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The sun has come out, bunting and flags are flapping festively in an invigorating breeze (or a freezing gale, if you ask my husband), and "Fruit" has been saved – what more could a girl want?

It worked pretty much as I’d planned (makes a nice change …). First I unpicked the two affected Kloster blocks; this was made easier by the fact that one of them was actually where I’d finished off a thread anyway.

Repairs step 1

I then re-worked the Kloster blocks, making sure I didn’t pull too much. This was really exactly like the experiment in which I worked double-sided Kloster blocks as though they were thick wrapped bars. And they came out looking quite good! The back is a bit bulky with all the extra finishing on and off, and if you look really closely, and you know which blocks they are, you can see they look slightly different in the corner where they meet, but I doubt anyone will notice once it’s hanging on a wall.

Repairs step 2

By the way, I think I worked out why the snip happened in the first place: looking closely at some of the Kloster blocks, I saw that where two stitches go into the same hole (on a corner, where the two Kloster blocks share a hole) the second stitch had sometimes pierced the first one. This means that some of the first stitch (perhaps a single ply) is not pulled away from the "cutting edge", and so gets snipped more easily – and if it doen’t get snipped, it will show up in the corner of the cut area. Something to bear in mind when I’m stitching corners!

Another thing I noticed was that the cut ends didn’t show up at all in the re-stitched Kloster blocks. Makes me wonder whether it might not be possible to use the "cut first, then work Kloster blocks" method by default, especially in smaller pieces. Hmm, I feel another experiment coming on …

Not a crisis

Sometimes you say or write something and suddenly you realise that you’ve been using terribly overblown language. I’d started by calling this post "Crisis!" but looking at it a bit more soberly, and bearing in mind all the real crises going on in the world, it is of course nothing more than an annoying inconvenience.

Having said that, it is a very annoying inconvenience, which at worst would mean discarding a more than half-finished "Fruit of the Spirit" and having to stitch it again. And all because of a careless snip of the squissors.

I’d finished stitching all the Kloster blocks and cross stitch on the top two-thirds of the design, which is as much as I can do without moving it on the scroll frame. There were still some decorative stitches to do in Petite Treasure Braid, but when I’d done three in the whitish Pearl colour I’d chosen, I wasn’t sure about the effect. Perhaps a dull gold would be better? But I was at my weekly stitching group at the time, and didn’t have the dull gold Treasure Braid with me, so I decided to start cutting. As I was poking in my cut ends, I realised that I’d snipped a stitch in one of the Kloster blocks. (The left-hand picture shows the front, the right-hand one the back of the work.)

Snipped thread front Snipped thread back

In fact as you can see I’d only caught one of the plies with my squissors, not the complete perle thread, so at first I thought I might be able to push the cut ply to the back and make do with what was left of the thread. But unfortunately no amount of poking and stroking and judicious cutting has yet produced a result that I would be happy for other people to see – especially as I hope to give it to our church when it is finished, and a gift for the house of the Lord should be as good as I can make it.

So tomorrow afternoon I will very carefully take out the two Kloster blocks that are affected, and very very carefully try to stitch them again around the cut area. I am encouraged by the experiments I did some time ago with the double-sided Kloster blocks, which involved a similar exercise (only planned). With a bit of luck the process won’t be too frustrating and infuriating! But it may be just as well that this happened while stitching "Fruit", with its gentle reminder of Patience and Self-control …

Frozen Flower progress

Frozen Flower is proving to be a bit of a headache; at least the larger of the two designs is. After tinkering with the bars and filling stitches several times I have decided that I will need to delete the entire cut area from the chart and start from scratch – as long as I try to change the existing pattern I don’t think I’ll be getting anywhere.

The process hasn’t been helped by the fact that so many other things are going on, from choir practice to church meetings and from school concerts to quiz nights (our team came third, in case you’re wondering). But this weekend I will have a bit more time, and my goal is to have Frozen Flower recharted by Sunday afternoon. To encourage me I ordered some perles I’d be needing from Sew & So, which arrived yesterday, so I’m all set to go!

And whatever happens to the larger Frozen Flower, at least the smaller version is coming along nicely. I like the way the blue and white work against the dark fabric, and I’m enjoying doing the woven picots, which fortunately are coming out pretty much as I’d envisaged them. It’s nice to know that even if the larger design turns out to be a lost cause, most of its characteristics will be preserved in this smaller one. And because the real fabric-and-thread stitching always looks so different from the chart, here’s a sneak preview of some of Frozen Flower’s 3D effect:

Frozen Flower

…and more yellow

Well, I’ve got most of the new shade of yellow done in Patches, and it looks much more like the effect I had in mind when choosing the original colours – sometimes you just need to see them stitched up to see whether they’ll work as you intended. Time for a sneak preview then; there’s one more (lighter) shade of yellow to come, for the woven bars and filling stitches, and the beads are also a lighter yellow, but here is a glimpse of what it looks like so far (click on the image for a bigger version). By the way, one of the things I’m really enjoying while stitching this is to see the different textures emerge – the Rhodes stitches especially are very tactile and positively demand to be stroked!

Patches texture

How annoying colours can be! Doing a version of Patches on hand-dyed fabric (a beautiful rich variegated yellow by Sparklies) I carefully picked two shades of DMC yellow perle to form the basis of the design, and purely by accident found in my stash a lovely shade of Dinky Dyes stranded silk which went with them perfectly.

I stitched the darker shade of perle and the silk and that looked fine, then added the first patch of lighter yellow and it just looked wrong. It’s the exact shade of the lighter yellow in the fabric, but it simply didn’t gel with the rest. Argh!
So I tried a slightly darker yellow to see if there would still be enough contrast, and that fortunately did work. Phew! So unpicked the light yellow and am now steaming ahead, hoping to finish Patches later this week.


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Saturday Star Point

ArtSpace has made a giant 5 pointed star to be used as part of “The Moon Rising” the closing spectacle of the wonderful La Lune story.

In three workshops last week Jane from ArtSpace visited the Hurdsfield Community Library to get ideas and images for decorating the Hurdsfield point of the star.

Our star point started off with the title “The Faces of Hurdsfield”, however during the workshops a complementary theme, echoing the Community group’s logo of “Hands” developed so this point represents “The Faces (and Hands) of Hurdsfield”

Answering the question “What does Hurdsfield look like?” Residents came up with a variety of images: the brave produced self portraits or had their photos taken, to be turned by the magic of technology into black and white drawings: some contributed drawings and pictures of local landmarks such as the Library and local CO-OP: shyer residents drew round their hands so we could link everything together.IMG_1415

Many of the hands were contributed by the Reception class from Hurdsfield Community Primary School on their visit to take out Library books.  On closer examination it appears that they may have been joined by extraterrestrial visitors as some hands have less than the usual number of fingers!

Here are some pictures of the progress made at the last workshop on Saturday 11th June.

Many thanks to  Samantha, Adele and Steve from the Hurdsfield Community Group for all their help, especially with the cutting out and outlining of the hands.

We were even captured on film by Wild Rumpus’ roving photographer Annie.

Thursday 9th June Workshop

On Thursday we started to stick our images on the Hurdsfield star point

IMG_1378 IMG_1379 IMG_1380

Saturday 4th June Workshop

Youthful images of the Faces of Hurdsfield, from the first workshop

Harley La LuneJosh La Lune Thomas La LuneAlice La LuneLuke La Lune

Barnaby Festival presents its biggest ever theatre performance, a magical family show The Astronomer’s Story on Sat 18 and Sun 19 June. Christ Church, Macclesfield is transformed into the secret laboratory of a mysterious astronomer who discovers the secret of bringing the moon and stars down from the heavens and fills the town with starlight. But the town is in great peril because he doesn’t know how to send them back. Will you help him?

The Astronomer’s Story is the gateway to the La Lune adventure, where the families of Macclesfield are called upon to save the town!  The ‘spellbinding’ 45 minute show runs at 10am, 11.30am, 2pm, 3.30pm, 5pm and 6.30pm on both 18th and 19th June. TICKETS £6 (limited number for Macc residents), full price tickets £8. Don’t miss it!

The story of La Lune continues during the week with lots of FREE La Lune events check out for details

La Lune culminates in

 La Lune: The Moon Rising

On Saturday June 25th 8:45 pm till 9:30 pm

The spectacular culmination of the week long La Lune adventure.   To save the town and make the moon rise, bring your friends, bring your families, bring your stars to Christ Church lawns. Our astronomer may return, bringing amazing sights to behold – but only if the whole town gathers.

Stay up past bedtime, just this once, because curious and beautiful things can happen as the summer sun sets…

Macclesfield Community ArtSpace is pleased to be working with Wild Rumpus on a Giant Star to be part of the The Moon Rising, come along on the 25th June and see what we’ve been up to!

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Happy Birthday Madonna!
Joe Henry's birthday message to Madonna

Madonna's Instagram: 'Best birthday present ever!'

Madonna shared pictures from her birthday celebrations over the weekend on her Instagram page:

Gypsy Queen #livingforlove

'Gypsy Rosa Lee....best birthday present ever! 💘💘🎉🎉💝💝❤ #rebelheart'

'Birthday Fun with Princess #1💘💘💘🎉'

'Thanks to all my ❤ #rebelheartfans for all your birthday wishes!!!! ❤ #livingforlove'

'This cake is everything! ❤ #rebelhearttour'

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@Shaun--I thought at first she was sticking her tongue out when I saw it on instagram--but seeing it close up on here---agreed--it looks weird!!!! x

Is it just me or is the 3rd photo down one of the scariest looking pics of all time? We all do photoshop but when it takes out your nose and leaves you with a contorted mouth resembling something out of 'The Ring' then it's a step too far. Weird.

