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Tag Archive: wirral

Late one evening last week.

When I was taking my son back to his flat in Rock Ferry, I drove down Borough road and thought ‘oh that would be a great photo’. There on the opposite side of the street were a row of commercial premises with flats above. ‘So what’ I can hear you think. Well the reason I found them so interesting was because of the decay, dilapidation and forlornness of the buildings. high street, shops, closed, boarded up, vacant, empty, flats, disussed,

Where once there had been bustling shops with a myriad of different families living over them there now stood these forlorn looking buildings just waiting to be knocked down. While I was taking my photos a guy came out of the end building and started chatting to my husband. He actually lived in the flat over the, what we thought was empty, end retail space. Spray painting cars as a hobby, he was the last person in the block of old sshop, sign, old, faded, painted, high street, hops.

He told us that the shops had slowly closed over time, been bought and sold without anyone new moving in and eventually been bought by the council and left to rot. Apparently the council wants to knock all of the block down and turn it into green space. Not that we don’t need new homes of course, we all know we should be building on brown site land to save the countryside though, don’t we? Read more……….

BeeWirral; Help in the Community

beewirral, livvy, livingstonestreet, poverty, birkenhead,BeeWirral is a not for profit Community Interest Company. Dedicated to supporting families in making positive choices so that they can improve their own life chances.  Running activities in Livingstone Street Community Center since 2014, their aim is to become a community resource. Somewhere that residents can go to take part in training, courses, activities and support services. They have a full timetable of activities which includes things like infant massage, baby groups, a quilting group, and gardening group, with something to suit everyone. Funded by Reaching Communities, The Morgan Foundation, John Moores Foundation, CFM and Your Wirral, this is a wonderful tool for the community Read more……….

high streetIn every community there is almost always a high street. From small corner shops to supermarkets, family owned shops to co-operatives. When times are good our high street flourishes the community and neighbourhood are strong and cohesive and times are good.

When you start to add things in like redundancy, unemployment, benefit cuts and sanctions then people don’t have money to spend. Every penny is spoken for so splashing out on that nice duvet cover, rug, bottle of wine or meal out stops.

Shop rent and rates go up, produce goes up because transportation costs are high and slowly the shops struggle to make enough profit to cover costs. Shops change hands, close down and the high street becomes a desolate waste land.

The effect on the community can be harsh, people spend less and less on their homes, with poor educational chances crime rates go up, ill health from poor nutrition and lack of access to basic health services affect the neighbourhood an inequality between individual’s and families becomes apparent and social segregation occurs. Those who have a job live on the nice side of the street where as those on benefit live on the wrong side of the street. It has to have an impact on peoples state of mind.

This can make for good community spirit as everyone is in the same situation or similar but often people feel displaced and on their own.

Read More…

librarys closedClosing library’s

Reading, one of the most useful, mischievous, secretly rebellious of acts. I can remember from an early age going to the local library with my mum to change my books and then later with my friends to do homework and to hang out. They were always a quiet peaceful place to go and sit and read a book or magazine in. If you needed help the librarian could always be counted on to find what you were looking for. In the days pre internet that consisted of Encyclopedia Britannica and paper and pen!  Closing libraries is a fine way to keep the poor powerless, anyone could walk through those solid wooden doors and read quietly and learn. Our local library is the free custodian of local stories packed with drama and emotions and the history of where we live, filled with radical, stupid, exciting ideas all in one place, what more could you want. Get ride of libraries and you can wave goodbye to the type of escapism that is only found in books. Take away the library and you take away the one truly powerful thing for people who can’t afford an ipad or kindle or who have no quiet place.

There are so many other things the library gives you easy access to, the council offices re-situated there as the buildings housing them were sold off  to save money. Instead of going to the Town Hall to get help with your benefit or arrange your rent now you go to the library. Computers giving anyone access to the internet, for a fee. The Citizens Advice Bureau, trained volunteers there to help with free advice.  It is our community lifeline, sometimes our only access to the internet, take this away from the old, poor, disables and you take away our power and confidence. Every day we face the unintended consequences of our governments ill thought out and criticised moves to save money and combine benefits, thought out and implemented by those without money worries, who have no problem with paying their bills and their mortgages, is this just a way to punish the poor and balance the books on the backs of the most vulnerable in our society.

Poverty is a state of mind

who’s mind

no jobs

anger at the struggle for daily living

made to feel worthless and lazy

second class citizens by the very people who should help

who do you think you are to say my struggle is all in my head

with your silver spoons and Eton education

do you really think you know how we suffer to live on seven quid a day

you say we need to cut the GDP

what about our debt

the fat cats sit on their cushy jobs and with no mind to the results

cut here cut there

slicing into our lives

but never their own

never their own

the old boy network help themselves and look down on the degraded suicidal

how can we pull ourselves out of this mess when there are no resources for us to use

we are not all lazy

work shy

tell us enough and maybe we start to believe it

is poverty the state of my mind

the struggle is not in my head

we suffer the abuse

the prejudice

the shame of joblessness

oh they say

there are schemes for you to try

but where are the jobs

get yourself back into work

but where are the schemes to help start your business

we will beat it and we will better it

poverty is not a mindful thing

it is that family pushed and shoved and squeezed into debt just because that 1% help themselves and the country goes to pot

but we will do it and we will do it well

and f*uck the government

we will do it without your help

no longer sanctioned

no more shame

not ostracised

but once again a member of the working class

poverty may still be there

but not in my mind

Do we really want another golf course on the Wirral? We already have over a dozen courses, there is even a women’s course, does it differ to men’s? Hoylake, Wallasey, Caldy, Leasowe, Bidston, Heswall, Eastham etc etc….. they rang in difficulty, Hoylake home of the Open golf championship to Adventure Golf in New Brighton. Dotted around the edges of our beautiful peninsular making the most of our parklands, there are short courses (9 holes), windy, sandy courses, a women’s course, flat courses, historic courses,  i suppose if you were a serious golfer you could play any way you fancied, as long as your a member.

If you look at the Wirral as a whole it is made up of 60 square miles of fabulous seaside, parkland, woodland,  rural walks farm, horse, west kirby, and cycling routes, historic villages, industry, great restaurants and many wonderful artists in an active artist community. There are over 320.000 people situates in towns and villages over the Wirral but there is also a lot of rural land, we have farms, pigs, cattle, sheep, turkeys, award winning farm shops, Tam O’shanter urban farm and GreenBelt land which should be left untouched.

Because of where we are situated Wirral is lucky enough to be visited by many unusutoadal birds through out the year with Parkgate being one natural hotspot. Both the Mersey and Dee estuaries are internationally important wildlife sites for waders and wildfowl in winter. We also have marsh land and reed beds home to Natterjack Toads. Do we want all of this spoiled by yet another Golf course/resort?

Jack Nicklaus is going to design our new course, he has been involved in the design of 290 courses. At least 70 Nicklaus Design courses have been ranked by major industry publications but how many have failed? Polaris World in Spain crashed and burned, Mount Holly Club Utah didn’t work so why should it work here? We dont need our environment disturbed, our animals moved from their homes, our flood plain interfered with so a minority can wack a small ball around our countryside. This will lead to new roads, new homes we wont be able to afford and more traffic!hoylake, golf,open,

This is not one of those ‘Not in my back yard’ type of cries, we really dont need this golf resort, change one of the established courses, give it a new designation but seriously dont let Jack Nicklaus ruin what is such beautiful countryside. There is a meeting on March 29th 2016 at West Kirby United Reform Church starting at 7.30pm for anyone who would like to air their views or just find out more details. Please dont leave it to others to raise their concerns, every voice needs to be heard.

Driving back from Birkenhead on Tuesday evening i turned to my husband, my partner in crime and coo’d over another beautiful sunset. With a weary sigh i wished i had the energy to get my camera and go down to West Kirby and take photos of the beautiful sunset that was in front of us.
I haven’t taken any sunset photographs in over 12 months, we live in a delightful coastal town and the sunsets are glorious so you can get a bit sunset’ed out and i had made the decision not to take anymore pictures for at least a year.
We have had some lovely weather over Easter and i had watched some glorious colours in the evening sky’s and this evening i finally gave in and made my mind up to drag my camera down to the beach.
We got home, i grabbed my bag and we dashed off to West Kirby beach, a mere 3 minutes away and as i had an idea for my photographs we set off at a trot or as much of a trot that you can manage with a leg that doesn’t work properly, to where i wanted to be. Have you noticed how quickly the sun sets when you have a sore leg, are walking on sand and have to walk far enough to get your shot? I didn’t think i was going to be in time but i was! I collapsed onto the sand, luckily in the correct direction to make the shot and as happens sometimes my first shot was the best.

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I wanted something different from the usual ball of colour and scarlet sky so i concentrated on the spartina grass and kept the colour well in the background, i think it works really well and out of the five photos i thought the best i just love the very first i took. What do you think?

