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Friday, February 19, 2010

Remembering What Used To Be Good

I was rummaging through some files to look for a bill when I came across this file. Can you guess what's inside?

It may look like another ordinary red file to you, but for me, it contains memories so precious, I would never trade it for the world. What I found inside the file, made me smile widely like a mad person.

Have I ever told you that Aien is a very organized person, more organized than me? Anyway, while I was busy looking for the bill, I actually found out that he actually kept ALL the cards I gave to him back when we were *ehems* jiwang-jiwang back then, neatly in a file.

(some of the cards that I took out for illustration purpose :P)

And when I say ALL, I literally meant ALL – together with the wrapping paper, neatly folded and kept in the file.

However, among all cards, this is the card I loved the most.

Why? Because it is 100% handmade and made with love (eceh!) by the none other, yours truly. :) Oh I remember sketching the image of the card on a paper before it was put to "live". I remember driving to the art shop to get the things needed to make the card. I remember sleeping late at night and sewing the card (yes I sew on the card!) because I was running out of time and the card needed to be ready on the next day – his birthday. I remember my roommate telling me I should not be wasting my time making a card and that I should just get him a card from a shop instead. I remember not listening to her. Because he is special, and I wanted to do something special for him.

And then, there was this red box. Can you guess what it is?

It is actually a mini post box which comes with mini "love letters" that I made myself during the first few weeks that Aien and I became an item.

Reading back all the notes, letters, and cards I wrote to Aien, made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Geli pon ade jugak. I can't believe I was that jiwang back then okay. :P

But then again, why did I stop being all jiwang? Why did I stop giving him cards, shower him with gifts and flatter him with the flowery words (even A. Samad Said pon kalah ok) that I used to do a lot back then? What happened to the simple calls and texts, just to say "i miss you" or "i love you" when his day is a little gloomy? What happened to all the effort to make cute little crafts just to show how important he is to me and brighten up his day?

When I read back all the things I wrote to Aien back then, it was full of sweet promises, hopes and expectations. However, I realize now that sadly, some of the sweet promises I made were not fulfilled and I definitely owe it to him after all he's done for me.

It's true. Sometimes, it is these little things that remind us the good times we had, and why we are where we are today, and what we should do, to keep our loved ones closer to us, everyday.

We need to remember what used to be good.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Shake Shake, Shake Your Head!

At 8 months plus, Aydein is able to do a lot of things that never fail to amaze me.

Like recently, he surprised me by shaking his head left and right when we say no and shaking our heads, as though trying to imitate us!

Note : Don't mind the background voices. They are annoying, I know.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Mama's Little Soldier

I am a happy mom today! Patience definitely paid off as Aydein finally met another milestone last night – creeping!

It was only a few days back that I read an excerpt from Baby Centre that by this week, babies at Aydein's age should now be able to rock back and forth in the attempt to creep or crawl.

And although I know there are many babies around his age that have long started to creep and crawl, I also know that it is important to never compare our babies to others, and savor every moment while letting them grow at their own pace. After all, every baby is unique, right? :)

This clip brings smiles to my face every time I play it. There is this part where I pulled my watch further when he almost grasped it, and when I did, he lifted his head and went like, aik?!

Notice how he is so determined to get the watch, (yes he is very attracted to shiny things), sampai terangkat2 kaki!

Hehe. He looks so much like a soldier bellying through the bushes, no? :P

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Baby Dino Meets Baby Firas

Guess whose tail is this?

Heee. Yes, you are definitely right. Mine! Me me me. And you can call me baby dino. Aydein the baby dino. :D

Oh recently, I was brought to meet my newborn friend, baby Firas. He was so small, you see, I felt like a giant dino beside him. Chomp chomp chomp! Rawrrrr!

But he was also so very adorable lah! I wanted to say hello and play with him, but his eyes were closed all the time.

I inched a little closer and tried to wake him up, but before I could even do that, mama quickly pulled me away and took me away from him. Haih ape lah mama ni.

You see, baby Firas is Uncle Syukran & Aunty Munira's first son. They were both mamas' good friends. Mama used to go to the same school with them. Can you spot mama and Uncle Syukran?

Mama was also there on Uncle Syukran's wedding day. Oh the good old times, as mama would say. :)

And now, Uncle Syukran is now happily married with a kid! How time flies!

I can't wait for baby Firas to grow up so I can play football with him! Oh wait, scratch that. Maybe I should ask if he would like to play wrestling with me instead. Heh heh heh.

Friday, February 5, 2010

To Baby Ammar's Aid

Tears welled up in my eyes as soon as I finished reading Nuffnang's special featured entry on a toddler named Ammar.

See the lovable, adorable, normal-looking toddler in the picture above? One look at this cheerful little toddler, no one would have guessed that this toddler has been struggling with a heart condition since birth.

As of now, this adorable, innocent little fellow is patiently waiting for 22nd February 2010 where he will be taken to an operation theatre for a heart surgery.

FYI, Ammar is a 2-year-old toddler who has been suffering with Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) since birth. According to Nuffnang, he has a hole in his heart which results in oxygenated blood and non-oxygenated blood mixing together, which in turn puts a lot of strain on his heart and lung arteries. I think it is better known as jantung berlubang in Malay.

It seems that in some cases, the hole eventually seals itself up after some time, but that wasn't the case for Ammar as doctors mutually agreed that he should undergo a surgery to prevent the situation from getting worse.

Hospital is his second home. Going in and out of ward becomes a routine for this poor family. You can check out this blog entry written by his mom, Azmaniza, who blogs at, to read more about Baby Ammar's condition and how she, a mother of five children, brave through this God's greatest challenge.

Honestly, I can't imagine myself being in her shoes. I can't imagine what I would do if it were to happen to me, or to Aydein. I can't even imagine how it must be like for the little toddler to have to breathe through breathing aids ...

and eat through gastro tubes, at a very tender age!

With that being said, I urge ALL of you; If you have some time or love to spare, please help this innocent little boy, who may not even have any idea of how serious this condition could be for him. It is obvious that he is oblivious about this, because he could still offer a smile at times like this even when he's obviously ill. Sighs.

Please help to spread this word around. Donations can be made to Azmaniza Mohamad Kamal514093114912 (Maybank). Every little bit helps, so please do contribute any amount you can.

Again, baby Ammar's surgery is scheduled for 22 February 2010, and the fund-raising effort will end on midnight at 17 February 2010. It is indeed a short period of time, but let us all rise to the occasion and prove to everyone the strength of a blogging community like ours.

Remember, today might be her day. We never know when it could happen to us. :(

To baby Ammar, get well soon, baby Ammar love! To his family, be strong and keep praying. Insyaallah this misery will soon come to an end and replaced with a happy ending soon, insyaallah.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Before & After

Britney Spears used to be like this..

And now she's like this.

On the other side of the world, Thara Sofian used to be like this..

And now she's like this..

But she desperately needs to be like this!

Is there hope?

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

What You Can Do, I Can Do Too! (Part 4)

Oh goodie! At last, after what feels like eternity, mama finally allows me to touch her notebook! Oh, did you know that I just turned 8-month recently? Mama said I'm a big boy now. That is why I can do a few thing more as compared to before.

If a few weeks back, I was still a wobbly and unbalanced little baby when I sit, but at 8 months, I can now sit unsupported steadily on a flat surface. I am so loving my new ability because this way, I get to turn left and right, left and right, ALL that I want.

I get to lift and toss the objects around me freely and I am also showing signs to lunge forward and creep from my sitting position too. So hopefully this new milestone would stop mama's worries when I start crawling soon. :)

I can also hold my bottle all by myself. It makes mama happy, because that way, her arms won't ache so much while waiting for me to finish the 5oz – 6oz of milk everytime.

Oh and of course, my gleaming white teeth. I do not know why, but my teeth seem to grow very quickly. You see, over the last few weeks since my last entry, another 2 teeth sprouted on my top gum, making my teeth a total of 6 gleaming pearls altogether now.

Not sure how true this myth is, but I heard that if a baby's teeth develop fast, the baby is said to be slow at walking. Is this true? I don't know lah. But I sure hope not! Cause I can't wait to join my elder cousins to run around the field!

Well, that's all for me so far. Mama is giving me cues to hand her notebook back to her. Oh I cant wait to tell you what I can do next! Until the next milestone from me!

Love love,

- Aydein


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Real adventures in going Julia Sugarbaker with Mother of PittGirl

My niece M. was engaged in quite a battle in her school over a school election and that’s really all I can say about it because God only knows who’s reading this blog.

Needless to say, Ta-Ta the Grand Poobah, mother of M., acted in grand Julia Sugarbaker fashion to show her daughter that she is willing to fight for her when things happen that should not happen.  That meant writing a few strongly worded but respectful emails to the principal and getting results.  Fair results.

This is not a case of “life’s not fair and I should just tell that to my daughter” because sometimes that is the case; this was a case of “adult people who should know better wronged her and I’ma fix it.”

In my family, we ladies refer to it as “going Julia Sugarbaker” when us normally reserved, dignified sisters rip into people that deserve it by using our witty, biting words.

My point is that M.’s situation and Ta-Ta’s response caused Tina Fey to recall:

All this stuff about M. makes me think about the time I got a D in orchestra because I couldn’t make it to a concert for good reason.  It got me kicked off the honor roll.  So one day I go in to the teacher, explain the situation (which she already knew), she told me I was lucky I didn’t get an F and she wasn’t changing my grade.

So I said, “Okay.  Well, my mom is outside and she wants to talk to you.”  (Mom told me to talk to her to see what she said and she’d be waiting outside the room after class in case things didn’t go my way.)

So I come out of the orchestra room and Mom is waiting there.  I said, “She won’t change my grade.”  Mom says, “Okay,” and heads into the room.  About 2 minutes later Mom comes out of the room, says, “She’s changing your grade.  You’ll be back on the honor roll,” and Crazy Orchestra Teacher is in tears.

Good times, people.  Good times.

