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Monday, July 15, 2013

Gulf Daily News Vacancies 15/7/2013

» EXPERIENCED TRAINERS required for newly opened gym for kids, must have relevant certificates. Send CV:

» REAL ESTATE Agent/ Manager. Email:

» PROFESSIONAL COOK, knowledge of Bahraini & Indian cuisine required, for family. Sponsorship & accommodation available. Good salary. Tel. 39190257

» PROPERTY NEGOTIATOR/ Partner required for real estate agency. Tel: 39262633

» CIVIL ENGINEER, required, degree holder with minimum 6 years experience in a building construction project. Send CV to Email:

» EXECUTIVE SECRETARIES required for air-conditioning & contracting company, with 3-5 years experience, good communication skills, fluent English, computer literate, self-correspondence able to handle office procedures independently. Email:, Fax: 17294524

» SALES REPRESENTATIVE required for Collection Company. Contact: 39786047

» FEMALE ACCOUNTANT and AutoCAD Draughtsman with Gulf Experience required. urgently. Good salary + sponsorship. Send CV to email: Tel. 36121616

» PART/ FULL-TIME Biology, Mathematics, Chemistry & Physics Teachers. Email: Tel. 17728000

» FINANCIAL CONTROLLER required. Full or part-time, qualified, from a recognized accounting body. Should have more than 5 years working experience in a similar position. Please send your CV to

» WANTED: KITCHEN Manager, Sales/ Marketing Officer, Chef & Cook. Call 35597076

» COMPANY WITH big fleet of cars in Bahrain currently looking for Service Manager/ Supervisor. Arabic/ English speaking with valid driving license, good knowledge diagnosing vehicles, able to adapt Company system. Transferable visa must. Send your CV to email:

» RECEPTIONIST/ ACCOUNTANT (female) required for a Sports Centre in Isa Town 3:30pm-11:30pm with two years’ experience. Email: Tel. 38889222

» LOOKING FOR Head Baker to supervise and manage bakery operations, must have formal education, strong knowledge of baking methods with 3 years experience in pastry bakery. Email:

» HOUSEMAID REQUIRED, full-time, live-in, for Keralite family, sponsorship available. Tel. 39570304

» FASTFOOD RESTAURANT requires Cook, knowledge of Filipino cuisine an advantage. Tel. 39787191

» URGENTLY REQUIRED Mechanical Engineer & Electrical Engineer with Bahrain EDD license. Email:

» SALES PERSON: experience in selling engine spare parts. Diploma in mechanical Engineering preferred. Good English and ready to join soon. Send CV with photo to email:; Fax: 17401333

» ALL-ROUND BEAUTICIAN with Bahrain/ GCC experience required. Good salary + sponsorship provided. Tel. 39290063, 39031736 (9.30am-11.30am & 3.00pm-5.30pm), , email:

» NEWLY OPENING Building Material Firm requires experienced candidates for the following positions: Manager, Outdoor Sales Executive with driving license, Counter Sales Staff, Accountant, Ceramic Cutter, Light vehicle Driver, Clerk, Purchaser and Paint Mixer. Send resume with expected salary to email:

» CANADIAN Manpower Company recruiting for Canada. Managers- hotel/ Construction, Engineers, Architects, Accountants, Cashiers, Doctors, Nurses, Cooks, Chefs, AC Technicians, Electricians, Plumbers, Security Guards, Drivers, Crane Operators, Waiters, Housekeeping. Free recruitment. Tel. 17740525, 33132169;

» PART-TIME ACCOUNTANT & Salesman with driving license required for Advertising Company. Tel. 33802255, Email:

» FIRST CLASS Restaurant requires experienced Manager, Waitresses, Cashier, Barista and a Motorbike Driver with valid driving license, with a minimum of two years experience in the same field, walk-in interview. Email: or call 39080808, 39448884

» ELECTRICAL TECHNICIANS familiar in building wiring required. Sponsorship and accommodation available. Email: or contact Mob. 39768534

» REQUIRED MASSAGE Therapist (male/ female), Beautician (male/ female), Executive Marketing Manager. Email:, Tel: 36535533

» HAIRDRESSER REQUIRED: know how to cut the hair, specialize in mixing and colour application, minimum 5 years experience to work in a Prestigious Salon & Assistant Hairdresser with 3 years experience in a salon. Interested applicants should send their CV to or you may contact 36007699 and 37742315

» EXPERIENCED STAFF urgently required for 4 Star Hotel & Mexican Restaurant in Oman. Send CV:

» REQUIRED: (1) Secretary with 5 years experience. (2) Restaurant Supervisor. (3) Waitress. Send CV to or call 172111499, 17211799

» IT COMPANY urgently requires ERP Implementer, IT Administrator, and VB Programmers. Sponsorship available & attractive salary. Email:

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Sound advice for conference speakers

If you’re going to speak at a conference, as I will at the Drupal Dev Days in Dublin, you must read Kate Matsudaira’s post “So you want to speak at a conference…“. It’s chock full of great advice on first getting a speaking slot at a conference and then making the best of this opportunity. I’ve got years of speaking experience and still learned (or remembered…) some important bits that will help me leave a good impression on my audience.

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Friday, January 27, 2012

"I Am Giving You Courageness In Your Heart"

the first of what I'm sure will be many medical teams
And he's off to Haiti again...  My husband Curt just texted me from a plane bound for Port au Prince, Haiti, via JFK airport in New York.  He's leading Solid Rock and Forward Edge's first medical team to Haiti.  It's so exciting.

When he came back from Haiti in June 2010, Curt told me, "I really wish I could use my medical skills to serve the people in Haiti.  A little over a year later, he's doing just that.  It's so cool how God breathed life into this vision.

On Tuesday night the team had their packing party.  When Curt dropped his 50-pound bag on the garage floor, I was surprised at the amount of emotion and memories it stirred in me.  When I went to Haiti, we stuffed those big red bags full of dresses and shoes for the Haitian women.  This time, they're filled with medical supplies.
look who's going back to Haiti!

Tonight we crammed around our kitchen table and ate dinner as a family - all seven of us.  After dinner, we dropped Katie off at a birthday party and headed to the airport.  We arrived way too early - but that's how Curt likes it - and the kids ran around while we waited for Curt's team to arrive.  One by one, they trickled through the airport doors armed with expectant smiles and lugging huge red duffle bags.  Alli and Paige made friends with all the girls.  Grant did man stuff, schlepped bags and bonded with a young guy on Curt's team.  When all twenty-five team members had arrived and checked in, we gathered in a huge circle, held hands and prayed.
quick family picture in the scenic garage before we left for the airport

Alli wept when she said goodbye to her Daddy.  He's off to change the world and she's gonna miss him.  We all will.  But we know God has called Curt to this mission.  We know He has great plans in store.  It's oh-so-exciting.
it was a tough goodbye this time

I asked the kids to write cards for Curt and then we made packets for him to open each day while he's away.  I read Alli's (7 1/2 years) note through tears - it's so precious.  She wrote:

"Dear Dad,

I have a prayer for you.  - Dear God - I hope your son Curt will have a good time in Haiti.  God, I know you can help Curt in Haiti because you have mighty hands.  God, I put your blessing on Curt in Haiti.  God, I give Curt braveness in Haiti.  I love you soooo much.  Amen.

Dad - I will miss you a lot.  You are a very loving, kind, funny man.  I love you sooooo much.  I am giving you courageness in your heart.  Always remember that God is with you and is on your side.  Love- Alli"
one last squeeze before we left

Jesus - will you bless this team and give them all "courageness in their hearts" to do the work You have prepared for them?  And bring them home safely we pray.  Amen.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Jeanne Modesda - Guest Post by Grant Stilp

one of my favorite picts of G and I
Our son Grant (10 years) is in 5th grade this year.  Each week he has a creative writing assignment called a PAW (it stands for something but I can't remember what).  He needs to have it drafted by Wednesday to present to his parents for editing purposes.  Once we edit the PAW, we sign off on the bottom and he has one day to make the revisions and present a final copy to his teacher.

Grant hates it when I edit his PAW because I "always tear it apart and make too many edits."  He's a gifted writer with a knack for procrastinating and throwing things together at the last minute.  I love writing, editing and seeing my kids give their best effort.  What else can I say?  Last night he snuck his PAW to Curt and said, "Whew.  I'm glad Mom's busy.  She rips my PAW apart every time but you never make any edits."  Curt replied, "That's cause she's a writer and I don't know how to spell."  But I digress...

Last week's PAW was to choose someone you viewed as heroic and write a letter to the Postmaster General making an argument for why that person should be featured on a postage stamp.  Grant's original effort was lack luster, but his second attempt was stellar.  He gave me permission to share it on the blog (as they get older you have to ask permission).
Grant with aforementioned rug burn

I would love to post a picture of him holding his report, but three things prevent that.

  1. There's no way he would pose for me holding a picture of his report.  He's much too cool for that.
  2. He has a huge rug burn on his chin from practicing The Worm (a breakdancing move) at church. (Don't ask.  I don't even understand).
  3. He refuses to stop picking at the rug burn so what could have been gone two weeks ago is becoming a permanent fixture on his adorable little face.  I've repeated more than once, "This is one of those cases where I will be REALLY mad if you continue to pick at that and end up with a huge scar on your chin for the rest of your life because you can't practice self control."

I do have to state the obvious here - I love my boy!  He's about the goofiest, most-fun, adorable, loving boy on the planet.  He brought this picture of Jeanne to school with him to show his class and was genuinely moved by her story.

Jeanne (middle) was in the small group that Beth and I led
Without further ado, here's Grant's post.  Nice work Sweet Boy!

Jeanne Modesda
 By Grant Stilp
5th Grade
Mabel Rush Elementary School

"Dear Postmaster General,

I believe that Jeanne Modesda should have her face on a postage stamp.  She has persevered through many things.  When the earthquake hit Haiti two years ago she lost her house - every last possession.  She said, "There was not even a cup left for us to take."  Her daughter died at the university.  Yet, Jeanne still goes into the mountains to schedule weddings for the women that live in the brush.

Jeanne was standing on the roof of the second story of her house.  She was planning the construction of the third story when the earth started to shake.  Then her house collapsed, with 13 of her 14 children in it.  There was nothing left!  She knew her kids couldn't have survived.  But then she heard her 21-year-old son speak, and within an hour all her kids were out!  Her house was gone, but all her kids were alive.

