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Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Momma's Forever Home

It has been almost a month since I have posted anything on here. I apologize for that. Who knew college would become so demanding? My life became quite overwhelming this past month. I was getting piles upon piles of homework and meetings which took priority over my blog. Again, I apologize.

Well, other than the craziness of school, there was something else going on that took priority over everything else in my life. Three weeks ago, I decided to take that road trip I've been wanting to go on. Two of my friends, Steve and Ariel, drove me almost 8 hours south to surprise my Momma with a weekend visit. I hadn't seen her since spring break last school year.

Saturday November 15th, my friends and I showed up to Momma's house to surprise her. Unfortunately, we were the ones who were surprised. There was an ambulance there, and Momma was in the back of it. She was definitely shocked to see me sitting next to her in the back for a bit. I didn't know what had happened yet, but I knew I had to ride in the ambulance with her to the hospital.

I sat by her bedside in the emergency room for, I don't even know how many, hours. It turns out her kidney's had failed her. I have never once seen Momma be okay with going to the hospital, being admitted, and allowing anyone else to talk to the doctors. It's because she did this that I knew it wasn't good. She even admitted to being scared. I did my best to keep being optimistic for her sake. I kept stroking her hair, making her smile, and reminding her that she would be okay.

Now, I don't want to make it sound like she was scared and weak the whole time. She was, but she also had a smile and was still making plans for getting healthier. I got show her pictures of my 4 month old godson, my boyfriend, and my friends. She got to meet Steve and Ariel, which was a great distraction for her. They were able to talk about Momma being a police officer and her favorite show, NCIS. Momma and I were also able to reminisce about anything that popped into our head. Despite the constant flow of nurses and tubes, I had a good day talking and visiting with her. Sure, it wasn't at her house like I had planned, but I got to see her nonetheless. She kept saying how "God works in mysterious ways" and "He brought [me] to [her] right when [she] needed [me] most."

To spare too many details and the length of this post, I will summarize the ending to this story. Momma didn't make it through the next day. I was in the room with my beautiful grandma and my loving uncle when her breathing slowed to a stop. It was one of the hardest things I have had to go through. Losing my mom, the wonderful woman who brought me in to this world, is not something that I could have ever prepared enough for. I had nine years of her being sick to mentally accept that it was going to happen sooner than I would be okay with. However, no amount of time could make it any easier. I was able to remain strong for the first four or five days. I had my moments, when I was alone or with my friends, when I would break down. For the most part, though, I held it together for the sake of my grandparents. I couldn't even imagine what it would be like to lose a child. I have never in my life seen my grandparents cry or be so hurt. The entire time I was down there, I just wanted to make everything easier for them. I wanted to make them smile or feel better even slightly. I hope I was able to.

Nothing in life can make death of a loved one an easy thing to endure. However, there are things that I remind myself of that cushion the blow a bit. I know now that Momma is no longer in pain, and no matter how cliche it sounds, she is truly in a better place now. She is finally in the forever home she's been searching for her entire life. It may not be a legitimate home like she planned on, but I'm sure she's much happier wherever she is now. I also remind myself that she put up a long fight that lasted nine years and even more from her childhood when she was ill. My mom is quite a strong woman, and I couldn't be happier that she was able to see her three children make it through high school and get their adult lives started. She beat so many odds and timelines that the doctors had given her throughout the years. I also remind myself that she will always be with me in my heart, again I don't care how cliche that sounds because it's true. My memories with Momma are ones that I will cherish forever. She grew to become one of my best friends. She knew almost everything about me, and she trusted me with things she never told anyone else. For that, I will be forever honored to be her daughter.

Thank you Momma for giving me life and love and memories to last an eternity. I will always be your baby girl, no matter how old I get. I'm sure as I get older, I will realize a lot of things you told me were actually true. Just like our favorite song says, "I'm a full grown woman with some growin' up to do."

I love you Momma, enjoy your forever home.

Until next time,

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S.A. Garcia's Mutterings, Whimpers and Rants

S.A. Garcia's Mutterings, Whimpers and Rants. World Domination by 2020. Or 2025. Probably never.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Marketing: A Gianormous Pain in the Ass

Marketing, marketing, marketing. Blog hops, chats, guest posts, blog posts, Facebook chats… I’ve come to the decision that marketing is a colossal, gianormous pain in the ass.

This comes from someone who used to work in marketing. The thing is I marketed something else, not my own work. To me, and I don’t want to sound disparaging, marketing one’s work is like cheerleading in a deep space void. It’s not fun. Face it, too many writers hate marketing. Not that I’d rather suffer a root canal, but to me, marketing your own novel reaches hideous levels of ouchiness. Yeah, that’s not a word. Tough.

In this brave new world of publishing, writers need to shoulder a portion of the marketing burden. Hence the dreaded blog hop, which has nothing to do with sweet fuzzy bunnies. I’ve done intensive blog hops for my past releases. Did they help? I hope so, although with one book I probably would have had better luck standing on my front steps and yelling about the storyline.

Which is why with my next two releases, I’m pretty much going to remain at my home base, drink, and indulge in acting silly. I have a few events scheduled, but nothing like the twelve days of hell I’ve subjected myself for past releases. My take is everything is in the hands of the beloved readers. If the book doesn’t appeal to them, no amount of shouting and jumping up and down while tossing rainbow glitter and red roses at them will make them want to read it.

Am I jealous of writers who somehow make a book sound like the best thing invented since chocolate chip cookies even before it’s published? Hell yes. Can I make my book sound equally important? Hell no, although if people liked my books as much as chocolate chip cookies, I will not complain. Consider this my slow start-up.

 I order you to like these books as much as chocolate chip cookies.

 My first release with MLR Press, Love in the Shadows, will be available perhaps as early as tomorrow, September 26. Oh dear, I scheduled a blog post on October 1st. See, I’m already panicking. Here’s the pretty cover and the blurb:

Opening an ancient trunk transforms Doctor Rolfe Almersson’s life. When the spiritually-sensitive academic breaks his rules about touching an article sans gloves, fierce love wells at him. The unwrapped parchment reveals a burnt diary written by Magistrate Nels Halverson. The diary documents meeting seventeen-year-old orphan Aindrias Aster in 1701. Nels describes their eventual love affair, along with tragedies and triumphs in infatuated, intimate detail. Rolfe’s obsession with his find overwhelms him. Reading about the men’s evolving relationship influences Rolfe’s tempestuous relationship with his lover. Will the story’s romance and tragedy push Rolfe forward into romantic liberation and academic triumph or will it ruin his life?

 My late October release, The Gospel According to Cher — due out from Dreamspinner— doesn’t have a pretty cover yet. I expect to see a proof any minute. I can offer you The Gospel According to Cher’s blurb:

Hindy Nardella, gallery owner and tidy leather diva, isn’t sure about love anymore. His most-recent ex-lover said “sayonara” and headed for Japan despite a week of Hindy begging him to stay. The man before that bid Hindy “namaste” before heading for Nepal seeking salvation. Hindy will accept advice from anywhere, even a tacky Cupid music box which only plays Cher's "Believe," and vivid dreams compelling him to leave NYC and head for the Adirondacks. Cupid leads Hindy straight to a leather bar in the mountains and an exotic drag queen named Patrice O'Malley. For Patrice, who’s near-perfect beauty belies his lack of confidence, it's lust at first sight, but Hindy has doubts born of his recent run of bad luck in romance. But when Patrice saves Hindy from death by a falling chunk of airplane blue ice, Cupid slams into Hindy's heart, and Hindy begins to believe in miracles again. Dangers and challenges arise, involving, among other things, crazy ex-lovers, rampaging mosquitoes, and a phantom moose. But life together awaits back in NYC, if they can survive, trust in each other, and believe in life after love.