Good times, indeed.  Let’s hear it for moms who stick up for their kids and go Julia Sugarbaker when it counts.

  1. chrys
    September 23, 2008 10:38 am

    In my family we refer to that as “mamma bear watching out for her cubs”.. :) But I do like the “going Julia Sugarbaker” reference.. awesome.

    God help the idiot that treats my kids unfairly, because I will go “mamma bear” all over their ass. I learned it from my Mom.. so.. Thanks Mom.. you rock!

  2. Ted
    September 23, 2008 11:44 am

    I’m going to have to boo Tina Fey on this one. As the husband of a music teacher, I know how frustrating it is to have kids miss a concert for what their parents deem to be “a good reason.” It sets a dangerous precedent.**

    Do they not realize that the concert is essentially the final exam for their class? I’d bet dollars to donuts she was told about the concerts weight in her grade at the beginning of the course.

    I hope my wife never caves like the Orchestra Teacher.

    **if your good reason was a death or grave illness/accident, then I respectfully withdraw my comment. But the intent still lives.

  3. missingPA
    September 23, 2008 11:49 am

    LOVE the Julia Sugarbaker reference! I’m a first-time mom of a 15 mo. old girl. Last week at the playground I had to defend her against an 8 yr. old boy insisting that the toddler-size slide was the “boy’s club”, so she needed to “GO AWAY!”. All the other mothers took their little girls elsewhere. Nuh-uh. I explained to him that it was for everyone- no way was I dragging her away from her beloved slide. No doubt it was the first small incident in a lifetime of many and I’m totally prepared to go Mamma Bear and/or Julia Sugarbaker when necessary.

    On a side note, maybe the Steelers should replace their O-line next week with a group of Momma Bears. See if Benny still gets sacked 8 times. Throw me some pads and a helmet. I may be 5 ft. 1, but I’ll lay a smack down on someone!

  4. Deutschtown Frau
    September 23, 2008 11:57 am

    @ Ted & the whole darn officious school world,

    In fact, no school employee or official has the authority to make any event taking place outside the official school day a required part of course work. A concert is indeed very important — it’s about your obligation to the group, your part being integral to the whole, etc. — but it simply can’t be required or made part of the grade. Teachers will just have to try administering performance tests within school hours!

    Was the school district providing the transportation to the concert? Can you cite state law to support your contention? I thought not.

    I’ve had athletic coaches call last-minute, pre-season scrimmage games, not notify the parents via e-mail or flier and then ream out and bench my kids for not being on time. It happened last month, before school started; we had one car available for three different events. The (parochial school) coach informed my son, in front of the team, that his regular-season eligibility was in jeopardy and that his parents needed to improve their car-pooling efforts!

    I say he can shove it up his arse — in the name of Jesus, of course.

  5. JP
    September 23, 2008 12:04 pm

    **if your good reason was a death or grave illness/accident, then I respectfully withdraw my comment. But the intent still lives**

    That is fair, I think those would be really good reasons to miss a concert. Maybe a couple other ones but hard to think of many.

    Otherwise I think you have to show up. I certainly would be embarrassed as $hit to have my mommy run in and defend me, but that is how kids roll nowadays to stay on honor roll.

  6. SteelyMcstupid
    September 23, 2008 12:08 pm

    I agree with D-Town frau….requiring someone to attend an off-hours concert for a grade is saxual harassment.

  7. Sue
    September 23, 2008 12:08 pm

    I love the “going Julia Sugarbaker”. You’re right, kids do need to know that there are going to be disappointing times in their life, but as a reasonable parent, you know when someone has done wrong by your kid. Every kid should have a Julia Sugarbaker in their corner. Teachers/Schools are not always right! Way to go Mom of M, and well said Deutschtown Frau.

  8. Bulldog
    September 23, 2008 12:15 pm

    I get Ted’s point, and not knowing any of the other pertinent details its kinda hard to come down on one side or the other. It does seem extremely hard to believe that a single concert can be weighted so heavily as to move an otherwise honor roll student to a D that the teacher feels so generous about giving because it could have been an “F”.

    It seems that the teacher in this case was suffering from a serious lack of perspective.

  9. captain dummy
    September 23, 2008 12:16 pm

    “**if your good reason was a death or grave illness/accident, then I respectfully withdraw my comment. But the intent still lives.”

    …maybe find out the reason first before you start “booing” anyone… otherwise, i think you’re just stating the obvious… just a thought.

    plus, not that it means much, but i dont remember anyone saying these events took place “outside the official school day” at all… maybe i missed that part somewhere.

    i want to see missingPA beaut up those ravens this week! call up tomlin, maybe she’ll actually stop the blitz! and those weten’t 8 year olds… that was me and my 30 year old friends… we just picked a bad place for “boy’s club”… just goes to show you i have the worst judgement! haha

  10. MiamiShyner
    September 23, 2008 12:38 pm

    Hooray for Mom of M. Sometimes, there is no talking to a teacher in a rational manner for the kids. This I know from experience as I recently had to have a chat with a teacher at Kiddo’s school. She said that he was mean and wouldn’t let her explain herself. Now, she’s 15 and she’s my child so I know she’s got a mouth on her, but she also knows when to keep it shut. I talked to the man over the phone and received the same treatment so I know she wasn’t exaggerating. He got some Julia Sugarbaker as did his direct supervisor because NO ONE speaks to me in such a disrespectful manner and thinks they’ll get away with it.

  11. ic lion
    September 23, 2008 12:49 pm

    ya ya woo hoo mom’s defended the little kid and all is right and fair and just in the world. Horray, woman power, etc. But what about what Hotty McTomlin just said (or whatever you ladies are calling him). . . Parker and Hampton both out for MNF vs. the Ravens?!?!?! Did I miss something on Sunday?!?!

  12. CMU_phi_mu_alpha
    September 23, 2008 12:54 pm

    I was a music major in college and if you played in the symphony and missed a concert/performance without a valid reason, you failed the class, period. Valid excuses were outlined in the course syllabus which you received at the beginning of each semester. Everybody knew up front what the deal so there was not really any real wiggle room. That was college, I do not remember high school that much but I am pretty sure I would have never voluntarily missed a concert as I really dug playing.

  13. missingPA
    September 23, 2008 1:13 pm

    CD- So that’s why that boy wasn’t in school at 1:30 on a Tuesday! :) And you have no idea how much I’d love to beat up on some ravens. Put me in, coach!

  14. pittgirl
    September 23, 2008 1:14 pm

    While I won’t divulge the exact reason for privacy sake, I can assure every single one of you, even the haters among you, that you would agree that it was an absolutely valid reason and you would be aghast at the gall of the music teacher. And it was after school hours.

    That is all.

  15. TK
    September 23, 2008 1:32 pm

    Because sometimes when you think you’re going all “Julia Sugarbaker” on someone, you end up sounding like “Suzanne Sugarbaker”.

    Imagine Delta Burke’s voice:

    “I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t think my excuse wasn’t valid. I think I’ll give her a piece of my mind.”

  16. Christine
    September 23, 2008 1:37 pm

    Great story! Love the Sugarbaker reference and will use it! Makes me think though, about the fine line between defending your kid when they really need it and being a helicopter parent. Seems like a lot of parents don’t understand the distinction, hence the current trend toward kids who can’t do anything for themselves without mommy and daddy stepping in. (I’m of the generation where mom and dad butted out, assumed the teacher was always right, you had it coming, etc. — I would have enjoyed a little Sugarbakering now and then.)

  17. Kathy
    September 23, 2008 2:09 pm

    This can be a tough one because there is a very fine line between defending a child who is in the right and covering for a kid who was wrong. In our society WAY to often it is parents covering for kids who were wrong. But when needed, I am so glad that the moms of this generation will step in and help. Reminds me of a situation a friend of mine had recently. Her daughter and best friend were both in the spelling bee, the winner of which would go to a regional bee which was scheduled on the same day as another school event that both girls wanted to participate in. The two girls beat out every other student in the school, but neither wanted to win the final bee because of the other event they wanted to attend so they both threw the final words. The teacher decided that neither one should receive any prize at all (even though they had beat EVERY other student in the school) because they threw the last words and she wasn’t going to even give them their certificate of participation. My friend, the mama bear, had to go to the school and pitch a fit. It worked – the little girls got their certificate and small prizes(boy that must have really put the teacher back a lot). Go MAMA BEAR.

  18. pittgirl
    September 23, 2008 2:14 pm

    TK … Oh, never mind.

  19. lovesthenorthside
    September 23, 2008 2:40 pm

    agreed, pg. it’s a rule in our house that the child must first try to correct the perceived wrong (as mom of pittgirl did), then momma will step in if the teacher/adult won’t budge. you’re right, kathy, there is a very fine line between mrs. sugarbaker and the helicopter parent. a helicopter parent is raising a child who may grow up expecting the world to be handed to him/her. we other parents are teaching conflict resolution and the power of love.

  20. workingmama
    September 23, 2008 2:49 pm

    It’s clear from PGs story that the teacher knew up front of the reason the sister couldn’t make it to the concert and then decided to lower her grade after the fact. I’m not sure how it was for others when they were in school, but when I was in school (and I can vouch that I know of at least 2 teachers who would have done this – my parents!!), most teachers, knowing that there was an extenuating circumstance would then offer a make up of some sort (in this instance, maybe make PG’s sister play a solo during class or something like that). And then if she didn’t do the “make-up” a lower grade could be warranted. But to know of the situation (which it sounds like was a personal & private matter)and to just lower the grade without prior notice…in this case, the Julia Sugarbaker-ing was justified.

    Trust me, I’ve heard some of the stories my folks have told me about requests for grade changes from parents (but Suzy deserves an A – I mean, I know she failed the exam and didn’t do the assignment, but she deserves the A so that she can have the same grade as her friends – and yes, that’s a true one!) – please don’t lump PGs parents into this category. You go Mama of PG!!!

