blogs and other creative ways like highlighting clients or staff. Save pages that impress you and that you would one day like to achieve. Even if you aren’t sure how to implement something immediately, put it on a wish list so it can be top-of-mind when planning.  Social media is an a la carte approach, shop away.

Think Big, Be Simple, Stay Fresh.

This section is key to implementation. (Where most of us drop off, me included.) Don’t be overwhelmed or discouraged after looking at brands like Coke or Chobani; adapt (ahem, work) their tactics into your own social strategy. Note: Be sure to share unique content on each social media platform, not everything on Twitter needs to be on Facebook and vice versa.  Remember no company is too small to utilize these ideas; you just have to make them your own and don’t over complicate the concepts. Below are some items to think about and examples on what to adopt and why.

  • Relevancy:  This goes back to your audience. Take current industry news and re-write your own opinion in a short blog post or repost to your fans. You don’t always need to start from scratch or re-create the wheel.  If a story is timely, your followers will be more likely to engage.
  • Consistency:  This is about expectations. If you are consistent with posts, fans will know what to expect.  One good tactic is posting specific content each day of the week; you can try utilizing weekly hashtags the community will look forward to and share, posting tips or advice on certain days — make it fun, be creative, but be consistent.
  • Engagement: Remember, your job is to stimulate desire and action from your audience; how you do that is determined by your goals and creativity. Pictures and videos are one of the best ways to get instant engagement and can be an opportunity for fans to share among their friends.  Don’t constantly pitch your work , but this is a great way to do it, sparingly.  Offer a coupon, have a small contest or solicit feedback from your followers. Whatever combination you choose, offer value, be genuine and ask for engagement — your audience will respond.
  • Quality of Posts/Credibility: The more cohesive your approach is, the more credibility you will have. Want to become a credible resource? Provide advice related to your industry, share industry events, community happenings, quotes from experts and of course your own words as well.  Make sure you provide value to your fans and loyalty will follow.

Don’t be Afraid to Flop.

Social media is a living breathing strategy. You aren’t always going to score a home run but you have to start somewhere.   Now is the time when you can come up with actionable items. When you make your own rules, you are more likely to abide and succeed. The goal to creating fresh content and injecting big brand ideas starts by reevaluating yours.

Have some success stories of your own? More ideas to share?  Comment and help other professionals stay creative when delivering social media content.


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Monday, January 12, 2015

Oh Canada

2015 is going to be the best year EVER and we started it off right with a weekend trip to Canada Land. The purpose of our trip was three-fold: my 31st birthday, a "babymoon", and a literature conference for Andrew. Andrew has been before, but I hadn't, and it was non-stop fun!

Thursday and Sunday were mostly travel days flying from LAX to Vancouver and back so we really only had 2 days to see the sights. We spent Friday in Vancouver and Saturday in Victoria.

We lucked out as far as weather with barely a drizzle and temps in the 40's.

My favorite part was walking through Stanley Park and seeing the Vancouver skyline.
 I've really perfected the "self-timer" function on my camera.
Never mind the funny looks from strangers walking by.
 Andrew met with an editor as the MLA (Modern Language Association) conference in the convention center. We checked out the Winter Olympic Opening Ceremony location and walked around the city.

We rode the city bus to Granville Island and scoped out the public market.

Saturday (my birthday) morning, we got up at 6 am and rode a train to a bus to the ferry that would take us to another bus to spend the day in Victoria. Sounds complicated, but we saved ourselves from spending $400 on airfare and actually really enjoyed the ferry ride. We even saw orca whales way off in the distance.

We walked through beautiful gardens.
 We got fish and chips at fisherman's wharf.
 We went to the infamous Empress Hotel and admired all the beautiful Victorian architecture.
 We walked around Beacon Hill Park.
 And got chased by mallards.
 We took our picture in front of the Parliament building. So pretty!
 And with that, our baby moon birthday weekend of fun is over.

Christmas, New Year's, Graduation

2 weeks into the new year seems like the perfect time to update the ol' blog with holiday pictures, no? Here's just a couple snapshots of our December...

