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I realize there are different forms that a qualifying exam can take in CS / ECE PhD programs.

In departments where this does not take the form of a comprehensive written exam:

  • What is the role that the qualifying exam fulfills in the PhD program in your department?
  • What is the approach taken in your department?
  • What are the perceived advantages / weaknesses of the approach?

Where I did my Ph.D., we effectively had no written qualifying exam. Instead, students were expected to gather high marks following a certain complex distribution of classes within the first two years (there was also another component, involving giving a research talk, but that was more equivalent to defending a thesis proposal). If you could not achieve enough high marks, then you had to fall back on a more traditional qualifier for whatever subject areas you couldn't pass out of via classes. I never knew anyone who didn't just get the high marks, and the rumor amongst the students was that if you had to use the fall-back, the professors were sure to fail you because they'd be grumpy that they had to prepare a whole exam on your behalf.

The rationale for this method comes from the department's goal for the qualifying exam: ensuring that students have a sufficiently strong grounding across a sufficiently broad area of expertise. Given this goal, why can't high marks in key graduate-level classes establish expertise just as well as a special non-class exam? Adding a special exam just increases the stress on students and the burden of preparation on faculty.

As a student, it was certainly much appreciated---if you're in a Ph.D. program, you're probably pretty good at classes, and so being able to tackle the whole qualifier thing just by being good at classes was quite a relief, especially compared to the stress that people I knew were going through elsewhere. I think the faculty really liked it too, because they could deal with the whole qualifier thing just by teaching the classes they wanted to teach anyway.

As for down-sides... I suppose it means the faculty have to trust each other enough to believe that high marks actually mean a student is qualified? Other than that, I really don't see any down-sides. Personally, I think that the traditional qualifying exam is essentially academic hazing and should be replaced by methods like this.

  • What about oral examinations? Part of the value is to establish that a student has sufficient communication skills with sophisticated material. – GSat Mar 8 '15 at 14:25
  • @GSat In my program, that was the research talk part, equivalent to defending a thesis proposal. I simply see zero benefit to written qualifying examinations. – jakebeal Mar 8 '15 at 14:27

Where I did my PhD in ECE, we did not have a comprehensive written exam: we had to do research on a topic of interest to the student and the exam committee, write up a "conference paper" on the findings of the research, write up a separate paper on engineering research ethics, and give an oral presentation on the research topic. Questions from the qualifying exam committee during the presentation could cover both the research topic/findings and the engineering ethics paper written by the student.

To clarify, the research activities associated with the qualifying exam did not entail a formal research proposal: the formal research proposal at my previous department came at the preliminary exam stage. For the qualifier, researching a topic essentially meant different things to different students depending on how far along they were. For those students already working on a research project (which was/seemed to be a majority of students), the research write-up/presentation dealt with the findings up to that point and future directions (which naturally helped the student prepare for the prelim). For those students not fitting the above description, they would choose an area of interest to both the student and the committee (i.e., a research area where they see themselves working in the not-so-distant future with one or more faculty on the committee) and summarize the state-of-the-art, possible problems to tackle, along with some possible solutions/research directions.

What is the role that the qualifying exam fulfills in the PhD program in your department?

To ensure that the student:

  1. Is capable of doing independent research,
  2. Possesses the skills to present technical findings, both written and orally,
  3. Understands the ethical considerations that go into research/publishing, and
  4. Has a good command of the relevant technical material, from ECE graduate-level fundamentals to the state-of-the-art in the chosen topical area.

What are the perceived advantages / weaknesses of the approach?

I think the goals of the qualifying exam listed above were fairly-well addressed by the exam requirements. As for the downsides in the approach, some students were not yet capable of doing research at the level required by the exam. So I think our program weeded out some students who had the potential to do quality research but, unfortunately, were not "up to snuff" for their qualifier.

  • I assume this exam was different from a proposal. So what did it mean to "research a topic"? – GSat Mar 8 '15 at 18:14

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New videos added: argumentation

Rigour and flow of argumentation have a major impact on the quality of academic research. An essential component of argumentation is providing definitions. Definitions can be derived with the help of standard, advanced or professional approaches. Furthermore, the deduction of individual arguments is documented in paragraphs and chapters, which serve as the units of an academic paper. The logic of arguments has to be mirrored in the paragraph structure, which consists of three logical text elements: topic sentence, supporting sentences and concluding sentence. Transitioning between sentences as well as between paragraphs supports the flow of argumentation and provides cohesion within the text. During the development of an argumentation, the structuring of paragraphs and chapters shows an iterative character. Referencing that supports the argumentation can enhance the academic quality of the research output. Thus, arguments of other sources should be carefully combined instead of randomly compiled.

Link to e-learning videos: Overview of chapter 12

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Former Italian soccer president accused of harassment

Carlo Tavecchio, who quit as head of Italian football on Monday, was accused of sexual harassment by a former executive of the federation in an interview published on Tuesday. The woman, given the pseudonym “Mary” by Milan daily Corriere della Sera described an encounter with Tavecchio in his office at the federation’s headquarters in Rome.

“I went into his office to talk about football,” she said. “He did not even give me time to ask ‘president, how are you?’ He looked at me and said: ‘You look well, I can see you have an active sex life.’ Then he said: ‘Come here and let me touch your breasts.’ “I was embarrassed. I tried to tell him to stop. But his only answer was to close the curtains of the office.”

The woman told Corriere that she was harassed over a period of time and quit the Italian football federation she said she had decided to come forward when she realized that Tavecchio’s resignation did not signal that he intended to quit the sport.

On Monday, Tavecchio, who is 74, finally heeded calls to go following Italy’s elimination in a World Cup playoff against Sweden a week earlier. At a press conference to announce his decision, he said he regretted that he was the only person at the federation to have resigned.

Before becoming head of the federation, Tavecchio ran Italy’s amateur football leagues. “When I understood that Tavecchio’s intention was to take another position of responsibility, perhaps with the amateurs, I had no doubt that it was time for me to speak up,” Mary said.

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Call us today for a free consultation 248-469-0037

Todd P. Rutledge

Founding Partner

Todd Rutledge graduated from Albion College in 1998, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts, with a major in Philosophy. He graduated from the University of Detroit Mercy Law School in 2001.

Mr. Rutledge is licensed to practice law in the State of Michigan (2001) as well as the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and the United States Court of Appeals. He is also a member of the Michigan Bar Association and Michigan Association for Justice.

Mr. Rutledge has been practicing in the legal community for approximately 16 years, and specializes in all areas of personal injury law, with a particular emphasis in automobile negligence, no-fault automobile litigation and premises liability law. He has handled cases throughout the State of Michigan, including the Counties of Wayne, Macomb, Oakland, Genesee, Saginaw, Bay, Monroe and Kent County. He has also successfully tried multiple cases to favorable verdicts. In addition, he has also argued cases in front of the Michigan Court of Appeals. Mr. Rutledge has experience as a Case Evaluator and Arbitrator for the legal community, offering his knowledge and experience to assist other attorneys in obtaining compensation for their injured clients.

Bar Admissions

  • Member – Michigan Bar

  • Albion College
  • Detroit Mercy Law School

Professional Associations and Memberships


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Spring Records Cotton Bag Various Artists (Spring Records)

Modern Soul

This product is also available in these versions:
Spring Records T Shirt, TS (£16.00)

Our merchandise department is taking a well earned break and will be off until 7th March. All orders will be fulfilled on their return. If you'd prefer to cancel your order, email us on: social@acerecords.com.

Spring may still be a long way off, but you’ll always walk like a winner when you carry our nifty cotton bag tribute to one of the great soul labels of the 70s.

Delivery & Returns

We offer free P&P to UK addresses. For all other territories packaging is free and postage is charged on a weight basis.

We use Royal Mail First Class for UK deliveries and standard Air Mail for all other territories, very large orders will usually be sent via parcelforce. You may cancel your order at any time prior to your order being dispatched by emailing us at orders@acerecords.com ensuring that you quote your name, address and order reference number or by telephoning +44 (0) 208 453 1311 between 9am and 5pm GMT/BST, Monday to Friday. Please note: As music downloads are dispatched immediately after purchase, there is no possibility of cancelling these orders.