Next she rushed to the university to find her daughter, Aelbellona, who was a teacher there.  What she found was devastating.  Aelbellona had died in her classroom.  She dug Aelbellona out of the rubble.  It was a long walk back to Carrefour to bury her.

Even though Jeanne has nothing, she is still giving.  She goes with her daughters into the mountains to marry the women that live there.  She provides everything needed for a wedding because these women have nothing.  Jeanne spends her days rebuilding her house and collecting the dresses and rings for the weddings.

Jeanne Modesda should have her face on a postage stamp because she persevered through many things and yet she still gives."

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Little by Little

A rare snow storm before it switched to non-stop rain
December in Oregon was full of at least three weeks of beautiful winter-like weather.  Crisp, clear and cold days were filled with blue skies and bright sunshine.  January roared in with a vengance though, bringing with it all the rain we didn't get in December and some extra just for good measure.  My training runs the past two weeks have been mostly wet and rainy, but I don't mind running in the rain as long as my visor keeps it out of my eyes.

I want to encourage all my friends tackling fitness goals in the new year to keep pushing forward.  This is about the time the excitement wears off and it's oh-so-tempting to look for excuses not to exercise.  The gray and the rain alone can suck the life out us, but don't quit.  I know it's tough.  But you can do it.  Here are a few things I've found helpful while I train.

GO ON A TREASURE HUNT.  When possible, run outside.  Make your run a treasure hunt for beauty. You don't have to look far to find beauty in the ordinary.  I've already experienced several miserable training runs.  They felt never-ending and horrendously difficult.  I decided to switch into treasure hunt mode just to survive the run.  When I saw something beautiful, I stopped (it gave me time to catch my breath) and took a picture.  Something about stopping to refocus improved my mood and my stamina.

rain can even be beautiful

FIND A TRAINING SCHEDULE.  As of today, I have successfully completed three weeks and four days of marathon training, but who's counting?  I never knew I could follow the rules so well AND be consistent.  There is definitely validity in following a training schedule.  I'm glad to finally be practicing what I preach.
checking off those boxes...

FIND A RUNNING PARTNER.  I've loved having a running partner following the same training plan.  Knowing Carissa is crazy enough to make time to run each day or do speed drills is motivation for me to make sure I keep up with her stride for stride.  Since we live forty minutes away from each other, we started meeting in the middle to run together every Monday morning.  It's worth the effort and the drive time to start the week off with some encouragement, girlfriend time, and the extra push to tackle that dreaded Monday morning run.
after the Eugene half-marathon last year.

STICK TO THE SCHEDULE.  I've been running for five years, but I've never followed a training schedule.  I've been tempted to skip or modify the scheduled workouts that are unfamiliar, but I decided I'm going to try them all.  The speed work provides diversity and has even been fun.  I surprised myself on today's tempo run by logging two miles in a row with the exact same pace - something I don't think I've ever done before.   Following the plan has also made the long, weekend runs less daunting and more doable. So far I've felt equipped to tackle each long run, but I may change my tune after Carissa runs me through 14 miles of hilly Forest Park this weekend.

first time doing speed work on the track - so fun!
CHECK YOUR GEAR.  When I started this training plan, both my trail shoes and my street shoes still had some life in them.  But I've been running so much that now they're miled out.  I can feel the effects of shoes that are breaking down in my muscle soreness.  Good gear is crucial to not getting injured while you train.  A trip to the running store is on the agenda for me tomorrow.

LITTLE BY LITTLE - Carissa texted me this week and said, "Three weeks down.  Only 14 more to go."  Conquering three weeks of intense training felt great.  Seeing 14 more on the chart feels overwhelming.  I was tempted to be discouraged.  But I was reminded to tackle it little by little.  One box at a time on the chart.  One foot in front of the other.  Won't it feel great when that text reads, "14 weeks down.  Only three to go!"  Even better, when we have a finish time (hopefully Boston qualifying) after the marathon?

You can do it.  Put one foot in front of the other and watch yourself achieve that goal - little by little.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Hanukkah - Guest Post by Alli Stilp

putting the finishing touches on the poster
Alli's monthly project for December/January was to pick a holiday she doesn't celebrate, research it, and write a report.  She also has to give an oral presentation to her class on what she studied.  She chose to study Hanukkah and I was excited to study with her.

We checked out books from the library and read them together.  We exclaimed over the incredible historical story of how the holiday got it's start and laughed as we tried to pronounce long and unfamiliar Hebrew words.  I emailed my friend and former colleague who is Jewish and she gave us a wealth of information about Hanukkah, including adorable pictures of her children and family members lighting the Hannukiah and playing dreidel.  If only she lived closer I'd bribe her to make me some latkes and sufganiyots.

After Alli gathered her research, she wrote her report then dictated it to me for typing.  She also created a poster to use a visual aid when she gives her presentation to her class.  I hope you enjoying learning about Hanukkah (did you know there are three different, correct ways to spell it?) as much as we did.

Without further ado, here's Alli's report.

"History of Hanukkah

There once was a person named Antiochus the Fourth who ruled over Israel.  He made it a crime to practice Judaism.  Antiochus the Fourth grew angry because the Jews kept worshipping their god instead of Antiochus’s god. Antiochus sent out his army to destroy the Jewish temple. The Syrian Greek soldiers took over the Jewish temple. The soldiers knocked over the menorah and the temple light went out.

The Maccabees which were Mattathias and his son Judah and the little army that Judah owned fought back.  After seven long years of fighting, the Maccabees won.  But the point of why the Maccabees won was because the real God was on their side.

When the Jewish people got their temple back, they cleaned it up.  Judah got some olive oil to light the menorah.  They thought it was going to light for only one night, but God provided it to burn for eight nights.  It was a miracle that God provided the extra olive oil.

Celebrating Hanukkah

Hanukkah is a time when Jewish families get together and remember their past.  They also exchange gifts and eat food, like potato pancakes (latkes) and jelly-filled doughnuts (sufganiyots).  They eat this food because jelly-filled doughnuts and potato pancakes are fried in olive oil, just like Judah used olive oil to light the menorah.

Some of the gifts the children receive are pieces of chocolate wrapped in gold foil and other toys.  Families get together and play a game with a dreidel.  A dreidel has four Hebrew symbols on it.  It is a wooden top.  The symbols make a sentence that says, “A great miracle happened there.”

Hanukkah means “dedication” in Hebrew.  It is a once a year holiday.  It is also called the Festival of Lights.

The reason Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah is to remember the miracle which was the olive oil burned for eight nights instead of one.  The lights burn on a Menorah, which is a candle holder that has eight candle spots with an extra helper spot.  As they light the candles, they pray.

Families tell a story from long, long ago like about one thousand years ago.  All Jewish people have a hanukkiah that they light for eight days.  They light one candle for each night.  By the eighth night, all nine candles are lit.  They put the hanukkiah in the window sill so people can see and remember the miracle of the light."

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Warm Chocolatey Memories

Curt and BJ
This post is WAY over-due.  In early October, Curt's BFF (best friend forever) - BJ Burns - came to visit us.  It was his first trip to Oregon and we were all giddy with excitement that he was coming.  The only thing that would have made his visit more fun is if his wife and four awesome kids could have come too.

BJ used to be the high school youth pastor at the church we attended in Illinois.  Newly married to Pattie, we could tell even from a distance that the two of them were tons of fun.  We made a point to run into them in the church lobby, say hi, and try to act cool and fun even though we were sleep deprived and schlepping around multiple toddlers and babies.  Apparently our farce worked enough that Curt and BJ started talking a bit.

One winter night after mid-week small groups, we pulled into the driveway and Curt flipped out.  "My Bible!" he cried.  "I left it on the roof of the car."  He quickly retraced his steps while I put crabby babies to bed.  An hour later he came home dejected.  He found Bible "barf" along the side of road by the church - notes from me, sermon notes, and bookmarks - but no Bible.  With a huge snow storm moving in, he was terrified that his well-worn Bible of 15 years would be lost forever.

I took a turn searching - driving slowly down the country roads in the pitch black looking for a black Bible in the middle of the road.  I saw a police man killing time at the nature preserve so I flagged him down and said, "You don't look too busy.  Can I borrow your mega spotlight to search for my husband's Bible?"  He gave me a "you-want-me-to-do-what?" look, but agreed to one pass-through.  We came up empty-handed.

The next morning, with snow dumping inches and hope dead that we'd ever recover Curt's Bible, the doorbell rang.  I opened it to BJ, standing on my front step holding Curt's Bible.  I forgot that we barely knew him and practically tackled him.  The kids and I started jumping up and down, screaming and celebrating.  Poor BJ just stood in the doorway, mystified and slightly scared of us.  Once we stopped shouting, he told us that he was locking up the church the night before.  As he was driving away, he saw Curt's Bible in the parking lot.  Knowing that Curt doesn't go a day without reading it, he rescued it and hand-delivered it that morning.  And with that Bible rescue, Curt and BJ became BFF's.

fire, TV, playoff baseball, kids, friends
BJ and Pattie started having babies - one right after the other like we did.  We realized we lived within a few miles of each other and started having Friday night pizza dinners.  Pattie made the best pizza dough and we'd put the kids to bed early, eat pizza, and laugh.  Then laugh some more.  We joined the same small group at church.  Curt and BJ started meeting at the forest preserve half-way between their jobs to eat lunch together and throw the football around.  (We all made fun of them.)  During playoff baseball, BJ and Curt would drag the TV and antenna from the house into the backyard, build a bonfire, and watch baseball by the fire.  They both idolized the David Crowder Band and twice went to concerts even though neither could really afford the tickets or the midnight Taco Bell run on the way home.  Our kids thought we were their aunts and uncles.  We just did life together.  It was a really special friendship.

making memories running chains
In the winter of 2008, things changed.  BJ took a job in Appleton, Wisconsin.  With great sadness, we packed up our best friends and waved goodbye as they started a new life three hours away.  A few months later we packed up our stuff and with great sadness, waved goodbye to all our friends as we started a new life in Oregon 2,000 miles away.  The fact that BJ and Pattie were already in Appleton eased the pain of leaving Illinois.

In spite of the distance, BJ and Curt have remained BFF's.  They talk on the phone.  They text and email.  When Curt travels to the mid-west, they grab face time together.  When they're together, they act like junior high boys, laughing about potty humor and stalking their favorite band's every move.  They pray together for each other and for their marriages.  Their friendship is unique - one of those once-in-a-lifetime friendships.