Black Friday SALE

Not long until the 28th November Black Friday Sale, i am offering 10% off canvas prints on my FineArtAmerica site. Click on the link and browse my fine art photography. http://fineartamerica.com/featured/fort-perch-waves-karen-lawrence.html

Super moon over Wirral

This is tonight’s supper moon taken from my back garden.DSC_8674

Eight years ago the Open Golf came to The Wirral, we had money thrown at us to improve Hoylake, which they did really well but it didn’t go all the way through it just kind of stopped up by the Anchor, still Hoylake was left looking pretty. We had thousands of bodies and their cars visiting and they were neatly parked in massive carparks and shuttled in and out. They (quite a few but not all) visited our pubs and wine bars leaving behind their money and going home with great impressions and wonderful memories and we are doing it all over again this month. We have Tigers, McIlroys, Scotts, players from all over the world and they have brought their caddies, managers, families and goodness knows how many other people all geared up to make their week go without a hitch. http://www.royal-liverpool-golf.com/ Our hotels and guest houses are full and if you wander down Market St after 8pm you can hear people commenting on how it feels like you are in a foreign country as there is such a great holiday atmosphere.
During July we have also held Hoylake’s festival of firsts, a fortnight of entertainment and art, the shops, pubs and bars have local poetry and art in their windows and on their walls, which add’s to the great feel of excitement in Hoylake. Thursday was the first day of the Open and i went to Hoylake with Chris to say Hi to our artist friends manning their art stalls hoping to sell their art to the milling hordes. There were plenty of hordes and some selling of art but i was more interested in the movement of Hoylake, the people and the change of pace. People pored from the golf club, jumped on buses and trains or headed for the pubs and bars, they spilled out over the pavements onto the grass and laughed and joked and drank. Prime opportunity for some great street photography.

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We wandered along Market St slowly, chatting to people we know, stopping and sitting drinking in the atmosphere and taking photos of the people doing the same as us. Along the way we walked past Jill’s Cookshop where i have several photographs entered into the Festival of Firsts art competition, in the window is the Lighthouse at Fort Perch and underneath it is….. a Silver award!!! 🙂 Way to go me! and congratulations to all of the others awarded.
fort perch lighthouse
Of course we were really excited and whenever anyone went to look in the shop window Chris would dash over and tell them that i took the photo, i think he is rather proud of me. After we hung out and chatted and took loads of photos we drove down to the promenade and drove along to the RNLI station just in time for a beautiful sunset, a great time to take some photos of the Grace Darling sculpture.

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The sister to the Black Pearl in New Brighton. We watched the sun go down together then headed home to replace the hustle and bustle of Market St with the hustle and bustle of family life. (Read BEDTIME) We have two more days of the golf and then weeks of getting everywhere back to normal again. I hope they bring the Open back to Hoylake eventually it is an amazing event and an amazing opportunity for Hoylake and the Wirral.

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Karma's When I Feel Like It Blog

June 25, 2014

Kicks with #6

Filed under: 66 Days of Summer — Karma @ 12:29 pm
Tags: , ,

Theme for Summer Day 6 : “Purge”

It came about kind of suddenly. I was putting laundry away and realized I was having a lot of trouble fitting things into my drawers and my closet. I haven’t probably cleared away everything that needs to go, but I put a huge dent in it today. I got rid of things that no longer fit, were shapeless or worn out, or that I hadn’t worn in over a year. Felt good! I’d like to show you a picture of a neat, organized closet, but that hasn’t happened yet. You probably wouldn’t believe I really threw things out if I showed it to you!

  1. I used to do this every spring and fall – back when I worked and lived where CHOC (Children’s Hospital of Orange County) picked donations at my doorstep. I was looking at a few of the things in my closet this morning that have seen much better days thinking it’s about due for a clean out again. In the fall, I think.

    Comment by Carol — June 25, 2014 @ 12:53 pm | Reply

    • One rainy day this summer, I think I will get more aggressive with that closet of mine, lol!

      Comment by Karma — June 26, 2014 @ 8:30 am | Reply

  2. Oh yes, I have a good clean out of my old clothes every season, it’s become a habit now. And it does feel good! 🙂

    Comment by Joanne — June 25, 2014 @ 6:07 pm | Reply

    • Wow, every season Joanne? That’s impressive!

      Comment by Karma — June 26, 2014 @ 8:31 am | Reply

      • Yes! I may only get rid of one or two items, but if they aren’t being used or worn, they go.

        Comment by Joanne — June 30, 2014 @ 6:12 pm

  3. Since I retired I pretty much dress like a slob ! T-shirts, jeans, long sleeve shirts … most of it bought a ValuVillage (2nd hand clothing store). Closet is pretty bare to begin with … lol

    Comment by sybil — June 25, 2014 @ 8:18 pm | Reply

    • I imagine I will dress that way as well when I am retired too Sybil – but I’m sure I will want to hang on to a few pretty, girly things! 🙂

      Comment by Karma — June 26, 2014 @ 8:31 am | Reply

  4. Good job, Karma! A purge can feel so good. We can feel so much lighter.

    Comment by Kathy — June 28, 2014 @ 11:10 am | Reply

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Sleep is for losers

Your speech will become incoherent and indistinct, and you won’t be able to think properly or concentrate. Meanwhile your physical coordination will plummet resulting in clumsiness. Grumpiness and irritability are guaranteed and you will almost certainly find your social functioning is impaired. You are unlikely to be safe operating machinery and you may even hallucinate.

This is not the result of some illegal drug or the impacts of a neurological condition. This is what sleep deprivation does to you. Insomniacs and the parents of young children know it well, and bedtime can be a daunting time.

Forget all that, if you can. Being tired is indeed rubbish, but its only rubbish if it is for no reason. If you are up all night partying then the next day’s fatigue comes with a sort of satisfied glamour.

One of the best ways of not sleeping is to go camping. You will sit up late chatting and putting the world to rights, then find it hard to get comfy and warm on an air-bed. Next minute, it is light, the darn birds are making a racket and the tent has turned into a sauna. Or, even worse, rain is pattering down noisily, like bullets hitting a shield.

The groggy post-camping feeling the next day is well worth it though. We are so accustomed to our electricity, heating and entertainment systems that escaping them for a night or two makes for a massive adventure. Camping reminds you how much we take for granted and how much carbon we burn in daily life.

It is also an incredible way to experience nature. Living under canvas, even for a short while, opens up all your senses. You will smell the morning dew mingling with the scent of the earth and, once you forget to care that you aren’t asleep, that dawn chorus will be breath-taking.

For children, it is a chance to run free from routine and experience a simpler, wilder existence. They will thrive on the campsite tasks of putting in tent pegs and fetching water.

As holidays or weekends away go, it is also one of the cheapest ways of gaining a change of scenery. This is especially true in places such as the Norfolk or Suffolk coasts where a week’s cottage hire, particularly in the school holidays, can cost a lot more than a super posh tent.

Camping is perfect for a micro-adventure too. Leave the office at five pm, head to a campsite with your tent, sleep the night and then wake up early (oh you will!) and put your suit back on and return to work. That is certainly more interesting than just going home and watching a box set again.

This month, people around the country are combining their love of camping and nature with the RSPB’s Big Wild Sleepout. It involves sleeping outside, either in your garden or at your local RSPB nature reserve and fundraising a little for wildlife too.

Beds are boring and sleep is overrated. A nocturnal adventure is so much more fun, so pack up your sleeping bag and don’t forget the marshmallows.


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Mistaken Identity series

(circa 1996-1997)

I wrote this series of short stories during high school.  They are heavily influenced by Christopher Pike.  At the time I was so proud of them because they were my longest pieces of writing (until I wrote More to Tell).  Now, I see that they are also hilarious.

All 5 stories are available to read on my figment page!

mistakenidentitycoverMistaken Identity

Please beware of and forgive the melodramatics, overuse of adverbs, and gaping plot holes.

mistakenidentity2coverMistaken Identity 2: The Hospital

The saga continues… Again, keep in mind that I wrote this when I was young, so prepare yourself for a totally unrealistic portrayal of a modern mental hospital.

mistakenidentity3coverMistaken Identity 3: Solitary Confinement

There’s more insanity in store for Alana when she’s put in solitary confinement.

Mistaken Identity 4: The Escapemistakenidentity4cover

Alana/Chelsea/Abby is on the run, and comes down with a bad case of insta-love.

mistakenidentity5coverMistaken Identity 5: The Truth

And the totally inconclusive conclusion… The cover sums it all up.

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Archive for August, 2016

Sunday in Brighton

August 28, 2016
Brighton seafront gale blowing

Brighton seafront gale blowing

Cooler than last week. Guildford to Gatwick rain. Cloudy all day, but warm.

I needed a timetable. Queue out of ticket office into the station forecourt. No timetables on display.

FCB run the passenger waiting room. Useful literature for free, including what appears to be a monthly book on Brighton, Viva Brighton. Never seen before. There was also a newspaper or magazine for North Laine which I had not seen before. On the front page, a book about North Laine due out soon.

Popped into Grocer & Grain. Always a delight to visit. Two different suppliers of coffee beans, cakes, fruit and vegetables. Sadly I have not seen the owner for several years.

Straight down the main road to the sea front.

Taylor St Baristas closed last year. Now boarded-up. What a tragedy. Loss of a great coffee shop. Why not have let the staff and customers take it on as an open coop? It was though not in a good location. North Laine would have been a far better location.