That cake looks so yummy......Happy b day M. Had to work. But next year I will make it to a Mad celebration!!! Still enjoy listening to RH! what great work of art. ...but I don't want to talk about it right now.

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Raring To Go

A reader asked me, “How does a word like rare become idiomatically used to mean eager, as in ‘raring to go’?”
Answer: It didn’t.
The rare in “raring to go” has nothing to do with the adjective that means, “seldom found.” The rare in raring is an altered pronunciation of the verb to rear: “to make to

Continue reading Raring To Go


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What’s the main story that your food tells?

Food always changes and adapts. That’s the beautiful thing about Israel. I go to Israel four times a year and I’m eating all the time. I land and there’s the cool new restaurant I haven’t been to, and the one that’s been around for 100 years. It’s always inspiring and exciting.

As the first generation of immigrants from the diaspora passes on, will something about Israeli
cuisine be lost?

Cultures change, but because of this tapestry of gastronomy in such a small, concentrated place, it’s all progress. Fifty years ago, Israeli cuisine didn’t exist.

You’ve won five James Beard Awards now. What do you want to do when you grow up?

We’ve got a lot of plans. From a restaurant standpoint, we want to grow and build our team. We want to be ethical and enrich Philadelphia and enrich peace in the Middle East. We have a long way to go.

Israeli Soul is a return, of sorts, to the streets, a back to basics. What drew you to this approach?

The essence of a good chef is to show restraint and strip away. That is something that we’re working on: getting back to the basics of hospitality, and being able to tell a story that includes commonality while carrying on the traditions of our ancestors.

I also want people to be affected emotionally. I want them to come into the restaurant and sense something they haven’t felt for a very long time. The smell of the fat hitting charcoal. I want people to be transported. Getting yourself out of the way is key to that.

You have an egg. What would you do with it right now?

I would start the egg in cold water and bring it up to a boil, let it boil for one minute exactly. I’d cover the pot for seven minutes. I would peel the egg, slice it in half, take harissa, lemons, and tuna confit and place that on top with dried olives.

Michael Solomonov’s Haminados

Makes 6

Reproduced with permission from Israeli Soul

6 eggs

2 black tea bags

2 T Turkish coffee

Peels from 4 yellow onions

STEP 1 Preheat the oven to 200°. In a large ovenproof pot, mix all the ingredients with 2 quarts water. Cover and bake for at least 8 hours or overnight.

STEP 2 Remove pot from the oven, crack but do not peel the eggs, then return them to the pot with the liquid. Cook over high heat, uncovered, until all the liquid has evaporated. Transfer eggs to a plate to cool, then peel and slice.

Michael Solomonov and business partner Steven Cook talk about their latest cookbook, Israeli Soul, October 24 at 6:30 p.m. at the Fremont Abbey. $40 includes signed book. booklarder.com

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1. Home
  2. Inspiration
  3. Outdoor
  4. For the mountains, an outdoor living room in metropolitan-style

Royal Botania, Ninix collection - design Kris Van Puyvelde

| Designbest editorial staff

artorial fabrics in a masculine cut, iridescent nuances, splashes in optical-white and a colour palette in grey: the latest outdoor living room for your mountain retreat has a distinctive, sophisticated style inspired by urban life. The inhabitants of this mountain lodge have replaced their traditional wooden furniture and woollen blankets with a refined, welcoming outdoor living room inspired by metropolitan life. Here, all the pieces such as the oversized corner sofa, the ottoman and the square armchair, have a simple, crisp silhouette. And for a welcoming touch, scatter cushions and fur blankets are at the ready when it begins to snow.

Style details

A square armchair.

Minimal, angular and in a bold graphite upholstery. Although, it’s an extremely comfortable piece. This is the perfect armchair for a contemporary outdoor living room.

Striped cushions.

White-and-grey, stripes in different sizes are their sole distinctive feature. For a sophisticated, chic style.

Shades of grey.

Graphite and pearl-grey: contemporary elegance focuses on the “new black” and accents in optical white lights up the scene.

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Vision and leadership
Jennifer Cumby April 6, 2019

Some places have a way of holding on to you. Or drawing you back when you leave.

When he graduated from Lynchburg College in 1974, Richard Pumphrey wasn’t planning to return to his alma mater seven years later to work for the next several decades.

But that’s what happened and this year, the University of Lynchburg will bid a fond farewell to Pumphrey after 38 years of service to the institution and its art students.

After finishing his Master of Fine Arts in sculpture at the University of Georgia in 1977 and working in admissions at a private school for a few years, Pumphrey had some realizations that put him back on the path to Lynchburg.

“I was getting too far away from art,” he said, while seated in his office surrounded by decades of posters, photographs, notes from students, and memorabilia tacked to the corkboard and walls.

Richard Pumphrey in front of a sculpted bust of Thomas Jefferson

As he searched for a new job that would bring him back to the art world full time, he requested a letter of recommendation from one of his former professors at Lynchburg College. “What I ended up getting was an unexpected job offer,” Pumphrey said.

So, back to Lynchburg College he came, this time with a family in tow. He began a teaching career that would span decades and shape his family, career, and the lives of countless students.

“It enhances your commitment,” he said of returning to Lynchburg. “You have that special relationship with the place. You can see it from different perspectives.”

As a father, Pumphrey also found that his children could ramble the campus and sprawl on the floor of his office as if the College were a second home. His fellow faculty members, the staff, and students became a second family. “It’s an incredible place to be a child and grow up,” he said.

His wife, Kathryn Mitchell Pumphrey ’75, came back to campus, too. She earned a master’s degree in education in 1988. Today she serves on the Board of Trustees.

Artistic touch

Being a professor allowed Pumphrey the freedom to create his own art outside the demands of his classroom. His personal website ( showcases works in wood, bronze, clay, and steel — everything from classical busts to conceptual works depicting the plight of Afghan women in the time of the Taliban through the interplay of sculpted feathers and rigid steel.

He is perhaps best known for sculpting busts of the top Allied leaders during World War II for the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia. Using archival photographs, Pumphrey rendered lifelike busts of each man: President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, President Harry S. Truman, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Clement Attlee (Churchill’s successor), Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, Chinese leader Chiang Kaishek, and French leader Charles de Gaulle.

They were sculpted 20-percent larger than life-size to portray the leadership behind the D-Day effort. “An underlying theme of this memorial is vision and leadership,” Pumphrey said at the unveiling of one bust.

“Without the vision and leadership of the Allied leaders, there can be little doubt that western civilization as it was known up to that time would have perished.”

Vision and leadership are ideals Pumphrey applies in his academic work, too. For example, he authored his own textbook on the universal principles of design to provide students with a better resource..

The book, Elements of Art, traces the trajectory of art and design with the goal of giving students the confidence to evaluate their own art and the art of others.

Giving students a sense of their place in the panoply of artists and image makers is something that Pumphrey speaks of often.

“I want to connect them with the tradition of image making and to connect them with that continuum of image making and image makers,” he said. “One of my primary objectives with students is to instruct them in the philosophy of the discipline.”

North Star

Richard Pumphrey reaches to a sculpture to explain a technique to a student.Pumphrey’s history as an undergraduate, when he pursued business and history majors before discovering his passion for art, has given him a greater affinity for his students’ self-discovery processes.

He knows not everyone is going to be an art major or even an art minor, but the value of the liberal arts is in the experiences each discipline lends to the whole. “The study of art helps to understand the role of the visual arts in culture. The visual arts often define the health of the culture,” he said, adding that without understanding the value of what’s being expressed, it’s less likely a culture will continue to value freedom of expression.

In keeping with the spirit of the University, Pumphrey became a North Star to many of his students.

Wendy Bradley ’91 found in Pumphrey the mentor she longed for in high school. “I used to have friends in high school who had teachers who changed their lives,” she said, “who were able to mentor and help guide them in their work or in life, but I never experienced that.

“Nor did I understand how a teacher can really affect someone. Of course, my perspective changed when I walked into Mr. Pumphrey’s art room in 1987.”

Bradley originally hoped Pumphrey, her advisor, would examine her portfolio and let her opt out of some lower-level courses. It wasn’t that simple.

“Mr. Pumphrey didn’t go easy on me as a student,” she said. “He required me to work hard, to rethink my ideas of design and art. He pushed and I certainly pushed back. He never tried to temper my assertions, but rather guide me in my work and use these feelings to explore the art.”

All these years later, Bradley, a college professor and art therapist, is thankful for the tough love. “His teaching methods and compassion worked well and I was able to learn and appreciate art in a new dimension — and further my artistic endeavors well beyond the classroom, even make a living at it. … And I will be forever grateful that I had a teacher who changed my life.”

Pumphrey said two of his other students, who once sat in his class together, later got married. He’s teaching one of their children now. “I’ve been here so long, I’m teaching the children of my former students,” he said. “What you love is when your former students become your friends and then, trust you with their own children.”

In retirement, Pumphrey is looking forward to making more art and having more time to explore his own creative interests. But, even in talking about his future endeavors, he returns to the gifts that teaching has brought to his own life as a person and artist.