  21. jp
    September 23, 2008 3:59 pm

    I guess you can argue rationally it goes both ways, but really in all my years of schooling I can not remember of any instance where I received a mark that I did not deserve more or less. Maybe I was lucky or too meek to stand up for myself or whatever, but I can’t help feeling suspect when my co-workers, friends etc go on and on about all the injustices heaped upon their kids in school. I just did not see it growing up aside from the occasional a-hole gym teacher or whatever the overwhelming majority of teachers I had were fair and professional who wanted you to succeed rather than fail. Although I agree they are human and not perfect. Not a hater PG just agnostic.

  22. nel
    September 23, 2008 11:06 pm

    There are some jerks that happen to be teachers out there. Some seem to go out of there way to be unreasonable. I think they like the rep they get as tough. (Thinking somehow this makes them a better teacher?)It doesn’t.
    Just the same, there are just as many jerks as parents out there. When the parents are always running into their office saying “not my kid” it is usually their kid.
    Unfortunately,I think your niece has a jerk for a teacher. But as my mother always said: “she’ll live to tell the tale”
    When my son was in second grade he got a D in Art. The teacher(A frustrated ex-nun)wrote a note that said he was coloring in the wrong direction. I wanted to ask her “coloring in the wrong direction, according to who?” What the hell does she mean by that.But I didn’t. I just let him color in whatever direction he damn well pleased.

    Deutschtown Frau,
    If a child wants to play sports,they have to show up for every practice. It’s not up to the coach to make sure everyone has rides, it’s not his problem. He has every right to bench the kids who consistently show up late or not at all and play the kid whose always there and on time, ready to play. It’s only fair.

    My son’s coach had a rule. Late one time run laps, late or miss second time–bench.
    Show up for practice ready to play and on time, or the kids who was there all week takes your place. Period.

  23. Ted
    September 24, 2008 7:21 am

    @PG – not a hater, I qualified my statement as I didn’t know the full details. My point was to bring up the minor issues that some helicopter parents think are valid excuses to get their precious snowflakes whatever it is they want.

    @D. Frau – if a student is informed of all the requirements ahead of time, including after school committments and agrees to them, a teacher absolutely has the right to fail the student for not completing the requirements. By your “after school” critera, one could use that as an excuse not to do homework!!

    However, your comment about playing tests is true. My wife does administer singing tests, in class, in front of other students in order to distribute grade weighting and comply with No Child Left Behind. This often times results in poorer grades for the student, because they actually do get graded on their ability, rather than getting that coveted ‘A’ just for showing up for 2 hours after school once a semester.

    Its also worth noting that I am a father, and I am prepared to go “Papa Bear” as needed. But I am also prepared to let my child deal with the negative consequences of her actions.

  24. beaner
    September 24, 2008 7:48 am

    Just from my own perspective, when you are the parent of a child with special needs, who is struggling just to SURVIVE in school, and the administrators just want the kid to go away, you become the Mom from Hell and it’s not a choice…not that I’m bitter…

  25. Teacher
    September 26, 2008 7:45 pm

    Hey! We teachers aren’t all bad! I have many a time made accomodations for kids with special needs and those with extenuating circumstances. I’ve gone to school 45 minutes early to meet with a parent and stayed 1-2 hours later. I’ve helped parents with project questions in the middle of Wal-Mart. I’ve been to several ball games, concerts, recitals, plays, etc. to support my students and given up my lunch time to meet with a former student at the HS having a rough time (our elementary and HS are about 150 yards apart). I’ve bought materials for kids who didn’t have much and brought in outgrown clothes and shoes for the nurse to give to kids. I’ve ALSO been jumped on by parents without prior warning or a chance to defend myself. Little Susie and Johnny do not always go home and tell the truth to mom and dad and they come to school or call fuming. I am not in any way stating that I am perfect or saintly. Yes, I do make mistakes. However, I am more than willing to correct them if given the chance. Some people don’t want to do that and/or will never admit that it is entirely possible that the parent or child might be in the wrong. I teach my 6th graders that a mistake isn’t a mistake anymore if you fix it. They know when they break a rule or are disrespectful that they have to figure out a way to make it right. Maybe some adults could learn that lesson. Sorry for the rant, but sometimes it’s hard to deal with the teacher-bashing.

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Saturday, April 7, 2012

Spoon flower

I was drawn to this “piece” in a country store in Mumford, NY.   This flower’s petals are made out of spoons and the middle is a ladle!   Totally awesome repurposed little thing of beauty.  I don’t weld stuff together, so I was happy to spend $7 and take it home.   It hangs in my kitchen and is a reminder to look at everyday items in a different way.

I wonder if I could hot glue some spoons together instead of welding…..

Ronda said...

I'm taking bets to see how long it is before you spray paint that thing!
Super cute.

Amy Jo said...

You're funny! It hadn't crossed my mind until you said it. But now I'm starting to picture it in yellow....or blue... LOL!

Made by Brian Trager


text:
The Gyalwang Karmapa Speaks About The Medical Camps

The Kagyu Monlam Organization is a charitable organization, so one of its most important aims is to serve the public through educational, health, and environmental projects.

However, we Tibetans are more accustomed to making offerings to the Three Jewels than to being generous to those in need or serving society. Since we are not used to doing that, the Kagyu Monlam has fallen short in this regard. But because of my hopes as well as the enthusiasm and altruism of Monlam workers, starting from this year we are making \some small improvements in how we serve society.

This year we will have a free medical camp, where we are preparing to offer not just free medical for people but also free veterinary care for animals. In the future as well, we hope to expand this to be more beneficial and serve society better.

For Buddhists, especially Mahayana practitioners, one of our greatest aims is to actually benefit sentient beings. It is important for us to serve and benefit all sentient beings of all groups without bias without discriminating against who needs help on the basis of whether they are Buddhist or not, whether they are human or not, whether they are the same nationality or not, or so forth.

For that reason, I hope and pray that in the future the Kagyu Monlam will do more programs to help the public, giving a good example for everyone so that more people, more monasteries, and more Buddhists will give service and benefit to society.

Read More:
Compassion in Action: Gyalwang Karmapa Inaugurates Medical Camp

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“What I Give Away is Mine”: the Gyalwang Karmapa’s Advice as the 34th Kagyu Monlam Ends

The Year of the Female Fire Bird Takes Flight

Historic Red Crown Ceremony in Bodhgaya


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Listen Up Miami – Pay Your Parking Meter By Phone

Ever get stuck in Downtown with no change for the parking meter? Ever get screwed by one of those blue parking receipt dispensers? Well here’s your answer to all those problems..

Not sure if this is a new thing, but its definitely new to us. The City Of Miami have these “Pay By Phone” stickers plastered on meters in Downtown/Overtown advertising this new service where you enter your meter ID and pay via credit card over the phone system. I mean with payphones being extinct and SunPass lanes spreading like herpes – pretty soon, there’s gonna be no need for carrying loose change. Oh yeah and check out my award winning photography. Never has a parking meter looked so good…

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#DemExit: R.I.P. Democratic Party?

(ANTIMEDIAAfter contentious debate, the Democratic Party has selected a new DNC chairman: Tom Perez. The choice, however, is not being celebrated by everyone in the party. In fact, the progressive so-called “Bernie Sanders wing” of the Democratic Party is up in arms, using the hashtag #DemExit, over Perez’ win.

Progressives favored Keith Ellison, who was backed by Bernie Sanders, and see Perez as another establishment tool that conspired to boost Hillary Clinton over Sanders in the 2016 primary. As The Intercept noted, Perez was overly friendly to big banks as secretary of labor under Obama, granting privileges to banks that plead guilty to market manipulation.

Calls for a #DemExit have now began to resurface, and Twitter has been flooded with disgruntled Democrats looking to leave the party. You can see the progressive meltdown unfold in the tweets below:

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Monday, September 22, 2014

My weekend at the Alpaca Farm!!

Oh My Gosh!!! What an awesome weekend we had!! Sim was asked to be in an art and fiber show in Oxford, MI. He was set up right by one of the Alpaca pastures. They are so fun and sweet. I learned a lot about their fur and fibers.

They were such fun to take pics of!!
 This is the shop they have right on their property and it is open on the weekends with a lot of cool hand knitted items from the alpaca fur and things on consignment they others make.
This one of my favorite things hanging from their trees. Along with feeding the birds they had suet cake holders with the alpaca fur in it for the birds to make nests!! I learned about first and second cuts. I bought some second cuts to play around with and oh yeah baby I am gonna be putting some in my suet cake holders!!

link to Sim's facebook page!! XOXO
This is a shot of Sim's display. He makes the coolest bird houses. He up cycles a lot into them. Some are even made by old rotary phones. It was a blast to watch the little kids lookin at them and trying to figure them out!! LOL
The winds were quite high on Sat. and I had brought my sewing with me. My cloth I was using blew right into the Alpaca pasture!! LOL

I crawled in to it and got it!! The Alpacas didn't even care. LOL

This is what I have been sewing and making with the cloth. I am making eggs! They are turning out even better than I thought they would. And baby are they a lot of fun to make!! I made them about the same size as regular farm eggs.
Also just wanted to let you know that "Wren in the Willow" sold with in 2 days of me adding her to the shoppe!! She gone to New Jersey!! Thanks so much Diane!! My surgery went good. I am glad it is over til the next time. I got some sewing to do!!
Keep on Keepin on!!
XOXO Love ya

Jann Olson said...

Fran, My friends and I visited an Alpaca Farm in Or. while driving what they call the 'fruit loop'. This looks so familiar, wondering if it is the same place? Your eggs are so darling!

Trace4J said...

Frannie Friend what a wonderful post.
And what sweeties.
To fun.
Love Sims bird houses. Wonderful.
And girl those eggs are just darling.
Happy Fall Friend!

Prims By The Water said...

Hopefully those alpacas did not spit on you..they are known for that. Cool birdhouses and eggs! Janice

Margaret said...

Hi Fran, that was such a great visit! I love alpacas! Love the birdhouse and the eggs too! Maggie

~Damita's Pretty Wrap~ said...