Street Kitchen

Street Kitchen

Street Kitchen

Street Kitchen

A pop up soup kitchen half way down the road. A sad sign of the times.

A gale blowing on the seafront.

Brighton iSore

Brighton iSore

Along the seafront as far as the Brighton iSore.  Not ony iSore and eyesore, also the glass base.

This used to be an attractive area. Many stalls. Including an excellent book stall. What happened to them?

Then, having walked so far, on to a food festival at Hove. Not impressed, tacky food stalls would expect at a tacky seaside resort. I expected what I once found near the Brighton Pavilion a few yeas ago, quality foods, though it outgrew its space.

A stall selling farm produce, apples, apple juice, plums, sweetcorn, was the only interesting stall. At first I thought it was the stall which is always on the Guildford farmers market, but no.  I picked up sweetcorn and plums.

A I walked past, a cookery demonstration in a tent. On my way back, sampled the food. Potato cakes, and what I think was spinach and venison. The venison, if that was what it was, was like good beef.

On the sea front, near the pier, guy on guitar, another on drums, they were good.

It was then make my way to Iydea in North Laine for late lunch.

On my way, passed a trio, guy on bass, guy on guitar and  a female vocalists. They were good. Did I wish to buy their CD? OK. I bought two signed copies of Rhythm of the Lanes by So Quartet. I assume I saw playing were SO Trio.  Lovely cover, the location in The Lanes where I found them playing.

SO, Sara Oschlag, a Danish vocalist resident in Brighton.

I had a chat with Sara Oschlag, suggested she be on bandcamp. She directed me to her website. As I always find, an attempt to reinvent an inferior wheel. If on bandcamp, she can embed on her website, and as I said, tell people on bandcamp, then people can tell their friends.

Sara Oschlag would be an excellent addition to Staycation Live in Goldaming.

North Laine as always very busy. Busy because no chains, lots of interesting indie shops.

A Mod rally, lots of scooters. Mods as in Mods and Rockers. Brighton in the 1960s was the venue for pitched battles on the beach between Mods and Rockers. The Mods appeared to be in their 6os if not 70s.

Lunch at Iydea. As always excellent. Pleasant enough to sit outside.

I came across a guy called Windy. He was stood by a beautiful mandolin with inlaid mother of pearl. I asked was it for sale, and how old? He seemed affronted that I could even suggest it be for sale. He said he was selling a CD, A Call to Arms. Did I want one?  I took a risk and said yes. The mandolin he said was from the 1950s, not as old as it looked.  I suggested he be on bandcamp.

A couple of cookies from a little bakery.

Apples and peas from Infinity foods. Both excellent.

Coffee from Bond Street Coffee. Not impressed. Lacking in atmosphere, poor choice of cakes, as though added as an after thought. I asked for wifi password. Was told no wifi. Coffee was at best average. Date slice was good.  Beans are roasted by Horsham Coffee.

Krema in Farnham makes better coffee, though may not be using the same beans.

I sat outside and ate my apple.  I set off to buy more.

Long chat with Deliverooo delivery guys. Same exploitation as Uber, serfs working for an app.

Too late, Infinity Foods now closed.

Back down the seafront.

Grilled smoked kipper in a bun. I did not much like. I should have had a crab sandwich.

Back to North Laine to Pelicano Coffee and Tea House. Reasonable coffee, always excellent cakes. Pleasant atmosphere, friendly baristas. A marked contrast to Bond Street Coffee.

Pelicano roast their own coffee, the beans are on sale, the cakes are made locally.

Back to the seafront, walk to the end of Brighton Pier.

With no timetable, all I could do was walk back to the station and hope to pick up a train.

I was surprised at the number of people about. Usually Sunday night is quiet.

Shocked by the number of homeless settling down for the night in shop doorways.

Departure Display showing many cancelled trains. Luckily a train in a little over 15 minutes. To the ticket office to buy a ticket and pick up a timetable.

Train packed.

At Gatwick, a mass of people trying to get on the train.

How can Gatwick expand, when it cannot cope now?

Basingstoke Silver Band

August 27, 2016
Basingstoke Silver Band

Basingstoke Silver Band

Passing through Aldershot on the way to Farnham, a brass band in the bandstand in Princess Gardens, Basingstoke Silver Band.

An elderly gent and a couple of others.

I felt sorry for the brass band, having come all the way from Basingstoke.

Does no one understand publicity?

Afternoon in Farnham

August 27, 2016
River Wey riverside walk

River Wey riverside walk

Another hot day.

Passing through Aldershot, a brass band in the bandstand in Princess Gardens, Basingstoke Silver Band. An elderly gent and a couple of others. I felt sorry for the brass band. Does no one understand publicity?

In the entrance to Gostrey Meadow in Farnham, there is always a chalk board announcing who is playing in the bandstand on Sunday.

Walking along the riverside walk to Gostrey Meadow, a dog decided I was a willing playmate to throw its ball into the river.

watercress and pea soup at Gail's

watercress and pea soup at Gail’s

tiny roll with smoked salmon

tiny roll with smoked salmon

Soup and a tiny roll with with smoked salmon at Gail’s.

Soup watercress with peas. Only lukewarm, and stuffed with peas, spoilt the soup. Watercress is a delicate summer soup, by all means add to bring out the flavours, but not turn it into broth.

Did I wish a coffee? No, not after what I had last week.

Gail’s has only been open a couple of weeks. New staff and it shows.

Tables outside not cleared.

If you are going to serve coffee, then have to have experienced baristas from day one, otherwise simply a cafe attached to a bread shop serving mediocre coffee, I would hesitate to call a bakery.

Last week, no wholemeal bread. This week a couple of small loaves, but I had got bread the day before in Guildford.

But reservations aside, I cannot see either Loaf or the Downing Street Deli surviving, now Gail’s has opened. .

Popped Truck and Vintage Pop up Vintage Tea Van

Popped Truck and Vintage Pop up Vintage Tea Van in Gostrey Meadow

I would have returned to Krema for a  coffee, but Natalie had told me it was her last day of the season in Gostrey Meadow, therefore a coffee off The Vintage Pop up Tea Shop. I chose an iced coffee. Big mistake. It was a sweet sickly coffee flavoured yuk. I poured it under the hedge. The flapjack though was excellent.

Hopefully she will get a  stall on Guildford farmers market, first Tuesday of the month, now it is back in the High Street.

I suggested to Popped Truck, the little van serving wine, Staycation Live. She has tried in the past, got nowhere. Something going wrong with Staycation Live and the stalls they book, as can be seen with the comments that have made on the excellent Sole Luna wood-fired pizza truck at Staycation Live. Why the paranoia and secrecy? Godalming Town Council need to start asking questions about the organisation by TST Live, why the lack of transparency? This little stall would be far better than the cocktail stall the organisers book.

A must for this little stall, they need a twitter account, to alert people to where they are.

I was pleased to see plenty of people around these two quality vans, no one by the Tony Tresco ice cream van with engine running belching out toxic diesel fumes.

To Krema, no coffee, a green smoothie. I think apple juice, avocado and lime.

Lady closng the Parish Church told me their garden fete is in two week’s time.

A very pleasant walk around Bishop’s Meadow and into the neighbouring field.

Just time to pop into Waitrose. Their stock control abysmal, no salad onions, no peas, no fresh bread, no one manning the deli counter, and even if their was, the meat looked so dried up, no thank you.

1204 First Great Western Reading-Guildford-Redhill train

August 26, 2016

1204 First Great Western Reading-Guildford-Redhill train, one toilet out of action, the other the toilet bowl full to overflowing. Disgusting.

And why do they cover the windows by the doors?

This is what we pay our extortionate rail fares for. And the profiteers, laugh all the way to the bank.

Afternoon in Guildford

August 26, 2016
Angel Hotel

Angel Hotel

During the week, records were broken for hottest day of August. Tuesday hit 31C, Wednesday 33.9C. Although very warm last night, it was cool this morning, but soon warmed up and turned into yet another hot day. Too hot to be in Guildford.

Why do morons think it is ok to smoke on station platforms, when there are clear signs indicating No Smoking?

1204 First Great Western Reading-Guildford-Redhill train, one toilet out of action, the other the toilet bowl full to overflowing. Disgusting. This is what we pay our extortionate rail fares for. And the profiteers laugh all the way to the bank.

Surrey Hills Coffee had a couple of people as I walked past.

Excellent lunch at La Casita. Chilled gazpacho was just what I needed on a hot day.

Laden down with shopping from the fruit and vegetable stalls on the market.

Cappuccino not very good in Harrs + Hoole. First one, by new barista, was not good. He offered to do another one. No, it is ok. I was upstairs, and to my surprise, he brought me a second coffee. He said he was not happy. It was too hot a day to enjoy a cappuccino.

Harris + Hoole seriously understaffed. Two members of staff to serve, operate cash till, make coffee, clear tables, wash dishes.

Saw Neil playing guitar outside. Complimented him and his band on excellent performance at Staycation Live a couple of weeks ago. Did he have his new CD? Yes. OK, next time, too laden down with shopping.

It was then catch a train. Too hot to remain in Guildford. Time to spend the rest of the afternoon in the shade in my garden.