“Anybody will tell you teaching will teach you a discipline better than anything else,” he said, “and teaching students teaches you more than anything by far.”

Suzanne Ramsey contributed reporting for this story.

Jennifer Cumby

Jennifer Cumby is a writer and editor for Lynchburg College and a contributing editor for the online literary magazine Dead Housekeeping. She grew up in the LC library under the wing of her grandmother, former head librarian, Mary Scudder, and ice skating on College Lake (weather permitting) with her grandfather, professor emeritus, Jack Scudder. She currently lives in Amherst County with her husband, three children, three dogs, and entirely too many cats.

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Idyllically positioned above the picturesque and world-famous Albany coastline lies Maitraya, regarded by many as one of Australia’s most prestigious luxury retreats. Set amongst more than 650 acres of private and secluded bushland Maitraya delivers the best of Western Australia’s world-renowned southern coastline and offers breathtaking views of the picturesque Southern Ocean, nearby islands and surrounding mountains.

Maitraya is offered as a self-catering residence, sleeping up to 16 people in complete comfort. The residence includes eight spacious double bedrooms with king or two single beds, 11 bathrooms, an indoor heated pool, spa, sauna, gym and also large centrally located glass-roofed atrium. Outside, the lavishly appointed and well maintained grounds include access to a safe swimming lagoon and local surfing beach, private gazebo, lake, tennis court, putting green and numerous nature walks.

What’s more, Maitraya is operated using eco-friendly practices. Read more about Maitraya’s use of renewable energy and Albany ecotourism.

  • Maitraya Floorplan
  • Maitraya's Estate Boundary

Maitraya is located in Albany in Australia’s South West. A short 1-hour flight from Perth, or a 4.5 hour drive. Private aircraft can be accommodated at Maitraya’s private airstrip and we ask that you please call for further details. Transfers can be arranged from Albany airport if required.

The residence overlooks the beautiful Southern Ocean and is nestled amongst 650 acres of relaxing and secluded bushland, making it ideal for those who are seeking a private, yet inspiring destination.

Maitraya Activities

Maitraya is perfect for nature lovers and adventure seekers alike, offering unparalleled adventure and excitement – truly providing the experience of a lifetime. Showcasing a range of activities and equipment tailored to meet the requirements of special interest groups, Maitraya comes complete with everything you need to ensure that your stay will live long in the memories of all who attend. Water lovers will also find that the our wide selection of water activities on offer will suit even the most discerning of tastes – no matter their skill level.  Our guests can choose how to spend their days whether its diving, boating, surfing, fishing or windsurfing. In contrast, those who like to keep their feet on terra-firma will take pleasure in the unlimited opportunities for bush walking, bird watching, and rock climbing.

Those who enjoy the thrill of competition will soon discover the spacious Maitraya grounds play host to a full size tennis court, cricket net, football oval, cricket pitch, indoor heated swimming pool and for those wanting to test their fitness we have a dedicated 10km mountain bike track.

Further afield, the natural attractions around the Albany region are diverse enough to cater for everyone. With beautiful landscapes and alluring white sandy beaches you are sure to find your own piece of paradise.

  • 4 Tennis Racquets
  • 4 Life jackets
  • Cricket gear – bats, balls, pads
  • Footballs, soccer balls and basketballs
  • 10 bikes (helmets not supplied)
  • Body boards
  • Surfboards
  • 3 Fishing rods

*Guests will need to bring their own snorkelling gear if required.


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Maja Kozel Design is an award-winning spatial design boutique firm based in the United Arab Emirates. Maja Kozel is a passionate principal designer of Dutch origins who holds a degree in spatial design from the prestigious Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam the Netherlands.

Kozel has worked in Europe, Asia and the Middle East and has been working in Dubai since 2008 on various projects throughout the UAE. The discipline of Spatial Design crosses boundaries of architecture, interior design, landscape, service design and public art. The boutique firm, has worked on a variety of indoor and outdoor Spaces, which includes interior design, furniture design, product design and exhibition design. “At Maja Kozel Design, we pride ourselves on being sensitive designers and designing for the people and their needs, rather than following a certain trend or style.”

“We work closely with clients and contractors from concept to completion to create spaces that are customized and reflective of the client or a brand’s identity. Located in UAE, a culturally rich country, we draw our inspiration from its people and traditions and merge artistic expression into practical, socially responsible and sustainable designs.” – Maja Kozel

We aim for a social impact through our designs and inspire not just the users, but also the next generation of designers. Maja loves being involved with design students and was volunteering at the Student Design Challenge two years in a row. She has reviewed student work at the American University of Sharjah, the Ajman University, and the Heriot-Watt University. Lately Maja Kozel has been invited to be a part of the Industrial Advisory Board (IAB) at the Ajman University of science and technology.

Repurposing, recycling, and preserving is an important element of the firms design process. A good example of implementing these values is their continuous participation in the design competition by Surge for water, which focuses on sustainable product designs. In 2017 together with Hernan Hoentsch, they won the Overall Competition award 2017 for their lighting Design TUBO. In 2016 Maja won the highly commended and most sustainable awards for the cabinet design for Surge for Water.

Through hard work and dedication, Maja Kozel has made well-esteemed name for herself in the industry while their portfolio continues to grow. Including projects as the HQ office design of Dubai, The HQ office design of the Heart of Sharjah, the HQ office design of Shurooq Sharjah Investment and development authorities and one of Maja’s personal favorites; a music studio in Dubai. Maja Kozel has been invited to be part of the judging panels for the CID awards in 2016, which together with a team of professionals she reviewed and discussed the projects that were submitted. Kozel is regularly involved with projects with both the Netherlands Consulate in Dubai and the Netherlands Embassy in Abu Dhabi. She was a part of the installation #EMO_DCI during the Dubai Design Week in 2016, that was commissioned by the RVO in the Netherlands (Netherlands Enterprise Agency) as part of the DCI.

  • Spatial Design
  • Interior Architecture
  • Product Design
  • FF&E Design


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great information. i recently used your “Start an Online Store” suggestion, but quick turned it from junk in my garage to small business. i found a way to make some quick doe. i found these, “8 point and 7/16 wrench catv cable star key security tool” listed on eBay for $50.00 each. Found the source (newelectronx) that sells them for $5 to 15 bucks per piece. I sell them on craigslist for a good return. i’ve been making good money every since. i’m not wealthy yet, but income is going smoothly and sell aren’t that bad. profit is at least $35 per sale. if i sell eight pieces per day then i make like $280 which is better than a 8 hour job to me. so online selling works.. try it
In my (unpopular) opinion, getting a raise is harder than getting a promotion. Think about it from your boss’s perspective, would you rather a) pay more money for the same service, or b) pay more money for additional responsibilities. Alas, if you feel you’re overdue a raise, check out Dr. Randall Hansen’s article on Getting the Raise You Deserve. There are some really useful strategies there.
But cutting costs only goes so far. Unless you already make a lot of money and spend like a bon vivant, most people can’t eke out that much more from their budget by decreasing expenses. Plus, the more you retrench, the more your quality of life suffers. (It’s all relative, though — certainly some overspenders could actually improve their lives by tempering their expenditures. Here are 101 ideas for saving money.)
Like talking to people and helping walk them through problems? You can bring in extra income as a contract customer support superstar for companies all over the world. Due to the 24/7 nature of online businesses, companies are looking for people in different time zones to help deal with issues that their users are having. Better yet, if you have experience in service or retail you’ll be perfectly suited. Check out indeed or the other remote job boards I listed earlier to find opportunities.

great information. i recently used your “Start an Online Store” suggestion, but quick turned it from junk in my garage to small business. i found a way to make some quick doe. i found these, “8 point and 7/16 wrench catv cable star key security tool” listed on eBay for $50.00 each. Found the source (newelectronx) that sells them for $5 to 15 bucks per piece. I sell them on craigslist for a good return. i’ve been making good money every since. i’m not wealthy yet, but income is going smoothly and sell aren’t that bad. profit is at least $35 per sale. if i sell eight pieces per day then i make like $280 which is better than a 8 hour job to me. so online selling works.. try it

Seek a payday loan or title loan as a last resort. Companies that offer payday and title loan services offer high interest rates (sometimes with percentages in the hundreds). If you cannot pay the loan and any interest back within the stated timeline, you risk even higher interest costs or, in the case of a title loan, the loss of your car. Avoid these types of loans in all but the direst circumstances, unless you are certain you will be able to pay the loan back.

High-ticket consulting or coaching: You could sell your own high-ticket consulting or coaching products from your website. You'll still need a website, merchant account, sales funnel, lead magnet and many other items. But you can easily earn a substantial amount of money from each individual customer, making it well worth the arduous setup required.