Glad to hear your surgery went well! What a very fun visit to the Alpaca farm! Love those bird feeders filled with their hair/fur!! Looks so soft! I bet I would like that little shop!! :) Happy Fall!! xo Holly

Laurel@ChippingwithCharm said...

Too fun! My animal loving daughter would love that place. Your eggs are adorable too :)

amy @ Life in Pink Hi-Tops said...

Sim's birdhouses are wonderful. Looks like you guys had a great time among the alpacas. Your new creation is adorable!


text:
How To Make Perfect Rice Balls

Rice Balls

One of the classics of Italian cuisine, arancini – also known as rice balls – are delectably savory fried wads of rice, sausage and seasonings that are impossible to put down. But making them at home is a bit more difficult than boiling up a pot of pasta. In celebration of “arancini” being added to the latest edition of the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the New York Daily News has published an in-depth examination of the art of the rice ball.

Italian rice balls originated in Sicily in the 10th century as a way to use up leftover risotto. Over the years, they became a popular street food, like many deep-fried dishes. It’s important to let the rice cool when you make them so they stick together better in the fryer. Chefs also insist that you fill the frying pan with enough oil to completely soak them on all sides.

Some restaurants stuff their rice balls with peas and meat, but the traditional preparation just uses slowly sauteed onions and fennel for a little bit of flavor. However you prepare them, arancini are one of the all-time great appetizers and deserve a spot on your table.


text:
Thursday, March 15, 2007

World's worst Irish joke??

This could be taken as a challenge! I'm sure many potential commenters out there could put forward their own candidates.

But, in honour of the imminent St Patrick's Day, here is one of my favourites.....

An Irishman is marooned on a tiny desert island.

As he walks disconsolately around and around his tropical prison, he happens on a small, exotically-coloured bottle half-buried in the sand.

The Irishman picks it up and examines it, removes the cork - and, YES, out puffs a Genie!

"Thank you for releasing me, Paddy," says the Genie, with something less than the deference that is customary with his kind. "In accordance with tradition, I must now grant you three magical wishes. You may have whatever your heart desires."

"What - anything?" boggles the Irishman.

"Yes, anything," repeats the Genie patiently.

"Well," says the Irishman (who is desperately parched, after spending a couple of days on the island without attempting to find water),"I could murder a Guinness!"

"Your wish be granted," says the Genie. And out of thin air there appears in the Irishman's hand a perfectly-poured, ice-cold pint of the black stuff.

The Irishman eagerly glugs it down, and smacks his lips in appreciation.

He is about to toss the empty glass into the ocean.... when he notices that it is suddenly full again with another creamy-headed, velvety smooth pint of the black beer.

"Saints preserve us!" he cries. "What's going on here?"

"It is a magical beer glass," explains the Genie. "It will always be full again one second after you empty it."

"Ah, man, yer havin' me on!"

"No, really, the glass will always fill itself with Guinness again."

"What - really?"

"Sure, that's a marvellous thing! I never seen the like."

"Well, that's what we call 'magic'," says the Genie modestly. "Now, what would you like for your other two wishes?"

"I'll have two more of these!" shouts the Irishman delightedly.

The British Cowboy said...

OK, given that I am "celebrating" Paddy's Day in Chicago as of tomorrow, I thought I would add one.

Paddy is sat at the bar drinking a pint of Guiness. Other end of the bar are two drunk Englishmen, pointing at him, laughing away.

One Englishman puts a twenty on the bar in front of his freind, and says "Bet you this twenty I can walk down the other end of the bar and piss off Paddy down there."

Second Englishman accepts the bet, and first Englishman staggers down the bar, and looks Paddy in the eye...

"Hey Paddy," says he,"you know St. Patrick?"

Paddy looks back at him, and replies, "Aye, I know him."

First Englishman slurs, "He was a pedophile... liked little boys, didn't he."

Paddy looks back at him, sips his Guiness, and says calmly, "Was he know? You learn something new every day."

First Englishman goes back to his friend, and shrugs his shoulders. Second Englishman puts a second twenty down, and says, "Tell you what, double or quits, I bet I can piss Paddy off."

Second Englishman walks down the bar, pokes Paddy, and says, "Hey Paddy, you know St. Patrick?"

Paddy looks up and replies "Aye, I know him."

Second Englishman says, "St. Patrick was an Englishman."

Paddy takes a sip of beer, and replies, "Aye, I know. Your friend just told me."

Froog said...

Ah, inversion of the usual logic - politically correct un-PC-ness. Love it!

And using the -ophile word on my blog, even in the comments section, will probably increase my number of hits a thousand-fold.

Hello, nonces of the world - you're in the wrong place.

georg said...

An Irishman, an Englishman, and a Scotsman were having a pint together. It could happen. It also happened that a fly landed in the Englishman's drink. He signaled the bartender for a fresh pint. Another fly landed in the Irishman's drink. He picked the fly out and resumed drinking. Yet another fly (where the hell were they drinking? Australia?) landed in the Scotsman's drink. He picked up and tried choking it. He yelled, "Spit it out! Spit it out, ye Basterrd!"

Froog said...

Thanks, Georg, but I don't think it really counts as "an Irish joke" unless the Irishman is the butt of it.

Has the traditional Irish joke really been drowned by the tide of PC-ness in the States?? I can't believe it! Not if it's still possible to make fun of Scots thriftiness....

georg said...

I think they have pretty much been stamped out these days. No one cares if your Irish unless it's in the middle of March. It's vastly different from the days where you would see job postings that would blatantly state "No Irish."

I have read an Irish jokebook, but it's been a while. Now blonde jokes, on the other hand...

Steve said...

An Irishman and an American were sitting in the bar at Shannon

"I've come to meet my brother," said the Irishman. "He's due to fly in
America in an hour's time. It's his first trip home in 40 years".
"Will you be able to recognize him?" asked the American.

"I'm sure I won't," said the Irishman, "after all, he's been away for a

"I wonder if he'll recognize you?" said the American.

"Of course he will," said the Irishman. "Sure, an' I haven't been away

Froog said...

Well, I had been wary of recording this joke on the Net, but.... here goes! It's not an Irish joke, but what the hey. It's the one I mentioned in my post a few weeks back about my favourite pub from my lawyering days:

A man comes home from a hard day at the office, looking forward to the possibility of a little hanky-panky with his cute girlfriend.

Unfortunately, he finds the girl in a furious temper, careering around the house like the cartoon Tasmanian Devil (Warner Bros. TM), rifling through drawers, dashing up and down the stairs, packing a suitcase ready to leave.

He tries to engage her in conversation, get her to calm down, find out what's wrong.

"Darling, honey, what's all this about? What on earth are you doing?"

She ignores him and continues her furious packing.

He patiently tries again. "Please, honey. Tell me what's wrong."

"Oh, leave me alone. Get away from me! I never want to see you again."

"Sweetie, please calm down. Tell me what's bothering you. I'm sure we can work it out."

"Get out of my way. I can't bear to talk to you."

"Honey, honey, please, what is it? Is is something I've said, something I've done. Aren't I making you happy? Is it our sex life?? I thought that was going pretty well... last weekend, the best ever...."

"Leave me alone. You're a beast. I'm going back to mother."

"Honey, honey, please don't do this. You can't just walk out without even telling me why."

"All right then. I KNOW. I found out your dirty little secret."

"Darling, what do you mean? I don't have any secrets - from you."

"I know now. One of your friends told me about you. He told me you're...a PAEDOPHILE!"

The man is momentarily taken aback; then he tries to reason with her again: "Honey, really... Paedophile?! That's A VERY BIG WORD for a 10-yr-old, isn't it?"

Ha! I love that joke. I figure that since the Cowboy has already used the word 'paedophile' in this comment-string, I can't get myself in any MORE trouble. This joke is particularly associated for me with my unjust defeat in a mooting competition 10 years ago; as I recounted in that post on the 'Seven Stars' pub, it became a kind of consolation: to this day, I can't hear the legal terms "equitable" and "subrogation", separately or together, without thinking "That's a very BIG word" and cracking up.

My lovely friend Di, the "Mooting Partner" with whom I shared this moment, occasionally slips the phrase into conversation, just to enjoy seeing me squirt beer out of my nose.

ali said...

Not exactly an Irish joke, but close enough.

Sell-out U2 gig, Hampden Park, Summer 2005. Bono gets on his high horse (again) with a lengthy political speech that we should "Make Poverty History" (don't get me wrong, I'm all for it, but maybe if these rich, famous types dug a little deeper...especially considering the astronomical price of the gig tickets, CDs, merchandise, etc, etc, that keeps them in a life of luxury). Anyway, I digress...

Bono is ranting and raving, then starts clapping his hands every 3 seconds. He shouts to the audience, "Every time... (CLAP) ... I clap my hands ...(CLAP) ... someone in Africa ... (CLAP) ... dies. (CLAP) ... Make Poverty ... (CLAP) ... History...".

Someone in the audience shouts, "Well, stop f*cking clappin' then".

Froog said...

Just to remind you all what we're REALLY supposed to be collecting here... another CLASSIC I've just been reminded of.

Seamus comes round to call on Brenda Malone, his best friend's wife.

She can tell from his long face that he's got some bad news.

"Oh good lord, Seamus, whatever is it? Please don't tell me something's happened to my Paddy."

"Brenda, I can't lie to you. It's very bad news. There was an accident at the brewery this afternoon. I'm afraid Paddy's left us."

Some minutes of hysterical weeping and wailing ensue. Then, when the poor woman has collected herself a little, she asks,"Tell me, Seamus, however did it happen?"

"Well," says Seamus, "he fell into one of the vats of Guinness and was drowned."

"Oh my God, terrible, terrible!" muttered the widow. "But please, at least tell me that it was all over quickly."

Seamus shuffles his feet awkwardly. "Well, no, Brenda, I'm afraid it wasn't. It took quite some time. As a matter of fact, he got out three times to have a pee."

ali said...