August 23, 2016

Rufus Wainright and choir of 1500 singing Leonard Cohen song Hallelujah.

I can personally vouch for what Jeremy Corbyn has stated are the conditions on Virgin Trains East Coast Mainline

August 23, 2016
Virgin Train at King's Cross

Virgin Train at King’s Cross

Virgin Train CCTV shows seats either occupied or reserved

Virgin Train CCTV shows seats either occupied or reserved

Jeremy Corbyn was pictured sitting on the floor by the door of a Virgin Train, bound for Newcastle on the East Coast Mainline, due to overcrowded train, nowhere to sit.

Not true proclaim Virgin Trains, we have the film footage to prove it.

I cannot comment on this particular train, 1100 Newcastle train from King’s Cross, but I can personally vouch that this is the situation on Virgin Trains heading North from King’s Cross.

I walk the length of the platform, dragging my luggage, lugging my laptop, looking for a seat.

Do I find a seat? No. What appears to be empty seats are not, they all have reserved tickets.

I get to the end of the train.

I get on, ignore the reservation, and take a seat. I encourage others to do the same.

Last time I did this, a  passenger came along and claimed their seat. I gladly gave it up. They kindly said, as you are getting off at the next stop, keep the seat until then.

This train was one coach short. Whether now the norm, I do not know.

The train was in an appalling state of repairs.

I was on the 1330 to Newcastle, overcrowded, lack of luggage space, every seat reserved.

Toilet door, lock broken. Nigh impossible to get out of toilet, as door jammed, brute force required to open. Bin for paper, hanging open, not been emptied.

When I walked down to the buffet car, people were sitting on the floor, sitting on their luggage by the doors.

By buffet car, cupboard hanging open, broken.

Totally inadequate luggage space.

One coach missing.

At Newark, passengers barely had time to get off the train.

Virgin Trains even rip passengers off on the so-called ‘free’ wifi. All of 15 minutes free, then have to pay.

This is the reality of travelling on the East Coast Mainline since Virgin Trains took over. It was never like this when the line was in public ownership, but against strong public opposition, it was handed to Richard Branson.

Speaking to staff, they confirmed my own observations, serious deterioration since Branson took over.

I was not on the train with Jeremy Corbyn, but those who were, confirm that the train was overcrowded and people were forced to sit by the door, which is the norm on Virgin Trains on the East Coast Mainline.

So who do we believe, Jeremy Corbyn, fellow passengers, or a man who knows his profiteering from the NHS and the railways will hit the buffers if Labour led by Jeremy Corbyn win the next election?

August 23, 2016

Who are what is Blenkinsop?

I decided to check, to find that I too am #BlockedByBlenkinsop which makes it curiouser and curiouser to be blocked by someone you have no idea who they are or why you should be blocked.

I decided to check out Blenkinsop, turns out to be a Tom Blenkinsop, a rather pathetic Labour MP from the wastes of the North East, a supporter of Owen Smith and one of the coup plotters.

A cursory glance through his twitter feed and he appears to spend his time when not finding tweets of support for Owen Smith to re-tweet, which must be as rare as finding nuggets of gold, spends his time when not tweeting or re-tweeting an anti-Corbyn rant or falsehood, spends his time  insulting and abusing supporters of Jeremy Corbyn, and should they react, cries foul, that he is the victim of abuse.

But why the mass blocking of people, often people who have had no contact with him, who like me, have no idea who he is, have never heard of him?

He must spend his time trawling the net, finding anyone who may or has been a supporter of Jeremy Corbyn.

It is some perverse form of reverse troll behaviour. Instead of harassing and abusing people, to attract attention, and he does plenty of that, he attracts attention by blocking people.

Do the good folk of the North East, really want a perverted troll to be their representative in Parliament?

Sadiq Khan does a Michael Gove impression

August 21, 2016

Did Sadiq Khan read the Micheal Gove guide How to do Politics, subtitled How to stab a colleague in the back, as that is what Sadiq Khan has just done, granted a platform to do so by those bastions of The Establishment, The Guardian and the BBC.

Sadiq Khan is telling member of the Labour Party to vote for Owen Smith.

Does Sadiq Khan seriously think that will influence a single Labour member to vote for Owen Smith?

If he does, then he is a bloody fool.

But what it does mean, is that Sadiq Khan has lost the support of members of the Labour Party. His treachery will not be forgotten.

When his name was mentioned at a Jeremy Corbyn rally tonight, it was booed.

Owen Smith is a PR drone, he says what he thinks will get him elected. He is as shallow as war criminal Tony Blair.

Pfizer has just been exposed for overcharging MSF for medicines. MSF works in war zones. Owen Smith used to be a lobbyist for Pfizer.

Why does Sadiq Khan think he was elected as London Mayor?

Two reasons

  • Jeremy Corbyn and his supporters backed him
  •  Zac Goldsmith foolishly employed a vile Aussie spin doctor to run his campaign

I have never liked Sadiq Khan or trusted him. It seems my gut reactions were correct.

Sadiq Khan is a puppet of the City of London. There to do the bidding of the greedy bankers. One of his first acts was to give the green light for the expansion of London City Airport. He has pushed for a second runway at Gatwick. Has reneged on his promise to cap rents.

According to Sadiq Khan, it was all the fault of Jeremy Corbyn that we voted to leave the EU.  This is to insult the intelligence of the people, who voted to leave because they did not wished to be ruled by the EU dictatorship. Nor do they like Sadiq Khan telling then what to do. He also misses the point, the whole point of a referendum is for the people to decide, not self-serving politicians like himself. He wanted us to side with his puppet masters the greedy bankers. And note how he is singing from the same hymn sheet as his fellow coup plotters.

Everyone is entitled to a point of view, even Sadiq Khan, but as Labour Mayor of London, he is expected to respect the wishes of the members,and those members chose Jeremy Corbyn as their leader. They did not choose their leader according to what best served the ambitions of Sadiq Khan, though Sadiq Khan was only too happy to have the support of Jeremy Corbyn to get himself elected as Mayor of London.

The Final Reckoning

August 21, 2016

The Final Reckoning by Petros Markaris, dramatised for BBC Radio 4.

Set in Athens during the economic crisis, shortly after the 2008 banking crisis and before Syriza come to power, with roots in the dark Fascist past.

Wealthy tax dodgers receive demands for unpaid taxes, when not paid, they are killed with hemlock, their bodies dumped at archaeological sites. Next are corrupt politicians.

Socrates was killed with hemlock. His dying words, the final reckoning, was that his debts and taxes be paid.


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Monthly Archives: March 2015

Letter from the Met

BY EMMA SACHS, PhD candidate, Interdepartmental Program in Classical Art and Archaeology and Museum Studies, University of Michigan; Bothmer Fellow, Metropolitan Museum of Art This year I have been conducting research and writing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art as a Bothmer Fellow in … Continue reading

Posted in Archaeological research | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

A Romano-Egyptian Lion Takes a Bath

BY CARRIE ROBERTS, Conservator, Kelsey Museum of Archaeology When it comes to conserving works of art, how do you treat what you can’t see? When a carved limestone lion from Karanis came to the conservation lab a few months ago, … Continue reading

Posted in Conservation | Tagged , | Leave a comment


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March 31, 2015

Double Process Blonding and What it Is.

Double Process Blonding is a very popular topic in our Group lately, so I thought one more Post would be helpful to them in coming up with their game plan for their new formula.

Level 12 color or High-lift Blonde is made by every company and they are sold as colors that lift 5 levels....which is an outright and complete lie. I challenge all companies to tell me which line they feel does that and I would be happy to run a test and eat my words.....and take a photo of me eating my words !! ! ! "take-my-words" back ! It just isn't so, so what happens and many of you, in pickles is... these Stylists that are "guessing" how hair color works, listen to you being emphatic over the words , "please don't use Bleach". So they use the high-lift that claims it lifts 3-5 levels and you end up with BLORANGE roots and or hair.

Apparently that damn Sally's has come out with their own version of my Oil Bleach Kit, nice to see my preaching is reaching large corporations - Sally's is the largest beauty supply in the world and it single-handedly ruins more women's hair than any other company. L'Oreal runs a very close 2nd btw. The Kit has only been out a short time and I already have countless women asking me why their oil bleach didn't work.......AND THE REASON IS ...THEY USED SALLY'S - - NOT MINE. SALLY'S HAS POWDERED BLEACH IN AN ENVELOPE.  The whole kit is $5.00 - come on women you get what you pay for.......... How many times have I said this. NO-DAMN- SHORT CUTS.

My Kit has Creme Lightener with Gleam added in the container so more oil seeps in the creme lightener as it sits to be sold.....then you add even more oil (glammor) and we use a special Violet tinted Developer - the amount of lipids and oils in my Kit is simply OFF THE CHART !!!!!!!!!!!  Plus I have been using it for over 10 years with Amazing results.

 High-lifts on their very best day lift 3 levels "3"  and that is rare, therefore the question to you is one of REALITY.

So if you are anything darker than a VIRGIN Level 8-9....which is pretty much every single one of you, well you will end up with either brass, blorange or Gold hair at the end of a very expensive Coloring session.

