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How to Recognize a Dream Thief (audio)

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How to Recognize a Dream Thief

Deepak Chopra implied in his book, The Book of Secrets (very good and worth a read!), that one should hold on to some dreams and desires and keep ones cards close to ones chest. In other words, there are some goals you should never share with others — they are personal and that kind of secret is okay.

At the time of reading this, I was an open book. I was the kind of person who tells everyone everything and doesn’t hold back. I trust people very easily so I didn’t quite get this at the time…I was soon to learn!

Devious Encounters of a Friendly Kind

On my journey of becoming more self aware and, naturally, becoming more aware of others — I encountered some people (disguised well, as friends and kindred spirits) who have proven Dr Chopra right.

Unfortunate as it is, there are folks out there who like to trample on peoples dreams and instead of being encouraging — they tend to quash your spirit.

They can do this outright (more obvious to spot) but some do this in a covert and subtly insidious manner. They can make you feel like they’re doing you a favor by ‘saving you from yourself’ when the reality is — they themselves are inept at attaining their goals so they can’t have you stealing the spotlight (even if they weren’t going to use it).

Spotting a Thief

Trouble is, they come in many shapes and sizes. They pose as friends (or even family members) but are cunning at disguising their true intentions which usually becomes more apparent when the green monster rears its head and you’re about to outshine them.

They work well in undermining your dreams in a sometimes very nice and polite way. It can be confusing when a friend or loved one subtly puts you or your dreams down in a way that seems like they’re only looking out for you. Before you know it your bonfire has been well and truly pissed on.

And you’re left holding the psychological pieces of the puzzle that was once your dream that now lays in pieces on the cold, dead coals.

Employing Armed Response and Protecting Your Dreams

It’s usually the softies that get crushed underfoot (I used to be one, so I know what goes through a people-pleaser’s self-doubting mind). We tend to take people at face value and trust that they have our best intentions at heart. We even think that other people probably know better than us.

I’m sorry to say that that bubble needs to be popped, the sooner the better!

It’s okay to walk away from people like this. I always felt guilty doing it, so I would stay in a friendship just to ‘keep the peace’. Thing is, I wasn’t keeping my own peace. Bottom line is:  it’s just not worth sacrificing your own inner peace for friendships like these.

I still like to adopt a ‘innocent until proven guilty‘ approach with people but I now have a well honed bullshit-o-meter. I’ve had too many experiences with borderline narcissists to know what one sounds like especially when my gut instinct is sounding alarm bells.

Things you can do to combat such dream thieves are to:

  1. Develop a good sense of inner discernment/gut feeling or instinct or whatever else you want to call it. Look out for people who hype themselves up whilst subtly putting you down. Stay far away from these people or at the very least (if they are unavoidable) do good aura protection mantras. Read more here: 15 Protection Tips That Keep Out Negative Energy
  2. Maintain a healthy ego/pride. This is in no way egotistical, it’s just having enough self love to have faith in your innate wisdom and to go ahead with any dreams or goals you want to pursue without letting other people dissuade you. Related article: Do You Feel Worthless? 2 Reasons Why You Need to Love YOUFrom the wisdom of Wayne Dyer: “Regardless of how absurd your inner callings might seem, they’re authentically yours. They don’t have to make sense to anyone else. The willingness to listen and act on your inspiration, independent of the opinions of others, is imperative.”

sub buttonKeeping Good Company

It goes without saying that if you associate with the inspired and the inspiring, you can’t go wrong. Positive people will lift your spirits and motivate you to push your own perceived limitations and boundaries.

You can’t lead an inspired life by hanging around people who are a constant source of negativity — that makes about as much sense as a bird tying weights to its wings to gain more height.

Your mom was right — sometimes ‘hanging out with the wrong sort‘ could be a make or break situation. It takes time, trial and error to know these things but it’s a lesson well worth learning.

Choose your company wisely!

CRDCherie Roe Dirksen is a self-empowerment author, multi-media artist and musician from South Africa.

To date, she has published 3 self-help and motivational books and brings out weekly inspirational blogs at her site Get stuck into finding your passion, purpose and joy by downloading some of those books gratis when you click HERE.

Her ambition is to help you to connect with your innate gift of creativity and living the life you came here to experience by taking responsibility for your actions and becoming the co-creator of your reality. You can follow Cherie on Facebook (The Art of Empowerment — for article updates). She also has just recently launched her official art Facebook page (Cherie Roe Dirksen – for new art updates).

Cherie posts a new article on CLN every Thursday. To view her articles, click HERE.

This article (How to Recognize a Dream Thiefwas originally written for and published by Conscious Life News and is published here under a Creative Commons license with attribution to the author Cherie Roe Dirksen and It may be re-posted freely with proper attribution, author bio, and this Copyright/Creative Commons statement.

Other articles you may enjoy:

We Desperately Need to Abandon the ‘One Size Fits All’ Approach

5 Key Factors to a Lasting Relationship

Going Beyond Normal: Manifesting the Truly Bizarre

Boundary Setting 101 — Target: Empaths

Why We Detest Indifference (Odyssey, Issue 3 — Out Now!)


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Making Things Happen

It’s not a secret.  I’m not – nor have I ever been – a morning person.  Although, I would REALLY like to be.

Since leaving my full time job to pursue photography in June 2008, I developed the very bad habit of staying up until 2am/3am working and then sleeping in until 11am.  EVERY DAY.  And it’s terrible.  I guess at first, it was nice.  But now, I just feel mostly sluggish and unproductive.
It was this Monday at the Making Things Happen workshop that I decided that things in my life have to change.
making things happen_small.jpg
We had to do an exercise that had us list 10 things that make us feel the most alive…the most whole.  My list in no particular order:
1.  Drinking green tea and eating mint dark chocolate.  🙂
2.  Playing with my dogs.
3.  Candles burning (particularly pumpkin spice and cinnamon).
4.  Cuddling with Geoff.
5.  Having quiet time in prayer, bible reading, and journaling.
6.  Fresh air.
7.  Having a clean house.
8.  Getting up at a decent hour, showering, and getting dressed before the day starts.
9.  Cooking a meal.
10.  Getting out of the house.
This list makes me feel great just reading it.  So, I decided I’m going to find a way to implement more of these things in my daily life.  And here’s how I’m going to do it:
1.  Change what my day looks like….I need some structure!
The plan is to get up when Geoff gets up for work (7am).  To ease this transition, I’ve decided to make use of the CD alarm clock we have next to the bed and set it to wake me up to something that says “it’s a great day today….get up and enjoy it!” (this morning, it was Leeland).  I’m going to get up and get ready.  I’m going to eat some breakfast with Geoff, take the dogs out, and spend some time reading/praying/journaling.  The work day will start at 9am (in my office…not the couch) and will only be interrupted by TV with my lunch.  I’m going to end work when Geoff ends work, cook dinner, and learn to enjoy the evenings more.
Now, I realize having a baby is going to throw a big wrench in this plan…but for now, I’m on board.  🙂
2.  Get help.
I decided to give outsourcing another go.  Erica has already taken over all of the album design and I’m hooked up with an amazing lady to handle all of my bookkeeping.  Most recently, I’ve begun to outsource the color correcting of the many thousands of images we shoot every week…this is a HUGE help.  And soon, I’ll be seeking out an intern to help me with various things related to the business.
3.  Have a clear plan/set goals (personal and business related) for the year, 5 years out, and 10 years out.
I think I need to have a retreat for myself soon to map all of this out.  Perhaps I’ll hit up Crisp one day next week….goal setting + caesar salad + sitting outside on their patio in the sun sounds pretty dang good to me.  🙂
I’m excited….today was day one…..and it’s been a great day.  🙂

Cheyenne Schultz

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  1. heather says:

    These are great changes! You will love that you made these transitions when the baby comes. Since you are over the hump of starting your business, it is great to look ahead and see how your business will work with the lifestyle you want for your family. I have made similar changes over the past year and I am SO much more productive, which will definitely help when our baby is born in the next few weeks, but it is also just helping me enjoy life more. I stop and smell the roses on a daily basis now. 🙂 It sounds like that is what you are going to Make Happen in your life too! Very very exciting!!! (my blog comments are WAY too long…sorry 🙂 Just wanted to encourage you in your transition!!

  2. I have a great wakeup song for you! It’s from Eisley and is called One Day I Slowly Floated Away. The entire staff in Wilmingtin plays it when they’re having a hard time getting into the swing of things in the AM.
    PS you are my hero. It takes every ounce of my being to wake up before 9am.

  3. Amy Martin says:

    I hear you sister! Good luck with the changes… I know what a night owl you are! But way to get things in motion! 🙂

  4. Elizabeth says:

    Girl, I couldn’t agree more! I just made the same change (from a 11am-2am work schedule to a 9am-6/7/8pm work schedule) … and it’s been FABULOUS!!!! Keep it up. You will NOT regret the change!