In the event that any products supplied to you by us are damaged or defective, we agree to replace or repair the damaged or defective products or refund the amount you paid for such goods (including postage & packaging) providing you notify us (either via post at or e-mail: orders@acerecords.com ) and return the goods within 28 days of purchase. Physical goods should be sent back to us in the same condition you received them to: “Returns” Bus Stop Mail Order Ltd, 42-50 Steele Road, London, NW10 7AS. Music downloads should be returned to us via the e-mail address above including a copy of your notification.

You have the right to cancel your order within seven days of purchase, or seven days of receipt of the goods (whichever is the longer). If you choose to cancel your order, full payment will be returned to you. Returned items should be sent to: “Returns” c/o Bus Stop Mail Order Ltd, 42-50 Steele Road, London, NW10 7AS. Music downloads should be returned to us via the email address: orders@acerecords.com including a copy of your notice of cancellation and order number.

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woman holding lower abdomen due to pain

Belly Button Pain: What Causes It And When To Seek Help

November 29, 2019

Have you ever had belly button pain? This is a body part we don’t really think about much. Yes, it’s how we started our life in the real world. Also, at some point, we realized ours was an “innie” or “outie.” We usually think of stomach pain as related to the general stomach area. That can include a stomach-ache after eating too much food, pregnancy, and other causes. However, sometimes there’s also pain that’s specific to the belly button. That includes basic ones like constipation, indigestion, and pregnancy. These conditions can cause some pain in the small area. However, the pain is relatively easy to deal with.

There are also some more serious conditions that can cause even more pain in the belly button. These include conditions that affect other body parts like the pancreas, appendix, and small intestines. It’s a different story when you’re dealing with body parts that can cause long-term symptoms. Other causes can include post-surgery pain and different infections. In fact, there are so many causes it’s important for your doctor to help figure out what the cause is. This can be done through examinations and tests. Afterward, you can get the treatment you need to help your tummy feel better.

What’s Belly Button Pain?

The belly button is a small body part that can cause big pain. In fact, it can cause pain ranging from mild to sharp. Sometimes it’s continuous and other times come and goes. The pain can also be local or expand to other body parts.

It’s important to find the actual cause of the pain. In some situations, the pain will go away quickly with treatments. These treatments can be very basic or include prescription meds. Sometimes even surgery is needed to get rid of pain in the belly button.

Doctors can help to figure out the cause of the pain. That can be based on different factors like the kind of pain you experience. For example, sometimes it can be a bloated feeling, while other times it’s a sharp pain.

When you have pain in your belly button it’s important to take note of the kind of pain you experience and how often it happens. That’s because you’ll need to explain to the doctor about the symptoms you’re experiencing. That, in turn, will help your doctor pick the right treatment for you.

There are various symptoms you might experience along with the pain in the belly button. If you experiencing a combination of the two you should contact your doctor immediately or call 911. These are some symptoms to watch out for:

  • Vomiting w/ blood
  • Shortness of breath
  • Chest pain
  • Pain for 4+ hours

It’s also worth noting there are different kinds of pain. You should know about the general categories including:

  • Pain in the belly button when touched
  • Navel pain & bloating
  • Navel sharp/pulling pain

These are different kinds of pain that have different causes. It’s important to inform your doctor if you experience them to help get a correct diagnosis. Then you can get the treatment you need.

Common causes of belly button pain

Common Causes of Belly Button Pain

Here are some basic causes of pain in your innie or outie:

1. Indigestion

Indigestion is quite common and studies show that 25% of Americans have experienced it at least once. This can cause different kinds of issues like pain, discomfort, and burning. It might happen in the upper abdomen then move down to the area of the belly button.

You can use various medicines like acid blockers and antacids. You can also drink milk since it will also help to neutralize the acid.

2. Constipation

This is a common problem in the digestive system. It’s technically related to how many bowel movements a person has in one week. If you have fewer than the average number then you have constipation.

It’s important to note that short-term constipation isn’t an issue you can treat this condition easily by taking steps like adding more fiber to your diet.

Meanwhile, if you have this problem for 2+ months then it’s an issue. You should contact your doctor so you can get it checked out.

3. Pregnancy

It shouldn’t be a problem if you have mild navel pain during your pregnancy. However, if you experience major and long-term pain/discomfort you should contact a doctor immediately.

Another possible cause of pain in the belly button during pregnancy is a type of hernia. However, this cause is quite rare. It’s usually experienced by pregnant women who are obese or pregnant with multiple babies.

This condition can include various symptoms. They include swelling, bulge, pain, vomiting, and nausea. If you’re experiencing these problems make sure to contact your doctor for a checkup.

These conditions are normal but it doesn’t mean you should ignore the symptoms. When in doubt always get a checkup to find out if you have any major health issues that would cause pain in the belly button.

More Serious Belly Button Pain

There are some other causes of pain in the belly button that are more serious than the basic ones. They include:

Urinary tract infection

This is known as UTI and is more common among women than men. However, anyone can have this condition. It can cause pain in the belly button and abdomen. One of the main symptoms of this condition is bacteria and antibiotics are used to treat it.

This is a painful condition that caused the appendix to be inflamed. In North America, there were nearly 400,000 cases of this condition in 2015. This can become serious. It’s important to treat the condition otherwise it will result in more serious conditions.

Stomach flu

This is caused by eating food/drink that’s contaminated. Another way to get it is through contact with someone who’s infected. This condition has various symptoms including stomach/navel pain and cramping.

Inflamed pancreas

This causes enzymes to move to the pancreas and start attacking it. This can cause different symptoms including pain in the belly button.

Gallbladder stones

These can be quite painful. In fact, one of the first signs is often very strong pain. This pain can exist in the belly button after traveling there from the abdomen.

The only way to treat gallbladder stones is to have surgery to remove the gallbladder. Afterward, the pain will then go away.

Stomach infections

Bacteria can get in the body and sometimes last for several years in the digestive system. This can cause pain in the stomach lining sometimes. These infections can be serious and might increase the risk of stomach cancer. It’s also another cause of pain in the belly button.

This sometimes involves pain/swelling following the surgery. The pain will reduce within time as the body heals and has less pain on the belly button.


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Does mindfulness meditation increase the effectiveness of substance abuse treatment for teens? (BOOK REVIEW)

Yes. A mindfulness practice can be effective in the treatment of substance abuse. More here, with a book recommendation that can help you implement a fully scalable program into your clinical practice TODAY.

minute read

Yes, practices in mindfulness have shown to be effective in decreasing drug use. Plus, these practices teaches teens the REAL SKILLS needed to manage cravings, emotions, and behaviors related to substance abuse.

Mindfulness-Based Substance Abuse Treatment for Adolescents: A 12-Session Curriculum is a book that presents curriculum which integrates best practices from the fields of mindfulness, psychotherapy, and addiction treatment as applied to working with adolescents. But how successful is this method? What can we learn from it?…. And, most importantly, why add this book to your library?

Read more here. Then, ask your questions about mindfulness and  meditation at the end. We try to respond to all questions personally and promptly.

What is mindfulness-based substance abuse treatment?

Mindfulness-based substance abuse treatment is a treatment modality that incorporates mindfulness, self-awareness and treatment strategies for people dealing with addiction.

Ready for help?
Call us today. You don’t need to face addiction on your own.

What is most impressive about this book is that the evidence-based, how-to format provides a flexible curriculum for professionals. This way, you can implement the program either partially, by picking and choosing sections that seem relevant, or in full over a number of weeks. Each session comes equipped with:

  • Clear session agendas
  • Example scripts and talking points
  • “What-if?” scenarios that address common forms of resistance optional handouts

Sections cover the major principles of working with adolescents: relationship building, working with resistance, and more…along with a full curriculum.

Does mindfulness really work?

There are a number of key aspects of the intervention results that have been found to suggest why mindfulness can be beneficial as a treatment intervention for adolescents dealing with substance abuse issues:

1. An increased ability to manage strong emotions
2. Reduced impulsiveness
3. Reduced stress
4. Decreased cravings to use drugs
5. Ability to observe drug cravings without reacting
6. Increased overall well-being
7. Increased risk in the perception of drug use
8. Decreased drug use

Don’t let your loved one suffer.
Addiction responds to treatment. Call us to get started.

These benefits are critical skills needed for adolescents attempting to reduce the frequency of substance use or other unhealthy behaviors.

