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• About Julie

    NJ native without the accent or the big hair. Currently residing in Beijing. Teaching English. Absorbing all things China. Exploring SE Asia.

    Thanks for visiting!

    Feel free to drop me a message: juliekhull at gmail

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Foot binding: excruciating beauty

In the 10th to early 20th centuries, small feet on women were considered beautiful in China.  The foot binding started before girls began adolescence, and involved bending the toes under the sole of the foot, then breaking the arch and binding the foot and the ankle very tightly.  Each time the bandages were removed the bindings would be re-wrapped more tightly.

Can your shoes fit in the palm of your hand?

This hasn’t been practiced in the hundred years since it was outlawed, but my interest in the practice was piqued when I visited the Enduring Beauty Museum in Melaka, Malaysia last February.  The many exhibits depicted the ways women throughout time all over the world have sought beauty in spite of Continue reading


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ACRYLIC • three walls & ceiling
mural commissioned by Virginia & Gabe

This is a nursery I painted for friends Virginia and Gabe, with a Care Bears theme. The starting point: many Care Bears-themed items, which varied quite a bit in colors and were stuffed full of bears, stars, clouds, and rainbows. To unify these extremely colorful items, I suggested going for a simple sky and clouds theme with lots of little white stars and a few happy yellow stars. (which stars get faces? Did they have names? I have no idea.) This simpler background would also be easy to change into other themes, like space, Super Mario Bros, or others if they want to change it up in the future.

Similar to the approach I used for Hannah and Amanda’s jungle-themed nursery, I took a few photos and made some mockups in Photoshop to get a sense of the scale of the design, and how the layout would work with their furniture. While doing this I started messing around with accent colors and came up with the pink and yellow frames for the windows. We took a look at these mockups together, and it was a go.

I learned a few things along the way.

  • Dots are a test of stamina. While the sky was simple to paint…it was a lot of dots. Let me say that again: it was a LOT of dots, many of which were above my head. It made me a little loopy, which is when I took the little 2001 photo homage.
  • Yellow paint (in particular, of any color) isn’t opaque. I got this tip from the guy at Home Depot so I painted a white base underneath all the yellow stars. This undoubtedly saved me frustration and potential re-paint.
  • Care Bears are a thing again? Apparently Wendy’s has them as kids’ meal toys right now.

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Personal: Workplace Discrimination Never Ends

I never expected to be discriminated against because of my son’s autism diagnosis

It makes me sound sheltered to say that I was not expecting to face direct discrimination at the workplace due to my son’s autism diagnosis. Why would I, in all fairness, be discriminated against because of my child? My child doesn’t come to work with me.

When I disclosed my son’s disability to my boss, I thought I was opening the conversation up so we could navigate how I could balance my work expectations with my life expectations.

I was wrong.

I thought these sorts of conversations were normal to have with a boss or a manager, as the previous company I worked for, did have these conversations with me. I happened to have been hired at my previous company six-months pregnant. I believed I was working in an industry that creative, smart, driven people collaborated in to change the world.

I was naive.

Saying those two words makes me feel shame. I am ashamed. I should have protected myself better. I should have seen it coming. I should have known.

But I didn’t.

I trusted that the world was a good place. And the world reminded me how toxic it can be. As a woman who has worked in the medical and scientific professions for nearly twenty years, I am no stranger to discrimination and harassment. So, in reality, I should have been better prepared.

I’ve been bullied, gas-lighted, and generally had to fight for my rights since I began working.

I was sexually harassed by two of my bosses when I worked in the medical field, one of which fired me when I did not sleep with him (or, in his terms, “blend energies with”).  When I began my career as an analytical chemist, I was told by one of my study directors that I should go back home and raise my baby, not come to the lab every day. To quote him as he was leaning over my shoulder looking at my lab bench, “Woman’s job is home with the baby”.

To me, though it’s not something anyone wants to hear, what I experienced was not unique. It is nothing new. This does not make me stand out against the crowd. I am with the crowd because of it.  Women face harassment in the workforce every day.  We get underpaid, undervalued, and overlooked by our male peers.

To be a woman in the workforce is to know you have to be prepared to go to battle. I was not initially prepared for the battle that I would face for eleven weeks at a new job. I was not discriminated against because of my gender, my education level, or my title but because I had disclosed to my new boss that my son was autistic.

How genuinely naive of me to have disclosed that in the first place, I know. Openness is my personal style. I did not think twice about the impact disclosing our family’s struggles would have on my career. How could I anticipate it creating a toxic work environment for me? I simply did not think it was possible.

I know I would not have left my old job for a new job if I had known what we were facing with my youngest son’s needs. I was not prepared for the diagnosis of autism when we received it the week I took off between my old job and my new one. I had taken the week to get caught up at home – to get everyone to their doctors and dentists appointments.

One of the appointments we had for our youngest was an evaluation with our regional center for what we assumed would be for speech services. We ended up getting told the speech was part of a larger picture for our son.

That day began the long process of appointments, assessments, tests, reports; more places that needed assessments; more reports; more diagnosis; more time spent juggling the when and how and what my son needed.

I was handling all of this while I was in the process of learning my new job.

I had a particularly bad meeting with my boss one morning. He had given me a 9 o’clock meeting to go over things he found frustrating about my work. One of the things he was upset about was the fact I was not bringing enough work home with me at the end of the day.

I hate to admit it, but I cry at work sometimes. I don’t cry out of embarrassment or sadness – I cry when I’m extremely frustrated or angry. I had walked into work after a particularly challenging morning with my son. Drop off at preschool had resulted in him throwing himself on the ground and banging his head repeatedly on the floor. It was hard to walk away from him, praying his teachers could work with him to calm down. I had left that to walk into a disastrous meeting at work.

So, at my wits’ end, completely burnt-out by the world’s expectations of me, I burst into tears. My boss did not know what to do or say and sat there awkwardly. I apologized to him as I gained composure. I told him I had a really challenging morning with my son, who was autistic, and that our family was going through a lot at the moment, so my tolerance for criticism at work was particularly low. His only response was to ask me if I had people to help me with that.

People to help me with that? No, we didn’t have people to ‘help us with that’.

After that meeting, I began to experience an escalation of harassment and gas-lighting behavior from this man. All niceties were removed. He found fault with everything I did: I either worked too many hours or too little. I couldn’t make a graph to his satisfaction. He’d pull me into intense meetings where he’d berate my data. He consciously sought to break me down and force me to question myself as a scientist.

At one point, he sent me an e-mail at 10:30 pm, detailing everything I had ever done that was not to his satisfaction. He ended his e-mail by telling me he expected me to not take sick time off for my son’s appointments or needs.

Listen, it’s not illegal to be a horrible boss. It’s not illegal to not get along with your boss or for your boss to not get along with you. It is, however, illegal to tell you that you aren’t allowed to use your sick time.

Despite all of this, I kept trying with him. I kept showing up, I kept working. I kept juggling my son’s needs with my job’s expectations. Despite the continued harassment from my manager, I was determined to push through it.

“I didn’t hire you to have a son with issues.”

Those exact words came out of my manager’s mouth during one of his (growing more regular) 9 o’clock meetings to yell at me for not being as perfect as he was in the lab. I was stunned into silence that he even thought to bring my son into the equation. My son wasn’t doing the extractions, my son wasn’t presenting the data. He made it very clear before I left that meeting that he was seeking ways to fire me.

The next week, I was working in the lab and he came in and fired me on the spot without informing HR.  I was told to drop everything and leave immediately. It was done in a manner as if I had poured acid on someone’s head or shouted racist remarks.  I left without gathering my personal belongings and waited for HR to call me. They didn’t. This happened on a Friday.

He wanted me to no show on Monday so he could have grounds to fire me.

I showed up at HR’s office with a folder of documentation I had been keeping since the harassment began. HR was unprepared for everything I disclosed to them. I had e-mails documenting his harassment, his denial to meet with me when requested, and him stating I was not to use my sick time for my son. I had kept a journal with dates and times when he said inappropriate things to me. When I told them what he said about my son they cut me off and immediately apologized.

Apparently, they had been informed he was seeking to let me go. They were trying to find placement for me within the company in another department. I told them that would not be possible. My manager wasn’t a middle-tier manager. He was the director of the entire analytical platform at the company. My boss was one step down from the VP.

I made it clear I wanted a severance for what I had experienced, indicating I was prepared to go to litigation if needed.  I was completely worn down and exhausted from the entire 11-week ordeal, I was not prepared nor did I want to, go through the struggles of a lawsuit.  The HR team and the company did not need to know that.

The next day, they offered me a 4-week severance, which is “industry standard”.  I refused, and they came back and gave me a 6-week severance. One of the stipulations I made when I signed a non-disclosure agreement (thus, no company name, no location, no proof this happened on the Internet) was my manager was required to go through some sort of training to understand he cannot discriminate against people who have children with disabilities.

After all this happened, some would assume I’d have told fewer people about my son’s diagnosis and kept it within our family more tightly.  I haven’t. If anything, this experience has taught me to be more firm about my son’s needs and to prioritize him first. The fact that I spent 11 weeks trying to please a boss who would not comprehend the importance of my son over my work really solidified to me where I want my future employment to align.  No one should be forced to work in an environment where the employer makes disparaging remarks about your disabled child, nor be unable and unwilling to work with you regarding navigating their care and your job.