  5. Jacqueline Anne says:

    Cheyenne – This is great! Our 5 year anniversary is coming up (can you believe it), and with the baby due any day now, this is a great idea for us to implement as well. We’ve been talking about how we are going to balance everything – work/baby/school/life we should probably make sure we are still managing to find time for things we enjoy…I’m inspired! 🙂

    If time elements are a problem, I am not the one to ask and in fact have moved from structure as much as possible as of late and have become more in the moment. Less stress. I don’t know that I did well teaching Geoff or Jaime structured time, as I used to say, we are leaving in 5 minutes and then I would get involved in something and an hour later we would leave. But, I really think Jaime and Geoffrey did not have much difficulty when it came down to being on time for important stuff, so they both turned out okay. Just roll with the punches unless it is important. That is what a baby will teach you. YOU 2 will be GREAT! I hope to be around for weekend and evening baby sitting.

  7. Lauren says:

    Congrats on making these changes! I also went to MTH, and I think a lot of making things happen has to do with the way you live your every day life. I too am making changes to my days, trying to enjoy my nights more and reserve the day for work. 🙂 Good luck! It does feel great to wake up early and have a good start to the day!

  8. Girl! I struggle with ALL the above!! Especially making time for journaling and time with the Lord.. it just doesn’t happen as naturally as it should! ugh. But your post was so encouraging! Thank you!!! 🙂

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Warrawee 20 Heydon Avenue

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Kung Fu Tea

Martial Arts History, Wing Chun and Chinese Martial Studies.

political science

An Introduction to Martial Arts and Public Diplomacy

    ***On May 11th and 12th I will be participating in a Political Science workshop at Brigham Young University (BYU) in Utah.  While there I will discuss my Kung Fu Diplomacy project.  The actual paper that I am submitting... Continue Reading →

Kung Fu and Soft Power: Why can’t the Chinese government capitalize on the popularity of the traditional fighting arts?

  Introduction: If Kung Fu is so popular, why can’t Wushu get into the Olympics? I am first and foremost a political scientist.  When I look at the “traditional Chinese martial arts” what I see is emerging trends in civil... Continue Reading →

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Cybersecurity Engineer

Chip Scan is seeking Junior and Senior cybersecurity candidates with an interest in developing products used in the design of embedded systems and FPGAs. Our customers span the DoD and commercial space and you will be contributing on a small technical team. Applicants should email a resume to with the subject line containing Graduate, Researcher, Experienced depending on whether you're a pending/recent grad, seeking a security research position, or coming in with experience.

What We're Looking For

01. Degree in Electrical or Computer Science/Engineering

02. Interest in microelectronics or digital logic design

03. Current possession or eligibility to possess a United States secret clearance

04. Knowledge of communication protocols and RFCs

05. Experience with EDA tools and hardware design workflows

06. Interest in Cybersecurity

Product Manager

Chip Scan is seeking an ambitious cybersecurity product manager prepared to guide the transition of the ESPY product to our commercial customers.

What We're Looking For

01.  Prior experience in a cybersecurity commercial product

02.  Good track record interfacing with customer service, marketing, engineering, and customers

03.  Experience with rack appliance products

04.  Marketing communication skills are a plus

Capture Specialist

Chip Scan is seeking a successful Director-level candidate with strong experience bidding and winning competitive non-R&D electronics and/or cybersecurity acquisitions contracts.

What We're Looking For

01. Carries the responsibility, authority, and accountability to lead and execute activities in order to secure winning bids in late stage R&D and cybersecurity acquisitions contracts for digital microelectronics

02. A minimum of 5 years experience including demonstrable ability and knowledge of the full capture management life cycle

03. Active trusted network across federal agencies and DoD

04. Bachelor's degree from an accredited University

Chip Scan is seeking pre-graduation interns with an interest in hardware, chip design and cybersecurity in the New York City metro area.

Internships are available with a defined starting and ending date, with a designed project similar to actual operational projects to promote learning objectives. We may calibrate these projects to align with student curriculum as needed.

What We're Looking For

01. Within 2 years of graduation from an accreditted University and located in the New York City metro area

02. Interns will be assigned to a hardware cybersecurity project

03. Requires strong interest in cybersecurity, digital microelectronics and working in a startup

04. Highly motivated; prepared to learn and contribute


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Supplementary MaterialsSupp Amount Caption. Intro The olfactory system in vertebrates comprises

Supplementary MaterialsSupp Amount Caption. Intro The olfactory system in vertebrates comprises an array of olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) spread across the olfactory epithelia each extending a single axon into the olfactory bulb. Each OSN expresses one, or a very few, olfactory receptor molecules which dictate the chemical responsiveness of the particular OSN (Chess et al., 1994; Malnic et al., 1999; Rawson et al., 2000; Khan et al., 2011). OSNs expressing identical PXD101 irreversible inhibition receptor proteins, although spaced widely in the epithelium, target one or two glomeruli within the olfactory bulb with the general part of termination becoming dictated by the particular receptor molecule becoming indicated from the OSN (Mombaerts et al., 1996, Feinstein and Mombaerts, 2004). While the final coalescence of axons into a glomerulus depends greatly on receptor manifestation, the initial focusing on of the axon to the general bulbar region comprising the destination glomerulus relies on many extracellular guidance factors, only some of which are known (Walz et al., 2002; McIntyre et al., 2010; Takahashi et al., 2010). For example, axons expressing the cell adhesion molecule OCAM target caudoventral glomeruli whereas axons PXD101 irreversible inhibition lacking OCAM terminate dorsolaterally. Which factors determine the manifestation of these guidance molecules or growth factors remains unfamiliar (Bozza et al., 2009). Since the position of glomeruli within the olfactory bulb relates to the types of odorants to Rabbit Polyclonal to GALK1 which the OSNs respond (Johnson et al., 2009; Bozza et al., 2009), understanding the factors controlling axonal focusing on is vital to understanding how the olfactory system is definitely wired functionally. Earlier investigations in our laboratories PXD101 irreversible inhibition recognized two proteins, transient receptor potential channel M5 (TrpM5) and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), which are indicated by subpopulations of OSNs that preferentially project to ventrally situated glomeruli in the MOB (Lin et al. 2007; Vigers et al. 2003). The transduction channel TrpM5 is definitely indicated by a subset of OSNs (Lin et al., 2007) responsive to semiochemicals. The neurotrophin NT-3 is definitely indicated in a human population of OSNs (Feron et al., 1995; Liu et al., 2013) which target a small number of ventrally-situated glomeruli (Vigers et al., 2003). The apparent overlap in location of NT-3- and TrpM5-labeled glomeruli led us to question whether expression of these markers characterized identical or independent glomerular populations. These glomerular targets lie within the ventral glomerular field of the MOB known to process odors of semiochemicals and urine (Schaefer et al., 2002; Xu et al., 2005; Johnson et al., 2009). Mitral cells that innervate ventrally-positioned glomeruli in the MOB project axons to the medial amygdala (Pro-Sistiaga et al., 2007; Kang et al., 2009; Thompson et al., 2012) and the hypothalamus PXD101 irreversible inhibition (Bader et al., 2012), higher brain structures known to process semiochemical odorant information. The present study investigates whether OSNs expressing TrpM5 and NT-3 project to overlapping or separate populations of MOB glomeruli, i.e. whether TrpM5 and NT-3 biochemically characterize distinct olfactory subsystems, or whether they exist in populations of OSNs that target specific glomeruli. Our results show that these two markers exist in largely distinct glomeruli although some overlap exists. Materials and Methods Experimental Animals All procedures performed in the current study followed NIH guidelines and were approved PXD101 irreversible inhibition by the University of Colorado Denver Animal Care and Use Committee. All animals used in the current study were bred in the animal facilities at the University of Colorado Denver and housed in ventilated cages under 14-hour light/10.


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A warm welcome from Mosaic
Mosaic Liberal
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Catch up with our monthly magazine
Meet the Rabbis

Second Barmitzvah at HEMS

Saturday, September 1

On Shabbat 1st September we will be celebrating Colin Berkovitch’s second barmitzvah.  Please come along as, whilst every shabbat is special, this shabbat is even more special than usual.


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Home Daily Devotional Rhapsody Of Realities Sunday 22nd

Rhapsody Of Realities Sunday 22nd

For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ) (Romans 5:17).

Every child of God is a king in this life, and called to reign in righteousness. Righteousness gives you the ability to stand in the presence of God without condemnation; to stand in fellowship with God, having His rightness in your spirit. This is where our audacity
of faith comes from.

This is the reason we’re bold to make demands in His Name, decree a thing and have it established. It’s because our righteousness is of Him, not what you did or didn’t do, but what Jesus did. God declared you righteous freely, and declared Himself to be righteous by so doing: “To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Romans 3:26). Hallelujah!