Needless to say, it was a BIG deal when BJ came out to visit in early October.  The four days he was here were filled with laughter, laughter, immaturity, and more laughter.  All he wanted was to make it into a blog post and it's embarrassing that it's taken me so long to write this.  Please forgive me BJ?
"warm Chocolatey memories"

While BJ was here, our son Grant had an away football game in a stadium with real turf.  Curt volunteered to run the chains and managed to finagle a spot for BJ to run chains with him.  The two of them joked and screwed around on the football field the entire game, having way too much fun and making everyone smile.  At one point, they hollered up to me, "We're making memories."

Later that night the kids wanted hot chocolate.  We got down the basket of hot chocolate packs and almost fell over when we saw the slogan on the packet.  It said, "Making Warm Chocolatey Memories."  It became the theme for BJ's time at our house and a mantra that got repeated multiple times throughout each day.

We took BJ for a hike in the Columbia River Gorge.  The skies opened the second we stepped out of the car and it poured the entire five miles that we hiked.  It was an all day soaking rain with no sign of letting up and Curt was miserable.  He whined and complained (some of it serious - some of it to get us to laugh).   The few hikers we passed on the trail looked as miserable as we felt so we made it our standard operating procedure for me to say, "Great day for a hike, eh?"  When they wouldn't answer or laugh Curt would deadpan, "It looks like it's going to blow over."  No one thought it was funny except the three of us and we'd die laughing EVERY time.  It never got old.
this was our miserable face

We brought hot chocolate with us in a thermos and drank it in the pouring rain at the top of Larch Mountain.  Our fingers were so numb that we spilled it all over while we took pictures and noted aloud that we were "making warm chocolatey memories."

drinking hot chocolate in the rain
The boys ran the cable line down the side of the house, drug the TV outside, built a bonfire, and watched playoff baseball in the backyard.  They wrestled with the kids.  Watched football and threw the football around in the backyard.  We made Friday night pizza only my dough isn't as good as Pattie's.  It was just like old times.

ready for the big concert
Their favorite band was in town on their final tour.  Of course the boys had tickets to the 9 p.m. show.  They started getting ready right after breakfast, and then left at noon to head downtown.  As they drove, they asked themselves, "If I was David Crowder visiting Portland, where would I spend an afternoon before a concert?"  Curt's guess was (and I quote) - "He'll be at Powell's book store and he'll be in disguise with a hat on to cover his crazy hair."

BJ and his new BFF - David Crowder
They went to Powell's first, walked in the front door, and ran right into David Crowder wearing a hat to disguise his crazy hair.  While BJ got his picture with Crowder, Curt texted me blow-by-blow details.  I texted back, "Don't embarrass yourselves."  They were more excited than 11-year-old girls running into Justin Beiber.
concert vantage point

Curt and BJ stood in line for hours to get front-row "seats" (only it was a standing-room only venue) and BJ texted me pictures of the concert from their up-close vantage point.  They stayed out late and stopped at Taco Bell on the way home.

Across the board, BJ's visit was memory making (warm chocolatey ones) and oh-so-fun.  I only wish I'd written about it sooner.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

What I'm Learning About Forgiveness

Much of my Bible reading today was about forgiveness.  Jesus spends the last part of Matthew chapter 18 teaching on forgiveness.  He tells a story of a man (lets call him Fred) who owed billions to a king.  His debt was so great that in a lifetime, he could never pay back what he owed.  The king calls Fred in and asks him to pay up.  Of course Fred can't pay so he falls on his knees and begs for mercy.  Miraculously, the king has a change of heart and decides to not kill Fred but to instead forgive his entire debt.  Fred leaves the palace completely forgiven and debt free!

You'd think Fred would go home and write the king a thank you note.  Maybe even send him a Starbucks gift card or a box of chocolates.  But no.  On his way home, Fred runs into a buddy (lets call him Tom) who owes him a pittance - maybe ten bucks.  He asks Tom for the money, but Tom doesn't have his wallet.  He tells Fred, "Sorry man.  I don't have it today, but I'll catch you the next time I see you."  In that moment, Fred does the unthinkable.  He grabs Tom, starts choking him, and demands payment on the spot.  Tom falls to his knees and begs for mercy, but heartless Fred refuses and instead has Tom thrown into prison until he can pay the debt.

Word gets back to the king who is livid.  He brings Fred back to the palace, rakes him over the coals verbally, and in his anger throws into prison to be tortured until he can pay back the debt (which is never).  Jesus concludes the story by saying, "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."

It's easy to read this story and think, "What an idiot.  Who behaves like that?"  But it doesn't take much reflection to realize that we all behave like this. The parallel Jesus makes to real life is the debt we owe for our sin.  There is no way to ever repay the billions of ways we sin against a holy and just God. Without Jesus, we are destined for death.  But Jesus takes on human flesh and willingly dies in our place - paying our debt with his blood.  If we choose to receive the salvation Jesus offers, we walk out of God's court room completely forgiven and debt free.

You'd think we'd go home, write Jesus a thank you note and spend the rest of our lives serving Him.  But in our humanness, we so quickly forget.  We run into our nemesis on our way home to write that thank-you.  We forget all we've been redeemed from and instead, remember only what they owe us.  An apology.  Money.  Another chance.  The pain blurs our ability to think clearly and we find ourselves refusing to extend forgiveness.  Forgiveness is a choice.  We either choose to forgive.  Or we refuse.  There is no "I'm going to think about it."  We forgive.  Or we don't.

Forgiveness is also a command.  Jesus makes it clear as he concludes his story that if we want to call ourselves Followers of Jesus, forgiving others is part of the game plan.  Jesus empowers you to forgive the person who is supposed to love you unconditionally, but all they give is pain.  Jesus empowers you to forgive the person who cheated you.  To forgive the person who owes you money.  To forgive the person who betrayed you.  To forgive the person who abandoned you.  Choosing to forgive is one of those "deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow" moments.  Obeying is painful, but it's part of following Jesus.

My assigned reading in Genesis continued the theme of forgiveness.  It just happened to be the end of the story of Jacob and Esau, two brothers who spent their entire lives fighting and deceiving one another.  Their rivalry and bitterness got so bad that Jacob ended up running for his life.  Years later (and where I picked up the story today), the two brothers cross paths.  Jacob is terrified for his life so he sends his servants ahead of him with loads of gifts to pacify Esau.  With his family divided into groups, Jacob fearfully and timidly approaches Esau.  But Esau "ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him.  And they wept."  What a beautiful story.

Esau chose to forgive Jacob and his warm reception thawed Jacob's fearful heart.  The brothers shared an intimate afternoon reconnecting, but then they went their separate ways.  They opted not to travel together or live by each other.  The pain from years of dysfunction was too great to allow for frequent interaction.  Sometimes forgiving requires distance.  Jacob and Esau chose boundaries and put physical distance between them to enable their relationship to function well.  They were smart about the way they reconstructed their relationship and they didn't allow a history of pain to be an excuse not to extend forgiveness.

I'm going to bed mulling this over and asking God to examine my heart. I want to proudly bear the name "Follower of Jesus" even if it means taking the hard road.  What about you?  Is there anyone you need to forgive?

Friday, January 13, 2012

Treasures From the Word Stilp-Kid Style

It's been so fun for our family to be reading through the Bible together.  We get bragging rights for being the first ones done reading that day, hold each other accountable, and talk about what we're learning.  Here are some of my favorites so far.
Katie Joy

Katie (9 years old) is tackling the entire Bible this year.  She's reading five chapters a day on top of going to school, doing homework, and playing.  It's a big time commitment.  She has been frustrated a few times already about the necessity of fulfilling the reading assignment each day so it doesn't pile up and become a hopeless task.  (This is actually something we're all struggling with - it's hard to find a new rhythm.)

Last Friday we had a pizza and movie night.  All the kids invited a friend and it was a full-on party at the Stilp house.  Shortly after we started the movie, Katie singled Curt out to talk to him.  "Dad I feel torn.  I want to watch the movie but I haven't read my Bible yet.  I really don't want to have to read ten chapters tomorrow and I know if I watch the movie, it will be time for bed when it's done.  I don't want to be rude to my friend, but can I go read my Bible instead?"  Seriously?  We were blown away.

She came back downstairs 30 minutes later with a huge smile on her face to tell me about her "good choice."  Putting God first filled her with obvious joy, left her feeling capable of tackling the challenge the following day, and enabled her to enjoy the rest of the movie night with her friend.  Way to go Katie!  She's also been highlighting verses she likes and sharing them with me.  I'm always surprised at how much the kids actually grasp from what they're reading.
 Grant Andrew

Grant (10 1/2 years) is tackling the Bible for a second go-round this year.  Last year he jumped around a bit and the lack of structure wasn't very fulfilling.  Always the logical one, Grant looked at me last year and said, "Mom.  I just don't get it.  I already read the entire Bible.  Every word.  Why do I have to read it again?"  It prompted good discussion about how the Word of God is living and active and never returns void.  He could read it a million times and learn something new every time.  Now that Grant is starting to understand this concept, he's committed to the Bible reading plan for this year.  He's been getting up 30 minutes early every school day to read, but hasn't had a lot to say yet about what he's learning.  I know he looks forward to the battle scenes and all the detailed architectural plans.
Paige Elizabeth

Paige (5 years) is begging off this year since she only learned to read a few months ago.  At the rate her reading is progressing, she'll be joining us next year in the New Testament though.  She brings her Bible to church every week though and tries to follow along.  She loves memorizing the Bible verses and is starting read her picture Bible more and more.  It's pretty cute how even as a five-year-old, she still follows Jesus.

Alli (7 1/2 years) is reading the New Testament.  She refused to start reading until she had a paper chart to cross off the chapters on each day.  The only problem with this idea was that she didn't get a chart until January 7th, meaning she started the year with a seven chapter deficit.  She sat down on Sunday afternoon with her Bible and an audience of baby dolls and read out-loud the first seven chapters of Matthew using drama and character voices.  It was the full shabang and it was really cute.
Alli Claire

The next day, Sarah overhead Alli and Grant talking.  He was about to ask me what was for dinner.  Alli, armed with her new knowledge of the sermon on the mount - particularly the part where Jesus reminds his followers to not worry about what to eat or wear - confidently instructed Grant.  "We are not supposed to worry about what to eat or drink, so don't ask mom what we're having for dinner."