We celebrated Christmas with family.
 Beach pictures with mom, dad, sisters Melissa and Kristie, brother in law Tyler.
Oliver even had his own stocking this year...
made out of the fabric left over from our wedding reception seven years ago. My mom is so crafty!
 Grampa (Santa Jesus as we referred to him) got way into the holiday spirit.
 The day after Christmas we had a party celebrating Andrew getting his PhD

 We rang in the New Year with Andrew's family.
I dressed up as a disco ball!
And I've been busy hitting up the after Christmas sales ever since.
Hope your 2015 is off to a good start!


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Wednesday, August 19, 2015

5 months

You guys, I gotta be honest... it just keeps getting BETTER!!!
Every month I'm all "THIS, THIS MONTH is the best!"
For realsies though, month # FIVE is fantastic!
This boy is happy ALL the time. He smiles for the camera like we trained him in utero...
we did in fact train him in utero (hello all those 4d ultrasounds!)

We had our first tent-camping experience. 2 nights at Palomar Mountain. He camped like a champ. And I finally caved and bought the BOB revolution jogger so we could do more rugged hiking trails. Love it! My B-Agile is still my fav for everyday strolling and shopping, but the BOB is great for mud and more involved hikes. In short, I collect ALL the baby gear. No really, we have one baby, but 2 strollers, 6 different carriers (ergo, k'tan, 2 bjorns, 3 slings, etc.), 2 swings, a mamaroo, 2 pack 'n plays, a rock 'n sleep, 2 high chairs and a bumbo, 3 floor mats, and the list goes on. You never know what you're going to need, right? Do I need to be admitted to some kind of hoarders anonymous program? Perhaps.
And it literally takes NOTHING to make this boy happy. I say his name in my most high pitched voice and he squeals. It is the best!

Personality for days, this one. And we are so, so grateful for him and his sweet little spunky spirit. And those chubby cheeks too!

Friday, August 7, 2015

New Home Tour

**This is mostly for my parents who want to see our new place but haven't been able to face time yet**
Last Saturday we packed up our little 2 bedroom apartment and settled into our new 3 bedroom townhome. Grab a cup of coffee and a snack and come along for a quick tour...
We rented the medium sized U-Haul and still had to make 2 trips. We could have made 3. A lot of our stuff is STILL at our old apartment, but we have it through the end of the month so no rush :) #hoarderproblems

We can fit one car in the garage, maybe both once all the boxes are unpacked, but it will be tight. Our washer and dryer are also in the garage which is less than ideal, but I can't complain because hey! Cheers for not having to lug our laundry to the Laundromat! It's the little things.

Here is the front door... not much to look at now, but once I unpack my wreaths and exterior décor we'll spruce it up a bit.

Right when you walk in is a wall of mirrors. Don't let your eyes deceive you, we still only have 2 dogs. And they still LOVE photo bombing all my pictures.

 To the right is the living room, to the left is the garage, and there is under stairs storage and a half bathroom downstairs.  There are 2 bathrooms upstairs, but they are admittedly hideous so there will not be any potty pics. You're welcome. We're talking pastel floral wall paper from 1987, why? Just why?
Living Room
 This living room layout is wonky, but trying to work around a corner fireplace is just plain tricky. I wish we had more seating, but it is what it is. Luckily most of my sitting down time is playing on the floor with Oliver and there's plenty of floor space for that.
The first decorating task I completed was, of course, the "Walliver".  There's a few new pics from the Summer if you zoom in.
 This house is relatively small, like 1,300 square feet, but it has vaulted ceilings and natural light so it doesn't feel too cramped. Oh, and the living room has a hobbit door so there's that!

Dining Room

 The kitchen's not really my style, but que sera... it's not like I spend any time in the kitchen anyway :)
 Thank you Craigslist for all the patio furniture! Let it be said that it was a BEAST to store all of that in our apartment the last couple weeks... I should have taken a picture of that! Let's just say it was not worthy of my "Decorating Small Spaces" board on pinterest.

There's even a small balcony off the master suite where I can sip a cup of tea and read a book. make sure the childproof door is latched securely. It is. Bonus of this place is the last family that lived here had kids and childproofed everything. Yay! My work here is done!

We hang out on the patio a lot and we're looking forward to fun pool days. Here's a little aerial view of the neighborhood...

Back inside... when you go upstairs, the master bedroom is on the left and the other two bedrooms and bathroom are on the right. Oh, I need to rehang those sconces more evenly. Oops. Chalk it up to short people problems. I can't see that high!

The terrifying landing at the top of the stairs... baby proofing that asap!

Oliver's nursery on the left, guest room on the right.

