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The Sump Pump Diagram; A Birds Eye View

UPDATED: July 24, 2017

I like to think of the sump pump diagram as an all-encompassing piece on how everything fits into place when it comes to installing a sump pump. There is a ton of information regarding sump pump maintenance, how to replace a sump pump and the like. I’ve written quite a bit about it right here on However, none have attempted to answer it all. Hopefully, after you read the final word of this piece you’ll have no more questions regarding sump pump design, sump pump service or any other sump pump related questions.

Lets Tackle the Most Basic of Questions: What Does a Sump Pump Do?

The simple answer is that a sump pump is built to move unwanted water from one spot to another. Most times the water is being moved to a place where the water will drain either by gravity to a sewer designed to handle storm/ground water or some place designed to handle rainwater/ground water retention like a retention pond or swale. In the plumbing world we use sump pumps and ejector pumps to dewater flooded basements or pits or open excavations all the time.

In quite a few areas around the US, like Chicago, NY, NJ and Syracuse, basements are a common feature in single-family homes; in

Sump Pump Diagram

Sump Pumps move water

fact they are pretty popular as a way to expand the living space in a house. They are also common in other places like Toronto or Edmonton. Basements are built below ground under the home. In areas with a high water table such as the Midwest or Northeast ground water can be a basements worst enemy. Think back to when you were a child and you played with boats in the bathtub. If you tried to push a boat underwater it was difficult, the hydraulic pressure would always push the boat up unless you were trying to react a scene from Titanic. Essentially your foundation is a big concrete boat, as the water table rises the hydrostatic pressure increases, pushing your basement “boat” out of the ground. Will a high water table actually push a foundation out of the ground? I guess it’s possible but what is probable is that the water will find it’s way into the basement to relieve the pressure. Water will exploit any crack, seam or penetration you have in your basement. I’ve even seen basement floors crack pretty significantly due to extreme hydrostatic pressure.

What is a sump pump used for? It is used to evacuate ground water from underneath and around your basement foundation so it doesn’t turn into a swimming pool or a mold filled science lab.

Over the years I’ve seen many different sump pump installations. My home is at a high point on the block and has a foundation that sits about 2ft above grade with windows. The water table never gets quite high enough to get extreme

Sump Pump Diagram

Black Corrugated Drain Tile

flooding. The past owner was obviously mildly concerned with flooding so they dug a sump hole or sump pit at the lowest point of the foundation, installed a corrugated plastic pit and pump and called it a day. The sump pit fills with groundwater that weeps into the pit through the holes. It works fine in my house but it isn’t the typical sump pump installation. Most properly designed and installed sump pump systems have three components that work together to protect your basement from flooding.

Drain Tile – most drain tile installed these days is plastic and it comes in large

Sump Pump Diagram

SDR 26 Piping

perforated corrugated rolls or you can also get it in lengths of rigid

perforated corrugated rolls or you can also get it in lengths of rigid perforated SDR 26 plastic pipe. Both forms of piping should be installed within a sock or sleeve to filter out solids that can get caught and accumulate in the piping. Rigid piping is more expensive but more durable and it is able to be rodded or hydro-jetted in case of a blockage. A heavy-duty rodding machine will tear up corrugated flexible piping.

Sump Pump Diagram

Basic Sump Pit

Sump Pit – After excavating the sump hole, a properly sized sump pit should be installed to connect the drain tile and collect the ground water. The pit should be deep enough so the pump can remove the water well below the bottom of the basement floor and large enough in diameter to accommodate two pumps in case a battery backup is wanted or needed. Check your local plumbing codes. Most have provisions that specify the depth and diameter.

Sump Pump – We will go into further depth with regard to sizing and installation but a properly sized and installed sump pump is the heart and soul of any functioning ground water removal system. If your pump isn’t sized correctly or worse isn’t’ functioning at all the water table will rise and you will flood.

Can You Help Me With a Sump Pump Install?

The answer is yes, of course. But first we have to define the question. Do you want to replace a sump pump or is this a brand new basement sub pump?

New Sump Pump Installation – If you want to install a sump pump system in a home for the first time you have to make some decisions as to how elaborate you want the install to be. Most ground water removal systems are partially installed while the home is being built. After the basement concrete forms are removed the foundation is still excavated around the perimeter of the home. This is a great time to install drain tile. The drain tile is placed close to the bottom of the foundation. Once you know the location of the sump pit you can chip out the floor on the inside and punch your drain tile piping under the foundation so that they can be connected to the pit.

The pit can now be installed. Holes will be cut out of the plastic pit at the locations where the drain tile discharges. The foundation can now be backfilled.

**Special Note – You have to at the very least pay attention while backfilling the foundation, especially if you’re using corrugated plastic piping. Heavy debris can crush or damage the pipe compromising the functionality of your system.

After the sump pit is installed it is a very good idea to use hydraulic cement to seal around the pit. This ensures a watertight seal. I’ve seen several basements in the process of flooding that have streams shooting from around a pit that wasn’t properly installed. You could also check out a Radon Mitigation System that works as a seal cover.

***A pretty sweet visual installation guide can be found by clicking the picture below. Thanks to our friends at London Drainage Services for your hard work putting that piece together.

Sump Pump diagram

**Please note, one of our expert readers pointed out that in Step 8 it states “plug the pump into a nearby GFCI protected receptacle”. He states and rightfully so that if the GFI ever trips for any reason your sump pump is useless. He further added that he has been an expert witness in several flood cases and the homeowner won every time. I did a little research and there are a few major pump manufacturers that still recommend a GFI box be used but several that don’t mention it at all. Please be aware of the problems that can occur if you are plugging your sump pump into a GFI receptacle.

Installing a Sump Pump and Drain Tile In An Existing Home – I have been in many homes that have a basement but neither a sump pit nor any drain tile. Most have never had a history of flooding but for whatever reason began flooding (we will attempt to answer that question in our Q & A at the end of this article) there are several ways to handle situations like this but only two are real solutions.

1.) Exterior Drain Tile System w/Basement Sump Pump – The installation of this type flood control system is almost identical to how you would install it if the house were new. Except for sizable cost of excavating around the entire perimeter of the home.

Step 1 – Pick a logical location in the basement for the new sump and pit. Things to consider when picking a location for the sump pump:

  • Ease of access to service the pit and pump in the basement
  • How difficult is it to go under the foundation floor in a certain location?
  • Is the basement already finished? In this case finding a spot in an unfinished portion would be best.

Step 2 – Remove any landscaping or structures from around the home.

Step 3 – Lay the drain tile in a bedding of pea gravel and punch drain tile under foundation footings. (Pro Tip – We choose to use pea gravel instead of ¾ stone because pea gravel is self-compacting. If you use ¾ stone you will have to compact it to minimize the risk of settling)

Step 4 – Excavate interior location of sump pit.

Step 5 – Install pit and connect drain tile

Step 6 – Install sump pump and discharge piping.

Step 7 – Backfill exterior excavation with pea gravel over the piping and the rest with excess spoils and perform landscape restoration

2.) Interior Drain Tile System w/ Basement Sump Pump – This option is the most logical when faced with flooding issues when no drain tile or sump pump is present. If the basement is unfinished it’s a very straightforward project. Follow these step-by-step instructions to set up an interior drain tile.

Sump Pump Diagram

Interior Drain Tile

Step 1 – Pick a location for the sump pump that takes into consideration future plans for the basement. Maybe you can install close to the incoming water service in case you need to drain down the domestic water for any reason.

Step 2 – Sawcut and Excavate: We always sawcut an 18” – 24” trench about 12” away from the basement walls. You have to sawcut far enough away from the wall to get past the footing, which is about 8”.

(Pro Tip – When you sawcut make sure you cross cut the concrete every two feet or so. This makes the pieces of concrete small enough to handle.)

(Caution – If you do plan to sawcut yourself please make sure you rent or buy an electric partner saw. Using a gas powered partner saw can result in extreme sickness or death. Believe me, it happens more often than you think)

You want to dig down about 12”. Just deep enough to install 4” drain tile in a bed of pea gravel covering the pipe

Step 3 – Install drain tile and sump pit in pea gravel and make connections to sump pit.

Step 4 – Backfill trench covering newly installed drain tile with pea gravel and patch concrete.

Step 5 – Install sump pump and discharge piping.

There is a way to minimize the cost of installing a sump pump and drain tile using the second option but it can only be used in certain circumstances. In some instances it is clear that flooding/seepage is coming from one area of the house. This can happen because of how the lot sits on the property, maybe the landscaping literally funnels water to a certain area of the house. Under these circumstances it’s possible to install drain tile in the problem locations and connect that piping to a sump pit in the same area. This can save you quite of bit of the cost in the way of sawcutting, excavation, concrete patching and drain tile installation.

Sump Pump Help! What is the Cost of Installing a Sump Pump?

Obviously people ask me this question all the time and it’s pretty tough to give a straight answer because labor rates fluctuate wildly around the country but I’ll try. This part of the article is important because you may or may not be DIY -ing this project. I will however put some qualifiers on pricing I’m about to give. To all of my plumbing pals out there, I apologize in advance if you’re getting more for some of this work. I think these are fair numbers. The pricing I will suggest is for work done by a real company with real licensed plumbers/installers. These are companies that do this for a living, to be able to keep lights on, pay rent or a mortgage, feed themselves and other families and actually make a profit. I’m sure some of you have your favorite plumber who does side jobs or works out of the garage. Those guys are great but I can’t and I won’t compare them to

Sump Pump Diagram

Not a forever sump pump!

a business that is in business to survive and prosper and give warranty’s etc. So here are some loose pricing guidelines for installing sump pump in basement and installing drain tile systems.