I don’t think I would have walked away from my career to take care of my son’s needs.  Had I been working in a more standard work environment, my husband and I would have been able to steer the extremely stressful aspects of getting therapies on-board for our son.  However, I am eternally thankful that the “silver lining” of this entire nightmare allowed me to be at home for my son right now. He has blossomed with mom around and I get to be present during all of his appointments – which allows me to be the best mom I can be for him.

I am not foolish enough to believe I’ll never encounter some form of discrimination again.  I’m not foolish to think that my son will never face discrimination again as he grows up. The world doesn’t operate that way.  However, I can hope that as I navigate his childhood with him, we’ll become better prepared to face the challenges that our future will hold.

Jessica Means View All →

My professional background in biotechnology as a research chemist and as a veterinary technician has allowed me to have experienced two vastly different fields and for that I am thankful. In both careers, I have mentored, encouraged, and developed talent.

As a mother of two (a daughter and a son), I'm a self-proclaimed backyard chicken guru and someone who has “foster failed” nearly all the animals currently running the household. Oh, and I maintain a husband in my spare time.

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Apps can often be very distracting. From in-app purchases to monthly subscriptions those little icons can become costly. Amazon’s “one-click buy” service pretty much embodies the convenient, impulsive shopping that causes a genuine surprise at the end of the month when you receive your credit card statement. This challenge combined with the hiking interest rates with no summit in sight means there is a lot to be said for Canadians to strive to stay out of the red wherever possible.

Apps to track finances

However, the very cause of your distress may also be the savior. There are a few apps that stand out in holding you accountable for your finances. So without further ado, I present the best personal finance apps of 2018.

Clarity Money

Clarity Money App

Most reviews of this app comment on the appealing interface and feed format of this colorful app. What makes it stand out is that it tackles something that I’ve spoken about at length on this blog: subscriptions. Direct debits feed off a customer’s ‘I’ll get around to canceling that later” and then forgetting about it. The January gym membership is an all too common example. With this app, you can view all your direct debits in a list and, with the press of a button, cancel them.

If you’re serious about managing your finances efficiently, then you really can’t go wrong with this service; especially seeing that it’s free. This process is extremely streamlined, so the moment you realize that a subscription is adding nothing of value to your life you can stop contributing a part of your earnings to it.

I also like the automatic savings function. Again, it’s a smooth format that takes a portion of your savings and directs it to a savings account. You can see how much you’re spending at specific retailers, for instance, Starbucks. Many financial gurus will advise that you track the expense of individual habits in your life but, realistically, most of us aren’t going to record every single cup of coffee they buy. However, Clarity Money does just this. It offers transparency in your spending and can highlight items that are getting in the way of your savings.

The only quip I have with this app is the ads. Clearly, an app has to make revenue, and with no upfront cost something has to give, but it is a factor to keep in mind.

Mint App to track finances

This is the best-known app on this list. Mint forecasts your upcoming bills as well as the breakdown of your income and expenses. Additionally, we’re looking at specific features for the Canadian market including visibility of all the country’s major banks so you can keep track of your bank accounts. This app has quite a comprehensive toolbox; which can be broken down into five major sections:

  •     Track and pay bills
  •     Budget planner
  •     Free credit score
  •     Alerts and advice
  •     Investment tracking

The first three are ubiquitous across most apps in this category, so all I’ll say is that they are simple to use with an appealing interface.

Now, as for the alerts and advice, personally, I’m not one to endure the constant beeps of a needy app, so I welcomed the option to switch these alarms right off. As for the advice, the app questions unusual spending and also alerts you when you are overspending. The beauty of having a comprehensive app for tracking expenses is being able to get the complete picture. By having a 360 view of your finances, it can produce real-time information that acts as a financial assistant.

The investment side of the app mostly tracks the fees you’re paying to various brokers and advisors and finds cheaper alternatives. Knowing that you’re getting maximum earnings from your investments gives peace of mind. Although Mint is the most popular of the apps on this list, it doesn’t quite get my number one spot due to the handy features of Clarity Money.

Here we have a budgeting app that does the hard graft for you. It tracks your spending and, using algorithms, places each transaction into a category of expenses. It also does the same for your income. Many apps provide this service but what makes PocketGuard different is that it predicts the outcome for the rest of the month.

The most common colloquial phrase that drives people further into debt is “I’m gonna let future me deal with that.” Many people get caught at the start of the month by blowing their pay cheque, but this app shows you the damage you’re doing to your wallet and even your credit rating. Sure, you can splash out every now and again, but if you use this app consistently, you’ll get into the habit of living within your means. In short, PocketGuard is useful for those who want a cruise control app that looks after the basics and gives you realistic spending and income projections.

So there you have it. It’s a sign of the times that these apps are coming out in their dozens. We’ve never been in more debt and companies have seen a real need in the market for people to have digital support for their digital spending.


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Nerja, a former sleepy fishing village, turned summer hot spot can be found in the region of Costa Del Sol in the south of Spain.

Think narrow streets, whitewashed houses, Spanish style balconies, incredible sea views, countless beaches, rocky caves all surrounded by the Sierra de Almijara mountain range. Oh, and most importantly, countless places to enjoy a meal! The best part of travel.

Where to Stay in Nerja

The best part about Nerja is the lack of high rise developments and minimal hotel chains. The town, although filled with tourists, is authentic and the hotels that are available felt hidden away, camouflaged with the likes of regular apartments.

We broke our stay up between two places, Apartamentos Abril & Apartamentos La Botica de Nerja, both of which were in incredible locations, walking distance to everything you would need, had a fully equipped kitchen, a rooftop pool (La Botica) and balconies.

Apartmentos La Botica has a wide variety, but we strongly recommend checking out Airbnb (get $40 off your first booking here) as well as VRBO for apartment rentals.

View All Hotels in Nerja

How to Get to Nerja, Spain

The closest international airport to Nerja is Malaga, 65km from Nerja. From Malaga airport, there are 2 ways you can reach Nerja.

The Most Expensive – Private taxi. Whilst this is always the most direct route, it is the most expensive. The 50-minute trip will cost anywhere from €65 – €80.  A good option if there is at least 4 of you sharing a car.

The Cheapest – Bus. Unfortunately, the buses don’t run directly from Malaga Airport to Nerja but once you leave the airport, you can take the bus (A Express Bus/Line 75) or the 8 minute high-speed train from the airport into Maria Zambrano (Malaga’s main transport hub) and then jump on an ALSA bus from Maria Zambrano direct to Nerja for €4.31. This trip will take roughly 1.5 hours on a comfortable coach. Once you get off the bus in Nerja, it is a 10-minute walk into the city centre. Extremely easy and very cost effective! Tickets can be bought on the day of travel. You can find the ALSA bus schedule here.

Note: If you plan to return to Malaga Airport from Nerja, there are direct buses from Nerja to Malaga airport for this route.

What to do in Nerja

There’s more to Nerja than sunbaking on the beaches, although we will admit, most of our time was definitely doing just that. Nevertheless, if you have a few days in this seaside town and are tired of the beach (if that’s even possible?), we’ve recommended some activities to fill your days.

Day trip to Frigiliana

The beautiful village of Frigiliana is located 6km from the centre of Nerja and in our opinion is one of the most gorgeous towns in Spain. It was as though Greece and Spain had a baby and this picturesque town was born.

Meticulously maintained whitewashed houses, small charming alleyways, colourful pastel themed door frames, hundreds of bright colour flower pots, cute restaurants, friendly locals, handicraft stores, boutique clothing and more photo ops than a camera can handle, including the cutest little old men you’ll ever see.

Locals of Frigiliana

Once you’re done exploring the nooks and crannies of Frigiliana, grab something to eat at La Tienda. An English style cafe with indoor and outdoor seating. The English couple that run this cafe are very welcoming and serve delicious cakes and tasting plates (shown below) with many local delicacies from the area. FYI: That was the tasting plate for one!

La Tienda

Getting Here: Frigiliana is a 15-minute direct bus ride from the bus station in Nerja. Tickets cost €1 and can be purchased on the bus.  You can also take a taxi for €13 one way.

Party in the Tutti Frutti Plaza

Once the restaurants start to close and dinner comes to an end and you’re itching for some more wine and looking to carry on the evening, you’ll find all the nightlife in the Tutti Frutti Plaza just outside the old town. This plaza has a mixture of cocktail bars and clubs with promoters patrolling the streets to bring you in. Some of these clubs will stay open until 4:00 am. It’s not the scene for everyone but for party goers, this is the best form of nightlife you’ll find in this old fisherman’s village.

Roam The Streets

Whilst this may seem like a no-brainer, we can’t emphasise how beautiful and unique the streets were in Nerja. Set out before your dinner for the golden hour and capture the character that these streets have. Individualised and extremely detailed tiles, brightly coloured doors, a variety of colourful flowerpots and the best part, the friendly locals that leave their door open as they sit on their stoop and watch the world go by.

It’s the simplest things in life and they sure know how to be happy at home.

Hike the Rio Chillar Gorge

Rio Chillar

The Rio Chillar walk is listed as one of the most popular activities in the whole of Costa Del Sol and it’s one of the only walks in the area to take some respite from the blazing heat.