 There's all these weird window ledges in this house... this one holds a changing table perfectly, but I don't know what to do with the other ones. Add a cushion and make a seating area? It makes hanging curtains positively impossible. But yay! I don't have to bother hanging curtains.

We collect old copies of Oliver Twist. And our last name is Hoag, practically hog, so now we collect pigs too I guess :)

 The master bedroom isn't finished yet... not even unpacked yet really. But here's a peek anyway.

The bad news is the closet is full and I still have 16 tuft totes of shoes, clothes, and purses to unpack. Womp womp.

So much work to do! But it's my last weekend of Summer and we're off for a camping trip with friends. Happy weekend everyone!


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YMCA Summer Learning
The Hobart Family YMCA is excited to offer a  new summer program in partnership with the School City of Hobart.  The Summer Learning Loss Prevention Program is a 6-week program for a limited number of first-graders and second-graders who are most in need of academic support.  Through this national outreach initiative, the Y will assist students who are reading below grade level to increase reading skills, be more excited about learning, and improve self-confidence.   If you believe that your student would benefit from this program, please speak to your student's principal or interventionist.


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Home » » Premam (2015)

Premam (2015)

Full Premam in HD Quality

Now you can download full Premam in HD format with duration 165 Min and has been launched in 2015-05-29 and MPAA rating is 3.

  • Original Title : Premam
  • Movie title in your country : Premam
  • Year of movie : 2015
  • Genres of movie : Comedy, Music, Romance,
  • Status of movie : Released
  • Release date of movie : 2015-05-29
  • Companies of movie : Anwar Rasheed Entertainment,
  • Countries of movie : India,
  • Language of movie : ,
  • Durationof movie : 165 Min
  • Average vote of movie : 7.5
  • Youtube ID of movie : nCWzNhSjNwc
  • Translation of movie : EN,
  • Actors of movie :Nivin Pauly (George David), Sai Pallavi (Malar), Anupama E Parameshwaran (Mary George), Madonna Sebastian (Celine), Vinay Forrt (College Lecturer), Sabareesh Varma (Shambu), Krishnasankar (Koya), Maniyanpilla Raju (College Principal), Willson Joseph (Jojo), Soubin Shahir (PT Master), Alphonse Putharen (Roney Varghese), Renji Panicker (David), Jude Anthany Joseph (Dolly D'Cruz), Sharafudheen (Giri Rajan)

Movie synopsis of Premam :

Download full Premam in Best Look with movie synopsis "Three stages in George's life, and three girls he encounters in each stage." in high definition format. Play full Premam in High Definition Format by clicking the download link.

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Director : Alphonse Putharen, Producer : Anwar Rasheed, Songs : Sabareesh Varma, Music : Rajesh Murugesan, Cinematography : Anand C. Chandran, Editor : Alphonse Putharen, Writer : Alphonse Putharen

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Monday, 3 June 2013

The time of our lives #9

Hey beautiful ones!
Hope your weeks have started well, and you had lovely weekends!
Today I bring you the second half of my May Insta updates!
I genuinely can't believe that we're now half way through the year, like flipping heck! Where has all that time gone!
The second half of May, saw me finish my exams, go on holiday and much more!
So here's the tail end of my May through my instagram lens, enjoy! Oh and if you've got instagram remember to follow me, 'holljc' is my user name. Or you can click the insta icon to your left or here
Doing annoying English revision/I found Nemo! From a pretty freaking awesome night at Group/Cookie's are yum yum yum/OOTD for a friend's birthday bbq/Love these girls, at the bbq/Tea in my little mermaid mug...
Love wearing my Ale Hop ring/Love this picture of me and my best friend Maddie from the fancy dress party/Group picture at the fancy dress party including some of my favourite people ever/Revision for my final exam/One of my favourite Graze pots, so so yummy/Finished all my AS exams! Woop...
Using all my old Vogues as a laptop rest/Listening to Disney on my crafty day/This is what over 5 years of hoarded magazines looks like (photo doesn't do it justice)/I spent the afternoon making an origami bird mobile using the dowels from one of the Crafty Creatives kits!/This months Nylon had just arrived, featuring Avril!/Love my new Shop Dixi ring...
Ootd for our family 'break' (I wasn't allowed to call it a holiday)/Beautiful day in Stratford/The Cotswolds really is a very pretty place/Me in the sun/A toilet and Costa stop on the way home/Me in the Cotswolds next to some pretty flowers on a pretty house...
My Graze box arrived/Love my new magnet from our holiday, quoting Midsummer Nights Dream/So so yummy!/Found one of my old beanies in the back of one of my draws/Wrapping my mums birthday presents/This months company arrived...
Putting my new colourful alphabet letter magnets in my Honeydukes jar from the Harry Potter studio tour/This picture makes me happy, love all my crazy friends/Starbucks at the Bullring/Nandos for the first time/Mine and my mum's first Bubble teas, they won't be the last!/Nice little ootd!