 There’s my slow marketing salvo. Now I want a chocolate chip cookie. Naw, I’ll stick with my wine.

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Tag Archives: animal

SIRT1 Represses Sclerostin in Mice and may be Anabolic for Bone

Sirt1 is a regulator of bone mass and a repressor of Sost encoding for sclerostin, a bone formation inhibitor.

Sirt1, the mammalian ortholog of the yeast Sir2 (silent information regulator 2), was shown to play an important role in metabolism and in age-associated diseases, but its role in skeletal homeostasis and osteoporosis has yet not been studied. Using 129/Sv mice with a germline mutation in the Sirt1 gene, we demonstrate that Sirt1 haplo-insufficient (Sirt1(+/-)) female mice exhibit a significant reduction in bone mass characterized by decreased bone formation and increased marrow adipogenesis. Importantly, we identify Sost, encoding for sclerostin, a critical inhibitor of bone formation, as a novel target of Sirt1. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis, we reveal that Sirt1 directly and negatively regulates Sost gene expression by deacetylating histone 3 at lysine 9 at the Sost promoter. Sost down-regulation by small interfering RNA and the administration of a sclerostin-neutralizing antibody restore gene expression of osteocalcin and bone sialoprotein as well as mineralized nodule formation in Sirt1(+/-) marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells induced to osteogenesis. These findings reveal a novel role for Sirt1 in bone as a regulator of bone mass and a repressor of sclerostin, and have potential implications suggesting that Sirt1 is a target for promoting bone formation as an anabolic approach for treatment of osteoporosis.

Cohen-Kfir E, Artsi H, Levin A, Abramowitz E…
Endocrinology Dec 2011
PMID: 21952235

Oxytocin Associated with Bone Density in Postmenopausal Women

Oxytocin, a new determinant of bone mineral density in post-menopausal women: analysis of the OPUS cohort.

Oxytocin (OT), a neurohypophysial hormone regulated by estrogen and leptin, may play a role in bone metabolism in humans as suggested by animal studies. This study assessed the relationship between OT and bone status in a large population of postmenopausal women.
Subjects were included in the Osteoporosis and Ultrasound study, a 6-year prospective study in a population-based cohort. Final visit data were used for this cross-sectional study. OT, leptin, and estradiol serum levels were measured in 1097 postmenopausal women and compared with bone mineral density (BMD), fractures, and the bone turnover markers (BTMs) procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide, bone alkaline phosphatase, and C-telopeptide of type 1 collagen.
The median age was 70.8 years, 16% were osteoporotic, 48% were osteopenic, and 29% had at least one fracture. The OT serum level was related to spine (r = +0.12, P = .0002) and total hip BMD (r = +0.21, P < .0001) and with BTM (procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide: r = -0.13, P < .0001, bone alkaline phosphatase: r = -0.07, P = .02, C-telopeptide of type 1 collagen: r = -0.18, P < .0001). The relationship of OT with BMD was independent of BTM. After adjustment for confounding factors, the correlation between OT serum level and BMD remains significant at the hip in women with unmeasurable estradiol or leptin above the median value. There was no significant relationship between OT serum levels and fractures.
High OT levels are associated with high BMD, especially at the hip in women with low estradiol or high leptin serum levels. The mechanism may be explained by the effect of OT on bone turnover.

Breuil V, Panaia-Ferrari P, Fontas E, Roux C…
J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. Apr 2014
PMID: 24446658

Oxytocin is Lower in Osteoporosis

Oxytocin controls differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells and reverses osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis constitutes a major worldwide public health burden characterized by enhanced skeletal fragility. Bone metabolism is the combination of bone resorption by osteoclasts and bone formation by osteoblasts. Whereas increase in bone resorption is considered as the main contributor of bone loss that may lead to osteoporosis, this loss is accompanied by increased bone marrow adiposity. Osteoblasts and adipocytes share the same precursor cell and an inverse relationship exists between the two lineages. Therefore, identifying signaling pathways that stimulate mesenchymal stem cells osteogenesis at the expense of adipogenesis is of major importance for developing new therapeutic treatments. For this purpose, we identified by transcriptomic analysis the oxytocin receptor pathway as a potential regulator of the osteoblast/adipocyte balance of human multipotent adipose-derived stem (hMADS) cells. Both oxytocin (OT) and carbetocin (a stable OT analogue) negatively modulate adipogenesis while promoting osteogenesis in both hMADS cells and human bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells. Consistent with these observations, ovariectomized (OVX) mice and rats, which become osteoporotic and exhibit disequilibrium of this balance, have significant decreased OT levels compared to sham-operated controls. Subcutaneous OT injection reverses bone loss in OVX mice and reduces marrow adiposity. Clinically, plasma OT levels are significantly lower in postmenopausal women developing osteoporosis than in their healthy counterparts. Taken together, these results suggest that plasma OT levels represent a novel diagnostic marker for osteoporosis and that OT administration holds promise as a potential therapy for this disease.

Elabd C, Basillais A, Beaupied H, Breuil V…
Stem Cells Sep 2008
PMID: 18583541 | Free Full Text

Oxytocin Reverses Osteoporosis in Female but Not Male Mice

Oxytocin reverses osteoporosis in a sex-dependent manner.

The increase of life expectancy has led to the increase of age-related diseases such as osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is characterized by bone weakening promoting the occurrence of fractures with defective bone regeneration. Men aged over 50 have a prevalence for osteoporosis of 20%, which is related to a decline in sex hormones occurring during andropause or surgical orchidectomy. As we previously demonstrated in a mouse model for menopause in women that treatment with the neurohypophyseal peptide hormone oxytocin (OT) normalizes body weight and prevents the development of osteoporosis, herein we addressed the effects of OT in male osteoporosis. Thus, we treated orchidectomized mice, an animal model suitable for the study of male osteoporosis, for 8 weeks with OT and then analyzed trabecular and cortical bone parameters as well as fat mass using micro-computed tomography. Orchidectomized mice displayed severe bone loss, muscle atrophy accompanied by fat mass gain as expected in andropause. Interestingly, OT treatment in male mice normalized fat mass as it did in female mice. However, although OT treatment led to a normalization of bone parameters in ovariectomized mice, this did not happen in orchidectomized mice. Moreover, loss of muscle mass was not reversed in orchidectomized mice upon OT treatment. All of these observations indicate that OT acts on fat physiology in both sexes, but in a sex specific manner with regard to bone physiology.

Beranger GE, Djedaini M, Battaglia S, Roux CH…
Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2015
PMID: 26042090 | Free Full Text

Oxytocin Reverses Osteopenia in Ovariectomized Mice

Oxytocin reverses ovariectomy-induced osteopenia and body fat gain.

Osteoporosis and overweight/obesity constitute major worldwide public health burdens that are associated with aging. A high proportion of women develop osteoporosis and increased intraabdominal adiposity after menopause. which leads to bone fractures and metabolic disorders. There is no efficient treatment without major side effects for these 2 diseases. We previously showed that the administration of oxytocin (OT) normalizes ovariectomy-induced osteopenia and bone marrow adiposity in mice. Ovariectomized mice, used as an animal model mimicking menopause, were treated with OT or vehicle. Trabecular bone parameters and fat mass were analyzed using micro-computed tomography. Herein, we show that this effect on trabecular bone parameters was mediated through the restoration of osteoblast/osteoclast cross talk via the receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand /osteoprotegerin axis. Moreover, the daily administration of OT normalized body weight and intraabdominal fat depots in ovariectomized mice. Intraabdominal fat mass is more sensitive to OT that sc fat depots, and this inhibitory effect is mediated through inhibition of adipocyte precursor’s differentiation with a tendency to lower adipocyte size. OT treatment did not affect food intake, locomotors activity, or energy expenditure, but it did promote a shift in fuel utilization favoring lipid oxidation. In addition, the decrease in fat mass resulted from the inhibition of the adipose precursor’s differentiation. Thus, OT constitutes an effective strategy for targeting osteopenia, overweight, and fat mass redistribution without any detrimental effects in a mouse model mimicking the menopause.