How about you?  What is God teaching you through His Word?  Happy reading.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Psalm 10:14

My friend and former across-the-street-neighbor, Pete, lost his battle with cancer yesterday.  He left behind a wife, two sons in late elementary school/early junior high, and nephews and nieces that he played a big part in raising.  His absence leaves a huge hole.

Shortly after I found out about Pete I sat down to read my Bible.  Numb emotionally, I pushed through the assigned reading even though I was comprehending little.  When I got to Psalm 10 I started paying attention.

David was clearly in a bad mood when he wrote it.  My heart resonated with him as he complained about how tough his life was and how it always seems like the good guys lose and the bad guys win.  It's how I felt about losing Pete and Krista within two months of each other.  NOT FAIR.  It would be easy to make the assumption that God doesn't care.

But verse 14 says, "But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand.  The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless."  And with that promise, my mood lightened if only a little bit.  I can't think of a better helper for Mason and Kyle, now fatherless, than God Himself.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Is Fear Stealing From You?

I had to weight my gloves down to keep them from
blowing off the track...
Today's required marathon training said "4 x 800."  I added "whatever that means" to my calendar when I entered it in.  A little research revealed I was supposed to find a track and run four 800's, alternating a lap of walking to cool down in between.  I'm supposed to run each 800 in 3 minutes and 30 seconds if I want a chance at achieving my marathon time goal.

The idea of trying something new both fascinated and terrified me.  Can I really just walk onto the high school track and start running?  What if the school administration kicks me off?  What if my kids see me out their school window (it borders the track) and get embarrassed?  What if some of the parents see me huffing and puffing and I get embarrassed?  What if I'm really slow?  What if, what if, what if...

Before I took my first sip of coffee I'd talked myself out of trying.  I texted Carissa, "Thinking about subbing out speed work for the bike at the gym.  Do you really just go to a school track and start running?  Don't they kick you off?"  Smart girl that she is, she called me back and gave me a pep talk.  She offered the option of doing the speed work on the treadmill  - an option she KNEW I wouldn't take since I abhor the treadmill - and then told me she really wanted me to at least try it to see how it felt.

After we talked I decided I would indeed try this thing called speed work.  I want to cross off all those little boxes on the marathon training chart and I don't want to cheat.  Every mile counts, right?

This morning was uncharacteristically cold and sunny.  Vibrant blue skies, bright sunshine, and blow-you-over wind gusts greeted me as I got out of my van.  I had full on butterflies-in-my-stomach as I tried to saunter onto the track and act like I knew what I was doing.  Timidly, I ran a 1/2 mile warm up then set myself up at an imaginary starting line.

Memories of competing on the 7th grade track team washed over me.  I could almost hear my Dad yelling, "Run Tweedle Dee.  They're closing on you!" Just like that, I was reminded all over again of why I love running.  The cold air turning your nose and cheeks red.  The wind blowing you sideways (okay - that part I didn't like but it sounds good).  The mental and physical challenge to beat yourself at your own game.  The adrenaline that surges as you wait for the gun to go off.  The explosive push for the finish that defies explanation but just happens.  I could live off that rush all day.  It was awesome!

This morning I almost let fear of the unknown rob me of a special treat.  What a waste that would have been.  Is fear stealing something special from you?  Why not get out there and try something new today.  You can do it.  Happy adventuring!

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Headed for the Eugene Marathon

I just signed up to run the Eugene marathon on April 29th.  I've only run two marathons and both times, after I finished, I swore I would never run another one again.  A marathon is too far.  Too draining.  Too challenging.

Last summer my running partner-in-crime, Carissa, asked me if I wanted to train with her to run the Portland marathon in the fall.  My quick response was, "No way."  On race day I showed up at the 20 mile marker and screamed my head off as Carissa ran past.
waiting at the 20 mile marker for Carissa to appear

I screamed my head off again at mile 26.1.  By that point, she looked totally and completely miserable but she was on pace to reach her goal of qualifying to run the Boston marathon.  I could hardly stand the suspense and the excitement.  As she ran past on sheer determination alone, I found myself thinking, "Why am I standing on the sidelines?  I want to be running this with her."
Carissa and I after the finish

I gave Carissa a few weeks to recover from her epically fast race and then I broached the subject of running the Eugene marathon together.  We schemed up some grand plans and then left to ask our husbands to endorse them since they both know how to ground us in reality.  Curt and I ran through the list of spring events and what my training schedule would look like, and then he wholeheartedly gave me his blessing.  Tass and Carissa did the same and we high-fived each other when we knew it was definite yes.

Carissa followed a horrid training program for Portland.  She was so successful following this plan that she is strongly recommending we follow this program together.  It requires running six days a week with the mileage building each week.  The runs are broken down into speed work, hill work, tempo runs, long runs, and pace runs.  It also has three training weeks where 50 miles of running is required!  If I actually stick to this program, I'll be in the best shape of my life by the time all is said and done.

I have never followed a training program for a race.  The closest I've come is researching the suggested distances for the long runs on the weekends, putting those on the calendar as a non-negotiable and making sure I run two more times at some point during the week.  I kind of like being a running rebel.

Keeping track of pace, running hills, doing speed work, and "tempo runs" give me a headache.  It took me an hour just to enter the schedule into my calendar. I wrote on many occasions "whatever that means" as I copied in the training program, but Carissa assures me that if I just read the directions, I'll understand what to do.

Call me crazy but I am stoked to train for this race.  I figure if Carissa can run six days a week, so can I.  And maybe if I match her stride for stride in training, I'll actually be able to keep up with her on race day.  Maybe that's why I'm saying it out loud - so you guys can hold me accountable to not quit in two weeks when I'm sick of running so much.

sun breaking through the morning fog

My first long run was today.  I couldn't help but think as I begrudgingly shoved off to run for an hour and a half, "It's only going to get worse."  Surprisingly I felt completely equipped for the required mileage.  There just might be value in following the coach's instructions...

country road on my run today

Newberg is so beautiful, especially as seen from the side of the road on a run.  I got a new phone for Christmas and have thoroughly enjoyed taking pictures of the beauty that God sends my way when I run.  I decided to post these photos on my blog so you can see a huge part of the reason why I run.  It will be like bringing you with me on a run.  I know I'll need the company.

Friday, January 6, 2012

A Big Day

Paige on Christmas morning
My daughter Paige has long, golden-blonde hair.  Shiny, thick, fast-growing, and tangle resistant, she gets frequent compliments on how beautiful it is.  A few months ago when my friend paid Paige a compliment about her hair, she flipped it over her shoulder and confidently declared, "I know.  Dunna never tut it."  Her hair has become one of the things that defines who Paige is.  I truly thought she'd be one of those little girls who just always had long hair.

Krista and her family
But something changed when my friend Krista lost her battle with cancer two months ago.  Our entire family was impacted by her death.  Concern for Krista's little girls and her husband has laced bedtime prayers.  Multiple questions about cancer, treatment, and death have been addressed.  Somewhere in the middle of all this, I mentioned Locks of Love to Paige. A non--profit organization, Locks of Love makes wigs for children suffering from cancer and other diseases that cause hair loss.  Donations start at a minimum of ten inches of hair.

Paige's hair was flirting with the waist of her jeans, but she's only five years old.  Ten inches on a five-year-old body is pretty much her entire back.  To cut it would be a huge sacrifice.  Her initial response was no way.  I think she even repeated, "Dunna never tut it."
that's some long hair

But over time Paige's heart changed.  What better way to share than to give your most valued possession?  Paige told me a few weeks ago that she wanted to cut her hair - at least ten inches - and give it to Locks of Love.  "I know it will make some little girl really happy," she said.

I made the appointment two weeks ago.  It gave me time to silently grieve the loss of her beautiful hair and Paige time to make sure she really wanted to go through with it.  Yesterday she told several people, "Today is my last day with long hair.  I'm donating it tomorrow to give to a child with cancer who needs a wig."  This morning at breakfast she said, "I have three big things today: library, donating my hair, and a play date with Paige O."  Her enthusiasm enabled me to join in her excitement.

Paige got off the kindergarten bus and we headed out to see Miss Gabby at Down to Details.  She pranced into the salon so excited that she could barely stand still.  I took a video of her before she got it cut.  Her voice is barely audible, but she makes it known just exactly why she's cutting her hair.  Gabby measured out Paige's hair and put a ponytail holder at the ten inch mark.  I took a video as Gabby chopped and chopped and chopped with her sharp scissors to get through the mass of thick hair.  I thought I might cry when Paigey turned around, short hair all choppy, and held up the ponytail of what used to be her long hair with a huge smile on her face.
What a sweet girl

Gabby shaped what was left of Paigey's hair into the most adorable A-line bob.  We left the salon and walked down the street to the post office where Paige helped me carefully package up her hair and ship it off to Locks of Love.  The library was on the next block so we walked there and Paige picked out five books.  We ended our afternoon of fun at Jem 100 - a 1960's ice cream shop.  Paige chose a cotton candy ice cream cone to celebrate her generosity.
finished product - pretty cute!

We sat in the red plastic booths and chatted.  Paige did another video interview for me (this one you can hear her a little better) and flipped her new hair around proudly.  She beamed at me across the table and said, "This has been a big day for me.  I shared my hair, I got to go to the library, and I got ice cream as a special treat!"
so proud of you Paigey!

I couldn't help but agree.  It was a big day.  I'm so proud of you Paigey!

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Thoughts on Proverbs 2 - Guest Post by Curt Stilp

celebrating fourteen years of marriage

My very studly, funny and Godly husband, Curt, is the guest author for today's post.  We decided to read the Bible through again this year using Solid Rock's Bible reading plan.  This plan is set up to read two chapters from the Old Testament, one chapter from the New Testament, a Psalm and a Proverb each day.  By the end of the year, we'll have read the book of Proverbs 12 times, but it's so rich - it never gets old.  Wanna join us?

Grant (10 years) and Katie (9 years) are joining us on the journey.  Alli (7 years) is tackling the New Testament.  It's so fun to read as a family because we can hold each other accountable.  An added benefit is the table talk reading together produces.  Since we're all reading the same stuff, we dialog about what God is teaching us.  Today's post came from Curt's quiet time this morning.  It totally blessed me.  I know it will bless you too.  Happy reading!