So there you have it, everything that happened in the second half of my May, according to my instagram feed! So remember to follow me, 'holljc' if you want to keep up to date with all my little adventures. I've also added a mini live feed to the side bar, so you can check what's going on over there too!
Oh, and whether you're a follower new or old, remember to enter my giveaway! It ends on Saturday, so you've got lots of time left! All you have to do is click the icon to the left (or here) and fill out the rafflecopter form.
I'd just like to reiterate what I said in my last post, I'm doing work experience for the week, today was my first day, so I'm not gonna have as much time to blog. So if you're thinking it's a little quiet over here, that's why!
Have you got instagram? Do you like these kind of posts? Have you entered my giveaway yet?
Love and cuddles
God bless
post signature

  1. Great photos! Well done on finishing your exams... I finished my As exams too :D feels good doesn't it haha! All the food looks so yummy xx

  2. I love these type of posts, and your style is always so pretty, love the ring and the cookie looks so yummy

    Ellen // A little bit Unique // Facebook // Bloglovin

  3. Wow, I hope you loved Nandos! ;) Such a cute mug and I really like your ombre jumper. :)

  4. so many good drinks!! summer has arrived!! :)

  5. love all your pics looks like you've had a fab time recently x

  6. Great post! :)

    Visit my blog? xx Miss Beatrix (

  7. I like the rings you have pictured here!

    xo Jennifer

  8. I love your blog design :D

  9. Hey lovely! I adore your blog, you have great style! So I nominated you for the Liebster Award :)
    Emma xoxo

Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless...


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Monday, March 13, 2017

Weekend Recap

So we are waiting for the biggest snow storm we have had all season- go figure!  Just when Spring was starting here- YUCK!

Our town election is supposed to be tomorrow but our town officials are meeting with the state today at 12noon and proposing to change voting to next Saturday.

I hope that is what is decided for the safety of everyone, and to ensure more people come out to the polls.

On the other hand, it means, that we have to continue campaigning for the next week....and I am so tired!

Anyway, let's look at our fun little weekend......

On Friday, Lea, Sam, Diana and I took off for Hartford.  The girls were preparing for their first ECE Cheer Comp of the Season.
On our way!
We got to stay in Lea's room at the Residence Inn in downtown Hartford.  As soon as we checked in, we hopped on town to the restaurant for some apps

Robby B requested a Selfie so I had to oblige ;)

That night, we met up with the rest of the Windham peeps for dinner in Windsor.  The girls had fun getting advice from Coach Tracy and Delina

The next morning, we were up a t 6 to get dressed and do the girls hair and makeup- that part always makes me nervous- it always comes together but I stress about getting it just right- we always have strict instructions!
As you will see, though, the girls look like a million bucks!

They did a wonderful job.  They placed 3rd out of 5 teams in their category- plenty of room for improvement but they looked fantastic on the mat!

A shot of the Windham girls (and Audrey from Goffstown)

and after their performance, Diana got to watch the replay on Coach Tricia's phone :)

Meanwhile, at home, the campaign doesn't take a break.  Rob was at the transfer station and this week, of all weeks, was the coldest (go figure)....colder than any weekend in February.  It was -9.  Yep!  He and Laurel stayed out their for a few hours and then he headed over to the Village Bean to finish campaigning for the day inside.
While Daddy was busy campaigning, it was Papa Bob to the rescue.  He took Eva to her dance class.  She was hesitant at first but he said she did go in and did great.  Afterwards, he took her out for a donut- I love how special their relationship is!  (Wish I had a picture to capture this!)
Diana and I got home around 3:30.  Daddy did a great job making dinner.  His beef stew was just what the doctor ordered

On Sunday morning, we usually head to the 9:30 mass but my parents had just gotten home from Florida and wanted to come up for a visit.  So we decided to change our plans for the day.  We spent the morning with them which was so fun.  Pidge insisted that Papa Pete dance with her. :)

Later on, Diana headed over to Alice's for a playdate.  They were celebrating their "friendaversary"- 8 years strong!  In honor of this event, they put on a show for Jill and she sent me a few pics :)

While Diana was there, Eva was napping for 3 hours!  Daddy attended another campaign event and I had my hair relaxed by the magical Claribel!  She does wonders with my hair!