LOW END SUMP PUMP – When I say low end I don’t mean bad. This is a 1/3rd H.P. with plastic housing, with a tethered float and a new rubber check valve. It’s not built to last a lifetime but it can get you by and a professional plumbing contractor will probably give you a year warranty. COST AROUND $400.00 Furnished and installed.

MID-RANGE SUMP PUMP – I’m going to go out on a limb here and say it, depending on the company this price point usually gets you what you need. A 1/3rd H.P. or ½ H.P. sump pump with a cast iron or stainless steel housing (maybe a combination of both), tried and true submersible float and a silent check valve. The contractor will probably throw in a 2 to 3 year parts and labor warranty. Again depending on the contractor this pump my even include an alarm, which will warn you if the pump fails or the power goes out. The average estimate COST is AROUND $650.00 Furnished and installed.

Sump pump diagram

Zoeller Pump Features

HIGH END SUMP PUMP – This is very subjective because there are options for high-

Sump pump diagram

This is a workhorse

endpump that are in the 2K range and most of those involve commercial grade pedestal sump pump installation. For this discussion and this price range you’ll probably get a ½ H.P. to 1 H.P. pump that has a heavy-duty cast iron housing, (The cast iron dissipates heat better than other materials), a ceramic shaft, a true solid state electronic switch and controls that have several alarms that can be interfaced with home automation and upgraded if another pump or battery backup is installed. A solid-state electronic switch has no moving parts therefore it last much longer than a traditional mechanical float switch. This option would also come with a silent check valve. COST AROUND $850-$950 Furnished and installed.

NEW EXTERIOR DRAIN TILE W/INTERIOR SUMP PIT AND SUMP PUMP – With the pricing I’m giving you here assume you are getting the best pump available. Of course a plumbing contractor can shave off a few hundred dollars by lowering the quality of the pump however, when you are investing your hard earned dollars to upgrade your home to make sure it doesn’t flood downgrading the pump is probably not the best idea. This option would include excavation around the perimeter of the house (This doesn’t include landscape preservation or restoration), installation of SDR 26 rigid or corrugated piping with filter sock, furnishing and installing new trench backfill, backfill to grade, interior excavation for sump pit, final connection of drain tile to sump pit, furnishing and installing new sump pump and discharge piping, furnishing and installing storm drainage to sewer or run off area up to 20ft away, final patching of interior concrete. COST BETWEEN $15,000 – $25,000 depending on the size and layout of the house.

NEW INTERIOR DRAIN TILE W/INTERIOR SUMP PIT AND SUMP PUMP – As with the above option the pricing includes the best pump and product. Long-term functionality is too important. This option includes sawcutting, removal of all concrete and spoil from the premises, excavation for drain tile and sump pit, furnishing and installing of SDR 26 rigid or corrugated piping with filter sock and sump pit, furnishing and installing new trench backfill for drain tile and sump pit, backfill to bottom of concrete floor, final connection of drain tile to sump pit, furnishing and installing new sump pump and discharge piping, furnishing and installing storm drainage to sewer or run off area up to 20ft away, final patching of interior concrete. COST BETWEEN $10,000 – $17,000 this again depends on the size of the house and how difficult it is to remove concrete and spoils. We have installed a conveyor belt system in basements utilizing a window well large enough to accommodate concrete and spoils being placed on it and removed. This greatly reduces man hours spent hauling concrete out of the basement in buckets.

Who Makes The Best Basement Sump Pump?

Wow, that is a really good question and you can read about it if you click the link below. There are quite a few great pump manufacturers here in the United States, Blue Angel, Hydromatic, Barnes, Glentronics (Basement Watchdog & PHCC Pro), Wayne, Liberty, Metropolitan Pump, Zoeller Pump, etc. are several that may be familiar to you.

Here are the things that I look at when deciding which sump pump is best.

How does the company support the installer i.e. the plumber or plumbing contractor? By support I mean if I, as a plumber am putting in X sump and ejector pumps and I have an issue with the

Install at your own risk

Install at your own risk

pump how is the issue resolved. Does the company send out a repair tech? Does the manufacturer provide me with a new pump and then pay me for my time to reinstall or do they do nothing? I’ll give you an example of a product I won’t use that you may be familiar with; Ridgid Pumps are sold by Home Depot and are manufactured by Wayne Pumps. They have a LIFE TIME warranty. That sounds great right? Here is the catch, if the pump goes out you can take out your old pump, take it in to Home Depot and they will give you a new pump. However, in the meantime your basement is probably flooding. They do not pay for the service professional’s time to reinstall the new pump. Therefore, if a plumber or plumbing contractor decides to furnish and install Ridgid Pumps they will always be responsible for the labor to take out and reinstall.

Does the manufacturer keep me informed on new products and technologies? The basic design of a sump pump hasn’t changed very much in 40 years. Materials have changed somewhat, switches have changed for some but for the most part they are pretty similar. Some companies are much better than others at R&D and push new and more efficient products to market. I’m a big fan of companies that don’t sit on their laurels.

Does the manufacturer build their own pump or are they a broker for pumps with a private label? There are several of the above manufacturers that have factories in other countries but they oversee the process. It’s their factory and their responsibility. There are also manufacturers that find a company in China to build a pump to their specifications. Is there some quality control? Some, but not like there would be if they owned the company. Then there are some manufactures that make most of their product right here in the good ole US and A. Those are few and far between but their products are top notch.

What kind of switch is used to control the pump cycle? As I’ve said before the switch goes bad way before most pumps. I’m a very big fan of some of the new solid-state switches. Because there are no moving parts they are very durable and more closely match the actual durability of the pump itself. If I am installing a pump without an electronic switch it will be a mechanical float style on an arm. I will not buy a pump with a diaphragm switch or one with a tethered float.

(Please note – The reason I don’t like tethered floats especially in colder climates is because colder water stiffens the wire or tether between the pump and float. Sometimes the float doesn’t travel up far enough and therefore doesn’t engage the pump. We use tethered floats in commercial applications but the configuration of the sump pumps and pit are different. The pits and pumps tend to be much deeper allowing the float to move.)

Pumping capacity – This is a published measurable but not all manufactures tell the whole truth

Sump pump diagram

This is a badass controller.

and not all pumps are created equal even if they have the same H.P.

Controls – I’ll admit I’m a sucker for technology but not if it sacrifices functionality. Some of the new controls being offered at certain price points are keeping up with home automation and really gives the customer some piece of mind and flexibility. i.e. connecting your sump pump and battery backup system to the cloud which allows you to monitor your system either while you’re home or away. Some controls also allow you to add a pump to effectively turn your system into a duplex sump pump by alternating between two pumps. This spreads the cycles evenly over the pumps prolonging the life of the system.

Sump pump diagram

My favorite brand Zoeller

OK, OK so who makes the best basement sump pumps? My first choice is Zoeller Pump and my second is Metropolitan Industries. They share some similar qualities but are very different as well. Most of Zoeller’s product is made here in the United States. They are family owned and really, really care about their reputation especially amongst plumbing professionals. They continually try to improve their product and they stand behind it 100%, which makes installs easier. Metropolitan Industries is a company that started by manufacturing large-scale commercial house pumps and ejector pumps. They are literally on the cutting edge of technology, I call them water-pumping geeks and I love it. They like Zoeller are family owned and back up their products. With regard to residential pumps Metropolitan is a new comer to the market but when they commit to a product or technology they jump in with both feet.

Do You Have a Sump Pump Basement Flooding Questions Answered!

Q: Can You Explain How a Sump Pump Works?

A: I sure can. A sump pump is a submersible pump, which means it has a sealed housing protecting it from the water it’s being submersed in. The pump impeller is turned by the motor and that high speed rotation creates suction which, removes the ground water from your sump pit. The discharge from the pump is connected to piping that is installed to ensure ground water is adequately evacuated from the home. The sump pump purpose is to remove subsurface water away from a basement or foundation.

Q: What can I do About a Frozen Sump Pump?

A: This question has one of two answers depending on the meaning of the question. If your sump pump is locked up and not working then it’s time to replace the pump, especially if there is no sound coming from the pump.

The second part of the answer is quite literal and usually means that the sump pump discharge line is frozen. Since most times sump pumps are installed inside it’s very rare that an actual sump pump is frozen. So how does a sump pump line freeze? Almost 100% of the time it is because of improper instalation. A sump pump discharge line is meant to be piped indirectly into line dedicated to receiving ground water. This means the smaller discharge piping is evacuating the water into a larger diameter piping with an air gap between the two. Frozen sump pump lines occur when the discharge piping is hard connected to the sewer line and that line freezes. At this point the pump is pumping against an ice blockage. If the discharge is piped properly and the storm sewer freezes the pumps discharge will just splash outside the house. Is it possible for ice to continue to build up eventually blocking the indirect connection? Sure, anything is possible however it is very unlikely. If your line is frozen you have to cut out the frozen section and replace. You also have to make sure the functionality of the pump hasn’t been compromised. If the pump has been cycling against itself for any length of time the pump could be burned out as well.

Q: What’s the deal with sump pump float switch adjustment?