Who should check out this workbook?

This book is a natural fit for psychotherapists. However, addiction counselors, school counselors, researchers, mentors, and even teachers will find that Mindfulness-Based Substance Abuse Treatment for Adolescents changes the way they work with young people. It provides readers with a methodology for connecting with adolescents on an authentic level and with the necessary curricula to foster greater self-awareness and greater regulatory capacity over unhealthy behaviors.

Questions about rehab?
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  • Access to top treatment centers
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Why do we recommend the book?

The mindfulness practices explained in this book will give you step-by-step directions on how to integrate meditations and psychotherapy with clinical practice in developing skills for adolescents. It is flexible and scalable so that you can focus on adapting the curriculum to your clients’ individual and group needs. It provides application of mindfulness for different kinds of learning, and isn’t limited to teenagers only! Adults benefit, too.

Wondering where you can find “Mindfulness-Based Substance Abuse Treatment for Adolescents: A 12-Session Curriculum”? To buy, download and read the book, check it out on Amazon: Additionally, if you are left with any questions about this book, we ask you to post them in the section below. We also welcome your feedback if you’ve read the book, and would like to comment and share your opinion.

Start your
recovery today.

About the authors: Sam Himelstein, PhD, is a licensed psychologist in the state of California, an author, trainer, parent coach, and researcher. His day job is as a Behavioral Health Clinician at the Alameda County Juvenile Justice Center (ACJJC), an institution he was once incarcerated in as a young teen. Dr. Himelstein is passionate about working with juvenile justice populations, addiction populations, and those suffering from trauma.
Stephen Saul, MS, is a mental health clinician who works with addiction and marginalized populations via individual group, and family therapy. He focuses primarily on serving incarcerated and underprivileged adolescents and young adults in San Mateo County, California.
About the author
Lee Weber is a published author, medical writer, and woman in long-term recovery from addiction. Her latest book, The Definitive Guide to Addiction Interventions is set to reach university bookstores in early 2019.
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%0 DATA %A Geoff, Thomas %D 2018 %T The importance of a joint research-extension approach to marketing of services %U https://adelaide.figshare.com/articles/The_importance_of_a_joint_research-extension_approach_to_marketing_of_services/7045589 %R 10.25909/5b8f4ac6aa6d3 %2 https://adelaide.figshare.com/ndownloader/files/12952799 %K agricultural extension %K agricultural economics %K agricultural industry %K extension %K agribusiness %K research %K farmer education %K farm management %X
Lecture given by Mr Geoff Thomas, Director of Regional Services, South Australian Department of Agriculture at the Waite Campus, University of Adelaide, 22.3.1991.

This lecture is part of the Campus Seminars and Distinguished Lecturer Series, Waite Campus, University of Adelaide, 1991 – 1997.


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Silver Award
All aboard to view Arc-Com’s newest Prized Possession offering pattern Metro!

The creation of Pattern Metro was a collaborative effort between the Arc-Com design studio and our technical designers at the weaving facility. The Metro design was created as a result of mini collages that were put together from old train tickets and pictures of bridges and structures taken during the design teams travels. The end result of this collaged imagery is a highly unique stripe that truly captures the spirit of travel.

An amazing amount of detail is found in this pattern due to a very fine warp and a very high end count. Intricate forms are counterbalanced by channeled areas of color to create this beautifully unusual multicolored stripe. rnrnThe color combinations for pattern Metro are as intriguing as the pattern itself. Bright Fuschia, Aqua and Tangerine accents are used repeatedly amongst the bright as well as the neutral colorways. Eleven skus cover a wide range of hospitality brights, corporate neutrals and mid-tone healthcare colorations. rnrnStocked with a compatible polyester backing and the GreenShield Stain Resistant finish, pattern Metro can also be used as panel and has the ability to be recycled at the end of its useful life.

Arc-Com is a leading textile and wall covering supplier in the contract industry. Over the past 40 years, our reputation has been built on customer satisfaction, value added products and solutions and timely completion of projects. The Arc-Com Design Team creates, develops and introduces innovative and high performance textile products for the corporate, hospitality, healthcare and institutional markets. Our Options™ department caters to the requirements of the customer and creates special products to suit client specifications and budgetary concerns.
Arc-Com Wall Surfaces is dedicated to the creation, design and development of unique and innovative wall surface materials for the contract market. Arc-Com Wall Surfaces has a comprehensive portfolio of both vinyl and Re-New™ eco-conscious wall surface materials all available in exquisite colorations that complement our diverse fabric lines.

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Category Archives: American Baroque

The Divine Dorothy

I am a great admirer of Dorothy Draper. Born in 1889, she became known as “America’s most fabulous decorator”, and she helped inspire a generation of home improvement devotees with her 1939 book Decorating is Fun!. Dorothy was the antithesis … Continue reading

Posted in American Baroque, Colours, Dorothy Draper, inspiration, Interior Design, Interiors | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment


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Red Light Therapy

Enhance your health with light therapy

Research suggests Red Light Therapy may have the following benefits:

  • Improve skin complexion and build collagen to diminish wrinkles
  • Promote wound healing and tissue repair
  • Improve hair growth in people with androgenic alopecia
  • Promote better sleep
  • Help for the short-term treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Stimulate healing of slow-healing wounds, like diabetic foot ulcers
  • Reduce psoriasis lesions
  • Aids with short-term relief of pain and morning stiffness with Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Reduce some of the side effects of cancer treatments, including oral mucositis
  • Helps to mend sun damage
  • Prevent recurring cold sores from HSV infections
  • Improves the health of joints with degenerative osteoarthritis of the knee
  • Helps diminish scars
  • Relieves pain and inflammation with pain in the Achilles tendons

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Advancing the Science

Mayo Clinic Medical Science Blog – an eclectic collection of research- and research education-related stories: feature stories, mini news bites, learning opportunities, profiles and more from Mayo Clinic.

May 28, 2019

Telerehabilitation improves quality of life for patients with late-stage cancers, reduces costs

By Elizabeth Zimmermann

A new study suggests that remotely delivering rehabilitation services to patients with late-stage cancer improves their physical function, pain and quality of life while allowing them to spend less time in hospitals and nursing homes.

The results of a randomized clinical trial with 516 participants, led by Andrea Cheville, M.D., a Mayo Clinic physical medicine and rehabilitation physician are reported in a recent Mayo Clinic news release. Dr. Cheville also is the medical director of the Care Experience Program within the Mayo Clinic Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery.

Study findings are published in JAMA Oncology. They were of such import for practice transformation, notes Dr. Cheville, that the journal also published what turned out as a complimentary invited commentary, "Collaborative Telerehabilitation – A Smart Move for Patients With Advanced Cancer."

Andrea Cheville, M.D.

Dr. Cheville says this trial, supported by the center's study design, data collection and research coordination experts, is an example of an innovative care option that meets patients where they are.

"Research drives everything we do for patients, and in this case, our evidence shows that we have a new way to improve the health care experience for our patients," she says. "And telerehabilitation appears to lead to lower health care costs too, reducing hospital and nursing home stays as well as in-person care visits."

Dr. Cheville's multi-institutional team was the first ever to study the use of telecare among complex and vulnerable patients with late stage cancers. "The model that we used is novel and scalable," she says, "and aligns with Mayo’s vision of increasing remote care delivery."

The Mayo Clinic Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery brings together unique capabilities, combining design methods, knowledge management, big data analysis, health care engineering principles and advanced simulations, to solve challenges for patients, providers and the health care system at large. The center’s goal is to translate discoveries into evidence-based, actionable treatments, processes and procedures.

Telerehabilitation research is one of the many ways Mayo Clinic extends knowledge and care to more people through innovative telemedicine platforms that improve access and outcomes for patients, and collaboration with other providers and researchers.

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Tags: Andrea Cheville, cancer, Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery, clinical trials, Findings, Innovations, Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, News, quality of life, telemedicine

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Christina Vasilakis Property Manager & Sales Agent

Chris Vasilakis is a real estate professional who has been working in the industry since 2007.  Her tenure in the industry includes working as a buying and selling agent for multiple clients throughout San Diego County, REO’s, and Property Management for single family homes including condos and townhomes, condo communities, and HOA communities.  Currently, Chris focuses most of her time as a Property Manager and buying and selling REALTOR.