We all met up at the house and then headed out to 5pm mass in Salem and a quick bite at Red's.

Last night, as we were going to bed, one of my fellow Wolverines board members and friends, Sheila, sent us a beautiful design for the campaign.  She is a graphic designer and wanted to do something special.  As soon as we received it we started posting it on Facebook and our friends started sharing it- another awesome campaign tool and we were touched again by the thoughtfulness of our neighbor!

  It was a full weekend :)

A Gal Named Al said...

Love the friendiversary! I can't even imagine being up and peppy at 6 am! And grandpas and donuts make the world better! My daughter knows she will always have a donut waiting at her Grandpa's house! Have a great week!

Cara@HomespunKitchen said...

What a fun weekend! I'm seriously so jealous of your impending snowstorm, I just want ONE good snowstorm!! Stay safe!

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Quote of the Week

(I liked this quote because it can apply to parenting or writing!)

"We are all apprentices in a craft
where no one ever becomes a master."
~ Ernest Hemingway ~

K.M. Weiland said...

This is one of my favorite Hemingway quotes. I find it very freeing to be able to accept that writing is more about the journey than the destination. I strive each day to be better, but find peace in realizing that perfection is safely out of my reach.

Susan R. Mills said...

Great quote! We can strive to be a master, but no way will we ever get there. Takes a little pressure off, doesn't it?

Tara McClendon said...

I love that quote paired with that picture. Thanks for sharing.

Heidi Willis said...

I absolutely LOVE that quote!!

And the picture is fabulous!

Cassandra Frear said...

I was thinking this very thing today. Being a writer means you will always be a student. Really, it's one of the things that makes a life of writing so interesting.


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Friday, July 30, 2010

Chair-ish the Time

Ever since I saw that the Hutton girls got anywhere chairs for Christmas, I have been lusting for them for the boys. Bob and I decided that it would be a good birthday present that would last for several years, so I tried to do it on the cheap and buy from ebay. Let this be a lesson to me, never buy gifts for birthdays (even a month in advance) from ebay. It worked out in the end, but they weren't here for their birthday. Oh well, sometimes el cheapo fails to produce on time. It worked out well, though, as the boys really enjoy their chairs.
James sports his shirt hat while relaxing in his chair.
Michael likes to read in his chair.
Ryan makes a pit-stop in James' chair.
Still reading.
Musically talented and inclined is young Ryan.
Ooops, I did it again. Dropped it!
Pensive with Pacifier.
I'm pretty sure you might have seen this pose before on Cops.
Our mountain goat scales the chair to retrieve the forbidden.
Success can be shared with a brother.
The container for the thermometer is just fascinating.
James doesn't care what remote he appropriates, even the remote for the digital picture frame will do.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

The Fourth of July was a lot of fun for the boys. They got to stay up late, were in a parade, watched fireworks, and hung out with Riley and his family. In addition to being our nation's celebration of independence, our little guys celebrated with a little independent walking of their own. In some ways walking is much easier for Mommy, but in others, it's a bit of a challenge.
In Haslet, they have about a ten minute parade in which all the kids in town are invited to participate. Bob and I decided it would be fun for the boys to be in the parade, and Aunt Faith walked along with us for company. When the fire trucks and ambulances went past with their screaming sirens, James and Michael were not happy, but when we hopped in line with the rest of the kids, they enjoyed their ride. By the time we passed Daddy and the rest of the family, the boys were almost asleep, and Aunt Faith had selectively scored some candy. From the parade route, we headed to the baseball field to picnic and wait for the fireworks.
The Erenos came to celebrate the 4th with us, and Riley enjoyed checking out the helicopter that landed right behind our picnic spot.
The boys posed for a picture by the helicopter, but they enjoyed trying to eat the grass more.
They also enjoyed taking a ride in their new wagon. I think they roped every adult available into giving them a ride. Let me just say that a wagon with three little men is not very light. I used to be able to climb the stairs with two of them without getting out of breath, but such is not the case anymore. I can't believe how fast they are growing and how heavy they are getting.
After the sun went down, we watched the fireworks. Joseph spent most of the night holding Ryan who wasn't feeling very well. Bob and Michael watched the show together, and I snagged James from Grandpa Newhouse. The boys all seemed to like the fireworks, but boy were they close. The kid in front of us got burned by a cinder, and it was a lot easier to watch them laying down rather than sitting up. The boys did really well and seemed to have a great time. This outing made me realize that it was time to get the boys their first shoes. I had previously bought flip flops that didn't really work out, so now they are the proud owners of white and navy tennis shoes (all a half-size apart, so I bought a fourth pair so that we could all move up when we outgrow our current shoes - hopefully it works out as well as I am hoping).