A: There are quite a few different styles of sump pump float switches on the market, solid state electronic, diaphragm, and float style with guide, tethered float. However, there are only two ways a pump cycle is activated via those switches. The switch can be integral to the pump meaning it is built in to the pump itself or it is what’s called a piggyback switch. A piggyback switch is a switch that the pump plugs into and that switch activates the pump.

A pump that has a switch that is integral to the pump cannot be adjusted to allow for more or less water to enter the sump pit. The only adjustment available for pumps provided with this type of switch is how high or low the pump is installed inside the pit. For example, if the pump was cycling often and the pump was sitting on the bottom of the pit you could remove the pump, place several bricks at the bottom and reinstall the pump. The float would now be higher in the pit allowing the water to reach a higher level before cycling.

You have quite a bit more adjustment options with a piggyback switch, as it is not part of the pump body. Most piggyback switches are attached to the discharge piping with hose clamps or zip ties which allows you to place the float at any height in the pit.

(Pro Tip – The higher the water is inside the pit the more hydrostatic pressure you have pushing against the basement floor or foundation walls. Please consult with a professional plumber regarding float switch heights.)

Q: How can I perform a sump pump float switch repair?

A: If the switch is integral to the pump there is very little you can do other than making sure the float isn’t getting hung up on something in the pit or that there is scale or debris on the float mechanism.

If your pump has a piggyback type switch you can literally go to any home improvement center or local plumbing supply company and buy a new sump pump switch that they have available. Even if the pump came with a float type switch you can change it to a solid-state electronic switch that senses the amount of water in the pit

Q: I’ve heard if people having outdoor sump pump installation. Why would someone have an outdoor sump pump installed?

A: Here is an example of why someone would have an outdoor sump pump installed. There are homes that have walkout basements that are dug out below the final grade of the lot. So in a sense the patio is a big bowl. I’ve personally been involved with a project where if it rained with any gusto the patio held 3ft of water and the sliding glass door was like an observation window at an aquarium.

The funny thing or not so funny if you own a home with this issue is that most builders don’t adequately plan for this volume of water. They may lay drain tile along the inside edge of the patio and that is obviously tied into the interior sump pit. The only problem with this plan is that when it rains the water doesn’t have time to percolate through the pavers into the drain tile. That water needs a place to go and it can’t get to the sump pit fast enough.

Sump pump diagram

Outdoor Sump

So how do you solve the problem? You create a sort of lift station. You dig a deep pit at grade lower than the patio. That pit would be made of fiberglass or concrete. We would install a set of trench drains about 12” in front of the sliding glass doors and run the drain tile to the pit. The pit and pump would have only function; to remove excess water from the patio. The pump discharge would be piped below the frost line below grade to a storm sewer or storm run off area. Please see drawings below to get an idea of the concept.

Sump pump diagram

Outdoor Sump Pump Topdown

The sump pump will need a dedicated electrical outlet that is protected against the elements.

Q: I see advertisements all the time regarding sump pumps and they usually have horse power as a selling feature. Does a sump pumps H.P. make a difference?

A: The answer is yes and no, so let me explain. There is a plumbing term we use “Total Developed Head” or “Total Dynamic Head” In layman’s terms it is a combination of how high your pump has to pump the water to evacuate the pit of water and friction loss inside the run of pipe. If you have a normal 9ft basement that discharges out of your house several feet from the pit and pump a standard 1/3rd H.P. is the proper pump to use. It is possible to oversize the pump. In this case bigger isn’t better especially if the pump is cycling normally.

Now if you have 12ft ceilings in your basement and the discharge runs 40ft before it evacuates your home upsizing the pump is a good idea. A professional plumber will be able to look at the situation measure total dynamic head and properly size the pump. You don’t need to buy a 1/2 or 3/4 H.P. pump just because it has more power, buy a better quality pump that is properly sized.

Q: A plumber friend told me that the pump in a battery back-up system is just a glorified marine sump pump? Is there any truth to that?

A: Standard sump pumps installed in your homes are AC pumps. They are built to run on AC power that is supplied in the home. When the power goes out a battery back-up system kicks in. That battery provides DC current which can’t power your sump pump without a converter (Metropolitan’s Sump Pump Pro). So you need to have a DC pump in the pit along side the AC Sump Pump. Up till now the best pumps produced to remove significant water on a DC current were marine bilge pumps. Most battery back-up systems sold in the US have a slightly modified marine sump pump/bilge pumps to handle the pumping duties in case of a power failure. However the Zoeller Aquanot 508 is a DC pump that was specifically design as a sump pump and it is hand built and tested right here in the U.S.A.

Q: Google Search Topic: Help replacing sump pump

A: Why yes, I can give you some help on replacing a sump pump. In fact I’ll give you a step-by-step guide. This assumes you know for sure your pump is bad.

  1. Unplug pump
  2. If you have a rubber sump check valve you need a ratchet or T-handle nut driver to loosen the hose clamps on both sides of the check valve. (You can loosen the side closest to the pump however, I think it’s best to take the valve off and check inside for any debris or wear. In fact most often times I change out the check valve). If you have a union style ball and check valve you just loosen union joint by hand or by large channel
  3. Pull sump pump from basin
  4. Use large Channel Locks to unscrew male adapter and discharge piping from sump pump. Throw old sump pump away.
  5. Tighten pipe assembly back into new sump pump.
  6. Reinstall check valve on the outlet side of the discharge piping
  7. Place sump pump back inside pit. If piping is too long, measure length to be trimmed by lining up pump and piping next to outlet discharge piping with check valve. Piping from the sump pump should line up to the back of the inlet side rubber gasket. If pump piping is too short you can prop up the pump with a brick or brink paver however it is always better to have an exact measurement.
  8. Make sure float or floats are free and clear of the sides of the sump pit or any cords going into the pit.
  9. Plug in sump pump and ensure proper cycling.

That is how to install a sump pump.

If you need more help check out this video that will teach you how to install a sump pump. It will show you how to drill a hole to your sewage to create a nice flat surface for your pump to sit on. No need to crawl the internet for more help, when all the information is right here for you.

As always thanks for reading. I sincerely hope that if you ever ask yourself “how does a sump pump work?” you know where to look.

Sean Kavanaugh

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My ramblings about all things technical

VCDX Spotlight: Larus Hjartarson

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Name: Larus Hjartarson

Twitter Handle: @lhjartarson

Blog URL:

Current Employer: Nyherji hf.

VCDX #: 192

How did you get into using VMware?

In 2010 when I worked as an IT technician a co-worker showed me vSphere 4.0 and vMotion. I remember asking him repeatedly: “So you moved the server between hardware servers while it was running and it only missed a single ping?”. After that I was hooked. Soon after that I had a chance to finish installing a test environment running vSphere 4.0, and changed jobs to a Server/VMware technician for a large (on an Icelandic scale) IT Solution Provider (Nyherji).

What made you decide to do the VCDX?

As soon as I finished the VCAP-DCA in 2013 the plan was always to go for the VCDX eventually but with no planned date. In the end of 2014, my wife finished her law degree so I presented to her a detailed plan of work required to stick to the VCDX deadline and was accepted 🙂 (might sound strange but I can’t emphasize enough on getting your spouse on board before starting)

But the main reason was to challenge myself and get better at a job I really love doing.

How long did it take you to complete the whole VCDX journey?

It depends on when the journey started; 20 months after the first VCAP, but 4.5 years from the first VCP. But the hard work started on the home straight, when doing the VCDX documentation and defence preparation, and that took 537.5 hours in a 6 months period.

What advice would you give to people thinking of pursuing the VCDX accreditation?

Several come into mind:

-Just do it. This journey is worth all the extra hours after work, all the weekends spent drawing design diagram, all the hundreds of blog posts and installation guides read. But this will have an impact on the time you spend with your spouse, kids, family and friends. But in the end you will end up a much better architect.

-Read the blueprint and make sure to have your documentation represent the subjects from the blueprint as best you can.

-Plan each day until the defence. Plan for at least 25-30% overhead. There will be days you will not be able to tell your brain to do diagrams or work on presentations. Make sure the time off is either spent with your loved ones or to decouple from the process.
-In the last 2-3 weeks before the defence start building confidence for the things you know and your defence and presentation.

-Do not stress going into the defence, the panellist are only architects like you and are there to help you.

-Form a study group. I wouldn’t have been able to do this without a study group. And start joining a study group one VCDX defence in advance. I joined a study group for October defences in 2014 before going for the June deadline in 2015. You will learn a lot just listening to mocks and talking to like-minded people.

-Find a mentor. They will probably differ, but their feedback is invaluable.

-Know your design. I mean everything, every decision, every justification, and all alternatives to each decision and reasoning why that wasn’t taken.

If you could do the whole VCDX journey again what would you do differently?

Absolutely nothing. Things somehow fit into place perfectly and went almost exactly to plan.

Life after the VCDX?  How did your company respond? Was it worth it?

Nothing really changed in the few weeks that have passed. A pat on the back from my company but they were also very supportive during the whole journey. Yes it was worth it. 🙂

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Boardwalk Empire: To the Lost

Hey, kid - shove your guilt in a sack!