Beranger GE, Pisani DF, Castel J, Djedaini M…
Endocrinology Apr 2014
PMID: 24506069

Sclerostin Inhibitor Increases Bone Strength More than the Controls in Rats

Sclerostin antibody treatment increases bone formation, bone mass, and bone strength in a rat model of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

The development of bone-rebuilding anabolic agents for potential use in the treatment of bone loss conditions, such as osteoporosis, has been a long-standing goal. Genetic studies in humans and mice have shown that the secreted protein sclerostin is a key negative regulator of bone formation, although the magnitude and extent of sclerostin’s role in the control of bone formation in the aging skeleton is still unclear. To study this unexplored area of sclerostin biology and to assess the pharmacologic effects of sclerostin inhibition, we used a cell culture model of bone formation to identify a sclerostin neutralizing monoclonal antibody (Scl-AbII) for testing in an aged ovariectomized rat model of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Six-month-old female rats were ovariectomized and left untreated for 1 yr to allow for significant estrogen deficiency-induced bone loss, at which point Scl-AbII was administered for 5 wk. Scl-AbII treatment in these animals had robust anabolic effects, with marked increases in bone formation on trabecular, periosteal, endocortical, and intracortical surfaces. This not only resulted in complete reversal, at several skeletal sites, of the 1 yr of estrogen deficiency-induced bone loss, but also further increased bone mass and bone strength to levels greater than those found in non-ovariectomized control rats. Taken together, these preclinical results establish sclerostin’s role as a pivotal negative regulator of bone formation in the aging skeleton and, furthermore, suggest that antibody-mediated inhibition of sclerostin represents a promising new therapeutic approach for the anabolic treatment of bone-related disorders, such as postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Li X, Ominsky MS, Warmington KS, Morony S…
J. Bone Miner. Res. Apr 2009
PMID: 19049336

Sclerostin Inhibitor Increases Bone Formation, Density, and Strength in Monkeys

Two doses of sclerostin antibody in cynomolgus monkeys increases bone formation, bone mineral density, and bone strength.

The development of bone-rebuilding anabolic agents for treating bone-related conditions has been a long-standing goal. Genetic studies in humans and mice have shown that the secreted protein sclerostin is a key negative regulator of bone formation. More recently, administration of sclerostin-neutralizing monoclonal antibodies in rodent studies has shown that pharmacologic inhibition of sclerostin results in increased bone formation, bone mass, and bone strength. To explore the effects of sclerostin inhibition in primates, we administered a humanized sclerostin-neutralizing monoclonal antibody (Scl-AbIV) to gonad-intact female cynomolgus monkeys. Two once-monthly subcutaneous injections of I were administered at three dose levels (3, 10, and 30 mg/kg), with study termination at 2 months. Scl-AbIV treatment had clear anabolic effects, with marked dose-dependent increases in bone formation on trabecular, periosteal, endocortical, and intracortical surfaces. Bone densitometry showed that the increases in bone formation with Scl-AbIV treatment resulted in significant increases in bone mineral content (BMC) and/or bone mineral density (BMD) at several skeletal sites (ie, femoral neck, radial metaphysis, and tibial metaphysis). These increases, expressed as percent changes from baseline were 11 to 29 percentage points higher than those found in the vehicle-treated group. Additionally, significant increases in trabecular thickness and bone strength were found at the lumbar vertebrae in the highest-dose group. Taken together, the marked bone-building effects achieved in this short-term monkey study suggest that sclerostin inhibition represents a promising new therapeutic approach for medical conditions where increases in bone formation might be desirable, such as in fracture healing and osteoporosis.

Ominsky MS, Vlasseros F, Jolette J, Smith SY…
J. Bone Miner. Res. May 2010
PMID: 20200929

Review: Sclerostin Inhibition: A New Approach

Sclerostin inhibition: a novel therapeutic approach in the treatment of osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis and osteoporosis-related fractures are growing problems with the aging population and are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. At this time, other than parathyroid hormone analogs, all therapies for osteoporosis are antiresorptive. Therefore, researchers have focused efforts on development of more anabolic therapies. Understanding of the Wnt signaling pathway, which is critical for skeletal development, and the role of sclerostin in inhibition of Wnt signaling has led to the discovery of a novel therapeutic approach in the treatment of osteoporosis – sclerostin inhibition. In this review, we discuss the biology of Wnt signaling and sclerostin inhibition. We then discuss human disorders of decreased sclerostin function and animal models of sclerostin inhibition. Both have served to elucidate the effects of decreased sclerostin levels and function – increased bone mass and strength and fewer fractures. In addition, we review data from Phase I and II studies of the two humanized sclerostin monoclonal antibodies, romosozumab and blosozumab, both of which have had positive effects on bone mineral density. We conclude with a discussion of the ongoing Phase III studies of romosozumab. The available data support the potential for neutralizing sclerostin monoclonal antibodies to serve as anabolic agents in the treatment of osteoporosis.

Shah AD, Shoback D, Lewiecki EM
Int J Womens Health 2015
PMID: 26082665

Resveratrol May Increase Bone Length in Pre-pubertal Rabbits

Resveratrol treatment delays growth plate fusion and improves bone growth in female rabbits.

Trans-resveratrol (RES), naturally produced by many plants, has a structure similar to synthetic estrogen diethylstilbestrol, but any effect on bone growth has not yet been clarified. Pre-pubertal ovary-intact New Zealand white rabbits received daily oral administration of either vehicle (control) or RES (200 mg/kg) until growth plate fusion occurred. Bone growth and growth plate size were longitudinally monitored by X-ray imaging, while at the endpoint, bone length was assessed by a digital caliper. In addition, pubertal ovariectomized (OVX) rabbits were treated with vehicle, RES or estradiol cypionate (positive control) for 7 or 10 weeks and fetal rat metatarsal bones were cultured in vitro with RES (0.03 µM-50 µM) and followed for up to 19 days. In ovary-intact rabbits, sixteen-week treatment with RES increased tibiae and vertebrae bone growth and subsequently improved final length. In OVX rabbits, RES delayed fusion of the distal tibia, distal femur and proximal tibia epiphyses and femur length and vertebral bone growth increased when compared with controls. Histomorphometrical analysis showed that RES-treated OVX rabbits had a wider distal femur growth plate, enlarged resting zone, increased number/size of hypertrophic chondrocytes, increased height of the hypertrophic zone, and suppressed chondrocyte expression of VEGF and laminin. In cultured fetal rat metatarsal bones, RES stimulated growth at 0.3 µM while at higher concentrations (10 μM and 50 μM) growth was inhibited. We conclude that RES has the potential to improve longitudinal bone growth. The effect was associated with a delay of growth plate fusion resulting in increased final length. These effects were accompanied by a profound suppression of VEGF and laminin expression suggesting that impairment of growth plate vascularization might be an underlying mechanism.