Late St Paddy's Day Joke:
A man goes into a pub in an isolated part of Ireland. The place is full of regulars, but they make him welcome and he sits down at the bar.

He's been
sitting there a little while, and someone says '365', and everybody bursts out laughing. The man is mystified, but says nothing. Anyway, a few minutes later, the same thing happens again: someone says '129', and all the locals
start roaring with laughter.

After it's happened a couple more times, the man can't take it any more, and asks the barman what it's all about. 'Oh, it's perfectly simple, really' he said. 'Round here, we don't get to hear any new jokes, and we all know the same ones, so to make life a bit easier, we just numbered them, so that we don't have to keep on telling them over and over again.'

The man can see the point behind this, but it's really quite unnerving to have everybody around him laughing without knowing what's going on. Anyway, in the interests of being polite, he decides to enter
into the spirit of things, so he shouts out '621', and the pub descends into uproar as every single person in there starts laughing hysterically and rolling on the floor with tears in their eyes.

Even more mystified, the man turns to the barman again, and says 'Well, what's that joke, then? It seemed to go down
pretty well' The barman wiped the tears from his eyes and says 'Ah, that's because they've not heard that one before'.

It's the way I tell 'em...

Froog said...

Nice one, Ali.

I just transferred that over here, because you'd left it on the wrong post originally!

I'm pretty sure I first heard that one as one of Ronnie Corbett's 'Big Chair' jokes. He, of course, took MUCH LONGER to tell it.

Ali Bali Bee said...

An young Irish whippersnapper goes into the confession box:

Bless me Father, for I have sinned. I have been with a loose woman."

The priest asks, "Is that you, little Tommy Shaughnessy?"

"Yes, Father, it is."

"And, who was the woman you were with?"

"I can't be tellin' you, Father. I don't want to ruin her reputation."

"Well, Tommy, I'm sure to find out sooner or later, so you may as well tell me now. "

"Was it Brenda O'Malley?"

"I cannot say."

"Was it Patricia Kelly?"

"I'll never tell."

"Was it Liz Shannon?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't name her."

"Was it Cathy Morgan?"

"My lips are sealed."

"Was it Fiona McDonald, then?"

"Please, Father, I cannot tell you."

The priest sighs in frustration. "You're a steadfast lad, Tommy Shaughnessy,and I admire that. But you've sinned, and you must atone.

You cannot attend church mass for three months. Be off with you now."

Tommy walks back to his pew. His friend Sean slides over and whispers,

"What'd you get?"

"Three month's holiday and five good leads"

JohnA said...

A classic which made me cry so much I was thrown out of Art in 1977:

Two Irishmen go to a drive-in movie; they don't like the film so they slash the seats.

The British Cowboy said...

Two Irishmen sat next to the other in a bar.

Seamus turns to Patrick and introduces himself.

Patrick asks, "Where are you from, Seamus?"

"I'm from County Limerick, Patrick."

"Well isn't that a coincidence, Seamus, I'm from County Limerick too. What town do you hail from?"

"I'm from Bunratty, Patrick, it's a wee little town."

"Get away, Seamus, I'm from Bunratty too! Where did you go to school?"

"I went to St. Theresa's, Patrick."

"Well it's a small world, Seamus, I went to St. Theresa's too. Next you'll be telling me you grew up on Hangar Lane..."

"You won't believe it Patrick, I did grow up on Hangar Lane..."

Behind the bar, one bar maid turns to the other.

"Jesus Christ, the McGlinchy twins are in again."

T said...

Sean had been drinking at his local pub all day and most of the night. Mick, the bartender says "You'll not be drinking anymore tonight, Sean". Sean replies "OK Mick, I'll be on my way then." Sean spins around on his stool and steps off. He falls flat on his face. "Shit" he says and pulls himself up by the stool and dusts himself off. He takes a step towards the door and falls flat on his face. He looks to the doorway and thinks to himself that if he can just get to the door and get some fresh air he'll be fine. He belly crawls to the door and shimmies up the door jamb. He sticks his head outside and takes a deep breath of fresh air. He feels much better and takes a step out onto the sidewalk. He falls flat on his face. "I'm fookin locked" he says. He can see his house just a few doors down, and crawls to the door and shimmies up the door jamb, opens the door and shimmies inside. He takes a look up the stairs and says "No fookin way." He crawls up the stairs to his bedroom door and says "I can make it to the bed." He takes a step into the room and falls flat on his face. He says "Fook it" and crawls into bed.
The next morning, his wife, Mary, comes into the room carrying a cup of coffee and says "Get up Sean. Did you have a bit to drink last night?" Sean says "I did Mary. I was fookin locked. But how'd you know?" She answered "Mick called. You left your wheelchair at the pub."

Froog said...

OK, not an Irish joke - but I'm no longer insisting on that theme.

This another oldie-but-goodie, another of Ronnie Corbett's classic 'Big Chair' jokes.

I happened to mention the punchline in a post on Froogville
earlier today, so I thought I'd better provide the joke to go with it.

Two men are playing a round of golf. They've never met before, having only just been introduced to each other by a mutual friend at the golf club.

The first man has a very large, rather old-fashioned-looking golf bag, which appears to be very heavy, and is clanking a lot when he moves it.

At the first tee, instead of a driver, he pulls an old hockey stick out of the bag, and hits his ball with that. His opponent thinks this is a bit out of order, but politely holds his tongue - since it can't possibly be of any advantage to use such an inappropriate instrument. To his surprise, the first player hits the ball hard and true, and it flies a good distance straight down the middle of the fairway.

After two 'iron shots', which he plays with odd pieces of metal piping, he is on the green. He then takes a broom handle out of his golf bag, and proceeds to sink his 10ft putt with it.

The second man, struggling to make a double-bogey, shakes his head in disbelief.

The game proceeds in similar fashion through the morning. The first player nearly manages to break par, using a motley collection of pieces of scrap wood and metal for clubs. The second player, completely nonplussed by the uncanny ability of his opponent, drops shots left and right.

Later, as they share a drink in The 19th Hole, the second golfer ventures to ask: "Excuse me, old chap. I didn't want to interrogate you about this while we were playing, but you have to admit, it is dashed odd - playing with all those odds and ends instead of proper clubs. Would you mind telling me why you do it?"

"Not at all," his new friend replied graciously. "It's something of a curse I have, you see. I seem to be naturally gifted at everything I turn my hand to. Whatever it is, it comes to me easily - and I just get bored with it, unless I can find some way to make it more challenging, to make it as difficult as possible for myself."

"My god! Really?" said his companion. "Everything?"

"Yes, everything," sighed the phenomenal golfer. "And I know what's on your mind. Everyone asks. And the answer is: standing up, in a hammock."

little anthony said...

Paddy is selected to appear on "Who wants to be a millionaire?"

He gets through the first question easily enough, banking 100 pounds.

So it's onto question two.

"Which one of the following people," asks Chris Tarrant gravely, "fled to Brazil following the notorious Great Train Robbery? Was it a) Ronnie Biggs, b) Ronnie Barker, c) Ronnie Parker, or d) Ronnie Scott?"

Paddy thinks a while, before finally saying: "Well now Mr Tarrant, I've had a grand time and to be sure I've enjoyed myself. But I think I'll just be taking my 100 quid and heading off home now: that's me done. Thanking you very much."

"Are you mad?" asks Tarrant indignantly. "You've not even asked the audience or phoned a friend yet: you've got all your lifelines left!"

Drawing upon all his reserves of dignity, Paddy says stiffly. "I may be stupid Mr Tarrant. But I'm no grass."

The Bookseller said...

A couple are out on a date to a Chinese restaurant. They decide to order the 'Chicken Surprise', so the waiter brings over a big ceramic pot with a lid and places it on the table.
A few minutes later, as they're billing and cooing at each other, they notice that the lid of the pot is slowly rising of its own accord. They look closer, and to their horror see a beak sticking out & a pair of beady eyes staring back at them just before the lid slams back down.
This happens again... and again. Finally the bloke calls the waiter over- 'What's going on? We ordered the Chicken Surprise.'
The waiter looks at his pad and says, 'Very sorry- I thought you ordered the Peking Duck...'

The Bookseller said...

George Bush is at a press conference, and Cheney announces, 'Yesterday, 3 Brazilian soldiers were killed in Iraq.'
Bush slumps forward with his head in his hands, weeping copiously & moaning, 'What a terrible waste!'.
Everyone's a bit puzzled about this, and stands in embarrassed silence, until Bush raises his head and says, 'Remind me guys, how many's in a brazillion?'...

Froog said...

Are there in fact any Brazilians serving in Iraq?? This joke was originally told about that poor guy who was mistakenly shot on the London Underground a couple of years back.

Thanks for sharing, Bookseller. I'm sure you've got many more up your sleeve. I was always impressed by the way you would be the first to disseminate the 'bad taste' classics that always appear in the wake of some horrible disaster.

Mothman said...

Do you know the one about the Irish punk who got given some cufflinks for Christmas?

He went and got his wrists pierced.

Froog said...

You know how some girls will just think it's cool to date someone of a rare ethnicity....?

There was a girl at Corpus (in the early 90s, when we were hanging around teaching) who was seeing this Gurkha - a squaddie, of course. He could barely speak English and was still struggling with the training on how to use the sit-down toilet, etc. When he was posted overseas, she decided to give him as a leaving present......

Oh, the naivety! The wrist-piercing joke was HUGE in the Corpus Beer Cellar for about a month.

Mothman said...

1. Q:How can you spot Paddy on the oil rig?

A: He's the one throwing bread to the helicopters.

2. Q: What does it say on the bottom of Irish milk bottles?

A: Open other end.

3. Have you heard the one about the Irish wolfhound sitting in front of the fire gnawing a bone? It got up and fell over.

4. Paddy goes to London and is given the address of a good brothel there by his mate. One night he has a Guinness too many and decides to pay the 'house' a visit. Problem is that in his drunken stupidity he mixes up the address and goes into the Chiropodist's next door. A woman in a white starched coat walks in and Paddy assumes that it's the kinky stuff. "Right" she says "Lets have it up on the table". Paddy undoes his flies and obliges. The horrified Chiropodist looks at his todger and shrieks "That's not a foot!" to which Paddy replies "and sure, but it's at least nine inches".