Boardwalk Empire: Complete Episode Guide

Boardwalk Empire – To the Lost

Season Two: Episode Twelve (Season Finale)

Directed by:  Tim Van Patten

Written by:  Terence Winter

The Spin:  Admittedly the season finale’s “big bang” was exactly what I thought it was going to be, but I have to give credit to Winter and Van Patten for making me think during the better part of the hour that maybe it wasn’t going to conclude that way.  It seemed Nucky and Jimmy were going to make amends.  Jimmy came through in a big way and brought justice for Chalky White (Michael K. Williams) – thus ending the strike are we to assume?  Then he helps commit the most egregious bit of witness tampering I’ve ever seen – with Harrow (Jack Huston) at his side of course.  All of this benefits Nucky, right?  And ol’ Nuck seemed to be in a forgiving mood.  After giving one of the more unorthodox marriage proposals, he and Margaret get hitched, thus solving her moral dilemma of testifying against him (as his wife, she can’t – badda bing!)  Then he offers up his dope of a brother (Shea Whigham) a nice ultimatum – take the fall for that other stuff and go to jail for a few years – it’ll make up for trying to kill me.  Poor, poor Esther Randolph (Julianne Nicholson) – she’s suddenly in court with no ducks in a row anymore – because they’ve all been shot down one way or another by Nucky.  Look who’s off scott-free and looking like the family man of the year!  Hooray for Nucky!  But oh wait, there’s that thing, you know…

…and so he does off Jimmy, because apparently he didn’t believe that bit Jimmy told him about Eli ordering the hit on him.  You see, he knows his brother Eli’s a dope and wouldn’t have come up with that idea himself…right? (DOH!)  Under the guise of delivering Manny (William Forsythe) up to Jimmy, he takes him out in the rain, and while Jimmy tries to give him one last guilt trip before it’s all over, he tell’s the kid – “You don’t know me.  You never did.  I’m not looking for forgiveness.”

Oh – and then there’s the real surprise in the closing moments.  The new Mrs. Enoch Thompson – who her then husband-to-be signed over the deed to all that land when his situation had looked grimmer and that Congress has now granted funds for a major highway to be built through – can’t seem to get that olde-tyme religion outta her soul and she signs over the deed to the Catholic Church.  DOUBLE DOH!

Things Learned This Evening:  Rothstein (Michael Stuhlbarg) often has no opinion one way or the other.  Swedish nannies will change their identities and run off with strange men at a moment’s notice.  Blood is thicker than liquor. Margaret is an insufferable Catholic.

Wait Until Next Season:  What will become of Gillian, Tommy and Harrow now that Jimmy “re-inlisted”?  How in the world are they going to work Van Alden (Michael Shannon) back into the story now that he’s fled to the Midwest?  When will Margaret’s actions start making any sense?  Will Manny still be a key player?

Commentary by David H. Schleicher

To my readers and Boardwalk strollers:  Thoughts, reactions, comments?

9 comments on “Boardwalk Empire: To the Lost

  1. Maurizio Roca says:

    Shocker of a finale. I sensed Jimmy might be killed, but still couldn’t believe such a major character would go so early. It really makes you wonder where the Boardwalk Empire writers plan on going for Season 3. I hope Richard (my favorite figure on the show) continues to feature, though I don’t see him having a big part from here on out. An interesting wait indeed…

    Maurizio – I have a lot of questions, too, about where Season 3 is headed and what that means for some of my favorite characters (Gillian, Harrow, Manny, Esther). This wasn’t as tidy and complete of a finale as the one for the first season. –DHS

  2. Dianne Glave says:

    If anyone is a type of Christ, a Christ figure, it was Jimmy in this episode. He made things right with Chalky and the men of the families murdered by the Klan. He made things right for Nucky, one of two twisted father figures, by saving Nucky from prosecution and jail. Nucky even viewed Jimmy as a type of Christ angrily declaring, “I’m not looking for forgiveness.” This line is part of Nucky’s broader struggle to reconcile who he is in relationship to church and God.

    As for Margaret, she may be annoying, but holding the deed for all that property makes her the future king-pin. If she doesn’t sign the land back to Nucky, she will be calling the shots even if it’s just behind closed doors making Nucky twist.

    In closing, we got a fuller Chalky episode. Sorry there wasn’t more because I really enjoy it when Chalky gets screen time. There’s always next season!

    Dianne – fascinating analysis as always! –DHS

  3. I thought it was interesting that during both seasons, everyone assumed that Nucky was a murderer but he had actually never committed the crime himself until last night’s episode. Even the Attorney herself questioned this (“does he seem like a murderer to you?”) So I think next season Nucky will be getting his hands dirty now that he popped his murdering cherry. I will miss Jimmy, but not his pouty lips!

    Megan – good point. Maybe this was “the point of no return” for Nucky? LMAO about Michael Pitt – he is a funny lookin’ fella. He started out as a great character – but he became so emo and those pouty lips were obnoxious! Overall though, he gave a very compelling performance over the two years. I’ll still miss Angela way more than him, though. –DHS

  4. I have a feeling that Nucky believed Jimmy 100%, that his brother pushed for the hit, and he put down Jimmy anyway. Jimmy was a disaster, with demons dictating his moves constantly. For Nuck, nothing was to be gained by letting Jimmy avenge the wife he didn’t really care about in the first place. The camera showed him shoot Jimmy, and then his brother entered the shot fully. Even then, the audience was half expecting him to shoot his brother. His failure to do so, at least for me, confirmed that Nuck was old school, and would learn to live and let live (however much his brother lets him), because he was a meandering boob anyway, harmless if given the right circumstances. Jimmy was not harmless, but he also had nothing to gain from lying in that instance.

    Interesting theory – you might be right. I’ll have to rewatch the finale to truly assess. I like how they left it a bit murky as to Nucky’s true motives. I think he definitely saw Jimmy as a threat to his power still, and Eli he can always control as long as he keeps an eye on him. –DHS

  5. Matt says:

    Interesting ending. But…. the creative thinkers would imagine that Nucky is still flipping the coin and imagining/dreaming the Jimmy shooting only to find at the onset to season 3 that he pulls the trigger on Eli who is actually behind Jimmy and then Slater releases Manny to Jimmy. Thereafter, Jimmy and Nucky go on to run AC. Have the writers put us in the middle of a dream state until the start of season 3? Just imagine, wouldn’t that be a real curve ball. I highly doubt it.
    In the realm of the show itself, I think Nucky had no choice but to kill Jimmy. I assume that in the gangster land, loose ends just don’t cut it and Jimmy was a loose end. Is Eli still a loose end? Is Slater a loose end? Is Margaret a loose end? I think Nucky will have to decide in the new season – now that he is a full time gangster. Season 3 will most definitely bring more intrigue.

    Matt – there will be intrigue indeed. –DHS

  6. Anonymous says:

    now what will Harrow do? Nucky must know his top priority is to kill Harrow before he takes his revenge for his fallen friend. personally i never would have killed Jimmy if i couldn’t take care of Harrow at the same time. He is far too dangerous to leave alive.

    It will be very interesting to see what happens with Harrow next season. He’s going to be doubly mad – having loved Angela and Jimmy. I bet he and Manny will eventually come to blows. –DHS

  7. Sergio from Italy says:

    Wake up! Cicero, the little town the “Mueller” arrived to was the capital of the empire of Capone. Learn your history, man 🙂

    So I’ve been told – should be interesting. – DHS

  8. anna harding (@annaharding4) says:

    I am so pissed that Jimmy is dead….sure what he did was bad, he was a little f…up, look at his parents for heavens sake, what about what Nucci’s own brother did to him? He is the asshole that should have been killed off. When does season 3 star i am having panic attacks, missing the show.

    Anna – I’m guessing Season 3 will start in September just like the past two seasons. –DHS

  9. drush76 says:

    Eli DID NOT order the hit on Nucky. He brought up the idea, but he didn’t order the hit.

    It was Jimmy who ordered the hit. The final decision was his . . . and he fucked up and paid the price.

    Eh, it’s splitting hairs – Eli was the first to mention it…Jimmy followed through. They were complicit. –DHS

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Brie Turnover with Fresh Fig, Goat Cheese, Prosciutto and Arugula Salad

July 28, 2010

a perfect summer meal

Though I really shouldn’t complain about Sydney’s weather, which is, more often than not, mind-blowingly perfect, today is chilly (which means around 60°F or 15°C) and wet. Nevertheless, I will resist the urge to post about something warm and comforting. To all my Northern Hemisphere friends: I hear you. I get that it’s too hot to make – or even consider eating – pappa al pomodoro or vegetable lasagna. So, just for you, I’ll put off that post about the sugo di salsiccia I just made, and write about something that will only require an oven for 30 minutes. And if that’s still too much to ask, you can always forget about the turnover and stick with the salad, which showcases what I consider summer’s finest gift: fresh figs.

fig guts

Impromptu dinner party? The combination of the turnover and the salad is ready in 45 minutes and is pretty enough to impress.

To my vegetarian peeps, just leave out the cold cuts in the turnover and the prosciutto in the salad, and voilà!

These measurements are enough for five light servings. Make double if you want to be sure; the leftovers will be just as good cold.

1 rectangle puff pastry dough (when in the States, I love TJ’s or Pepperidge Farm)
a spoonful of Dijon mustard
½ onion, chopped
1 large wedge brie, sliced
¼ pound (125 g) turkey breast (optional)
1 large pear, sliced thinly
dried cranberries or red currant jelly

for the wash: one egg, beaten and sesame seeds (optional)

Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C. Caramelize the onions by slowly frying them in ample olive oil or butter; it should take at least 10 minutes on low heat. Meanwhile, cover a baking sheet with tinfoil and spray with non-stick spray. Down the middle of the dough, spread the mustard, top with the turkey, pear, brie, cranberries and caramelized onions. Season with salt and pepper. Close up and seal the sides of the dough over the fillings. Transfer the turnover to the prepared baking sheet, sealed side down. Brush top with egg wash and top with sesame seeds if desired. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

While the turnover is in the oven, prepare the salad:

12 ripe fresh figs
1 box baby arugula leaves (or enough for 5 people)
½ wedge good goat cheese (such as Boucheron)
10 slices prosciutto or speck (optional)
good balsamic vinegar
olive oil

For the dressing, peel half the figs and mash them in a small bowl with balsamic vinegar, olive oil and salt, to taste.