Most people do not claim all of the allowances they are allowed to take, which is why they end up getting a large refund check each spring. Do you regularly get a large refund? Then it may be time for you to file a new W-4 with your human resources department. Your new W-4 should reflect the proper number of withholding allowances you are eligible to take.
There are loads of resources for making money online as an affiliate. You could source products from ClickBank, Commission Junction, Rakuten Marketing, Share-a-Sale, Impact Radius and many others. Plus, many of the larger companies have their own affiliate programs as well. Do your due diligence and find the right company with a relevant product or service to your audience that you can sell as an affiliate.
With online jobs, there are many opportunities to specialize in your own area of expertise. You don’t need to do boring work to earn a living. As compared to the job market, one can settle on a job they do not love just to make ends meet. On the internet however, there are varieties of jobs to work on. Therefore, you can choose an area that best suits you and become an expert at it.
Content is what drives web traffic. Websites are always pumping out fresh, new content for their readers, and they are always looking for writers! If you aren’t quite ready to launch your own blog yet, this might be a good option to see if writing is for you. Since competition is high, we don’t recommend starting from scratch as a freelance writer. Want to see success faster? Learn from a veteran, six-figure freelance writer.
If you have to pay it now, you have to take out a loan, ask for an advance on your salary or borrow money from friends or family. If it can wait, the amount will accumulate interest until you pay it back. If it's just one month out of twelve, and the other eleven you always have money left over, there's not really anything to worry about. Put the left over money aside to pay this month's expenses. Other than that, there are only two things you can do: spend less, or earn more. Sell your car, move to a smaller place, get a roommate. Cut whatever expenses you need to break even. Try for a second job, a raise, or sell something you make.
Waiting tables and bartending are good ways to make extra money, but it’s not exactly if the work was easy. And if you don’t have any experience good luck applying at the nicest place in town, most restaurants require experience. Also if you have problems dealing with demanding, hungry people – STAY AWAY! The hours are late, sometimes you won’t make any money. Especially right now, starting at new place will be difficult, if you can get hired expect to be the first one cut every night (aka less money) as those with seniority will want to stay. It still is a good deal though. I’ve put myself through college (chem major) without loans, never lived in the dorms, and I have about 10K in the bank. I will continue working in the restaurant biz even after I have a “Real Job,” the extra 10-15K/year for part time work is worth it.

Start by taking other courses you’re interested in: Not only is this important competitor and opportunity analysis, but it also gives you an idea of how a course could or should look and feel. What’s the pacing like? Is it via email, video, in-person chats? Once you understand how you want your course to look, it’s time to decide what it should include. Those same courses are a great starting place. How can you make your course better or more interesting? Do you have experience others don’t?
Our unique money earning software enables our users to run multiple iterations of the software on as many computers as they wish. There is no limit to the amount of times you can run the software, so you can maximize your earnings by running the software on the same login with multiple machines which will increase your income at a much faster rate than if you run the software on one computer.

Thank you for the input. I think your probably right….the purse selling would be a huge challenge. Thank you for the suggestions 1 & 2. My husband owns a complete auto care business and we are leaning towards purchasing vehicles from individual sellers to resell. That may be the more certain route to take. We have access to auto technicians and auto equipment etc. I was kinda trying to do something myself, I’ll get back to brain storming!
 @Philip Taylor The point is that this is design is specialized job and is not just a side job. Just because an individual may know a thing or two about the technical aspect of a program does not warrant them to fill that role as a designer. There’s more than just drawing a mark in a program. There’s strategy in brand development, marketing, etc… This is insulting to the creative industry to label logo and branding as a scheme to make extra money.

It’s not the sort of online money making opportunity that’s covered in glory, but everyone needs a set of eyes to make sure the numbers add up at the end of the year. Every business and most individuals need someone to help prepare tax returns, especially time or resource-strapped small business owners. The Income Tax School provides an array of training programs that'll certify you with tax prep in as little as 10 weeks, and once tax season rolls around you'll be able to charge an average of $229 per return as a freelance tax preparer with this side business idea, reports CNBC.

It shows your true ignorance by calling someone an idiot. In no way was this thread used to alienate anyone, but merely having a heated discussion of professions and their importance. If you didn’t read my comment correctly, I said…”for example.” I know the difference between graphic design and being a surgeon. Those of you who are obviously majorly left-brained will never understand the creative industry. You’re right, anyone can be a bad designer, or a bad surgeon, or a bad accountant coordinator…etc. That’s why there exists terrible brand identities, malpractice suits, etc as well. All I was saying that the creative industry shouldn’t be held below the threshold of what is real and what is a fake profession. All professions should be respected in their own right. Period.
In 2017, there were almost 90 million pet dogs in the US. Which has opened up a huge opportunity to make money online as a dog watcher or sitter. Specialized sites like Rover or Care.com connect pet owners with pet walkers, sitters, and boarding houses to help look after their best friends when they’re at work or on a trip. If you’re an animal lover, you can make extra money and get to spend some quality time with a furry friend.

Ebooks can be a hard path to online success too, from my personal experience but as you rightly said, it can be a great gateway vehicle to drive traffic to other monetized sites. Having said that though, getting your ebook on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Lulu, Smaswords etc., is a great way to get noticed and make money overtime. An arresting e-book cover is a MUST! And if you are a DIY freak like me, you could do your own e-book cover for $0. I also use a graphic design software similar to Philip’s.

No one knows your hometown like you do, and you can translate that into cash by leading tours of your city. The website vayable.com allows you to set up and guide tours around a particular cultural experience. Are you the foremost expert on ghost stories, beer, architecture, or crime (or anything else!) in your town? Then you can start leading tours for people who want to hear your stories!
You get $0.15 for every 4 qualified searches you complete and an additional $0.05 each time you use the search tool 4 times in a week. You’re not going to get rich quick, but you may as well make a few extra bucks for searching the web like you normally would. You can’t game the system, apparently, they can tell when you’re searching naturally, so stick to just using it as your normal search engine and appreciate the extra dough!

 @Philip Taylor So by what you’re saying, I can be an unaccredited doctor or surgeon for someone (for example) but do it at a much lower rate than the accredited doctors and surgeons. Since I know what a scalpel is and I wear rubber gloves, I’m a doctor. So, I don’t have to have to respect the profession of medical science at all since I think I know what I’m doing and just go for it.

For anyone who would rather focus on their product, marketing, and sales than on maintaining the website for their online store, this kind of ecommerce service is invaluable. You get the beauty and functionality of a website designed by a professional web developer without having to shell out the money for one. Not to mention the fact that you will not have to spend time or money troubleshooting bugs in your website when you use the well-designed turn-keys offered by BigCommerce.

Even if it’s a mundane task like walking dogs, you could start the next (or only) full-service dog walking and grooming service in your town (where dog owners rave over your business and always refer you to others). You can also hire other dog walkers as you grow, and turn your side hustle into a sustainable enterprise. You just have to do the work, and do it well.
If you have experience with marketing, SEO, or a knack for getting people excited about the products and services you use on a regular basis, think about refining your skills and putting them to work making money online as a small business marketing consultant in your region—especially if you can become a local SEO expert and can help local clients rank higher in their search results.
Be professional. When you submit a résumé, don’t type it in ALL CAPS and please don’t avoid the caps lock like the plague. Know how to use it without looking incompetent. Write in complete sentences with proper grammar. Of course, there will be exceptions, but even with the exceptions, you must keep it professional. You’re building their view of you.


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New Forms of Creative Expression Through the Meeting of Art, Science and Technology

Technology is spurring enormous change in the ways we connect to one another, how we spend our time, what we value and what thrills and terrifies us. At this pivotal moment, artistic expression and creative inquiry provide a vital lens through which to find meaning and contribute to understanding.

Carnegie Mellon, with strengths spanning stage, screen, performance, technology, visual arts, design and music, plays a leading part in the future of creative production and presentation. While committed to passing on the traditional foundations of artistic practice, CMU faculty and students always embrace the potential of radically new propositions and are quickly carving out a new role as the national, industry-leading hub for research, development, practice and education in creative expression.

Explore the possibilities

Learn more about what we can make possible together to Inspire Creativity and Advance Artistic Expression.

Creativity & Artistic Expression

Make it Possible

Contact Us
Make Possible
The Campaign for Carnegie Mellon University


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Instant Pot Nacho Dip

Instant Pot Nacho Dip – the perfect dip for any party!

When I first got my Instant Pot, I knew that I wanted to make a lot of soups, stews and roasts.

But I never imagined that it would take over my slow cooker when it came to making dips for appetizers.

instant pot nacho dip
Instant Pot Nacho Dip – the perfect game day appetizer.

I love to make spinach artichoke and buffalo chicken dip in my 6 quart Instant Pot.

It stays warm for as long as I need it, without scorching the sides of my dip like my slow cooker does.

But I have heard horror stories of thick dips getting the dreaded BURN message when made in the Instant Pot.

That is why it took me so long to convert this recipe into Instant Pot Nacho Dip.

Instant Pot Nacho Dip

So what exactly is Instant Pot Nacho Dip?

instant pot nacho dip
Use lean ground beef for this recipe for best results.

It is a delicious beef, black bean and cheese dip that is the perfect medium for dipping tortilla chips.

The beef is seasoned with a combination of nacho spices that gives it that authentic Mexican taste.

Diced onions and jalapenos give it another depth of flavor that are traditionally found in a classic nacho dip.

And don’t forget the black beans! Just like most nacho plates, beans are a must.

instant pot nacho dip
Saute the onions and jalapeno first – this will help the pot come to pressure quicker.

Okay, maybe not a true must, but it adds so much flavor and texture to this Instant Pot Nacho Dip.

And because beans are so easy to make in the Instant Pot, why not??

Instant Pot Black Beans

When I am asked what is the single most reason that someone should buy an Instant Pot, I don’t hesitate to answer.

Hands down, the most time and money saving reason to purchase an Instant Pot is to cook dried beans.

Seriously, that is my answer!

instant pot nacho dip
Black beans that have been cooked in the Instant Pot are added to this recipe.

