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Alaia Williams

Episode 45: Organization as a System: Why it’s Crucial to Business Success, with Alaia Williams

Alaia Williams is a business systems strategist and community cultivator based in Los Angeles, CA. Alaia works with entrepreneurs and small business owners around the globe, helping them build better businesses by connecting them with the resources they need to succeed.

What you’ll learn about in this episode:

  • The underlying challenges that all business owners face
  • Why organization is the most important system to put in place
  • How to start thinking about organization as a system
  • How to utilize the systems you already have in place to reorganize your business
  • Figuring out what is or isn’t working with your strategies
  • Identifying what you can do better and what is already going well
  • When in your business journey you can work with a systems strategist
  • Looking for systems you can develop to improve operations significantly
  • Functioning at the highest level using strategic systems
  • Keeping track of everything in your life and focusing on what is important

Ways to contact Alaia:

Podcast eBooks:

The Power of Two

Episodes 1, 2 and 3 collide to bring you summary of lessons learned and systems created around Vision and Key Initiatives that help drive success to companies and businesses.

The Transition to Automation

In Episode 25, Vera talks with Heidi Rasmussen, CEO and Co-Founder of one of Inc 5000’s fastest growing companies in America – freshbenies. This eBook highlights part of the conversation to bring out the best lesson in automation and on-boarding for startups.

Using IT Strategically

In Episode 29, Vera talks with Tom Grooms, Vice President, Information Technology, and Chief Information Officer for CF Industries. This eBook is your guide for seeing IT as more than just a faster way to do your accounting.

The ZFactor Methodology

In Episode 35, Vera talks with Cindy Goldsberry, founder and partner of ZFactor Group. This eBook shows you how to take your business from vendor to value creator.

Welcome to System Execution, the strategy and system behind today’s successful companies. Systems can make or break your company but here we’ll solve your physical, technological and psychological systems issues by connecting you with experts who have succeeded in overcoming those challenges in their own business and providing you the guidelines and tools you need to implement those same strategies for immediate results.

Now, here’s your host, Vera Fischer.

Vera Fischer: Today’s episode is sponsored by 97 Degrees West, the brand marketing agency located in Austin, Texas. 97 Degrees West serves regional and national companies in the healthcare, finance, energy and manufacturing industries. 97 Degrees West believes that an integrated approach to marketing that involves traditional and digital strategies that fit your customer’s buying journey yields the greatest impact on your bottom line. Go to www.97DWest.com to learn more.

Welcome to System Execution. A podcast devoted to using processes and systems to drive to a better outcome for your business. I’m Vera Fischer, your host. Many of you know that business success relies on systems. Systems can be physical such as a warehouse or a factory or technological, think software. While others are psychological systems such as checklists, work charts or your daily hot list.

Today’s guest is Alaia Williams. Alaia Williams is a business systems strategist based in LA, California. Alaia works with entrepreneurs and small business owners around the globe, helping them build better businesses by connecting them with the resources that they need to succeed.

She has been called an organizer, strategist, project manager, online business manager and more. No matter what the label, at the heart of it, Alaia’s goal is to take business owners from stuck, stalled and struggling with overwhelming to get things to a place where they can run their business with a greater sense of calm, clarity and confidence.

Whether you have questions on which kind of systems will make your life easier, you need help navigating through a sticky project or just want to outsource the parts of your business that drive you up the wall, Alaia is there to make it happen.

Welcome to System Execution, Alaia.

Alaia Williams: Thank you, I’m so excited to be here.

More on Alaia’s Background

Vera Fischer: Well Alaia, it is so great to have you on the show. Before we dive into your business strategist system, I’d really like to just talk to my listeners for a minute. Listeners, this is the first interview that we’ve had where we’re actually going to be on the other side of the process and system bench if you will. We’ve had interviewees that talk to us about what type of system or process to set up but Alaia is going to talk to us about how you bring someone in like her to analyze and look at the systems you have in place and she will walk us through that and then how she makes those recommendations.

Alaia, before we get started, why don’t you tell us a little bit more about yourself, your experience and how you became a business systems strategist.

Alaia Williams: Yeah, well to me it all feels very organic. I got my start in entrepreneurship over ten years ago and I actually started out as a professional organizer so I was helping people clear clutter and organize their homes and offices. As I was working with my clients, a lot of them were business owners and I like to call LA the land of the slash slash slash because you usually find people who do more than one thing so even if I was helping a client in their home, they might have had a side business or they were running a business out of their home or garage.

I was getting a lot of exposure to business as I worked on various projects. I also started a meetup here in LA for entrepreneurs and so as my world was filling with friends and colleagues that were business owners, I started to hear more about what people’s underlying challenges were.

It was interesting because around this time we were in the midst of the recession and people were really seeing organizing as a luxury. Now as an organizer, I understand that it wasn’t but I could totally understand why it wasn’t something that people were prioritizing at that time. I took that as an opportunity to talk to my clients, particularly the ones that owned business about the underlying structures and foundations of their business. Their systems and it really grew from there.

I was really, in the beginning, speaking from my own experience, a lot of them were asking me how I was juggling things, how I was so on top of this thing or that thing or for example, I had this client, he was a photographer on the side but was making probably more money on his side photography business than in his day job career. He wasn’t invoicing clients. I had to tell him if I had a ten thousand dollar job that needed to be invoiced, you bet that would be the first thing I would do in the morning.

Vera Fischer: Yes.

Alaia Williams: And he was no, yeah, and he was not keeping track of who had paid, he had misplaced checks. I mean the misplaced checks was why he and I started working together in the first place but the whole money piece of his business, not being able to find checks, not sure who he invoiced and who had paid. You know, the first thing that we did outside of organizing his home office was sit down and come up with a process for his you know, his billing, his invoicing that sort of thing and it really grew from there. So at first I was finding like current clients that I could plug myself in in that way and then as my business grew, that became the focus of many of the projects.

Defining the Business Systems Strategist Role

Vera Fischer: Well, I think that’s a really great segway to you explaining to our listeners what exactly is a business systems strategist?

Alaia Williams: (laughs) Yeah, that’s a great question and it’s something that I … It’s a term I landed on. I’m sure I’m not the only one who calls herself that but for me, you know as you mentioned in the intro, people have called me so many things over the years and to me, I boiled it down as business systems strategist because I really feel that that’s what I’m helping people do, strategize and figure out which systems are best for their business and are going to make their lives easier.

I believe that people have systems, whether they realize it or not. A lot of people come to me and they’re like I have no systems and everyone has got at least one system. Whether the system is working or not is another story but everyone has got some kind of system, process, way of doing things and I’m there to either help put new things in place or help them figure out how to fine tune what they’re already doing.

Vera Fischer: Well, that’s interesting Alaia. What I wanted to do this time around is I wanted to start with you know let’s say, let’s do a little bit of role playing where you’re coming in and I’m a business owner and you’re going to come in and talk to me about this business systems strategy if you will. How do you get started with a company that has hired you to do this?

Alaia Williams: Yeah. The first thing that I do is ask people what’s working and what’s not working. I think that can throw people off sometimes because they feel like nothing is working. You know, sometimes they feel like absolutely nothing is working and that’s why they’re calling me in the first place but I think sitting with that question gives them a chance to identify what is working properly and realize that not everything is broken. I think that sometimes what can be intimidating when people think about working with me or someone like me is that they think I’m there to upset the apple cart and throw out everything that they know and believe and tell them everything is wrong. That’s not the case.

Sometimes it’s about a simple light bulb moment. You know, you may have a system and you’re just not using it properly. You don’t know the full capabilities of that system and if I can help you leverage that existing system better, it’s going to save you time and money and it’s probably going to save on training costs and time and all of that good stuff. I always start with what’s working, what’s not working. I ask people where they want to go. You know, what is your vision for how your business is working on the back end. I ask questions about how they want to grow their team and not just in terms of who they want to hire but where that team is. A lot of people work with virtual teams. I do. But there are still people who are working with you know teams in person. You know, you have employees so there are people who have teams on site, remote teams, so it’s important for me to know how they plan to grow their team so that I can suggest systems that are going to fit with the team structure and dynamics. Those are some of the introductory things that we get into before we dive deep and drill down into different areas of systems in their business.