Righteousness makes us masters; it gives us dominion. You’re not a victim, but a victor in Christ Jesus. John knew this and declared, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

God has imparted His nature of righteousness to you, and that’s what makes you like Him. That nature makes you think, see, and talk like Him. You’ve been raised to His level through Christ. Our opening verse
says, “…they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.” You’ve received grace to reign over and above Satan and the elements of this world.

The Bible says He’s made us kings and priests and we shall reign on the earth. Kings reign by issuing decrees and pronouncements; Ecclesiastes 8:4 says, “Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?” No wonder the Bible says you shall decree a thing, and it shall be established unto you (Job 22:28).

Holy and righteous Father, thank you for giving me your righteousness, granting me the ability to boldly stand before you without guilt, condemnation, inferiority or blame. In righteousness, I reign and
rule in life, bringing glory to your Name. I walk in perpetual victory, manifesting your glory in every place, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Romans 5:17 AMPC; Romans 5:20-21; Revelation 5:10

1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: 1 Corinthians 7 & Psalms 119:113-176

2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 18:9-17 & 1 Samuel 9

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The Sun Keeps Rising

Grief is a strange process. Especially when you avoid it at any cost. I make posts on social media and occasionally I may verbally say “I miss my daddy,” but any expression that requires depth, I avoid. It’s a defense mechanism I guess. I have to keep going, keep living. I don’t want to be the sad girl. It’s approaching two years and I don’t want pity. I don’t want judgement. However, I have not properly dealt with my grief. I sit in my regular therapy sessions and I discuss my mother or romantic relationships, and even my relationships with friends. Rarely do I talk about my daddy or my grief. I don’t talk about him. Not really. I don’t explore my hurt. I don’t explore his absence.

A few months ago, I went through a bout of depression. I had the desire only to lie in my bed and binge watch Blue Bloods. Blue Bloods is a show that my daddy called “our show” because of the father/daughter relationship between two of the main characters. One day I realized that I was watching this show because I missed my daddy. It was my subconscious way of dealing with my grief. After years of sacrifice and consecutive tragic life events, I moved into my first apartment in Houston. It was joyful and stressful. Particularly because my car required a series of expensive repairs around the time of my move. Even though I always have consulted my mom and not my dad about my car troubles, I found myself feeling and saying “I miss my daddy.” The day I picked up the keys to my apartment, my mom was on the phone with someone sharing my news (as she often does because she suffers from verbal diarrhea) and I said to her, out of my mouth, “Who is that, daddy?” I immediately bursted into tears in the leasing office. A couple days later I was driving back to Houston from Dallas and my car wheel was giving me some trouble and I said to my cousin after I couldn’t gain assistance from my mom and others, “I’ll just call my daddy.” Even though something similar happened days before, I still shocked myself.

I’m so happy to start this new chapter, yet there is a damper. There is something missing…my daddy. (I just realized as I typed that sentence and my eyes swelled with tears that THIS is why I have been so moody) I have been depressed, needy, lonely, moody, and simply unpleasant. And I have been in my bed in my new apartment, alone, binge watching Mad Men. The main character and his life reminds me of my daddy. Watching the shows that have connections to my daddy have been unintentional but makes sense. Subconsciously, I’m looking for ways to be close to him, to fill the void that is impossible to fill. My daddy would be so happy for me and taking this step, living my life for me. Even with that being true, I can’t be happy. I can’t help but wonder if every life event that is to come will be challenged but this dark gloom of my father’s absence. I’d like to believe that when I stop avoiding and actually deal with my grief, I will handle life events in a more healthy manner. For now, I am up at 3 am watching Mad Men, feeling every bit of my daddy’s absence and it hurts like hell.

For Raven and Melanie

Thursday I received a text that said “did Raven reach out to you?” I didn’t think much of it, maybe some family drama. I simply replied “no about what?” The next five words made my heart sink, “her father died last night.” I picked up my phone to make a call I never wanted to make: to welcome my pure-hearted, genuine spirited, kind cousin to a club she never wanted to join. She answered the phone, strong, “holding it together.” What she didn’t know was that I was a mess. You all know my relationship with crying. When I say, I was broken down on that phone call. (Of course I hid my tears from her) My heart hurt for her. As I tried to explain that the studies were wrong, there may be five stages (sometimes seven) of grief but you don’t experience them in a particular order, you bounce around them. And the truth is, you don’t start healing once the body is buried or cremated. You have to be intentional with your healing and sometimes the denial/avoidance stage is the longest.

Jasmine and Joe Lott

Jasmine and Joe Lott

It will be two years in October that my dad has been gone. The truth is, I just began moving out of the denial stage. I literally got back to Houston after his funeral and picked up two more jobs, that I really didn’t need. I started studying for the GMAT. I filled my time up completely to avoid dealing with the reality that I will never see my father again. I was “okay.” I kept it together. I was slaying this grief thing. I remember my friend Jasmine Lott, whose father passed in 2012 texted me that “I’m here to tell you it never goes away. The pain the tears. I still wake up crying. It’s like it happened yesterday. Keep praying and crying wake up and just live your life that’s all you really can do.” I remember the feeling I felt when I read that text. It was so sad and morbid and I was in denial so I was like “Nah that won’t be me.” …Then I lost control. First, I started crying in inappropriate places. Then, I started acting out. (All things JLott had warned me about) I went numb, but thing causing the pain was a reality.

Raven and Dad

Raven and Her Dad

I tried to explain all this to Raven by simply saying “It’s a process and the best thing you can do is to deal with everything you are feeling.” I know what she is about to go through and that breaks my heart. Everyone’s grief is different, yet the same. Raven’s father was a Mexican native who was deported when she was a baby. She was just beginning to build a relationship with him and was robbed of that because someone took his life. That is an additional level of grief and trauma to deal with. (Honestly, at this point I am thinking to myself, Christina this is some sad ish, you need to make this post positive girl.) Truth is Father’s Day is not Happy for a group of people. Maybe life will turn around to make it a happy period for us that feel grief. Maybe we will have a child born on Father’s Day Weekend or some other positive life event. But for now, for me, for Raven who lost her dad the Tuesday before Father’s Day….it just ain’t that happy.

Ironically enough, my Soror Melanie made a Facebook post on Friday sharing that she had not spoken to her father since she was 19 and this year decided to reach out for Father’s Day and learned that he had passed. Raven and Melanie were robbed of something that I will never personally understand but I can definitely empathize with. So where’s the positivity in this post, that you all have support. Jasmine Lott was my support. She was the one person who could say anything to me and I would not get offended because I knew that she knew EXACTLY how I felt. (Our relationships with our fathers were extremely similar, even their deaths were similar) I also had support from those I had not been previously close with. An old co-worker Jessica Cain gave me so much support in an exchange in Facebook messenger. And my friend Stevie. Stevie and I will be spending Father’s Day together moving forward, celebrating the lives and legacies of our amazing fathers.

I am a Grey’s Anatomy fanatic. And I share the same morbid humor and sentiments of the writers of the show. When the character George’s father died, Cristina Yang said to him, “There’s a club. The Dead Dads Club. And you can’t be in it until you’re in it. You can try to understand, you can sympathize. But until you feel that loss… My dad died when I was nine. George, I’m really sorry you had to join the club.” George replied, “I… I don’t know how to exist in a world where my dad doesn’t.” Cristina then said, “Yeah, that never really changes.”

I am really sorry you have to join the club, but please know you have support.

I am skilled at putting people in boxes. The issue is the more I shut myself off from those people, the thicker the wall I’ve built between my emotions and the rest of the word becomes. Everything in life is geared with a transaction, an exchange, a risk. I hold on to my end of the exchange as tight as I can. I have a lot of pride and self-protection which makes it difficult for me to release power and show vulnerability. This becomes a challenge because how can you grow with someone if you never let them in? This becomes for complicated for me, because you cannot truly let someone in without showing vulnerability. So I walk around life acting and believing that if you have not crossed some arbitrary line with me, you are disposable. A guy that I dated constantly told me “you have to stop acting like the people in your life are disposable, that’s not how life works.” Another guy I dated told me on the regular basis that he felt like he was always one mistake away from my blocked list. (Truth of the matter is that he was correct) Instead of spending energy on what seems to be a bad investment, I like to cut my losses early.

Now, I never said that this makes me a good person. This post is actually very critical of my coping mechanisms and the purpose is to dissect my challenges with relationships, both friendly and intimate. Through experiences during my high school and college years, I have grown to become extremely protective of my vulnerability. In adulthood, the few instances that I have allowed myself to be vulnerable, have been in vain. So how do I accept that with vulnerability comes disappointment and that I should not allow that to prevent me from being vulnerable; while maintaining that everyone is not deserving of your vulnerability? (Yes, being an adult and actually dealing with your mess is complicated)

Everything with me is an exchange of power. This can cause me to be very petty. A couple weeks ago, my ex called me, very friendly conversation, not uncomfortable, totally cool…I cut the conversation short so I would be the one to end the conversation and not him so I could keep the power. (Yes I realize there is something wrong with me) Maybe I did this because I lost so much power in that relationship, so I try to reclaim it in any way that I can.  The “I’m going to get you before you get me” mentality is not mature, productive, or healthy. I am aware! That doesn’t prevent me from being on a constant power trip. “Noted” and “Ok” are my constant states of mind. I don’t rebuttal or share when I’ve been hurt because I don’t want to reveal my true feelings. I avoid confrontation by taking note and removing myself from that situation, a lot of the time this results in me removing myself from a person’s life prematurely. So I put that person in a box and add another layer to the wall.