I was never a huge bean eater before. It just took long to make them from a bag of dried beans.

And I never seemed to have the canned versions in my pantry when needed.

But now that I have my Instant Pot 6 quart Duo, beans have appeared back in my life.

Dried beans typically take hours to soak before you can make them on the stovetop. And by hours, I mean overnight.

And even then, you must cook them for at least an hour or two before they become tender enough to eat.

instant pot nacho dip
Be sure to place the salsa on top of the beef and beans and do not stir.

Who has time for that?

I am lucky to know by noon what we are having for dinner that night.

On most days, I certainly haven’t planned that beans will be on the menu the following night.

And that means, there has been no soaking of the beans.

But with the Instant Pot, there is no worry of that!

How To Cook Dried Black Beans FAST!

Just place a pound of rinsed and drained beans into the Instant Pot with 3 cups of water.

instant pot nacho dip
Once the cook time expires you can saute off any excessive liquid if desired.

In about an hour, you will have perfectly cooked black beans ready to use in any recipe.

And that hour includes the time the pot takes to build up and release the pressure.

The beans actual cook time is only 35 minutes! Amazing isn’t it?

For this recipe use the equivalent of 1 can of beans which equals 1 1/2 cups of cooked dried beans.

Keys to Making Instant Pot Nacho Dip

When I first made this Instant Pot Nacho Dip, I wanted to make sure that it was nice and thick.

instant pot nacho dip
To help the cream cheese melt faster, cut it in sections before adding it to the Instant Pot Nacho Dip.

So I decided not to add any water to the pot. I know, I know, the manual says to always add 1 cup of water to the 6 quart Instant Pot when pressure cooking.

However, there are many recipes where that just results in a runny, thin mess.

So after I sauteed my onions and jalapeno, I added the ground beef, seasonings and salsa.

When cooked, the beef releases moisture and there of course is liquid in the salsa. So I thought I would be fine.

Nope! The dreaded BURN message occurred.

instant pot nacho dip
And the final step – stir in the shredded cheese and cream cheese until melted.

So when I tried it again I decided to use 1/4 cup of water. The results – SUCCESS!

What Type Of Beef To Use

However you not only need to add a little liquid to the pot, you also want to make sure that you use a lean ground beef.

You could of course use an 80/20 mixture, but you are likely to have fat sitting on top of your dip when finished.

Because we cook the beef without draining off the grease, be sure to use a lean version. In order for beef to be labeled as lean, it must have no more than 8% fat.

And finally, when the dip is cooked, you can allow some of the liquid to cook off by placing the pot on the saute mode.

Just be sure to stir it frequently so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.

All that is left to do is to stir in the cream cheese and shredded cheese until melted.

Now you are ready to sit back and enjoy!

Check out the printable recipe below and let me know what you think!

To receive our 3 Recipe Articles in your inbox each week, sign up for our free email list located on the side and bottom of each recipe. You can also follow us on Facebook, and Pinterest. This article may contain affiliate links where a small commission is paid if you purchase a product at no additional cost to you.

Instant Pot Nacho Dip

Instant Pot Nacho Dip

Delicious beef and bean nacho dip made in the Instant Pot and ready to eat whenever you are!
Course Appetizer
Servings 10

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 pound ground beef lean
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 can black beans 15 ounces, drained
  • 1 jar of salsa 15 ounces
  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 cup of shredded Mexican cheese

  • Turn your Instant Pot on Sauté. Once your display reads HOT add the olive oil, onions and jalapeno peppers. Sauté until tender, approximately 4-5 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and sauté for an additional minute.
  • Add the ground beef, salt, chili powder, cumin and cayenne pepper. Sauté until the ground beef begins browning.
  • Add the water and stir.
  • Add the black beans and salsa to the top of the mixture. Do NOT stir.
  • Lock the lid and place the valve in the sealed position. Pressure Cook/Manual on HIGH pressure for 10 minutes.
  • Once the cooking time expires, allow for Natural Pressure Release for at least 5 minutes and then manually release any remaining pressure.
  • Stir in the sour cream and cheese until melted.

Before adding the cheeses, you can release some of the moisture of the dip by placing the Instant Pot on saute until reduced down. Be sure to stir it frequently to prevent it sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Recipe provided by Make Your Meals
Instant Pot Nacho Dip
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How to improve your photography skills during this lockdown period?

covid 19 corona virus red color microscope photo

learn photography during covid -19

We are going through that period when everything is a lock-down due to corona-virus, and we cannot enjoy our regular activities like shopping, walking on the roads, jogging, or even we cannot enjoy our favorite street food. We all are worried as our businesses are not working during the lock down period.

On the other hand, there are a lot of people who are using this time to gain new skills. For instance, when we talk about photographers, then they are using the lockdown period to boost their creativity. But the thing is how to improve the skills. If you are a photographer, later today, in this post, we will help you in sharing all the ways, which can help you in boosting your photography skills. So, have a look below.

vintage camera with kindle photo in blue background

Read Online Books

During the lockdown, the Internet is your best friend. It is the best method, which can help you with boosting your knowledge.  There are a lot of books present across the Internet while reading those you can learn tips and tricks related to photography.  Whether you want to learn basic photography, intermediate or expert one, from the Internet, you can find out all the books.

Analyze your old clicked Images:

During the lockdown period, you are free. You can check your previous clicked images and the present images. Check how your photography skills have developed and how you have changed the photography techniques. It helps you in adding positivity into your career and makes you understand that you are doing better.

nikon film camera holding in hand near lake in rain
by @jakob

Learn about the new editing skills:

When you are a photographer, then you must have impressive editing skills. Take help from Youtube and check all the photography tutorials to enhance your photo editing skills. You can also ask them questions in the form of the comments to get the answer of your queries.

Join communities:

covid 19 corona virus illustration wearing mask

Communities are the best method when you can have the answer to your queries related to photography skills. Communities are such places, where the professionals share their views related to the particular tools and how to do better photography.

Make your portfolio:

acer mini computer in wooden table with fairy lights

Portfolio is the best method, using which you can showcase your skills to others. Select the best images clicked by you and give it an impressive look. It is the best method using which you can grab the attention of the new customers.

You can pick a single color and make your portfolio using a single color. It is a unique method for creating a collection.

At last, we hope that you have got an idea about the best method for boosting your photography skills during the lockdown period. So, do not miss this golden opportunity and use this to enhance your skills.


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Power of a Name

Washington State opened their sealed records on July 1 and I sent away for my original birth certificate. I received my original birth certificate last week.

I now know my birth mother’s name.

I wouldn’t have thought just a name on a piece of paper, disconnected from any knowledge about her, would be so powerful. But it is.

Thanks to Google, I know where she lives, I can see her home on street view, and I have a phone number for her. There is no mention of my birth father on the certificate. Even so, I have infinitely more information about my origins now than I did before I opened the mail.

It’s heady.

I called my parents to share the news with them. They’ve been wanting to know this information longer than I have and they dropped everything they were working on to hear the news.

I haven’t spoken with my birth mother yet. I don’t know if that will work out or not. I know she is still alive. That’s a gift. I know I have a brother and a sister. That could be a gift, some day.

This is very much a story still in progress.

Last week, I called one of the phone numbers I found online that was associated with my birth mother’s name. (It’s really quite amazing {horrifying} what you can find online…)

She wasn’t there. Her daughter answered the phone.

I spoke with a sister I didn’t know I had.

She didn’t know I existed. The details don’t need to be waded through here, but I felt for her. What a revelation to receive over the phone from an unknown voice.

I’ve always known I was adopted. It is one of my earliest memories–my parents telling me they had prayed for a baby and God gave me to them. I’ve grown up knowing not only was I adopted and chosen by my family, but that God had provided for me before I was even born.

As I sit here in the middle of this chapter of my story, I’ve written and deleted at least 4 blog posts. I just don’t know enough right now. I do want my friends to know at least this much about the story though. Many of you have walked this adoption story with me for a long time now.

Would be happy to share more details about the story–just not online.

If anything develops from this, I’m expect you’ll read about it here. I hope to get a chance to tell her “thank you” and “I love you” face to face. I recognize that might not happen and trust she’ll know those truths in any case.

a few weeks after my adoption, Christmas 1968

a few weeks after my adoption, Christmas 1968

As I’ve been sitting with this new knowledge, I’ve been reminded again about how grateful I am for my family–the one who adopted me then and who love me today. I am also grateful for the friends who have become “my people”. I’ve never felt alone in this world, and that is a gift.

24 thoughts on “Power of a Name

  1. You are reminding me of myself, 22 years ago, as I opened the very same letter. Prayers, love, and if you want to call me let me know and I’ll pm you my number.

    Keep breathing.

  2. This is amazing! Blessings on your new knowledge! I can’t imagine being the sister in the other end of the line…anyway, do keep us up to date!

  3. Marci, thank you for continuing to tell us your story. It is beautiful and moving, both in its uncertainty and its compassion. You and your family – in all of its pieces and connections – are in my prayers.

  4. Pingback: Resemblance | Glass Overflowing

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  7. Pingback: Update: Birth Family Edition | Glass Overflowing

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  9. My mother was adopted and she’s tirelessly searched for her birth mother to no avail. Apparently the records in Arkansas are not yet accessible. I know how big this is for you and grateful that a door has been opened. Hope to hear more!