Thoughts on Proverbs 2 From Curt Stilp

Honestly, I think Proverbs chapter 2 is my favorite chapter in all the Bible.  Serious statement, I know but I just love how it clearly lays out the results of not striving after God and the benefits of a life that searches, looks for and seeks out the God who made us.  Below is a little break-down of what this chapter says:

Results of not striving after God: (notice this does not say the results of those who don’t know God or haven’t professed faith in him, it just means that your walk is in-active.  Look at the action words in v2-4)
·         Lack of understanding and knowledge of who God is and what He is up to in your life
·         Lack of wisdom in making decisions
·         Lack of protection and guidance
·         Confusion
·         Perverse ways, crooked paths, dark ways, evil and devious ways
·         Easily falling into traps and giving into temptation
·         Breaking of your covenants (your word means nothing)
·         Death
·         Cut off from God’s blessing, gift, provision and promise (The land represents God’s promise to Israel, his gift, provision and blessing to them)

Benefits or by-products of following God whole-heartedly, looking, searching and seeking him out: (this requires daily action)
·         Understanding and knowledge of who God is, knowing his heart for you and your life
·         Wisdom, success, protection and safety
·         Guidance away from decisions that will harm you
·         Understanding of the right path to take
·         Protection from friendships with people who will lead you in the wrong direction (so important for our kids)
·         Protection from an immoral life that leads to death
·         The continual gift of God’s promise, provision and blessing in your life (remain in the land)

I just love that chapter.  It is so clear that we have a daily choice to be active in our faith or apathetic.


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Words, Weights, Whatever

Saturday, September 13, 2003

Picked up my car yesterday. Ack! Error light still on and--worse--no A/C! I was steaming all night.
Well, brought my car in bright and early in the morn. They apologized and repaired it. Yeah! And free, of course. They're nice guys.

Saw our new financial planner. Spouse is happy the way we're progressing. Lunch down at the Spectrum. Can you believe it? We actually got seated without waiting at the Cheesecake Factory down there. Yeah!

Found another rpg supplement in Barnes and Nobels. Yikes! I haven't had a chance to read over 90% of my stuff.

Didn't write yesterday. So upset over my car. Stupid me. But we had a great dinner.

Chat over at Forward Motion seems to be having probs. Will check later over the weekend.

This is interesting: FAQ on Fanfic. I'm not currently interested in writing in other people's universes. Wonder if people will be interested in writing in mine in the future....

Friday, September 12, 2003

Re: William Gibson and giving up blogging:

Interesting but a little odd to me. While I like to blog, it's definitely not writing (as in stories). He really must have wanted to get away/avoid writing a novel for a while.

Now, if we're talking about scheduling....

Thursday, September 11, 2003

While there's a lot to mention about work today, fitness, etc., I'm going to focus more of this...restless...I'm feeling at the moment.

For the past couple of week's I've been out of sorts. VERY unfocused. I only recently realized part of what it was: my energy levels are increasing. Sources: stabilized sleep schedule, exercise, change in diet, steady job, more coffee (from work....)

But I generate a lot of energy. Always have. And I haven't been focusing lately especially where I want to focus it. Writing. Working out (specifically, a better body). And housework.

The writing helped. Focusing. Well, I'm heading out to write. Later!

Wednesday, September 10, 2003

Well, didn't do any weight-training at lunch. Instead, went home and fell asleep. And it's not work-related: by the time I'm at work at 0800, I've been awake for nearly two hours. At least I worked out (cardio) even though I had not planned to. Today was writing day. Skipped it. Grrr.

No weight-training. Instead, I ate lunch outside. And a major fat and carb-filled meal after 2200 yesterday. Not even the cardio session at 1900 lost enough fat to balance out those meals. Sigh. Gotta start watching (again!) what I eat.

My friend Greg asked me how my writing was going. I gave the standard excuse and we both knew it. Grrr. That's enough. Reviewing all my projects by week's end.

Very busy this morn. Finally slowed down in the afternoon. Switched over to more tech-writing projects afterwards.

On-call. Didn't get to mother's place until after 0130 (Wed) in the morning. Yikes! Later had to go in at 0400 Wed morning. Obviously very exhausted.

Visited Greg and Clark at The Center Orange County. Greg's okay: the lump's benign. We chatted a lot about books and if we won Wednesday's lotto. Also called back John and Jim. Talked about their lives and children.

Tuesday, September 09, 2003

I am a planner. Love to schedule things. Accomplishing the items is a different story but I'm working on that.

I've been scheduling--in various mediums--my plans for September. But I have not yet posted them on the web. Since I look at my blogger daily, it would be smart to have it up. Such a schedule will remind me what I originally planned and be a constant reminder of what I had planned.

Starting today:
Tuesday, 090903

work 0800-1700 (which will be changing next week)
fitness 1330-1430 (legs)
write 1800-1930 (or 1930-2100)
visit friends 2100-2200
take out trash 2200

Wednesday, 091003

work 0800-1700
lunch out 1330-1430
fitness 1745-1845 (weights/cardio - interval step)
buy new shoes 1915-2015
check PO Box 2015
foodshop 2030-2115
housework 2130-2300

Thursday, 091103

work 0800-1700
fitness 1330-1430 (back)
write 1800-1930
housework 2000-2130

Friday, 091203

buy donuts 0730
work 0800-1700
fitness 1330-1430 (chest)
pick up comics 1730
pay bills 1900
write 2000-2359

Just checked out Holly Lisle's blogger (see Real Writer's...Bounce). She's very enthused about this s/w:

Looks intriguing. I may download it and give it a shot. At $69 for the full version, it's relatively cheap.

Personal & Writer:
Can it be? Can this restless feeling I've been experiencing for the past week be caused by lack of writing? Yeah!

How did I come to the above conclusion? Yesterday, as work winded down, I felt that restlessness again. I started to write using pencil and paper. The feeling began to disipate(sp?) I remember--after finishing--the same feeling after banging away on my laptop over the weekend.

Can it really be?

Spouse is on-call tonight :(

Disconcerting when you hear one of your friend's children threated their step-parent. Ugh.

Crashed asleep yesterday after I arrived home. Worked out afterwards (cardio only). Tough class. That, or I'm not really ready to work out after naps.

Monday, September 08, 2003

Personal & Spouse:
Lunch at Wolfgang Puck's. It's been a while. Major haul for me at the Wizard of the Coast. 70% off. Yeah!

Visited Bookman Too. Meet Sean, then Greg. Checked out DVD Planet. There are so much new stuff out that spouse went on an ordering spree when we got home. Stopped by Starbuck's before, though. School's back.

Added Comments to my blogger. Coolness! Now gotta add a counter....

Dinner at Marie Callendar. They revamped the place.

New ideas for sf. Hehehehe....

Personal & Spouse:
Hmmm. We drove down to meet our new financial planners and discovered they were not there. I left messages. My honey was very upset.

I really have to watch my temper around my spouse. It hurts. Wonder what's up with me lately?

Spent the day down in San Diego. Visited Mysterious Galaxy (of course), Prince and Pauper, then Hillcrest. Good haul this time.

Whew! Weather was humid. Worse, my car's having probs keeping cool. We're definitely goin' to have a new car by year's end.

Came up with cool new fantasy concept. What did happen to elves who went East? Hehehehe....

Sunday, September 07, 2003

Just added a Comment feature to my blogger. Cool. :)

Who links to me?


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Joe’s Famous Steak & Cheese - Contact Us

At Joe’s Famous Steak and Cheese, we want to hear from our customers and our community to ensure that we continue to provide the very best subs, sandwiches, pizza, breakfast and more. Whether you are a Roxbury or Boston native and a Joe’s regular, a newcomer to town looking for the best places for great food, or a visitor who has enjoyed Joe’s Famous in the past, please come and see us again, or call us at (617) 442-8824.

Click here to visit Joes Famous Steak and Cheese Home Page Click here to view our Takeout Menu Click here to view our Pizza Menu Click here to view our Breakfast Menu


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Thursday, April 3, 2014

Gnosticism vs Agnosticism vs Religion

People think you cannot know anything about life. People think knowledge does not exist. People think only "god" can give certain people knowledge and it can't be given to others. People are WRONG!

You can know. It is called reading a book! Being illiterate or semi-literate is not good and just reading one book is not enough.

1 comment:

  1. I consider myself a gnostic who knows and has knowledge. I have knowledge because I have read books. I also consider myself to be independent from ignorance.

    Agnosticism means you dont know nor care to know.

    Religion binds you from learning anything outside "The Book"

    As many books as possible need to be read and thought about and integrated into your life.


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Home Inspectors

I have received good feedback from clients and/or colleagues who may have used the following inspectors.  Of course, you may use anyone you choose, but best results are usually obtained from professionally accredited home inspectors, and usually not from acquaintances or family members. I receive no compensation for a referral.

Most of the time I do not attend inspections, because I want them to be arm’s length and not influenced by my  presence.  Once you have arranged a time with your inspector, give me a call, and I will contact the listing agent and confirm with you your appointment time. Inspections usually take from two to three hours.  Most of the time the inspectors expect to be paid at the time of the inspection, so please bring your checkbook.

Inspectors – Listed Alphabetically

Enquist Inspections, Inc.

Dale Enquist

(612) 483 7046

Home Buyers’ Inspections

Warren Schultz

(952) 361 0883

Homeview Inspections

Jim Carlson

(612)377 5161

Intuitive Inspection Services

Todd Hustad

(952) 955 6916

Lash Housing Evaluations

Dennis Lash

(612) 729 6973

Prairie Home Inspections (aka Center for Home Inspections)

Bill Laughlin

(612) 250 9251

Scheunemann Home Inspections

Vicki Scheunemann

(651) 646 0009

Structure Tech

(952) 915 6466

Twin Cities Home Evaluations

Bill Yares

(612) 822 2020


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A Lake Michigan Rock Garden.

On a secluded beach at the end of Ravine Drive in Highland Park now sits a rock garden that has (I hope) a little bit of mystery and magic in it.

Ravine Drive is a winding road, secluded, lush with old trees and elegant houses. A small parking lot laid at the end marks the entrance to Millard Park and Ravine Drive Beach.

The beach has undergone a significant transformation over the past year. An old building was torn down, its foundation ripped out of the sand. Native foliage was replanted. And a lifelong resident of Highland Park’s curiosity and fascination with the stones that wash up on shore was brought to life.