Dedicated to her craft, Chris continues to educate herself as a member of the California Association of REALTORS and National Association of REALTORS.  As a part of these associations, Chris has obtained her Property Management Certification (PMC), recognition as a REALTOR, and her First Time Buyer Specialist (FTBS) designation.  These associations also allow Chris to keep up with the latest market trends and current Real Estate laws.

Whether you are looking to buy, sell, or rent your property, feel free to contact Chris at Advent!  Chris can be reached by phone at 858-220-9017, by email at christinavasilakis@yahoo.com, on Facebook using christinavasilakis@yahoo.com, or on Instagram by searching xrisinsd_advent.  Her vast knowledge and can do attitude will help get the results you are seeking, so contact her today!

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A love letter poured out on their feet

Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end. The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over. So, during supper, fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God, he rose from supper and took off his outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel around his waist. [Matt 13:1-5]

Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday.

For years I totally missed the significance of today. Possibly because I can’t think of any other time an english speaking person uses the word maundy or maybe just because I wasn’t paying attention. Luckily we have wikipedia to help us out on where the term comes from:

Most scholars agree that the English word Maundy in that name for the day is derived through Middle English and Old French mandé, from the Latin mandatum, the first word of the phrase “Mandatum novum do vobis ut diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos” (“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you”), the statement by Jesus in the Gospel of John 13:34 by which Jesus explained to the Apostles the significance of his action of washing their feet.

In short, today is the day we celebrate the institution of the Lord’s Supper and Jesus washing the disciples feet. I guess if I had to pick a favorite day in Holy Week, I should pick Easter, but really my favorite is actually today. Jesus’ actions are just so powerful to me. I think it is because the things we celebrate today are physical examples of the spiritual reality that is accomplished on Sunday. We see him literally take the nature of a servant and hear him say, “This is my body.”

With full knowledge of what was to come, he knelt before Judas as a servant and washed his feet. He offered the cup of salvation and the bread of life to Judas. I type those sentences and want to use all caps, lots of exclamation marks with bold and underlining because it just seems so crazy. The Scripture tells us that Jesus had complete knowledge about what was to come and he still served him with the other eleven. The humility just blows my mind.

Then all of a sudden, I realize that is exactly it. We are all Judas. I am Judas. Every one of us has sin that put Jesus on that cross. In a moment, I am transported to the story of the prodigal son and understand that to read myself into today’s story in a place of superiority is to be the older brother. God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – knows exactly who we are and the betrayal that we will commit but throws a feast for our return anyway. He is the author of the universe but loves us so much that he is willing to kneel down at our feet and wash the most unbecoming parts of us.

Through all of the suffering and all of the pain that Christ went through, God is crying out to us, “I love you! I love you! If only you could see just how much.” Lord, give us eyes to see your great love for us.

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Subscribe to feed Viewing entries tagged study

1st, 2nd, 3rd

Posted by Nanny Knows Best
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on Thursday, 11 September 2014
"A new study reveals…” These words never fail to grab my attention to discover what learned minds are talking about.

I am both the first-born and a woman so according to the University of Essex, am “…more likely to succeed.”  My alumni includes Angela Merkel, Oprah Winfrey, Hilary Clinton and Beyonce.

We are more likely to be more ambitious and successful than our younger siblings who just happen to be Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Nelson Mandela, JFK, and Michael Jackson (technically the latter two were somewhere in the middle). Yes all men and yet, all successful, but so were/are Jane Austen, Barbara Walters, Jenifer Lopez and Madonna.

What is it about birth order scientists find fascinating enough to study and make bold statements about?

I guess the statistics demonstrate specific characteristics to warrant stereotypes like “…middle children tend to have high degrees of patience, perhaps because they spend so much of their time in childhood waiting their turn”, or “the youngest is often indulged, even spoilt,” says educational consultant, Katrin Schumann.

Is it money in the bank, number of friends on Facebook, or scoring an invite to Kensington Palace that’s the measure of success? Does a teacher’s salary score more points on the achievement scale than being the mum of four delightful children? My two younger sisters, the teacher and the mum (both somewhere in the middle birth order) could both argue their case and have you believe each is ambitious and successful.

What these studies do show is that parental attention makes children feel safer and loved. Spending time with your offspring may not be a guarantee for their success in life but it will hopefully bring joy and smiles and wonderful memories for all…and maybe save you money on therapists if you are so inclined.

I think tomorrow I will start my own study on how scientists come up with studies they feel worthy of their superior education and our valuable time to read them.

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Divorce, Antidepressants, Or Weight Gain/Loss Can Add Years To Your Face

February 9, 2009 |

Your mother’s wrinkles — or lack there of, may not be the best predictor of how you’ll age. In fact, a new study claims just the opposite. The study, involving identical twins, suggests that despite genetic make-up, certain environmental factors can add years to a person’s perceived age. Results just published on the web-based version of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery(R), the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), reveal that factors like divorce or the use of antidepressants are the real culprits that can wreak havoc on one’s face.

“A person’s heritage may initially dictate how they age – but if you introduce certain factors into your life, you will certainly age faster. Likewise, if you avoid those factors you can slow down the hands of time,” said ASPS Member Surgeon and study author Bahaman Guyuron, M.D., professor and chairman, department of plastic surgery, University Hospitals Case Medical Center. “In this study, we looked at identical twins because they are genetically programmed to age exactly the same, and in doing so we essentially discovered that, when it comes to your face, it is possible to cheat your biological clock.”

During the study, Dr. Guyuron and his colleagues obtained comprehensive questionnaires and digital images from 186 pairs of identical twins. The images were reviewed by an independent panel, which then recorded the perceived age difference between the siblings.

Results showed that twins who had been divorced appeared nearly 2 years older than their siblings who were married, single or even widowed. Antidepressant use was associated with a significantly older appearance and researchers also found that weight played a major factor too. In those sets of twins who were less than 40 years old, the heavier twin was perceived as being older, while in those groups over 40 years old, the heavier twin appeared younger.

According to Dr. Guyuron, “the presence of stress could be one of the common denominators in those twins who appeared older.” Additionally, researchers suspect that continued relaxation of the facial muscles due to antidepressant use, could account for sagging. And though they do not advocate gaining weight to look younger, researchers note that losing abnormal amounts of weight not only have harmful effects on a person’s health, but on their appearance, too.

“This research is important for two reasons,” Dr. Guyuron said. “First, we have discovered a number of new factors that contribute to aging and second, our findings put science behind the idea that volume replacement rejuvenates the face.”

According to ASPS statistics, there were more than 1.5 million injectable filler procedures performed in 2007.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons is the largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world. Representing more than 6,700 physician members, the Society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises more than 94 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the Society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

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Dalefoot Composts

With eyes twitching, hands fidgeting, and minds racing, gardeners are all too aware of the new growing season just around the corner.

Garden bloggers, podcasters and Instagrammers are buzzing with conversation. They summarise last year’s growing season with a checklist of what worked, and what didn’t. They explore new seed varieties while holding tightly onto old favourites.  On Twitter, shout-outs for snaps of perennial colour have Twitter followers leaping for their ‘like’ buttons, while letterboxes across the land are under daily siege from seed catalogues and gardening supplements.

It feels like we’re all on our horticultural pilgrimage, seeking the ‘Holy Grail’ of gardening techniques. As the days tick by, we’re edging closer to the moment we can finally get our hands back into the soil again. A new year, a new growing season approaches. This is a great time to be a gardener!

I too have been gathering resources and information. I love digging, but I also want to try the ‘no dig’ approach. I’m a sucker for a new tool, but it doesn’t get better than a trusty, old tool with a worn, wooden handle. Can I continue my usual gardening practices, or is it time to reduce my use of plastic on the allotment? It’s such a useful, cheap material; from plant pots to seed labels, it covers all my gardening needs, yet it no longer sits as comfortably with my ethics. Plastic has quickly become the planet’s number one enemy, but are things shifting? Microbeads have recently been banned, and the amount of plastic packaging in supermarkets is finally being discussed.

As a gardener, I’m trying to be more environmentally aware. Not just in my gardening practices, but through the items I buy, as well as the retailers I choose to purchase my gardening products from. I realise this can, at times, be tough for gardeners. Cost is one concern, and convenience is another. However, there are garden companies out there that can make the switch easier. One such business, is Dalefoot Composts.