In a large salad bowl, toss the arugula with the fig dressing, adding more balsamic and oil if it’s not enough to coat the leaves. Quarter the remaining figs and set aside.

When the turnover is cooked and has cooled for 10 minutes, cut it into 5 slices. Divide salad between each plate and top with a warm slice of the turnover. Top salads evenly with prosciutto, remaining figs and large chunks of goat cheese.

Fresh figs at Villa Ghigi, Bologna

Update: For more recipes, anecdotes and ideas for what to do with figs, click me.

4 Comments leave one →
  1. July 29, 2010 1:03 am

    This looks amazing!! Both recipes are beyond wonderful, but joined together they create a masterpiece. I am definitely making both as soon as possible. Figs are most certainly “summer’s finest gift.”

  2. YJZ permalink
    August 1, 2010 6:41 am

    you inspire me, I’m going to try this now! And do you think the brie turnover would work with apple instead of pear?

  1. In Praise of Figs « The Short Lists

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MUA 'Pretty Pastels' Palette Review and EOTD

Posted by on Friday, July 08, 2011

I was totally pscyhed when I saw these MUA palettes and was lucky to recieve two to review. The first one I'm going to show you is called 'Pretty Pastels'. I find it's a really sort of 'spring' feeling
palette for me - pretty much every spring time is all about pastel colours. I don't mind wearing pastels on the nails, but it's a bit of a new concept for my I don't really wear pastel shades as they usually just fade to white on me. I was hoping that these'd be different but...nope, sadly. Although I do quite like the light brown colour as a sort of brow highlight.

Wahey, it's like I'm staring at you a billion times. Feel free to be creeped out.

Unfortunately, doing this EOTD was a bit of a pain in the arse, in all honesty. I think the amount of kaolin clay used in them made them chalky and hard to work with, and even worse wet (in large quantitites. They were good using a small amount as eyeliner). I'd apply some of the pink shade, go back to do the blue and find a lot of the pink had run out. Reapply and it all fell out over the blue shade. This took way longer than it should have.

These all contain a little shimmer/micro glitter in them, which I found made them a bit tricky to remove as the glitter clung for dear life around my skin, even when swatching. Where I think I'll be using these is as liner for a pretty pastel (ignore the pun. I genuinely didn't plan it. Promise) pop of colour for looks and stuff. Wet a brush, dip into the colour and line away. Who knows, maybe next spring I'll be rocking these as liners...probably not as actual eyeshadows, however.

Anyone picked up this particular palette?

  1. You haven't sold them to me. They sound pretty rubbish. But you have to say it as you see it.

  2. I don't like this palette much, especially when I compare it to what I'm used to from their single shadows. I wouldn't buy it myself.

  3. Hmm they do look like very pretty colours and seem quite pigmented in the swatches you'v done but the chalkiness is pushing me away from trying it out myself.
    Thanks for the review =]

  4. I would love to get the glitter palette but this mua pro line is hard to get hold off.

  5. OMG WOW @ the EOTD O_O Your eye make-up is SO stunning!!

  6. Ugh, chalky eyeshadow is the worst. You did a great job with them though!

  7. I can't fault the colours, Sara, but the formulation was a no-no for me :(

    Are you in the UK, Beautyshades? If so, you can now order from Superdrug's website as a lot of instore stock seems to have sold out.

    Ahaha, thanks Anna :P Nowhere near as pretty as yours though!

    I know, ChaosButterfly :( The only thing that annoys me more than chalky eyeshadow is chalky, unpigmented matte eyeshadow. That makes me raaaage.

    Thanks for your comments!

Hi! I'd love to hear from you :)

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Living Legends


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this is a haul post

Posted by on Tuesday, August 30, 2011

I may or may not have gone a leeetle crazy once I got my GCSE money and erm, yeah. See for yourself. In my defense, I've been broke all summer!

These should have set me back £20, even with the promotion, but because I used a Superdrug voucher during the transaction, I only spent about £15 (WINNING).
On the release date of these, some bloggers had reported that the tubes felt crunchy when they felt them in the stores. I found that 'crunchy' sensation happened to almost every tube that I picked up. I suggest you go out and experience it yourself, because it's so odd - almost as if the tube was filled with little sugar crystals rather than highly pigmented lip related goodness. After comparing the feel of the testers to the actual product, I decided to bite the bullet and buy them anyway, correctly guessing that it was just the packaging - getting home and trying them out, they're as expected as soon as the packaging is removed. Yey.

A quick trip to Wilkos revealed a huge jar of petroleum jelly for just 50p (for making tinted lipbalms) three tubed lip balms in cute flavours, and then I went back to Superdrugs for the wax strips and asprin. I'm planning to do an asprin mask with the asprin, so that's why I included it. Lol.

Finally, I had no idea that MUA Cosmetics had new colours out? I picked up these gorgeous three on a whim. Two bright, almost-neon summery colour (a hot pink and a hot orangey-red) and then this gorgeous khaki shade for that painful transition to autumn. Well. It'd be painful if we'd actually had any sunshine this year...regardless, the dirty green shade is a really unusual addition to a budget cosmetics line. Hoping it performs...

  1. Great haul! I love the pout paint!

  2. i like everything :D i never heard of an aspirin mask, hope to see more about it on here please xx

  3. I want all pout paints. PLEASE. NOW.

  4. I didnt know that they had new shades of the polish either. Hope to see swatches :)

  5. Thanks Sadie! I need to review it, actually - mostly positive!

    Don't worry, Irishenchantment - I'll post about it, definitely!

    They /do/ ship internationally, Anna...but you and your crafty ways could EASILY get one of your UK minions to get it for you! x I wouldn't mind, hun x

    Nor did I, Enigma. Not very well publicised, in my opinion! Ah well. I learnt about them in the end, I guess.

Hi! I'd love to hear from you :)

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Living Legends


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Everything your RA needs you to know about living in the dorms

Please, for the love of Brutus, puke in the toilet

Everyone has an idea of what an RA is and what we do, but unless you are one you don't really “get" it. We live in a fishbowl where everything we say and do is being watched by everyone (especially by the university that employs us).

This can make us come across a bit cold or maybe even seem like the dreaded stiff. Really guys we just want to keep our jobs and our sweet, sweet, free housing. Here are the true feelings of your RA this year…probably.

We would do anything in our power to not have to write you up, so don't make us do it

It's awkward for you and it's awkward for us, especially if you're on our floor. Let's try not to break university policies too much this year, like ripping a door off the bathroom stall.

And no, we can't not write that one.

We want to help you with the little things just not at 2am

We'll probably need to talk about time management too because I am a grade A procrastinator and even I can get it together before 1.

For the love of god please puke in the toilet

Nothing beats pulling out the vomit powder for carpet incident #243.

Carpet incident #243 is a real incident where we found puke in the hallway that then continued all the way to the bathrooms. Instead of getting it all out in the toilet, said resident decided to puke all over the shower and shower floor. And yes, they left it for everyone to find the next morning.

If you tear down our wall decorations, we will never forget…never

I've only had small decorations taken and found them in resident's rooms, which is funny more than anything else. To be honest I might be flattered that you find it nice enough to make it wall art. For those aiming to destroy all the hard-work their RA put in at the beginning of the year I just have one question: why?

Please check Google first

Someone honestly asked me where The Shoe was and I thought I was going to pass out right there.

We want to be friends with you

But the kind of friends that will still hold you accountable when you royally mess up.

We are heartbroken whenever people don't attend our programs

Especially when there's a speaker. Faculty is crazy hard to get our hands on and if you don't show up then they won't come back. Plus it's super awkward.

We don't think we're the police and we don't want to be

I get questions a lot when people ask about Incident Reports that involve cops. We are not the police. We may have to call them but beyond reporting the incident we have no control over what happens to you.

We want you to succeed

I applied this for this job for a reason. Yes, it looks great on a résumé and yes the free housing is nice but my I work 24/7 and I live where I work. I wouldn't have signed on to do this if I didn't get something more rewarding out of it. For me it's about connecting with the people I have on my floor, sharing with them all the ups and downs college life can bring, and obtaining an enormous collection of weird stories to pass on.

No two people do the job the same way, but we all want you to make it great out here at THE Ohio State University. Next time your RA asks you to come to a program or to grab a coffee with them for a one-on-one, do us a favor and say yes!

Ohio State


text:
Monday, May 5, 2008

Monday: Cheese Enchiladas, Frijoles, Spanish Rice and Sweet Corn Cakes Tuesday: Chinese Chicken Salad and Fried Wontons Wednesday: Teryaki Tri-Tip, Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Asparagus Thursday: Chicken Dorito Casserole and Salad Friday: Grilled Spicey Brats in Buns, Potato Salad and Summer Corn

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Monday, April 12, 2010

And Another SAL

Yes, dear friend, you did read the title right, I have joined yet another SAL. This one is being hosted by my dear friend, Jenny over at The Stitchers Hideaway, and is a group stitch of the Quaker Hornbook by With My Needle, and you can read all about it on Jenny's blog.