I had the great pleasure to meet with Marjie Ettinger, her husband Dick, and Rebecca Grill, Natural Areas Manager for The Park District of Highland Park over a year ago about this project. Marjie was interested in producing some kind of lasting installation about the multitude of rocks there. I was there to give it some shape: this is the early plan.

The initial Concept

“The initial concept: a bench, a pebble harp, and a garden of giant beach stones, boulder-sized, with their names inscribed in them.”

It’s not every day one gets the opportunity to create art for a public venue, or get the help and support one needs to actually make it happen. I am extremely grateful to say that Marjie and Rebecca both fell in love with the idea and ran with it. The indefatigable Ms. Grill turned her considerable energies to making sure this idea came to fruition, recruiting geologist Charles Shabica to assist in picking out the five types of stones that would be set in the beach, and Eagle Scout candidate Duncan Holzhall (who brought a whole cadre of Boy Scouts along with him) to build the bench and the pebble harp.

An Early Pebble Harp Sketch

Put the pebbles in the holes at the top and listen to them travel to the bin below.  It's good music.

Put the pebbles in the holes at the top and listen to them travel to the bin below. It’s good music.

The rocks were bought, and had their names carved into them, by the good folks at Schwake Stone, Brick, and Fireplace Company.

Already here in these photos you can see that the installation is working its magic; people engage with the garden, embellishing it with their own particular touches.

One of the significant motivating ideas throughout this project was to leave an opening for curiosity and wonder. In this day and age, when most of us carry the internet around in our pocket, it felt significant to not over-explain what is going on here at the beach. The rocks are simply identified, without any further explanation; the bench and pebble harp merely add anchors and further opportunity to engage with the area, also without explanation. Anyone can look up the names of these rocks on their phone and be connected to a wealth of information about them–far more than we could ever print on museum-esque panels mounted on poles on the beach. But is the beach really the place one wants to be standing and reading about rocks, geology, glaciers and currents and tides that move these rocks around? Or is it a place for play, for wonder, for exploration?

My contention is that one should leave the reading and academic information for where it can be absorbed best: at home, looking at a computer screen or the pages of a book. While at the beach – let’s play.

I hope you get to take a visit up to the end of Ravine Drive and explore the newfound serenity and natural peace found there. It’s a beautiful area, and I’m proud to have helped bring its new vibe into the world.

Maxim Kharchenko: LINCX, Ling, and Erlang.

If the phrase “line-rate packet processing from a software switch on commodity hardware” makes you raise an eyebrow, then you should watch this video.

This is Maxim Kharchenko, co-founder of Cloudozer and author of Erlang on Xen. He’s developed a piece of software called Ling, which tremendously improves the performance of the software defined switch LINC. For those in the know–like Infoblox CTO Stu Bailey (who conducted this interview)–it’s a huge development. They’re calling the project LINCX.

Stu commissioned me to shoot and edit this video for his keynote address to the 2014 Erlang User Conference in Stockholm. Software defined networking has been a topic of interest for him for quite some time. He’s recruited me to help him spread the word, both through Infoblox and FlowForwarding.org, an organization focused on enabling SDN on an industry-wide scale.

For those who aren’t involved in the networking industry: this is the longest video piece I’ve done to-date. I challenged myself to make this video engaging for someone not familiar with the material. If you’ve got the time, please watch–and leave comments if you’d like. I welcome feedback.

Ling Sketch

A sketch to help characterize Maxim’s software.

Building a Rhinoceros.

I’d like to introduce you all to the Flow Forwarding Rhino: coming soon to a network near you.

FF Rhino

Here it comes.

Flow Forwarding and the Rhino you see above you are just one small part of the software defined networking movement growing in the computer industry.

The Hardware Defined Network is an ecosystem that sells hardware — switches, routers, firewalls, load balancers, WAN optimizers. These products may have different names, but there’s no substantive difference in their underlying technology or function.

Stu Bailey

CTO, Infoblox

Read the full Wired Insights post.

Increasingly I find myself at the center of a network of very powerful computers: my phone, my iPad, laptop, desktop, etc.  All sorts of devices we own have some kind of microprocessor in them, busily tracking our virtual comings and goings, encouraging us to connect in some other way with the myriad of other networks out there. Even your average household appliance is now being equipped with computational power: this Samsung refrigerator, for example.

Samsung Fridge

This fridge will connect to Twitter.  It’s true.

You may not need your refrigerator to run apps at this point–but if you do, it’s available, because computer processing power is incredibly inexpensive.  Quite simply, it’s cheap to slap an Intel chip into any appliance.

The ready availability of such massive processing power was unfathomable when people first started imagining computer networks.  Most of the basic notions governing the way computers exchange information are, in fact, based on ideas developed for transmitting Morse code over telegraph wires. ((For an excellent explanation of this, I recommend the book Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software by Charles Petzold.)) Think about that; all of our amazingly powerful computers talk to one another via processes and protocols with their roots in the 19th Century.

Many people believe that this no longer need be the case.  Companies like VMWare have introduced us to the idea that any piece of computer hardware can be replicated by software. An increasing number of Silicon Valley insiders – like Infoblox CTO Stu Bailey – are saying that it’s time to apply that to networking.

For many, the idea that there is no difference between a router and a firewall is as ludicrous as thinking that there is no difference between a refrigerator and a stove. But, when it comes to computers, it’s true. I’m no computer scientist, so I will not be able to explain this in technical terms.  But let me see if I can explain it using kitchen appliances as an example.

Most of us have toasters.  Toasters are designed to do one thing only: make toast.  You could, perhaps, make toast many other ways in your kitchen, but because your toaster is inexpensive and efficient, you can afford to have it be an independent device.

Imagine for a moment that your toaster is easily capable of heating your entire home. And, if you know how to use it right, it can also cut your grass, clean your gutters, and make sushi. To complete this thought, now imagine that every appliance in your kitchen–stove, fridge, coffee maker–is an equally powerful and adaptable machine.

This is essentially what’s going on in networking today.  Giant companies sell multi-purpose machines, capable of computing feats that a mere 10 years ago seemed like science fiction, to other giant companies – and insist they are only able to make toast.  There are roomfuls of these machines in every corporation taking care of the drudgery of getting bits of information from one place to another.  Most of their potential remains untapped; and a good portion of the established computer industry wants it to stay that way.

Bailey–and others who think like him, including the Open Networking Foundation–are working to unleash this untapped potential.  The Flow Forwarding Rhino is part of this larger movement. And here, at last, is where design comes into play.  Remember the “Intel Inside” campaign?

Flow Forwarding is a little like that Intel chip within another company’s computer.  We branded FF specifically to show users and programmers that Flow Forwarding was powerful and reliable enough to be part of the larger networking landscape to come.

FF Rhino wall graphic

It’s got weight.

The FF Rhino is probably never going to appear anywhere on a product that your average consumer will buy–and that’s OK.  That’s really not its job. But we’ve invested the time and thought into making sure that the Rhino has the communication tools it needs to take it as far as it can go.  And, where computers are concerned, it seems that we are just getting started.

Another Version of The Resumé

I had occasion to assemble another version of my resumé today.  This one plays up some marketing/advertising campaign work and lightens up on the exhibition work.  I also included some live links in the PDF to some of the things I’ve written – for Production Plus’ eZine Solutions By Design, for instance.  I haven’t written anything for Pro Plus since we parted ways in 2008 or so, but there are some fun articles there in the archives, like this one where I get a quote from Smokin’ Joe Frazier) and my theater reviews for Centerstage.com.

I really enjoy the process of putting together a fresh resumé.  It gives me a chance to revisit old work, re-evaluate it, think about what I learned from it, and how I can apply that to my work today.  Take a look at this one if you’d like.  If you have any comments or suggestions, please send them my way!  I welcome sound opinions and dialogue on anything I’ve designed.

A Quick Post from my iPad!

Hello from the 21 Century!

One of the things that I’ve most enjoyed about my career has been consistently being able to engage with new types of design and print technology. I’ve worked on Macs since 1988, and in 1993 I started really learning how to design with them. I taught myself Quark Express, cranked out a few publications, and never stopped from there on, constantly learning as I engaged with each new piece of hardware and software.

Last night, I downloaded the WordPress App for iPad, and decided that I would try to use my iPad in tandem with my new Apple wireless keyboard as a sort of deluxe, very low-profile laptop. 90% of what I do on my laptop I can now do on my phone – just not as conveniently. But, thought I, do I really need to lug around a laptop just to be able to send an email or two, or post to my blog, or work on a single presentation? Why not try the iPad?

And, so, after some technical maneuvering with the wireless keyboard, here I am, merrily typing away with no visible connection between the screen, the keyboard, or any sort of power source.

This, my friends, was science fiction when I was a child. I find that thought incredibly exhilarating.

I was just at the Game Designers’ Conference1 last week in San Francisco, and I was awestruck at some of the pieces of software I saw on the floor, freely available. I watched a young guy generate an entire 3D city – streets, buildings, alleys, streetlights, topography – in less time than it will take me to write this post.

It seems to me that we’re going to see a shift in the types of tools we, as designers and creatives, are going to have to start using in our work practices. Photoshop and Illustrator and InDesign simply no longer seem to be enough to stay at the forefront of design and technology. They are useful tools, certainly, but they are now as ubiquitous as your average kitchen-drawer Phillips head, and simply being able to use them no longer commands a working wage in the marketplace.

But there is always value in good design, and incredible toolsets are out there for anyone willing to explore. And, thus, I’m trying to engage with the new tools at my disposal; thus, the iPad and the wireless keyboard.

I have some thoughts on the interface that I’m learning about, and some questions. But, for the first time, I think this is wonderful! I’m looking forward to seeing what my new tools can do for me, and how I can use this to add some value to my next project.

  1. I’m going to come back and add a link here – and at a few places above. That will be after the fact, however – because the initial Post interface here on the iPad is making it very difficult to post links or add photos on the fly. More about that later. []

A Shout Out to My Mom.

People of the Internets!

Tomorrow is my mom’s birthday.  Happy birthday, Mom!

I am tremendously proud of my Mom.  She’s pretty much the best Mom I can imagine.  I have a pretty active imagination, so I can imagine a lot of Moms.  The Mom I ended up with rocks.  I couldn’t be more thankful.

Thanks, Mom, for this gift – this life.  It’s the best life ever.  I feel like the luckiest guy on the planet.   So – thank you so much, for everything.