A sheep farm based in The Lake District, they have kept traditional farming alive for over two hundred years. Farm owners are husband and wife, Simon (fifth generation farmer), and Jane (Environmental Scientist). Having spent eight years experimenting, they have created a compost made of 100% natural ingredients. Peat free, and with wool from their sheep livestock, and bracken taken from their surrounding land, this is a company that has environmental integrity at its heart. They have also done extensive work to maintain and restore natural peat land.

2017 was a huge year for them. As well as selling over 50,000 bags of compost, they appeared at many garden shows and festivals, and have enjoyed a growing presence in national garden centres and nurseries, as well as a television appearance on BBC2’s ‘Back to the Land with Kate Humble’.

But combining wool with bracken – is this just a novelty, or is there some real science behind their compost?

If you’ve ever gotten a woolly jumper wet, then you’ll know how well wool retains water. Wool also has a slow release of nitrogen. If you combine it with bracken, and its high level of potassium and minerals, then you’ve got the basics for a highly desirable compost.

This time last year, I was fortunate enough to receive a complementary crate of their compost. From seed compost, to ericaceous compost, to compost specially made for vegetables, I quickly set about putting it all to good use.

After opening a bag, the first thing that struck me was the feel of the product. Firm yet smooth, and with none of the stones or twigs that occasionally find their way into bags of compost, the texture was fine, with a rich and dark colour. It was clearly packed with goodness.

I have three blueberry bushes, two of which I repotted with Dalefoot ericaceous compost. Last summer, those two bushes produced larger and sweeter fruit. Even the foliage of these two plants looked healthier, compared to the blueberry plant I repotted with a different ericaceous brand.

The vegetable compost I gave over to the squashes and pumpkins. Being a greedy bunch, they lap up water and nutrients as their fruit swell, so I thought they’d be the perfect test subjects. It is now January, and our house is still full of gourds. You can’t turn a corner, without a squash looking back at you. I’ve never had so many, and each variety has had a wonderful taste. With Soph currently taking part in Veganuary, the gourds have become her best friends.

Dalefoot Composts prove that you can work with the environment, not against it, and the results can be far superior. As customers, we need to keep an open mind and make an effort to find more ethical alternatives. There will be a few tough choices to make in the coming years, but if we can embrace change, the future of our gardens and allotments will start to look a lot rosier, particularly if someone manages to invent an ethical alternative to the plastic compost bag!

Happy planting!

6 thoughts on “Dalefoot Composts

    1. It’s actually part of the cabbage family and can be used as such. Our favourite way of eating it is grated raw in salads, but it can also be chopped up and added to stews and works excellently sliced with potatoes in a gratin.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Well, I would not have thought about grating it, but the other uses are more like I was thinking. It seems like it would get used like a potato or a root vegetable. It just seems odd to use the stem of a cabbage like that.

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New to agile? Remember, sometimes things get crazy!

Do you ever get so frustrated you feel like pulling your hair out?  I do (although that is NOT a picture of me to the left!).  If you look at my pictures you will see that it would be difficult for me to pull my hair out because a) there isn’t a lot of it, and b) what little there is I have cut very short.  But, enough about me, back to the issue/craziness at hand.

I last updated my blog on June 14 and here it is July 27.  That is way too long between updates, so let me start by apologizing to all of you who look forward to reading entries when I post them.  Fortunately, during the time when I haven’t been updating the blog I recognized a problem which I often see on agile teams – CRAZINESS!  Yes, sometimes things get a little crazy, or in my case recently, a LOT crazy!

My last month has been extremely busy.  Since June 14th I’ve been in San Diego (twice), Minneapolis (twice), and Philadelphia.  I’ve also sent out 8 training or coaching proposals, been on 18 conference calls, attended 3 major springboard diving meets with my son, one of my daughters had her gall bladder removed and my brother visited to do 10 days of handyman repairs around my house!  In my calendar I see that I did all those things, but it still amazes me that they all got done.  What didn’t get done?  Well, this blog for one thing!

Why is it important to point out my “lack of dedication” to the blog?  Because the answer is much more interesting than “lack of dedication.”  In fact, I love writing blog entries.  It isn’t lack of dedication at all, but rather lack of time.  I made a conscious decision to do other things rather than update the blog.  Why?  Because I work in an agile way, and when I prioritized my backlog of work it caused writing blog entries to fall near the bottom of the list.

I often see agile teams saying things like “we can’t get it all done” and then they try to do the impossible.  The result is usually ugly as they cut corners to try to make everything fit after saying it wouldn’t fit.  Instead what these teams need to remember is to continue to honor their prioritized product backlog.  Work on the important items and don’t spend any energy working on items that aren’t important.  For me, not writing this blog was a tough decision.  Writing here is a bit like therapy for me.  However, for the past 5 weeks I’ve had to put it on hold because other things were much more important.  Will I have dry spells like that again?  Probably, but when it occurs it will occur because I’ve made a decision to prioritize other things higher on my backlog.

Good agile teams need to remember that things WILL get crazy.  It is during the periods of craziness that the discipline of their approach works in their favor.  Don’t fall back into old habits when the pressure or craziness starts to get out of control.  Go back to basics and continue to work in priority order.  Working faster usually leads to more errors.  Working diligently in priority order will always outperform working “faster” on everything at once.

Until next time I’ll be Making Agile a Reality® for my clients by continuing to prioritize my work and personal life in a way which will lead to a balance where I can deliver maximum value to everyone.

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  1. Gosh, you ARE busy. I think I get what you’re saying, but I’m worried some readers might get the wrong message. Yes, the prioritized backlog is our focus. However, we will never be able to deliver business value frequently at a sustainable pace if we do not have the time to learn how to write “clean code” that is easy to test and maintain, if we do not have the time to learn how to automate regression tests so we have time for exploratory testing, if we do not have the time to learn the business domain so we can better server our customers.

    We can’t always prioritize delivering stories above all else. We need slack time to experiment, make mistakes, innovate, learn, improve. Otherwise, we will get buried under technical debt.

    If things are going crazy all the time, the team has over-committed. Even Scrum teams can borrow the Kanban idea of limiting work in progress. Focus on finishing one story at a time – including all the testing, all the refactoring, all the automation. Only commit to the amount of work that can be done properly – not the amount of work that can be hacked out without adequate thought and testing.

    Of course we have to be flexible when it comes to business priorities. There are times where we may have to compromise and do a quick fix we’re not happy about. But if we learn the business domain, we can help our customers find trade-offs, where they may get the most important things they need quickly enough and leave the “nice to haves” for later, or implement something that does most of what they want more cheaply (but still cleanly).

    • Lisa, good point. But “value” encompasses more than just the value to the customer. That is a point I was hoping someone would make because if we focus only on CUSTOMER VALUE then we will fail. We have to focus on BUSINESS VALUE which encompasses internal needs, risk and other items as well. It is why I made sure to point out the things I did with my family. To me they are “internal value” and not “customer value” for my business.

      I tell workshop attendees that focusing solely on customer value will lead to a happy customer – for about 10 minutes when the software breaks and can’t be fixed. Focusing only on internal value means the customer has no reason to purchase the software. We need to have the right mix of customer value and internal value which we roll up into business value.

      As far as things “going crazy all the time” being equal to overcommitting, I’m not sure I agree with that. In some cases this may be true. In other cases it can mean a variety of things having nothing to do with being overcommitted. For example, it could have to do with overall focus. Or something external to the team causing consternation of some sort. Craziness can and will happen. I agree in general that if it happens all the time it is symptomatic of something that needs to be investigated – quickly! I just don’t think the answer is always the same.

      Thanks for the response! I agree with almost all of it and was happy to see someone point these things out so quickly.

      – Bob –

  2. In an testing environment lot of things happen unexpectedly (just as in life!). Under those conditions even if we work diligently the situation is not in our hand. People get crazy mostly in these situations. Unfortunately I have no solutions for these conditions.

Bob Hartman

Known as Agile Bob, brings over 30 years of experience and broad industry knowledge cultivated by serving in almost every role in the software industry including developer, tester, documentation writer, trainer, product manager, project manager, business analyst, senior software engineer, development manager and executive. Over the past 15 years Bob has grown from being an early adopter of Agile to his current status as a Certified Scrum Trainer® (CST) and Certified Enterprise Coach℠ (CEC) and an expert in training, coaching and mentoring across all areas of Agile development. Bob is a popular speaker, having spoken at numerous major conferences, seminars, workshops and user group meetings where his engaging style, holistic view of development and personal anecdotes are always well received by attendees.