When to Hire a Business Systems Strategist

Vera Fischer: Is there a part of the business journey that the business owner needs to be in before they can hire someone like you to do this or can they be at the beginning of their business or you know, we really need you to have at least a year or two of business ownership under your belt? I’m just curious how far along someone needs to be.

Alaia Williams: The answer to that is yes and no and I’ll tell you why. I think that people could work with me at any point. I always say the earlier the better. Yesterday was better than today, today is better than tomorrow and in my dream world, people hire me before they launch or when they’re in the launch phase but realistically most people who are starting business, especially if it’s their first business, they’re not thinking about systems. They’re not looking for someone like me, they don’t know to look for someone like me. You know, if anything, they’re thinking about the business plan. Oftentimes, especially these days, people are thinking about marketing and what they’re going to do with social media. I get it. I do marketing systems and stuff like that too but they’re not usually looking for people like me.

Usually when I work with someone who is just starting out, they have a day job, they’ve been running the business on the side and they find me when they’re ready to take their business full time. That’s usually the case. Like they were already running it as a side business and now they’re trying to step it up. The majority of my clients and the ones that tend to be looking for someone like me are people who’ve been in business anywhere from three to five years. Sometimes it’s more but usually that’s a sweet spot because they’ve gotten over that initial hump. You know, we’ve all heard those stats that most businesses don’t last more than a year. They’ve gotten past that hump. They’re pushing forward, they’re trying to grow it, they’re trying to scale in whatever way they want to scale but they’re usually hitting a roadblock of some sort.

One of my clients, one of my longest running clients is a perfect example of this. When I met her, she was running a successful business with a great roster of clients. She was making good money. That wasn’t the struggle. Her challenge was that she couldn’t take on anymore and so she had a decision to make. She was thinking of going a different way in her personal life and so she literally said I don’t know whether to hire an employee and scale this or shut the business down entirely but I can’t think because I’m not organized and so even if I had an assistant or you know a mini me, I don’t even know what they would do because there’s no system or process for them to follow. Sometimes people really are at a wall like that where they can’t take on any more business or they want to start offering courses or branch off into products or whatever it is they’re not currently offering and they feel like they can’t do it because they can’t manage any more.

It’s usually some kind of wall or I don’t want to say tragedy but some kind of missed opportunity. Someone misses out on a major speaking gig, they miss out on a major project because they forgot to follow up or you know something of that nature. Usually there’s some kind of pivotal event like that or they’ve gotten to a place where they can’t function the way they’ve been functioning and they need some systems and organization to move forward. I find that that often happens in that three to five year phase but it can happen any time.

Why Both Systems & Organization are Crucial to Scaling Your Business

Vera Fischer: I think some of our listeners may be thinking to themselves, well I’m organized and I just don’t understand how you know, how I would need this type of a service, if you will. Talk to me, Alaia, about the types of levels of organization skill sets your clients have.

Alaia Williams: I have a lot of clients that are organized and systems, you know not having … Having systems doesn’t mean you’re organized, not having systems doesn’t mean you’re disorganized but I have met a lot of people who … It’s weird. I don’t know why organized on paper is coming to my head. It doesn’t quite make sense but you know you walk into their office and it’s pretty, it’s well put together but that doesn’t mean that they’re business is functioning. Systems and organization to me play together but they’re not one in the same. And so someone may be very organized but they may not have systems, they may not have systems that help their business run efficiently. They may not have systems in place that help them scale. Some of my most organized clients that you know have all their files put away and labeled correctly and have a beautiful space that looks more organized than mine, they suffer from some of the things I was mentioning just a minute ago.

You know, they’re missing out on opportunities because they can’t keep track of what’s coming through or they don’t have a process in place for their team members to check in on what to do and they’re relying entirely on email to check in about things. Depending on your business and your team, that may be okay but for most people relying on email as a project management tool is not a great way to do things. You know, having your space organized, having your papers organized is great. Don’t get me wrong but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you have the systems in place that you need to be running the best business possible.

There’s kind of that visual organization and then there’s the deeper level of organization and systems and what I call having a strong foundation. I think of it from a practical day to day perspective. Like the systems I have in place just make it easier for me to get things done, they make it easier for me to remember things that otherwise would probably escape my brain but if you are building the kind of business that you want to scale and potentially sell and make an exit from, people are buying your systems. They’re buying the way that you do things and the way the business is run. If that’s your goal, if that’s your end game, it is vital that you have systems and processes in place and documented. That’s like a whole other level.

I mean my stuff is in place and documented but that’s not what I have in sight for my business but it is for a lot of my clients and so it’s very important to have that deep layer of systems in place so that you can grow and scale the way you want to and sell if that’s your goal.

Vera Fischer: What is the best mix? The documentation is something that’s really important and I absolutely agree with you. When there is an exit strategy in place for a business, people are buying the magic and all of that is documented and is that processing system so that when you pull away the prior business owner and insert the new one, they should at least get some of those same results that you were getting from that business, correct?

Alaia Williams: Right, right.

Vera Fischer: Right.

Alaia Williams: The whole point is they don’t want to start from scratch.

Vera Fischer: That’s why they’re buying –

Alaia Williams: That’s why they’re buying a business, correct. What is the good mix between there’s so much technology out there and project management software and this, that and the other. And there’s just sometimes the comforting three ring binder.

Vera Fischer: Oh yeah. oh yeah. What is the great mix when we’re talking about “documenting processes”?

Alaia Williams: I’m very pro-analog. As much as I love systems that are online, systems that automate, there’s a lot to be said for you know pen and paper or printed out paper. I mean, people ran businesses for hundreds of years before the internet and computers even existed. You know, these tools make it easier for us to do business in the modern age but it’s not the only way of doing things and I like to have a mix of analog and digital myself. Even though I use Google calendar for example, I still use a day planner that I write in every day because there’s something mentally for me that is more impactful to write things down and physically check things off my to do list. I keep things in a project management system but I plan my dad every morning and I write down the things I specifically need to do today.

I do that mix. And I love a good three ring binder. I think when it comes to documenting processes, it’s great to have both. It’s great to have the systems documented, the processes documented and easily accessible online, whether it’s through a company wiki, Google Docs, Dropbox, it should be stored somewhere that’s easily accessible because if you change a system, if the key stakeholder involved changes, you need to easily be able to update that documentation and that’s pretty common because most people have their employee handbooks online in some way. Most likely it’s in digital form somewhere. But having a printed out copy is nice to be able to hand people, to be able to sit in a meeting and review with people, and sometimes it’s easier depending on what the process is, it can definitely be easier in certain circumstances to have a physical printed out copy. I’m not anti that. I believe in having as little paper as possible but I’m definitely not one of those people who’s like you’ve got to be a hundred percent paperless.

I think that there’s a mix to be had and it’s all about finding out what’s right for your company.

Vera Fischer: Exactly, exactly. You know, one of the things we do here at the agency is we use infographics for processes so that we can make them, put them on the wall.

Alaia Williams: Yeah.

Vera Fischer: That way it really slims it down enough to where you hit those key points and if people need more then there’s another place to go to get more information if they need it.

Alaia Williams: That’s a great idea. I love that. I haven’t seen that done yet but I love that.

How Alaia Educates Business Owners on the Right Systems

Vera Fischer: Alaia, how do you educate those business owners and their team members on the system that you’ve recommended and are now implementing for them? Is it a workshop? Is there a series of workshop or meetings? I’m certain it just can’t be one and done because I think it needs a little bit more repetitiveness?