Just to clarify – I would not be the person I am today if it were not for my Mom.  She’s awesome.

It is, at the time of this writing, 5:05am EST.  Good morning, Mom! 1  I love you!  Wake up!  It’s the first day of Spring!  😀

  1. Please note – I refrained from calling you – even though I wanted to. []

Revealing Chicago: Millennium Park 2005

Millennium Park was just a gleam in Mayor Daley’s eye when Terry Evans asked me if I wanted to work on a photo exhibition with her – the first one in the new park.  I worked closely with Ms. Evans while she was photographing inside The Field Museum for the exhibition From Prairie to Field.1  I couldn’t have been more excited; I believe I accepted the job on the spot, without hesitation.

The exhibition was spearheaded by the indefatigable Jerry Adelman of Openlands, with cooperation and participation by Metropolis Strategies (then operating as Metropolis 2020).  The goal: to show the residents of Chicago their land–what it looks like from overhead, what it’s being used for, and how the growth of the city changes the landscape around us.

The exhibition opened in June of 2005 with the concrete still drying on the Gehry Bandshell.  I’m very proud to have worked on it.  It was a pleasure and a privilege to help bring Terry’s stunning photographs to an audience who could appreciate them as art and also be able to say, “hey, there’s my house!” or, “I drive past that every morning and had no idea it looked like that.”  To talk about the growth and progress of Chicago with its denizens and visitors in such a highly visible public space felt then – and still feels now – like one of the most valuable things I can do with the opportunities I’ve been given.

Revealing Chicago taught me more than I can relate here about the past, present, and future of the city.  Being on the periphery of Hizzoner’s great public work taught me a lot about the inner workings of Chicago government – which, as you may know, has always been a lively battleground.  At the opening of the exhibition I got to have a brief conversation with the Mayor:

 Hizzoner: Hey, nice show you got here.

JD: Thanks, Mayor!  Nice park you got here!

Hizzoner: Hey, thanks!

The rest of the conversation is one for the record books.  In order to appreciate it fully, some setup (and knowledge of certain maneuvers involving a former airport) is required – but if you wanna hear it and you run into me sometime I’ll be glad to tell it.

Do yourself a favor: take a look at Terry’s gallery of images from the show.  And (if you’re really interested) pick up the exhibition catalog.  I’m sure whether you are a Chicago native or just interested in some amazing photos, you’ll find something intriguing and beautiful.

  1. As you might have seen from the link to the Field Museum’s page, the exhibition was remounted in 2008.  The original was designed in 2001; I have some fine photographs from that original installation that will make it to this site eventually. []

Chicago Cutlery – Update.

Read the original knives post here.

I reached for a knife today to cut a tomato and came away from the block with the 62S.  It’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

Chicago Cutlery 62S

It’s been pretty dull since it got here.

I’ve had trouble sharpening it, but I thought I’d give it one more shot today and see what happened.  Out came the whetstone; dutifully I set to grinding, then tried it on the tomato.

No change.  WTF?  I go back to grinding, pissed off a little, and I stop.  I feel the edge: dull.  Then I take one careful, slow swipe across the stone.

Zing! The edge is sharp!  Check out the 62S, cutting tomatoes LIKE A BOSS.

The 62S cutting tomatoes

Slowing down and paying attention FTW.

I learned something valuable today!  Turns out I had been grinding the blade away endlessly and not really noticing what I was doing.  One slow grind across the whetstone is all a good knife needs to get sharp.


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Friday, 19 November 2010

It shouldn't be Nick Clegg's Choice

We heard this morning from No.10 Downing St of the list of 54 new Peerages to the House of Lords. Of these, 43 are Coalition Peers (27 for the Conservatives, 15 for the Liberal Democrats and 1 Cross-bencher), 10 are Labour Peers and 1 from Plaid Cymru.

I'm particularly pleased to see that out-going Welsh Assembly Member Jenny Randerson AM (a former Culture Minister in the 2000-2003 Labour/Liberal Democrat Welsh Assembly Coalition) is to be made a Baroness. Her expertise and experience will be invaulable in the Upper House. It's also good to see that Sal Brinton, Susan Kramer and Nicol Stephen are also being elevated.

Patronage Gone Wrong
Jenny, Sal, Susan and Nicol I believe, deserve their new 'calling'. They have been active in their communities for years and have a role to play in the House of Lords.

But not all peerages are given on such meritocrious (is that a proper word?!) grounds. From this current list, there are a number who have been significant donors to their parties. Robert Edmiston and Stanley Fink for example, have been prominent Conservative donors whilst Sir Gulam Noon was likewise for the Labour Party and had been previously nominated by Tony Blair for a Peerage.

This is where the system is fundamentally flawed. For as long as party political leaders have the ability to choose who should be elevated to the House of Lords and have this power of patronage, there will always be scope for abuse. Why should party donors be given a Peerage? It's crass and quite simply, wrong. Donors should want to give support to political parties not on the basis of what they individually can get out of it. Donate to help the party grow becuase you believe in their cause? Yes. Donate because you want leverage on the leadership to give you something that is within their power to give? No.

An Elected House of Lords
This is why we need to crack on and finally complete that long-running saga - House of Lords reform.

Whilst I'm pleased that a number of worthy people as well as those that I have named above, have received Peerages today, including Dame Joan Bakewell for Labour, Dafydd Wigley from Plaid Cymru and Sir Richard Dannatt from the Conservatives (but will sit as a Cross-bencher), I believe that it is giving too much power of patronage to too few people to allow the current situation to continue.

The likes of Nick Clegg, Ed Miliband and David Cameron should not have this ability. Members of the House of Lords should, on the whole, be elected. They should get there with a democratic mandate.

A Wholly Elected Second Chamber?
Having said that, I stand, possibly in opposition to many of my friends in the Liberal Democrats, against the concept of having a 100% wholly elected second chamber. I think an overwhelming majority does need to be elected (somewhere within the region of 75%-90%) but that the remainder be selected and appointed by an independent panel to sit in the Lords on a term-by-term basis to fill any 'needs-based' gaps that may not be covered by the elected members.

For a wholly elected chamber will mirror too closely the House of Commons but will not guarantee that the relevant and required experience and expertise is there to scrutinise the executive's legislation.

So for example, if a Jenny Randerson didn't want to stand again for election but the independent panel believed that her expertise was required in the Upper Chamber, then they could propose a Peerage for her to fill that 'needs-based' gap.

Whether such a solution or a wholly elected alternative was taken forward by the Coalition Government, it would be a darn sight better than this unsatisfactory situation that we currently have to live with.

Take the patronage out and put some common sense democracy in.

  1. I agree with you on the 10% unelected appointed by an independent panel. i think that some top experts could be put off by an election process. As a general rule though the vast majority should be elected.

  2. Seems to me we need fully elected, the way to get real expert advice is from enquiries and evidence sessions as well as real independent advisory bodies. Trying to put the right "experts" into a Legislature seems wrong, in effect inneficient call on the right expertise when you need it. So elect all politicians and know that that is what they are. So to the elections - if they are elected on a distinctly different basis from the commons they will contribute a different angle to imporove our politics. Regional and national basis to represent wider interests, long terms perhaps limited to one term of 10 years, say to give them independence from party machines. Ban their standing for the commons afterwards. In effect this would release them from the casework and local campaigning which distracts our MPs from holding the government of the UK to account and dealing forensically with legislation. Do all this and recognise that the Commons would not and does not deserve primacy, the chamber I propose would command respect and deserve a serious share of power.


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Thursday, November 13, 2008

#349 PS Piano Girls

Mrs Tomlin is the saint who taught my sisters and me to play the piano. I'm not sure how she managed it. Despite her decision to teach the Hill sisters, she was one smart woman. She tackled us on different days of the week.

Here is Mrs Tomlin in 1975 when my brother and I graduated from Mount Vernon High School.
Yours in musical memories,

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We won Best Turkey award

No really, not the beginning of a joke!

Bob and Tom went to the Fair and Bob won Best Exotic. Pretty Cool.

I missed them terribly. Oh yes I did!!!  They were there for 2 weeks. I don’t think we’ll be doing that again. It was lonely around here early mornings. No bob at the window....

I hated seeing them locked in their pen. By day two they were fighting so we had to separate them with a cage splitter. All was going great till the fair tent sells bread for the kids to feed them. Uhoh...All hell broke out between Bob and Tom. And as usual Tom was winning. :( So that first night they had to be separated. Still together but at least Bob was safe from Tom.

But once I had committed I couldn’t just take them away.

PLUS the kids loved it... What a neat experience they got to see wild turkeys. And if you know my turkeys, you know how friendly they are.  They were strutting and displaying two full weeks. Eating from the hands of little kids. I on the other hand was cringing inside. Every time I checked on them there was a huge crowd of people around them. HUGE! And they were teaching children, so I can’t get too upset over their giving back to the community. And its not too often you see such magnificient birds. They are healthy, well fed, plumed perfectly, and their COLORS. They just were a wonderful representative of the breed.

They’re exhausted. And they lost a few pounds (not a bad thing). Keeps them lean and healthy.

If you don’t know, Bob and Tom are Florida Osceola’s. Florida Native birds. And they stay because they want to. They came to me as youngins and they’ve acclimated to people and being taken care of. I’ve seen a few wild hens come visiting but Bob and Tom still stay put.

Today, They were so happy to be home they must have gobbled 30 times. Followed me around the house, and life was back to normal. They didn’t forget! Now to me that was the coolest part!

  1. Hey Jojo!

    Nice turkeys. I used to have a pet turkey a few years back that I found still hatching in his egg. The mother had been attacked by a hawk and the egg had rolled out. So I rescued him. He broke his leg sadly and died. Now I liked him but the rest that hang around my farm are all pests..so they get shot by my neighbours in winter. And they do make nice eating. I don't think somehow you'll be eating your guys. I won't eat my hens because they're all pets.LOL

Howdy from Goodness Gracious. Please leave a comment. I do enjoy them. And try to respond to all who post. Thanks for visiting.

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Mahesh To Grace Audio Launch Of Dookudu Remake

Mahesh To Grace Audio Launch Of Dookudu Remake

Superstar Mahesh Babu who is currently shooting for the film ‘Aagadu’ will grace the audio launch of ‘Power’. Film Power is the Kannada remake of Telugu blockbuster Dookudu.
The film Power has Puneeth Rajkumar and Trisha as the lead actors. The Kannada remake has been produced by Dookudu film producers under same production house 14 Reels Entertainment banner. On 28th June the launch will take placein Bellary and Mahesh Babu will attend the event.
Mahesh Babu’s Aagadu is directed by Srinu Vytla whish has Tamanna as heroine. The music is scored by Thaman. The film is being produced by 14 Reels Entertainment banner.