**It is difficult for me to end the post here because I have not resolved the issue that has been presented. There is more to come. I need to explore, how this causes me to sabotage healthy relationships. Truth is, this is not a solution based post, I am literally analyzing myself. I don’t have the resolution yet, but when I get it, I will definitely share. I plan on working through these challenges here, ( I hope if you have the same struggles that you attempt to work through yours as well. If you’d like to share your journey, please email me at (Yes that is a different domain, I’m working on cleaning this up)

me trying to date

So I check Timehop and Facebook Memories daily. It often provides me with little jewels of my daddy. Today’s timehop was a sad but real moment for me. My dad lived over a year past the video I will be sharing today. Moving forward, time to time I will be sharing some memories provided by Timehop and Facebook.

Whatever Gets You Through The Moment

When I miss my daddy, I place a small vile of Givenchy Pi up to my nose… and I get a whiff of him. When my heart is severely hurting, I spray the cologne on his robe and I hold it. And in that moment the painful reality is non existent. He’s right here with me, sitting beside me, holding me, laughing with me, holding my hand…but it’s only a moment, then I remember. He is not here.

You Can Run, But You Can’t Hide

I have been collecting little puzzle pieces here and there because I wanted to share my experience through the art of words. I haven’t had the time to organize the pieces and put the puzzle together…but it is coming.

Since my dad’s death, so much has happened. So much good has happened. So much good has happened that at times I even feel guilty. I’m not sure why I feel guilty, because there is a vacancy in my heart that prevents me from really enjoying or celebrating the good. I have no complaints about life at this time….except one: I am terribly sad. I smile. I go out. I have a good time. I live. I thrive. BUT at some point while doing all of these things, I find myself in a dark place. I don’t share these moments with others often. I hide my tears. I slip away if I can. I try to reason myself out of that place. But I have a fear that I will be visiting this place for the rest of my life.

On the daily basis, I keep it together 99% of the time publicly. Today, I have literally been a crying mess. I’ll just assume that most of you reading this do not know my personally. So, I’ll let you in on a little secret….I use to be a cry baby. Like I cried ALL THE TIME. Somewhere between my good friend Joann (who told me directly that she did not like me  when we met because I cried all the time…I am now her daughter’s God-Mother), my good friend Justin (who would look at me emotionless while I cried, until I calmed down and then told me that what I was crying about would not matter in 5 years) and my college boyfriend (who was emotionally challenged himself and had very cold but honest responses whenever I was overly emotional about anything), I have grown to DESPISE crying. When I cry (which is rare) I actually get angry at myself. The conversation I usually have with myself is a cocktail of what those three would say to me.

Today, I woke up from a terrible, but painfully accurate dream and decided I was not going to allow it to affect my day. I went to a meeting at the Junior League of Houston, which went well and I realized that I was finally enjoying my time in the league and making friends, which I previously had found challenging….THEN, I went to therapy. (I started therapy again [HUGE ADVOCATE OF THERAPY] a week ago because along with my hate of crying I have grown to be as emotionally challenged as my ex. Which has led me to force my emotions into the box that I can feel the lid coming off of daily [another post for another day]) Therapy opened Pandora’s Box (Pun Unintended). I began thinking about things that I usually avoid thinking about during the day. A friend introduced me to audiobooks, I wrapped up Joyce Meyer’s The Battlefield of the Mind (which literally took me 2 years to read until the audiobook, which took a week to finish) and I began Option B by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant. This was probably a bad idea. Sheryl lost her young husband two years ago. And even though our circumstances are different, her discussion of pain and grief triggered something in me that therapy had earlier exposed.

As I am listening to the audiobook, I am catching up on administrative work for my new job, which I love….and I am crying… papers are wet, vision is blurry, crying. Now I am pissed that I am crying. However, I had added an additional task, I am texting my best friend Jasmine and my good friend Nina, basically telling them that I should have dealt with this crap (emotions) a long time ago because now it is interrupting my life. When my dad died, I didn’t stop. I didn’t cry at the funeral. I didn’t deal with it. I told myself, “this is your new normal, you have to figure it out…and not screw up this new job.” And that’s what I did, I got back engaged in the activities, commitments, and goals that I was involved in before his diagnosis. I got a new job, expanded my Houston network, started paying down debt, was accepted into a MBA prep program and got into Grad School (different program from MBA). I was getting my life, the life he wanted me to live, back together. I never took…wait…I still haven’t taken a moment to stop and deal with the great loss I experienced, the aftermath that left me more hurt, or what all of this means. I just kept going. So, my emotions come out in inappropriate ways, such as isolating myself from folks, excessive Instagram posts about my dad, and random late night Facebook posts explaining in detail exactly how I was feeling in that moment. Let’s not even discuss the random crying in public places that leaves me livid. Or bringing my dad up in every conversation I have with friends….and strangers. Oh and there is the leaning on inappropriate people from my past as well. There is that. Bottomline is….I have to deal with this before I really do, “screw up this new job.”

There is also the issue of appearances. If it looks like I have been doing so well, what will people think if they knew that I am just now beginning to deal with his death. I’m sure I already look crazy between the Instagram & Facebook posts. Am I too open about my pain? Are people thinking that its been…..there it was: Today marks the 6 month anniversary of my daddy’s death. 6 months ago, the world as I knew it for 25 years changed. I have not been keeping up with the time passed since his death, because frankly, I go on like he isn’t dead. I wasn’t consciously keeping up with it, but subconsciously, I had to have known, which explains all the damn crying. (THANK GOD I work remotely on Mondays). As I figure this out, I’ll do my best to keep you all in the loop. I think the approach I took today was best….Just stop everything and write.

Daddy, there aren’t enough words in all the languages in the universe to explain how much I miss you. (Crap, here comes the crying again)

My Daddy <3

My daddy, Dr. Royce D. Cornelius passed away on October 24th 2016. I know I have not posted in awhile, but I have some great things in the works (including blog posts) that I will be sharing with you all soon. Today, I would like to share with you the video I created for my father’s memorial service. Enjoy.

They Say, “Boys Will Be Boys”

I began my first full time job in banking right after college. I was 21. It wasn’t my dream job, but I was good at it and I enjoyed it. I struggled with fitting in, especially because I was so young compared to my co-workers. I kept to myself a lot because to be frank, it was a sad period of my life. I tried to accept the culture as is. That include accepting Jimmy. Jimmy was almost twice my age and came from the auto industry. He had dog eat dog business practices which were very new to me. His character was comprised of car dealership sense of humor and entitlement. He often made sexual comments, in group settings and behind closed doors. On many occasions his comments were directed toward me and it made me uncomfortable every time he would mention my lips or my size. However, he had been with the company much longer than I had so I didn’t want to cause any trouble, I just wanted to keep my job, so I didn’t say anything. Eventually, Jimmy left. The work environment improved and I went on with my career with the firm. A few months later, I was sitting in my boss’ office and he mentioned improving the work environment. I casually made a remark about Jimmy’s impact on the environment. He was shocked. Even though Jimmy made these comments and advances directed to multiple people and even though multiple people witnessed his actions, no one informed our boss. My boss asked me why I never said anything. I told him, I was new and I didn’t want to lose my job. He looked me in my eye and told me to ALWAYS speak up. At that moment, I felt disappointed in myself. I knew better. I knew to say something, but I let someone who was in the wrong silence my voice. I vowed to never accept sexual harassment again.

I think as women, especially working and interacting in male dominated fields, we accept comments and behaviors that make us uncomfortable as “part of the job.” We don’t want to be the “girl in the room” that silences the usual conversations. We want to be invited to the golf course and to join in on cigars. So we put on our big girl pants and check our emotions at the door. Never realizing that we are not only doing a disservice to ourselves but also a disservice to our daughters, granddaughters, nieces, cousins, and every other female that finds inspiration in us. Being silent helps no one. It prevents growth and advancement because the environment more than likely will not change and if it happens to change there is nothing preventing it to revert back. If we don’t speak up, our male counterparts are not encouraged to do so either. Also, it adds more stress on women in the work place. It is okay to shake the table, especially if it helps to make a better tomorrow. DO NOT be silent.

Becoming Self Centered

“I am going to need your help”

What an honor and a curse.

The Honor: Someone trusts you, your knowledge, and your ability to assist them in achieving their dreams.

The Curse: Many times this request comes from multiple people who expect you to accept their request.