Alaia Williams: Yeah. You know, people usually work with me in a couple of different ways. There are the people who feel completely tech savvy and they may just come to me for a strategy session where my process covers eight different areas of business so I’ll walk them through that or like hone in on an area that they have identified as their problem area. Talk about what’s going on in this business and then they take my recommendations and implement them. That is very rare and again, that is for the, you know, tech savvy and competent. Those are the people who are they know, they’re good with tech, they just aren’t sure what to do. Often times those are the people that I mentioned before that have already been running their business on the side and they just don’t know what to do now that they’re making the leap into full time and they just want to make sure they’ve got the right stuff in place.

That’s rare. Most of the time what happens is I take them through that strategy or audit process, make my recommendations and then I’m there to help implement and train. That’s training them, training any team members who need to know what’s going on. Sometimes there’s some documentation involved. Sometimes I’ll share videos with them that I made for either other clients or for a class, I also run a program called Systems School. I’ll have demo videos that they can have access to. It’s really up to them how they learn and how they’d like to spend their time. But I’m there to make tweaks. I like to do follow ups so you know, I always make the best recommendations I can. My clients try to be as honest as they can but sometimes people realize I held this back or this isn’t really something I like or this isn’t working and so I like to follow up because it’s not always perfect. We may need to tweak either how you’re using the system or tweak what you’re doing entirely but it’s about being honest.

As I mentioned in the beginning, it’s not that most people don’t have systems, they’re just not the right systems or they’re not fully utilizing them so we have to get systems to a place where we’re comfortable with them, where we’re happy with the choice we’ve made, otherwise we won’t use it. Most people I encounter have systems in place and that oftentimes means you know, software as a service. They’re paying a monthly subscription fees for something and they’re not using it so they’re just wasting money. We want to make sure that you’ve got the right system, it is working well for you and if it’s not, let’s scrap it and find something else. You know, so I tell people it’s not set in stone, don’t be afraid to make changes and so I’m there along the way until they’re happy with what’s going on. They may come back down the line or just need a check in on something and I pop in and check in and that’s kind of how it works.

Vera Fischer: It’s so interesting when clients take on those types of software systems and they pay that money and the part of the fact that it’s a human being that has to enter in the information in order for that to work is just lost on some people, it’s like well it was automated. Well, yes.

Alaia Williams: Right. But you have to do something.

What to Do When a System Implementation Goes Wrong

Vera Fischer: You do have to do something and you know, sometimes it’s just too overwhelming the software or it’s not, it doesn’t do all the things that need to be do so I absolutely agree with you. Has there ever been an instance where you’ve worked with someone where you know it just, the systems that they had they thought were working were just a complete failure or you had to go in and do a part two because what you had set up they just weren’t gelling with, anything like that you want to share with us?

Alaia Williams: Oh yeah. That’s happened a couple of times. The most recent client that comes to mind, she’s actually been really easy to work with and she’s one of those people that I mentioned that’s pretty comfortable with technology. We implemented, she wanted a CRM. She worked in the financial industry, was used to the tools designed for that industry and she wanted a CRM primarily something to track contacts with and so I made some recommendations. She picked the one she liked best, I trained her on it. She was excited at first and then a couple of weeks later she swung back around and said hey, you know could you step in and create some workflows for me? This just isn’t feeling natural and so I sure you know because I can do work flows in five minutes. I hopped in and did that and then she’s like yeah, you know I really just think this isn’t working for me.

I said hey, that’s fine. What do you like about it? What do you not like about it? You know what do you want right now because you hadn’t jumped into this full time when we put this place and now you’re in full time. You’re running your business. What do you feel like you need? When she told me that I said okay, great. Well here’s a couple of alternates. Here’s what I think. You know, we tried out a couple of things and now she found one that she likes. I think it was such a painless process and neither one of us felt like a failure. She didn’t feel like a failure, I didn’t feel like I didn’t do my job because she was open and she understands that it takes a little bit of trial and error and I think that’s what so many people are afraid of. They’re afraid of the very first thing not working and so they just don’t want to do it at all. But that trial and error can really help you get clear on what you actually need.

The system she ended up with does exactly two things when she thought she needed all of that other stuff before. We ended up landing on something that was way more stripped down than what she started with so sometimes what you end up with is much simpler than what you thought you needed. You have to be willing to play and be in that process but you know at first I had that little of panic like oh no, she’s not happy with the suggestion I made but she was so open to the process and to trying things on that it ended up just going really smoothly.

How Alaia and Her Team Measure the Effectiveness of a System

Vera Fischer: And so whenever you are working with clients and how are you measuring the effectiveness of that particular system that you’re setting up aside from the fact that the client is happy? Are there KPI’s that you put in front at the beginning of the engagement?

Alaia Williams: Depending on the system, yes. It could be challenging to put a KPI in place if it’s something that they’ve never like really gotten into before.

Vera Fischer: Sure.

Alaia Williams: But yeah, you know one of the things I check in on is are you actually using it? So not just are you like happy, does this feel good? But are you using the system? Is it making your life easier? Are you saving time? A lot of why people are looking for systems is because they’re doing things manually. Again, they’re doing invoices in Excel or something like that and not keeping track of who is paying but if you have a system that’s sending out late invoice reminders on your behalf and your payments are now automated, like that’s saving you time and it’s saving you money. I check in on things like that. You know, has any follow up slipped through the cracks since you put your CRM in place and if so, where was the misstep? And often times again, sometimes the system is not the right one for them but oftentimes when I ask that question, it’s that they never put the person in the CRM to begin with.

So many times the “failure” or the missteps happen when people aren’t using their systems and it’s not that there’s so many great systems out there but especially when it comes to ones that do invoicing for example. That’s an easy example. An invoice is an invoice. They all do the same thing. Don’t stress about whether you’re using Harvest over Fresh Book. You know, one may be better because it integrates with other systems you use but on a base level, they do the same thing. What’s more important is you have one in place and you’re using it.

Vera Fischer: Right, the invoices are actually going out.

Alaia Williams: Yeah that’s the important part. So you know people sometimes will stress that they’re using the best thing and do they need to use the biggest name and the flashiest one and the ones that all the online business gurus are talking about and it’s like no, especially not if your business can’t afford it. You can grow into that if you really need it but what you need is a system that gets the job done and so many of them do the exact same thing. Pick one, stick with it and then if it doesn’t work you can switch it up but if you stick with it and use it the way it’s intended, most likely you’ll love it.

How Long a Typical Engagement Lasts for Alaia and Her Team

Vera Fischer: Well, Alaia, one last question before we talk about your next challenge, how long do your typical engagements go? Aside from the follow up and the check in and all of that, just from start to implement ion? Is that a monthly, how does that work?

Alaia Williams: With a lot of people it takes less than a month, I know this is going to sound funny but there are people who hire to me and aren’t open to change, which sometimes makes me question why they hired me.

Vera Fischer: Right.

Alaia Williams: But they’ll put up that resistance and I think it’s because they’re not as ready to make big changes as they think that they are but for the clients that are on it and ready to get stuff in place, I mean as long as our calendars align, we could make changes in a matter of days. It could be two weeks or less. But you know if we’re both busy or they need to go at a slower pace than sure, it might take a month but for most people that work with me there’s no reason that it needs to take that long. Depending on what the system is, there may be tons of information that needs to get into the system but for the most part, that isn’t the case. You know, getting started with email marketing, I always tell people why are you putting it off, you know? You can get that system set up two hours, less you know depending on how scattered your contacts.

Vera Fischer: Right.

Alaia Williams: Depending on how many systems they need to put in place, what needs to be integrated, I mean it’s just a matter of a couple of days. It’s not as complicated as people often think it’s going to be and they’re so happy when they do it and yes, obviously working with me but even on their own. You know, once they finally get around to doing it they think why did I wait? You know, why did I wait so long? This was so easy to do.

Upcoming Challenges for Alaia

Vera Fischer: Great. So let’s talk about your next challenge for your business.