    • It has been quite a journey. Even though my birth mother won’t meet me, she has given me lots of other information that has allowed me to understand my story better. Grateful. Hope things change for your mom. Blessings in her searching.

  10. Pingback: Shame is Sticky | Glass Overflowing

  11. Pingback: Wide Open Horizon | Glass Overflowing

  12. Pingback: After the Impossible | Glass Overflowing

  13. Pingback: One Identical Stranger | Glass Overflowing

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Noticing 1.534246575342466 Things to Celebrate (each day!)

Export to PDF | Export to DOCThere are usually a limitless number things to celebrate. Even for my dog Lucy (shown the photo above) caught in the moment celebrating a whole lot of happy things to smell on a beautiful July morning.   Have you ever seen this book? As the title implies, the book is simply […]

Three Easy steps to solving ALL of Life’s problems. (If ONLY!)

Export to PDF | Export to DOCWhen at a loss for what to do… 1. Do what you know HOW to DO. 2. Remember what you KNOW to be TRUE. 3. Find something NEW for YOU. I like to explore ALL my options. So much so, that it has become a joke in our family. If […]

What are YOU expecting? Thoughts for the start of a New Year…

Export to PDF | Export to DOC“Expecting” is one of many paintings I created during the summer of 2016. But this one was special. I painted it with a friend in mind. A friend who was expecting. Expecting. Hoping. Dreaming. But with a heart that was understandably guarded. A heart that had been on this same […]

5 years later. 5 years wiser. (Did I actually learn something?)

Export to PDF | Export to DOC“Stop trying so hard.”  “Stop working so hard.” “Stop trying to prove something.” Did I Stop? Looking back over the last five years, I think I actually DID! Last night we went to an annual event that in years past has caused me much sadness. It was an opening reception […]

Export to PDF | Export to DOC“I REALLY want to put them in order, Mom.” said Nathan. “What you do mean?” I replied. “You know. Alphabetical Order. Like at the library.” “Ohhh.” Are you sure you want to take the time to do that?” His look of confusion and disbelief at the thought of doing […]

House For Sale in Travelers Rest, SC

Export to PDF | Export to DOCMy biggest art project is finally complete. Which means it is time to move on to the next project. 3,054 is a LOT of square feet for just three people. Since I am not very good at living with anything less than perfection, we’ve decided to downsize, for the […]


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Extra Toiletries

Put out extra toiletries to make your guest feel even more at home. In the bathroom, put out a basket or small container of travel sized shampoos, conditioners, toothpaste, ect. Amidst all their travel plans it is likely that they forgot one of their toiletries. If they did happen to forget anything, putting some mini toiletries out for them will be greatly appreciated.

Extra Blankets/Pillows

Put out a few extra blankets and pillows for your guests. They might prefer sleeping with less covers or they might like having themselves wrapped in numerous blankets. To make them as comfortable as possible make sure they have options with how many blankets they want to be bundled in.

Put out a few of your favorite books and some recent magazines out for your guests to enjoy when they are in their room. If they are night owls or morning birds they might appreciate having something to read so they do not disturb the rest of the sleeping house.

Extra Towels

Put a few extra bath and hand towels out for your guests to use throughout their stay.  This will make them feel more at home and comfortable because they will not feeling like they are inconveniencing the host/hostess if they have to ask for fresh towels.

Fresh Flowers

Depending on the season, consider putting a vase of fresh flowers into the guest room. This will instantly brighten up the room and make them feel welcomed.

Consider placing a carafe or bottle of water on the bedside table. This will keep your guest(s) from having to shuffle through the kitchen in the middle of the night.

Do you have any tips or tricks when decorating your guest room? Comment and share your ideas below!


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Tuning into the High Vibes

Part of this self-realization path I’m on is making it a habit to tune into the high vibes. If there is something I forgot to bring back with me when leaving the admin life to the artist life it’s that I had a really good routine. I’d get on the bus with my husband, we’d got coffee and chat for 15-20 minutes before trudging off to work, we’d part ways and I’d walk another 15 minutes with music blasting while I danced while stopped at crosswalks, or on the set of escalators that let me cheat the big hill I could’ve walked up. I took lunch between 12:00-12:30, I’d chow down at my haven of a lunch spot, watch an episode of something, and then dance back to work. The point is that the amount of walking I did everyday and the music I let course through my veins on a daily basis are things I haven’t done since I started working at home, and I forgot how important those actions were in tuning me into my high vibes. I enjoyed playing random play lists on Pandora or Songza and discovering new or even older music that PUMPED ME UP. My favorite are still Beyonce playlists. I wasn’t so into Destiny’s Child back in the day, but Beyonce is incredibly powerful in os many ways. Her expression, her art, her work ethic, her message. Everything. One song that I totally love I let play on repeat one day this past summer:

And as soon as I got out of work I popped my earphones in and ran down the hill to the bus stop with my arms held out like I was hugging the world! When I got home, I dropped by bag, grabbed my car keys, a book, my journal, and the hubby, and drove straight to the beach. I made him listen to the song with me on the sand, and I just danced in my own little world.

That beach break I was waiting for had arrived. 75 feels like 80.

Then, we chilled and enjoyed the sun for an hour. It was a good day. It was high vibes. And I haven’t totally felt that same way since, which hinders the the creative process more than a little.

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From influencer engagement for luxury hotels to website design for restaurants to public relations for iconic beer brands, we cover a lot of ground.

In industry lingo, we’re considered a full-service integrated consumer marketing agency.

In our lingo? We just get sh*t done.

Karma Tag

How many times have you passed a homeless person on the street without acknowledging them? While I try to say good morning or smile at the regulars on my walk to work each morning, I’ve always felt a sense of

Since first offering 20-something American men the chance to smell like douche bags, Axe Body Spray has consistently marketed itself as a foolproof chick magnet. And when the company’s newest scent, Anarchy, debuts at the end of the month, women too


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Pedersoli: Cook & Brother Artillery Carbine .58

Action: Percussion
Twist: 1.48″
Barrel Length: 24″ (610mm)
Overall Length: 40 1/2″ (1029mm)

In stock

SKU: PD-S.209-580 Categories: , ,

MARSTAR Canada customer service commitment

  • 30 days easy returns
Guaranteed Safe Checkout

On 1855 Ferdinand W.C. and Francis Cook, both from New York where they emigrated from England when young, founded their mechanic company in New Orleans, Louisiana. At the beginning of 1861, with the secession of Louisiana on January and the Fort Sumter’s attack on April, the Cook brothers started their guns manufacturing underlining how good rifles could be manufactured either in England and in America. The bombing of the town from the Union Navy started on April 18, 1861 obliging the Cook brothers to move their manufacturing activity to Athens, Georgia. The guns production in New Orleans, for the short time that it was possible, was limited to about thousand rifles for the infantry and carbines for the artillery, while other seven thousands, including also some carbines for the cavalry, were manufactured in Athens. All the guns made by Cook & Brother were inspired to the well known English models and of course they are among the most interesting and searched for of the produced guns equipping the Confederate troops during the American Civil War.
Our reproduced gun features all the brass garnitures, two sling swivels, one fit under the front band and one at the stock and the ramrod with brass concave tip and jag slot. The barrel is blue (Brunita) and the lock is case hardened. The stock is made of walnut.

Additional information

40 1/2"

Pedersoli: Cook & Brother Artillery Carbine .58
$1,183.98 Add to cart


text: It's a Dell Inspiron 9100. I did not want to spend the next few days ignoring family, friends, and countrymen, so I manage to prevent myself from installing any games (even though Republic: The Revolution would run decently on it, as compared to my other, older computer). After a few minutes playing around with the wireless options (I do not have any Bluetooth devices, but I did take note of the three wireless networks in the area). I am a bit worried about loss of functionality when I install Gentoo, though.


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And the House of Cards Continues to Crumble and Blow away While the ARDC fiddles….

Dear Readers;

We all know that there comes a day when the stuff hits the fan.  With civil servants and attorneys coming “from the list”, the only question is, who will be the scape goat? Who will take the fall?

At some point the ARDC ladies will have to be faced with the fact KDD and I are telling the truth, the Sykes case is a corruption and aberration of justice beyond anyone’s belief, and their complaints against us are about the most bogus of all pleadings we have both see come out of the typewriters (KDD is that old, I’m not), and CPU’s of lawyers we have ever seen in our combined 75 years of practice.

So, see below, the evidence is now insurmountable and irrefutable.  By the TRIAL COURT’S OWN RECORDS, by the RECORDS OF THE COURT OF APPEALS–SYKES HAS NO JURISDICTION.

NEW!  Links to the Sykes Case Record on Appeal–the entire record which shows

1)  There was no proper Summons and Petition and Notice of Hearing on the Petition served upon Mary G Sykes 14 days prior to the hearing.  I challenge anyone to find this and the Afft of service from the process server, whether it was the sheriff or a special process server; and

2)  No Notice of Hearing to the younger daughter daughter GJS nor the elderly sisters Yolanda and Josephine!

The links:

File 1, Vol 4 a p 751 to 814

File 2, Vol 1 b p 122 to 250

File 3 Vol 1a-2 p 57 to 121

File 5 Vol 4a-2 p815 to 885

File 6 Vol 4b p886 to 1000

File 7 Vol 3b p 625 to 750

File 8 Vol 2b p 376 to 500

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How to Discover your Passion at Work

How to Find your Passion at WorkWhen we say passion at work, we really mean something far less intense, unless you are looking for the love of your life in your workplace, in which case I hope you find happiness.