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Universal Design: Housing Solutions for All Ages and Abilities

Please note that this module is not available for continuing education credit.

Category: Aging Smart

Good News! We're living longer. Most of us can look forward to many more years ahead. However, as we get older we may face some limitations with our strength and mobility. These changes can often make it more difficult to age in place. Also, we may have loved ones who are not able to use and enjoy features in our homes, or worse, may not be able to visit us because our homes are too difficult for them to get around.

This module will review Universal Design and how it can simplify our lives no matter how old we are, what our abilities are, or how much money we have.

Ohio State University Extension

Our goal at the Ohio State University is, through our Extension services, to bring the knowledge of the university directly to you so that you may better your lives, businesses, and communities.  To that end, we created the Aging Smart Program, which we hope to continue to grow.  We were fortunate enough to have several OSU Extension Educators contribute to the development of the Aging Smart Program: their names are listed below.

We hope you find this module to be helpful, and will consider taking all of the Aging Smart modules!

Kathryn Green, M.S.
Ohio State University Extension Educator
OSU Extension: Family and Consumer Sciences

Carmen Irving, M.A., CFLE, CYC-P
Healthy Relationships Program Specialist
OSU Extension: Family and Consumer Sciences

  1. Understand the benefits of Universal Design.
  2. Identify a process to determine which Universal Design features are most important for your situation.
  3. Identify resources available to help locate and install Universal Design features.

Online Module

When completing the on-line module you will be presented with learning objectives, brief cases in some instances, and interactive lessons with hyperlinks to engage you along the way. Once you complete the lessons, you will be presented with a Module Feedback form. Modules remain available for your future reference once you have completed them.


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What’s up with Wanda?

Hello, world!

Lately I seem to have difficulty finding time to attend this blog with any regularity.  I’m envious of all the amazing bloggers I follow who seem to have the time, energy, and creativity to post weekly, if not multiple times each week.  How do you do it?  If I can post once every two weeks, I feel accomplished.  And in order to do that I have to hide from my family and make them pretend I’m not home.  I am so very behind on my blog reading, it’s pitiful.  I’m trying to catch up, so if you see me comment or like five of your posts in one day, I’m not really stalking you.  Much.  As far as you know.

I guess this post is really just a mish-mash of catching up.  You know, sort of a ‘What’s up with Wanda?” kind of thing.  Not very exciting, but here goes…

happy squidBryn got home from camp!  She was tired, happy,  and her dirty laundry smelled like Hell farted in her face.  I’m not kidding.  I gagged as I was loading the washing machine.  It was a weird combination of body odor, some outdoorsy kind of smell, and dirt.  Aside from that, I was so happy to have her home!  You could say I was giddy.  I couldn’t stop hugging her and I could tell she wanted to be hugged.  She said she had a great time, and they kept the kids so busy she didn’t have time to miss us.  They did nature hikes every day, learned some cool outdoor skills, and got to do fun science experiments that included dissecting a squid and building a model structure that was designed to withstand an earthquake.  They studied marine biology, engineering and geology.  She loved it and we all survived the week.  Well, everyone but the squid.

The hubs and I started the My Fit Foods 21 Day Challenge, and we are currently on day 14.  No coffee, no alcohol, and no sugar for 21 days.  The diet involves eating three meals and two snacks per day, and My Fit Foods provides all the meals and snacks, fully balanced and portion controlled.  The diet is completely clean with no processed food, gluten or added preservatives.  The food is pretty good.  Honestly.  The hardest part is denying yourself all the things you would normally eat or drink that become routine and habit forming.  Like coffee.  And wine.  I really miss coffee and wine. 11188254_10152787327525737_6854965520899974824_n[1] I also miss eating out.  I love good restaurants, and eating out is a huge part of our social activity as a family and while spending time with friends.  That’s been one of the hardest habits to break in the past two weeks.  Oh, and you also have to drink what they call the My Fit Cocktail.  You mix it up first thing in the morning and down it before breakfast.  It’s a combination of unsweetened cranberry juice, apple-cider vinegar, and lemon juice.  It’s like a super cleanse, detoxifying punch to the face.  I won’t miss that when the 21 days are over.  We started this challenge as a way to break some of the bad habits we’d fallen into with ordering out and just over-indulging in our favorite restaurants and meals, far too often.  Also, despite my working out with a trainer, my ass seems determined to hang on to its double-bubble, and I needed to shake that up.  So far, it’s paid off.  Dan has lost eight pounds in 14 days, and I’ve lost five.  The plan is expensive, so not something a person or family can sustain over more than a few weeks time.  It’s also time consuming in a way.  Although the program prepares all the food for you, you still have to deconstruct the meals so that you can eventually re-create the type of meals you need to eat on your own once you finish the challenge.  That’s what I hate about dieting in general.  It’s the constant awareness of everything you eat, why you eat it, how often you eat, and the combination of foods to maximize the effect on your body.  It’s exhausting, and did I mention that I really miss wine?

My son had his pre-K promotion ceremony last week!  The two classes put on a Hawaiian themed performance, singing Beach Boys songs and muddling through some nicely choreographed but poorly executed dance moves.  At the end they were all called up by the pre-school director and given little scrolls of paper tied to look like diplomas, but in actuality the papers were blank.  (The kids were given real certificates later.)  It was adorable, and as usual, most of the parents devolved into the most self-centered, inconsiderate versions of themselves.  It’s sad really.  It seems every parent is willing to piss off ten others by hogging the good camera angles instead of just getting their picture of their kid and then moving aside so another family can get some decent pictures.  We have no useable pictures of Bryce because of the mob of parents who kept standing up to take pictures, or kept raising their cell phones above their heads to video the performance.  All we have are pictures of the top of Bryce’s head and the arms and asses of several other parents who refused to sit down, despite the director halting the show to ask parents to be considerate of others in the room.  Dan was about to lose his shit because the dad sitting in front of us kept standing up every time Dan tried to get a picture.  He started to get mouthy with the guy, so I leaned over and quietly informed him that the asshole in question was the father of the boy whose birthday party Bryce was invited to the next day.  He’s actually a really nice guy.  So, the bottom line is, don’t be that parent.  Don’t be the douche-bag dad or mom who only cares about their own kid at a performance and denies other families the opportunity to enjoy the experience as well.  And remember, all the other parents whose experience you ruined, will talk about your douche-baggery for years to come.

My older brother, who is also one of my best friends, had major back surgery yesterday morning.  He has a degenerative disc disease that destroyed the cushion between a few of his lower vertebrae, and he was at the end of his options for any type of less invasive medical intervention.  He’s only 42 years old and has been living with chronic, debilitating back pain for years.  Yesterday morning he had an ALIF (Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion) for L5-S1.  Let me tell you, it’s some serious shit.  The surgeon entered through his abdomen to reach and fuse the lower part of his spine.  Think about that for a moment, and let the gravity of what that entails sink in.  He made it through surgery like a boss, and I’ll be traveling to Texas next week to help my sister-in-law take care of him while he’s recovering.  I’m anxious to be there with him, and the past week building up to the procedure has been stressful.

So, there you have it.  That pretty much sums up the past two weeks.  Throw in some housework, ten thousand loads of laundry, constant ass-kicking’s from my trainer, some butt-wiping, end of year school activities and there’s my full plate.  🙂  And just to leave you with something funny that made me laugh…..

Have a great weekend!

Have a great weekend!

15 thoughts on “What’s up with Wanda?

  1. “Smelled like hell had farted in her face”!
    Everything about that diet plan looked manageable, until you got to the no wine or coffee part. You’re a brave soul.
    I feel for your brother. That does look like some serious shit. I truly hope he makes a full recovery quickly.

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Hey, you’re coming to Texas? Let me know if you’re coming to Austin and we could get coffee together … oh wait, you’re not doing that. We could get some dinner out and wine … oh wait, you’re not doing that either. We could eat some apples and drink water after doing a few push-ups in the parking lot of the local grocery store if you like … just let me know! 😉

    Anyway, good to see you back! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    • LMAO! I would say screw the diet to have dinner and wine with you! I will be in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, so unfortunately it won’t work out. However, I am pushing for Austin on our next girls trip, and if that happens, I would be so thrilled to get together with you!