Alaia Williams: Next challenge for my business is actually relaunching my Systems School course. I’m really excited about it and it’s something I released at of 2015 and I’m bringing it back. I think the challenge for me is setting it up in a way that it’s going to be most beneficial to the people that it’s designed for.

Vera Fischer: Wonderful. So Alaia, you’ve shown us that processes are needed to get the work done and have provided a few of the nuances that our listeners need to hear regarding the execution of a successful system, before we go, let’s close out today’s discussion with any final advice you want to share, anything we may have missed and then tell us the best we can connect with you.

Alaia Williams: Yeah I think, I said it a few times but it’s that important, you know don’t wait. Today is better than tomorrow. Really think about what systems you need to put in place to make your business work better. You know, what’s going to take stress off your plate and make you more efficient? Ask yourself if it’s something that you can tackle on your own or if you do need help from me or someone like me.

If you can’t step outside of your day to day and objectively analyze your situation, you may need to talk to someone else but don’t put it off because the process, as long as you’re clear about where you want to go and how you want your business to run, the process can be quick and pretty darn painless and you’ll feel so much better on the other side. That’s my big encouragement, no matter how you approach it, just dive in and make changes, nothing is set in stone.

And the best way to you know get ahold of me or check out any of my resources or anything is to go to my website. I try to keep it all there. It’s alaiawilliams.com and I’ve got resources, product services, the course, it’s all there.

Vera Fischer: And listeners you can also in the show notes at systemexecution.com, when Alaia’s interview is live on our website, you can go there and get her URL as well.

Well, System Execution fans, no matter how many notes you took or often you re-listen to this episode, remember every successful business uses systems to drive to a better outcome. Alaia, it’s been great to have you on the show and thank you so much for sharing your insight with our System Execution listeners.

Alaia Williams: Thanks again for having me. I hope the information was beneficial for your audience.

We hope you found this episode of System Execution enlightening. For free examples, case studies, e-books and more, be sure to visit systemexecution.com/resources. Contribute to the conversation by reaching out to Vera directly on email at vera@systemexecution.com. Until our next episode, thank you for the privilege of your time.

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Bands » John Petrucci » Lost Without You » Guitar pro tab

Lost Without You by John Petrucci guitar pro 3 tab download Lost Without You.gp3

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If you browse all John Petrucci tabs or open the list of tabs and chords for Lost Without You, you can see there are not only Guitar Pro tabs. Guitar tabs and chords, piano & power tabs, drum tabs, bass tabs - they all can be not only in Guitar Pro file format, but also in txt. In this case no special program is needed to read the tab. All you need to do it to open such Lost Without You tab and you will see it displayed. If you wish, you can download our free tabs in txt.

tries to expand tabs database, adding new and hot songs as well as old and beloved melodies, so our archive could suit any person. Also we try to add chords and files for different music instruments, for example, you can find John Petrucci acoustic guitar tabs, piano chords or power tabs. Many songs like Lost Without You have not only Lost Without You guitar pro 3 tab type, but provide wide selection of chords and tabs for all instruments. We also try to add more John Petrucci Guitar Pro tabs as they can bear data for whole band including sheet music.

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8/29 Hurricane Harvey

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3/16 Woman Helped by Houston CAA

Impoverished Woman Moves from Subsidized Housing to Master’s Degree and Dream Job Read about it on the Office of Community Service’s website. more

10/1 Nat'l Weatherization Evaluations

The U.S. Department of Energy released the full results of the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) evaluations covering program years 2008 and 2010. See the full reports on Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s website under WAP Retrospective Evaluation and WAP Recovery Act Evaluation. The evaluations showed families very satisfied with the program and reporting many health and well-being benefits, such as: Fewer times when they paid utility bills instead of buying food – in fact, fewer households more

8/11 Weatherization Assistance Program Study Disputed

The U.S. Department of Energy has released comments disputing information contained in the recent study by the E2e Project. View the comments online. more

6/3 2014 State CSBG Fact Sheet

The National Association for State Community Services Programs (NASCSP) has published state fact sheets for Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2013 Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) results. Access the Texas fact sheet online. more

12/30 2014 CSBG Annual Report Released

2014 CSBG annual report

The National Association for State Community Services Programs (NASCSP) has published the 2014 Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Annual Report, as well as Fiscal Year 2013 (FY13) CSBG Highlights. The report features outcomes, statistics, and demographic data from over 1,000 Community Action Agencies nationwide. more

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Community Action changes people’s lives, embodies the spirit of hope, improves communities, and makes America a better place to live. We care about the entire community, and we are dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other.

8/20 Economic Opportunity Act - 50 Year Anniversary

The Economic Opportunity Act, 50 Years Later: We Need Renewed Presidential Leadership Happy Anniversary, Community Action, a message from Jeannie Chaffin, Director of the Office of Community Services. Marking Five Decades of the Economic Opportunity Act Communities, Individuals, and the Long Fight Against Poverty more

1/17 Commemorating the War on Poverty at 50

Poverty is in the news these days as the anniversary year of the declaration of the War on Poverty hits 50 years. To commemorate the occasion, a webpage has been set up to capture news articles and publications covering the topics. It will be updated throughout the year. more

1/17 Community Services Block Grant Reauthorization

On January 13, 2014, H.R. 3854 was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives to reauthorize and modernize the Community Services Block Grant Act. Track the bill’s progress online. more
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Multi-Use Target - Fluorescent Green - Qty of 25

Product Description

Contains a pad of 25 high quality paper targets, glued with chipboard backing for easy handling and storage.

Dimensions: 19" Width X 25" Height

Our Multi-Use Target was designed around the fact that practice is what it takes to become a faster and more accurate marksman. This target was created with a number of different applications in mind, the first of which is Competition The target features two vertical rows of five circles which start with a one inch diameter and increase by one inch increments up to five inches. The fluorescent red target is excellent for Illuminated Dot Scopes with a red dot reticle. The fluorescent green and fluorescent red work perfectly with Laser sights of the same corresponding color. The Multi-Use target has proven excellent for use with long range rifles. The 1" circle represents 1 MOA at 100 yards and the 5" circle represents 1 MOA at 500 yards. For precision long range shooters who need to be within 1 MOA, these Multi-Use targets are perfect! This target is also available in the following colors: Fluorescent RedFluorescent OrangeFluorescent Pink, Blue and White.  *Please note that computer monitor's color and screen resolution settings do not allow true fluorescent coloring.

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Wednesday, March 12, 2014

3-12-14 Taichung Zone Conference

Creative new missionary introductions:
Welcome, 歡迎!
Our first local missionary couple, serving in the mission office to afford our office elders more proselyting time. They are so excited to serve! We hope their experience will bring many more senior couples in local stakes to serve missions close to home:)
President presents the Asia Area Vision, followed by his vision for the Taichung Mission:
APs train on Effective Morning Preparation:
President's counselor shares cultural insights, especially in preparation for April's Grave Sweeping tradition:
Greetings to celebrate second quarter birthdays:
Lunch break, thank goodness for Costco!

President shares insights on the Doctrine of Christ:
Searching the scriptures:

Concluding with the Mission Song:

Sharing musical talents:
The Taichung Zone at the Wuchuan chapel:

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University of Cambridge > Talks.cam > Computer Laboratory Security Seminar > Process isolation for cloud computing using commodity operating systems

Process isolation for cloud computing using commodity operating systems

Add to your list(s) Download to your calendar using vCal

If you have a question about this talk, please contact Andrew Lewis.

In new ways of computing, such as Grid and Cloud computing, the computing environment is in a multi-tenancy and virtual organization setting for which conformed guest process isolation is an important quality of service. Some known approaches suggested to make use of natural isolation existed between virtual machines (VMs) by deploying processes of different guests into separate VMs. We argue that, under a reasonable assumption of using commodity OSes, process isolation using inter-VM isolation is not only inadequate in security, but also impractical in performance and several other considerations. In Project Daoli, we work on process isolation within a VM. Our method modifies the open source hypervisor Xen by adding process isolation components to Xen with conformed behavior.