Passion has become one of the most overused and misleading expressions in workspeak. It implies a degree of engagement which for most of us is unrealistic and is also often inappropriate.

But we can feel inadequate if we bring less than our whole hearts to our daily tasks, or dissatisfied because spreadsheets, databases and customer liaison don’t make our pulses race. Here’s how you can find the spark to light up your work.

What we really mean

The basic purpose of work is to earn a living. Making enough money to house, clothe, feed and nourish ourselves and our families is what gets us going, and we spend most of our time in pursuit of this.

Since work takes up most of our days and is essential to survival, it is great to do a job which you enjoy, or which is all right most of the time. You might get moments or short or extended periods when your experience at work is fantastic and stimulating and gives you a real buzz, and that’s terrific.

But there’s nothing wrong with settling for a reasonable level of contentment and relishing the moments of work-enhancing pleasure and satisfaction, should you get them.

Find what makes you buzz

Identify the work activities and situations that you enjoy. Think about a recent day, or a week, and jot down the moments when you felt pretty OK, or more, about what you were doing. You could try a scale of 1 to 10, and home in on times when you were feeling at least a six.

You might go for things such as:

  • Working by myself on a project

  • Finishing a task in time

  • Helping a client or customer

  • Talking/presenting

  • Preparing resources

  • Chatting to colleagues

  • A lively meeting

  • Having people listen to me

  • Having a proposal or idea accepted

  • Getting good results

  • Meeting a target

  • Improving or developing something

  • Creating something

  • Seeing an idea put into practice

  • Solving a logistical problem

  • Solving a problem to do with people

  • Socialising

Don’t worry if these moments aren’t connected with the nuts and bolts of what you do.

You might like your journey to work, the bike ride or walk, or the drive, or the commute which enables you to catch up on some reading or do some serious Sudoku or celeb magazine research. You might like the view from your desk. Your day might be brightened by a little exchange of pleasantries with the guy who runs the coffee or sandwich counter.

Find what kills the buzz

Do the same exercise, noting those activities which are below a 6 on your scale — the things that you really don’t like about what you do. Use the previous suggestions to get you going.

Gut feelings

You can consolidate your ideas with this simple exercise.
Choose any of your examples, and ask yourself:

How would I feel if I never did that (taught a class/worked out figures/fixed things/had a laugh/led a project etc) again?

If your heart sinks at the thought, you are recognising what really makes you tick.

Look behind job titles

Job titles, especially those that need to be translated, require a little deconstruction to see how much you would like a job. Even generic terms like ‘teacher’ don’t mean the same things for everyone.

Different age groups, subject matter, degrees of responsibility and autonomy, conditions of work can make a difference between overall enjoyment and overall dissatisfaction.

You might assume that a word such as ‘co-ordinator’ means you will be working with people, only to discover that most of your time is spent drawing up schedules and you hardly talk to anyone all day.

Involvement, commitment, engagement, fun, satisfaction, success – these are some of the enjoyable and fulfilling aspects of work.

Passion is something else again, to be experienced in other ways and in other contexts. Don’t give your whole heart to the nine-to-five. You need it elsewhere as well.


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Archive for the ‘internet marketing’ Tag

Yelling vs. passion

Bob Hoffman’s guest post at CopyBlogger a few days ago was an outrageous statement going against the tide of popular opinion, yet evidencing truth that we can’t deny. Naomi Dunford applauds him, and so do I. Especially for his pithy revelation that the internet, as a marketing tool, is fast becoming just like television as a marketing tool: “People with stuff yelling at people with money.” Thank God someone finally said it.

The ultimate point is, there are no shortcuts. You and your business will grow and flourish in direct proportion to your heartfelt passion for what you’re doing. No amount of marketing dollars or tricks or blitzes can by itself be productive. Get out there and yell your head off, the return will be short lived at best. Sustainable success originates in our hearts, not in our cleverness or internet savvy.

Awesome potential for deeper and broader communications is certainly available through the ‘net. The resource, however, is a two-edged dagger. Communication methods must not be mistaken for communicated messages. It is the latter that matters, whether scrawled out in longhand on parchment or digitized for instant visibility.

Naomi summarizes thusly: “Stop trying to “harness the power of social media” and start solving problems. Solve real problems and you have a license to print money.”

Naomi’s passion is indisputable, and she certainly has a powerful way of voicing it.

Noise vs. Content

The internet and today’s technologies are a fascinating study, especially for one not bred on cyberspace.  I’ve spent the past six months almost continuously online, attempting to get a grip on commerce represented there, studying social networks and forums and internet marketing techniques.  One thing that strikes me in this investigation is how carefully you have to preserve your identity and purpose amidst all the noise.  It’s very easy for the internet to become the dictator.   You originally approached it as a tool for your business and if you don’t keep it in that place, it can quickly become a mere distraction and little real help.

Content is King, you read everywhere.  But there’s little to no instruction about creating great Content; the directives all pertain to SEO, marketing techniques and strategies, or the latest widgets.  A large percent of the material online makes fabulous use of these systems without first ensuring valuable Content.  In this way, the internet is far more sophisticated than its users and often produces the cyber equivalent of kids playing with guns.

The two social media sites, Squidoo and Twitter, exemplify this distinction.   At Squidoo, you share specific information designed to edify your readers.  At Twitter, you fatuously inform the world that you’re on the way to the airport, eating a hot dog, or coping with the sniffles.  Never having been much of a gossip, small talk, or chatter type, I have a horror of people ‘following me’ and have no interest in sharing the twists and turns of my everyday with anyone except my lover.  My point is that Twitter caters to the glitz and sensationalism with hardly a nod to Content; while Squidoo’s Content is an amazing tribute to the learning and creativity of 21st century human beings.

It takes a while to understand the differences between the popular sites, and it takes inner strength to avoid being sucked in by sites that seem promising but actually offer only shallow solutions for you.  Depending on your purposes, Twitter may be just the thing you need (to keep track of a team’s progress, for instance).  By keeping your focus firmly on your real-world demands, you can separate the noise of internet hype from authentic and useful Content.

Three Big Words

It’s exciting and heartening to me that some key concepts in the Web 2.0 world match key creativity concepts.  By adopting these ways of working in our businesses, we are also developing personal creative strength.

What are these concepts?  Today, I’m thinking about three:  curiosity, engagement, and generosity.

Curiosity means a keen attention to both internal and external worlds, and a willingness to explore.  The business that understands constant change; that is tuned in to the lives and responses of its clientele; and that keeps a constant watch for new opportunities is the successful business of our time.

Engagement means the willingness to be responsive on all levels of society.  The business that sees itself in the context of the entire globe; that is not distanced from pressing social issues such as pollution, poverty, and ignorance; and that uses its resources to benefit the world to the best of its abilities is the vital business of today.

Generosity means truly courageous effort.  It doesn’t mean giving away the store; it means conscientious, no-holds-barred follow through on committments.  It means intelligent planning and then all-out devotion to goals.  In order to get, it is necessary to give first, as generally evidenced by the Open Source movement and many other freebies offered on the internet.  The business that cultivates a reputation of true dedication to sharing the benefits it offers is the admired business in our world.

These three concepts are foundational as well to the development of individual creativity.  I understand the close relationship of individual creativity and business today as our most promising hope for the future.  It’s a future in which the gap is significantly narrowed between the things we do for money and who we are as human beings.

Being Remarkable

I attended a webcast the other day with marketing guru Seth Godin (Meatball Sundae) and other experts.  The message there, as well as in so much that I read these days, is that all the tricks of SEO are fast becoming obsolete.  Though some have managed to manipulate the internet to their purposes through technicalities, and achieved high rankings, those days are coming to an end.  Search engines aim to satisfy search results as directly as possible; sites that only peripherally pertain to keywords entered can no longer gain the upper hand.  As ever, Content is King.

The term Godin used quite a bit was “remarkable.”  If you want to succeed, you must be remarkable.  Your website, blogs, articles and other methods you use to attract attention will be of little use unless the content of your offerings is “remarkable,” unless you can manage to stand out from the crowd through your expertise.

Plus ca change …. It has ever been thus, hasn’t it?  The web, after all, does little to make us rich quick.  The onus we bear is as it ever was … we must identify and maximize our true strengths to be successful.  Rather than relieving us of the responsibility to work hard and achieve, the web actually reinforces this basic ethic.

How can we do this?  How can we be “remarkable?”  It’s a lot to ask of any individual.

So we come round again to creativity.  In practicing creativity, we do not seek to be remarkable – rather the opposite – but the great gift of creativity is that through faithful practice, it reveals the ways in which we are remarkable.  It’s the instrument we’re given for moving beyond mere survival, beyond the mundane, beyond unquestioning servitude to the greatness we each are born to realize.


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In 2017 I visited Iceland and did the usual tourist thing looking at sulphury landscapes. One one occasion we stepped out into the landscape and walked among the steaming, bubbling pools of liquid ground, the tang of sulphur strong in our nostrils. These works are inspired by those landscapes and evoke the colours, smells and smokiness of that experience.

The first works in this collection were exhibited at my solo show “Residue” in 2018. I have recently returned to the subject and expanded the collection. All works here are acrylic and texture paste on canvas.