I am going to use Threadworx floss, but I am undecided as to which color as they are all so yummy, and I have not chosen a fabric, but I will decide on something from my stash when it arrives.

I am also going to make for myself the Quaker Pin Cushion from Milady's Needle in the same fabric and floss to match.

I am so excited and cannot wait to start.

I will keep you updated.

  1. Looking forward to following your progress.

  2. Gulp. I've had the hornbook in my stash for about two years at least. I will enjoy watching your progress!

  3. Look forward to your progress, i'm sure whichever threadworx colour you choose it will be lovely! my personal favourite is 1089, but i love red :-)

    Happy stitching!

  4. I actually allowed myself a couple of hours to start on my hornbook already. :) Got the first alphabet row done and I'm loving it! Can't wait to see your progress. I just know they are all going to be awesome!

  5. Oh, those are darling! You make such lovely things. Can't wait to see your next project as you work it.

  6. I love these pincusions, they're adorable!! I want to make some LOL!

  7. Will enjoy watching the progress on your new SAL's. Lovely Spring pics too. :0)

I adore kind comments, and though I may not always reply please know that I read and enjoy them all!


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Motivation … some tools!

Motivating AssociatesMotivation is a theoretical construct used to explain behavior. It represents the reasons for people’s actions, desires, and needs. Motivation can also be defined as one’s direction to behavior or what causes a person to want to repeat a behavior and vice versa.

A motive is what prompts the person to act in a certain way or at least develop an inclination for specific behavior. For example, when someone eats food to satisfy the need of hunger, or when a student does his/her work in school because he/she wants a good grade. Both show a similar connection between what we do and why we do it. Motivation is a word that is part of the popular culture as few other psychological concepts are. Hunger is frequently the motive for seeking out and consuming food.

The control of motivation is only understood to a limited extent. There are many different approaches of motivation training, but many of these are considered pseudo-scientific by critics. To understand how to control motivation it is first necessary to understand why many people lack motivation.

Team Motivation
Teams and team members in any organization need something to keep them working. Often, the salary of the employee is enough to keep him or her working for an organization. An employee must be motivated to work for a company or organization. If no motivation is present in an employee, then that employee’s quality of work or all work in general will deteriorate. Personalities differ with regard to beliefs about the factors that control their behavior.

Some believe that opportunity to control their own behavior rests within themselves while others believe that external forces determine their behavior. General motivational strategies include the soft sell and the hard sell. Both strategies can be valid based on the intended audience. Specific motivational appeals must focus on provable facts, feelings, rewards or punishment.

Motivational Factors

There are some qualities of a job or team membership that motivate associates. A review of decades of research has shown that every job offers some of the listed motivation factors. Associates are motivated to the extent that their job contains the factors that they seek to keep them operating at the optimal performance level.

Listed below are many common motivational factors. These should be helpful in helping you to discover what motivates your team or its members:

Achievement – Meeting increasing work challenges
Center of attention – Working on high-profile assignments
Challenging work – Working on difficult or demanding tasks requiring substantial effort and commitment
Coaching others – Fostering other people’s job-related development
Commission – Working under a pay structure in which part of one’s income depends on measurable performance or commission sales
Compensation – Receiving a high salary or generous monetary compensation or stock options for work
Complexity – Performing complex tasks or working on complex projects
Continuous learning – Increasing knowledge and skill when circumstances call for additional learning
Details – Working on tasks requiring great attention to details
Entrepreneurialism – Developing business by seeking new opportunities, taking risks, and initiating new ventures
Formal recognition – Receiving formal recognition, inside and outside the organization, for accomplishments
High-involvement leader – Influencing others by creating a participative, empowered environment
High-involvement member – Working in a participative, empowered environment
High responsibility / accountability – Receiving primary responsibility and accountability for completing tasks that might place heavy demands on one’s time and involvement
Influencing others – Using appropriate interpersonal styles and methods to inspire and guide individuals; gaining acceptance of ideas or plans
International exposure – Working with situations involving different cultures or languages, and responding to the ambiguity of unexpected or unfamiliar approaches
Interpersonal support – Receiving regular and abundant emotional support, reassurances, and gestures of appreciation
Physical environment – Working in a physically comfortable and attractive environment
Position or status – Holding a position with a highly respected title or status relative to others in the organization
Practical results – Performing work that results in concrete outputs or outcomes
Promotion opportunities – Earning positions of greater responsibility and status
Recognition for expertise – Receiving reward or recognition for expertise in a technical or other specialized skill area
Relationship building – Developing and maintaining ongoing working relationships with others requiring interaction and mutual support
Standardized work – Performing clearly defined, stable work assignments with pre-established goals and procedures
Task variety – Working on several different tasks or projects
Travel – Regularly traveling away from the office to conduct business

It would be helpful to try to determine three factors that motivate you and each of your team members. Then you should try to determine how these motivational factors are being met now and how they could be met in a more effective manner.

Related Articles:   Your Leadership … + or – ?   and   Persuasion … the leader’s best tool!

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James E. McClain is the author of Successful Career Development: A Game Plan, the book upon which some of our training programs are based. He has over 30 years' experience as a corporate HR executive, small business owner with ongoing experience in career development and as a college instructor. His educational background includes a B.S. and Masters degrees Education and Certification in Financial Planning. Our promise is that "you can pay more for training but you can not buy better training." The mission is to deliver the most effective and cost effective training and development programs.

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apple rum-raisin spice cake

Isn’t this cake pretty?

Heck … I think it’s gorgeous.

It looks so simple and elegant … but it’s flavourful, moist and simply delicious.

It wasn’t always that way.

The first time I made it … I found it a little bit dry.  The taste deepened and the cake actually got better as it sat overnight, but it still wasn’t exactly what I had hoped.

That got me thinking … how can I tweak this recipe to make it moist straight out of the oven?

The second attempt included increased raisins (the original recipe called for ½ cup raisins).  It helped a bit.

The following week I decided to try it out in a larger rectangular pan rather than the original 9-inch round pan.  It was ok … but it certainly didn’t help with the dryness level.  I also decided to add my own baking powder and salt rather than using self-rising flour.  I liked the result in the texture of the cake more.

Since my goal was to add moistness to the cake … I thought why not add another apple?  Only rather than slicing it, I would dice it and incorporate it into the batter.  With that addition my problems were solved.

I got exactly what I was looking for in the recipe … an excellent cake that I will happily eat morning, noon and night (believe me, I had a lot of test cake to go through).

Now for the part of the blog post were I sell you on this recipe.

1.  It’s delicious

2.  It’s easy to make

3.  It looks gorgeous

4.  It would be a great thing to bring as a holiday hostess gift.  Especially since it gets better overnight.

5.  Did I mention that it’s gosh darn delicious and easy to make?  Plus it sure is pretty!

apple rum-raisin spice cake

1 c. butter, room temperature

1 c. brown sugar

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 ½ c. flour

1 tbsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

½ tsp ground nutmeg

½ tsp allspice

½ tsp cloves

1 c. rum-soaked raisins

1 apple, peeled, cored & diced

3 apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

2 tbsp brown sugar cinnamon sugar

Heat your oven to 350 F.  Grease a 9-inch round pan with non-stick spray.  Then line the base and sides with parchment paper (I know … it sounds like an unnecessary step – but it honestly does make a difference in your cake).  Spray the parchment paper with non-stick spray.  Set aside.

In the bowl of your stand-mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar, at medium-high speed, until light and fluffy – about 3 to 5 minutes.  Gradually add the beaten eggs to the mixture, lowering the speed of the mixer and then increasing it to fully incorporate the batter.  Remember to take the time to scrap the sides of the bowl with a spatula.  You want all of that butter, sugar, egg mixture well combined.

Bakers tip: to ensure that the rum-soaked raisins don’t sink to the bottom of your cake (and stay on the bottom of the pan), sprinkle them with about 2 tbsp of the flour (take it from the 1 ½ cup flour needed for this recipe) and coat them.  Sinking problem is resolved.

Meanwhile, in another bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.

Using a large spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the batter.  Add the diced apple and raisins.  Gently combine them into the batter.

Spoon half the batter into the prepared pan and level the surface.

Place half the apple slices over the batter, layering them.

Add the remainder of the batter on top of the apple slices.

Place the left over apple slices on top.  Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Bake for 60 to 75 minutes – it depends on your oven and the thickness of your cake.  Allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Remove the cake from the pan (having it lined with parchment paper makes a huge difference – nothing sticks and the cake is easily removed!) and allow it to cool completely on the wire rack.

Don’t put this cake in the fridge.  It’ll dry out.   Keep it in a Tupperware container; air tight, for up to 5 days.  This is the cake that keeps on giving!

neapolitan pound loaf … actually it’s a cake.

Another week … another

baking crew challenge.

The theme: loaves.

I tend to think of a loaf as a *somewhat* healthy baked treat … chalk full of mashed bananas, grated zucchini, or even pumpkin purée, with an above average sprinkling of chocolate chips … a little sweetness in the belly.

Oh how I heart a good slice of *fresh out of the oven*, warm, gooey banana/zucchini/pumpkin loaf.

That’s why I was so excited about this challenge. Not only would I bake one of my favourite things … but I would also get to try a new recipe.

A neapolitan pound cake recipe to be exact.

First off. I’m going to be honest. I decided to bake this because it looked good. And if something can look that good … it’s got to stand a chance of TASTING good right?

Well … it lived up to my pre-judgement.