Karimian E, Tamm C, Chagin AS, Samuelsson K…
PLoS ONE 2013
PMID: 23840780 | Free Full Text

Resveratrol May Have Detrimental Bone Effects in Rats

Resveratrol supplementation influences bone properties in the tibia of hindlimb-suspended mature Fisher 344 × Brown Norway male rats.

The deleterious bone effects of mechanical unloading have been suggested to be due to oxidative stress and (or) inflammation. Resveratrol has both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties; therefore, the study’s objective was to determine whether providing resveratrol in the low supplementation range for a short duration prevents bone loss during mechanical unloading. Mature (6 months old) Fischer 344 × Brown Norway male rats were hindlimb-suspended (HLS) or kept ambulatory for 14 days. Rats were provided either trans-resveratrol (RES; 12.5 mg/kg body mass per day) or deionized distilled water by oral gavage for 21 days (7 days prior to and during the 14 days of HLS). Bone mass was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Bone microstructure was determined by microcomputed tomography. HLS of rats resulted in femur trabecular bone deterioration. Resveratrol supplementation did not attenuate trabecular bone deterioration in HLS rats. Unexpectedly, HLS-RES rats had the lowest tibial bone mineral content (P < 0.05), calcium content and lower cortical thickness (P < 0.05), and increased porosity compared with HLS/control rats. Plasma osteocalcin was also lower (P < 0.04) in HLS/resveratrol rats. There were no significant effects on plasma C-reactive protein, a marker of systemic inflammation, or total antioxidant capacity. However, HLS-RES rats showed a negative relationship (r(2) = 0.69, P = 0.02) between plasma osteocalcin and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, a marker of lipid peroxidation. Based on the results, resveratrol supplementation of 6-month-old HLS male rats had no bone protective effects and possibly even detrimental bone effects.

Durbin SM, Jackson JR, Ryan MJ, Gigliotti JC…
Appl Physiol Nutr Metab Dec 2012
PMID: 23050779


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Our Office

4771 Route 71, Oswego, IL 60543

Welcome to our family-friendly dental practice! We've been providing exceptional dental care to Oswego and its neighboring communities for over 25 years. Though we offer our patients some of the most modern technology available, we're still keenly focused on providing good, old-fashioned, compassionate dental care on an individualized basis. Our entire staff is dedicated to creating a comfortable and professional environment for our patients.

About Us
Small children with healthy teeth Patient Education Woman with healthy teeth Request an Appointment

Office Hours

Our doctors offer a wide range of dental services and convenient office hours, including Saturday, evening and mornings.

Monday: 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday: 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday: 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Sunday: Closed

Our Location

We are easy to locate, on the east side of Route 71, approximately 1.5 miles west of the Oswego High School. Ample parking is always available, and our office is fully handicapped-accessible.

4771 Route 71
Oswego, IL 60543
Phone: 630-554-8600

Visit Weblinx Incorporated of Oswego, IllinoisWeblinx, Inc. - Chicago Web Design


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dimecres, 17 de novembre de 2010

My first post

 Choose your favourite word and say why.

You can use this dictionary  if you need some help:

POND:  Do you know what it is? This is a picture of a beautiful pond.

I like this word because it's a natural place and...


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Guest Post and Video!

Today I have a guest post up over at Simon Says Stamp, along with a fun video!  I hope you will go check it out!  Here's a little sneak of what's over there....

Good morning!  I am in LOVE with the dress in this week's inspiration for the Runway Inspired Challenge.  I wish I owned it...I would wear it to dinner with my husband tonight (it's our 8th anniversary!! woohoo!)

source: style.com

I focused on the soft colors that are scattered on her dress.  I was so excited to use one of my new stencils- no, I didn't buy them- Emily (who often plays along with RIC) made them and was kind enough to send them to me!  Thanks so much Emily!!

I don't have embossing paste yet, so I used the stencil with regular acrylic paint.  I first laid down white, then used an old gift card (real high-tech tool, eh?) to swirl on some pastel colors, focusing on the lower half of the card.  Things sure got messy, and I wasn't confident that it worked until I pulled off the stencil. Success!!

(I hope you don't mind that my cards have been more artsy recently!)

There is a lot of amazing inspiration from my team today...

Guest Designer - Charlene Bopp
Virginia - Yes, Virginia...
Tasnim Ahmed - Cards & Bookmarks
Pamela Ho - miao
Joni Andaya - Papell with Love

Thank you so much for visiting!

Gradient Glitter Tutorial Video

Sometimes I love sharing my professional side, and sometimes I love to share when I make mistakes.  This is kind of both!!

I made a technique video which resulted in a color theory faux pas (I thought that I could be bold with my color choices, but that decision came around to bite me in the butt!).  Instead of re-shooting, I'm showing you the original video.  Maybe it'll help you realize that everyone makes mistakes, but hopefully you'll still leave having learned a trick or two.

Watch the video below, or in HD on YouTube

Here's the new and improved card....you'll have to watch the video to see the dud!! :)

Before I get to my Runway Inspired Challenge card, a bunch of you emailed me to ask about how I did my new blog design...I'll try to explain as clearly as possible:

  • I got out my trusty watercolor set and painted some blobs (ahh...there's that word again)
  • I scanned the blobs, and cleaned up the image (I basically just had to remove the background to make it perfectly white, and get rid of a few stray flecks of junk that were apparently on the scanner bed)
  • To write all of the words (in my signature sloppy handwriting, haha!) I used my iPad and the Adobe Ideas app.  I like this app because it exports as large vector PDFs.
  • Once I had the watercolor background and all of the words imported, I used Photoshop to make the banner and buttons.
Phew!  Honestly though, it was quite easy and didn't take more than an hour from start to finish (including the actual installation!)

Now, onto the Runway...

source: style.com

Since the chick in the photo had an umbrella, it made me think of rain.  I tried to mimic water on the card with some saturated blue tones...I love the simple sentiment on top of the busy background :)

This week we are introducing 3 new Design Team Members!!  Please visit everyone below to see what they made, and I hope you play along with our challenge. There is a Simon Says Stamp gift card up for grabs!

Virginia Lu - Yes, Virginia...
Pamela Ho - miao
Tasnim Ahmed - Cards & Bookmarks
Aga will be fashionably late, and joining us later in the week :)

A Moxie Fab Day

Just popping in to let you know I have a guest post up over at the Moxie Fab World today...and here's a sneak of one of the pics you'll find over there!

first post of the new year!!

Hello folks!  I'm cooped up inside today due to the snowstorm that's hitting the Northeast...SO happy that school was cancelled for today and tomorrow!  I do NOT want to be out on the roads, since I don't trust any of the crazies out there :)

A few of you have emailed me asking for more info about the card below, which I posted last week:

Sorry I didn't explain how I made it, but I was getting frustrated because I was posting from my iPad.  The GORGEOUS die is the Leaf Pattern Cover-Up die from Lil' Inker - and of course I had to mail this card to Miss Lil' Inker herself, Laura Pryor.

I used a sheet of double sided adhesive (from Clear and Simple Stamps), sticky side up, and carefully placed the die cut on top.  I trimmed it around the edges, then sprinkled on some glitter.  I tried to do a gradient of color by adding the glitter in stages.  I used it sparingly, because the excess would not be able to go back into the tubes since the colors mixed.  No need to waste a bunch here!

Once it was sufficiently glitterized, I peeled of the backing and stuck it onto a card base.  I can't wait to try this technique again soon!

One more thing before I go...a new year calls for a new signature (and yes, I know it's huge. I like it!).  Susan Opel gave me the nickname of "JRza" a while back, and quite a few of you call me that! I love it, so it has become my new signature.  I'm also considering changing my header....