Now I am here to teach you how to avoid that.
By listening to this Post and learning how things work and what you must do to have the beautiful blonde that is possible on every single one of you. You might not like the rules, but I promise you, but I didn't make them up.

Every color company states that high-lift lifts 4-5 Levels when they do not.
Beyond that the next in a great Colorists' arsenal is what we refer to as  "Double-Process-Blonding" .
That is how you obtain this hair color:

The one and only way to do this and end up with healthy shiny hair when you are finished is by purchasing our OIL BLEACH KIT, I do not mean to sound like a used car salesman, what I do get tired of hearing and doing is .....listening to so many sad stories of how you were led awry - its not your fault and I thought after I wrote this Blog and a few years went by that the problem would be solved. But to the contrary......... it seems to have grown for some reason. Maybe because having platinum hair has grown so much - especially this year........I have so very many email and consultation requests for platinum hair.

This is a double Step of a BLEACH and Tone........which is necessary..... when you do this for so many years on every color from Level 1 to Albino hair, you completely understand hair color !
This double process Step is called: Bleach & tone.
First you bleach and ONLY with our OIL Bleach our Oil Bleach Kit Unlike the crappy Sally's ones (Please I beg you to not use those or you will be knocking on my door tomorrow)
The mistakes I hear the public & Hair Stylists making all the time in trying to achieve platinum hair are the following :
  • They do not remove the "old" hair color first.....bleach is a lightening agent....NOT a color remover. - Remove old hair color with our VANISH KIT - first. 1 box is enough on most people unless you have Black hair color in that case you realize the change you are trying to make and they do not call platinum hair the epitome of the term "high maintenance" that is actually where the term was derived - back in the Marilyn Monroe days !
  • Do Not use powder lightener, that was designed only for small pieces of hair such as highlights ( I never use powder lightener - rarely do you need it with cream and oil lightener in existence).
  • the lightener  must be applied multiple times and it depends on the color Level you are beginning with as to how many applications of Oil bleach you will need. In the future you will only be using 1 application to re-touch your roots.
  •  All bleaches only process for 55-75 minutes - period, so at that time ity is time to remove it and apply another application.
  •  At that point you take the lightener OFF, rinse in luke cool water for 5 minutes
  • Apply INTENSIVE for minimum 30 min. rinse dry hair and Apply 1 more time. You don't stop when the hair is Gold or Blorange, that means you need another application to achieve the platinum hair. You do this until your hair reaches the color of frozen butter or the inside of banana.
  • Then when the lightness is achieved........ go through the process with the INTENSIVE and rinse, then apply THRIVEN OVERNIGHT.......that is a pure miracle worker I promise you. Tone the hair the next day. Its always best if you can wait 24 hours before that, if you can't then proceed that way.
  • Be sure you are using a Toner so that means a demi-permanent color line ONLY - and never more that a 13Volume developer for a toner on platinum hair I prefer 6 Volume Color Touch and 10/6.

  1. what toner do you suggest for getting platinum/ white hair

    1. I've just done some brand new strand Tests on the newly formulated Schwarzkopf their BLONDME in ICE,,,,,,but my #1 Fav is ALWAYS Wella Color Touch in 10/6 with 6 or 13 Volume Developer

  2. KC,

    I've removed all of the old color from my hair using the shampoo train and Vanish using the 10vol to check to ensure all the old color is gone. Now I have coppery/orange hair. I want it to lift it up to an 8-9 and then color over it with an 8-1 from Igora. I've performed 2 test strips on the back of my head and both times the color goes right back to what it was. I can't wrap my head around what I'm doing wrong. Why is the hair going back to a level 6-7 and why isn't it neutralizing the golden color I've brought it up to?

    I feel like you have so many great posts about going platinum but I can't find any posts about going to a level 8 or 9 from level 6 or 7. In the end I'm trying to replicate the hair color in the link below but I can't even get the base right!

  3. Your results are a clear sign you did not go far enough with your color removing, you must keep doing applications until the color does not return with the test. This is not a guessing game, there are rules to get to certain places in hair color and if they are not followed then you don't get the proper results.
    You have to continue to use VANISH until you have gotten all of the old color molecules out or you will continue to have that problem. When you applied the 10 volume it showed you that not all the color was removed, therefore you have to just keep going and going till its all out.
    Some people have used up to 8-9 even 10 boxes, I know its a lot, but that is how you remove all old hair color very very rarely will it happen with even 2 boxes ( 4 applications). You must keep going if you want to accomplish this with hair color.
    Or once you remove the color again, you can use the bleach and tone method.
    There are 2 great posts about trying to hit the elusive Level 8 color.....on the blog all you have to do is put : ' LEVEL 8 ' in the Search bar

    You will notice that I tell you it is the single hardest color to nail, so you have that to contend with....which is a lot.

    You can't cut corners when trying to tackle a professional technique, if that is what one decides to MUST follow the steps and accomplish each one thoroughly. Half-assed is the difference between a shitty Colorist and a great one.

All comments are moderated. Please do not include: references to personal information, or any profane, inflammatory or copyrighted comments. We would appreciate it if we all stick to the subject of HAIR . Have a wonderful day.

Wella Professional Line of Products - Nothing is Better

Wella Professional Line of Products - Nothing is Better
Xcellent Gray Coverage, beautiful Shine + Hair Looks Like a Million Bucks w/ Wella !

We RECEIVE : Many Kind Acknowledgements :


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Archive for the ‘Tablo’ Category

Hip hop group Epik High leader Tablo and actress Kang Hye-jung will tie the knot in October.

A source from Tablo was quoted as saying Saturday, “Tablo is preparing for the October wedding. The couple will become father and mother next year.” “They had planned to wed next year but Kang’s pregnancy caused them to advance the wedding date.” Kang is reportedly in her fifth week of pregnancy.

tablo (more…)

Read Full Post »


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Kirkland Museum

The Modern West

The Modern West: American Landscapes (1890-1950) by Emily Ballew Neff, with an essay by Barry Lopez. This catalog and the exhibition for which was made focuses on those artists who used their western experiences to create paintings and photographs that defined the many faces of Modernism in the first 50 years of the 20th century. Vance Kirkland is featured with two surreal watercolor paintings. 315 pp. B&W and color illustrations. Softbound.


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Ayurveda in Satara

Speciality: Ayurveda

          It is a conventional Hindu system of health and medicine, based on maintaining balance among the five elements earth, air, fire, water, and ether. Its aim is to provide guidance regarding food and lifestyle so that healthy people can stay healthy and folks with health challenges can improve their health. The two main guiding principles of Ayurveda are 1.) The mind and the body are inextricably connected, and 2.) Nothing has more power to heal and transform the body than the mind.  Meditation is one of the most powerful tools of Ayurveda.

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Cardiologist in Surat

Speciality: Cardiologist

          A cardiologist is a specialist with special training and skill in finding, treating and preventing diseases of the heart and blood vessels. A cardiologist is a heart doctor. He or she is the one to visit if you feel tightness in your chest and shortness of breath. Besides treating the heart, a cardiologist is also concerned with the circulatory system, including arteries and veins. The field includes medical diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease and electrophysiology. Two types of specialization in cardiology are adult cardiology and pediatric cardiology.

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Check out DrainSpotting

DrainSpotting on FaceBook has damn fine photos of drains around the world. Like the page. I was surprised they shared my cover photo, which was taken by Steve Duncan. Thanks!

My writing process

Thank you again to Josh Cane for inviting me to participate in My Writing Process blog tour. You can check out his writing process.

1)     What am I working on?

Potter’s Field, a reimagining of William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying for fans of Marie Lu’s Legend series, is Potter’s odyssey through the tunnels below a near-future Manhattan to honor the promise she made to her dying father.

Photo by Steve Duncan
Photo by Steve Duncan

You can see photos and video from my research trip here.

2)     How does my work differ from others of its genre?

No catastrophic event has transformed Potter’s world into a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Instead, I imagine a time much like ours, except the gap between the haves and the have-nots continues to grow .

I love sci-fi but my primary influences don’t come from Asimov novels and summer blockbusters. My manuscript began as a short story reflecting on my travels in Kenya. Articles about eating mud cakes in Haiti, slum demolition, social media’s role in protest, and urban exploration influenced the story’s direction. Of course, the geek in me had to include some futuristic surveillance that might be coming to a city near you.

3)     Why do I write what I do?

I believe where we live influences how we live in community and the stories we tell. A novel’s setting is important to me. (Where would William Faulkner be without Yoknapatawpha County? C.S. Lewis without Narnia? Suzanne Collins without Panem?) Setting research gives me the gumption to take trips I’ve dreamed of for years, like walking up a drain pipe in Manhattan…

…and in a drain in Queens…

…and the Paris catacombs…

…and streets of Edinburg, Scotland…

Edinburgh street
(Research for a another WIP)

Edinburgh skyline

…and places closer to home.

steam tunnel

steam tunnel

(Yes, those are all me and my husband. My brother, Ralph, shot the catacomb video and took photos in the steam tunnels.)

4)     How does my writing process work?

Outline obsessively? Throw organization to the wind? I’ve tried it all.