This is no loaf. Nope. Don’t confuse this for a slightly savoury loaf: something warm and comforting to accompany your tea or coffee. It’s not the kind of thing you bake as your afternoon snack … or as a *quick,easy, and healthy* breakfast option.

This is a committment. You must commit yourself to this intensely decadent and absolutely delightful dessert.

It’s based on neapolitan ice cream right … so vanilla, chocolate and strawberry all swirled together to create a party in your mouth.

It’s true. All those flavours are good things.

I decided to change it up a little. Rather than stick to the traditional strawberry flavour, I opted for a strawberry-rhubarb flavour. I actually couldn’t decide on cherry or raspberry … but then I spotted the strawberry-rhubarb jam on the shelf, I couldn’t resist adding a splash of tart rhubarb to the mix. Could you?

I didn’t think so.

The richness in this cake comes from the 5 ounces of mascarpone cheese … added to another 2 ounces of cream cheese … plus 1 cup of butter … and 6 eggs.

Mother of pearl. You just know that this is going to be one rich and delicious slice of cake!

So while I was busy whipping mini loaf and bundt cake versions of this recipe … my friends were busy baking their own loaves. Tom & Aimée baked a beautiful cardamom loaf, Meredith brought a tangy lemon blueberry loaf, and Cory baked a family favourite, walnut sour cream loaf.

I’m going to say … each and every one of the loaves were delicious … but so completely different.

The cardamom loaf was beautiful … an exquisite crumb and shape … and then when you bit into it, the pungent flavour of the cardamom perefectly accompanied a cup of coffee. It was a spicy addition to the challenge.

The walnut sour cream loaf is one of Cory’s favourite family holiday treats. Who can fault a loaf that’s chalk full of walnuts and then topped with a brown sugar crumble? Although Cory’s recipe was a tad oily (even after Cory adjusted his mother’s original recipe – and he agreed with us) … I still gladly took a mini loaf home with me … and very happily devoured it.

We all know that I heart lemons … so it probably won’t come as a surprise that I’m going to annouce that Meredith’s lemon blueberry loaf was my favourite. I loved how light it was. I loved the fresh blueberries. I loved the tang of the lemons. It’s the perfect afternoon tea snack. You don’t actually need to drink tea … you can just grab a slice of this loaf and savour it … that’s what I did.

Compared to the cardamom loaf, walnut sour cream loaf, and lemon blueberry loaf, my neapolitan pound loaf really stuck out as a cake. It was denser and sweeter and richer and more of a dessert. I’m not saying it wasn’t good … but it certainly shouldn’t quality as a loaf. Needless to say … if you’re looking to make something that will wow your friends, family, neighbours, co-workers … maybe you want to give this recipe a try. It certainly put a smile on many a face and satisfied many a craving for a treat in the middle of the day.

neapolitan pound loaf cake

3 oz cream cheese, at room temperature

5 oz, mascarpone cheese, at room temperature

1 ½ c. unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 tsp vanilla extract

6 eggs

2 c. sugar

1 c. powdered sugar

3 c. cake flour

pinch of salt

6 tbsp strawberry-rhubarb jam

3 tbsp cocoa

1 tsp vanilla

1/8 tsp pink food colouring (I use Wilton’s colour gels … less is more – I went a little overboard!)

Number one rule … don’t preheat your oven.

Time to get started.

In a medium bowl sift together the granulated and powdered sugars. Set aside.

Cream together the mascapone, cream cheese and butter together in your stand-mixer: medium-high speed using your paddle attachment for about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat for a further 30 seconds.

This batter isn’t a simple “add dry ingredients to wet ingredients” batter … there are steps to follow. But they are TOTALLY worth it.

Ok .. here goes.

  • Add two of the eggs to the cheese / butter mixture.
  • Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
  • Add 1 cup of the sugar mixture.
  • Beat at medium speed until combined.
  • Add 1 cup flour plus the pinch of salt.
  • Beat until combined.
  • Repeat until all of the eggs, sugars, and flour are used.

Divide the batter equally between three bowls.

In one bowl combine the batter with the strawberry-rhubarb jam. Add the food colouring gel.

In another bowl combine the batter with the cocoa powder.

And the vanilla to the remaining batter. Stir to combine.

Time to bake.

You have some options here. You can bake a regular sized loaf… or a regular bundt cake. You can go the mini loaf / mini bundt option. I decided that since I wanted to bake these quickly, the mini loaf and mini bundt cakes were the way to go. Whichever option you pick, spray the pan with non-stick spray and set aside.

I scooped a spoonful of each flavour of batter into each mini loaf tin and bundt cake (I dozen of each). Then I took a toothpick and swirled the different flavours into one another.

Place the loaf / bundt cake tin in oven.

Turn oven on to 300F.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes for the mini loaves / mini bundts. Obviously longer for a regular sized loaf or bundt cake. The original recipe recommended 2 hours … I would probably check it out after 75 minutes.

Serve with a scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of hot fudge sauce.

Go big or go home right?

apologies & the muffin challenge

I’d first like to start off this post with an apology.

I’m sorry.  I feel like I’ve abandoned my blog … but I haven’t.  I PROMISE!

I’ve just been ridiculously … insanely … exhaustingly … busy.

In the last month and a half I have …

must love food

  • celebrated my grandfather’s 90th birthday (extra-amazing & super special).

snippets of the party

  • moved in with the manfriend (happy dance).
  • packed and unpacked boxes and boxes of books, kitchen equipment, clothing, shoes … books. More books. So many … hardcover books (aka über heavy to carry).
  • Oh! And I baked for these pretty awesome pop-ups in Magpie’s three Ottawa locations … you not only got to look at some stellar jewellery … and clothing (from Victoire) BUT you also got to nibble on some mini lemon and mini chocolate tarts.

Holy heck ya! But also super tiring … especially when you add my regular 40 hour a week job into the mix.

I’m pretty darn exhausted.

But that doesn’t mean that I haven’t been baking, taking pictures, editing them and then working on a post. It just means … it takes me a while to get it all done.

I think sharing my banana chocolate – peanut butter chip coffee cake muffin recipe might make it all ok though.

I mean … think about it. Bananas. Chocolate chips. Peanut butter chips. Tossed together and lovingly baked. A total winner … plus perhaps one of my favourite things.

banana chocolate - peanut butter chip coffee cake muffins

These muffins rock it something fierce.  I’m so glad that I decided to give this recipe a go for last month’s baking crew challenge.  When Tom & Aimée, Cory, Meredith and I decided to bake muffins for our March gathering … I think we all kinda thought “muffins!?  seriously.  how exciting” (insert sarcastic voice).

But I’m actually really glad that’s what we baked.

First off … I got to make something new … and something that I think will remain a staple in my baking roster … because frankly … these are divine.

Secondly … Meredith made these perfectly delightful rhubarb & ginger muffins (originally Jamie Oliver’s mother’s day muffin recipe).

She sourced out some fresh rhubarb and the result was a muffin packed full of rhubarb and a generous amount of ginger.  I loved it.  I actually meant to make a batch of these for my grandfather’s party … (I ran out of time!).  Huge winner.  It’d be great with some strawberry curd stuck in the centre … maybe I’m just getting a little too fancy though?

Tom & Aimée decided to make one of my personal favourite recipes (and it was actually from my blog!) – pumpkin chocolate chip loaf became muffins.

tom & aimee's pumpkin chocolate chip muffin

This is a classic recipe for a number of reasons:

1.  It’s good.  It packs a punch of pumpkin.  Which really means it tastes like the absolute best thing in the world.

2.  Because you add chocolate chips to the mix … it doesn’t taste too healthy.  Or boring.  Nope.  These muffins are good.

3.  Pumpkin chocolate chip loaf is still the most popular recipe on my blog.  There’s a reason for it.

4.  It was the first thing I baked for the manfriend and I after our move.  New kitchen = must test the oven = pumpking chocolate chip muffins.

All in all, this was a successful, and super tasty baking crew challenge.  Everyone gets into a muffin making rut, and by challenging ourselves, we were able to present some tried and true classic recipes … but also added a few new ones to the mix.

I’d like to think that my banana chocolate – peanut butter chip coffee cake muffins are one of those new classics.

I’m also tempted to change it up a little the next time I make them.  I was thinking of drizzling caramel sauce in the centres and then only using the coffee cake topping for the top of the muffin (rather than layering it in the centre as well).  Thoughts?  Am I going too far?

Oh … one important note to make … don’t eat too many of these all at once.  You’ll probably want to.  The first one will taste so good that you’ll think … what the heck! why not?  Well … it just might make you feel a little ill … they are jam-packed with bananas (I used 7 in the recipe) … they also have a handful of chocolate chips and peanut butter chips.  And cinnamon-brown sugar.  These are intense.

banana chocolate – peanut butter chip coffee cake muffins

3 c. flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 c. butter, room temp

2 c. sugar

2 eggs

2 1/2 c. mashed fully ripe bananas (6 or 7)

1 tsp vanilla

1 c. sour cream

coffee cake topping:

Heat your oven to 350 F.  Spray your muffin pans with non-stick spray.  I don’t use liners for muffins … I don’t know why … it’s just not something I do.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda together.  Set aside.

In the bowl of your stand-mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  About 5 minutes at medium speed.  Scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.  Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue to beat everything until incorporated.

Add the bananas and vanilla, mixing well.

Add the flour mixture and the sour cream to the batter: alternating between each addition, starting and ending with the flour.  Mix well.