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I am the proud mom to 6 kids: Natasha, 24, Nikolai, 20, Reese, 20, Maylee, 14, Erik, 10 and Violet, 7. The kids come from Russia, Ukraine and China; I'm so proud of my family sometimes I think I'll burst and I needed an outlet for it - so I've created this weblog. :o)
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Sunday, August 2, 2009

Well, we leave tomorrow!!! Mom's here to house/dog/kid -sit, we had dinner with the Cornishes , our bags are 95% packed, our nerves are shot, and our e-tickets are sitting by the door!!

We leave tomorrow out of Orlando at 1:55pm connecting through Philadelphia and Frankfurt to Kiev!! We arrive in Kiev (supposed to, anyway!) Tuesday afternoon at 1:20pm (no, it's not 24 hours, remember to subtract 8 hours for the time difference). Our appointment to get the official "referral" for Simon is Wednesday and we hope to travel on the overnight train to Kramatorsk Thursday night. We meet Simon on Friday!!

I will check my e-mails in the morning, but probably not do any blogging until we are in-country!! I'm sure I'll have lots of stories to tell.

PLEASE PRAY FOR US for smooth traveling and energy enough to enjoy it! LOL

I'll post again as soon as I am able and have something interesting to say. :o)

So until then, Good-bye, and dasvidanya!!!

Jane Smith said...

Sounds like your seats on the flight from Philly to Frankfurt were horrid! In the center section 5 across! Hope you slept!! Not sure I could! Anxiously waiting for an email as it looks like you've been in Kiev for 3 hours now.
Anxious in Mims!!
Mom...love you!

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The dig on paleontology digs in the United States

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Hankering for a paleontology dig, for you or your kids? Not sure where to start?

Paleontology, the study of fossil life, is often a child’s first exposure to scientific enthrallment. Almost any third grader can tell you something about fossils, which is always fascinating and a little intimidating. Fossils are the gateway drug for science, and kids who show an interest in the field soak up that knowledge like it’s going out of style. From TV shows to books and movies, children are a big audience for the field of paleontology.

Luckily, paleontology digs aren’t just for Hollywood or, to quote Spielberg’s Jurassic Park, for the “super rich”. They also aren’t just for kids!

On the contrary, many paleontology digs in the US are affordable and accessible to adventurers of all ages.

What, exactly, do we mean when we say “fossil” and talk about paleontology? Not just dinosaurs!

Fossils are, by definition, the preserved remains or behavior of any organism.

That means dinosaurs, yes, but any living thing can make or become a fossil. Fossils can be trackways, preserved droppings, burrows and other evidence of biological activity beyond the big old body fossil.

Can you spot the footprints below? They count as fossils!

The Importance of Ethical Fossil Collection

Since fossils are so rare, and can provide irreplaceable clues about the past, it’s super important to make sure they are collected in an ethical manner with the proper permitting and permission.

Fossils, especially vertebrate fossils, must be collected with all the pertinent information on their “provenance” — the information about where, when, and how they were collected, as well as all the key information on the rock formation in which they were collected.

This information is important because it is the only way an animal’s paleoenvironment — their ancient stomping grounds and ecosystem — can be reconstructed and used to interpret data about the fossils you find.

Vertebrate Paleontology Digs in the United States

Our first few entries revolve around museums in the United States that offer vertebrate paleontology digs.

Vertebrates, any animals with a backbone, comprise many of the most famous and well-known fossils–including dinosaurs, pterosaurs, ancient sea reptiles, and ancient mammals such as mammoths and sabre-toothed cats.

Also, Velociraptor mongoliensis, my personal favorite.

Image (c) Scott Hartman of

Let’s check out a few of the top vertebrate paleontology dig sites I’ve been to, worked with, or worked for. Many of the places we talk about will cater to families with children. However, with a little cash and travel time, paleontology digs are accessible to just about anyone in good fitness who has an interest in ancient life.

Museum of Western Colorado

Museum of Western Colorado
P.O. Box 20000
Grand Junction, Colorado 81502-5020
(970) 242-0971

Prices: $55-175 per person

Ages: Age 5 and up, unless otherwise noted; children age 5-16 must be accompanied by an adult.

From half-day digs, to river rafting fossil tours, to full day experiences in the famous Mygatt-Moore Quarry, the Museum of Western Colorado is an excellent place to go on an unforgettable paleontology hike or dig. You can explore the well known Morrison Formation, a pristine piece of the Jurassic Period, with the help of expert guides.

If you’re looking for a more independent adventure, the Grand Junction, Colorado area is chock full of hiking and outdoor exploration opportunities; you can rest assured that the fossils you help excavate at the Museum of Western Colorado will remain with the institution for future research.

Paleontology gurus John and ReBecca Hunt-Foster (make sure you check her blog out), as well as their colleagues, have set up a fantastic field program on the western side of the Rocky Mountains.

Image (c) Museum of Western Colorado
Image (c) Museum of Western Colorado

Wyoming Dinosaur Museum

The Wyoming Dinosaur Center
110 Carter Ranch Rd.
P.O. Box 868
Thermopolis, Wyoming 82443
(307) 864-2997 or 1-800-455-DINO (3466)

Prices: Rates vary, but tours are under $20. See the admissions website for further details.

Ages: 8 through 12 with parental supervision, although interested adults can tag along.

In a place like Thermpolis, you might expect to find a few Greek ruins. But remote Thermopolis, Wyoming, is home to one of the premier dinosaur research centers in North America.

The Wyoming Dinosaur Center offers a full day experience in fossil quarrying and excavation, a tour of the fossil preparation lab, and a picnic lunch in the scenic Big Horn Basin. The Jurassic Sundance Formation comes to life on these dig tours, and young folks can get their hands dirty while conducting actual scientific research.

Looking for the first and only actual Archaeopteryx fossil in North America? Yeah, we thought you were. You can find this amazing transitional dinosaur, a “first bird” fossil, here at the Wyoming Dinosaur Center.

Image (c) Wyoming Dinosaur Center. The famous Archaeopteryx.
Image (c) Wyoming Dinosaur Center. The famous Archaeopteryx.

Judith River Dinosaur Institute

Judith River Dinosaur Institute
Box 51177
Billings, Montana 59105
(406) 696-5842

Prices: $1,695 for a one week dig.

Ages: 12 and older.

Hatched in 1993, the Judith River Dinosaur Institute seeks to educate the public on all of the rich fossil resources that the beautiful state of Montana has to offer.

The Institute offers paleontology mentoring programs for children ages 12 and up, sending young ones on a week long apprenticeship in paleontology while teaching them the ropes of a paleontology dig.

Alums of the program have gone on to work in paleontology, and at the very least have had a major leg up on high school science. Although a bit pricey, the experience is unforgettable. Yes, you will camp, and food is included. It’s a true Montana field trip. Teacher continuing education credit is also available.

Image (c) Judith River Dinosaur Center

Casper College Tate Geological Museum

Tate Geological Museum – Casper College
125 College Drive
Casper, Wyoming 82601
(307) 268-2447

Prices: $800 for five days of field work and motel lodging.

Ages: 16 and older; 16- and 17-year-olds must be accompanied by an adult.

The Tate Geological museum is located at small and comfy Casper College in historical Casper, Wyoming. This is a great place to explore the Mesozoic Era and the earliest mammals of the Cenozoic Era. Digs will take you into the field in wild Wyoming, focusing on the Cretaceous Period and fossil animals from the end of the age of dinosaurs.

The expert crew is fantastic; if you visit them, make sure to say hello to JP Cavigelli, a friend of mine who will show you the ropes of paleontological digging and help you come out of your comfort zone.