Daoli is a project on trusted grid infrastructure led by EMC Research China working with Fudan University, Wuhan University and Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China

This talk is part of the Computer Laboratory Security Seminar series.

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handphone bill

i just realised that my phone bill for the month of january went up to $140. and total talk time is less then 2 hours!

m1 charges me $12 for a 4 minutes call when i was in hongkong
i could have bought like 5 bowls of fish slice ban mian and would not be able to finish in the 4 minutes.{涙}

my actual phone bill subscription cost me only $10. and the incidentals add to the bulk making my total bill for February to be $50!

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Taichung; Miyahara 宮原眼科

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Home » » All Relative (2014)

All Relative (2014)

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  • Year of movie : 2014
  • Genres of movie : Romance, Comedy, Drama,
  • Status of movie : Released
  • Release date of movie : 2014-11-21
  • Companies of movie : Shoot First Entertainment,
  • Countries of movie : United States of America,
  • Language of movie : English,
  • Durationof movie : 85 Min
  • Average vote of movie : 5.4
  • Youtube ID of movie :
  • Translation of movie : EN,DE,
  • Actors of movie :Connie Nielsen (Maren), Jonathan Sadowski (Harry), Sara Paxton (Grace), Al Thompson (Jared), David Aaron Baker (Phil), Liz Fye (Melissa), Audrey Jessup (Kate), Sarah Steele (Beth), Erin Wilhelmi (Liz), Rob Yang (Ven)

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Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Cars and Rockets, Mostly.

Matt Barrett, my friend and coworker, just put up his sketchbook on Lulu. If you like vehicles and epic landscapes you may find this is the best book you ever laid eyes and hands on.

Matt is also going to be hanging out with Kristen and I at this year's Emerald City Comicon again. So track us down and get him to sign a copy!

Zav said...

Gosh, the vehicules are impressive oO

Nori Tominaga said...

thanks for the heads up


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Thespian's Stage

Format Legality
Pre-release Legal
Tiny Leaders Legal
Magic Duels Legal
Vintage Legal
Modern Legal
Casual Legal
Leviathan Legal
Legacy Legal
1v1 Commander Legal
Duel Commander Legal
Unformat Legal
Pauper Legal
Commander / EDH Legal

Printings View all

Set Rarity
Gatecrash (GTC) Rare

Combos Browse all

Thespian's Stage

: Add to your mana pool.

, : Thespian's Stage becomes a copy of target land and gains this ability.

Price & Acquistion Set Price Alerts

Recent Decks

Thespian's Stage Discussion

Thing2 on The Locust God

5 days ago

This deck looks like a wild ride! For the most part it looks like you just need to hit 6 mana and it will go off the chain.

Coat of Arms - You have more win conditions in this deck then I can count, this one is more dangerous than the others.

Forgotten Creation - This doesn't net you cards and is likely to die before it does any good. I would stick to out of hand wheels.

Jace's Archivist - Same as above but I think this one is worse since it has the potential to hook up other players.

Nin, the Pain Artist - You might have to explain this one to me? Are you drawing off your own creatures? Seems slow.

Evolving Wilds, Myriad Landscape, Terramorphic Expanse, Thawing Glaciers

I think you want a fast land package here and very few to 0 come into play tapped lands. Once you start wheeling you will just be looking for a land that comes into play untapped and then wheel again...At least that's how I imagine this deck working.

Fateful Showdown - Doesn't net you cards, doesn't kill that many threats without a lot of cards and its 4 mana.

Blood Sun - The reason Blood Moon and Back to Basics are so good is because they stop people from playing cards. This just stops certain threats like Kor Haven and Maze. This deck seems to just want to win rather than police the board.

Firestorm - This card seems dangerous and the upside not that good. It needs enough legal targets so unless the board is full of targets and you have a ton of cards AND you are sure no one has a counter up...

I spent less time on looking at adds as I am sure you have some in mind already but here are a few that I would consider.

Mirage Mirror - Nuf said.

Knowledge Exploitation - Its whatever you need.

Kozilek, Butcher of Truth - Prevent yourself from milling yourself! I know you have the spiral and reversal but this is a good fail safe..also I wouldn't worry about not having targets for Pull from the Deep and others, it seems like that will never be a problem for this deck.

Solemn Simulacrum & Burnished Hart - I think these both deserve a spot. Getting to 6 mana as fast as possible seems very important.

Neheb, the Eternal - Card is dumb.

Glen Elendra Archmage - I used to not play with this card cause I thought it was annoyingly good...I was right.

Omniscience - This deck is already broken.. might as well.

Recurring Insight & Rush of Knowledge - Regular card draw is good too!

Propaganda - This one might need to be added to the deck later when our group starts killing you as soon as possible =).

Spell Swindle - My favorite counter spell.

Thespian's Stage - Copying someones Gaea's Cradle seems good.

colton815 on Deck + Guide For Green Ramp (59 Mana On Turn 5)

1 week ago

oh i almost forgot. using Thespian's Stage to copy a Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx is pointless. when it becomes a copy, it becomes legendary as well. not to mention that the ability requires it to tap, which means it won't be able to use the mana-ability it gains from becoming a copy of nykthos in the same turn. just take the Thespian's Stage out for a 4th nykthos.

griffstick on White Choose a commander

1 week ago

I would take out and replace all non-basic land with plains except Emeria, The Sky Ruin, Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx, Rogue's Passage, and Thespian's Stage

einee03 on I'm the reason people hate Child of Alara

1 week ago

Thanks for your reaction. I think this deck is really cool (for you, not for your opponents), so I am still thinking about it. Thespian's Stage can help you fix the colour, if you target one of your duals and if it will be a gate, you are one gate close to victory. And if you put it in, there is good reason for Dark Depths as a combo with it. Yes, Dark depths is not good by the self, but Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth is helpful and 20/20 indistuctible, flying is huge.Just thinking... :) I know that basics are there for a good reason, but maybe one or two can be changed althoug Kessig Wolf Run is still better option.

Randomsome1 on You Don't Want To Draw Anymore

1 week ago

Definitely don't need 40 lands. If you want to still play safe, you can drop to 38. if you want to be a little risky, I think it can work with 35. A lot of good cards, but just because they are good doesn't mean they belong. Avatar of Woe, Trophy Mage doesn't fit to the whole theme. Myr Retriever, Heartless Summoning don't seem needed. Yes, you are milling yourself too, but none of your artifacts are necessary for they deck to function. Your curve is low too, so there isn't a big need for ramp more than the staple rocks. Then, you need to think about lifespan. Creatures die most, then artifacts, enchantments, lands. Next, How are you going to go about playing the deck. It doesn't seem like you will be attacking a lot, if at all. Raiders' Wake fits, but you already have a lot of cards that do the same thing and then some. you wont be triggering Raid a lot if it all.

Compare the CMC to the effect to figure out what else you'd want to take out.

Back to mana... oh boy. Opal Palace is really only good in Voltron with few exceptions. Path of Ancestry works best in tribal, it's pretty much Crumbling Necropolis in here. I think you can live without Exotic Orchard. I didn't see any theft cards in here that require you pay for the card. Mystifying Maze is a worse version on Maze of Ith especially if used on a card with an ETB. You have way to many lands that come in tapped. This deck can be fast, but tapped lands slow you down a lot more than you realize. They aren't worth it unless they have a crazy effect.

Academy Ruins does what Myr Retriever does. Drownyard Temple comes back from the grave. Mikokoro, Center of the Sea more card draw. Mirrorpool might be nice. Cabal Coffers and Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth is a staple combo. Thespian's Stage and Vesuva copy lands; something to keep in mind. Throne of the High City might work if you keep yourself protected. Reflecting Pool is too good not to have

Speaking of protection. I think you should really add Propaganda. you might like Primal Amulet  Flip. Find room for Wheel of Fortune, Magus of the Jar.