Once upon a time, I took outlining to a new level of insanity. When my critique group wrote about our processes, I called mine “Step-by-step Neurosis or Outlining the Novel.” I shared how I was currently working…

1. Idea germination and growth
2. Research and free-write
3. Character profiles
4. Scene worksheets and scene mapping
5. Rough draft
6. Time off
7. Fast read
8. Editorial letter
9. Rewrite
10. Rinse and repeat
11. A few good readers
12. What is its fate?

…and went into detail about why I was writing that way:

In the early days, I made notes but no outlines, and writing a novel scared the bejesus out of me. The task seemed insurmountable, so I started outlining, which was how I wrote nonfiction. Now I break the process into manageable steps that keep me focused and ensure I don’t lose steam because writing seems too hard.

Then along came Potter’s Field and the process was less rigid. All those scene worksheets had drilled basic story craft through my thick skull. I just did it, leaving more time to dream about my next writing adventure.

Next week on the blog tour

Born in Savannah, Georgia, Elle Blair has called every southern state along the East Coast home at one point or another. She earned a Communications degree from the University of South Florida, then spent another two years studying ceramics in North Carolina. No one could have convinced her that one day she would open a word processing file and never want to go back to her pottery wheel. Now she writes young adult novels in Richmond, Virginia.
You can visit her blog at:

I recommend you check out blog tour posts by   and Leila Gaskin.

Research Video II: NYC drainpipe

Here I am walking up a 4′ diameter drainpipe under New York. This pipe carries stormwater from the area surrounding Highbridge Park down to the Harlem River. Today I’m writing a scene set in this pipe. I love my life. I really enjoyed the exploration, and I hope my beta readers will enjoy my depiction.

The video starts when Steve and I are over 75% up the pipe. Here is a photo of Steve on his way down the pipe.

Companion descending 4' diameter drain pipe

See the tiny light speck in the photo below? It’s not your monitor. That’s Steve’s headlamp at the bottom of the pipe.

Speck in the middle of the photo is the same headlamp one minute later

Thank you to my wonderful husband for filming. You can see more photos and a video from our trip here.

Check out “Inside An Illegal Party In An Abandoned Subway Station Deep Under NYC”

Tod Seelie / Gothamist.
Tod Seelie / Gothamist.

Check out “Inside An Illegal Party In An Abandoned Subway Station Deep Under NYC” by Tod Seelie. Gothamist. June 24, 2013.

I wish I’d been there.

Writing Soundtrack: Drains

Some writers create inspirational playlists featuring the best of modern music. Me? I’m listening to drain sounds as I write the next scene in my WIP.

I recorded this clip while researching in New York. You can see photos from the trip here:

The World’s 20 Most Amazing Tunnels

East Side Access project (Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York)

Check out “The World’s 20 Most Amazing Tunnels” by Terrell Johnson.

This list has scope–from leaves to concrete, natural wonders to engineering marvels, biblical to contemporary–and lots of pretty pictures. Spoiler: #4 is the New York East Side Access Project!

Thank you to Sarah Fite, writer extraordinaire, for sharing the article. Know a great article about the underground? Please send it my way.

You can see more on the New York East Side Access Project at the article I shared earlier this month.

Underground New York

Underground New York

MTAPhoto’s East Side Access Project

These stunning photos of MTA’s East Side Access project show why I’m in awe of NYC’s underground infrastructure.

Thank you to David Kazzie for sharing the link. Check out David’s book and snort-inducing “So You Want to Write a Novel” video at his blog:


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labels are for cans, because sometimes it’s nice to know what’s in them

September 23, 2010

Today is “Celebrate Bisexuality Day” (or Bi Pride Day, or Bi Visibility Day, or any of a handful of other names for it).  I’m celebrating with…a blog post.  Not as exciting as anything someone with half an imagination and any exposure whatsoever to popular stereotypes might suggest, but hey.  As exciting as my life is these days, it seems like a good way to celebrate, and it provides a nice excuse for me to get on my virtual soapbox, too.

So, what is it that everyone is supposed to be celebrating today?  I could throw you a dictionary definition of “bisexuality” and start dissecting it, but honestly I think we’re all on the same page (or at least in the same book): when we talk about bisexuality, we’re referring to something that’s not hetero- or homosexuality, an attraction to more than just men or more than just women.

That definition was surprisingly difficult to keep vague enough to describe the many things people call bisexuality.

Some people who identify as bi say that they’re simply genderblind, “attracted to people, not parts;” for some, they’re into both men and women equally, but only the most masculine guys and femmiest of femmes, “the football players and the cheerleaders.”  Others, contrary to a lot of popular belief, have nothing even approximating an equal attraction to men and women, and I’m not even going to get into the variations on genderqueer and its associated linguistic, political, and philosophical can of worms.  Some bi folks say they fall in love with men but love to sleep with women (and vice versa); others have no experience with one sex or the other, or have no experience at all with either.  And this is just a sampling, really, of the variations I’ve heard.  Of course, this all has a flip-side, too; there are folks who don’t identify as bi who have been attracted to both men and women, along with folks who actively pursue one gender or the other (or both) while professing a seemingly incompatible sexual identity.

Obviously, this is kind of a mess.  There are two main approaches to dealing with it (other than just using the term anyway) that I’ve run across.

One: “let’s use a more obscure (or newly-coined) term to describe our particular brand of sexuality, since it clearly defies/is more specific than existing labels.”  This is like talking about a tree, but calling it a pinus taeda.  Or maybe, calling a tree a grishuckle, or a yormdoodle, or another nonsense word.  It’s great for people who know what the hell you’re talking about, but there are other people in the world, and it’s sometimes nice to interact with them, too.  It’s really hard to do that if you’re speaking your own language about these things.  Not very useful.

Two: “labels are for cans!”  I get grumpy about this one.  It’s like refusing to talk about a tree altogether.  What?  How is that helpful?

I get the frustration here, I really do.  Labels can be ambiguous or confusing, and more often than not come with a boatload of assumptions and stereotypes (especially about something as touchy as sexuality).  At the end of the day, though, we use labels because they’re useful.  It’s helpful to refer to a tree as a tree, even if it doesn’t paint the whole picture, and even if it brings up nasty tree stereotypes (…yeah so I may have taken this example too far).

So my two cents?  Use the label.  It’s descriptive, and it means approximately what you want it to.  If it isn’t descriptive enough for your purposes all the time, explain yourself (“I’m bi, but for me, that doesn’t mean I want to sleep with you“).  The nasty stereotypes that come with it?  Fight them.  The annoying assumptions that follow it everywhere?  Educate people.  It can be an uphill battle, but it’s worth it.

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Lakeland Book Club

Reading good books with good friends in North Idaho

May and June Updates April 19, 2014

Filed under: Housekeeping — lakelandreads @ 11:38 pm

May Book Club will be held at Cheryl’s house on May 8th.

June Book Club will be held at Rachel’s house on June 5th. Weather permitting, we will meet at the dock.

Weekend Booked

Not getting the Book Club emails?

Filed under: Housekeeping — lakelandreads @ 7:51 pm

If you are not receiving the Book Club email updates, please take a minute to enter your email address.  Scroll down until you see this box in the right hand column and enter your email address.  By entering your email address here, you will get Book Club notices when the blog is updated.  (You won’t get other spam from this site!)

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Existing Members:  To be added to the group list, please provide the following information.  (Please note:  New members are welcome, but membership is not guaranteed.  If you live in North Idaho and would like to talk to us about whether or not you will be a good fit for our Book Club, please indicate that in the comments.  If you were invited by an existing member, please mention who invited you in the comments field as well.)

Book Ideas

April Book Club!!! April 9, 2014

Filed under: Housekeeping — lakelandreads @ 9:39 am

Hi everyone!

Book club is at my house at 7:30 on Thursday, April 10.  The book is The Seamstress by Frances (something) Peebles.  I hope you all come, even if you haven’t read it. Should be a fun night…

Not in a box

April Book Club Update March 13, 2014

Filed under: Housekeeping — lakelandreads @ 2:32 am

Hello ladies,

Last week we had a very good discussion on the book “I am Malala”. We had a very fun evening.

In April we will meet on the second Thursday which is April 10 and we will discuss at Joni in Hauser the book The Seamstress by Frances De Pontes Peebles. According to Joni though the book has a lot of pages it is an easy read.

If you know anyone interested in getting the book club email and is not getting it, please forward this one and let everyone know who we should ad on the email list.

Have a good read.

Monique Stevens

Quiet Reading

March Book Club March 5, 2014

Filed under: Housekeeping — lakelandreads @ 12:05 pm

Hello everyone. It is this time again to meet for our book club.

We will be meeting tomorrow Thursday night at 7:30 at my house.

We will be talking about “I am Malala” by Malala Yousafzai.

Please come and join us for a treat and good conversation.

See you tomorrow.

Monique Stevens

Stock your mind

Book Club Update February 7, 2014

Filed under: Housekeeping — lakelandreads @ 11:25 am

Hello ladies.