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Where Did You Go?

Since the boys have started walking, I've found myself very busy and very tired at the end of the day. Hence I have been shirking my posting duties (as well as failing to send out a single thank you note for all the wonderful gifts we've received for the boys' birthday - I swear, I'm going to be writing those any minute now). The boys have definitely changed over the last month. They have gone from walking like tiny little Frankensteins to almost running while carrying a wide variety of items. They can open doors, love to turn the light off and on, and touch the thermostat so that it glows green. They like to climb inside the toy basket, take the tupperware out of the cabinet, and can sniff out a remote or phone from a wide variety of hiding places. They still take good naps, but now there is a lot of noise coming from the bedroom as they "sleep." Routinely, they throw everything out of their beds and laugh like lunatics as they play peak-a-boo with each other and shake the beds like madmen. We occasionally attempt to teach the kids to use spoons, & probably the biggest change is that we've taken their pacifiers off of their shirts except for nap time and bed time. Surprisingly, they've done amazingly well with laying down the pacifiers.
Michael is still my love bug, he still likes to bite (although not as often as he used to), and he LOVES to read. This handsome boy is rarely without a book. He likes to carry them around and turn the pages. He also brings you a book to read over and over again. His favorites are the Nose Book, the Foot Book, and Blue Hat Green Hat. He still has those lady-killer dimples which he generally pulls out after he's done something like steal toys from his brothers or opened the door to someplace he's supposed to stay out of. Mikey is a very neat eater and of the three, he is definitely most picky. If he is not in the mood for a particular food, for example, watermelon, he flings it to the floor in disgust. He eats much slower than his brothers which makes his meal fair game for Ryan who sits beside him. Tonight, he paid Ryan back by removing his tray and throwing it on the floor (this is something he's been working on accomplishing for a few weeks, and thanks to his tenacity, he has finally attained his goal).
Ryan is aptly named as he is very much like my brother Zach. He loves to climb on anything and everything. His current favorite route is to climb up his chair, stand on the back, and get into the things that are laid out on the little dresser in the living room. I'm pretty sure it's only a matter of time until I find him and his compadre James sitting on top of the mantle. For some reason, Ryan has decided that his distain for my actions is best expressed by throwing himself on the floor and screaming at the top of his lungs. Needless to say, this is not my favorite method of communication. He also loves to read. His favorite books are Just Like Daddy and Little Jesus, Little Me (which we read as Little Triplets in this house). His eating habits are somewhere between wild man and savage beast. He likes to grab a handful of food, run it over his face in the general direction of his mouth, and chew whatever manages to defy gravity and make it to the promised land. He is amazingly messy, but he's a great eater. He loves bananas and rice.
Young James has a fondness for all beverages contained in a can. His favorite is an open although empty Diet Coke can, but he'll settle for a closed Miller Lite. James keeps us laughing. He is always doing crazy things. For a while he went through a period where he humped everything while yelling "ahhhhahhhhahhhahhh" at the top of his lungs. Thankfully, he's seemed to have passed through this phase rather quickly. He LOVES hats. He likes to wear them and steal them from Grandpa and Daddy. He is always running around the house doing something silly. Over the last couple of days, his favorite thing to do is drag around the shark water sprinkler my wonderful friends from school gave us. He gets mad at the shark if it doesn't drag properly. He's a pretty good eater, but when he finishes, he likes to take the offending items remaining on his tray and fling them on the floor for the dogs. We've had to resort to putting the dogs outside or in the other room so that the boys don't throw them food on purpose. He also doesn't like it if his brothers get out of their chairs first and then try to eat off of his tray. He will slap their hands away from his food, but he sure doesn't mind stealing things off of their trays.