The Dilemma: You have your own goals and aspirations that you need to spend your time on. You may be able to help a person or two head in the right direction, but you do not really have the time to give without sacrificing something that is of value to you.

This is a battle I am constantly faced with. What makes it even more difficult for me is that I am passionate about helping others, so I agree more often than I decline. Of course as a result, I have several of my personal projects that are neglected. It literally took me 4 years to take Women Exceeding from an idea that was pressing on my heart to an actual established company. Not because that’s how long it took the paperwork, but because I was helping my boyfriend at the time with his small companies and projects. I was also helping friends with their small projects. I was on boards I was not passionate about. I was spending my time in a way that was not profitable for me. A few things about giving other people all of you: 1. They never return the favor (Sure they will say, let me know if you need anything, but very few actually mean that. Try to cash one of those in to test my theory.) 2. They easily forget all the hard work and time you put in helping to build their “baby” (This is just human nature, you feel you did more, they feel you did less. “You wasn’t with me shooting in the gym” But you may have been passing them the balls, developing defensive plays, and studying the competition so they could make the shot)

Now, I am not saying do not help people. As I stated before, helping others is my passion. What I am saying is be strategic with your time and the time that you donate to others. (Yes, your time is a donation) Make sure you schedule (and stick to) time for your own projects. Also decide how much time you can afford to donate to others. You may think of this as how many people can you commit to help for a period of time or how many hours a week you have to give. (Your strategy is up to you) For me, this time to help others is outside of my other obligations, including volunteering in the community. I am active in my church, a member of two service organizations outside of Women Exceeding, I have a full time job that sometimes can be 24/7 and not 9 to 5, and I have a very demanding family. In addition, I have other projects that are literally sitting on my desk waiting for me to bring them to life. (I love every aspect of my very busy life.)  Every week, I have someone asking me to help them with various tasks such as developing a website or marketing, helping develop a newsletter, going over interview questions, finding speakers for an event, credit and financial planning, even “getting my life together,” and the list goes on. These are requests that I struggle with. First of all, I am overwhelmed because I do not consider myself remotely an expert on any of the requests mentioned (which are all actual requests I have received) and I can assure you I can use assistance with every request I receive for myself.

IMG_3640My first approach was to commit myself to two individuals and help out others when I can. My first was a young lady who I assisted through her college application process and beyond. She has earned her Bachelor’s Degree and even though she does not need me to hold her hand, she still contacts me periodically for random advice and requests. With her demand being low, I have picked up another young lady who is at the same place that my first mentee was when I began helping her. I am confident in my roles with these young ladies, because what they are facing I have lived through. I know what I am doing and what they should do. The only challenges are if they are receptive to my advice and will actually follow it.

I had a mentor as an undergrad at the University of Illinois,  Dr. Paul Magelli (He and I remain close). After a meeting (one of many) he and I had regarding my future, I thanked him for assisting me with some difficulties I faced my senior year. He told me “the way you can thank me is to be me for another young person.” I think I may have been 20 years old when he told me that, but it stuck with me, and that is exactly what I tell my girls.

What about the other requests I receive? I still struggle. In fact, what inspired me to write this post was a text message I received moments before I started typing. One thing that I have started doing, is if someone asks me something that I do not know, I tell them I do not know. Sounds simple, right? Nah! Not for me, I like to be investigator gadget and find all the answers. It’s great to be knowledgeable, but remember we are being strategic with our time. If the answer will benefit you, then by all means Curious George, go for it. BUT if it will not, just be frank and say “I don’t know.” This will encourage that person to be independent and find the answer themselves. (I will write about being people’s crutch in another post…that I AM an expert in)

As you find your different tactics and tools to being strategic with your time, please share in the comments below! Or email me


text:
Better off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg

Posted April 15, 2014 | 42 Comments

Better off Friends by Elizabeth EulbergBetter off Friends
Author: Elizabeth Eulberg
Published by: Point
Publication Date: February 25, 2014
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased

For Macallan and Levi, it was friends at first sight. Everyone says guys and girls can’t be just friends, but these two are. They hang out after school, share tons of inside jokes, their families are super close, and Levi even starts dating one of Macallan’s friends. They are platonic and happy that way.

Eventually they realize they’re best friends — which wouldn’t be so bad if they didn’t keep getting in each other’s way. Guys won’t ask Macallan out because they think she’s with Levi, and Levi spends too much time joking around with Macallan, and maybe not enough time with his date. They can’t help but wonder . . . are they more than friends or are they better off without making it even more complicated?

From romantic comedy superstar Elizabeth Eulberg comes a fresh, fun examination of a question for the ages: Can guys and girls ever really be just friends? Or are they always one fight away from not speaking again — and one kiss away from true love?

Better Off Friends was so stinking cute! I knew I had to read it as soon as I saw it, and it did not disappoint.

This book takes us on a journey of friendship. The friendship between a boy and a girl. Levi and Macallan aren’t just friends though, they are best friends. I love the way the story is told. At the end of each chapter there is dialogue between an older Levi and Macallan where they briefly discuss what we just read. These two are so cute and funny together; their banter and quick-wit was a delight.

I absolutely adore Macallan! She’s funny and doesn’t put up with crap, especially when it comes to bullies. I really like how she sticks up for people and isn’t some wallflower. As much as Levi loved having Macallen as a best friend, he also wants to have guy friends and be popular. While there were a lot of fun times, there were also issues that had them questioning their friendship in both good and bad ways. I really like how they also grow as individuals, discovering what it is they want for themselves.

The book starts off when Levi and Macallan meet on the first day of 7th grade, so we get to experience how they became friends. I started to get a little worried after a couple of chapters because I didn’t know how long we were going to stay in the junior high years. As entertaining as it was, I didn’t want it to be a middle grade read. Thankfully the story spans years taking us through high school. There were a couple of parts in the beginning that felt a little drawn out, but that was the only time I felt any boredom. The rest of the book totally makes up for it though.

So all in all, I enjoyed Better Off Friends quite a bit. It’s adorable, I tell you!

42 responses to “Better off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg

  1. Mimi Lovell

    Awesome review….. I love this setting. BF’s are the best couples!! Thanks for the heads up on a new book. Will be checking it out ASAP!

  2. Oh! This does look good! I love that the characters get to look back and weigh in on the story. That is a very clever angle.
    My true best friend in school was a guy. I think at one point he had feelings for me, but it was so not happening on my end. Would’ve made a good story, though…

    • Christy

      Aw, yeah, one of my closest friends in jr and high school was a boy. Things … went south our senior year and I regret it tremendously.

  3. LOVED this book! It was written just for me. Usually any best friends turned lovers book is a guaranteed hit. I loved the way they talked about it between chapters. Very cute and very When Harry Met Sally.

    Jennifer recently posted: WOW #97
  4. MUST READ THIS CHRISTY!!! I haven’t seen a negative review for it yet, and I’ve really enjoyed her previous books. A relationship that moves from best-friend status into something more is one of my very favorite types of romances, so I can’t wait to watch their progression. And I’m super glad they don’t stay in junior high very long, I know I’ll be itching for them to be older!

    Jenny recently posted: Interview: Rinda Elliot + Foretold
    • Christy

      I haven’t read anything else by her, so this was my first. I know Candace, Ali, and Heidi enjoyed this too, so you need to read it! 🙂

    • Christy

      Dang it, I was in such a hurry to throw the review together that I forgot I was going to mention it was your review that introduced me to the book.

  5. Cute books are kind of my thing at the moment. I just love for a book to put a smile on my face. I love that the MC doesn’t put up with anything. She seems spunky.

    This one is on my wishlist.

    Great review Christy!

    Michelle recently posted: Waiting on Wednesday (7)
    • Christy

      O pish posh, the ending tied up fine. lol. I’ve never watched When Harry Meets Sally – I’m not much of a Meg Ryan fan.

  6. See, I do want to read it because it seems like a cute one, and I am a sucker for best friends/ romance thing but I don’t know, I’ve been so disappointed with some cute ones this year, so I’m worried I’ll be disappointed with this one too. 🙁

    Kirsty-Marie recently posted: Review: The Fearless

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text:
Build #9,434

Deploys Reference Application SNAPSHOT to maven

Build: #9434 failed

Job: Release standalone did not start

Stages & jobs

  1. Deploy Reference Application

  2. Deploy docker image

  3. Deploy to qa-refapp

  4. Validate

  5. Release

    Requires a user to start manually
  6. Set variables

  7. Release others

Job result summary

Build triggered but not queued
Previous stage Validate failed


text:
Heberto Padilla

I’ve always liked the Padilla cigar band. It’s a little bit too big for a robusto sized cigar, but it’s bold without being overbearing — it’s an unusual and striking shape, with a blunted peak at the top. It always intrigued me, but I never really recognized it for what it was until I read an interview with Ernesto Padilla where he said that the crown of the image represents the nib of a fountain pen, in tribute to his father, the Cuban poet Heberto Padilla.