We had an intimate and enjoyable gathering at our book discussion of The Winter Sea. The book was enjoyed by all who read it. Donna hosted and treated us with delicious goodies. Monique chose this month’s book. It is I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai. With those in attendance at the discussion, we also chose the March book read as well. It is a bit long so thought we would also share the book for those who would appreciate a head start. It is The Seamstress by Frances De Pontes Peebles. Joni highly recommended this book. She said that even though it is a bit long it is an easy read. Personally I am excited about both reads and am looking forward to getting into some engaging reads. Hope that all of you are as well. Please take a look at who I have sent this out to and if I have missed someone please email them as these are all the addresses I had. Hope to see you all at Monique’s in March.

product of books

February Book Club February 1, 2014

Filed under: Housekeeping — lakelandreads @ 1:01 am

Greetings to all ye freens! We will be meeting Thursday nicht at Coy’s house tae discuss the book The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley.

Please come at the usual time of 7:30 even if ye haven’t read the book. I ken that we will have a good time.

A wee bit of refreshments will be served so bring yer appetite fer something sweet.

PS  If you haven’t read the book, please excuse the little bit of Doric dialect I used.        freens = friends           ken = know


text:
Fancy a Treat?

Yo yo yo yo!! It’s Tuesday. Hope you all are doing fine. As per usual I got some awesome new items coming your way. 2 event items and 1 mainstore release. So get ready for some beauty!

My top is the centre of attention today and this one is a mesh top – Maitreya & both slink. You can find this top in black, pink, red & white. And how to find it? You can find this top at Black Dot project opening October 11th from Black Haus.

See my gorgeous nails? These can be found from ZOZ at Cosmopolitan running October 9th – 22nd. As per usual – these can be found in two different shades – Royal & Soft. I am wearing soft.

And my face? Well, Wow Skins been busy lately and yet she got the time to release this amazing beauty Catwa Applier skin called Samantha. She also got lipsticks in various colors for purchase. All in her Mainstore.

Skin – Wow Skins – Samantha (NEW; Catwa applier) – tyvsm ❤

Lipstick – Wow Skins – Samantha Lipsticks (NEW) – tyvsm ❤

Nails – ZOZ @ Cosmopolitan – Soft Beauty (NEW) – tyvsm ❤

Hair – little bones – Amelie

Mesh head – Catwa – Tumble

Mesh body – Maitreya – Lara w/hands & feet

Top – Black Haus @ Black Dot – Lola Top (NEW) – tyvsm ❤

Jeans – Black Haus – Mia Jeans – tyvsm ❤

Shoes – Maitreya – Moccasins Black

Rings – i.mesh – CROSS 2

Choker – Yummy – Tresser Choker

Necklace – HollyWeird – Chapel Necklace

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“It is said that evil in the world is like the shaded spaces in a painting; if you come close to it you’ll see these as defects, but if you draw back to a distance you will discover the shaded areas are necessary in fulfilling an aesthetic function within the artwork.”

 There is an ancient wisdom that states “Out of the snakes poison comes the antidote”
How  can one appreciate comfort without having experienced hardship to use as a comparator? Would it be possible to appreciate good health if illness did not occur?
If there weren’t any starving people how could we show our generosity?

“Tragedy is more important than love. Out of all human events, it is tragedy alone that brings people out of their own petty desires and into awareness of other humans’ suffering. Tragedy occurs in human lives so that we will learn to reach out and comfort others.”
–C. S.Lewis
“And it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know.”

(AI-Baqarah, 2:216)

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First Draft of Site Completed Today

Even though I have my list quite complete at the start of building the site, it still takes a good week to get it into a complete draft. Glad that this small project is over ... though I may build a Chinese version of the site later. Stay tuned!

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text:
Summer Ice Cream Challenge

This past summer I wanted to do something a bit different for our practice incentive. I decided to do a Summer Ice Cream Challenge. It was really quite simple. I printed ice cream cones and ice cream scoops, cut them apart, and laminated them so they would last for future use. For each 10 points a student earned, I awarded them with a scoop to add to their cone. Students earned points for meeting practice and performance goals.

At the end of the summer, we had a party for students who had a minimum of 4 scoops. Yeah, this was easy to attain, but since I had several students who were going to be gone for much of the summer, it worked well. At our party we had ice cream – of course – with lots of toppings to choose from. Afterwards, we watched Bugs Bunny’s Overtures to Disaster. The kids loved it, and it was low-stress for me.

Just a word of warning – I cut out a LOT of ice cream scoops. Most of it was done during my kids’ swimming lessons, when I was just sitting with little to do. If this had been a year-long incentive program, I would have gotten really tired of cutting! It would be much easier to cut the ice cream cones and scoops from a die cut. Check your local scrapbooking store or school to see if they have one you could use.


text:
The Friday Oklahoma tornado!

About 1 week ago there were 3 veteran storm chasers  killed by a EF5 tornado. It had a 16 mile path, 40 mins on the ground,and 2.6 miles wide in a matter of seconds, can you believe it broke the record. The old record was 2.5 miles wide  set on May of 2004. It had winds at about 295 miles an hour -wow! I need a chill pill! The tornado  hit at rush hour. When I heard about it I thought there would be more deaths than there were, but there were only 10 deaths thank you Lord! The tornado was south of El Reno. they believe it got to it strongest point at highway 81. They think it got up to 300 miles an hour! If the tornado had gone through a more populated area, the devastation would have been worse. (back to topic) The veterans names were Jim Samaras, Tim Samaras (the brother), and Paul Samaras (Tim’s son). How sad is that dad, brother, and son killed doing something they love ;( . They all lived in Colorado and, chased in the tornado ally. The Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma said they did tornado research.

the tornados path

the tornados path

the tornado
the tornado

a truck
a truck

the 3 veterans
the 3 veterans

them agin
them again

One thought on “The Friday Oklahoma tornado!

  1. Agent 007 says:

    Hello Leah!!! This is your favorite cousin!!! Did you know you had false info? I did!!! The first tornado was 2.6 miles wide. And killed 26 people. It was the largest tornado ever recorded. The second tornado was a lot smaller and, killed 3 storm chasers. They tried to out run the tornado but, it killed them. I hope Oklahoma will have a quick recovery!
    Hey, I sailed in lake Texoma before! It was great!

    And for all of you viewers…

    LEAH’S THE GREATEST 2ND COUSIN EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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15% OFF on everything in the shop - the offer lasts until June 27, 12:00 CET. Discount applies at checkout

7.3 Practical examples

Diagram 7.6 shows a circuit for a stereo audio-amp using a TDA4935 IC. It is a modern integrated circuit with two separate pre-amps and stereo outputs.

Left and right input signals are marked UL and UD, which are brought to two inputs of the amplifier. The chip also has built-in heat and overload protection. Maximum output for each amplifier is 15W, so they can be used in stereo mode of 2x15W amplifiers.

Fig. 7.6: Stereo audio-amplifier using the TDA4935

Another example is an audio amplifier using an LM386 circuit, with a preamp using a BC107 transistor. The series connected capacitor and resistor between pins 1 and 5 produces low frequency amplification (around 100Hz) improving the characteristics of the circuit. This amplifier could be used with any low frequency source (gramophone, microphone, etc.).

Fig. 7.7: complete audio-amplifier using the LM386

The third example is a simple alarm, shown in figure 7.8. It uses a CD4011 IC. Gates NI3 and NI4 form a 600Hz audio oscillator. This signal is amplified using an NPN transistor and passed to an 8R speaker. To hear the 600Hz tone, remove the connection to pin 8 and connect pin 8 to pin 9. This produces a constant tone. Gates NI1 and NI2 form a 4Hz oscillator, whose output is connected to pin 8. This turns the 600Hz tone on and off at 4Hz. To use this alarm in your home, on doors for example, connected pin 1 to 7 via a switch.

Fig. 7.8: Alarm using a CD4011 IC

The last circuit in this chapter is an example of a mono FM receiver using a TDA7088T IC, which can be, along with the SMD components, housed in a match-box along with two miniature watch batteries. You can purchase a ready-built scanning radio in a “junk shop” for as little as $5.00 with stereo head-phones Always look in the toy sections of large stores for the latest technology at the cheapest price.

Fig. 7.9: Mono FM radio receiver with an electronic preset

Tuning to a low frequency station is done automatically by pressing the RUN button. This turns on the part of the integrated circuit which is designated for scanning over a given range. When it finds a station it locks on until the RUN button is pressed again. When it reaches 108MHz it waits for the RESET signal which returns the scan to 88MHz.


text:
Flutes, Echoes, It's All Happening!

by Carlos Niño & Friends

  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

      $10 USD  or more

  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    Artwork printed on 12" tip-on jacket, includes ltd. 11"x22" fold-out (while supplies last) + album credits insert.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Flutes, Echoes, It's All Happening! via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 2 days

      $25 USD or more

Flutes, Echoes, It's All Happening! is the fourth in an ongoing series of highly collaborative records by Carlos Niño & Friends, and features Madlib, Kamasi Washington, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Iasos, Luis Pérez Ixoneztli, Dexter Story, and more!