Click Here to More Mahesh Babu

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Malaika is Not Interested in Film Direction

Malaika is Not Interested in Film Direction

Malaika Arora Khan is known for her dancing talent. The popular item girl and actress who is also a producer says that she does not want to try her luck in film direction.
Malaika is the producer of an upcoming film ‘Dolly Ki Doli’. She shared her experience with IANS saying, “It’s fun and different being a producer. You learn something new and see a different side of filmmaking.”
If she wants to direct a film? She replied, “
“As far as direction is concerned, I don’t think I have the aptitude or patience to direct a film. I don’t think I can do.”
Malaika’s most popular song was Chaiya Chaiya form Dil Se in which she danced on the top of a train. The starlet says that this song is her all time favorite. In her words, “Of all of them, Chaiya Chaiya has been my favorite purely because it was my first song and shot differently. I love that song, you’ve never seen anything shot like that on Indian screens. For me, it will always be a song close to my heart.”

In Dolly Ki Doli, Malaika will appear in a song titled ‘Fashion Khatam Mujhpe’.

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Rock On team on Rolling Stone magazine cover

Rock On team on Rolling Stone magazine coverRolling Stone India, the exclusive music magazine, have featured the entire Rock On team on the cover of its September issue coinciding with the film’s world-wide relase.

This issue provides an exclusive behind the scene look at Rock On. The reason to put the film’s team on the cover was due to the reason that Rock On is India’s first film made on rock music and revolves around a rock band. The issue also carries article featuring a classy photo shoot involving the four lead actors — Farhan Akhtar, Arjun Rampal, Luke Kenny and Purab Kohli, and the trio of Shankar, Ehsaan & Loy who scored the movie’s rock based music.

The cover story package also features a personal diary of the film by Luke Kenny, who is a musician by profession, and is also a Rolling Stone’s Contributing Editor.

Rock On movie – Review – Extols the virtues of friendship and human sensibilities

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SP Balu, the legend born this day

SP Balu, the legend born this day

SP Balasubramanyam is an inspiration to singers and music lovers. The legend has sung in several languages for several actors in different voices.

Born on 4 June, 1946, Balu had won the national award for best playback singer six times. He has over 40,000 songs to his credit in 15 languages.

His illustrious career spanning over four decades has seen multifaceted talent in him. He won the Padma Bhushan award from Government of India recently.

He is the only playback singer in India to have won the National Film Awards across four languages. jollyhoo.com wishes him many more happy birth days.

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Kareena replaces Bipasha in Race 2

Kareena replaces Bipasha in Race 2

Kareena replaces Bipasha in Race 2

Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan was so keen to revive the Race magic with Abbas-Mustan that he has convinced the producers to rope them in as directors. He reveals that girlfriend Kareena Kapoor will also feature in the movie.

“They understand the pulse of the plot. Race was a fast-paced action-adventure caper. Not too many filmmakers in Bollywood would’ve done such a wonderful job of it,” said Saif.

“Yes, Kareena will be part of Race 2. We’re yet to flesh out the details. But Race 2 has to be bigger and larger than Race. Otherwise no point in making it,” he added.

Bipasha Basu’s character has been written out of the script to make way for Kareena.

Produced by Tips Industries Ltd, Race, which also had Akshaye Khanna, Anil Kapoor and Katrina Kaif, turned out to be one of the big hits of 2008. But for the sequel, Ramesh and Kumar Taurani were not keen to have Abbas-Mustan on board as directors.

But Saif has convinced the producers to launch part two with the director duo.

Apparently Race 2 will be more gadget and gizmo-friendly, as upwardly-scaled as Dhoom 2 was, compared to Dhoom.

Kareena Kapoor Latest Photo Gallery

Kareena Kapoor Photo Gallery

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Sunday, March 20, 2011

Another new product available!

Now available: Photo skateboard decks! These are actual skateboard decks, available in natural, black, or white finish tops, with custom photographic image underneath. Comes ready to hang. Great for graduates!

Price: $85

Contact Jonderson Photography for more details.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Now available

A few months ago I posted a color photograph of a band I took many years ago. That same night I took a few rolls of black and white shots of them playing, but all of the negatives from that shoot were lost in flood damage several years later. Or so I thought. It turns out that I did save one section of those negatives, which I recently discovered in a box of miscellaneous odds and ends cluttering up my "cave". They were still quite water damaged, but two of the images I felt were in good enough shape to warrant some sort of preservation.

So these are not what I would call photographs, though that is how they started. These are more what I would call digital art pieces due to the tremendous amount of restorative digitalization that has gone into them. These works are made, as I said, from badly water damaged 35mm black and white negatives, digitally reconstructed, colored, and otherwise enhanced.

Here is the skinny:
They are only available as signed 40x60 inch canvas "gallery wraps", and there will be only two of each available, ever. They are $450 each, or $800 for the set of two*. Each gallery wrap is on a traditional 2 inch frame, backed with cardboard, and comes completely ready to hang (including bumpers and hardware). The canvas print itself is protected by a state-of-the art coating and does not require any additional spraying or treatment.

*Set availability dependent on availability of both images, and is not therefore guaranteed.

Only one set now available, that is one of each. Available as a set or singly, as mentioned above.


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Hero Up - iPhone and iPad Game

Tap the screen to feel the satisfaction of shooting your Hero Up into the skies! Choose your angle and set your power carefully to travel the furthest distance and rack up as much money as you can. Select from a variety of weapons, ramps and accessories in the shop to customise your character and their jump. As you progress further and reach brand new milestones, you can unlock medals and bonuses which give your Hero the ability to soar to thrilling distances. Each level has its own set of unique in game elements which can either boost or hinder your character making the game even more challenging.

Game Center compatibility allows you to earn points and reach new heights in the leaderboards. With all this and loads more on offer, join in the fun as Hero Up brings a brand new gaming experience to the iPhone.

At a glance

  • Levels with Unique in-game Elements
  • Game Center Leaderboards
  • Wide Choice of Accessories
  • Attainable Medals
  • Unlockable Bonus Content
  • Addictive Gameplay
  • Supports iPhone and iPad Retina Display

"There's apps and games on the iPhone... and then there's HeroUp. Simply put, in a league of its own"

Mathew Carpenter – SofaMoolah


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Monday, October 11, 2010

Out With The Old, In With the Old in Miami

An October 10th article from the Orlando Sentinel claims that the Magic are "way ahead" of the Miami Heat in roster continuity. However, despite their high-profile free-agent signings, the Heat, surprisingly, may have more roster continuity from 2009-10 to 2010-11 than nearly any other NBA team.

Consider the following 2009-10 players who are under contract for the new season:
Dwyane Wade
Udonis Haslem
Mario Chalmers
Carlos Arroyo
Shavlik Randolph
Jamaal Magloire
Joel Anthony
Kenny Hasbrouck
James Jones

New players feature (i) two second-round draft picks, Dexter Pittman and Da'Sean Butler; (ii)several value free-agent signings — Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Eddie House, Juwan Howard, and Mike Miller; and (iii) oh yeah, LeBron James and Chris Bosh.

In addition, Coach Erik Spoelstra and team President Pat Riley remain in their posts.

To be fair, Hasbrouck and Randolph have non-guaranteed contracts, as do Pittman and Butler; two of those players will be cut in this month's training camp. However, if Hasbrouck and Randolph were to both make the team, a roster featuring 60% returning players is pretty good. No other top contender returns more than 10 players:

  • Lakers: Bryant, Fisher, Gasol, Bynum, Artest, Brown, Vujacic, Walton, Odom

  • Celtics: Rondo, Allen, Perkins, Pierce, Garnett, Robinson, Davis, Daniels

  • Magic: Nelson, Carter, Howard, Lewis, Pietrus, Bass, Anderson, Gortat, Williams, Redick

  • Spurs: Duncan, Ginobili, Parker, Jefferson, Blair, McDyess, Bonner, Hill


text:
n Journal for Language Teaching = Ijenali Yekufundzisa Lulwimi = Tydskrif vir Taalonderrig - The refinement of a construct for tests of academic literacy

Volume 47, Issue 1
  • ISSN : 0259-9570

In a previous study (Patterson & Weideman, 2013), we discussed the importance of acknowledging the typicality of academic discourse as a starting point for critically engaging with constructs of academic literacy. In this article, various attempts at identifying the typical features of academic discourse are surveyed and critiqued. The preliminary conclusion is that the uniqueness of academic discourse lies in the analytical or logical language that characterises it (see Patterson & Weideman, 2013 for an extended explanation). Using this characteristic feature as a criterion allows us to sift through the various opinions on what constitutes both academic discourse and academic literacy in a way that is potentially productive. It suggests on a number of points ways in which one might add components to the current definition of academic literacy that forms the test construct of academic literacy tests such as TALL, TAG, and TALPS. The article concludes by suggesting some modifications and additions to the design of current test task types in tests of academic literacy. These tentative suggestions may allow theoretically defensible modifications to be made to the construct of a number of tests of academic literacy. TALL, TAG, the relevant part of the NBTs, and TALPS are generally high stakes tests that are widely used in South Africa. Since no critical examination of their construct, which is now more than a decade old, has so far been undertaken, we hope that these proposals do not only come at an appropriate moment, but may also be useful to those responsible for developing further versions of these tests.

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text:
n CME : Your SA Journal of CPD - Pharm info

Volume 22, Issue 1
  • ISSN : 0256-2170

Extracted from text ... CHARM PROGRAMME DEMONSTRATES CLEAR BENEFITS OF ATACAND IN THE TREATMENT OF SYMPTOMATIC HEART FAILURE AstraZeneca presented data at the European Society of Cardiology August 2003 annual meeting demonstrating Atacand (candesartan cilexetil) to reduce both cardiovascular deaths as well as hospital admissions for heart failure, across a broad spectrum of patients with chronic heart failure. Atacand is the first angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) to increase survival in chronic heart failure patients with left ventricular dysfunction, whether or not they are taking an ACE inhibitor. The CHARM programme, which recruited 7 601 patients, is the largest trial programme conducted in heart ..

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