I do have a few interests outside of cigars (believe it or not) and one of them is literature. I hadn’t heard of Heberto Padilla, so I checked out a book of his poems from the library. His poems are like a great cigar: balanced, full flavored, and serene.  He was a true artist, and instead of a cigar review I’d like to offer a brief biography and a selection from his work with the sincere hope that you will look into it as well.

Remembered primarily as a man of letters, Heberto Padilla was initially a supporter but later an outspoken critic of the Castro regime. He was born in the province of Pinar del Rio in 1932, and his first book of poems was published at the age of 16. Soon after that he went to the United States and spent most of the 1950’s here. In 1959 he returned to Cuba with great optimism for the future when the dictator Fulgencio Batista was overthrown. He took an active role in the new revolutionary government, helping to edit the literary weekly Lunes de Revolucion with his friend, the great Cuban writer Guillermo Cabrera Infante (who incidently wrote my favorite book about cigars, Holy Smoke.) Padilla also reported for the government press agency from Eastern Europe and Moscow, places that would give him further insight into the threats that communism might one day pose for Cuban artists.

Gradually the political climate in Cuba began to chill and Padilla saw the threats of oppression take hold — the govemment discontinued Lunes de Revolucion, refused to publish Cabrera Infante’s work, and in 1968 Padilla himself became the focus of controversy.

Padilla’s book of poems, Fuera del Juego (Out of the Game) was entered into the Julian del Casal poetry competition, a contest sponsored by the Cuban Union of Writers and Artists. Despite state pressure on the judges to deny him the award, the judges agreed: even with its open criticism of the Cuban government’s treatment of artists and writers, Fuera del Juego was the superior entry. It was published, but under a shroud of suspicion cast by a preface that warned readers about its dangerously counter-revolutionary tendencies.

Padilla continued to write and air his controversial views despite the climate of hostility gathering around him. In 1971 he read from a collection of poems brazenly called Provocaciones, which led the regime to finally exercise its despotic power over the poet: he was arrested, jailed, and brutalized; his wife, the writer Belkis Cuza Malé , was arrested without cause, and finally he was forced to appear before the Writer’s Union to confess his work as counter-revolutionary. He was also made to denounce other writers, including his wife, as traitors to the revolution.

After a sentence of forced labor, Padilla was allowed to work as a translator while under government watch. He was not allowed to publish, but he managed somehow to get some of his poems to the United States where they were published in the New York Review of Books and later collected in the book Legacies.

In 1980, Castro unexpectedly allowed a number of dissidents to leave Cuba, and with the support of Senator Ted Kennedy and the author Bernard Malamud, Heberto Padilla was able to emigrate to the U.S.

Song of the Juggler

General, there’s a battle

between your orders and my songs.

It goes on all the time:

night, day.

It knows neither tiredness or sleep–

a battle that has gone on for many years,

so many that my eyes have never seen a sunrise

in which you, your orders, your arms, your trenches

did not figure.

A rich battle

in which, aesthetically speaking, my rags

and your uniform face off.

A theatrical battle–

it only lacks dazzling stage sets

where comedians might come on from anywhere

raising a rumpus as they do in carnivals,

each one showing off his loyalty and valor.

General, I can’t destroy your fleets or your tanks

and I don’t know how long this war will last

but every night one of your orders dies without

being followed,

and, undefeated, one of my songs survives.

–Heberto Padilla

From Legacies

(translated by Alastair Reid and Andrew Hurley)

8 thoughts on “Heberto Padilla

  1. Nice divergence from the cigar reviews although we wouldn’t want to see those curtailed in any way (yuk yuk). My heart goes out to the plight of the Cuban patriot who has to live with dissenting views under Castro’s regime. Herberto’s poem is really special. Really makes one think outside our comfortable little world. Very interesting history on the cigar band too! I’m creating a 24 x 30 collage of cigar bands. Sounds like I’m going to get one of these.

    … lucky7

  2. Every once in a while I feel the need to shake things up with a “priming from the cigar world,” something a little different for a change. But the reviews are never far from my mind: coming up next, a review of the Padilla Hybrid Robusto. Stay tuned!

  3. Hello: I am also a Cuban Writer, I write poetry, and short stories. Heberto is a priceless example of Cubans that suffered dearly because they changed their views and believes when they realized that the Castros’ brothers were out to no good. I was blessed enough to leave in 1962 so another exiled looking toward the horizon to see our country free.
    Regresare algun dia? Volvere a mi patria a besar sus playas? I hope I can return one day to a free Cuba.
    Julie Pujol-Karel

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text:
SU Foliage Frame Framelits

SU Merry Christmas to All with Foliage Frame Framelits

September 8, 2018

Happy Saturday to you all! Hope you have great plans for the day!
I sure do…after three days of classes, I get to spend one more full day stamping! WooHoo!
A Product Class using the Merry Christmas to All and the Dashing Deer Bundles this morning,
and an afternoon with my Downline group using new products from the Holiday Catalog-
how blessed am I? Wish all you you be with us!!!
Here is a one of the cards we are making…

Super clean and simple with the WOW of copper foil, vellum, and copper embossing.
I have been using the Foliage Frame Framelits like crazy on my cards- the leaves are so pretty!
The Joyous Noel Specialty DSP is just so over the top with its copper accents throughout!
I love the new Merry Merlot cardstock- it is really interesting how different each new color is
and how each one speaks for itself. I say to myself-
“Self, you have a similar color,” but then I get that new color and think,
“how did I live without this?”
LOL- did you get a chuckle out of that?

Thanks for buzzing by, friends…

Product List

Heat Tool

SU Floral Frames Bundle Embossing Tips Video

July 2, 2018

I made a wedding card this weekend that I need for September, good to work ahead, huh? However, I need two graduation cards sent out today…got to get working on those!

I have  a video for you with some tips on how to use the NEW Big Shot Embossing Mats
with the Foliage Frame Framelits:)

The Petal Promenade Designer Series Paper is just so beautiful!
Don’t forget the Buy Three, Get One FREE Sale going on now until July 31:)

I also love the Subtle Embossing Folder, it is like I have a whole new kind of paper made from my cardstock. It looks wonderful as an embossed layer, and it looks really cool when you run through a stamped panel using the folder!

Mossy Meadow Card Base: 5-1/2″ x 8-1/2″ scored at 4-1/4″ on the 8-1/2″ side,
Mossy Meadow Foliage Frame: 4-1/4″ x 3-1/4″
Very Vanilla: Inside 4″ x 5-1/4″, sentiment 2″ x 4″ circle and scallop
Petal Pink: outside panel 4″ x 5-1/4″, label 2″ x 3″
Petal Promenade DSP: 2″ x 5-1/4″
Gold Glimmer:1-1/2″ x 2-1/2″
Vellum: 2-1/8″ x 5-1/2″

Thanks for buzzing by, friends…

Product List


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Natural elements are reimagined in CINER's 1892 collection. Featuring golden geodes, druzies, and agates, this collection highlights organic textures in a chic and modern way. This collection is made entirely by CINER's team of highly skilled artisans in our NYC atelier. Please allow 10 to 15 business days for our artisans to create the jewelry for you!
You can check out our craftsmanship process here.

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ShotPut Pro v4
ShotPut Pro for Macintosh is an automated copy utility application for HD video and photo files. ShotPut Pro is the industry’s de-facto standard offloading application for professionals. It’s simple user interface and robust copy speeds make it indispensable for today’s tapeless HD workflows.
Manage HD Digital Media
Offload any digital media card including Panasonic P2, AVCHD, Alexa, Sony SxS, Sony AVCHD, JVC ProHD, RED ONE, Canon 5D/7D or Canon AVCHD, Compact Flash, SDHC cards, and others. Make secure, auto-named copies of a card or hard disk’s contents in unlimited locations.
Watch an offload destination with ProxyMill™ to simultaneously make proxy copies. You can also instantly preview clips in original form with Imagine’s new ‘all-in-one’ videoplayer HD-VU™.

New in V4.0:

New GUI: The retooled interface simplifies setup and monitoring. Check progress of individual cards and the overall session at a glance.

More Security Options: Verify with MD5 or CRC checksums, file-by-file sizes or byte-to-byte comparisons of your media copies. We’ve also reworked these processes to yield top copy speeds. Verification reports output in variety of formats including Text, XML, CSV and HTML.

NEW! Checksum Calculator: Drop any file, any time, onto the Checksum Generator to verify the CRC or MD5. Use it to ensure file integrity of Post-production processing and any copied files at any time!

Personalize Logs: Automatically add your contact information to each offload report. ShotPut Pro can also prompt you to type in the Card ID or identifier. You can even insert personal notes into a log, such as contact or project information.

E-mail Me! It’s been a long day of shooting and the last thing you want to do is to sit around waiting on copies to complete. Let ShotPut Pro e-mail a notification and the verification log after offloading is finished, so you can relax or do other things.