Los Angeles’ Carlos Niño is the exalted producer, composer, percussionist, DJ, ensemble orchestrator, and mentor who has traversed the multitude of music scenes the city has birthed within the last two decades. Host of the influential Spaceways Radio (1995-2015) on KPFK LA, his curation of playlists run in complete parallel to his original compositions and collaborations collected on this album: “Psychedelic Love Music and classic, obscure and experimental recordings from around the world!”. This is Space Collage Hybrid music!

FEIAH was recorded in California - mostly in the greater Los Angeles are, with Iasos' contributions coming from up North in Marin County. The material spans a number of years, through to March 2015. Carlos remarks on the material, “I rarely throw anything away, and in this case, a few pieces I'd started and archived were brought back to the forefront as they vibrationally matched with the project. There is overlap in space, time, and sound with these records”. A standout in the FEIAH album arch is from The Cosmic Band and Kamasi Washington, a one-of-a-kind orchestration by Niño as a final send-off performance captured live on his Spaceways Radio show March 22nd 2015. “It was a wonderful night! We opened with an improvisation where I read the names of almost everyone that had ever been on the show with me including Pharoah Sanders, Yusef Lateef, and Donovan. We played a few classics, then ended with a 30 minute guided improvisation that the bonus Kamasi track "On Into Rise" was excerpted from.”

released April 22, 2016

tags: Los Angeles

all rights reserved

LEAVING RECORDS Los Angeles, California

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To Our Sensitive Society (and Churches): Feelings Are Not Justified Simply Because You Have Them

When I’ve been in discussions and debates with people in the past, a frequent “argument” people use when they are backed into a corner is this apparently unassailable standard of truth:  “That’s just the way I feel!”  Um… thanks for that.  That may be fine when we’re discussing our favorite color or flavor of ice cream, but when the discussion is about moral principles, right behavior, or biblical interpretation, you will forgive me if I don’t find your feelings to be above criticism.  Yet, when people have their very emotions criticized, they bristle as if this is somehow off-base or enormously insensitive.

Am I some sort of Vulcan who thinks emotions are only for the weak and who advocates that we should transform our society into a collection of logical robots?  I admit I’ve joked along these lines before, but no, I of course believe that emotions are an important part of the human experience.  Still, I want to ask this:  Since when are emotions infallible?  Most reasonable people believe that we can critique people’s logic (on second thought, most people don’t even handle that well) because we will all admit that nobody is perfect in their reasoning.  However, whens somebody gets their feelings hurt, the trend these days is to immediately come to their defense.  It’s hurtful.  They are offended.  Due to this, whatever was said to cause this hurt is immediately judged wrong or, at the least, too insensitive or careless.

Continue reading

My Youth Camp Experience

This year, I decided at the last minute to go to DCCYC (Dallas Chinese Christian Youth Camp) to be a counselor for youth students.  Ironically, last year I wanted to go but ended up in the hospital, but this year I wasn’t planning on going.  However, I realized I was being selfish with my time and energy, so I turned in my application, got assigned to rising 12th graders, and went to Lone Star, TX to be a Korean counselor at a Chinese youth camp.  I had to miss Game 7 of the NBA Finals, but as much as I love basketball, I knew I had a good reason to miss.

Continue reading


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Don’t Forget Five

19 08 2015

For years I’ve been ‘stuck’ in a wound that would not go away. No amount of forgiveness brought the release I sought.

I talked through the situation with Abba – literally hundreds of times; yet could not get free of the matter.

I finally wrote it off as my ‘hard heart’ and lamented my lack of spiritual maturity.

This was a serious problem for me because I kept bumping into the same scenario everywhere I turned. That was painful, yet I see the gentle, patient hand of Father whose desire is for my wholeness.

After more than a decade of wrestling with my inability to forgive, yesterday my counselor and I discussed the issue for the umpteenth time. I’m thankful that God has given her great patience with me as well!

At long last, we found the key that unlocked the shackles of my unforgiveness.

It was a small thing, a simple thing, yet every bit as important as every other step in the process, as I learned yesterday. Perhaps that’s why I needed this lesson.

What did I learn?

I matter!

“C’mon! Get on with it,” you say. “What’s the key?”

I had not forgiven myself.

Seriously? That’s all?

Um, yeah.

A long time ago I was offered a supervisory position. I believed myself unqualified for the job. I didn’t pray about it, just declined the offer.  I would be in charge of many people. If I messed up, it could be costly.

However, I had a friend who demonstrated all the qualities I believed necessary to handle the position well.

Um, didn’t pray about that either.

At the next board meeting, I recommended my ‘qualified’ friend.

They agreed, and he was put into the position.

It didn’t take very long to realize that I’d judged this person by his outward appearance – and hadn’t given a second’s thought to his heart.

Big mistake.

Lurking under the mask was a power-hungry, ambitious fellow who didn’t care if people were hurt by his actions or words.

Sadly, many were hurt. Many found positions elsewhere.

Then I became his target.

Perceived as a threat by my ‘friend’, he went out of his way to undermine and discredit me.

His efforts were quite effective, thus when I went to the assistant HR person to discuss the number of ‘casualties’, I was told, “We know he’s hurting people, but he gets things done. Who could we get to replace him?”

I got the same response from the head HR guy as well.

I became frantic, burdened. These were my friends who were being hurt. The more innocent ones were being led into dubious actions and attitudes.

Seated on my counselor’s couch, we hacked at the roots of my unforgiveness – again!

“What is it about this that you can’t let it go?” she asked.

We did a little exploration (again), and began to go through the forgiveness process as noted in my Be Selfish – Forgive.

We went through forgiving the person, asking God to forgive them, to forgive me, then ‘forgave’ God for not doing what I thought He should about the matter (!).

All of a sudden, her eyes lit up.

“Hey! Have you been blaming yourself for the outcome?”

I thought about it a minute, and it became crystal clear.

Here, at last, was the key!

I continued to hold myself solely responsible for what happened…

…Like I’d handed a loaded machine gun to a four-year-old in a mall, who was now mowing down everyone in sight.

That is not a good feeling.

“Yes I have. I was the one who recommended the guy in the first place.”

The minute I forgave myself, BAM! That choke chain around my neck hit the floor. It was the size one might use to restrain Godzilla!

The release and freedom I felt was instantaneous.

Yes, I recommended the guy for the position, but once he was installed the matter was out of my hands.

From that point on, he was the responsibility of our HR department. They saw what was going on – even acknowledged it, and they chose to do nothing.

The outcome was beyond my control, thus not my guilt to bear.

God longs for our wholeness. Jesus stated this when He introduced His ministry in Luke 4:18-19:

“The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.

He was content to revisit this issue with me until I finally realized that the one I needed to forgive was me!

You see, I matter to Him. What I think and believe about myself, yeah, that also matters.

Guess what? You matter to Him as well!

Forgive as you have been forgiven…

…and don’t forget Five!

8 responses

20 08 2015
Mary S.

I’ve been down this path also, too many times…and recently wrote about it. A friend read what I wrote and pointed out that Biblically, it’s not about “forgiving ourselves” but about DEEPLY and FULLY receiving God’s forgiveness of our sin, and then seeing ourselves how He sees us: righteous and free. God pours His grace and mercy through us toward others (ability for us to forgive them), and pours into us what we choose to receive (Him forgiving us). I know it seems like a small semantic thing, but since she showed it to me, I’ve been able to work through feelings of guilt and condemnation more quickly. it’s definitely a process that takes time!!!!!!!
It’s amazing how the truth (we are not responsible for someone else’s choices) becomes so clear once we let ourselves off the hook. Thank you for sharing!

20 08 2015

I agree with the semantics. I just never realized that I was holding myself responsible. Because of my blind spot, I couldn’t get free of the thing. An ‘outside set of eyes’ by way of a counselor has been so helpful.

Thanks for your thoughtful comment. Thankfully, God doesn’t look at our semantics, but at our heart – eh? 😉

PS I noted your comments for a book I’m writing to help women get through marital mayhem. I’ll be sure to include both views – since they both work.

19 08 2015

Thank for sharing this. It is a difficult road for many people when it comes to forgiveness. Thankfully we have a gracious God who will see us through and help us grow despite our failings. Glory to His Name!

20 08 2015

He is patient beyond anything I could have ever hoped for. What started out as a very sad mess in my life led to being released from the baggage I carried. It was only as I did so that I was able to see the current situation accurately.

His love never fails. He is awesome!!!

19 08 2015

We can only be lead to do what we do by the Spirit. I remember the story of Joseph, who let his own brothers sell him into slavery…but oh what a slavery!

20 08 2015

Thanks for pointing to Joseph. There are many parallels from which to glean insight. I missed it! You’re the best. 😉

19 08 2015
Pure Glory

Tami, this is powerful revelation. Often it is easier to forgive others than ourselves, especially when we expect perfection and excellent performance from ourselves. Grace and mercy are given others but not to ourselves. We rehearse what we did wrong, meditating on the wrong thing. God is teaching me to bask in his love and forgiveness. To see myself as a beloved child who doesn’t have to perform but can rest in God’s acceptance and love based on his character. It is so much easier to forgive ourselves, when we know we are loved because God loves us.

20 08 2015

Hmm. Jesus said it well: Seek *first* the kingdom of God…He will take care of the rest. Sometimes I can be slow in seeing what’s in His Word, and what He means by it. 😉

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