      Liked by 1 person

      • It would be trippy to meet someone from the blogosphere. I did meet someone from an online support group — we were all over the US, some from Canada and a couple from England. I met someone in my hometown here in Austin. It was fun, but what I was hoping to turn out to be a friendship just never worked. In fact, she stopped being online. Long story short … it was a baby support loss group and I think she just wanted to move on and get pregnant again; our group, and probably me, served as a reminder of the loss. She did joining a birth board after she got pregnant.

        Anyway, apples are special to Austin … that would be more like BBQ, tacos and other Mexican food! 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      • I know what you mean. It would be wild to have a real face to face, tangible experience with someone you’ve come to be friends with through this medium. But I think it would be awesome to meet you face to face! I can see why that wouldn’t be the case with every person though too, especially given the circumstances. I’ve always wanted to visit Austin though. You and your Austin Apples would be the icing on the cake! 😜

        Liked by 1 person

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text:
10.5 Miles With Tawny Barin in East Los Angeles

Written By Tawny Barin

I don’t remember what exactly brought me to AGoodRun.com, but I do know that reading (and now actively contributing to) the blog triggered a mix of reactions for me – inspiration to continue partnering my love of running with making a difference, excitement to showcase the area that I now call home, and curiosity about who I would want to thank along my run.

Because honestly, how many of us are actually thankful while running for things other than good weather conditions…for remembering to charge your Garmin with enough battery…for not having the urge to use the bathroom until after you’ve finished your run…for being able to make it through the run without hitting every single red light…or “THANK GOODNESS, THAT RUN IS OVER.” etc.

No shame. It happens. But before I get into my run, I wanted to thank Steve for the simple reminder to take a break from auto-pilot mode and say thank you to somebody.

My route takes you through the neighborhoods of Los Feliz and Silverlake, covering points that aren’t usually frequented by the average visitor to Los Angeles.  The first stretch takes you out to and around Silverlake Reservoir, specifically with a stop out at the Meadow.  The reservoir loop itself is a great alternative to a track, offering plenty of walker and runner space and mixing it up with both flat and inclined areas.  You can find a dog park towards the south end, alongside the rec center and occasionally a food truck or two.  Year-round, you can find people at the Meadow whether it be for picnics, yoga, kite-flying or lawn bowling.

My first thank you goes to Coach A and Coach K, my first running coaches ever.  I was sixteen when I signed up to join the cross country team – looking for a sport to keep me in shape until lacrosse season and not really understanding just how much running I had signed myself up for.  Ten years and who knows how many pairs of shoes and spikes later, I am still running and definitely attribute how I’ve gotten to where I am today to my learning, captaining and competing in those early years.

From the Reservoir loop, we backtrack a bit back towards the start but hang a turn to cross over the LA River (be sure to take in the panoramic view of Burbank to Glendale and Eagle Rock to Echo Park) for a hop into Atwater Village to visit my favorite running store, A Runner’s Circle.  ARC does it all and does it well.  Not only do they have a great selection of gear and knowledgeable staff – they’ve also brought together an unbelievable community of amazing and fun people.  I was able to coordinate the timing of my stop with their BBQ celebrating the end of their summer Hollywood Sign run series, a tough but must-join 13.2 mile trek up to the sign summit at the end of each month.  The year-round Thursday fun-runs are a great way to meet fellow runners and stay in the loop about local events and discounts, and I also love that they encourage runners to give back and volunteer as well.  Thanks, ARC team!!  (And especially thank you for the mimosa on Sunday!)

At this point (as much as I love my mimosas and BBQs), I needed to get continue on my run and headed back across the LA River and into Los Feliz via its namesake boulevard.  Once you cross over the river and the highway, you happen upon one of the main entrances to Griffith Park.  Whether you prefer to adventure by cycling, running, hiking or even horse – the options in the park are plenty.  It’s also home to the LA Zoo, the Greek Theatre, the Griffith Observatory and the Autry Museum.

Thanks at this stop is dedicated to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training (TNT).  I completed my first marathon with the Greater LA – San Gabriel Valley team this past June at San Diego Rock N Roll, and one of my most memorable practices of the season was the All-Team run practice held at the park.  Words really cannot describe how much support and motivation that the participant experience imparts to you over the course of a season, and I am extremely excited to be given the opportunity to mentor as part of the Spring season support staff.  After that, I will be signing on as a tri-team participant to complete my first triathlon in September 2013.

Thank you, LLS and TNT…and to all the people I’ve met so far (and will meet) through the team, for letting me partner my passion for running to help with the relentless fight to beat cancer! GO TEAM!!

The next two miles are mostly residential as we approach the two main streets of Los Feliz Village, Hillhurst and Vermont Aves. Sidewalk traffic tends to get more heavy as you cross over Franklin and enter the tree-lined blocks of local eateries and shops (and the Farmers Market, if you happen by on a Sunday), but I don’t mind as its great to see them get the attention they deserve.  Thank you, neighborhood small businesses, for the unique character and small joys you bring to my regular routines! Co-op 28 is perfect for finding that unique gift you’ve been searching for, and when you’re done with your search, Paradis is right next door and ready to provide your tastebuds with some of the freshest ice cream and sorbets they’ll ever have the pleasure of enjoying.  (My favorite is the dark chocolate sorbet.)  Not in a shopping mood but love live performance served with a side of good food and cocktails? Head a few doors down to Rockwell Table & Stage!  I could go on with more recommendations, but for the sake of this entry – you’ll have to just check out my blog or tweets for more of those.

As for me, I continue my jaunt down Vermont until banking a right onto Hollywood Boulevard because no Eastside LA introduction would be complete without at least one peek at the Hollywood Sign and Griffith Observatory.  The climb may look intimidating, but it is totally worth the view from the top of Barnsdall Park.  Taking in a few moments to admire the view from the top, I felt very grateful for the opportunity to live in a city with such a large variety of scenery.  I’m not limited to a concrete jungle of buildings or cookie-cutter developments.  I can hop in the car and easily be on the beach or in up in the hills, or (a combination of both worlds) on a canyon summit overlooking the beach.  It’s been about a year and a half since I made the decision to move to Los Angeles, going from about 100 to 2,000 miles away from my immediate family.  Thank you, Mom and Dad, for all the love and support, whether near or far.

LA is also well known for its range of food trucks, and once again – my timing was impeccable and perfect for me to catch the Coolhaus truck along my route to Sunset Triangle Plaza.  Thank you, Frankie, for the free scoop of dirty mint chip!  Best impromptu “aid station” ever.  If I could, I would take the Coolhaus truck on a whirlwind ice-cream sandwich thank-you delivery and running tour to my good friends around the world.  For now, I’ll have to settle with taking them to the truck or store when they visit me here…at least until Coolhaus and a production company wants to sponsor my documentary 🙂

To conclude the run, I turned back onto Griffith Park Boulevard from the polka-dotted plaza which leads you through the Silverlake hills and right back to where we started.  Do take care of the combination of the incline and uneven sidewalks as you check out the view and houses.  I took a spill with about three-quarters of a mile to go and had to backtrack for some first-aid assistance at a friend’s house.  (Thanks, Jaymie! Hope I didn’t make you late to dodgeball.)  Blame the sugar and runner’s high, I suppose.  Nevermind my natural tendency to trip over my own feet on flat ground.

So there you have it, 10.5 miles around Eastside LA.  Hope you’ve enjoyed!

Tawny Barin is happy to call herself an adopted-Angeleno after spending a little over a quarter-century divided between the West, the East and the South.  She is still in search for a food-truck and production company to sponsor her world-wide running and culinary adventure.

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text:
Illinois Native Shane Gustafson Officiates 2020 Youth Olympic Games in Switzerland

Crystal Lake South alum now works ECHL, AHL games

By Ross Forman – Shane Gustafson went on a 17-day overseas business trip in January – with his skates, whistle and black & white striped uniform.

Gustafson – who graduated from Crystal Lake South High School in 2014, a few months after officiating the combined division high school state championship game at the United Center – was the lone Illinois officiating representative at the 2020 Youth Olympic Games, held in Switzerland.