I will never forget attempting to pick at pieces of a Stegosaurus – a plant-eating dinosaur – on top of a beautiful but harrowing cliff (thanks for not letting me live that one down, JP!); that particular trip was also my first exposure to Rocky Mountain oysters (which are a culinary adventure all on their own).

The cliff of doom! Pine Mountain Formation, Jurassic Period. Image (c) David Brown and Tate Geological Museum
The cliff of doom! Pine Mountain Formation, Jurassic Period. Image (c) David Brown and Tate Geological Museum
Using a rock hammer to chip at rock. Image (c) Outbound Adventurer
Using a rock hammer to chip at rock. Image (c) Outbound Adventurer
Image (c) Outbound Adventurer
Image (c) Outbound Adventurer

 The Mammoth Site of Hot Springs, South Dakota

The Mammoth Site
1800 US 18 Bypass
P.O. Box 692
Hot Springs, South Dakota 57747
(605) 745-6017

Prices: Admission to the junior dig program and the museum will cost you under $40; see Earthwatch Institute for more information on adult volunteer dig programs.

Ages: 4 and up; age restrictions vary per program. Adult partnerships through the Earthwatch Institute exist.

Take a tour of the great Ice Ages at the Mammoth Site of Hot Springs, South Dakota. The Mammoth Site is a rare site indeed – a paleontology dig with air conditioning!

The site represents a sinkhole death trap, in which several young male mammoths and their mammal contemporaries met their fate when trapped inside its squishy, muddy depths. The sinkhole’s slippery sides prevented animals from escaping; since its boundaries were well-defined, the site had a world-class research site and museum plunked down on top of it, allowing the fossil resources to be conserved, protected, and studied.

Take a tour of the dig site, or explore the methods of paleontology on a junior paleontology dig. Kids can advance to an in-depth paleontology methods program and learn how to prepare, identify and jacket fossils.

Adults can dig within the actual site itself, through a partnership with the Earthwatch Institute. Teachers can apply for scholarships for the Earthwatch programs, which can otherwise be upwards of $3000.

I was once a tour guide at the Mammoth Site; if you have never thrown the ancient atlatl spear weapon before, or if you’re looking for a fantastic Pleistocene-aged treasure trove in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota, this is the place to be. Dr. Larry Agenbroad leads this premier research site.

Mammoths roam the Black Hills once more. Image (c) Outbound Adventurer
Mammoths roam the Black Hills once more. Image (c) Outbound Adventurer
Earthwatch volunteers conducting a paleontology dig. Image (c) Outbound Adventurer
Earthwatch volunteers conducting a paleontology dig. Image (c) Outbound Adventurer

The bonebed at the Mammoth Site. Image (c) Outbound Adventurer
The bonebed at the Mammoth Site. Image (c) Outbound Adventurer

 Fossil Butte National Monument

Fossil Butte National Monument
P.O. Box 592
Kemmerer, Wyoming 83101
(307) 877-4455

Prices: Admission is free.

Ages: All ages.

State and National parks are serious about their natural resources. But that doesn’t mean visitors can’t lend a helping hand in the science that goes on in these protected natural areas.

Visitors to western Wyoming can stop by Fossil Butte National Monument to hike, enjoy the scenic view of the undulating Green River Formation and its tall outcrops, and spend a day excavating fossil fish at Wyoming’s “Aquarium in Stone”.

The now-preserved ancient lake environment at Fossil Butte was once teeming with tropical plants, crocodiles, horses with three toes that were the size of dogs, and scads of fish species. It was a very different ecosystem from western Wyoming’s arid shrubland today.

I worked as an intern at the Monument, and helped visitors of all ages peel back the layers of limestone that revealed delicately preserved fossils, just like a book. Little kids–and hell, big kids, too–got a thrill out of revealing the fossil fish and plants to the light of day for the first time in over 50 million years.

All information was recorded in a field book, including the collector’s name and data about the fossil find. It’s a good half an hour hike up to the dig site, but all visitors can enjoy the preparation lab and exhibits in the Monument’s visitor center.

Dinosaur State Park

Dinosaur State Park
400 West Street
Rocky Hill, Connecticut 06067
(860) 529-5816

Prices: No more than $6

Ages: All ages

Reckon vertebrate paleontology digs are only out in the wild West? Not so!

New England is home to a myriad of fossil track sites, full of footprints from the Mesozoic Era. These sites help uncover information about the behavior of ancient animals, including dinosaurs. One of the most well-known sites for fossil trackways is Dinosaur State Park in Rocky Hill, Connecticut.

At Rocky Hill, you can view tracks of dinosaurs and other animals preserved in place under the dome of the museum facility. You can also learn how to carefully and ethically mold and cast a fossil trackway–though, to be kind to fossils, remember adventurers: only cast and mold fossils at an approved facility. Using plaster on unsupervised track sites can harm the delicate fossil tracks.

Image (c) Dinosaur State Park
Image (c) Dinosaur State Park

Hopefully these give you some starting points as you hunt down the perfect paleontology dig. If you have any questions about your area, or paleontology in general, please don’t hesitate to shoot me an e-mail. I’m happy to help!

Have you ever been on a paleontology dig? Has it been a life-long dream? How about the little ones–are they dino-crazy? Tell us in the comments below!

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  • Debbie

    I would love to take my kids to a fossil dig in the NOrtheast US. Any ideas?

    • Hi Debbie, where in the Northeast are you looking to visit? Do you want to check out dinosaur digs, or fossil shells? In Massachusetts and Connecticut there are dinosaur trackway sites where visitors can observe fossil tracks, but for an actual dig we might need to do some more research. Let me know, glad to help! Feel free to email me at

  • Sounds great, and not just for kids! I would love to visit one or two of these places myself!

    • Awesome, thanks for reading! Please let us know if you need any suggestions for places to go and experience field work while you travel!

  • I love dinosaurs,archeological sites, and paleontology. It’s good to know a lot of details from your post.

    • Thanks you so much Anu! We love those fields, too. I have a dinosaur tattoo on my back, hah 🙂

  • I love dinosaurs! I’ve never thought of going to anything like this, only natural history museums. The prices of some are really great and I think kids would love these places. Great suggestions, very detailed and good photos. Thank you

    • Thanks, Kate! Glad we could help, I know this is something I used to dream about, and it can be a reality for citizen scientists and kids (of all ages) with that passion for paleontology.

  • Paleontology tours exist?? Really? This is awesome ! Will definitely be looking for them in the Balkans next month 🙂

    • Awesome, Joao! Check out some fossil track sites on Hvar if you can find them!

  • Oh my goodness, I had no idea paleontology tours even existed! What a cool experience!

    • They sure do, please feel free to email us if you’d like help finding something closer to you 🙂

    • Thank you so much for reading 🙂 Let us know if you need suggestions for local field work.

  • Amy

    Ha! I love that you call them a “gateway drug to science”. So true! I’ve never done anything like this but it looks fascinating!

    • We love our gateway drugs to science, heheh. I always felt really sad that there wasn’t more attention paid to paleontology when I was in school. Let us know if you want any suggestions for trips 🙂

  • What a cool holiday idea for the kids. I would have loved doing something like this as a kid but think I would hate all the dirt now.

    • Embrace the dirt–it grows on you in a weird way, haha. Please let us know if you need any suggestions for kids’ digs, specifically, we’re glad to help 🙂

  • Amazing! What a neat idea for a post. I’d love to dig around a dig site!

    • Thanks so much for reading, if you would like suggestions we’re happy to point you in the right direction for affordable and accessible digs.