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Final Retrospective

This will be the final sprint retrospective for our Capstone Project where I give a general reflection on what occurred this previous sprint. This previous sprint was perhaps the most extensive one we encountered. We completed the component and wrapped up our presentation for the class. On the component we figured out what to finish with and finish strong with it. Everything was stylized to what we thought right to be. Our buttons were working previously but the submit from the last sprint wasn’t. after much discussion on what we wanted and how to approach the situation we figured it out. For the button we used a service for it, James came up with this idea. We also found something of it on google after some searching that was perfect for what we needed. All in all the button/submit button wasn’t to hard of a task for our team to conquer. Finalizing the presentation was not something to difficult, we all had our sections to cover. In short this semester was my team was a good one, we got a good amount done and got more familiar with all the components used.

Draw Your Own Map

For this weeks blog post I will be discussing the pattern known as Draw You Own Map. The context behind this one is that any given employer can offer only a limited subset of all possible career paths. The problem that would arise from this is that none of the career paths your employer provides actually fits you. The solution that would come from this situation would be to simply identify the next logical but ambitious next step in your career. Realize that it is not up to your employer, your career counselor or your professors to give you a hand up or decide your fate. Arriving at the next step and charting the course is a decision that ultimately comes down to your responsibility. You need to take the first step that is the most important part, even if that step doesn’t seem to significant. This first step should generate the momentum needed to help carry you toward your goal, no matter the terror you may feel. Try to define small, yet achievable steps allowing feedback that you can use to modify your road map which could also make it easier to get help from Kindred Spirits to achieve said goals. If the vision of which your employer sees of you and the one you see of yourself do not match your preferred accordance examine the opportunities to see if they’re heading in the desired direction. Instead follow other successful apprentice paths that share a resemblance to what you are going through. You should constantly reassess your map as your circumstances and values change. Sometimes the map will be in accordance with that of those around you, other times the map will require you to chart your own path through the wilderness. The only constant is that the map is yours, and you are free to redraw it at any time. A good action to take with this is that you could list three jobs that you think you could do while following the current one. Then begin to list three jobs each of those would lead to. Are these really the full range of desirable jobs for the next few years of your life? Ask yourself if this set of jobs is more representative of the range of career options you have before you and what places you want to take in this career. If you are unhappy with the list so far, repeating the exercise with different jobs, business or technology domains could help. Then repeat the exercise again to see where you would end up. Yet again this is something anyone who catches themselves in should do, as it will help you in the long run and in general.

Use Your Title

For this weeks blog post I will be looking into he Use Your Title pattern. The context behind this one is that as a result of your dedication to learning, you’ve been hired or promoted into a position with a title containing the words senior, architect or lead. The problem that will arise from this is that the job title doesn’t actually match what you see in the mirror. When you introduce yourself into this new setting you feel as if you have to apologize or explain the difference between your skill level in your actual job description. A solution to this is that you shouldn’t allow the title to actually affect you. Its just a distraction that should be kept on the outskirts of your active conscious. Use the title only to gauge your organization not yourself. Don’t get fooled by a fancy title, your mother might think you deserve it but the impressive title and responsibilities mean your apprenticeship is over. They serve only to remind you that there is a shortage of craftsmen in the industry. While on the other side of this coin is an unimpressive title despite the fact that you may have surpassed your colleagues. The frustration that comes from a lack of recognition should remind you that the industry has a problem. Using this as a measurement of your own organization and fitting it rather than allowing the frustration to bog you down. Another variant that comes from this theme is the informal versus formal titles. For example you may have grown into a position of authority on your own team despite the formal title remaining. These informal titles can be hard to actually ignore, because they are constantly reinforced by peers and colleagues. These titles remain even if they conflict with your own self assessment, keeping with your mentors and kindred spirits will be critical to keeping you grounded in reality. The recommended action to all of this is simply write down a long and descriptive version of your job title. Making sure it accurately reflects what you really do at work and your skill level. This is again another pattern that I agree with and can see myself using in the future.

Sprint RetroSpective 5

This sprint was much more productive since last in my opinion. First throughout the sprint we kept running into simple errors. One error I had several times was my angular not being recognized for some reason but then a clean reinstallation fixed this. This happened to Harry just a few days ago which has been resolved. After the angular problems we had some connection issues to see the component on the local host site. James was the first one to run into this while me and Gulshan where on the other component branch fine. We were using another groups component “Tabs” for reference to see if our repositories were set. After a day or two issues were resolved. Just yesterday we ran into yet more problems on this issue, this time on our own Q-Form branch component. Firstly, Harry couldn’t see the Q-From branch or rather the deletion of the Questionnaire Form branch to the new formed Q-Form branch. Then James was having an error that I don’t even know what he did wrong. After that was resolved we finally got our component branch working. Now all we have to do is just add our stuff in and structure it how we want and we should be good. After this component we should have time to do more components if we do not run into similar errors.

Confront Your Ignorance

For this weeks blog pattern post I will be looking into the pattern known as confronting your ignorance. The context behind this one is that you have identified the gaps within your skillset that are thereby relevant in your everyday work. The problem that will arise from this is that the tools and techniques needed to master seem unobtainable as you don’t know where to begin. These may already be around you with people around you doing them but there is an expectation you already have this knowledge. The remedy to this that you should pick one skill, tool, or technique and seek to fill the gaps of your knowledge about it. Finding out the most effective ways that suit your style. For some the best approach involves getting an overview of introductory articles and FAQs. While others may find jumping straight into the construction of Breakable Toys the best approach to understanding something. Whichever approach works do not forget to ask around your Kindred Spirits and mentors to see if someone already has the skill and if they will be willing to share their knowledge. Others may be actively seeking this skill as well which can allow you both to work towards this goal. There aren’t enough hours in a day to hone all your skills to a high level, so making necessary trade offs between them is something that will have to happen. This pattern is closely related to Expose Your Ignorance, but implementing it is a less difficult task to your pride since it can be down privately. But eventually you may have to Expose your Ignorance as well, since learning in public will allow an apprentice to being their transition to a journeyman. Taking the list of items from Exposing your Ignorance and striving to learn each one, while crossing the completed off is a good place to start. This way you can see gaps you maybe hadn’t noticed before. This pattern is important to say the least, one that most people should honestly follow if they need to.

Sustainable Motivations

For this weeks Blog Post I will discussing the pattern known as “Sustainable Motivations”. The Sustainable Motivation pattern is almost what it sounds like, where you require motivation to keep going. Anyone who knows programming knows that if a programmer is given the chance to do it there way, that is there biggest motivation. The context behind this is that you must develop your technical skills because of this you will find yourself working in a messy reality of specified projects for customers with different demands. The problem that arises is that when working in the real world trenches of projects you will find rigorous, tedious, exhausting, frustrating and constraining effects. The solution to this is that you need to ensure your motivations for craftsmanship will be able to adapt and survive through the Long Road ‘s (pattern) trials. For the most part there will be days and more that you love your job, getting paid to develop software and such. Where the work will just come natural to you without much effort. These days wont be ordinary days, because most programming jobs you will face tedious, vague definitions, and overly complex problems. You could even face some spotty leadership problems, difficult coworker personalities and other troubles. Because of this you may begin to question your commitment to the craft. When faced with these problems its almost imperative that you are aligned with the Long Road. Some examples could include you hating your programming job and are only motivated by the money. Where you value climbing the corporate ladder over honing the skills of your craft. But also are motivated by your reputation as a technologist, allowing you to survive and endure to the sun shines once more in your job. Another example could be you are motivated by your enjoyment of actual programming, where you then come up on a length of time where you cant find the love. But you are motivated by the money, and that programming is financially the best option right now, causing you to be motivated. All of these are good examples of how to be motivated but the best way to figure out yourself is to write down some motivations for you. Keeping this list somewhere safe where you can come upon it when times get tough. This pattern is something 96% of people can relate to, in almost any motivational situation and one I will see myself using down the road.

Sprint RetroSpective 4

This past sprint flew by in all honestly, seems like last week we just started. This sprint we accomplished a few goals we set out to do. Our main goal/issues to solve were the branching situation and what our exact task was. Next was setting up pull requests for our user stories correctly. Took us a little bit but I think we got it situated at the moment. With only some angular issues popping up here or there but nothing we couldn’t solve. Harry has set up a few wire frames over the past few weeks, even if they weren’t stuff we were working on giving a better idea on what we were working on. For the coming Sprint we are reaching the Endgame time period, where we are going to have to actually power through as a team and accomplish our goals. I have faith in my team, as when it comes to brass tacts we all can pull through. Essentially I am looking forward to once again setting forth with my team and accomplish our goals.


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IN THE PRESS → Filtered by HIDE

March 2016

Sustainability is more than a buzz word for designer and maker Matt Thomson. It’s woven into every fibre of his business.

‘I’ve always been interested in making bags that last, and that’s the first rule of sustainability. If it lasts a lot longer, you don’t need to replace it,’ says Matt, who for nearly 15 years has made beautiful, durable and eco-friendly bags, under the moniker of mattt.

‘Bags are one of those things that people have an emoti...

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November 2013

Bag designer and maker Matthew Thomson was quite taken with the open brief, despite having only heard bits and pieces of Wagner’s music before he took on the project. “It really fits in with my style of work. I like the idea of needing to come up with something that is aesthetically appealing, that ties in with a particular event, with a particular location and a particular event in time.”

Matthew designs and hand-stitches a range of functional bags for his la...

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