Multi-cam Support: We’ve added a new Advanced Naming feature to setup multiple copy naming schemes and easily switch between them.

Skip Errors: Ever copy a large hard disk or card and have a frustrating copy error? This version of ShotPut Pro will let you skip problematic files and continue with the rest of the disk. Then retry or cancel copies skipped.
Instantly preview clips in original format with Imagine’s new HD-VUTM all-in-one videoplayer. Launch from within ShotPut Pro and automatically pass the offload locations to the play to watch. (HD-VU sold separately.)

Lion Ready: This version of ShotPut Pro uses 64-bit processing and is fully compatible with Lion (OSX 10.7) pre-releases.

See Imagine Products for more on the ShotPut Pro.

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Not Your Parents’ College Experience – What Today’s Students Need from Higher Ed

The charts and figures in this interactive article show the increasing diversity of today’s students in higher education.

Higher education is a critical engine of social mobility and economic development for our country. For students, earning a postsecondary degree or credential is the surest pathway to economic opportunity and the chance to lead a healthy, productive life.

Today’s college students are more diverse than ever before. They are older students who may be juggling other responsibilities such as work and family. They are first-generation college-goers and students from low-income families who have high hopes but face new and unfamiliar challenges. And they are students of color who have gotten to and through college at lower rates than their white peers.

To help more Americans achieve their dreams and to build a stronger economy for all of us, we need to better understand who our students are and what they need to succeed. READ MORE.

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Broward County, FL

Call now for everything from French Doors to hurricane windows!

Impact Windows & Doors For Broward County

Broward County was formed from portions of Dade and Palm Beach Counties in 1915 and named for former Florida governor Napoleon Bonaparte Broward.  In less than a century, this area that was considered “unfit for human habitation” has been turned in to the permanent home of over a million people and the winter residence of tens of thousands more. Today’s Broward County is very much a product of the industrial age. The sun and sand and sea have been here for millennia, but the roads, railroads, and seaport are new additions which have vastly transformed the area’s landscape.

Broward County is no stranger to hurricanes and high-wind storms, which is why many residents and businesses have been urged to switch to impact windows and doors to safeguard their buildings in case of inclement weather. We proudly serve Broward County and the rest of South Florida with turnkey services to include the design, installation, and finishing touches of windows or doors.

Why Your Home in Broward Needs Hurricane Impact Windows

Are looking for a window repair after a recent storm? Wondering if there is anything you can do to prepare for hurricane season? CitiQuiet has you covered! If you don’t have high-quality impact windows and hurricane doors, you may be putting yourself, your family, and your home at greater risk. Talk to us today about our selection of products that would work well in your residence!

The Benefits of Using Our Storm Windows & Doors at Your Business in Broward

Our products can greatly benefit your commercial business or retail store in Broward County! You can switch your current windows and doors to ones that maintain the same aesthetic, but offer high-impact protection from the effects of a hurricane. Our windows and doors are guaranteed to withstand winds up to 170 miles per hour, keeping your building protected in a strong Florida storm!

Contact Us Today for a Free Estimate on New Windows & Doors

Ready to start the process of updating your home or business with brand new windows and doors for better protection? Give us a call or fill out this online form with your inquiry. Our experts will get back to you in a timely manner to get you a free estimate and set you up with a $500 gift certificate!

FREE Estimates ✆ 561-241-9463


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172 Wilmington

172 Wilmington

Dundee, Michigan 48131

2 Beds | 937 sq.ft. | Built 2006 | Condominium

Sold $900

For Rent: This 2-story, End-Unit Condo In The Courtyards Of Dundee Features A Spacious Living Room With A Doorwall Out To The Back Patio, & Large Bedrooms With Cathedral Ceilings And Private En-Suite Baths. Reserved Parking In Front. Great Location Close To Shopping, Dining, And US-23 For An Easy Commute To Toledo Or Ann Arbor. Rental rate may be lowered for leases longer than 1 year: $875 for a 2 year lease OR $850 for a 3 year lease!

Essential Information

MLS#543236819 | School District: Dundee | County: Monroe

Property Features

Cooling: Central Air | Heating: Forced Air,Other | #Garage/Parking Spaces: No Garage | Sewer: Sewer-Sanitary | Directions: M-50 > Helle > Wilmington

Want to learn more about this property? Contact Us

All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. All properties are subject to prior sale, change or withdrawal. Neither listing broker(s) nor City Living Detroit shall be responsible for any typographical errors, misinformation, misprints and shall be held totally harmless. IDX information is provided exclusively for consumers' personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing.

IDX provided courtesy of Ann Arbor Area Board of REALTORS®, by Joseph Hayes via Howard Hanna and Realcomp II Ltd, ©2021 Realcomp II Ltd. Shareholders


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American Studies

American Studies Program

Fall 2021 updates

Welcome back to the Fall 2021 semester at CSULB! After two-and-a-half semesters of mostly remote learning, it will be great to have some of you back on campus this fall. We’ve prioritized holding our core classes in person, so we are excited to see students in AMST 300 (Introduction), AMST 350 (California Culture), and AMST 498 (Senior Seminar) on campus this fall.

Please consult the campus Covid-19 information page. The website contains a wealth of important information that is especially pertinent for those who will be on campus this fall. If you have questions about pre-campus-arrival health screenings, the online vaccination certification formthe campus testing program, face covering guidelines you’ll find answers to those and much more on that page.

Most of our fall classes are fully enrolled, but there are a few seats left in AMST 142 (Race and Hollywood), AMST 300, the new AMST 325 (Dr. Sharma’s “Beauty Matters” course), AMST 361 (Sports), and AMST 498.

Dr. Mizelle, Director of American Studies, will hold American Studies advising office hours on Tuesdays from 2-4p via Microsoft Teams. You can drop in via this link or email him directly at for help or to schedule an appointment.

Students should also talk at least once per semester with an advisor at the College of Liberal Arts (CLA) ATLAS network, as they are terrific with the “big picture” issues like general education, timely graduation, and so forth. You can make an appointment with them via their website. We hope to hear from all of you at some point this semester to see how things are going and to make plans for the rest of this academic year, so please reach out to Dr. Mizelle and to ATLAS when you can.

We hope to return to some of our normal “American Studies at the Beach” events this semester and are awaiting further guidance from the university before we announce anything specific. We are hoping to get the movie club, walking tours, and even some social events and hangouts going again when permitted to do so, so look for announcements from your faculty and our social media pages about that later this semester.

Please email the department chair, Dr. Brett Mizelle, with any questions you might have about the American Studies Program at


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Book Reviews

By Saad bin Jung Price: 295.00 rupees, from Scholars Without Borders (; £10.00 UK from various stores including Coch y Bonddu (  and River Reads (

There is a chapter in this book that struck an answering chord for me. The author puts a friend into The Chair, a renowned big-fish but notoriously rocky area on Karnataka’s river Cauvery. The whole river funnels through a narrow gap at this point, and the water churns like the inside of a washing machine.

The angler is, not surprisingly, somewhat apprehensive, thinking: “How the hell can anyone possibly land a fish in that maelstrom?” As you’ve guessed, a big fish takes, tears off line and eventually gets away.
The only difference between that angler and myself, sitting in the selfsame spot, is that he wasn’t left with a bloody thumb from foolishly putting his hand on the wildly spinning Abu 7000 in a futile big to stop the mahseer’s run. Ah, painful memories.
But perhaps I was fortunate that I did not provoke Subhan’s reaction to the lost fish in the book. He told Saad: “Never bringing this useless chap again.All our fish will run away.” Ghillie he may have been, but he was unforgiving about and even to those who failed to meet the high standards he set.
This book purports to be about the strange relationship between Saad bin Jung, a man born into extreme wealth, and Subhan, a poor Indian who became the prime guide on what is (or was) arguably the best stretch of the Cauvery for big mahseer. And certainly the large part of it follows their hugely differing lifestyles.
This is Saad wryly describing himself. “I share the blood of Dost Mohammed Khan, who formed the Bhopal Dynasty, the rulers of Pataudi and that of the Paigah nobles of Hyderabad.” He is a younger son of the Maharajah of Bhopal. (His family crest incorporates a mahseer). His uncle was the Nawab of Pataudi, the only man to captain both England and India at cricket. Saad himself played representative cricket for his country, but serious illness curtailed his blossoming career at a critical time. And he was pretty good, scoring a century against the touring West Indians when they were the world’s foremost team.
Subhan, on the other hand, was a child of the jungle, who never had an education but learnt the ways of nature instead. He could easily have become an infamous poacher but instead started working as a mahseer guide. That’s when he first met Saad, and the two formed an unlikely alliance that eventually resulted in Subhan becoming head guide at Saad’s own camp.
You might have expected him to show deference to royalty. On the contrary. This is how Saad recalls their first meeting. “He looked at me and said: ‘Salaam Sahab, you are late,’ and without saying anything else, he picked up the fishing gear an discarded it with contempt. Though the ragi was on the boil, we could not fish because Subhan refused to be seen anywhere near my beautiful tackle that I had so possessively treasured for just such a day. It was too late to go to his house and bring another set so instead we helped the staff establish camp.”
Not an auspicious start. And how many clients would accept treatment by someone who was ostensibly there to serve them? But aware of his guide’s formidable reputation, the prince accepts abuse from the pauper, and gradually, a unlikely bond is forged between the  two. It proves so powerful that when Subhan advises Saad to set up his own camp, he does so, and takes Subhan with him.
It proves a wise move. Subhan, a native of the local village, recruits family and friends as camp helpers. They also know those who will poach with nets and dynamite, and prove stern defenders of the river, even to the point of resisting a notorious bandit, Veerappan. Along the way, he teaches Saad the ways of the jungle and the river. Together, they catch many big fish, with several topping 100lb. There are stories in this book of mahseer way larger than the current record.
There’s no happy ending here, however. Sadly, the Bushbetta stretch that Saad established under Subhan’s guidance is now closed to fishing, but open house for poachers. A dispute over fishing rights in a national park has meant that his camp has now been shut down, and it’s likely that most of the big fish on the stretch have now been turned into food.
Subhan, the man who inspired Saad, an ardent conservationist, to battle with bandits, poachers (he’s been attacked and shot at), malaria and elephants, died in July 2007 from tuberculosis. Saad himself predicts: “Sadly, the great hump-backed mahseer of the Cauvery will die, killed in the few holes in which they are hiding, lost to humans only because they, like the tigers of the forest, need the freedom of the entire river to procreate, feed and survive.”