You'll need to find a balance of single card discard and mass discard. Too much mass discard will wiff, but too much single card discard will be too slow.

EternalBrewmaster on Ertai Final Draft

2 weeks ago

Needs more Guile,Puppeteer Clique, and Nether Traitor. Probably Thespian's Stage to go with that Dark Depths too. Starfield of Nyx seems good too to at least get your fodder back to sac to Ertai again. Id consider the Doomwake Giant+Heliod, God of the Sun combo too. Heliod makes dudes to reserve for sacs and (although its mana intensive) you can dump extra mana to wipe out their stuff low to the ground. Seal of Cleansing seems like some decent extra reusable removal,Auramancer is Good recursion, and Mesa Enchantress is some extra cards. Love the Solemnity interactions. Cant think of any you dont have.

Profet93 on Dun with your shit

2 weeks ago

I reviewed your deck and I found that there is nothing to add. I run a Xiahou Dun deck too called The Descent Into Darkness, although mine is more friendly, less stax, more overall goodstuff.

Only other options to add are a The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale or a Mishra's Workshop. Maybe some fetches, a Vesuva or a Thespian's Stage if your mana base is solid enough already. +1

Barsan on The Devil On Your Shoulder - EDH Tempting Deals

2 weeks ago

Where in the world is the amazing Tempt cycle?? It's almost worth swapping Vial Smasher the Fierce for Ikra Shidiqi, the Usurper to run the Green Tempter. If anyone takes the bait you can get a Dark Depths and Thespian's Stage to teach them the dark side-effects of these Faustian deals.

I'd suggest adding Tempt with Immortality, Tempt with Vengeance, and Tempt with Reflections and seriously considering making the swap and running Tempt with Discovery

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Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Middle Mountain Mead

I did a wine tour on Hornby Island when I was visiting family last weekend, and I can't believe I've never done it before! There are now 3 Wineries, a Meadery and a Ginary! It was so much fun.
Below are some pictures from Middle Mountain Mead that I took. Mead is made from honey, and they make so many different varieties by adding fruit, and herds.
Here's the link to there site :Middle Mountain Mead

Make sure you enter the Giveaway for a chance to win a pair of Tarino Bambino earrings!

{all photos Tarino Bambino}

  1. Hi!
    Love your blog and this is the second time I have encountered Middle Mountain Mead this week

  2. I tasted their mead and it was very good, I would like to do the tour one day too:)

  3. Thank you Andrea! what a coincidence that you've seen Middle Mountain Mead twice this week!

Thank you for your comments, I Love reading them!!


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Monday, January 14, 2013

Baked Lemon Donuts

Right before Christmas I found some donut baking pans on sale at Target. My hubby loves donuts, so I snagged the pans in hopes of providing a healthier alternative to fried donuts.

I found this recipe for Baked Lemon Donuts at Barbara Bakes. It calls for lemon Greek yogurt, which I was unable to find. I looked at three different stores, but no luck. So I had to adapt the recipe slightly. The donuts were still moist and yummy with lots of lemon flavor.

Here's what you need:

1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (I used King Arthur's white wheat)
1/2 cup sugar
1 teas baking powder
1/2 teas baking soda
1/4 teas sea salt
1 egg
6 oz. plain Greek yogurt
2 TBSP lemon juice
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1/3 cup buttermilk (plain milk will work)
zest of one lemon

For the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
juice of one lemon

In a mixing bowl, combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg with the yogurt, lemon juice, coconut oil, buttermilk and lemon zest. Stir the liquids into the dry ingredients until moistened.

To fill the donut pans, spoon the batter into a Ziploc bag. Snip off one corner of the bag and pipe the batter into the lightly greased pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a donut comes out clean.

Combine the powdered sugar with enough lemon juice to make a glaze. Drizzle over the warm donuts.


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Friday, 30 August 2013

"Does my bum look big in this?"

I spent years and years having a good old whinge about my body. It's not the right shape here, too big there, not smooth enough around here, "these jeans look terrible", "why can't I get my arms that toned?" this all sounding disgustingly familiar?

And yet my poor body has never said a word against me. It functions ok, it's never been on strike for a better benefits package and it quietly heals itself after I've thrown disgraceful amounts of red wine at it on special occasions.

Granted, that last one hasn't always been without some abject horror but we've always come through it together in the end (See exhibit one, aaaand exhibit two, please note that the Malboros are not mine but the lip balm is).

More recently however, since I took up running, I've lessened this tendency to complain about the shape, size and aesthetic condition of my body. I've lessened the wine tendency too. Everything works, which is more than some people have the great fortune of. Since I made running a regular part of my routine I've been much more careful about what I put in to my body to fuel it, repair it and maintain it. I confess that the past week has been peppered with indulgent treats such as smoked duck and Roquefort, but please don't hold that kind of maintenance against me. More importantly, working with children and young people who cope admirably with severe physical and learning disabilities serves as a regular reminder of how fortunate I am to have a healthy body. I need to just shut up and put it to best use.

I'll not talk about how healthy I feel and give you some good quinoa recipes...we'll crack that open when we're desperate.

No, we're on the topic of aesthetics today. I've found that running hasn't just made me more aware of what's good for my body and what to avoid, but it's made me more confident and rational about the way I view my body and the way I take to heart how other people view me.

Newsflash: no-one in the street pays any attention. And if it's true that everyone at the gym is only looking at your not-pert-enough bum, then they'll never recognise your face...will they? In a nutshell, it's not worth losing any sleep over.

Don't get me wrong, I like to look nice and I firmly believe it's important to...well, be clean for a start. I like to dress smartly for my work because I feel more professional and respected if I look "slammin'", as my friend Kate would say. But there's one sure fire way to guarantee my truest confidence: put me in skin tight black lycra leggings and a sleeveless top, scrape all my hair into the tightest, messiest, frizziest bun imaginable and let me go outside and sweat as much as I can in the time I have. If it's a cold day I might even blow my nose into thin air. Hot, right?! Because there exists in life a state and time when no-one cares what you look like.

Sure, I wish this was the case all of the time. Society has developed this horrible habit of "judging others as we judge ourselves" and it's this wildly distorted self judgement that's crippling people, especially young women and teenagers who have nothing to be concerned about and should be focusing on something far more important than if they'll ever fit into a River Island size 8...

My running gear is akin to full body armour...impenetrable, robust and all in a size 12-14. I can spend half an hour deciding if I look acceptable to go to a meeting (due to Dombulbit/"does my bum look big in this?" syndrome), but I don't seem to have any problems at all heading out in top to toe Nike Dri-Fit that leaves little to anyone's imagination. How can that be?! It must be the action of running, and principally the unabashed smugness that goes along with exercise. I hate myself so hard right now. I'd have been better off going with the quinoa recipe...

Today's top tip: If you're crippled with Dombulbit Syndrome, get some "confidence pants" and get out for a little 10min jog or even a quick walk. Enjoy the liberation of sweating in public without any associated stigma, then come home, put your jeans on and think "at least I'm not in lycra right now". It makes it a whole lot easier to leave the house in a morning with a bit of muffin top.

This week's reading: Eat and Run by Scott Jurek.
Scott Jurek won the Western States Endurance Race (a 100mile race, folks) SEVEN consecutive times, having grown up with little interest in running. He is a massively inspirational individual and his book is an absolute joy to read. Very fluid writing style, a nice dose of humour and accessible to anyone with an interest in humans and human behaviour. I love it.

"Every single one of us possesses the strength to attempt something he isn't sure he can accomplish. It can be running a mile, or a 10k race, or 100 miles. It can be changing a career, losing 5 pounds, or telling someone you love her (or him)... A lot of people never do anything great with their lives. A lot of people never attempt it."

Five out of six ain't bad.

Top tune: I cannot seem to get enough of 'Free' by Rudimental. Simple but it does the trick for me.