  • This is incredible!! I have always been amazed by this but really never did anything about it, Thanks so much for sharing very interesting article

  • I love dinos but I don’t know if I would have the patience to dig myself! Still a pretty neat experience I’m sure!

    • There are some smaller sites where visitors can help dig for fish fossils, those are really easy and rewarding to find 🙂 Here’s one in particular:

  • I would lve to go on a dig like this. I visited a place in Sucre, Bolivia recently wehere they had real dinosaur footprints. It was awesome.

    • Awesome Tammy, I’ve worked on dinosaur footprints for several years, they are fascinating 🙂 I would love to visit that site in Sucre, it sounds great–thanks for reading 🙂 If you need suggestions for digs in your area, please let us know

  • I’ve done a bit of fossil hunting in the UK but it would be fascinating to take part in a proper dig oneday!

  • Fascinating blog, Tara & Jessi! Thanks for connecting with us on Twitter! Keep up the great work and travel safe!

    • Thank you! We look forward to digging into your website and keeping connected!


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Saturday, November 24, 2007

Socrates' objections to writing

Dr. Wolf goes back to look at Socrates’ objections to writing. He worried that reliance on writing would erode memory (it has!), but also, and maybe more importantly, that reading would mislead students to think that they had knowledge, when they only had data. In the dialog titled Phaedrus, Socrates tells the story of the ancient Egyptian god Theuth, inventor of letters, and what the god and king Ammon (Thamus in Greek) said to Theuth about his invention:

...this discovery of yours will create forgetfulness in the learners’ souls, because they will not use their memories; they will trust to the external written characters and not remember of themselves. The specific which you have discovered is an aid not to memory, but to reminiscence, and you give your disciples not truth, but only the semblance of truth; they will be hearers of many things and will have learned nothing; they will appear to be omniscient and will generally know nothing; they will be tiresome company, having the show of wisdom without the reality.

...writing is unfortunately like painting; for the creations of the painter have the attitude of life, and yet if you ask them a question they preserve a solemn silence. And the same may be said of speeches. You would imagine that they had intelligence, but if you want to know anything and put a question to one of them the speakers always gives one unvarying answer. And when they have been once written down they are tumbled about anywhere among those who may or may not understand them, and know not to whom they should reply, to whom not: and if they are maltreated or abused they have no parent to protect them; and they cannot protect or defend themselves.

Socrates leads his friend Phaedrus to see the “ word of knowledge which has a soul and of which the written word is properly no more than an image...” Socrates asks, if a farmer would not sow his good seeds in the summer heat and expect to reap in eight days, but knows he must sow in proper time and good soil, and wait eight months to reap, then would not a teacher of truth know as much about proper planting and care of the words he teaches by?

Then he will not seriously incline to”write” his thoughts “in water” with pen and ink, sowing words which can neither speak for themselves not teach the truth adequately to others? ... No, that is not likely–in the garden of letters he will sow and plant, but only for the sake of recreation and amusement; he will write them down as memorials to be treasured against the forgetfulness of old age, by himself, aor by any other old man who is treading the same path.

Dialogues of Plato, Phaedrus, pp. 275-277 (trans. Benjamin Jowett, Oxford University Press).

Betsy McKenzie said...

OOTJ readers may recognize the Greek name of the Egyptian god-king, Thamus, from the ground-breaking article written by Dan Dabney titled, The Curse of Thamus. In that article, Dabney told about a research project he undertook using a document management software. A large set of documents from complex litigation was the database. Expert searchers very familiar with the software to asked to run as many searches as needed to locate all the documents in this file on certain topics. After the expert searchers were satisfied that they had found all the relevant documents, somebody (Dan?!) went through the files by hand and pulled all relevant documents. The two lists were compared that the percent of relevant documents missed by the expert searchers was a truly shocking number. The point I took away was how easy it was to feel that a computerized search by an expert searcher would find everything, and yet in reality such searches miss highly relevant material. I still cite to this article, and tell my students about it in my advanced legal research clss. I must admit, I did not remember who Thamus was, or what his curse might be. Now, I can guess!

Betsy McKenzie said...

The image decorating this is actually a painting by Raphael (1510) of Plato and Aristotle. Looks considerably more handsome than the more believable images of Socrates, who was notably ugly. I guess it counts since Plato is the one who reported the dialog, ironically, preserved for posterity through the medium of writing.

Joe said...

Fascinating ideas... perhaps Socrates was taking an exxagerated position in order to drive home a point? Certainly the analogy of the proper length of time for seed germination is something of clear relevence today in today's information rich world. Sherlock Holmes wasn't so interested in philosophical argument and its efficient execution, but he was interested in keeping a tidy mind. You might find this interesting:


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Planning Your New Kitchen, and How We Can Help You Achieve What You Want

Minor kitchen updates often include new lighting, countertops, appliances, and new paint. Also popular are a tile backsplash, and new sink with updated faucet. Outdated-looking but still-functional cabinets might be painted, or sanded and restained.

Major kitchen renovations often mean new cabinets, as well as opening the kitchen space up to other parts of the house and outdoor areas for better flow and use. This is usually done by adding or combining rooms and removing walls, which may require structural changes as well as plumbing, flooring and electrical work.

There’s a wide range of options either way. After listening to your kitchen desires and looking at your space, we’ll suggest one or more approaches based on what you want to achieve. Our staff may be just what you need, or we may bring in an architect, interior or kitchen designer, or cabinet design resource, as appropriate.

Paces works with cabinet specialists to deliver prefabricated, semicustom and custom cabinets to suit your style, needs and budget, and we can also create or modify units to fit your space perfectly. Experts may also be brought in for countertops, tile, lighting and appliances to help complete your stylish dream kitchen.

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So you’ll get exactly what you need, whether you’re renovating your Paces Ferry castle or downsizing to a Peachtree Road condo to spend more time in Highlands. Our repertoire includes traditional spaces, open kitchen great rooms for growing families, condos, specialty areas like bars, pool houses and outdoor kitchens, and a Canterbury Court kitchen.

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Friday, November 2, 2012

Friday was my first real day able to do anything functional, so amber and I went to The Bund, to see the views of Shanghai and the Pearl. I cant tell from sending email what order these will come out in, but there's a view from the Bund, some of the old architecture on this side of the river (reminds me a lot of Buenos Aires), a shot of the Pearl during the day, one of People's Square walkway, which is kind of like times Square or Picadilly Circus, and then my duck ramen for lunch (Nancy would be proud!).

After that, we went to get train and plane tickets to go to Beijing and Xi'an and then had some yum-tastic Indian at the Pearl Market. That place is crazy. There's just stall after stall of people selling millions of Pearls. Im not actually very into Pearls, but I'll probably go back when I have more time and check it out a little better. After dinner we went to a DVD store. That was pretty awesome. ;-)

Today I think we are going to go to the fabric market. We'll see how that turns out!