These three little monkeys are keeping both Kathy and I hopping. We spend all day letting them entertain us and trying to contain the chaos they create. I'm looking forward to when the weather cools off a little so that we can go to the park.

Monday, July 5, 2010

Beautiful Child

Recently, Bob and I hired a photographer to take the boys' one year pictures. I think he did a fantastic job at a hugely reasonable rate. Below are some of my favorites of my beautiful children.

Ready for action.

Three handsome men.

I love this lip.

Tasty Blocks

James - ready to do some damage. Bring it on!

Michael - ready for it all to be over.

Ryan and his party hat.

Unaware of the tasty future, the restless troops are somewhat irritated with their predicament.

Sharing is caring.

Our boys finally got their cake and are eating it, too.


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Holy India .Org

Keswick To Ambleside distance

Keswick is one of the USA city. It is located at the longitude of -92.2 and latitude of 41.5. Ambleside is another United_Kingdom city located at the longitude of -3 and latitude of 54.4 . The total distance between Keswick to Ambleside is 6345 KM (kilometers) and 239.49 meters. Keswick is located nearly west side to Ambleside.

Keswick to Ambleside distance may be more than 6345 Km ; because we are displaying approximate straight line distance. But actual travel route ( bus / train / etc. ) from Keswick to Ambleside is connected with bend roads. Most of our travel information are approximate; so kindly see the disclaimer, terms of use etc.

Related travel information at Keswick to Ambleside road map

The following Keswick to Ambleside direction map comes from google; so our straight line distance may vary from google distance. Kindly see terms of use etc.
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good news of great joy

"According to Luke" by Rhonda Chase
Preaching is a challenge on Christmas Eve. At University Hill Congregation we have one great Christmas Eve celebration full of carols and candles and children. This year the sermon is in three parts, with each coming as a response to the arrival of the characters in our nativity scene. We invite the children to dress as angels or shepherds in order to join in telling the story. You can imagine the excited entry of angels and shepherds in the midst of the sermon that follows. By the way, the magi will arrive at our nativity scene just after the twelve days of Christmas, on Epiphany.

- Luke 2:1-20

Scene one - Mary, Joseph & the Christ-child

“Good news of great joy.” It is the reason that we are together here on the eve of Christmas. Here because there is “good news of great joy for all the people.” It is good news for the human spirit. It is spiritual good news. It is, in other words, inspiring. Yet notice, biblical spirituality is always embodied spirituality. In the Bible the spiritual is inevitably material. Christian theology is about matter, about what matters. Did you hear it? Hear it in the first few verses, hear it in the materiality of people and places and things that matter: Emperor Augustus, all the world, a decree, registration, their own towns, Quirinius, Syria, Joseph, Nazareth, Galilee, Judea, Bethlehem, the house and family of David, Mary, engaged, expecting, time to deliver, inn, no place, gave birth, first-born son, bands of cloth, manger.  This is not a story about spiritual truths. Nor is it a story about universal values. It is the astounding news that God is working out humankind’s redemption incognito - below our spiritual radar - in the details and confusion and stresses of a very material world. How extraordinary. God entering the world and redeeming the nations through an obscure Jewish birth in occupied territory. Do you see? If then, also now. If there, also here. If them, also us.

velcade (round two - cycle seven)

Life on bortezomib (Velcade), cyclophoshamide and dexamethasone continues as I am now well into another thirty-five day cycle of weekly doses. Did I say that I am just a little tired of the weekly mood and energy swings caused by even my relatively mild dosage of dex? Oh, yes, I did. Nothing new on that front. However, my struggles with dex are offset this month with the good news that the free light chain count dropped from the last report of 145 to 95 - under 100 for the first time in awhile. It is a welcome Christmas gift to receive. After the slow and steady increases in the free light chains it is a bit surprising to see this reversal. It will be interesting to see if it continues following cycle seven and cycle eight. That will be the end of this round on Velcade. We have been assuming that the ever increasing numbers meant shifting to a new treatment plan in the Spring. But if the numbers stay low perhaps there will be the possibility of gaining approval for another round of this treatment. In the meantime, we carry on ...