Love you. x

Friday, 16 August 2013

"Which way am I facing again?"

I'll not lie; I broke myself during that last Marathon attempt.

It's why I've not mentioned anything for six months. I thought I had everything covered. I was buying new trainers, I had a colour coded training schedule all drawn up, I had the motivation and I was getting out there most mornings without complaints.

But I missed the absolute key to any training plan: INJURY PREVENTION

That's right, folks. It seems glaringly obvious now, of course.

I started to feel a sharp tightening pain on the outside of my left knee after a morning run one day, and I thought nothing much of it. A bit sore after I'd been sat still for a while, and really "yeowchie" at times like getting up from the table, but nothing more than a bit of a niggle that would pass with dedication and effort, right?

On my way back from a 10mile LSD (Long, Slow, Distance) run I stopped at traffic lights and when I hopped cheerfully off the pavement to cross the road, I thought I'd left my lower leg behind me. The searing pain in my knee was enough to make me shout in pain and I crashed to a halt, both hands hitting the cold pavement in front of me. I fell over?! Oh my God, did I really just fall over? (How embarrassing). Did my leg actually just drop off? It felt like it. I picked myself up, caught a breath, got out of the way of oncoming cars, and started walking the loooooong two miles back home (my leg was still attached).

Note to self: always take enough cash for a cab back to your flat...just in case.

That "Walk of Shame" was one of the most upsetting 30 minutes I can remember. I cried a lot of the way, and I saw my hopes of crossing a Marathon finish line drift away with each tear. I thought I'd done something seriously bad - I had visions of surgery, long recovery times and eating peanut butter with banana chips, straight from the jar. I felt like I'd put on half a stone just thinking about it.

I made an emergency appointment with a sports physio and it was pretty quickly diagnosed as ITBS, Iliotibial Band Syndrome. A very common inflammation of the long band of tissue that runs down the side of your upper leg, connecting your glutes, quads and hamstrings to the tibia and fibula below your knee. Cause? Too much, too soon. The overuse I'd pounded into my poor legs in a short space of time had caused the IT Band in my left leg to swell, snapping at the outside of my knee joint and causing a pain that can only be described as feeling like someone is tightening a screw into the side of your knee.

Prognosis and treatment: six weeks of foam rolling/deep tissue massage, a lot of quad/glute/hamstring strengthening and stretching, all teamed with lots of intensive core work to improve the strength and stability in my hips. No running, no swimming, no cycling...lots of rest. Every runner's worst nightmare "No running. Rest."

I was missing the bright side - I would run again.

And I did. About four weeks after my physio appointment I was out running for between 7-12minutes at a time, and I built things up from there taking plenty of rest days in between. I knew however that my hopes of Marathon glory were out of sight for 2013, and this was the cause of great heartache and many, many tearful episodes on the shoulder of my very patient partner. I felt like I'd let everyone down, and my spirit was crushed.

Unwilling to be deterred though, I completed the Edinburgh Half Marathon on 26th May in 2hrs 7mins. Five minutes slower than my 2012 time, but at least I crossed the finish line pain free. Straight to the beer tent, oh yes.

Since then, I've been keeping up the foam rolling and core work and I've not even felt a niggle of ITB pain. I'm back up to running for over an hour, out several times a week, and I'm making sure to factor in a strict regime of injury prevention, rest days and dedicated stretching time.

My weeks currently look like this:

Monday - 1hr Pilates
Tuesday - 30mins hills intervals
Weds - 30mins sprint intervals, plus 1hr weights
Thurs - Rest day
Friday - 35mins pace run
Saturday - Rest day
Sunday - 1hr+ LSD run

Gradually that will increase, but with a couple of 10k races and a November Half Marathon in the pipeline, I'm gently easing myself into the longer mileage to avoid any chance of injury and I'm focusing more on my speed and technique.

Additionally, I've been working a lot on adjusting my running style and form. I bought the new trainers...I got some New Balance Minimus 10v2 Road shoes, with Vibram soles. They are very colourful. And yes, I'm slowly making a move to minimal/barefoot running, though don't expect to see me in my bare feet any time soon. The minimal style is just fine for the time being. Plus, people tend to enjoy smashing bottles and vomiting on pavements in Edinburgh...that's before the seagulls swoop in to eat leftover kebabs. I'd rather keep my shoes on, thanks.

After reading Born to Run, I was unbelievably inspired to up my game and get back into long distance running. Nothing makes me feel like a run can. I've never been as happy...running is my drug of choice and (for a change) it's good for me. Well, it's better for me than peanut butter and banana chips. Hopefully I can inspire more people around me to try running as not only a means of keeping fit, but also as a way of maintaining a healthy mind and taking time out to spend alone with their thoughts. It's time I spend thinking about myself as opposed to other people, which everyone needs to do from time to time.

I had the great pleasure of meeting the wonderful Barefoot Ted earlier in the summer, while he was on a very brief stopover in Edinburgh. Having been so inspired by Born to Run, I was delighted to be able to go for a run with Ted and several guys from Footworks in Bruntsfield. Typically it was the hottest day of the year so far and I practically melted myself into oblivion running to the top of Blackford Hill with a lot of experienced, fit, male runners. But never one to back out of a challenge, I got there, and it was a great privilege to hear Ted speak of his journey and experience of barefoot running.

I usually run around the other hill in the background - it looks so small!!

Anyway - that was a truly great day and again it was really inspiring to spend time talking with other runners and sharing our stories. I'm so happy to be part of such a warm and vibrant community.

I was also directed to a great website that night by one of the guys we were out running with - the principles of Natural Running are fairly simple, but by factoring in a few of these aspects every time I go out for a run now, I'm certainly feeling more like that "Navajo on the hunt" that Chris McDougall talks about! In the past, people used to move out of my way when they heard me coming from 20metres I'm having to politely body check people off pavements. If such a thing exists. I am a stickler for manners, after all.

Anyway, that's more than enough drivel for one day. I shall leave you with the regular tip and tune, a wee book recommendation, and sign off until next time...

Today's top tip: Take a day off.

If it wasn't already clear enough, I've become a true believer in the power of rest days and appropriate amounts of sleep. Once you're running a lot, it is entirely justified to allow yourself a day to put your feet up and have a wee afternoon snooze where possible. It's a fact that distance runners will need more sleep and that regular rest days (though not too many in a row) will ultimately make you stronger and more resilient as you progress on your running journey, whatever it is you're aiming for. Whether it's 5mins without stopping, or a full blown marathon, rest days are key in preventing injury. You can either listen to me, or you can listen to your miserable whimpering when you hurt yourself from overuse...tough love today, folks. I learnt the hard way.

Today's top tune: Fireproof by The National

A real beauty for that peaceful rest day. From the album 'Trouble Will Find Me' - listen online here.

This week's reading: 'What I Talk About When I Talk About Running' by Haruki Murakami.

"I'm running on sheer willpower and the finish line doesn't seem to get any closer. I'm thirsty but my stomach doesn't want any more water. This is the point where my legs start to scream."

Lovely. I can't wait...

Until next time,
TN. xx


text:
VBS 2017

Dates: June 19 – 23

Time: 6:00 – 8:30pm each night

Get ready this summer for an adventure in growing in faith! Join us for a 5 day VBS that will include lessons on the following topics:

Day 1 God’s Care

Day 2 God’s Omniscience

Day 3 God’s Forgiveness

Day 4 God’s Enabling

Day 5 God’s Love

Cost: Free! To help offset some of the cost, We will have our “Coin  Scale”. Boys vs. girls!….whoever can bring the most loose change each night wins!

Also: Games! Snacks! And other surprises along the way!

 Click here to register online.

Use the social sharing buttons below to share about VBS with your friends!


text:
Monday, July 28, 2014

Radio personality Paul Harvey tells the story of how an Eskimo kills a wolf. The account is horrible, yet it offers insight into the consuming, self-destructive nature of sin.