Fill each muffin tin with a tablespoon of batter.  Sprinkle the top of each muffin with the coffee cake topping.  Cover with more batter.  Sprinkle with the rest of the coffee cake topping.

Bake for 22 minutes … or until the top of the muffins bounce back when gently touched / or your toothpick comes out clean.

Allow to sit in the pans on a wire rack for 5 minutes.  Then remove and allow them to cool completely.  Or seriously … just dig right it.  These are too good to wait.  PLUS this recipe is a winner because you get over 3 dozen regular sized muffins AND 1 dozen large muffins.  Think of the amount of mini muffins you could get?!

Oh … and on another note.  Although Cory didn’t participate in the baking crew muffin challenge … we did have another guest.

Tom & Aimée recently got FENTON the cutest little fella ever … and so after eating muffins, we all sat down and hung out with him.

Isn’t he adorable?


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Decadent Holiday Baking (SOLD OUT), Chef Lynne Frappier

  • December 6, 2014 @ 10:00 am - 3:00 pm

    ’Tis the season! Our ultra-popular holiday baking workshop is back – a full, up-to-your-elbows, roll-up-your-sleeves day of cookies, sweets and treats that will look gorgeous on your Christmas baking platters and, of course, delight the tastebuds of your family and friends. We’ll make a wide variety of sweets today and you’ll take home a dozen of each kind. Pop them in the freezer – if they make it that far – and consider your Christmas baking done. Or choose your favourites and do some replicating in your own kitchen. After all, you really can’t have too much of a good thing.

    Today we’ll make: crispy butterscotch caramels with Maldon salt; no-bake white and dark chocolate espresso fudge; chocolate cinnamon double deckers (a blondie base topped with cinnamon-toffee snickerdoodle); orange- cardamom shortbread topped with orange icing sugar and chocolate glaze; no-bake chocolate amaretti and dried cherry bark; gingerbread cookies with royal icing and sprinkles; raspberry-coconut macaroons dipped in chocolate; lemon-walnut bars; and gluten-free cocoa glitter cookies. Today’s class includes a light lunch with wine pairings.

    December 6, 2014
    10:00 am - 3:00 pm
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Blog Statement

Life is too short to eat bad food! Sharing great recipes, farm life, stories and photography from our Northern California dairy farm.

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August 19, 2011

BOTW: Chocolate-Cherry Snack Bars

Back-to-school is upon us.  My kids begin next week, so my hiatus from preparing boxed lunches is over.  I like to keep things tasty, healthy and new for their lunchbox so they don't become bored, so I'm constantly looking for new recipes.  This week's 'Best of the Web' is from Eating Well and had back to school written all over it.  My kids are gonna love it.

I love cherries and chocolate together but you can substitute any dried fruit with this recipe....apricot would be delicious also!

Chocolate-Cherry Snack Bars

2 1/2 cups unsweetened puffed wheat cereal
1/2 cup pecan halves, chopped medium-fine
1/3 cup salted roasted pepitas {hulled pumpkin seeds}
1/4 cup dried cherries or dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips or finely chopped bittersweet chocolate

1.Position a rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 300°F. Line an 8-inch-square pan with parchment paper, letting it overhang on two opposite sides.

2.Toss cereal, pecans, pepitas, cherries {or cranberries}, sesame seeds and ground flaxseeds in a large bowl.

3.Combine honey, vanilla and salt in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring, until the honey is more fluid and the salt is dissolved. Pour the honey mixture over the dry ingredients and fold until everything is moistened and sticky. Let cool for 5 minutes. Fold in chips {or chopped chocolate} until evenly distributed. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly with a fork. Using the back of the fork, press the mixture very firmly all over. {Alternatively, cover with parchment paper and press firmly all over}.

4.Bake until the top is golden brown, about 35 minutes. {If in doubt, take it out so the honey does not burn}. Run a knife along the unlined sides of the pan to detach the bars. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack to room temperature, about 1 hour. Use the ends of the parchment to lift the bars from the pan. Gently peel off the parchment. Use a heavy sharp knife to cut into 16 bars or squares.

Tips & Notes
Make Ahead Tip: Store airtight for up to 1 week.
Equipment: parchment paper

Photo and recipe credit goes to Eating Well.

I love to hear from you! Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to leave a comment. Have a fantastic day!

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Tag Archives: review

Long-wear Lip Color Test

Now that I’m engaged (EEK!!), I’ve started testing beauty products that I might want to wear for the big day! Recently, my goal was to find a longwear lip color that I could drink, sing, dance…and kiss…through! I started my … Continue reading

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Trip Report: Berlin Part 2

And now for the Berlin stuff we thought was nicht sehr gut…

Checkpoint Charlie

This is a Berlin visitor staple, I know.  BUT, if you’re visiting with tots, especially with a stroller, forget it.  The museum is quite small and cramped (though apparently very interesting).  Also, the famous sign is outside the museum, and you can see the escape car through a big window (albeit you cannot see the hidden compartment).

The price of admission is a bit on the expensive side if you’re going to be rushed around chasing kids.  Good to know: the museum does have a WC in the basement, and it’s free.

This is the famous side of the sign outside Checkpoint Charlie.

In true American commercialized fashion, you can pay to have your picture taken with these dressed up dudes and then super size yourself at the Golden Arches across the street.

Oranienstraße Walk

I’ve heard Berlin is full of colorful, vibrant, extreme people and cultures, so I wanted a glimpse.  Many books and websites mentioned that Oranienstraße was a great place for observing this phenomenon.  Well, apparently, all the interesting people were asleep at 11am on Saturday morning.  I think any ride on the U-bahn could give you a better picture than a stroll down this street.

Onkel Albert Kinder Cafe

I had read that Berlin is full of kid-friendly places, one of which is the kinder cafe.  The idea is simple – you hang out at the cafe while your kids play.  I only had the opportunity to hit up one while I was there.  My first impression of Onkel Alberg was that it was small and cramped and would only be good if the weather happened to be awful that day.  Since it was sunny and a park was located just around the corner, I decided to forgo the 1 euro/kid entrance fee.  I spent that money at Balzac Coffee (a German Starbucks rip-off) instead!

All the guidebooks proclaim the interesting wonders of the KaDaWe.  Well, it’s just an overpriced fancy schmancy department store to me.  Yes, it’s a gazillion stories.  Yes, the food floor is huge.  But it’s more of a gourmet eatery with shelves of products here and there than it is an uppity grocery store.  The American section was great for a laugh, but we held onto our euros (seven euro for a small bottle of Newman’s Own salad dressing?).  I didn’t visit the kids’ merchandise section, but that might be the only part of this store I’d breathe easy with two boys.

EACH CAN costs two euro. Whoa.

9 euro Pop Tarts anyone?

U-Bahn Accessibility

The U-Bahn is fast.  It’s convenient.  But, it’s a downright headache if you have to exit at a station that doesn’t have a lift / elevator.  Some have escalators (I have figured out how to take my Phil & Teds up and down – shhh I know it’s verboten), but others only have stairs.  When Doc Sci attended his conference, I found myself at the mercy of passersby.  Wheelchair users, beware.

Late for the train.

Train Ride

Whooooa Nelly, it’s a long way to Berlin.  Over six hours on a train with two boys under the age of 4.  Bring food.  And a DVD player.  And a bucket load of patience.  That’s my story.  The end.

I waited until the crazies reached their max in a little boy wrestling match…

… and then I whipped out the Rocky & Bullwinkle.

Screech was so tired from waking up at 5am and being a nutcase on the train that he spent his first hours in Berlin passed out in style.

Headed to Berlin?  Find more posts about this awesome German city here.Signature-Marigold

One thought on “Trip Report: Berlin Part 2

  1. Pingback: Berlin With Kids – Round 2 « Thrifty Travel Mama

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Forever Forgiveness

Scripture: Matthew 9

When Jesus encounters a paralyzed man, the expectation of healing was present. “Hey, watch this! He’s been healing people all over the joint and this guy can’t walk…miracle alert!” But Jesus pulls one out of the hat and offers forgiveness to the man. Forgiveness?

“Wait Jesus, you’re not doing it right.” Jesus just juked us. He’s waaaaay off topic here. The religiously righteous especially took umbrage. “Your sins are forgiven? Who does he think he is? God?”

I love a show, but Jesus’ “show” was not for the sake of getting TV ratings…it was to “show” who He was and is. “The Son of Man has come….to seek and save the ones who are lost.”

Healing? No big deal to Jesus. That’s a prayer and a snap. And eventually, even if He was to resurrect a guy or two (which He did), they’d end up dead in the end. Because our spiritual condition is terminal. But to forgive sins? Now we’re in the eternal implications. Which is greater, Jesus asks, to heal or forgive sins? To fix my physical ailments works for me, let’s reverse some aging and I can quit watching those infomercials of products that don’t work. But Jesus is looking to heal something greater-that wound of the soul for which there seems no cure. Even were I a perfect physical specimen of a human, when I’m alone and nobody else is watching, if I’m honest…it hurts. I’m wounded. I’m a cosmic screw up. And it’s self inflicted.

Jesus offers the greatest healing, the deepest freedom, the loosening of the greatest of fetters that bind me….forever forgiveness. My body will die and is dying…fact of life. But Jesus, triggered by a simple response of submission and faith in Him, reversed the course of my life-my eternal life- with a simple phrase that He backed up with His very own blood. Only One could do such a thing…”Your sins are forgiven.”

Who does this Jesus think He is? God? You’d BETTER believe it.