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Platform for African – European Partnership in Agricultural Research for Development

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Four projects awarded funding in RIU's Best Bets programme

The Research Into Use (RIU) 'Best Bets' programme, which tests out an innovative, competitive funding mechanism, is providing around £5 million of grant aid for a number of large-scale technology promotion activities. These are expected to achieve significant developmental impact through private sector involvement.
The four successful projects in the first round of the 'Best Bets' programme represent a total investment of £1.5 million.
Over 100 project proposals were submitted in the response to the call for projects in East, Central and Southern Africa. From these, 8 were short-listed and the final 4 were selected at an event in Nairobi, Kenya, on 26-27 November 2009, when candidates pitched their proposals to a panel of high-powered business leaders and research experts. The winning projects are:
Safe and affordable armyworm control tools in East Africa (led by CABI Africa) - for establishing a system for the production, supply, distribution and marketing of safe and affordable armyworm control tools in Tanzania and Kenya over the next 18 months. This pest attacks pasture and key crops such as maize, sorghum, millet and rice. The total area of crops prone to attack in Tanzania and Kenya is estimated at 2.1 million hectares. Part of the project involves armyworm forecasting which aims to help villagers predict armyworm outbreaks and tackle the problem before it gets out of control.
Improving access to NERICA rice seed (New Rice for Africa) in Uganda (led by NACCRI, The National Crop Resources Research Institute, Uganda) - to support the scaling up, production and delivery of high quality NERICA rice seed by local seed companies working with smallholder farmers and to implement a marketing strategy to stabilise demand. Rice is becoming increasingly important as a food and cash crop in Uganda. NERICA rice varieties are high yielding and have relatively low water requirements. Their use will support government initiatives for improved food security and income generation.
Farmer-applied biocontrols and seed treatments in Kenya (led by the Real IPM Company Ltd) - for promoting yield improvement through farmer-applied biocontrol seed treatments in maize, sorghum and millet. This project aims to increase productivity for small-scale farmers who save their own seeds by using a mycoherbicide to control the parasitic weed Striga and encouraging seed priming.
Resources and information for smallholder farmers and young people in East Africa (led by Farm Input Promotions Africa; FIPS-Africa) - for a private sector-led extension service to address climatic threats to food security, empowering smallholder farmers throughout East Africa to put research into use. Working with input-supply companies and research centres, demand will be created for new varieties of crops and improved fertilizer blends, and outputs from a selection of successful RNRRS projects will be used to improve soil, crop, and livestock management. In addition, various youth-focused media (comic books, radio programmes and interactive SMS) will provide young people with ideas for generating income through agricultural activities.

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Wednesday, May 20, 2015

thrifted threads: crochet love

we spent a lot of the weekend exploring the west coast of the island
i love all the little botanical gardens and tidal pools that are filled with marine life.
check out these beautiful sea anemones...
oh and yes... this is a 'what i wore wednesday' post
i'm linking up with lindsey and the ladies for some fashion fun.
the temperature has warmed up quite a bit around here
but i am always ready whenever that ocean breeze picks up.
i found this thrifted long-sleeved crocheted top last summer
and it has been perfect for the beach.
as you can see, i've moved into my favourite shorts ...
oh, and the crochet necessitates a tank top !!!
i have fallen in love with all things crocheted
lucky me, i've found several pieces at my favourite thrift shop.
one day...i will surprise you with one off of my own needles
(but i wouldn't hold your breath...hehe) by the coast has been good.
anemones and crocheted sweaters ...such lovely treasures!!!

wishing you all a lovely wednesday

  1. I love your crocheted top!
    And your anemones, wow!

  2. I don't know what I admire more: your thrifted sweater or the anemones pictures. Both are gorgeous! I need to do some thrifting soon.

  3. Gorgeous photos, and love that top!

  4. What a great find at a thrift store. I'd love to see some crocheted goodness that you've created, too.

thank you for your kind words... they really do make my day !!!


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Friday, January 28, 2011

Can We Trust the Jesus and the Apostles?

One of the basic questions we have to consider if we want to understand our Bibles is how Jesus and the Apostles employed quotations from the Old Testament. In other words, is their use of the Old Testament a model for us? Or, what was their hermeneutical approach, and how does it instruct us?

S. Lewis Johnson's The Old Testament in the New examines precisely those questions via the lens of six particular texts. (I can promise you, it was available for less than $58 when I bought it. Sorry.) This isn't a definitive text on the subject, but it's brief (94 pages), extremely readable (apart from some text comparisons in Greek and Hebrew), and puts some crucial issues on the table. Here's his conclusion:
[The Lord and His apostles] are reliable teachers of biblical doctrine and they are reliable teachers of hermeneutics and exegesis. We not only can reproduce their exegetical methodology, we must if we are to be taught their understanding of Holy Scripture. Their principles, probably taught them by the Lord in his post-resurrection ministry, are not abstruse and difficult. They are simple, plain, and logical. The things they find in the Old Testament are really there, although the Old Testament authors may not have seen them fully.

In the final analysis the biblical interpreter is interested not only in what the inspired author meant but also in what God meant. Therefore, the New Testament understanding of the Old Testament is the true exposition of it, because it supplies the reader not simply with what Moses and the prophets understood but also with what the Holy Spirit understood, gave to them, and empowered them to write down. [pg. 94, emphasis original]
This view is not without objection, but it seems reasonable that it ought to be our starting assumption, at least until compelling evidence to the contrary is produced. The burden of proof lies with those who would argue that Jesus and the Apostles used OT quotations in ways that are incompatible with original authorial intent.

P.S. I didn't try to track down all the links, but you may be able to find a better deal here.

James Kime said...

This is a great post and a great understanding of how some things in the NT are used.

I have this concern about it though. Matthew records that "out of Egypt I have called my Son" was a fulfillment of an OT text, how would any of us be able to duplicate that? If you go back and read it in the OT text, there is no indication that was Messianic. However that meaning was obviously included in it. What is the hermeneutic method that allows us to duplicate it?

Ben said...

Johnson addresses that text only very briefly. He doesn't unpack his explanation, but does imply that there was a typological relationship between Hosea and Matthew, intended by the Holy Spirit, even if Hosea didn't understand or anticipate it. Though I don't know how Johnson would develop his argument, others would say that Jesus, as the true Israel, recapitulates ethnic Israel in the OT (Egypt, wilderness, Jordan, etc.)

If you don't like the typological approach, John Sailhamer has presented an exegetical argument that sees a clear connection while consciously rejecting the typological approach. I posted about it here a long time ago. If you want to read his exegetical argument, though, you'll have to track down the article itself. Though I included bibliographic info in the post, I only quoted the conclusion.

James Kime said...

I agree with the typological conclusion. My point though is that it was something the Holy Spirit used Matthew to write. I don't know how we can duplicate that.

Ben said...

James, Johnson is arguing that we need to learn, embrace, and apply the hermeneutical methodology that Jesus and the apostles used. Whether or not we're inspired is a reality that applies to any hermeneutical methodology when we do the work of preaching and teaching. IOW, when I preach a sermon from the OT, I'm not inspired, but I need to get the text right. Johnson's arguing that Jesus and the apostles are a reliable guide for me.

d4v34x said...

James, you assume that Matthew was only aware of that fulfilment due to being inspired to write those words. What if he recognized it before he wrote it via illumination, something you do experience?

Kevin DeYoung also has an interesting take on "fullfillment" at TGC:

James Kime said...

Hos 11:1
When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son.

In this particular verse, there is no reason to believe Hosea saw this as messianic. However, I do not believe that he had to. Hosea saw this as a past event.

There is no question in my mind that Matthew presented Christ as the fulfillment of Israel. He is the true Israel. In fact John does this as well with several references, notably the vine.

My point again is in our duplication of that hermeneutic. Do we really know what Matthew did here? That is the issue that is so tough. Was it just the theological theme of Christ as the true Israel that allowed him to see that? Would either of you try that with any other OT text not mentioned in the NT and claim that it is fulfilled in Christ? Hosea's use seems to be specific and not just the OT in general.

Ben said...

Sailhamer would argue that Hosea did see it, but my point is not to prove him correct.

I'm also not suggesting that it's easy to understand and apply the hermeneutical methodology of Jesus and the apostles. I would argue that if their methodology is the right way to interpret the OT, then we are absolutely bound to pursue it. To do anything other than what they did will necessarily lead to bad exegesis on our part.


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