"First the Eskimo coats his knife blade with animal blood & allows it to freeze. Then he adds another layer of blood & another, until the blade is completely concealed by frozen blood."

"Next, the hunter fixes his knife in the ground with the blade up. When the wolf follows his sensitive nose to the source of the scent & discovers the bait, he licks it, tasting the fresh frozen blood. He begins to lick faster, more & more vigorously."

"So great becomes his craving for blood that the wolf does not notice the razor- sharp sting of the naked blade on his own tongue, nor does he recognize the instant at which his unquenchable thirst is being satisfied by his own warm blood. His appetite just craves more - until the dawn finds him dead in the snow."

It is a fearful thing that people can be "consumed by their own lusts." - Chris T Zwingelberg.

Js 1:14 says: "But we are tempted when we are drawn away and trapped by our own evil desires."

Gal 5:16 says: "So I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves."

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Two men owned farms side by side. One was a bitter atheist,
the other a devout Christian.

Constantly annoyed at the Christian for his trust in God, the atheist said to him one winter, "Let’s plant our crops as usual this spring, each the same number of acres. You pray to your God and I’ll curse him. Then come October, let’s just see who has the bigger crop."

When October came, the atheist was delighted because his crop was large.
"See, you fool," he taunted. "What do you have to say for your god now?"

"My God," replied the other farmer "doesn’t settle all his accounts in October." (

"The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy" (Psa 145:8).

"He makes his sun rise on people whether they are good or evil. He lets rain fall on them whether they are just or unjust" (Mat 5:45).

"But everyone who rejects me and my teachings will be judged on the last day by what I have said." - Jesus (Jn 12:48).

Monday, July 14, 2014

A rich landowner named Carl often rode around his vast estate so he could congratulate himself on his great wealth. One day, while riding around his estate on his favorite horse, he saw Hans, an old tenant farmer. Hans was sitting under a tree when Carl rode by.

Hans said, "I was just thanking God for my food." Carl protested, "If that is all I had to eat, I wouldn't feel like giving thanks."

Hans replied, "God has given me everything I need, and I am thankful for it."

The old farmer added, "It is strange you should come by today because I had a dream last night. In my dream a voice told me, 'The richest man in the valley will die tonight.' I don't know what it means, but I thought I ought to tell you."

Carl snorted, "Dreams are nonsense," and galloped away, but he could not forget Hans' words: "The richest man in the valley will die tonight."

He was obviously the richest man in the valley, so he invited his doctor to his house that evening. Carl told the doctor what Hans had said. After a thorough examination, the doctor told the wealthy landowner, "Carl, you are as strong and healthy as a horse. There is no way you are going to die tonight." Nevertheless, for assurance, the doctor stayed with Carl, and they played cards through the night.

The doctor left the next morning and Carl apologized for becoming so upset over the old man's dream.

At about nine o'clock, a messenger arrived at Carl's door. "What is it?" Carl demanded.
The messenger explained, "It's about old Hans. He died last night in his sleep." - (

Jas 2:5 (GW) says: “Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Didn't God choose poor people in the world to become rich in faith and to receive the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?”

1Ti 6:17 (CEV) says: “Warn the rich people of this world not to be proud or to trust in wealth that is easily lost. Tell them to have faith in God, who is rich and blesses us with everything we need to enjoy life.”

Friday, July 11, 2014

Stuart Hamblin was a popular singer, songwriter, actor and radio personality from the 1930s through the 1950s.

Billy Graham came to Los Angeles in 1949 for what became an historic evangelistic crusade arranged by Youth for Christ. Graham's appearance on Hamblin’s radio show was arranged as part of the publicity for the crusade.

Although Hamblin was known for his hard living and drinking, he warmly welcomed Graham as a guest. It was at that interview that Graham extended an invitation to Hamblin to attend the crusade and he accepted. Hamblin later contacted Graham at his hotel and asked to talk. The result was that he "surrendered his life to Christ." Hamblin’s became the first publicized conversion from the 1949 crusade and contributed to the decision to extend the event, which lasted for 8 weeks.

It was on a street in Hollywood that Hamblin later ran into actor John Wayne, who asked him about the rumor around town that he'd changed his ways. Hamblin told Wayne that it was no secret what God had done for him and that he could do it for Wayne too. Wayne said it sounded like a song and suggested he write one. The result was one of Hamblin’s best known tunes; It Is No Secret What God Can Do (sung by Jim Reeves too). It was a crossover song that is regarded as the first to have been #1 in the gospel, country, and pop categories. (

2Ti 2:21 (ESV) says: “Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.”

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

There was a man who had a dream. He heard God speaking to him. "Press hard against the large rock". He did not understand this until the morning. He looked out from his hut and saw a huge rock that had rolled down the hillside.

He began to push and push, but he could not move the rock. Throughout the day he had several attempts, but he could not move it. Convinced that God had spoken to him, he made a mission of this task and for weeks he spent some hours every day but he could not budge the rock.

A traveler came by and asked him what he was doing. "God told me to move this rock" he replied. The traveler laughed and said, "You must be mistaken. You will never move a rock that large". Still the man continued his attempts to move the rock without success.

Another traveler came by some weeks later and asked what he was doing."God told me to move this rock" he replied. The traveler scorned him and said, "Your God is stupid to ask such a thing. It is impossible. Give up".

That night the man turned to God in his prayer. "Lord, I have done what you asked, but the task is impossible and it seems you have made fun of me. The travelers have mocked me for believing that I could move the rock as you asked me to do".

Then God spoke gently to him "My son. Look at your strong arms and legs; look at the rippling muscles in your back; look at the tanned hardness of your skin. Look at your increased strength. Look what has happened to you. You are a different man! I asked you to press against the rock and this you have done. I never told you to move it!"

Everything God asks us to do is for our own good. Even if at the time we do not see it. (

Joh 2:5 (CEV) says: Mary then said to the servants, "Do whatever Jesus tells you to do."

“If it were in the will of God, I’d plant an oak tree today, even if Christ were coming tomorrow.” - Martin Luther.

Sunday, July 6, 2014

A story is told of a king who was suffering from a mysterious malady & was advised that he would be cured if the shirt of a contented man was brought for him to wear. After a long search, they found a man who was really happy, but he did not even possess a shirt.

Then Jesus told them, “Be careful to guard yourselves against every kind of greed, because a person’s life doesn’t consist of the amount of possessions he has.” (Lk 13:15).

"The secret of contentment is the realization that life is a gift, not a right."

Paul said: "... I have learned to be content in any circumstance." (Phil 4:11).

Thursday, July 3, 2014

One woman wrote: I wish I could tell every young adult that you truly will reap what you sow. Cohabitation (live-in relationship) may seem wonderful initially, but eventually it creates more problems than you can imagine.

I lived with my boyfriend for two years before we got married. I knew I was breaking my parents’ hearts, as well as my Heavenly Father’s heart! My boyfriend was not a Christian, but I figured I could change him if we moved in together.

The “this-is-yours, that-is-mine” mentality that enabled us to “successfully” live together completely unraveled once we got married. We had become too separate and too selfish, making it nearly impossible to become “one flesh.” The honeymoon was over before the wedding day ever arrived. - Josh McDowell’s book: ‘Right from Wrong.’

“Cohabitation is a near occasion of sin, gives scandal to others, provides a cover for fornication and involves the couple living as if married when they are not. We can't assume couples placed in such tempting circumstances would stay chaste.

You don't need to live with someone to know whether they get on your nerves or not, that is as far as I am concerned a weak excuse used by people who want to enjoy the married lifestyle without making the commitment and sacrifices of actually been married.

And once they are enjoying the married lifestyle without actually getting married, they very often quickly come to the conclusion that there is no need to actually ever get married.” (Forum on Cohabitation).

Heb 13:4 says: “Let marriage be held every way in honor, and the bed be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers will God judge.”