His journey abroad started last summer, when he attended USA Hockey’s Elite Experience Camp in Plymouth, Mich., to obtain his International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) certification. In October, Gustafson received an email from Matt Leaf, the director of the officiating education program for USA Hockey, asking if he’d be interested in applying to work the 2020 Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne, Switzerland.

“I was extremely honored by this opportunity and immediately sent in my resume,” Gustafson said.

At the end of November he received an email that he had been accepted to officiate the 2020 Youth Olympic Games – and he soon was announced as one of three officials from Illinois assigned to work international tournaments this season.

Riley Bowles (Willowbrook) officiated the World Junior Championship, Dec. 26 – Jan. 5 in the Czech Republic. Erika Greenen (Romeoville) is officiating the Women’s World Championship March 29 – April 4 in Spain.

“I was beyond excited to learn that I had been accepted to work the 2020 Youth Olympic Games,” he said. “This was my first international tournament and I had no clue what to expect, but I was thrilled. It’s extremely humbling when you get selected for something like this and I began counting down the days.”

Gustafson, 24, who now lives in West Chester, Ohio, is in his second season working full-time for the ECHL and his second season working part-time in the AHL. He lived in Greenville, S.C. last season in an ECHL league apartment and now is in a league apartment near Cincinnati. He works four or five games per week.

“The Youth Olympic Games (rank) extremely high on my officiating (resume),” Gustafson said. “Being in Lausanne for 17 days, working such an amazing event was something I will never forget. It was an incredible experience with amazing officials from all over the world. We had referees and linesman from 10 countries on both the men’s and women’s side. It was extremely cool to see how hockey can bring people together and form lifelong friendships.”

The first half of his trip was the first-ever mixed country 3-on-3 tournament. The Olympic Committee was trying something new, with players from all over the world playing together in a 3-on-3 split ice tournament. “We worked about 10 games each,” in this mini-tournament, Gustafson said.

On January 17, the 6 Nations Tournament began and he worked 4 games, including the bronze medal game.

“I was extremely grateful to represent Illinois in Switzerland. I wouldn’t be where I am and definitely wouldn’t have any of the opportunities I have now if it wasn’t for IHOA and AHAI,” Gustafson said. “It was really cool to share stories about IHOA (with) officials from around the world and share with them the development opportunities we are fortunate to have in Illinois.

“Working the bronze medal game on the last day of the tournament between Canada and Finland was incredible. It has always been a dream of mine to work a medal game at an international event and to live out that dream in a very intense game was second to none.

“The Youth Olympic Games (were an) amazing event. Every game was sold-out and the atmosphere was incredible.”

Gustafson was one of 20 officials in Switzerland, along with two officiating coaches. “I formed friendships that will last a lifetime. It’s very cool to see what amazing things officiating can bring you, on and off the ice.

“This tournament was something I will remember for the rest of my life,” Gustafson said.

Eric Cowsill, IHOA president, said: “Shane (has) worked hard to hone his craft and this was a well-deserved assignment. His hard work, dedication and give-back attitude has, rightfully, earned him an assignment as one of three (Illinois officials) selected for international tournaments this season.”

Brad Baumruck, AHAI Officials Advanced Development Program Director, added: “Shane is a remarkable young man (who) has moved on to higher levels of hockey, but has come back to (this area) to help train Illinois officials. His commitment to officiating is outstanding.”

When not on the ice overseas, Gustafson said the officials explored Lausanne and Bern, trying many local foods. “We (had) a great group of officials (in Switzerland) that got along so well, and (we) were constantly looking for fun things to do,” he said.

Gustafson said his most memorable moment from the Switzerland trip came in his final game, when Canada slipped past Finland, 3-2.

“(All of) the games were a blast, (with) the best 15- and 16-year-old players from those six countries,” he said. “(The games) were fast paced and showcased some very talented players. Working with officials from different countries was a first for me and added some extra fun and challenges to the game.”

Gustafson truly cherished the friendships made on the trip. “We (still) talk on a daily basis and have plans to get together in the future. It’s awesome to think that I now have friends in countries such as Sweden, Switzerland, (the) Czech Republic and Russia.”

But now he’s back in the U.S., focused on the ECHL season, with the playoffs rapidly approaching. “I hope to work the Kelly Cup Final this season in the ECHL, and am determined to do so. I also hope to work some games in the (AHL) Calder Cup playoffs,” he said.

Always Illinois

Gustafson played for the Crystal Lake South varsity team for three seasons and before that skated for the Yellowjackets. He was a right-handed shooting center who won a few state championships in youth hockey and finished in the top 10 in points in league play as a junior and senior.

He began officiating during the 2007-2008 season at age 12.

“My absolute dream is to officiate in the NHL,” Gustafson said. “I have moved around the country multiple times chasing this dream because of how passionate I am for officiating hockey, and I wouldn’t change a thing. I became IIHF-certified to work international hockey and have hopes and dreams to someday work the World Juniors, World Championships (and) an Olympics. International hockey is incredible and I look forward to the opportunities that come with it.”

Yet he never forgets IHOA, AHAI or the countless local officials who have helped him along the way.

“There are so many people from Illinois (who) have helped me get to where I am,” Gustafson said. “A couple that I want to mention are Nicole Davis and Erin Blair. I have known both for years and they have always been there for me, pushed me to be the very best I can, on and off the ice. I got into the ADP program in Illinois because of Erin and Nicole and that is where I started my journey, working higher levels of hockey.

“Another person I want to mention is Joe Prescott, (who) has been a mentor of mine for so many years. The knowledge that (Prescott) has passed on to me has been second to none. He put on an entire (training) camp for myself and a bunch of other IHOA officials many summers ago all on his own time just to make us better officials.

“The final person I want to mention is, unfortunately, no longer with us … (the late) Ben Allison was one of my very close friends (and) is the reason I began to work junior hockey. I didn’t even know the opportunities that were out there for officiating until one day many years ago Ben was telling me about his weekends driving around working junior hockey games. Ben gave me the contact information for people to get my foot in the door for junior hockey and later that season I was traveling around the country working hockey for the first time.”

Said Blair, the former director of IHOA’s development program: “Shane is such a great kid. He has shown true potential from the beginning, and his hard work and determination were present from day one. It’s great to watch him progress through the USA Hockey system. I am excited to see what great things the future holds for Shane.”

That includes the AHL, home to the Chicago Wolves.

“Getting to officiating in the AHL is, honestly, a dream come true,” Gustafson said. “The skill level of the players night in and night out is unbelievable. The (arenas) have incredible atmosphere, and sometimes you find yourself just realizing how lucky you are to be skating such tremendous (level of) hockey.

“I have so many memories over the years that I would deem as career highlights, such as getting to skate the Robertson cup for the NAHL, working the Clark Cup playoffs for the USHL, skating the conference finals in the ECHL, and working games in the Calder Cup playoffs for the AHL,” said Gustafson, who also signaled out a Wolves game this season at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont.

“(That) was an incredible day for me as I got to skate in a building I grew up watching games at with so many of my friends and family in attendance. It was extremely special to me and the support from IHOA and AHAI at the game was amazing.”

Gustafson was the first-ever recipient of the Ben Allison Award from USA Hockey, created to honor the late CLS graduate who passed away five years ago. “Receiving this award meant so much to me and is something I will forever cherish,” he said.

Gustafson is still a registered IHOA official and helps annually at the pre-season seminars.

“Working full-time in the ECHL (doesn’t allow me much time) to skate many games in Illinois, but I try my best to still help with seminars and work a few games here and there whenever I am home,” he said.

“Officiating has opened doors for me that I will be forever grateful for and has taught me life lessons that have shaped me into the person I am now. I hope to inspire up-and-coming officials to follow their dreams, no matter what they may be, and work as hard as they can to make them a reality. There will be many people along the journey that tell you you’re crazy or that your dream isn’t possible, but you just need to use those comments to fuel the fire and keep pushing forward. Cherish the journey and everything that comes with it.”

Ross Forman has written about Illinois high school hockey for more than 15 years and is the only sportswriter to have covered Illinois High School hockey every year during that stretch. He played locally and then at Indiana University before becoming a referee. Ross was a referee for the State Championship game several years ago at the United Center. Contact Ross by email at

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