Rio Chillar

The hike is roughly 16km long round trip, however, you can walk as little or as far as you wish as you will return the same way you came. Allow at least 5 -6 hours if you plan to do the whole walk and set out as early as possible to avoid some of the crowds.

The scenic hikes take you through narrow gorges, open spaces & pebbly riverbeds. There are plenty of places to stop for lunch in the shade to let the kids (or adults) splash in the cool waters and swim in the clear river pools. The walk itself isn’t strenuous but there are times that you’ll find yourself in above ankle deep water so be sure to wear appropriate shoes that you don’t mind getting wet as the rocks can be slippery and your feet sore without adequate footwear.

Rio Chillar

Rio Chillar

Rio Chillar

The hike starts off rather slow and dry but once you reach further into the trail, the gorges become narrower and the water far deeper. I have to admit, even as a grown adult, I had a whole lot of fun splashing about in the river bed in my newly bought water shoes ;).

Rio Chillar

What to Bring:

Rio Chillar

  • Lunch/Snacks
  • Water
  • Sunscreen/Hat
  • Water shoes (or shoes you don’t mind getting wet!).

Note: Whatever you bring with you on the walk needs to come out with you too. There are no garbage facilities inside so don’t pack too much.

Getting there:

The most convenient way to reach Rio Chillar is by car. There are 2 small car parks available which are located on Calle Mirto. From here it is about a 20-minute walk downhill to the beginning of the hike underneath the motorway (shown above). If you don’t have a car, you have two options of reaching Rio Chillar. Walk from Nerja which will take you anywhere from 35-45 minutes (primarily uphill) or you can take a taxi for €7 from the centre of Nerja.

People Watch from Balcon De Europa

Balcon De Europa

Balcon De Europa is typically known as the centre of Nerja and it provides a panoramic view of Nerja’s coastline. The promenade that has been built on the foundations of an old fort is lined with palm trees and a large plaza filled with a plethora of restaurants.

Balcon De Europa

In the morning it is a very peaceful place to go for a walk and grab a morning coffee before the sun heats it up. During the evening this area really comes alive with tourists and locals alike, portrait artists, street entertainers, musicians and gelato lines like I’ve never seen before. 2 of Nerja’s main beaches (Calahonda and Caletilla) can be reached from the Balcon in just a short walk down a path.

Balcon De Europa

Explore Nerja Caves

The Nerja Caves are one of the largest tourist attractions in Andalusia. Stretching for almost 5 km underground they are made by the formation of karstic cavities, their origin dating back millions of years. They’re also home to the world’s largest stalagmite, 32-metre high column measuring 13 metres by 7 metres at its base. Pretty impressive!

Nerja Caves

Photo Credit: Expedia

The caves can be reached in 10 minutes from the Balcon De Europa. Entry is €10 and this includes an audio guided tour plus an audiovisual presentation. Tickets can be bought in advance online here as you need to schedule a time to visit.

Tip: Every Monday from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm the entrance to the cave is free (until full capacity is reached, turns every 30 minutes)

Enjoy the Watersports

Burriana Watersports

With every large beach comes a variety of watersports and in Nerja, you’ll find them all at the main beach – Burriana. Choose from activities such as paddle boarding, kayaking, parasailing or jet skiing and view the beaches from a different perspective.

As well as per hour rental use, Educare Aventura offers kayaking tours for 2 hours (€24 per person) from Burriana Beach to Maro Beach. You’ll have the opportunity to pass through caves, waterfalls, cliffs, little coves and 20 ft deep transparent water. If you want to rent kayaks on your own, the cost is €12 per person per hour and this trip took us roughly one hour round trip (not allowing time on the actual beach however).

Tip: We’d definitely recommend pre-booking your rental to avoid disappointment. Educare Aventura can be found at the far end of Burriana Beach in front of Ayo’s restaurant. Look out for the white tents.

Eat and Drink

Bar Redondo

One of our all-time favourite aspects of travelling – eating and drinking! We were extremely happy and pleasantly surprised at the number of quality restaurants in Nerja. There was a large variety of international cuisines as well as many local tapas bars offering typical Spanish cuisine. You definitely won’t go hungry nor bored with the choices!

Breakfast is usually eaten around 10:00 am (it’s a ghost town prior), lunch roughly around 2:00 pm and dinner anytime onwards from 8:30 pm. Do note that many restaurants close between 4:00 pm and re-open for dinner at 7:00 pm.

Nerja Top Places to Eat & Drink

See a further post “Top 10 Places to Eat & Drink in Nerja” for more detail on our favourite picks!

Top Tours in Nerja

If organized tours are your thing, here are some recommendations from GetMyGuide:

Nerja Beach Guide: The Best Beaches of Nerja

Beaches of Nerja

The beaches of Nerja are one of the cities biggest assets and there was definitely no shortage of them to choose from. There is such a selection you could spend your week’s vacation at a new beach every day. Aside from the clear waters, the scenery that surrounded these beaches is what made them so special to us.

Steep cliffs, endless sea & mountain views, quiet coves and plenty of rocky bays to explore. The shape of the various coves protected the beaches from any harsh winds but ooo it was hot!

Here are a few of our favourites along with what facilities were offered at each one of them. They can all be found within walking distance of one another.

Burriana Beach

Burriana Beach

Burriana is Nerja’s largest and most populated beach. You can reach Burriana in a 15-minute walk from the centre of Nerja and you’ll find the largest concentration of shops, restaurants, bars, hotels, water sports, sun beds, umbrellas and of course crowds here during the summer months. It comes alive during both the day and the evening.

Burriana Beach

Hot Tip: Don’t want to walk back up the hill to Nerja? Try and sneak into the Parador Hotel via their elevator which can be found at the west end of the beach (the long white looking tower). You do need a key, but if you time it correctly, you’ll hitch a ride with another hotel guest. #pregnantlife. Sneaky sneaky ;). You didn’t hear it from us.

Playa de la Calahonda

Playa de la Calahonda

Playa de la Calahonda is Nerja’s most iconic beach due to its location and accessibility from Balcon De Europa. Due to its convenient location (directly left of the plaza), it can become very crowded so if the crowds are too much,  we recommend a short walk around the rocks to many other various swimming caves such as Playa El Chorrillo. Playa de la Calahonda is close to all the restaurants in Nerja and has showers, lifeguards and sunbeds to rent.

Playa del Carabeo

Playa del Carabeo

Playa del Carabeo is one of the smaller beaches in Nerja and is wedged between two towering cliffs.  It is secluded and well maintained. Take note, there is a short walk down a steep staircase to reach this beach, therefore, making it a little more difficult to get to with a stroller or the elderly. Don’t forget, once you go down, you gotta get back up! Showers are available and restaurants are only a short walk away.

Playa Carabeillo

Playa Carabeillo

Playa Carabellio is located in between Playa Carabeo and Burriana Beach. You can access this beach via street level down a staircase and find plenty of restaurants (especially Bakus) close walking distance away. There are a few free parking space otherwise street parking is available. The waters are clean and the scenery is beautiful.

Playa de la Caletilla (Our favourite)

Playa de la Caletilla

Exploring Nerja Beaches Nerja

Playa de la Caletilla is located in front of the popular Balcon De Europa Hotel and many mistake this for a private beach however it is open to the public and was, in fact, our favourite beach to spend the day. It’s quieter than its neighbouring beaches, there are facilities (toilet & showers) and a restaurant on site. If you walk to the left or the right you can find small alcoves and rocky caves to explore or climb. Either or.

Playa de La Torrecilla

Playa de La Torrecilla

Playa de La Torrecilla can be found closer to the centre of Nerja and is a small curved beach shaped like a horseshoe. Larger hotel chains such as the Riu can be found on this beach making it a popular spot for tourists. Torrecilla is patrolled by lifeguards and you can find showers, toilets, sunbeds and plenty of restaurants and shops. Once you leave this beach, be sure to have lunch at Momo Burger. Mmmm juicy deliciousness.

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Nerja Spain Top Things to do & Beach Guide

Do you have any further Nerja tips to add? I can definitely see us re-visiting this adorable Spanish town in the future!


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Things to do in Warsaw

Warsaw has its own character, a beautifully reconstructed Old Town and a rich history. It’s both modern and traditional, touristic and authentic. I recommend spending a day or two in Warsaw to learn about Polish history, both ancient and contemporary, eat some delicious Polish food and enjoy a few cultural events. Here are the best things to do in Warsaw: … More Things to do in Warsaw

Things to eat in Krakow

Krakow is not only an architecturally beautiful, culturally interesting and all round fun city. It is also a great food city. From traditional Polish to Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine, different influences can be tasted in Krakow cooking. There is plenty to be found, simply wandering around the city and checking out all the hip little eateries. And lots of vegetarian and vegan options as well! … More Things to eat in Krakow

Things to do in Krakow

Krakow is one of Europe’s best preserved old cities and a treasure trove of history and culture. Krakow has seen golden times and the very darkest sides of humanity but is still so very much alive. This University town is home to a young and progressive population with a vibrant nightlife, art scene and hipster culture. I spend 5 days in Krakow and would have gladly stayed 5 months in this incredibly interesting city. … More Things to do in Krakow


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Japan Back Street Exploring (Part 1)

After many years living in and exploring Kobe, Japan, I always loved taking photos and making videos on the back streets. So many people who create content love to show the glitz and glam of the big cities, but there was nothing more fascinating for me than slowly and quietly exploring the back streets where the “real people” of Japan live.

I’ll be sharing several sets of back street photos I have taken over the years. There will, of course, be some other themed series as well.

I have been a photography fanatic for many years and have so much to share here on Just Japan Stuff!

This wonderful back alley is known by many Kobe residents. It runs under and along the Hankyu/JR Sannomiya tracks. It is home to many wonderful restaurants and izakayas.
Another back street not far from Sannomiya in Kobe, Japan. Amazing how a rainy night can change atmospheres.
This tidy little back street with lots of potted vegetation is in Kobe’s Nada District. The French restaurant at the end of the street caught my attention as I cycled past. I went back to take this photo.
This back street in Kobe’s Nada District was lined with shops and restaurants. Notice what seems to be the stone lantern of a shrine at the very end of the street.

The photographer / writer:

Kevin O’Shea is the host of the Just Japan Podcast. He is also the guy behind JustJapanStuff.com. Kevin is a Canadian IB/PYP educator who lives in Beijing, China with his family. Kevin called Kobe, Japan home for 10 years.

Follow him on Twitter: @jlandkev

Instagram: @jlandkev

Facebook: Facebook.com/justjapanstuff

Email: justjapanpodcast@gmail.com

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[Wg-p3] draft letter to US ICAM in response to Open Government Identity Management Solutions Privacy Workshop held 10 AUG

Susan Landau Susan.Landau at sun.com
Fri Aug 21 12:02:05 PDT 2009

On 08/21/09 13:23, Randy Vanderhoof wrote:

Let me do a meta answer.  I think Jeff and I are still iterating on a
draft, and once we have one we're happy with, we'll send to wg-p3 for
comment..  Having all of us iterate from the start would be exhausting.
I hope the process I'm proposing makes sense to you.

And, not at a meta level, I do not think we will call out OpenID
specifically.  I don't think that is a useful thing for Kantara to be doing.

Hope this helps.

Susan Landau                     phone: 413-259-2018
Distinguished Engineer           fax: 413-253-2156

        Sun Microsystems Laboratories
        MS UBUR02-311
        35 Network Drive
        Burlington MA 01803-0902

        susan.landau at sun.com

More information about the Wg-p3 mailing list


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KaraUke Rockin’ in Red – Sign up for March’s Karaoke Event

We rocked in red last week – thankyou to all who came!

KaraUke - February Karaoke
KaraUke Rockin’ in Red

The money raised on the night has been counted and we have managed to reach the princely sum of £74.86. This will be sent to British Heart Foundation – you can still donate if you like!

It was so busy we might have to increase our playing time or add more gigs! It was good to play some of the new material, as well as some of the classics that are chosen most often.

Karaoke with Ukuleles in London
Packed Out!

If you missed your taste of ukulele karaoke then put our next date into your calendar – Thursday March 21st – see our Facebook event!

Here is a video from the stage during 9-5. Tweet us your videos and images!

We are also playing at the London Eye ‘Wheel of Date’ event this Thursday – so if you are attending that then get practising those songs (like we are!)!


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What’s in a name? That which we call prose

Coming up with a title for a written piece can be challenging. Some titles pop right into your head, while others require a painful process in which you end up settling for something… finally.

Whether the piece is a novel, essay, song or article, achieving the right balance between the theme of the piece, what you want to communicate to the reader, and what the appeals to the sensibilities of your targeted audience, is not easy.

Too obscure, and nobody gets it. Too obvious, and it’s trite. But one thing is certain: if it’s not catchy, it’s also not memorable. Boring bombs and indifference is death.

Finding the right title for my historical fantasy time travel novel, “Rings of Passage,” did not come easily.

My original title was “Battle Against Time.” Too trite. My next idea was “Shakespeare’s Child.” Too obscure. At last, the members of my critique group, who brainstormed with me, came up with “Rings of Passage” as a play on the phrase “Rites of Passage.” We all agreed it was the best of what we’d thought of so far.

The title of my second novel, “Dangerous Reflections” (scheduled for release in January 2015), popped right into my head immediately after coming up with the concept.

That hardly ever happens.

So here are some techniques I use to find just the right title:

Rhymezone search options

Rhymezone search options

Technique #1: Go for the throat. What’s the most obvious prop, character, archetype or theme of the piece? Include that in the title. I wrote an essay about picking up my guitar again, after not playing it for 25 years. It’s a stringed instrument, so I chose to build the title around the word “strings.”

OneLook wildcards

OneLook wildcards

Technique #2: Twist the obvious. Now that you have that one key word, play with it. Search for phrases that are built around that word (idiomsite.com). Find words that rhyme with it. (rhymezone.com). Think of other people’s well-known titles or lyrics that use that word (rockwisdom.com), and twist it slightly so it stirs people’s memories in that direction, yet is somehow slightly “off.”

For the guitar essay, I took the phrase “absence of strings” (meaning “no strings attached”), but slanted its meaning to imply the opposite of the phrase’s original intent. In my case, not playing the guitar had caused a void in my life.

Technique #3: Bend Google to your will. Use the search engine to discover how many other people have already used your idea—but at the same time, to brainstorm alternatives to those overused titles. Suppose you’re toying with a phrase you like, that captures the essence of your work, but has been used to death. Enter part of the phrase into the search engine, except with quote marks around it. (www.google.com/advanced_search)

Google search with quote marks

Google search with quote marks

Using Technique #3 For my guitar essay title, I entered “<space> of strings”—which allowed for a word in front of the phrase.

This filled in the blank (“____ of strings”) with:

An array

As another example, I wanted to add a subtitle to my novel “Dangerous Reflections,” which is a historical fantasy about  wizards who travel through mirrors. Using Technique #1, I started building upon the most important device in the novel, a mirror. Using this idea, I quickly came up with “Magic Mirrors” and “Smoke and Mirrors.”

After entering “Magic Mirrors” into the search engine, I immediately discovered this was an overused phrase, and that there was already a fantasy series with that in the title.

I switched to Technique #2. The rhymes for “smoke” produced many results, but they didn’t make sense in context.

But the rhyming word “broke” suggested “broken.” Using the very useful “near rhymes” tool of Rhymezone, this yielded some quirky results:

Perhaps, within other contexts such as poetry, these results would have sparked intriguing possibilities. But they didn’t work for my purpose.

Switching back to Technique #1, I went for a synonym of “mirror.” Thesaurus.com is the go-to website for synonyms, and I use it daily.

With a little brainstorming, I came up with a Biblical phrase from Corinthians (King James Version), “Through a Glass, Darkly.” Many titles have been inspired by it, even a Rolling Stones album, “Through the Past, Darkly.”

Using Rhymezone to rhyme “darkly, “ I found “starkly,” “courtly,” “sharply,” “portly.”

Not quite what I was looking for.

So I went to OneLook, a “dictionary of dictionaries,” and used its “wildcard” function to find words that ending in “ly.” This brought up an overwhelming number of results.

Fortunately, the website gives you the option of narrowing it down to “common words and phrases” and even “part of speech.” I definitely wanted adverbs. This produced an alphabetic list that went on for pages and yielded some possibilities: “blithely,” “boldly,” “timelessly.”

OneLook also offers a key word search of Shakespeare’s works (resulting in this blog post’s title). Or enter a word to “show only matches that are related to this concept.”

I put in the word “light” coupled with the “ly” form, and got some slightly oddball results, including “light-headedly,” sparkly” and “smelly.” Interesting, but definitely no cigar.

So I switched to Technique #3, entering into Google a partial phrase inside of quote marks, “Through a glass” – and in addition to that, outside the quotes, a minus sign (-) in front of the word “darkly” to eliminate matches including that word.

Search hits included “Through a Glass <fill in the blank>”

Onion (thanks to the Beatles)

This exercise helps you eliminate phrases that have become trite, and sparks your own imagination by leveraging from what others came up with to think outside the box.

In the end, I didn’t use the word “mirror” or any variation of “through a glass” as a subtitle for “Dangerous Reflections.” I settled for the more prosaic and Amazon-category-friendly, “A Historical Fantasy through Time.”

Even though I didn’t find my subtitle using these techniques, the exercise wasn’t a bust. It stretched my mind, fueled my creativity, and resulted in several ideas and phrases I can use to market the novel.

Useful Links

5 Easy Tips for Terrific Titles by Anna Guerrero

Idioms and sayings

Dictionaries and word sites

Popular lyrics reference by category

Rings of Passage: A Time Travel novel with Richard III

Rings of Passage: A Time Travel novel with Richard III

Rings of Passage” is a time travel historical fantasy, with Richard III as the romantic hero. Wizards control the events of history, but a woman’s love transcends all. Available for Kindle and in paperback from Amazon.com.


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Point of Service : Multi-Functional Point of Service device

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Kaser Point of Service Device

Restaurants / Bars
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  • Button to call server for easy assistance
  • Cell phone charging station in busy bars

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  • Reduce staff work load by introducing aisle by isle price check
  • Include a mini map to assist customers locate the product they are looking for
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  • Ticketing system to organize visitors easily
  • Patient registration and check in
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  • Emergency messaging
  • Number call alert system

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  • Sermon Broadcasting
  • Easy to follow text for members to follow along hymns
  • Community notice boards
  • Electronic donation collector

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If you have been considering upgrading the technology in your business, get in touch with one of our consultants today.

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Real Cider – one of your five a day!

Our multifunctional stone barn

We have a very special stone barn here on the farm. It is Grade 2* listed and possibly the last barn of it’s kind remaining in agricultural use in the county, if not in South Wales. Housing animals during the Winter months it also hosts village events during the Summer. Neighbouring White Castle has records of a farmstead being here as early as the 12th century with the cider house being added on in the 17th century. Kate’s Country School classroom is above the cider house (top of the steps in the photo). The farm is seething in history, myths and legends. By the 18th century, most farm workers’ wages included 4 pints of cider which is why many farms had a cider press, we still have ours. Payment by cider became illegal in 1887 so we just drink it!!
Cider making team 2012

Cider making team 2012

Following the poor apple harvest this year, we did manage to bring in extra apple supplies from over the border (Much Marcle). This resulted in an amazing day in October when students pulped, pressed and filled our ex-single malt wooden barrels with scrummy juice. This will produce 200 gallons of cider which they are returning to sample in a few months. With no added sugar or yeast, it has to be one of your five a day!

Filling the barrels

Filling the barrels

Due to the soggy conditions, our cattle have happily come inside so will require mucking out and feeding through the winter months. Gertie, Bessie and Liz (our Gloucester Old Spot pigs) have also been brought in to the piggery as they are all about to farrow and their outside enclosure is very wet. Watch this space for piglets……………..

Our bronze turkeys are now very free range and are enjoying the many scenic walks we have around the farm.

Bronze Turkeys

The January lambing ewes all had an ultrasound scan in October. We were extremely happy with the 201% result. The ideal is 200% (two lambs per ewe). We can now feed the ewes accordingly as sheep carrying one lamb require less feed than sheep carrying multiple lambs. If you have booked on the January lambing course (now full) it looks like you’re going to be very busy!

Can you see twin lambs in this scan?

The tups have now all been removed from the ewes which means we should finish lambing by April 5th. There are course dates available in March with special St. David’s Day celebrations on March 1st!

All our 2013 course dates are now available via the website. Please do not hesitate to contact me direct for details or if you are a group wanting to try something new. Don’t forget, if you’re looking for unusual Christmas gifts we supply gift vouchers which can be posted or e-mailed directly to you. The perfect present! Sheep husbandry, Country writing, Butchery, Wildlife, Shearing, Stone Walling and much, much more……….Loads of subjects, dates throughout the year and all for £90 or less. There must be something here for you.

On a final note, as the temperature drops, keep warm and please remember the wildlife. Well replenished birdfeeders are wonderful to watch out of the window and remember many wild animals are hibernating so try not to disturb your “messy” garden areas.

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year of the high socks

It socks to be me. A terrible case of rashes from a beach trip in 2013 had led to legs covered in scars. They were unsightly to say the least. Hence, I developed a clingy kind of relationship with my posse of high socks, tights, stockings, leggings, and pants (pants! I used to wear these […]

Read More year of the high socks

take me to the eighties

“Ang weird pala ‘pag decade mo na ‘yung ginagaya no?” my friends from high school and I agree, in reference to the resurgence of the nineties fashion. Think Spice Girls-ish chunky platforms and the baby tee-and-jumper combo. I’m waiting for the twin sets’ turn to be en vogue again though. It’s been almost 20 years […]

Read More take me to the eighties

“Everyday Japan” is what I like best. This is precisely what makes me the worst person to ask travel-related questions about Japan. Well-meaning friends and acquaintances would often ask me inquiries as generic as “Mga magkano kailangan na budget?” to as annoyingly specific as “Saan okay mag-book na hotel near Kamata station?” I would answer the […]

Read More happenstance


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Tigger and the snails

This is the free english translation of my former german post . A little story about a tomcat with happy end.

Tigger is a red tabby tomcat who’s home is right under the roof in a nice little apartment. He lives there together with Susanne my friend and neighbor and with Bruni an old chartreux cat. They are both house cats and never go outside. Tigger is a shy gay and he is also a little scared. But he is very curious. So Tigger loves to explore the staircase sometimes.
In summer he spends much time on the roof. Up there is his kingdom where he is the unchallenged ruler. Tomcat Tigger has also the talent to hide so perfectly that nobody ever can find him when he doesn’t want to be found. But one day this special talent was not for his good at all.
On a summer evening Susanne was looking for Tigger and could not find him. After some time she gave up and thought by herself: so or so I have no chance when he doesn’t want to be found, he will surely be back in the morning when he is hungry. But what she didn’t know, this time her poor tomcat hoped desperately that she would find him.
Susanne went to sleep and in the next morning no Tigger was anywhere to be seen. Now she was very concerned and afraid that may be he was fallen from the roof. Our house is really high with five floors. So she hurried into the backyard to look for her tomcat. Susanne searched for him all over the garden behind every tree and in every bush…he was not there. At last she went to the old external stair that leads down to the basement.
And down there in a dark nasty corner she finally found him.
Tigger had big wide eyes and didn’t move at all. He sat there like from stone and his fur was over and over covered with snails. That poor tomcat must have spent the whole night in this position, so scared that he could not move and all the snails had enough time to find a nice little place on him.
Susanne touched him very carefully and tried to find out wether he was injured. She put all the snails from his fur and took him slowly into her armes. He seemed to be alright and Susanne went with Tigger into our house. The last stair she let him down just to see wether he can move and run normally. And for her big relief he could. Like a thunderbolt he run into the apartment and first of all on the litter box.
After that he started to clean his fur and did not stop for at least two hours. The rest of the day Tigger slept in Susannes bed totally exhausted.
So the only explanation for this unwanted adventure was that he somehow came to the backyard over the staircase. Somebody has opened the door to the garden, Tigger slipped out and the door behind him was shut. And so poor Tigger had to spent all the night on a strange planet with strange noises and strange creatures.

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Add header, footer, and parts support to your theme (Themer)

Most themes support archive, singular, and 404 layouts out of the box. However, to support the Beaver Themer header, footer, and part layouts, themes must be built a certain way.

See the Related Articles below for themes that are currently supported. If your theme isn't currently supported, you can add support for headers, footers, and parts by following the instructions below.

Note: The theme must allow its header, footer, and parts to be removed using hooks.

Add header and footer support

There are other ways than using hooks to remove the theme's headers and footers, but using hooks is the easiest and cleanest. For example, in Genesis you can remove the header with the following code.

If your theme's header and footer can be removed with hooks, the first step to providing support for Theme Builder is by declaring it on the after_setup_theme action in your functions.php file:

The next step varies from theme to theme, but the general idea is to check to see if a header or footer exists for the current page. If it does, remove the theme's default header or footer and add an action to render the header or footer built by Theme Builder. Here's what the code looks like to do that for Genesis:

Tip: If you're interested in an object-oriented approach to theme support, check out how we implemented Genesis support in the extensions/themes/class-fl-theme-builder-support-genesis.php file.

Add parts support

Theme parts are references to actions in your theme that a layout can be hooked into. For example, if your theme has a  before_header action, you can register that so theme parts can be rendered there.

Adding support for theme parts is basically the same as adding support for headers and footers. In fact, you can declare support for headers, footers, and parts at the same time:

After you've declared support for parts, you can use the fl_theme_builder_part_hooks filter to register your parts. The function for your filter should return an array of arrays for each group of parts, as shown below. Within the hooks array, set your actions to the array key, and set the human-readable label to the array value.

Here's an example of what that would look like for Genesis:


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Wednesday, May 22 • 11:55 - 12:30
Deep Dive: Kubernetes Architecture SIG - Timothy St. Clair, VMware

Sign up or log in to save this to your schedule and see who's attending!

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This will go into deep coverage of SIG Architecture's subprojects including the KEP process, the API review process, conformance testing review, and code organization. Other topics may include the evolving definition of what is in and out of scope for the project, as well as the latest visualizations of the ecosystem. Attendees should have a much better understanding of project architectural layering, governance, and goals.

avatar for Timothy St. Clair

Timothy St. Clair

Senior Staff Engineer, VMware
Timothy St. Clair is a Senior Staff Software Engineer at VMware and is a core contributor to the Kubernetes project, a Steering Committee member, and a lead on SIG-Cluster-Lifecycle. Timothy has worked on the development and integration of various open source distributed systems projects... Read More →

Wednesday May 22, 2019 11:55 - 12:30
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Support and Benefits

Experience the Oribe Hair Care Difference

We personalize our support for each salon based on specific opportunities to help achieve new levels of success in fields such as business management, technology, marketing and merchandising.

As part of our commitment to salons, we are fully dedicated to fighting diversion so the products on your shelves cannot be found at drugstores or mass retailers…and deprive you of profits.

Our benefits include a highly comprehensive education offering and the most generous station & backbar program in the industry, with salons earning up to 60% back on product purchases.

We work very closely with every client to maximize profit and sell-through without monthly minimums or auto launches.


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Being a content creator, I am tasked with brainstorming relevant content to post each day. In order to be a successful brand, it is vital that your social media accounts are consistently active with content. This often means tweeting a minimum of 5 tweets per day, posting 3x a day on Instagram, and perhaps a livestream every now and again. You would think that one would run out of ideas, right? This happens to be the case quite often for myself and other content creators. If you’re trying to find ways to always have something to say, here are my tips to get rid of your content creator’s block.

  1. Read the news. The trending news stories matter to your audience and to your brand. Check twitter to read what’s going on in news, entertainment, sports, etc. Then check CNN or another news source. I suggest reading at least 4 sources daily to gain some knowledge on what is going on in your local, national, and international communities. This will give you a lot of inspiration to curate social media posts from and begin engagement with your audience.
  2. Check your timeline. Chances are that people who you follow have something to say. See what they’re tweeting about. Engage in conversations with your followers. Conversations often spark your creativity and aid in the process of content creation.
  3. Take a break. Let your mind rest for a few minutes before you dive back into the creative process. Overthinking things never helps when it comes to creating content. Let it come naturally after you’ve taken your mind off of things for a moment.
  4. Make a visual. Sometimes a video or infographic can replace your clever tweets or instagram quote photos. Break the monotony and do something different! Visual content is often more engaging for your audience, too.

These are just four ways that I remedy my content creator’s block. Try them and see if they work for you. Do you have any tips for content creators? Comment them below!

Published by Keiana Holleman

Proud HBCU alumna with a degree in communications seeking to change the world through writing, marketing, and social media!

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Home Improvements

Giani Kitchen Countertop Makeover

Do you have ugly kitchen counters, but not the budget to replace.  Well I have the perfect solution. Giani Countertop Kit. Believe me, I did a lot of research and compared other brands, this one was a winner! Easy to do and cost saving.

Giani Countertop Kit can be used on:

  • Formica counter tops and vanities
  • Laminate counter tops and vanities
  • Corian counter tops
  • Butcher block counter tops
  • Tile with grout lines
  • Cultured marble vanities
  • One piece sink and counter vanities
  • Primed or painted wood
  • Primed or painted drywall
  • Cabinet inlays
  • Table tops
  • Mantels
  • Granite

So, if you have any of the above counters and want them to look beautiful….do this update. You will be so incredibly happy with the finished look. This isn’t a regular paint, it is minerals. Very thin consistency, almost like water. For those of you who are thinking that you’re not very creative, you really don’t have to be. What is so great is if you make a mistake, you can roll on the primer again and start over. Now I did a different technique, I blended the colors together and added acrylic metallic paint and glitter. For those who are afraid to try my technique, you don’t have to do the same. Just follow the instructions inside the box.

For those of you that want to get your creative juices flowing…have fun with it. I added the extra fine glitter on the bathroom counter top, that I posted yesterday.

So, don’t be afraid to try this!! You can do it! It is only around $80 for the kit and it did my whole kitchen. The kit has everything you will need inside the box.

I finished with the bathroom Makeover…now it’s kitchen time!!!! This is what I decided to go with….Giani Sicilian Sand Kit…Although I must say, I didn’t follow the pattern, I just wanted the colors. You will see later how I blended the colors instead of sponging.

I want to let you know that I do not have any relationship with Giani, nor did I received, it for exchange for review. I tried this brand after I did a lot of research on the product and started with the bathroom counters. I liked them so well…I ordered it Amazon.com  in a different color. It’s the same price all over the internet. Shipping free.
kitchen counters almost done, countertops, kitchen design, kitchen island
I had brown/golden cabinets. I sanded them all down, painted, then added the trim on the cabinet doors and drawers…I love how they turned out.
This will be a continued tutorial…posting steps as I go…(so I don’t forget anything).
To start, I used a SOS scouring pad to remove all the grease. I rinsed well….then sanded.
Now if you have laminate counter tops…fill in any seams with wood filler. There is no need to sand the laminate counter tops. The different looks are fabulous and they even come in a blue and a red now, so check out the many different colors. They just came out with a Carrara Marble kit that is fabulous and gorgeous all mixed in!
kitchen counters almost done, countertops, kitchen design, kitchen island
If you remember…..This is the present state of my kitchen:
kitchen counters almost done, countertops, kitchen design, kitchen island
I used this neat little Roybi  corner sander. Okay, so it’s not the biggest sander but…it sanded all 36 of my cabinets in the kitchen down to bare wood, and has worked so well with my other projects. It’s like that energizer bunny that keeps on going. It is inexpensive, under $25 If you don’t already have a sander, then this is great for so many projects. If you have a sander….great!
So I started sanding the tiles. These are ceramic tiles with a high sheen. You won’t be able to remove the sheen. What you are hoping to accomplish is just scratching the surface up a bit for the primer to grab on to. Be sure to rinse off all the dust. Wash down again, and let dry. Be sure if you have a counter top like mine, with grout, that you let the grout dry completely. Be sure to patch deep nicks with wood patch. Sand the patch smooth. Giani will cover thin scratches. Remove any loose latex or silicone caulk, replace with pain-table caulk.
These are the drying times:
Roll on one thin coat of Primer, then wait……….8 hours
Lightly sponge on all Minerals, then wait………..4 hours
Roll on first Clear Topcoat, then wait………………4 hours
Roll on your final Topcoat, then wait….
1 hour and carefully remove the frog/painters tape. Score the tape’s edge while pulling it up. Wait 12 hours and apply clear acrylic caulk around sink’s rim to seal out water. Wait 24 hours before using your counter tops and dishwasher…wait 3 days before setting small appliances back on your counter tops.
Giani Granite cures in 14 days.
I have a feeling this is going to be a long tutorial….I just don’t want to leave any important steps out.
So while I am waiting for the counter tops to dry, I will start taping off the cabinets below with plastic. I will also apply 2 rows of tape around backsplash where it meets the counters.
Okay….so here it goes. Now I tore out my backsplash so I didn’t run tape along the back wall.
This is the primer…a little can goes a long way. You only coat once. Giani’s kit comes with everything included except a brush. I need to use one behind the sink where the space is too limited for a roller.( Be sure to wash your brush right away when finished with primer). I covered my new faucet with a plastic bag just to be sure I don’t accidentally get paint on it.
kitchen counters almost done, countertops, kitchen design, kitchen island
It even comes with two rollers…one for primer…the other for top coat.You roll your roller in one stroke down the side. Now it was a lot harder doing tile in 4″tiles because of the valleys in the tile and grout. Be sure to get it all covered. I went one way, then went back the opposite way to be sure I got into all the grout.It dries to a tacky finish quickly, so…be careful going back to a area…as it could lift the primer. So go slow…take your time in each area.Do you see the areas to the right and left of roller….I did touch them up…but be sure you do the same.
kitchen counters almost done, countertops, kitchen design, kitchen island
I covered my sink with a towel…just in case!
kitchen counters almost done, countertops, kitchen design, kitchen island
So now I wait 8 hours….then the fun begins!!! Sponging the minerals on. The minerals are not paint. It is a thinner consistency.
So I started the painting….It’s sponge painting…You can’t make a mistake. If you do, you can just add the black back over it.
So I started pouncing with the first color…
kitchen counters almost done, countertops, kitchen design, kitchen island
Oh it looks awful! But don’t give up and don’t despair. It will look better with each color you add. Looks like my doggies climbed up there and walked around in the paint…hahaaa
kitchen counters almost done, countertops, kitchen design, kitchen island
Then you add the second and third colors…it starts to look better when you start applying the third color.
So I keep going back and adding color….You can barely see the lines from the tiles.I ended up blending the colors instead of dabbing the sponge. So my counter top came out a lot different then the instructions.
kitchen counters almost done, countertops, kitchen design, kitchen island
when 4 hours are up…I will add the first coat of the topcoat. I am thinking of putting some glitter on. If you do this….lightly sprinkle with your fingers.
kitchen counters almost done, countertops, kitchen design, kitchen island
Be sure to roll your roller evenly onto the counter top. I went from back wall…to front…all the way to the counters bull nose edge and down to end of tile..
kitchen counters almost done, countertops, kitchen design, kitchen island
kitchen counters almost done, countertops, kitchen design, kitchen island
I had put tape on stove edge to protect it. I took the foam brush that was included and added the top coat to all the edges around the stove and sink.
I did sprinkle some ultra fine silver glitter onto top very lightly.
Some of the mineral paint did get on the stove, but was easily removed by Alcohol on a cotton ball
kitchen counters almost done, countertops, kitchen design, kitchen island
When applying the topcoat, don’t brush on heavily. Remember to start from back of counter top (by the backsplash), and make one thin sweep to the front and down the front edge. When the first coat is dry…4 hrs…lightly sand over the glitter if it’s sticking out above the topcoat. Be sure to wipe any dust away before adding second topcoat. Apply the same way you did the first coat. Second coat is on….. and I can’t wait to put my kitchen back in order….My bathroom Giani White Diamond counter top, has such a hard shell on it now…It has held up now for 2 years perfectly!

Materials I used for this project:

  • Giani Counter Top Kit
  •  Ultra Fine Glitter
Thank you so much for looking!
Here are the different styles:
If you have formica counters you hate and want to get rid of….why spend thousands when you can do the whole kitchen counters for $79. Also, it lasts and lasts!
I had so much fun trying this. Yes, I made mistakes and had to start over again, but it worked out great. I was so apprehensive trying this, but truly it pretty easy. The hard part was masking off the appliances, cabinets, and walls. So have some painters tape handy!

37 thoughts on “Giani Kitchen Countertop Makeover”

    1. Thank you for looking! This stuff is great. You can use as directed for the look on the box, or you can blend the colors as I did. It’s so easy and if you make a mistake, you can just cover over it . It really holds up well!❤☺❤

    1. You can use any paint. It’s the medium, that doesn’t let the paint dry to fast and slide on the surface. The testors paint was used because of the colors. It’s a little more expensive then regular paint, but I love how it shines and shimmers.

      Liked by 1 person

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text:
Kellie M Home

Cushion baby toddler Round Rosette Grey Marle by Lazybones organic cotton

Lazybones rosette bedding is made with organic cotton.

This is the organic round cotton cushion.

Measures 40cm across and 10cm deep. Comes with cushion insert.

Matches the separately sold cot Quilt and cot sheet.

Better for us, better for our planet.


text:
Five years

5 years ago I woke up from a sleepless night.  I think I slept from 4:00 until 5:30.  I was too excited to sleep.  This day was going to be the first day of our happily ever after.

This was one of the happiest days of my life.  The other being when our daughter was born.  However, I think it is worth noting that I looked a lot better and felt a lot better on the day we got married as opposed to the day we became parents.

The weather was cool and a little dreary.  Father Mullen, the priest who had married us, had referred to it as a “soft Irish morning.”

I spent the morning in our bridal suite getting ready with my bridesmaids. My hairstylist said I was the calmest bride that she ever had.  The nerves didn’t hit me until it was time to board the trolley to the church.  It wasn’t nerves about getting married, just nerves that everything was going to go perfectly.

You spent the morning watching soccer at the Biergarten with some of the groomsman. You drank “das boot” even though I told you not to.

You always did what you wanted to do.

We had our whole lives together.

We bought our starter house.  Our daughter was born.  We bought a family car.  We made progress in our careers (you more than me).  We went on 5 cruises.

But our happily ever after only lasted 1422 days.

151 of those days I was upholding my vow “to be true to you in sickness and in health.”

And now it is our fifth wedding anniversary and you are dead.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen.  We were supposed to grow old together.  We were supposed to have at least two kids.  We were going to buy a bigger house and take many more cruises. We were supposed to go to San Diego.  And Scotland.  And London.   And Branson, Missouri.  (I still don’t understand that one.  But I will make it there someday).

You were supposed to walk our daughter down the aisle.  You were supposed to hold your grandchildren.

You wanted to be an adjunct college professor and write a book on election law.

You weren’t ready to die.  You were taken too soon.

And I am here, still reeling from everything that happened.  The other morning, I drove to the cemetery and I wept.  My whole body was shaking and I was gasping for air.  I have never cried so hard where it affected me physically.  I just kept saying “Why?  Why?  Why?”

404 days later and I am still asking why you have to die?

Maybe I will never know.

For the past 404 days I have thought about the 151 days you spent in the hospital, 149 of them in the ICU.

Every one of those 404 days, I have thought about what happened, how the events unfolded.

For 404 days, I have beat myself up which is ridiculous because I had no control over the situation.  That was up to God and the medical staff, both of which failed you.

For 404 days, I have felt empty.  An emptiness that felt like a deafening silence that echoed through my body.  The emptiness is both physical and emotional.  Your side of the bed is empty and you are not there to hear my stories.

You were aware the whole time you were in hospital and I have no idea what was going through your mind.  The other morning I was driving and listening to some morning talk show.  The hosts were discussing the song “Seasons in the Sun” and of course I lost it when I heard “It’s so hard to die, when all the birds are singing in the sky”. Because you weren’t able to talk, I have no idea what was going through your mind before you died.  Or even if you knew you were dying.

One of the hardest parts about your death was that we didn’t get to talk about it.  You went from having back pain to being intubated in a matter of hours.  For the following 149 days, you could not speak.  You were my best friend and we talked about everything but we couldn’t talk about how sick you were or that you may be dying.

We didn’t get any closure.

Wherever you are right now and in whatever form you are, I am sure you understand what happened.  But for me, on Earth and in human form, I struggle to make sense of it.

You left me with amazing friends.  They are now my family, but unfortunately it took your illness and death for us to realize what we meant to each other.

I am so much stronger than I ever thought I could be.  When you were sick, I looked forward to when you were better.  I was hoping that you would be proud of me.  But you died before you got to see that.

At your funeral, your best friend gave your eulogy.  He said we were the lucky ones because we got to know you.  In some ways, I must have been the luckiest one of all.  You chose me to be by my side.

You made such a big difference in my life.  You taught me so much.  You taught me my worth.  You believed in me and gave me confidence.  You told me I was beautiful.  One of my biggest regrets is not believing you.  I couldn’t just let you think I was beautiful.  I made it hard for you to love me.  I didn’t appreciate you. These things will always haunt me.

Our daughter was robbed because she was only 18 months when you went into the ICU and you left us a month before she turned 2.  But I am grateful that you left so many friends who love her. It makes my heart hurt to know what you won’t be taking her to any Father-Daughter dances, but you left many friends who would step up and take her.  I hesitate to use this analogy because I know how you feel about Hillary Clinton, but our daughter truly has a village.  That is one of your legacies to her.

I was talking to a friend of ours the other day.  I said that I wished you were here to weigh in on a problem one of us was having.  Because you would know how to handle it.  You knew how to handle everything.  I still need your advice.  Our friend said that while you were not here, at least you gave us a lot of advice when you were here that we can use.

But it is not the same.

Grieving your death has been exhausting.  Even though 404 days have passed, I still miss you so much that I literally feel physical pain.  I miss you so much that it literally takes my breath away.  I still go through the motions of life and I still feel dead inside.

I still have moments where I curl up in the fetal position and I cry my eyes out.

I am in a weird place because sometimes I wonder when it won’t hurt so much.  But then I get scared.  I know that in order to get to the point where it doesn’t hurt so bad means that I have to let go to a certain extent.  The thought of letting go brings on those feelings of pain.

Sheryl Sandberg says there is a one line Jewish prayer that states “Let me not die while I am still living.”

I am trying.  Some days I do okay.  Other days I feel like I can barely stay afloat.  Some days I feel like I am drowning.

But I know deep down that I need to live again.  When I think about all that you had given me in our short time together, I owe it to you to try to make my remaining days on Earth matter.

I just wish it didn’t hurt so much.


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Using the Keybase filesystem.

open /keybase/public/edward_p

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This file was signed by:

David Hazinski

Who is also provably:

Using the Keybase filesystem.

open /keybase/public/kaezarrex

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cd /keybase/public/kaezarrex

Install Keybase

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text:
Call Warrant

Underlying: Adecco SSPA/EUSIPA Product Type: Warrants (2100) SIX symbol: ADEWOU / Valor: 34557275 / ISIN: CH0345572751

Last update 15:09:33
  • Bid

    0.22 CHF
    Volume: 230'000

  • Ask

    0.23 CHF
    Volume: 100'000

Important note: The price data of the underlying asset that are displayed here merely serve as an indication and may not necessarily correspond to the prices that are relevant for the repayment or for any thresholds such as a stop-loss event or a knockout event. Only the sources and reference prices specified in the legally binding product documentation are relevant.

Day high60.80 CHF
Day low59.76 CHF
Previous close60.20 CHF
52 Week high63.30 CHF
52 Week low49.13 CHF


text:
Call Warrant

Underlying: LANDIS+GYR SSPA/EUSIPA Product Type: Warrants (2100) SIX symbol: UDLANU / Valor: 41902926 / ISIN: CH0419029266

Last update 17:07:02
  • Bid

    0.50 CHF
    Volume: 100'000

  • Ask

    0.51 CHF
    Volume: 50'000

Important note: The price data of the underlying asset that are displayed here merely serve as an indication and may not necessarily correspond to the prices that are relevant for the repayment or for any thresholds such as a stop-loss event or a knockout event. Only the sources and reference prices specified in the legally binding product documentation are relevant.

Day high102.90 CHF
Day low101.40 CHF
Previous close101.80 CHF
52 Week high105.60 CHF
52 Week low57.35 CHF


text:
A Place for All Women

What a friend

          The Sunday morning worship team’s rendition of “What a friend we have in Jesus” was all it took for the tears to start falling.  I just couldn’t help but remember the days when I stood next to my Mamaw, singing that same song in a little white wooden country church.  As we held hands, and I looked up at her, my heart was full of Jesus and I was happy

            A tap on my shoulder brought me back to my balcony seat in our large red brick church building where I now stand, feeling all alone, despite the capacity crowd.

            I don’t know if a “walk in the wilderness” is ever something you really expect, but ours was most certainly a summer surprise.  We were grateful for God’s providential provision, yet caught off guard by how easily our regular routines could be uprooted when I returned to an all-consuming work schedule.  My freedom to be flexible for our family was temporarily placed on hold, and it was harder on all of us than we ever imagined.

          I quickly confess that I began to stray away from God like the sheep we are described in the Bible to be.  I was headed for greener pastures… one bite at a time…both eyes open.  There didn’t seem to be enough hours in the day to eat right, exercise or get a good night’s sleep; and that added to the rising level of stress I brought back into our home.  But we knew it was a necessary season of sacrifice, so we all moved through the motions.

            In two shorts months, the morning quiet time I covet with God went from an hour to 20 minutes to five minutes to none at all.  Our family prayer time became a quick drop of the knees to recite The Lord’s Prayer, and pop back up in order to get on with the days demands.  Even as it was happening, I knew better, and I knew what the end result would be.  It was like grasping the hand of someone trying to save me as I was falling away all on my own.

             As the tears fill my eyes, I fasten my gaze on the trees outside the big sanctuary windows so no one can see me.  I know I can regain my composure quickly, but at the moment, I just feel empty.

           I turn to respond to the tap on my shoulder, and there stands our pastor’s wife, like an angel of light, letting me know that God has sent her to the balcony, that He is near…that He sees me…that He knows what has happened…that He is still my refuge and strength.  And, although I have felt alone out in the dry dusty desert where I chose to walk, the rains are on their way, and I will once again be able to stand before Him and soak up His living water.

“Oh what peace we often forfeit, oh what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.”

          It was only a few weeks later when I was blessed to be able to attend a women’s retreat where we were encouraged to stop for a time in order to immerse ourselves in God’s goodness.  I have to admit, I still walked through most of the weekend telling myself,  “Been here, done this, made the necklace.”  Despite my desire to feel God’s presence and hear His word, I was much more in the mood to hang out with my roommate, walk in the woods and soak up what remained of the autumn sunshine.  The “mountain-top” experience I have come to know and love at these retreats just wasn’t happening for me. So, I turned my attention to some of the other women.  First timers were finding they could leave this retreat with stronger convictions to stand confidently at their crossroads.  Tears were flowing as some women realized they had just come through a season of testing but had stood firm and would return home with even more determination.  Women, who knew no one when they arrived, were exchanging email addresses and cell phone numbers with their new friends.

            I sat in the front row wishing I knew exactly why I was here.  It was almost over, and like a much-needed vacation, it had gone way too fast.  Then a young woman stepped forward with these words:

My soul is a dry parched land

and my mind is a shattered piece of glass

I cough out the dust

and kick the broken shards to the sky

Oh Lord, Gather me up

Oh Lord, fill my spirit

Oh Lord, Gather me up

Oh Lord, Quench my thirsty soul

My feet won’t move toward you

and my hands are fists swinging wide

I scream out your name in pain

and cry out for healing rains

Oh Lord, Gather me up

Oh Lord, quench my thirsty soul

Oh Lord, Gather me up!

          She was like another angel of light delivering the message again.  He is near… He sees us…He knows what has happened…and He is still our refuge and strength.  Although we often feel alone, out in the dry dusty desert where we choose to walk, the rains are on their way, and we will once again be able to stand before Him and soak up His living water.

What a friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and grief to bear! What a privilege to carry
 Everything to God in prayer! Oh, what peace we often forfeit, Oh, what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged—Take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful, Who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy-laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior, still our refuge— Take it to the Lord in prayer. Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer! In His arms He’ll take and shield thee, Thou wilt find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised, Thou wilt all our burdens bear; May we ever, Lord, be bringing All to Thee in earnest prayer. Soon in glory bright, unclouded, There will be no need for prayer— Rapture, praise, and endless worship Will be our sweet portion there.

            No matter where you are, no matter how worn out, weary and spent you must feel, God is faithful to deliver you.  We are the ones who get out on a limb, stand at the edge of a cliff and allow ourselves to empty out into the lives of others and the demands of our days.

But Jesus is always there waiting for our return.

          It seems the more I write about Him, the more I return to thoughts of my childhood.  I wonder if it has anything to do with the way God wants us to come to Him.

I pass on to you the words our pastor’s wife left me with that Sunday morning.

“Stand in the rain, sister, stand in the rain!”

(Gather Me Up/2011-Melissa Duckworth)

(What a Friend We Have in Jesus/1855-Joseph M. Scriven)

© Copyright 2011, KeziahCarrie.  All Rights Reserved

Comments on: "What a friend" (4)

  1. Kay Knight said:

    Your posts always make me reflect on the things happening around me and in my life … in a good way. I always come away stronger in my faith and determined to live closer to Him. I will try my best to continue to ‘Stand in the Rain’ too sister!

    • It occurred to me last night that since He sees us, and He knows everything already, it frees us up from the need to be “seen” by others. And when we let go of our desire to be recognized, it’s easier to tell others how to find Him. Sort of that old “Kids are to be seen and not heard” theory in reverse; as an adult I would rather be heard and not seen. Remind me of this in a few days when I’m feeling unappreciated. 🙂

  2. I cannot even come up with words other than WOW. This post brought tears to my eyes. He really is always with us. I’m still in need of that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and not sure how I’m going to get through the next few months nor what will happen next . . . but all the while I’m on the path He is leading me on . . . He’s here with me. If we only focus on the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow lighted path, we fail to see that we’re STROLLING ALONG A RAINBOW!

    Thanks for an amazing post.

    • Just when I was wondering if I might have written the wrong post, your words come along to lift me up. 🙂
      I was listening to Joel Osteen last night as he reminded his millions of viewers that “Promotion comes from God, not from people.”
      You keep hoping, keep believing, keep walking, keep writing. Good things happen over time, GREAT things happen all at once!! 🙂

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text:
• Investment venture advisory

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When starting an operation in a new country, clients often need to understand the local regulation & environment. With our experience in assist various clients setting up their operations in Cambodia, we offer:

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In this article you will find many pictures about Garden. We hope this pictures will give you some good ideas for your project. This pictures is part of our article 20+ Incredible Old Furniture Repurposing Ideas for Your Yard and Garden. A curated list of images that will get you good ideas and inspiration.

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NOTE- sizing is generous.  No need to size up. They look fantastic sized down also for a more snug fit- meaning lots of wear from these as they look great worn baggier and also tighter!  Wash at 30°.


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Cost Management System Critical for Oil & Gas Projects

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Is it possible to control costs on a major project of significant complexity with simple in-house systems or Excel? Sure, it is possible. But is it responsible? That is a very different question. With our Cost Management System solution, reliability and quality of information is clearly higher. The system has been tested thoroughly and used on a wide variety of highly complex yet very successful projects.  It performs a lot of the heavy lifting required in projects by capturing key project data into a single database automatically.  The key reports Cost Engineers and the wider project team need are available at their fingertips on a web page from the moment they open their browser. It makes little sense for Cost Management labor to be largely consumed by managing the data rather than analysing it and managing cost, yet this is what many Excel-based and in-house systems require – particularly when projects are complex.

In large part precipitated by the downturn in Oil Price starting in Q4 2014, the Oil industry has shelved $200bn of spending on new projects[1].  Reprioritisation has resulted in the deferral of 46 large oil and gas projects with around 20bn barrels of oil equivalent.[1] Yet, despite this, many major organisations are maintaining project portfolios with significant total cost, albeit with much reduced average spend per project and a shift to more “short cycle” initiatives.

Clearly Project Controls and specifically Cost Management are areas you would expect organisations to focus on for their outstanding portfolios, and indeed most organisations have maintained very strong teams of key experts in this area. However, the tools that are available to these professionals to support the Cost Control aims of the business vary widely from one organisation to the next. Without a robust Cost Management solution teams have to use in-house or ad-hoc systems. In some cases very large capital projects may even have their costs managed using Excel. All of these non-system solutions add risk to the projects as human error in calculations are more likely, delays can be caused by the inability to mine and repurpose budget data quickly, and debugging and maintaining quality is a continual overhead for the cost team rather than something that is delivered ‘out of the box’ by a Cost Management system solution.

In short then, the industry has a perfect storm of cost reduction, smaller strategic project portfolios, and a greater need for on-time, on-budget planning than we have seen for decades. We know that ad-hoc, Excel based systems are less reliable and more error-prone than a purpose built Cost Management System. We also know that Cost Management systems provide enhanced accuracy, standards and rigor to Project Controls teams, enhancing their ability to both predict and control a project’s future expenses.

If you don’t have a robust Cost Management system today what should you do? Firstly, find a reputable solution supplier that has major customers that have created significant success on some of the world’s most complex projects. Ensure they are a supplier that works to empower your staff to use the technology rather than use their own consultants endlessly. Then leverage their expertise and technology. Executing key projects as efficiently and effectively as is possible will no longer be such a challenge and, let’s face it, such challenges are ones the industry can currently ill afford.

[1] “Oil groups have shelved $200bn in new projects as low prices bite” – Financial Times July 26th 2016


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Rainbows & Shopping

Last week the weather was very summer-like, with sunny skies and temperatures in the high 70’s and low 80’s. This is VERY unusual for March, and many temperature records have been broken. With the warm temperatures, the world is becoming greener as the leaves come out on the trees. The fruit trees are blossoming and the daffodils are blooming. It was so nice last week that I took my laptop out on the front porch each day to study Hebrew with my friend in Texas.
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