Boom Boom

Mothman said...

A: "It can't - it's got no nose..."

(I'll leave you to explain that one to your Septic Tanks muckers, Froog)

Froog said...

Mein Hund....

Mothman said...

That's the puppy!

Mothman said...

A recent international survey attempted to find out what different nationalities thought that the bulge on the end of the male member was for.

70% of Frenchmen thought that it was for the woman's pleasure.

80% of Englishmen thought that it was for the man's pleasure.

99% of Irishmen thought that it was to stop your hand from slipping off :-)

Froog said...

Not really on the Irish theme, but.... I have thrown this thread open to wince-making jokes of all varieties.

I happened to make a reference to this in passing over on Froogville the other day, so I thought I'd better provide an explanation.

Jesus is on the cross. His favourite disciple, Peter, is watching helplessly from the crowd. Feeling ashamed and guilty about the "denying me thrice before cock crow" thing, he's trying to edge his way closer to the front of the throng, so that he might perhaps be able to exchange a few last words with his master.

Then, he thinks he hears Jesus' voice coming to him faintly on the breeze, calling his name; "Peter, Peter..."

Peter is galvanized into action. He starts shoving his way to the front. "It's me, Lord. I'm here. I'm coming." Of course, he annoys the other gawpers around him, and a big guy elbows him in the throat as he tries to push past. Peter collapses like a sack of spuds, and writhes around in the dust for a few minutes trying to catch his breath.

Jesus has gone quiet again, perhaps having lost consciousness. Disappointedly, Peter picks himself up and starts to retreat towards the rear of the crowd again.

But just then, he hears the call again: "Peter, Peter..."

"Yes, Lord! I'm coming!" Once again, he starts making his way through the crowd. He's a little more circumspect this time, and eventually manages to get to the front. Of course, there's a rope cordon, and a bunch of Roman legionaries holding people back. As soon as he ducks under the rope, one of the legionaries runs over to him and gives him a mighty clout on the head with the shaft of his spear. Dazed and bleeding, Peter crawls back into the crowd for refuge.

He's about to go home to bandage his throbbing head when he once more hears Jesus - fainter and feebler than ever - calling his name. So, he tries once more to reach his master. But once again, when he tries to sneak past the Roman guards, he is spotted and seized. The centurion in charge comes over to see what the fuss is about. "You again, huh? Get out of here if you know what's good for you!" And he knees him savagely in the nuts. Once more Peter crawls back into the crowd to recover.

By the time he's able to walk upright again, it's getting late in the day, and Jesus hasn't spoken again in quite some time. Sadly, Peter decides to give up and go home. But he's only gone a few yards down the hill when he hears that familiar voice again straining to reach him: "Peter, Peter....."

Ashamed at his desertion, Peter determines to make one last effort to get to the cross to speak with Jesus. The crowd is thinning out by this point, and the Roman soldiers are getting weary, becoming less attentive. He approaches stealthily, up a small ravine on the far side of hill; crouching low, scurrying from one ragged bush to another, doing his best to keep under cover. It takes him 20 minutes, but this time he's done it: he's escaped the notice of the guards, and managed to get right up to the foot of the cross.

Jesus is still, silent. Peter fears it's too late, and begins to weep bitterly. But then..... Jesus opens his eyes one last time, his lips part, and once again, weak but quite distinct, his voice emerges: "Peter, Peter...."

Peter can hardly believe it. Now he's crying with joy. "Yes, Lord. I'm here. Speak to me."

"Peter, Peter....."

"Yes, Lord. It's me, your Peter. I'm right here beside you. What do you want to say to me?"

No answer. Then, very faintly, once more: "Peter, Peter...."

Peter is beside himself. Perhaps Jesus can't hear him, or doesn't recognise him. Peter stands up tall, hugs the cross, kisses his dying master's feet. He looks up towards Jesus face, and shouts: "Yes, Lord, I'm here. It's Peter. What would you say to me?"

"Peter, Peter....... I can see your house from up here."

Julius said...

Oh, I thought he said "What a way to spend Easter!"

Goswell Frand said...

Here's a very short one: it only works in French, but you can always phone a francophone.

Pretty young girl in the confessional:
"J'ai péché, mon père"
Deaf priest:
"Parle haut!"
"Non, mon père, par le bas"

Froog said...

Gosh, new visitors!

Thanks for stopping by.

Where did you guys come from?

(We may have to start a new thread for naught jokes in French/) said...

Why don't you click on my name and go to my website, where I tell you exactly where I am from?
Don't know about this Frand Guy, though. His website suggests that he is English but few Englishmen know that story. It's been well received by my neighbours though.

Julius said...

Sorry, I made a mistake. I should have put this.

Froog said...

I was thinking more of cyber-origins than geographical ones, Julius.

Where did you find a link to this site?

Froog said...

Aha! I deduce that both Goswell and Julius are acolytes of the estimable Tony, my newest blog-friend.

Tony said...

I don't do acolytes, but I am not entirely unacquainted with these rather louche characters. Don't tell anyone though, I am not proud of it.

Froog said...

The Lone Ranger has been captured by hostile Indians, and they plan to revenge themselves for all the racial steretyping they've suffered down the years by inflicting on him a slow, painful death. They've got him buried up to his neck in the sand, and are discussing what to do next. One of their number - who's evidently been a little corrupted by too much exposure to the White Man's 'culture' - suddenly suggests that they give him a LAST REQUEST.

The other Indians are intrigued by this novel idea, and decide to go ahead with it.

They tell The Lone Ranger, and he nods, thinks for a moment, and then does his secret special whistle out of the side of his mouth. A few minutes later, as if by magic, his faithful horse Silver gallops in out of the desert. Silver then walks slowly up to The Ranger and bows down his long neck so that his head is right next to his master's. The Lone Ranger quickly whispers something in his loyal steed's ear. The horse nods gravely, and then straightens up and gallops away. The Indians look at each other, intrigued and baffled.

A few hours later, Silver reappears, carrying on his back Miss Cecily, the prettiest whore from the nearest town. The lady dismounts, and walks over to the Lone Ranger. Since there isn't much else she can do for him, buried in the ground as he is, she squats down over his face so that he can perform cunnilingus on her. He does so for several minutes, and they both seem to enjoy it rather a lot. But Miss Cecily has another appointment back at the brothel, and sadly bids The Lone Ranger farewell. She climbs back on to Silver's saddle and rides away.

The Indians are so impressed by this performance that they decide to give The Lone Ranger another FINAL REQUEST - to see what he'll come up with this time.

The Lone Ranger nods, and once again gives his secret whistle. Eventually Silver returns, and once more walks up to the buried hero, bends his head down low and offers his ear to his master's mouth. And The Lone Ranger hisses, "I said, "Fetch me A POSSE!"


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Is salt good for your face?

Stephanie says: My friend raves about Estee Lauder Idealist Micro-D Thermal Face Polisher so I looked up the ingredients. The first one listed is calcium chloride, which, apparently, is corrosive and is used to make bleu cheese. How can this be safe to use on your skin? My friend also wants to know if adding an eye dropper-full to a jar of her regular scrub would yield the same exfoliating results?

The Right Brain’s cheesy reply:

We’re not sure what calcium chloride does for cheese, (our guess is that it’s a protein cross-linking agent) but in this formula it functions as a gritty abrasive. And yes it can be corrosive if left in contact with metal surfaces, but in the context of a rinse-off facial scrub you don’t need to worry about that.

Salty scrub

Can you add calcium chloride to your regular scrub and save a ton of money? No, and here’s why. This Idealist product is basically a type of salt scrub. As the name implies, salt scrubs use salt crystals as exfoliating agents (sugar scrubs do the same with sugar.) Since salt dissolves in water, these scrubs have to be made with oil or some other anhydrous base. (Anhydrous just means “without water.”) In the case of this Idealist product, the formula is based cyclomethicone, a type of silicone, instead of water. But if you added calcium chloride to a regular water-based scrub, like St. Ives Apricot scrub, it would just dissolve and would have no benefit.

The Beauty Brains bottom line

This may be a perfectly fine product, but it’s really just a glorified salt scrub. The most important question in our mind is, is Idealist Thermal Face Polisher worth it’s $63 price tag?

Does anyone use expensive department stores brands, like Estee Lauder, instead of drug store brands? Leave a comment and share your experiences with the rest of the Beauty Brains community.

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Leave a Comment


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Thursday, 20 February 2014

Hello everyone.

I had every intention to begin a nice new shiny blogging schedule on the 1st of January.

Yeah...obviously that didn't happen and life became a bit bonkers yet again, it still is to be honest but I am finding the longer I leave it the longer I will keep leaving it so here I am.

As I have failed quite spectacularly through all of January and most of February I have decided to just go with the flow and try my best.

So for 2014 I'm not going to stick to a rota of x amount of posts a week (lets face it, it's been ages since I've been able to do that anyway) and I am just going to post when I can.

This is a good decision I think :)

I hope that you all had a happy and safe X-Mas/New Year - I'm very late with that I know - and may your bookcases never run dry and a reading slump never befall you in the next year.

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Coming Soon:
~Review: The Killing Woods
~Review: The Waiting Sky
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~Review: Timepiece
~Review: Infinityglass

Saturday, March 3, 2012

In My Mailbox (116)

In My Mailbox
IMM is a weekly meme hosted and created by Kristi at The Story Siren and was inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.

Bought for Alpharetta Signing
~Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver
~Delirium by Lauren Oliver (My Review)
~Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
~Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (My Review)
~Partials by Dan Wells
~Fateful by Claudia Gray

Trade Credit at Paradise Lost Books
~The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall by Mary Downing Hahn
~Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
~The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer
~Paperquake by Kathryn Reiss

For Review from Sheryl
~The Day of First Sun by Sheryl Steines

For Review from Peter
~Paraglide by Peter Anthony Kelley (Kindle)

Won from Chloe Jacobs
~ARC of Chosen Ones by Tiffany Truitt (Kindle)
~$20 Amazon Giftcard

Free for Kindle
~Exiled by RaShelle Workman

Bought for Kindle
~Eggs by Elizabeth Clarke

So this is for the past two weeks. I'm planning to go to an author signing in Alpharetta on the 10th with some awesome fellow bloggers so I went ahead and got any books I thought I might need. Lauren Oliver, Claudia Gray, and Dan Wells will be there. Paradise Lost Books is an indie book store near my college. Great place! Eggs is a MG novella and I'm nearly done with it. So unbelievably cute and enchanting. At only $0.99, I'd recommend it to anyone who may be of interest! Can't wait to devour all the rest of these, if I haven't already. *nom nom nom* Hope you all got some amazing books this week too! :D

Kristina said...

Nice books this week! I can't wait to read Pandemonium and Partials! Liesl & Po was very cute. I hope that you enjoy your new books!

Ladybug Storytime

Lindsay Cummings author said...

all great books!!! love the chosen ones cover.

stop by my imm?!

Taschima Cullen said...

Delirium!!!!! Pandemonium!!! <3 <3 Nice week!!

Jenni said...

Those are some great looking books! I really liked Life As We Knew It and The Dead & The Gone. Partials sounds like a really good book.

Lori said...

I can't wait to meet you next weekend!! :)

K R Weinert said...

Whoosh! That's an impressive stack :) Love all the Lauren Oliver books, I've got Pandemonium on my IMM I've read Exiled and had mixed feelings.
Happy reading!

Marmaladelibby (aka Ange) said...

WOW! Awesome mailbox!! Especially Pandemonium and Partials! SO need to get them for myself! Partials was SO good! Check out our IMM this week!

The Sagacity Quest said...

WOW. A lot of great books. A lot of Lauren Oliver books. I've yet to read one of her books but I've heard amazing things. I hope you enjoy your new books and happy reading.

Sandy said...

Oh mai. That's a LOT of books there, Bri. Way more than I've gotten in the past two months XD

I hope you enjoy them all :)

Stephanie said...

Thank you so much for your sweet comment on Eggs! I recommend you read Leisl and Po as soon as possible--I love love loved that book!

Kristin Lenz said...

So great that you get to meet Lauren Oliver! I loved Liesl and Po - still need to read her other books.

Dani said...

Looks like you have a great haul! I will have to check out some of these books...

Thanks for sharing!

About Me

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Hello all! My name is Briana, I'm 20, and I live in the beautiful state of Georgia. I love reading and photography.

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My Partner in mean reading. :P
Meet Rudy everyone!


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Friday, April 26, 2013

A silly name for this blog, I know, but it’s true. There’s nothing “minor” about minor league hockey. It’s an amazing, exciting and MASSIVE place where, if you’re a hockey fanatic like me, you can spend hours upon hours and not spend your entire paycheck going to one game like you do in that other league.

There are so many individual leagues all around North America, Europe, Asia and yes, Australia & New Zealand, it would be hard to write about all of them, but over the coming weeks and months, The Bulls Sheet will be doing our best to do just that.

Little by little this blog will turn towards not only covering the San Francisco Bulls our first love, but will also write about other teams, games and countries. So, stay tuned for that!

Now, there are some very exciting things happening in the ECHL. The league is right in the middle of the second round of the playoffs and the eight teams playing are so close skill-wise, but it’s getting closer to see who will pull away with wins this time around.

Reading Royals vs Florida Everblades  in Florida. Blades are ahead 2-1 games
Gwinnett Gladiators vs Cincinnati Cyclones in Cincinnati. Cyclones are ahead 2-1 games
Ontario Reign vs Idaho Steelheads in Boise. Ontario are ahead 2-1 games
Alaska Aces vs Stockton Thunder. Stockton leads this series 2-1 games

Listening to or watching online any of these battles is a real treat. This is prime hockey, so try and catch a game if you can. I’ll give more of an opinion after the fourth game in all.

This season was a good one for most of the ECHL teams. According to ECHL attendance numbers, many showed an increase over last year. Sure, much of this has to do with the lock out, but also because I think hockey as a sport is on the upswing.

It was a surprise to me that the Fort Wayne Komets has the best attendance numbers. This certainly has nothing to do with the NHL lockout! Fort Wayne is over 200 miles from both Chicago and Columbus. The Komets had crowds all of their first season averaging 7,583 fans. Hockey is GOOD in Indiana!

The Ontario Reign also increased in attendance by 20%, totaling over 1 million fans in five years. People in the Inland Empire know that good hockey is to be had for less than the price of parking at a Kings game.

In fact, all of the new teams had great attendance during their first years. This is a positive sign. The Bulls had eighth highest attendance at 4,164 fans average per game. In a big city with lots of other diversions and ways to spend one’s money, these are excellent numbers.

Not all of the teams did great. The Trenton Titans announced this week they will cease operations in the 2013-2014 season. The team drew just over 3,000 per game and dropped to 2,500 at one point. They’re hoping to come back for the 2014-2015. My best wishes to them, it sucks losing teams.

Las Vegas Wranglers announced Mike Madill as new general manager and head coach. Seeing that they lost to Florida in the finals last year and got bumped by the Stockton Thunder in the first round this season, I guess the owners want to try something new. Madill played for the Wranglers and this is his first professional coaching job. Madill holds the record for all time games played with the Wranglers at 336, scoring 131 points. He was no slouch as a player. Good players don’t always make the best coaches, so I hope this works for the Wranglers.

The spring weather is warming up in most places so go out and enjoy the weather and outside!


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Celebrity diet tricks: Which ones should we believe?

July 14 19:43 2014

In today’s culture, we are constantly trying to stay fit. We abide by the mantra “thin is in.” Whether we’re seeking the infamous thigh gap, the flat stomach, or Cameron Diaz’s killer arms, we are always trying to change our bodies so that they fit into the socially constructed ideal of beauty.

Many of us have gone to extremes in our attempts to drop a few pounds. We’re all guilty of it. You’re searching the web, and you see a pop up with big bold letters saying “LOSE 10 POUNDS IN 10 DAYS!” Let’s be honest, who wouldn’t want to lose ten pounds in ten days? So, you click on the pop up. You read a little about it, and before you know it you’re in your car, driving to the grocery store to pick up the ingredients for whatever concoction guarantees that you lose those ten pounds.

When it comes to losing weight, people are willing to go to great lengths. Think about all the bizarre diets you’ve heard of. We’ve been told to cheers with shots of vinegar before every meal. Yuck! We’ve heard of consuming cotton balls to make ourselves feel full. Huh? We’ve even seen people spend weeks consuming only liquids, made of the oddest combinations of ingredients. What the heck?

Frankly, these diet tricks sound absurd. How do people live this way? Food is such a central part of our lives and our culture, how can one change the foods they consume so drastically? But what happens when these diet tricks gain support from celebrities? The game totally changes. No matter how bizarre the diet may seem, if we see Beyonce backing it up, we’re bound to believe it, and we’re that much more likely to try it out.

We all want to look like celebrities, right? We long for Kim Kardashian’s curves, Jennifer Anniston’s legs, or Adriana Lima’s washboard stomach. So, it is only natural for us to believe in their diet tricks, and try and live by them so that we can attain the bodies that they have. But can we really be sure that these tips and tricks are effective? Just because they are backed by a celebrity doesn’t necessarily mean they’re healthy. While some of them are reasonable, effective tricks, many are simply irrational and ineffective.

A word to the wise: don’t listen to everything celebrities say. We’ve cracked the code on which celebrity diets are wise to follow, and which ones shouldn’t be attempted by anyone!

[ new page ]

Megan Fox: The Vinegar Diet

28-year-old actress Megan Fox is well known for her particularly striking physique. Her slender body is seen in lingerie ads across the world for Armani. She is the desire of countless men, and the envy of many women. So, what’s her secret?

Fox swears by one special ingredient: vinegar. OK Magazine reports that Fox said, “I’m not one for dieting or exercising, because I’m lazy and I have a really big sweet tooth, so I have to do cleanses every once in a while ’cause of the amount of sugar I take in.” Every morning, Fox drinks a cocktail of water and apple cider vinegar. Fox also said, “It just cleanses out your system entirely. It will get rid of…for women who retain water weight from your menstrual cycle and all that… it gets rid of it really fast.
”

What do we think? Does vinegar, itself, actually aid is weight loss? The answer is no. Lemondrop reports that dietician Lucy Jones says, “The body, including the liver, is a well-oiled detoxing machine, which will not be improved by vinegar, whether it be organic, apple cider, unfiltered, or your bog-standard malt vinegar.”

In fact, taking vinegar alone daily can be quite risky. Since it is extremely acidic, vinegar can cause irritation to your throat and stomach. In addition, it can be very damaging to tooth enamel.

Although vinegar, itself, is not a weight loss solution, it is a low-calorie way to add flavor to any diet plan. It contains just three calories per tablespoon, and can be added to salads, sandwiches and sauces to add some tang to our food. While Megan Fox sips on her vinegar cocktail, we’ll stick to some simple salad dressings.

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Reese Witherspoon: The Baby Food Diet

As babies and toddlers, we were all fed baby food. We enjoyed mushy concoctions of pureed squash, peas, pears, and/or mashed banana day in and day out. Who knows, we may have even enjoyed it. But for most of us, as soon as our baby teeth arrived, we ditched those little jars of mashed up who-knows-what, and graduated to solid foods…most of us.

However, celebrities like Reese Witherspoon and Lady Gaga have continued to feast on baby foods well into their adult lives, in an attempt to shed some pounds. Created by celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson, this fad is known as the Baby Food Diet. It requires eating baby food throughout the day, with an option to have a wholesome adult meal for dinner.

Since jars of baby food range in caloric value from 20 to 100 calories, the idea is that the small portions will force you to eat smaller meals, drastically decreasing your caloric intake.

So, what’s the verdict? Is the baby food diet worth a try? The answer is no. Replacing meals with baby food could result in taking in a dangerously low amount of calories, resulting in a nutritional imbalance. Also, the low caloric value of baby food can often leave you hungry after eating a “meal” of it.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics encourages us to ask ourselves one very important question before trying any new diet. We should ask ourselves, “Can I picture myself eating this way forever?” If the answer is “no,” the diet will not work for you, because it will simply be a short-term fad. Can you honestly picture yourself living off of baby food for the rest of your life? The answer is likely no.

It is important to be rational when trying to live a healthier life. Pick a lifestyle that you can not just maintain, but that you can enjoy as well. A great way to be healthier is simply to consume healthy, wholesome foods, with treats in moderation, and exercising regularly. Ditch the baby food, and sit at the adult table with delicious, whole foods that will keep you full and happy.

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Jennifer Anniston: Lemon Juice

Not only do we know Jennifer Anniston for her roles in all the romantic comedies we love, but we also know her for her rockin’ bod. Her petite figure has been seen on countless magazine covers and ads, and women everywhere are dying to know her secret. It’s lemon juice!

Every morning, Jen drinks a glass of freshly-squeeze lemon juice. She swears by it. She says it rids her body of waste and toxins and keeps her feeling great. However, it’s important to consider all the aspects of Jen’s lifestyle. She follows a healthy diet with no processed foods, and exercises daily.

So what’s the verdict, can lemon juice really help us slim down? If we’re talking about just the lemon juice itself, the answer is no. There is no magic element in lemons that can help us shred pounds. However, a lemon certainly does have several health benefits. It hydrates, detoxifies, and oxygenates the body, making you feel revitalized and refreshed. Following a healthy lifestyle, similar to Jen’s, and drinking a glass of fresh lemon juice every morning can certainly help rid the body of toxins, and trim that pesky waistline.

[ new page ]

Today’s society puts immense pressure on women to look a certain way. “Thin is in” has been the mantra of countless women’s lives. Women will often do whatever it takes to get the body they desire, and that sometimes means doing some pretty bizarre things.

Our desire to look like certain models and celebrities leads us to trust their dieting secrets. However, we must be careful in the methods we choose to follow, for not all celebrities use the wisest strategies. What’s most important is to create a healthy lifestyle that you can enjoy. Ask for a side salad instead of fries. Try the turkey burger rather than the beef burger. Have water with dinner instead of soda. It’s little habits like these that will lead us toward a healthier life. There is no magic pill or potion that will grant you a lifetime of health. Just do your best. And always remember that you are beautiful at any size.

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Nathaniel Chalobah

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Nathaniel Chalobah
0Full Name Nathaniel Nyakie Chalobah
0Date of Birth 12 December 1994
0Place of Birth Freetown, Sierra Leone
0Position Defender
0Chelsea career 2006–
0Debut 20 September 2016
0Games (goals) 13 (0)
0Other clubs Watford (loan)
Nottingham Forest (loan)
Middlesbrough (loan)
Burnley (loan)
Reading (loan)
Napoli (loan)

Nathaniel Chalobah (born 12 December 1994 in Freetown, Sierra Leone) is a defender and midfielder who currently plays for Chelsea. Having joined the club as a youngster he made his first team debut in 2016, having spent most of his senior career on loan at various English clubs, in addition to a season spent at Napoli.

Pre-Chelsea career

Nathaniel joined Chelsea as an Under-8. He is the older brother of Trevoh Chalobah.

Chelsea career

A centre-back or central midfielder, Nathaniel made rapid progress through the Chelsea age groups and played well above his age group throughout his junior career. The 2009-10 season saw Nathaniel make his Under-18 debut shortly after his 15th birthday. He began to establish himself in the team some eighteen months ahead of schedule, and made a Reserve team appearance in a friendly in March 2010. His first goal came against Leicester City in April and he followed it up with another late in the season against Ipswich Town.

He played most of the 2010-11 season with the Reserve team, having joined Carlo Ancelotti's first team squad for pre-season. He scored his first goal at reserve level against Liverpool in September 2010 with a header from a corner.

He also scored goals against Sunderland, Barnsley and Manchester United (twice) in the club's FA Youth Cup run.

He 'officially' became a scholar for the 2011-12 season but was named Reserve Team captain by Dermot Drummy early in the campaign. Playing mainly in midfield, he impressed hugely in the first half of the season, the highlight being a spectacular brace in the 4-0 win over Arsenal in December.

He continued in the same vein in the second half of the year and captained the Under-18s to 2011-12 FA Youth Cup glory, scoring in the First Leg of the Final to extend what is a remarkable scoring record in the competition.

On transfer deadline day August 2012, Nathaniel joined Watford on a half-season loan, linking up with manager Gianfranco Zola. Taking up a role in central midfield in Zola's 3-5-2 formation, he had a fantastic season, becoming a regular in a team battling for promotion whilst weighin in with five goals, including a spectacular strike away to Leicester in April 2013.

Named the Championship Young Player of the Month for that month, it was a big end of season for both player and club as Watford contested a hard-fought run-in during which they failed to earn one of the automatic promotion berths. They did, however, reach the Playoff Final at Wembley, but unfortunately fell short at the last, losing 1-0 to Crystal Palace in a match which marked the end of Chalobah's stay at Vicarage Road.

A return to Watford was on the cards for 2013-14 but an early-season injury scuppered the chances of a long-term deal and instead he joined Nottingham Forest on a 90-day deal. His stay at the City Ground was less than auspicious, with an early red card away to Brighton and an unsettled time overall where first team minutes proved hard to come by. The deal expired on January 15th and two days later he joined Middlesbrough until the end of the season.

There he enjoyed a better time of things, finishing his stay at the Riverside with one goal in nineteen appearances, and after spending the 2014-15 pre-season with the Chelsea first-team squad, he finally secured a Premier League loan on transfer deadline day when he joined Burnley. Unfortunately, he was limited to just four appearances as manager Sean Dyche refused to rotate his ultimately-relegated squad and so Nathaniel returned to Chelsea at the turn of the year. A proposed move to Bordeaux fell through due to FIFA regulations decreeing that a solitary Under-21 appearance represented him playing for Chelsea and therefore the maximum of two clubs in a season, leaving him resigned to an 'emergency' Football League loan.

That materialised in the form of a stay at Reading, where he finally recaptured some form and confidence. An impressive outing against Arsenal at Wembley in an FA Cup Semi Final whilst carrying an injury was the highlight of a stay that ended an altogether frustrating season.

Nathaniel has represented England every level up to the Under-21s. At Under-17 he was full year younger than any of his teammates but was a key part of coach John Peacock's plans. He was named the starting centre-back for the 2010 European Under-17 Championships in Liechtenstein (despite being the youngest player in the competition), which England won.

For the 2010-11 season, Nathaniel was the captain of the England Under-17 team which reached the European Under-17 Championship Semi Finals and qualified for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup.

Having graduated from the age group at the end of the World Cup, he became a regular part of Noel Blake's Under-19 team, and served as captain in 2011-12. During the 2012-13 campaign, he earned a call-up to Stuart Pearce's Under-21 squad and impressed sufficiently to become a full-time member of that squad, passing 50 appearances for England's youth teams by the age of 17.

He was included in the final party for the 2013 and 2015 European Under-21 Championships and is set for involvement in the 2017 tournament too. He is the most-capped England youth player of all time, collecting more than 90 caps across all age groups as of January 2017.

He also remains eligible for Sierra Leone.

Career statistics

Youth, Reserve and Under-21 Football

Season Under-18 NextGen Under-21 Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
2009-10 8 2 - - 0 0 8 2
2010-11 12 5 - - 14 2 26 7
2011-12 13 2 - - 15 4 28 6
2012-13 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 0
2013-14 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0
2014-15 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0
Total 33 9 1 0 33 6 67 15

Senior Club Football

Season Club League FA Cup League Cup Europe Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
2012-13 Watford (loan) 41 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 42 5
2013-14 Nottingham Forest (loan) 12 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 2
2013-14 Middlesbrough (loan) 19 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 19 1
2014-15 Burnley (loan) 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
2014-15 Reading (loan) 15 1 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 20 1
Total 91 9 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 97 9

Season Prem FA Cup League Cup Europe Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
2016-17 8 0 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 13 0
Total 8 0 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 13 0
Correct as of 19 March 2017

Career honours

Nathaniel signed his first professional contract in January 2012, and in August 2013 signed a new five-year contract, keeping him at the club until the end of the 2017-18 season.

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A Granville Street restaurant has closed its doors, blaming declining business in downtown Halifax.

Brussels Restaurant & Brasserie tweeted Tuesday afternoon that it has closed after being in operation for five years, just a day after reminding Haligonians to set their clocks forward and also to try their new wild boar tacos.

Two hours after announcing the closure, the restaurant tweeted its thanks for everyone’s kind words and support.

However, there were few words of support in the social media responses to the announcement. The Twitterverse appeared to take offence to the restaurant’s claim that its downtown location led to its demise.

Instead, some on Twitter defended the downtown, and some blamed poor management, a new menu and mediocrity.

Boris Mirtchev owns Brussels and also operates the successful Hamachi group of restaurants.

Reached by telephone Tuesday night, Mirtchev said the restaurant had been losing money for a while and recent efforts to make it profitable had failed.

"The economy in general has been a little tough," he said. "In the restaurant business the margins have been increasing and the sales have actually been decreasing sometimes ... in this location."

He said he had been particularly drawn to the Granville Street area and its European-like cobblestones because he is from that region.

But parking issues and a decline in winter foot traffic and tourists made weeknight business pretty slow, even though weekends could be brisk, Mirtchev said.

"It's a tough part of the city. Granville Square hasn't been very vibrant the last few years ... so it's the result of a couple of different things."

Seven people worked full time at the restaurant and all but two will likely be laid off, he said.