This is a slightly quirky but highly readable book that will captivate all those who have fished for mahseer, especially on the Cauvery. It could have used a decent editor (there’s a fair bit of repetition) and the latter part, devoted to mahseer techniques, is a bit turgid and very specific to the Bushbetta stretch. It rather loses its way after the abrupt report of Subhan’s death, though the lesson of the last few pages is plain: if a man like Saad, with all his influence, cannot save the mahseer, what hope is there for India’s greatest fish?


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The Adventure

No gamepads detected. Plug in and press a button to use it.

Press Keyboard right side: Alt+Enter keys to switch to full screen game play, and Alt+Enter keys to return.

Rate it

How to play The Adventure

Each game uses different controls, most DOS games use the keyboard arrows. Some will use the mouse.

The Adventure Description

The Adventure is an interactive fiction game set in a school. Interaction with the game is conducted through a one-letter parser (the cardinal directions, l for looking, t for talking and k for killing). The directions are used for moving through the rooms, looking gives a description of the current location, talking gives a never-changing remark and killing results in instant death. The player is free to type in other commands into the parser which results in scripting errors.

The only available course of action is exploring the environment until a fatal situation is encountered. After dying, the player has the option to either restart from the beginning (including typing in the player name and listening to the PC speaker intro sound again) or to quit with an insult by the author.

Cheats/Hints/Walkthroughs for The Adventure

No posted cheats for this game yet.

Game year
Developed by


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Author: president

What CPD topics would members like the Association to provide?

The annual CPD day for 2021 is scheduled for Saturday, 15 May at the Notre Dame campus in Fremantle.

Although we haven’t settled upon a theme for the event as yet, we are in the process of making arrangements for a DNA expert (and perhaps a crime scene expert) to speak about what they look for, why they look for it, how they do it, and how to interpret the results.  As an adjunct to that, we may assemble a panel of lawyers who will discuss what materials you need for an effective cross-examination, what you might hope to achieve in cross-examination and how you go about it. I suspect that they will also address the fundamental question of whether or not you need to cross examine.

This would tie in nicely with a session on taking instructions from your client and the ethical issues which arise.  (I can just imagine the look of interest on the face of the person who I am proposing to ask to present on this topic!)

There are still a couple of slots in the programme which the Committee has not finally settled.

The committee thinks that it is a good idea to ask members what issues or topics are significant to them is so that we can meet the needs of members rather than always resorting to our own guesses about what you would like.

Rather than inviting comments on a list of topics, the webform survey below allows members to easily submit their suggestions.  Your responses will be considered for stand-alone CPD sessions as well as for inclusion in the CPD event in May.

What did you think of the 2019 Annual Dinner?

Members will have received a message about the Annual Dinner for 2019 inviting them to complete a survey to help us plan the dinner for 2020.

Here it is.  We appreciate your feedback.

Sundowner at Hadiqa on 21 March 2019

Our annual sundowner will be held on Thursday 21 March 2019 from 5.30pm to 7.30pm at Hadiqa, Top Floor, Hibernian Place, 40 Irwin St, Perth.

This year, the sundowner will be held in memory of the Hon Geoffrey Miller QC.  We hope to collate a slideshow of photographs for the event and anyone wishing to contribute photographs may email them directly to by close of business on Tuesday 19 March.

This is a free event hosted by the Criminal Lawyers’ Association of Western Australia for current financial members. If you are not a current financial member and wish to attend, please renew your membership by clicking the link.

We look forward to seeing you at the Sundowner.

Criminal Lawyers’ Association of Western Australia Committee

Protecting the presumption

We are an incorporated association whose objects include promoting public welfare by improving knowledge of criminal law and the standard of representation available to the public in criminal law.

Contact the CLAWA President or Secretary

Or contact CLAWA using our online form.

© Copyright 2018. All Rights Reserved. Criminal Lawyer's Association
Website by INCUB8


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Clock & Watch Catalog Page: Westclox and Seth Thomas 1990 Catalog > 51

Copyright 1990 General Time Corporation. Cat. No. 740-90. Westclox alarm clocks, pocket watches, travel alarms, wall clocks, merchandising aids and displays. Seth Thomas wall clocks, occasional clocks, travel alarms, marine clocks. Thanks to Gary Biolchini for loaning me a complete copy of this catalog, as my copy has some missing pictures.

Document Series:

Westclox Catalog

Ellworth Danz

Document Type:

Catalog > Page

This document is shown for the historical record, it is not for sale.

Id Filtered: 3577; Displayed Document Id: 3577; Parent Document Id: 3542; Document Id Hierarchy: 3542 > 3577; This Document's Companies: Seth Thomas; s_date (this document or parents): 1990-01-01; Url: 1;


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by Steve Watson

Greasy South Dakotan motorcycle enthusiasts don’t get to have fun, but “sophisticated, vaccinated” elites can party for days

According to Anthony Fauci, if you attend the Sturgis motorcycle rally in South Dakota you are complicit in spreading death. However, untested and unvaccinated migration en mass at the southern border, as well as elite gatherings of hundreds of people are apparently not a concern.

Appearing on Meet The Press, Fauci was asked of the Sturgis meet by Chuck Todd “What do you expect this rally to do to that part of the country?”

He responded “I’m very concerned we’re going to see another surge related to that rally.”

Fauci continued, “To me it’s understandable that people want to do the kind of things they want to do. They want their freedom to do that, but there comes a time when you’re dealing with the public health crisis that could involve you, your family and everyone else, that something supersedes that need to do what you need to do.”

“You’re going to be able to do that in the future, but let’s get this pandemic under control before we start acting like nothing is going on. Something bad is going on. We’ve got to realize that,” Fauci maintained.

How dare you gather to have fun, that is simply dangerous, isn’t it?

Apparently not if you are Barack Obama and his 400 friends, who are still partying after three days.

It’s OK though because they are “sophisticated, vaccinated” elites.

Greasy South Dakotan motorcycle enthusiasts, on the other hand, don’t get to have fun.

Read more


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text: BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Run With Us - ECPv5.8.1//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:Run With Us X-ORIGINAL-URL: X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Run With Us BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Los_Angeles BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20160313T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20161106T090000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20161210T070000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20161210T110000 DTSTAMP:20210928T010506 CREATED:20161128T074343Z LAST-MODIFIED:20161128T074343Z SUMMARY:Pasadena Pacers w/ Adidas Demo DESCRIPTION:ADIDAS DEMO TODAY! \nThe Pasadena Pacers is the oldest running club in the San Gabriel Valley. In 1996\, we assembled a group of 35 non-runners and trained for the LA Marathon. Since then\, we have introduced over a thousand people to running and have trained for countless events. \nWhile the Pacers began as a fitness initiative\, we quickly realized how much people appreciate the social benefits of a club. Simply put\, we are a group of people from different backgrounds who are drawn together by running. Think about it: When you leave your car wearing only your running gear\, you shed the trappings that identify you with your “normal” life. In other words\, the boundaries that can separate you from your fellow man are removed\, creating a non-threatening environment where it is easy to get to know others. Many people who run with the Pacers make the comment\, “This is the friendliest group of people!” And they are correct. URL: LOCATION:Rose Bowl Aquatic Center\, 360 N Arroyo Blvd\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91103\, United States CATEGORIES:Fun Runs,Store Events END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR