text:
Friday, April 26, 2013

April Food Budget $53.90

Life handed me a few things to deal with so I wasn't able to write much or share my food budget. But as promised I brought it back. My goal is to not necessarily focus on how much I'm spending but just keeping track of what I am buying and how I can improve it. Every little bit counts!

Yes yes yes I know I have a fancy new bread machine. I have no excuse at all . Well except that time is something I don't have much of. That's still no excuse. If I made my own I could avoid all this plastic. Anyone have any good tips on what to do with bread bags besides recycle them? I'd love to hear your tips!

I have a Franz Bread Outlet store a few miles from me and this is why I bought these. They have amazing prices and one good thing about bread is that you can freeze it. Here I bought 10 loaves of bread for $12 plus when you spend a certain amount of money they let you take a few for free. Today they let me take 3. Thats 13 items for $12. I make 4 sandwiches each day in my girls lunches.  Plus they sometimes have toast for breakfast and they LOVE sourdough toast. This should last us for a while. With these prices I don't go broke.
Total $12.00

Whole Foods

Organic chard 2/$3
Organic onions $3.99
Bell peppers $2.99
Flax milk $3.99
Liquid Aminos $3.99
Organic chicken breast on bone on sale $4.99 per lb.
Each paper wrapped chicken is about $3.99
Chicken $23.94

Total $41.90

Grand total for today $53.90

Peppers-Individual bell peppers are 2/$5. With such a price difference I sent ahead and bought the ones wrapped in plastic. I know it bugs the crud out of me. Thats a $2 price difference though. So I will just suck it up and be annoyed.

Onions-Again bulk onions are $2 or more per pound.  I would be spending a good $10 for the same amount of onions. Annoyed by the packaging but again I will suck it up. My friend Beth wouldn't be happy with me. Sorry Beth!!!!

Chicken-My husband is on this food diet which includes lots of protein. These are for him only. 2 weeks ago he paid $5.99 a pound for organic chicken from Costco. Were saving $1 per pound buying it from Whole Foods and no plastic packaging. Woot!

I'm still eating through all the meat I bought and put in the freezer. Using up what we have before I buy anymore. Of course if I come upon a great seasonal deal I will buy some & freeze it. This is how I save $$. Its a process but its well worth it when you save as much money as I have.

Im feeling pretty good about my purchases except for the plastic. As time goes I plan on perfecting this and growing as much food as I can to avoid plastic all together.  I'm still learning just like all of you. Lets do this together.

B. Girard said...

On what to do with the bread bags: I use the ones I get on the rare occasion (that sounds really sanctimonious, it's not, it's about how my hubbin reacts to gluten) that I buy bread to store the breads I bake. I turn them inside out and store them that way, wipe them off, then use them to put servings of bread into a freezer safe container to pull out one at a time.

B. Girard said...

And MAN ALIVE, that budget is tighter than mine. You go girl!

Wry Girl said...

We're always snagging bread bags from other people; they're perfect for cleaning up after our malamute when we go on walks. :) Grocery store bags often have holes, and we're unwilling to pay for bags. So, a thought if you have friends with large dogs. (or if you do... I didn't notice if you do, but mostly because I'm new to your blog.)


Content-Type: application/http; msgtype=response

WARC-Identified-Payload-Type: text/html

WARC-Type: response

text:
Sustain STEPS® evaluation report – April 2016

Added 10/05/2016

We received some of our best feedback yet from the 46 delegates who completed Sustain STEPS® to Excellence during April, with 99.28% giving the course delivery a positive rating and 99.38% doing the same for its content.
Four courses took place during the month, with delegates giving 100% positive ratings in nearly every area evaluated to show how the course is delivered, including:

  • adequate time was allocated to each unit and for reflection
  • the facilitator adapted to delegate requirements and ensured everyone was actively involved
  • the facilitator showed a thorough understanding of principle and theory
  • the facilitator demonstrated the application of theory to specific examples
  • the facilitator had an excellent attitude towards participants and delivered the course confidently and clearly
  • the personal resource manual was engaging and interesting
Everyone who took part said they would recommend the course to others and felt it was relevant to their profession, and also thought it would help them to:
  • feel positive about themselves
  • raise their confidence levels
  • expand their comfort zones
  • set goals
  • get along with others
  • take responsibility for themselves
Sustain STEPS April evaluation

Once again, we were delighted with some of the individual comments we received from delegates, who said they felt that affirmations and goal-setting were the most interesting concepts covered by Sustain STEPS® and would have the greatest impact on their lives. Individual remarks included:
“More courses like this would be BRILLIANT.”

“Excellent course. Excellent delivery.”

“Thank you so much. I have found this really challenging and potentially life-changing.”

“Very inspiring and exceptionally motivational session.”

“Thank you. I have really enjoyed this training and felt privileged to be part of such a fab group to share this journey.”

“I suffer from anxiety and panic attacks and this course has helped me think more positively and that I can overcome it if I believe in myself.”

“Really enjoyed the three days – great facilitators and loved how each activity illustrated a point or made you think differently.”

“I enjoyed the course very much and don't think it could be improved.”

Find out more

For more information about the services we provide, please do get in touch.

Or you can call one of our specialists on

+44 (0)1480 478230

Contact us

For more information click here to contact us

Document downloads

View our downloads

Case studies

View Sustain case studies

warcinfo:
isPartOf: CC-MAIN-2018-47
publisher: Common Crawl
description: Wide crawl of the web for November 2018
operator: Common Crawl Admin (info@commoncrawl.org)
hostname: ip-10-147-220-51.ec2.internal
software: Apache Nutch 1.15 (modified, https://github.com/commoncrawl/nutch/)
robots: checked via crawler-commons 0.11-SNAPSHOT (https://github.com/crawler-commons/crawler-commons)
format: WARC File Format 1.1
conformsTo: http://iipc.github.io/warc-specifications/specifications/warc-format/warc-1.1/


text:
2019 Jeep Yuntu plug-in hybrid SUV spied in Michigan

Well, this is something we haven’t expected to see here. The camouflaged vehicle you are looking at might be only the 2019 Jeep Yuntu. For those that haven’t heard about it, it’s actually the production version of the recently introduced concept. It is important to say that everyone (including the carmaker) claimed that the SUV won’t be available in North America at all. Instead, the plug-in hybrid mid-size three-row crossover was reportedly intended for China only. The main question is what’s it doing near FCA’s headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan if it’s not made for the U.S. market? Well, some sources claim that this might be the expected Jeep Wagoneer, but we are sure it’s the U.S.-specs 2019 Yuntu, and here is why:

2019 Jeep Yuntu

The prototype is camouflage, but some details point out what’s beneath. The SUV features pretty much the same footprint as its compact sibling. The body matches with Dodge’s Durango, which means that there is a third row of seats inside for sure. In addition, the windows and lights, both headlights and taillights are identical to concept’s, which is a reason more to believe that this is the 2019 Jeep Yuntu. Speaking of the headlights, we have to mention their attractive, narrow design and LED treatment of course. The camo seems to hide concept’s grille as well. In contrast to the rest of Jeep’s lineup, this grille is positioned right below the hood and features somehow narrower design. These exhaust tips are actually hiding two significantly smaller pipes, which is rather logical because the 2019 Yuntu isn’t going to be some thirsty SUV, but an efficient plug-in hybrid crossover.

2019 Jeep Yuntu spy-side

The carmaker hasn’t said anything about the Yuntu’s powertrain back at 2017 Shanghai auto show debut, so we don’t know what’s actually happening beneath the hood. As far as we think, the SUV might use something similar to the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. The minivan is getting its power from a drivetrain that combines an Atkinson cycle V6 with two electric motors for the total output of 260 horsepower. The vehicle is also featuring a 16-kWh battery pack, which enables an amazing fuel economy rating of 84 MPGe. The battery is fully charged in two hours on a 240-volt charger.

2019 Jeep Yuntu rear

Stay tuned for updates.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


text:
This is the second time we’ve managed to catch a prototype of the hottest GLS that’s going to be available in future. In contrast to the previous occasion when the mighty SUV was checking out […]

Our photographers managed to catch a prototype of the 2020 Audi A6 Allroad a few hours ago. The model which is heavily influenced by the A6 Avant is getting ready to receive some changes inside […]

U.S.-Specs 2019 Jeep Renegade

The refreshed Renegade SUV was revealed earlier this year in Europe. The vehicle will be available in North America as well, but the U.S.-specs 2019 Jeep Renegade is going to be slightly different from the […]

Scroll To Top


text:
Silicon Valley Business School

U.S. federal rules of evidence are presented in this module. Topics covered include relevancy of evidence, character evidence, hearsay, impeachment of witnesses, expert testimony, authentication and privileges.

Free Course Sections
Below you have free access to some of the learning materials in each section of this course. These are provided for you to educate yourself on the course content. If you want to gain a good understanding, we recommend you watch each video and read all the materials in each section before moving along to the next section.

Evidence: Introduction to Evidence
Evidence: Relevance
Evidence: Character Evidence
Evidence: Hearsay
Evidence: Witnesses & Impeachment
Evidence: Expert Witnesses
Evidence: Authentication
Evidence: Writings, Recordings, Photographs
Evidence: Privileges
Evidence: California Rules
Certificate Course
The Certificate Course covers the same material, but tracks your progress and tests you in each section. Once you have passed all the quizzes in the Certificate Course, you will be awarded a certificate of completion.

See Certificate Course


text:
Mar 202013
HMS Stubborn

The Dive:
The HMS Stubborn was scuttled in April 1945 after she was hit from a depth charge and lost her tail fin. Stubborn has dived down to 166m exceeding the limit depth of 90m because of this she has damage the hull distortion. Royal Navy scuttled the sub for ASDIC target, training naval officers listening on sonar devices to detect the presence of submarines.

This is a decompression dive and has to be done by boat. The wreck is in mint condition with lots of fish around it, penetration is very difficult and not recommended.

Location of Site:
2.4miles off Qawra Point : The wrecks co-ordinates are of N 35’ 58.950 // E 014’ 26.760
Type of Dive:
This dive has to be done via a boat dive. Descent and ascent only using a shot line which should be touching the wreck. Should the shot line not be touching the wreck but is visible from the shotline, you are in danger of making an ascent in the blue. For this type of dive, a diver must carry a DSMB and Reel

Maximum Depth: 58metres

Minimum Certification:

Technical or very experienced divers.

Be sure to go down the shot line directly connected to the wreck and you also make the ascent using the shot line as your reference point. If for any reasons the shot line is not on the wreck but it is within visible range, you are in danger of making an open water ascent. For safety reasons divers should carry a DSMB and reel in the eventuality that the diver does not find the shot line and must make an ascent into the blue

Wreck History :

Built by Cammell Laird & Co of Birkenhead UK & Launched on 11 Nov 1942 these 66 meters long S-Class submarine pennant number ‘P238’ was armed with 13 x 21 inch torpedoes. She has 6 bow torpedo tubes & 1 stern tube, 1 x 3” Gun in front of the conning tower and 1 x 20mm Oerlikon machine gun at the back. She had a crew of 44/48 under the command of Lieutenant Duff and later on in 1944 under Lieutenant Davies.

She served in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea and had her share of difficult times in these cold waters which instigated submariners’ fear on many occasions . In April 1945 a year before she was finally scuttled off Qawra Point, HMS Stubborn sailed into Malta for the first time en route to the Suez and eventually to the Far East where she took up patrolling duties with allied Navies in their struggle against the Japanese Navy.

It was at this phase of duty that Stubborn suffered its worst attack of the war and lost her complete tail fin which held the after hydroplanes and rudder. This loss was caused by depth charges but principally from hitting the sea bottom at 166 meters. S- Class submarines are only designed to dive to a max depth of 90 meters.

During the return voyage from Australia it became evident that the hull aft had suffered more distortion than was originally thought. Stubborn called back to Malta for her second and last time. As she was not fit to repair, she was stripped down from important equipment, instruments, armaments & periscopes before sent to her watery grave and used for ASDIC target, training naval officers listening on sonar devices to detect the presence of submarines.

HMS Stubborn lies at a depth of 56 meters 1.6 miles off Qawra Point. It is in a magnificent condition lying upright with a 10 degree list toward starboard side. The three escape hatches are open. It is very difficult to enter inside; the widest hatch is only 60 cms in diameter with heavy sedimentation inside. S-Class submarines were designed as a replacement for the H-Class and they proved so successful a design that production of this class was re-started on the outbreak of war and continued until end of hostilities. Continual modifications were made to the vessels during the war.

A total of 67 S-Class submarines were build, 29 of them were sold for scrap, 20 were lost during the war, 12 were sold to other navies and again were cut down for scrap iron, 4 were cancelled on construction and were never build and 2 were scuttled one of these is HMS Stubborn

A team of divers first relocated Stubborn on 24/7/94. Although charted the wreck was found 200 meters off current charted position. Prior to 1994 nobody from the Maltese diving community knew that such a magnificent wreck existed so close to the Maltese shores.


text:
Blake Henry
Swainsboro High Class of 2008

Blake  Henry's Profile Personal Info

Blake Henry
Graduation Year:

Looking for Blake Henry?

Try these sites:

Blake  Henry Memories Memories of Blake Henry

Are you Blake Henry?

This page means someone is someone is looking for you. Register for free to let other alumni contact you and more:

  • Let others find you
  • Contact old friends
  • Share photos and memories with other registered alumni

Looking for Blake Henry?

This is a placeholder page for Blake Henry, which means this person is not currently on this site. We do suggest using the tools below to find Blake Henry.

About placeholder profiles

You are visiting the placeholder page for Blake Henry. This page is here because someone used our placeholder utility to look for Blake Henry. We created this page automatically in hopes Blake Henry would find it. If you are not Blake Henry, but are an alumni of Swainsboro High School, register on this site for free now.


WARC-Identified-Payload-Type: application/rss+xml

text:
SWANNY.ME http://swanny.me Musings of a 30 something... Mon, 24 Sep 2018 09:10:23 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.8 https://i1.wp.com/swanny.me/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/cropped-SWANNY.ME-2.png?fit=32%2C32 SWANNY.ME http://swanny.me 32 32 104684968 The Misfit Mum – Beating the ‘Mum’ Anxiety http://swanny.me/2018/09/24/the-misfit-mum/ http://swanny.me/2018/09/24/the-misfit-mum/#respond Mon, 24 Sep 2018 09:03:42 +0000 http://swanny.me/?p=665 Tough Week The Misfit Mum: So the past week or so has been very busy. Emotionally it’s been a bit of a roller-coaster. Boo is…

The post The Misfit Mum – Beating the ‘Mum’ Anxiety appeared first on SWANNY.ME.

Tough Week

The Misfit Mum: So the past week or so has been very busy. Emotionally it’s been a bit of a roller-coaster. Boo is having a ball at his new school, but this week had an altercation which has completely set off my anxiety.

I’ve always had a bit of a complex when it comes to school and school mums. Everyone seems so lovely at this new school, but like any new social situation it’s really hard work and there’s so much uncertainty.

Being slightly ‘out there’ and excitable, I don’t tend to fit into the ‘normal’ mould. I get nervous and talk too much. I’m ‘weird’! I think I just come across as ‘too much’ and scare people off. Not their type of person. I’ve always struggled to fit in and make good friends. But I hope this time it’s different. I don’t want to be the ‘misfit mum’ anymore.

The lie

When Boo was born, I got excited about the nursery/ school years and looked forward to the close friendships, like you see on TV… Pathetic really, when I take a step back and look at it. They haven’t really happened as I expected. I don’t have that regular group of friends I meet with or anyone who speaks to me on a regular.

As in previous years, I’m keen to get involved with the school and support them. I love getting involved with the boys schools and clubs, but I’m also aware of how this didn’t overly help before. I loved helping, it always gave me a real sense of reward. Seeing the kids little faces and knowing that by helping, it was making these events possible. Although, it didn’t make people want take time to get to know me… It played on and heightened my insecurities in a lot of cases. I was ‘that mum’ who who was always there. Always on hand to help. Always the one who knew every kids name and quirk. But never the mum anyone really wanted to get to know.

I’ve got this…

Although this sounds very ‘woah is me’, I have moved on and am so much stronger about my insecurities and anxiety. It lingers, but it rarely takes hold. I also know I’m not on my own with this feeling. I work full time now and so I’m not so ‘available’, but my want to help is still strong. I will do the things that make me feel good and make me a better person and I will be there for my boys…

The Misfit Mum

So I may not be ‘normal’, but I care and I will always give every friendship, every project and everything I do all I can. Being ME is the most important thing these days.

The post The Misfit Mum – Beating the ‘Mum’ Anxiety appeared first on SWANNY.ME.

http://swanny.me/2018/09/24/the-misfit-mum/feed/ 0 665
Premier League, Primary Stars http://swanny.me/2018/05/04/plprimarystars/ http://swanny.me/2018/05/04/plprimarystars/#respond Fri, 04 May 2018 17:56:28 +0000 http://swanny.me/?p=628 A couple of weeks ago I was invited celebrate a year of the Premier League Primary Stars programme. The event was so inspiring and until…

The post Premier League, Primary Stars appeared first on SWANNY.ME.

A couple of weeks ago I was invited celebrate a year of the Premier League Primary Stars programme. The event was so inspiring and until that evening, I wasn’t aware of how much went on behind the scenes. I had seen a few tweets about the programme when it first launched in March 2017, but was gobsmacked at how many schools are taking part!

The Premier League Trophy

Primary Stars

The programme has already got over 100 football clubs involved, engaging in over 15,000 primary schools in England and Wales and is growing at a fast pace. The programme takes the glitz and glamour of the Premier League stars into schools to help inspire and motivate the children. Aimed towards key stages 1 and 2, the teacher resources are completely free to download from their website for PE, PSHE, English and Maths. They even offer in school support by sending professionals and footballers to help train the teachers to keep the legacy going year after year! Kits
The evening was hosted by Ben Shires of CBBC fame, where he shared the incredible achievements of the program and some moving videos that really tugged at the heart strings. Watching children who struggled with their learning, until the programme was introduced, and to see their passion to succeed and get better was so emotional. It made me think of my two boys, who both very different, have had their struggles at school with reading and writing.

GETHYN’S STORY – SWANSEA FC from Rhyss Hall on Vimeo.

Premier League chairman Richard Scudamore spoke about where he saw the programme going and aims to reach the remaining 5000 schools who haven’t yet signed up. I’m pretty sure Alex’s school is one of those and I will certainly be sharing the Premier League love with them!

Writing Stars

The evening had delight after delight. My favourite being when they announced the winners of the Writing Stars Campaign, backed by the National Literacy Trust. The competition, to write a poem about resilience, received over 25,000 entries from primary school children aged between 6 and 11.
The winning entries were heartwarming and emotional. ‘Monkey Bars’, written by 6 year old  Amelie which was about how she overcame the challenge of the monkey bars. Beautifully written and so mature in language for someone so young! The other winner was by Sadie who wrote an emotional poem about her mothers battle with cancer and celebrating her mothers bravery. So beautiful, so emotional, I couldn’t help but cry.
Cressida Cowell and Lauren Childs presents Amelie and Sadie their awards.
The competition inspired a book called “Try, Try, Try again” and contained poems from the entries and also some famous faces can be found in there too! Cresida Cowell (How to train your dragon) and Lauren Childs (Charlie & Lola) attended the event to discuss the programme and they read out some of the wonderful poems included the book.
Sadie and Amelia’s poems can be found at here, along with the other winners who have been included in the book.

My story

Going to school comes with mixed emotions for primary school kids. Some *really* love it, some hate it, but then there are the kids who like it, but struggle and feel left out. I have two children who are very different when it comes to school, which I will go into shortly. At a bare minimum, you expect your child to be reading and writing. With schools today stretched beyond their means, it can be hard to provide the right level of support to all children and as a result, this can cause them to lose interest or be left behind.

I have one of each, so I have seen this from both sides of the spectrum. My stepson, who is my eldest (13), is an intelligent boy who has a freakishly quick mathematical mind. He *loves* to read, but struggles terribly with spelling and handwriting, due to his dyspraxia. Lack of resources and in some cases, teachers meant that he didn’t always get the help and support he needed from his primary school. Special needs were, at times, overlooked or dismissed. As a result he became disillusioned with the schooling system and he found it hard to trust teachers. He fell behind at school and this caused other issues to arise that were more difficult to address and deal with.
Heart breaking for his mum, dad and I, it was hard to know what to do to change this. Even a totally consistent, loving and supportive family couldn’t ‘fix’ this. It was broken – and to him, beyond repair. The school was poorly funded and was located in a rural part of Scotland. Certainly not high on the list of the boroughs priorities.

The Little Fierce One

On the other hand, I have my 6 year old son, who as a toddler was super advanced. Talking in fluent sentences at the age of two and being able to write and spell basic three letter words before he even started school, he didn’t have the struggles my stepson had. Yet, he too has faced problems with reading and writing at school, but for very different reasons.
Due to being *too* advanced, he is rarely read with. There is no one to one reading and only reads within a group maybe twice a month. Due to the ‘ease’ of school, I feel this has led to focus problems for him and he has lost interest in a number of key areas including reading and writing. This, to me, is heartbreaking as his reading level is exceptional. He reads Harry Potter, Tom Gates and Secret Seven books etc, but since told that he won’t become a ‘free reader’ this year at school because “they don’t do that in year 2 anymore”, he’s left goalless and demotivated.

Well done Premier League!

Initiatives like the Premier Stars programme would have worked wonders for my eldest. It’s sad that it is too late for him now, however, I hope my youngest can benefit from something like this.
I think it’s wonderful the Premier League are using their profile to help children learn the absolute basics in education and they’re doing it in a way that makes learning fun and exciting. I had a wonderful night and I really hope to follow this up again next year and see how many more schools have signed up and the longer term affects on the existing schools.

The post Premier League, Primary Stars appeared first on SWANNY.ME.

http://swanny.me/2018/05/04/plprimarystars/feed/ 0 628
The Road to TestBash Brighton http://swanny.me/2018/04/07/the-road-to-testbash/ http://swanny.me/2018/04/07/the-road-to-testbash/#comments Sat, 07 Apr 2018 18:12:39 +0000 http://swanny.me/?p=603 Around two months ago, almost exactly to the day, I found myself head in hands wondering what to do with my life. As someone who…

The post The Road to TestBash Brighton appeared first on SWANNY.ME.

Around two months ago, almost exactly to the day, I found myself head in hands wondering what to do with my life. As someone who worked their entire life until having my son, the past few years have been incredible, but have left me wondering where the ‘real’ me went. Whilst you know, as a ‘mum to be’, that your life is about to change massively, I don’t think anyone can prepare you for exactly how much!

The Idea

I was a community manager for a software company when I left to look after my son and I loved my job. Whilst social media is something that I’m good at and would ‘fit’, I didn’t feel it was the challenge I was after. Going back to work is so much more than the money for me. I want to engage and work with a passionate team on a cool product and most of all, I want to be challenged and learn.

I’d thought about this for weeks, months even. I just didn’t feel that social media was the way forward for me anymore. Over the years a number of people had mentioned software testing. But it wasn’t until my husband mentioned it this one evening, whilst my head was in my hands, that I sat up and listened.

The Decision

My husband is a software architect in London. He’s very experienced in what he does and has a great understanding of testing. We sat and we chatted about it for ages and he contacted his lead QA at work, who also had a very detailed conversation with me. It sounded like the perfect job for me and so I was keen to get cracking. She introduced me to Rosie at Ministry of Testing and we chatted further and I discovered there was the possibility of applying for a Minisrty of Testing Scholarship that would enable me to attend the popular TestBash in Brighton in 2 weeks time.

I didn’t want to jump in and apply for the scholarship until I had done a bit more research. So, in the mean time, I had posted in a few start-up groups on Facebook about possibly interning or if anyone was looking for a junior to take on and train up. I had a few people contact me, including some ex colleagues, but one person in particular has been constant with the advice and support and has become a good friend, Shey Crompton.

Shey is a mountain of knowledge when it comes to testing and the testing community. He suggested a meetup in Brighton, two weeks down the line which was a Software Testing Clinic meetup aptly named ‘What is Testing?’. It couldn’t have been a more perfect topic and excellent timing.

Software Testing Clinic

The two weeks passed quickly and I arranged to meet up with the lovely Rosie before the event. I was so excited, but nervous as I just didn’t know what to expect. I met Rosie in Wagamama where she was sat with two of her gorgeous children. We had a good chat about why I wanted to go into software testing and she told me more about the Ministry of Testing and how it could support me with my search.

After food, we headed over to the meetup, where there was a room full of people. As the evening went on, it was obvious that there were people starting out in the industry and others who had clearly been doing this for many years. It was a great mix. There was such a buzz and passion for the job from all and it was soon very clear to me that this was something I wanted to do. It not only felt like something I wanted to do, it felt like something that I could be good at.

The evening was presented by Mark Winteringham and the ever energetic, Emma Keaveny. I had heard about Emma before the event as she was the first person to benefit from the Minsitry of Testing Scholarship. I was really keen to meet her and she certainly didn’t disappoint. Emma’s positivity and energy was exactly what I needed that evening. She shared her story with me and there were so many things that I could relate to.  That evening I also met Dan Billing who was the mentor of our group that evening. I learned a lot from Dan that evening. He too, like Shey, has become a great support to me in my quest to become a software tester.

TestBash: The Application

I got home at around 11pm that evening and I was buzzing… It was the happiest I had been in ages because, finally, my direction was crystal clear to me. Software testing sounded perfect and the community that goes with it was incredible. My poor husband, I couldn’t shut up about the night I’d had and what I’d learned. It was a no brainer, I had to apply for this scholarship. I spent the next hour writing my application letter and went to bed. My head was full from everything that had happened that evening.

The next day, I was constantly checking my phone. Even though I knew realistically it would take time for my application to be reviewed. As I climbed into bed at 11.20pm that evening, my phone pinged. I didn’t think anything more of it. When I checked it was an email from Richard, Boss Boss at Ministry of Testing. My heart did a funny flutter and I took a deep breath and opened the email. There it was! I had been offered the scholarship for all 4 days. Despite my sleeping husband, I jumped up and down and woke him up! “I got it! I got it!” I shouted. Over the moon, I called my Dad and told him too. My journey was beginning and I couldn’t wait!

Next: The TestBash Experience – coming soon!

The post The Road to TestBash Brighton appeared first on SWANNY.ME.

http://swanny.me/2018/04/07/the-road-to-testbash/feed/ 1 603
World Book Day with Pizza Express and Scribblers HQ http://swanny.me/2018/03/01/worldbookdaypizzaexpress/ http://swanny.me/2018/03/01/worldbookdaypizzaexpress/#respond Thu, 01 Mar 2018 16:47:14 +0000 http://swanny.me/?p=590 A couple of weeks ago, Boo and I were invited to Pizza Express in Holborn to take part in their World Book Day workshop, where…

The post World Book Day with Pizza Express and Scribblers HQ appeared first on SWANNY.ME.

A couple of weeks ago, Boo and I were invited to Pizza Express in Holborn to take part in their World Book Day workshop, where he got to learn the secrets of story telling. Now, Boo is superb at reading and recently read his story to the entire school in assembly – proud mummy moment. He has a very active imagination, so as you can imagine, we jumped at the opportunity to flex his story telling skills further.

The workshop was run by a couple of lovely ladies from Scribblers HQ, who have taken their training for kids all over the UK and have been at Camp Bestival for a number of years now. The tables were set up with lots of creative bits – pens, pencils, cutouts etc. The children were all given a booklet and before the workshop had even started, you could see the children were raring to go, writing their names on the cover and drawing pictures. Alex sat near the front discussing his love for Star Wars… No surprises there.

I don’t want to reveal too much about the workshop as it was fantastic and if you have a little writer, this is the perfect workshop for them. The way they explained how stories were created and with the help of Luke Skywalker, Harry Potter and Moana to name a few, they had the kids gripped. Some of the secrets revealed had the kids super surprised!  The workshop lasted for an hour and at the end the children were able to take home their masterpieces.

After the workshop, we all sat down and had some pizza and my favourite, dough balls!!! Who doesn’t love dough balls?! Pizza is a huge favourite in our house and, as always, the Pizza Express food was lovely and the staff were super accommodating.

The kids all got on like a house on fire and it was lovely listening to Boo tell me about the new friends he’d made as we walked down the road to the Cartoon Museum. It was a lovely little gathering and I met some lovely mums that day, who I’ve kept in touch with.

Boo had a great time and said it was the best day of his half term and I found it super memorable too!

These amazing workshops are running in Pizza Express’ all over the UK – Click on the links below for more details on how to book.

–    Sunday 4 March, in Birmingham

–    Saturday 24 March Manchester

–    Sunday 25 March, Leeds

PizzaExpress is also supporting World Book Day with a special edition of the Dough Ball
Times activity pack, available in restaurants until the 25th March, featuring a £1 National Book Token and a competition where children are invited to win a year’s supply of books by
designing their own World Book Day Dough Ball Bookmark.

For more information head to: www.pizzaexpress.com/worldbookday

16.02.18 – London, UK.
A childrenÕs creative writing workshop for 7-12-year olds in partnership with Scribblers HQ and PizzaExpress entitled: ‘How to write a novel in 60 minutes’ at the PizzaExpress restaurant in Holborn, London.
Photo: Professional Images/@ProfImages

The post World Book Day with Pizza Express and Scribblers HQ appeared first on SWANNY.ME.

http://swanny.me/2018/03/01/worldbookdaypizzaexpress/feed/ 0 590
Moving towards positivity. http://swanny.me/2018/02/22/moving-towards-positivity/ http://swanny.me/2018/02/22/moving-towards-positivity/#respond Thu, 22 Feb 2018 10:53:18 +0000 http://swanny.me/?p=576 Following my last post, I’ve decided to stop procrastinating and stop thinking ‘what if?’.  It’s time for positivity! It’s time to do!!! I’ve actually made…

The post Moving towards positivity. appeared first on SWANNY.ME.

Following my last post, I’ve decided to stop procrastinating and stop thinking ‘what if?’.  It’s time for positivity! It’s time to do!!! I’ve actually made a decision to just go for it and get back into the working world.

The thought of going back to work…

As a mum to two boys, I find this so daunting. There are so many insecurities that emerge when you’re a stay at home mum that hasn’t been to work for a few years. Am I good enough? Can I still do this? How will this work around school holidays? Will I have to start from the bottom, again? Do I try something new? The questions feel endless and there’s a whole world of overwhelm.

It’s taken me a while to get to this point, because of all of those questions… and a few more I’ve not added. I’ve talked myself through them and I feel confident that now is my time. So what’s stopping me?! Well, coming back from such a long break is hard! I’ve found that since having my son, there are a lot of people who start to talk down to you in an overly sympathetic tone. Irritating! Having a child didn’t make me any less intelligent.

The ‘Mum Barrier’

So, before Boo, I was always successful in anything I put my mind to. I worked hard, I went that extra mile when needed, I networked… I HUSTLED! My days rarely finished at 6pm when work was over, it was then on to promote my tech website and connect with people. Life was busy. Re-connecting with people after 6 or so years has proven to me that I was a good networker and surprisingly to me, I was apparently memorable.

There’s unfortunately a problem I keep encountering… The Mum Barrier. Being a mum has made it incredibly hard for me to get past initial conversations. Potential employers quite clearly find it a complete turn off. You could say this is all in my head. Sure! But I’ve found that people have been really interested in me until I reveal that I have two boys 6 and 13.

I have had a good few conversations where people have said they will speak to their teams, they’re keen etc. etc. and once I have made the ‘big reveal’, they completely U-turn and become completely non- committal, voicing concerns about full time hours and dedication. Bear in mind, not at any point have I ever said I can’t do full time or put the hours in. This kind of interaction infuriates me.

Dumbing Down

I’ve also found that after having my son, people who once spoke to me on a level seem to readjust their opinions and start to become incredibly condescending. Having a child hasn’t dumbed me down, people! If anything, it has made me a much more rounded person than I once was! I am even more fiercely ambitious than I ever was. I want to be an exemplary example to my boys. I want them to have a successful mum and dad that they can look up to and aspire to be like, whilst spending quality family time with them and living a fulfilling life.

So, What Now?

Well… I have big news, that I would like to post separately to this. It’s big. It’s exciting. It could be life changing!!! So, I want to give it the platform it deserves. Prior to this, I did apply for a couple of jobs. Everything was very positive, until I dropped the child bombshell. But I won’t let this knock me down. I will get right back up, as I have done, and this time, I will show these people who they missed out on! Positivity breeds positivity and that has been proven to me so many times over this week! I am happy to say that in the past few days I have met some of the most motivated and positive people ever, and I have no doubt that with these people gunning for me, I can really hit my goals and achieve my dreams! You all know who you are!!! 🙂

If you follow me on social media, you’ll know what my big news is, but in the mean time, I will write up about how inspiring this week has been and, indeed, what the big news actually is.

Swanny xx

The post Moving towards positivity. appeared first on SWANNY.ME.

http://swanny.me/2018/02/22/moving-towards-positivity/feed/ 0 576
Education – Why must it be so difficult?! http://swanny.me/2018/01/11/education/ http://swanny.me/2018/01/11/education/#comments Thu, 11 Jan 2018 16:05:11 +0000 http://swanny.me/?p=573 Education! Only one of the biggest decisions you’ll make for your child right?! So why is it so bloody difficult? Now we are doing okay…

The post Education – Why must it be so difficult?! appeared first on SWANNY.ME.

Education! Only one of the biggest decisions you’ll make for your child right?! So why is it so bloody difficult?

Now we are doing okay by anyone’s standards. My husband has a good enough job that I don’t have to work. When my son was two, I stopped working to spend more time with him before he went to school. I felt this was so important for his development and I wanted to be there with him through these years. I know I’m really lucky to be in this position and that not all mothers have this luxury.

Bright Spark

One thing that was really clear from a very young age was that my son was a quick learner and very bright. I know what you’re thinking… I’m that mum that thinks the sun shines out of her son’s backside. Not true and, in fact, you couldn’t be further from the truth. Whilst he’s super bright, he’s also been quite difficult to manage at times. My son could speak in full, conversational sentences by the age of two, he was reading basic words and writing before he started reception. That’s just the facts. He loves knowledge. He experiments with things and is constantly asking questions. It’s like an unquenchable thirst for him.

Quenching the thirst

In recent months, we have been looking to send him to a school which has more resources to challenge him and at least try to quench that learning thirst. But in this day and age, that means money… A bloody lot of money! Despite my husband being on a good wage, forking out fifteen grand a year just isn’t an option for us right now. Not with two kids to support and a mortgage to pay. In fact, our biggest need right now is to move to a bigger house as my stepson moved in with us a year and a half ago. Realistically the boys having their own space and their own bedrooms is a huge priority. It makes me think though, how much DO you have to be earning in order to be able to comfortably afford a private school, because we’re not struggling, but at the same time, there’s no way we could afford to pay the fees of a private school.

I’m sure you’re thinking, why not go back to work and pay for his education yourself? And this is definitely something I’m considering. However there are a couple of things that are holding this back at present that are too personal to share so publicly right now.

As an incredibly hands on mum to both my boys, this is really getting to me. I have a bright child who despite going to one of the best state schools in the area, is coasting and losing interest. I spend a lot of my time doing bits at home with him and whilst I don’t mind this, there should be some kind of support for this at school. Schools tend to focus on the children who are struggling the most, which is understandable but the brighter kids also need challenging to keep them engaged.

The Solution?

Although his school is one of the best in the area, there is no additional learning or support for the more advanced kids in the year.My son has lost a lot of confidence in the past year or so. He comes home regularly telling me things are ‘easy’ and that he’s ‘bored’. Thankfully he has a fantastic teacher and TA this year and for that I couldn’t be more grateful for. My worry is that from year three and onwards, that’s when the real pressure of school starts. I really want to get a head start on this.

We recently applied for a bursary at one of the local private schools. It was the perfect setting for him academically and extra curricularly. I have absolutely no doubt he would have done amazingly well there and been a real champion. However, our application was turned down due to our income, which although I appreciate is above average, it’s not private school level. Whilst my son took it really well, considering that was the school he really wanted to go to, I was left in pieces.

I feel like I’m letting him down. But I don’t have 15k minimum at my disposal. As a privately educated person all my life, this has really left such a bitter taste in my mouth. I was always under the impression that private schools wanted to attract the brightest students to keep their ‘stats’ up. After this experience, I can’t help but wonder if it’s all about money after all.

As a parent, what do I do? Someone suggested maybe using the money we would have paid to pay for a tutor, but I feel strongly that when the school day is done, it’s DONE! The evening should be a time of recreation and relaxation before bed. Additionally, I shouldn’t have to pay for a tutor because my child wants to learn more. But I also appreciate that the resources available at state schools are limited.

Catch 22

It’s that catch 22 situation. I’d love to hear from anyone who has gone through something similar with their child. I feel that I’m limiting him by keeping him at his current school, but without the funds, I’m also completely unable to further his learning. I know I’m not failing him as I’m doing everything in my power to support him, so why do I feel so much guilt?!

The post Education – Why must it be so difficult?! appeared first on SWANNY.ME.

http://swanny.me/2018/01/11/education/feed/ 1 573
Happy New Year from Swanny! http://swanny.me/2018/01/04/happy-new-year/ http://swanny.me/2018/01/04/happy-new-year/#comments Thu, 04 Jan 2018 17:25:01 +0000 http://swanny.me/?p=566 Happy New Year every one. 2017 has definitely been a challenging one. Not all bad, but not all great either. Just as I started to…

The post Happy New Year from Swanny! appeared first on SWANNY.ME.

Happy New Year every one. 2017 has definitely been a challenging one. Not all bad, but not all great either. Just as I started to get on a roll and things started to look up, it’s the end of the bloody year!!! But that’s not a bad thing, it just means that I’m in a better place to start 2018, right?!

Happy New Year
Happy New Year

I’ve had to dig really deep the past year to get where I am today. It’s been a tough year as far as motivation goes. I find it so difficult looking back on how successful I once was, both at work and with my tech blog. Having a benchmark to work towards really helps though, I think. I’m more than aware how much hard work and dedication is needed to be successful and this year, I’m determined to show that in everything I do. Not just my blogging and my business, but my friendships, as a wife and mother, my sports and my health. 2018 is my year.

In previous years, I haven’t really done New Year resolutions. I don’t even really like thinking that what I’ve written now is a resolution list as such, just things I would like to achieve. I think each point is something that will lead to me being a happier person and supporting another item on the list. So, here it is…

1. Fitness – This is probably the main ‘resoloution’ that people make in the New Year. Resolutions like this, I feel, need to be expanded upon and some kind of realistic plan put in place. So, my plan is to move my pilates class to a Monday which allows me to start back to Karate on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I want to start up my running again and so, I’m considering doing this on a Friday morning with a friend. A fit body leads to a fit mind and in order to achieve my other goals, I need my health.

2018 Goal: Achieve my 1st Dan and black belt in Karate

2. Organisation – This is a huge one for me. I spent a lot of last year missing appointments and running around like a headless chicken because I was so disorganised. Funny, as I can organise anyone else with no problems at all. It’s my time to shine in 2018 and without organisation, this is just not going to happen. So, this year, I want to have all of my appointments digitally recorded as well as in my planners. I want to spend time every morning going over what it is I need to do and achieve that list in full, every day, as often as possible. Procrastination was probably my key word of 2017, unfortunately, but I don’t want it to even enter my vocabulary this year.

2018 Goal: Deep plan weekly to stay ahead.

3. Success – This is another mammoth one for me. I’ve always set myself high standards and to be successful is a big thing for me. Anything I’ve set my mind to in the past, I’ve been successful at. In recent years, since having my son, I have found focus hard. My son, in this time, not only has been my number one priority, but he has also had my complete focus. This has meant that, despite starting some cool projects, I haven’t had the capacity to see them through to where I would have liked them to be. This changes this year. So this resolution is to focus on my business and grow. 2018 is about growth for my business and to make my brand known.

2018 Goal: To be making a steady, regular monthly income from my business.

4. Be a better person – I want to break this one down

  • I want to be a better wife and mother. I’ve done a lot, and I mean a lot of thinking about this. Although my family are my world, I don’t feel like I do anywhere near what I could do. I want to make more of an effort to go out with the boys. Experience more of the great outdoors, enjoy more board games together and teach them there’s more to life than tech and TV. This was something on my list for 2017, however, I don’t feel like I have made much of an impact with it.A big part of this is wanting to shout less. It’s been a difficult year of adjustment for us. There have been a number of battles to overcome send these will be ongoing for some time to come. I feel like if I’m more organised and am running a more organised household, then I shouldn’t have the need to shout as much. I feel like when I shout the most is when I feel like I’m drowning from everything going on around me. It’s the stress of everyday life getting the better of me.
  • I want to be a better friend. I realised over the past year that I could have made more of an effort. Friendship is a two way thing and you can’t expect others to make an effort, if you, yourself, don’t. Over the last few years, I’ve realised that I don’t need a whole load of friends. I wanted so desperately to be ‘popular’ when I was young (didn’t everyone?!) but I turned out to be the opposite. I thought that things might change in adulthood, but as I’ve discovered, I’m just an acquired taste it would seem. I think the people who have taken the time to get to know me will tell you, I’m a good friend. However, there are a few people that I want to make an effort to be a better friend to. Treat those as you wish to be treated.

2018 Goal: Reconnect with close friends that have drifted away.

5.  Get my house in order – So, we bought and moved into our home in 2011. Boo was 6 months old, but around that time, I discovered I had kidney problems. As a result, I ended up regularly in and out of hospital for the next 4 year’s years. the past 2, I have fortunately managed it stay out. Slowly, I have managed to start to de-clutter and I’m at the place now where I can start to make big changes to my house. My biggest aim this New Year is to get the wood floors laid. Currently we have 6 year old carpet which is frankly disgusting after 2 kids and 4 cats!!!

As if that wasn’t enough, we also need to paint everywhere, replace the fridge/ freezer and washing machine. It’s going to be an expensive start to the year, but it will definitely set us up nicely for the rest of the year and if we decide it sell, it will look a lot better send will no doubt add some money on to the value of the house. The biggest plus to this resolution is how it will affect me mentally. Currently I don’t invite anyone into my house, because I’m so ashamed. I’m sure this will boost my confidence in so many ways.

2018 Goal: Get flooring and repaint the house by the end of March.

6. Blogging – Blogging has been my passion for years. I first started blogging back in 2003. It was a personal blog, but it did really well. In 2009 I launched my Technology blog aimed at the female audience which did so well, it won awards. This is very high on my list this New Year. After I had my son, I wasn’t able to continue to blog as regularly as before and once I became ill, it stopped altogether. I see 2018 as reclaiming my place in the Blogosphere and expanding into the vlogging world along the way.

I’ve always loved working with brands and to restart this part of my life will not only give me great pleasure, it will boost my confidence. I just hope that someone will take a chance on me and allow me to show them what I can do. The motivation and drive is there, so it’s now just a case of turning this into something great!

2018 Goal: Blog Regularly and get my YouTube off the ground.

New Year 2018, here I come!

So there you have it, My New Year resolutions! There are a few other things I would like to do, but it’s about prioritising. The above isn’t in order, but they are my main focus for this year ahead. I’d love to hear what you guys are hoping to achieve this year. I have found that sharing your aspirations help motivate each other. Don’t forget to pop over and follow me on Twitter and Instagram.

Happy New Year everyone!!!

The post Happy New Year from Swanny! appeared first on SWANNY.ME.

http://swanny.me/2018/01/04/happy-new-year/feed/ 3 566
After a bit of a break, I’m back! http://swanny.me/2017/10/01/break/ http://swanny.me/2017/10/01/break/#comments Sun, 01 Oct 2017 20:39:42 +0000 http://swanny.me/?p=514 I’ve taken a few months break and there are a million reasons as to why this is, so no blog post could possibly explain. It’s…

The post After a bit of a break, I’m back! appeared first on SWANNY.ME.

I’ve taken a few months break and there are a million reasons as to why this is, so no blog post could possibly explain. It’s been a very hard few months and the Summer holidays have been hectic. So, rather than go over old news, I’m going to take the opportunity to start fresh and try and work on things that can make me a better and happier person.

The biggest, most positive news I have to tell after my break, is that I have started up my jewellery business, Swanny & Boo, again. I’ve tried out various things to keep me busy and earn me some pocket money, but nothing gives me more joy than making beautiful jewellery that means something to someone. This time round, I’m not just doing stamped pieces, I’ve expanded into the stone setting side of things and I have some beautiful pieces that I don’t really want to part with! But, to get the name out there more, I’ve opened an Etsy shop as well as my own website. It’s going to be a hard graft, but with the right amount of effort, I think I could have a good Christmas order list.

As a lot of you know, my background is social and digital media and over the past few months I’ve been really pushing my profile and started taking on ambassadorships. Those of you who follow me on Twitter and Instagram will see my beautiful Ju Ju Be bags. I was over the moon to be named the Content Creator for Europe and I’ve met some lovely people along the way! There have been so many exciting launches and one of the most exciting is still to come – World of Warcraft! Please make sure you’re following me on Instagram and Twitter to see the latest styles before they’re released!

Who else have I been working with?

Other ambassadorships/ Design Teams and PR Teams include: Tea Tourist Subscription Box, Mama Makes Stamps, Thompson Craft Supplies, The Punk Planner Stationery Shop, Savy Moo Designs, Three Little Buhos, Sticky Acorn, Glam & Co Gift Shop and today I got the amazing news that I’ve been accepted onto another stamp company I love, Skull and Cross Buns! It’s been a super busy time, but I really couldn’t be happier at the moment. If you are a company and would like more info on working with me, please click the ‘About Me’ tab and navigate to the ‘work with me link and download my media pack for more information.

All photography by me (except ‘Annabelle’ pic. Courtesy of Three Little Buhos).

The post After a bit of a break, I’m back! appeared first on SWANNY.ME.

http://swanny.me/2017/10/01/break/feed/ 2 514
National Trust Day Out – My Reflections http://swanny.me/2017/04/20/national-trust/ http://swanny.me/2017/04/20/national-trust/#respond Thu, 20 Apr 2017 22:45:58 +0000 http://swanny.me/?p=477 After having my National Trust membership for over a year and a half now, I finally managed to use it for the first time today……

The post National Trust Day Out – My Reflections appeared first on SWANNY.ME.

After having my National Trust membership for over a year and a half now, I finally managed to use it for the first time today… Yes, the FIRST time! Shame on me! I signed up with the best intentions of making regular visits to the amazing National Trust places in Surrey and surrounding areas, but for one reason or another it just hasn’t happened until now.

So, today my Dad and I went to the amazingly beautiful Polesden Lacey in Surrey. I’d heard some amazing reviews from friends and family and so I was keen to check it out. My Mum lives pretty close and so it’s been on the cards for a long time!

The view was breathtaking. The sun was out and the sky was blue. A gentle breeze blew and I felt like a tiny speck of dust in the vast landscape in front of me. I stood there and inhaled deeply. For a moment, I was disconnected from the world around me. Although there were people there, it was peaceful. As I looked around me, the place was covered in beautiful flowers and strategically placed trees. It felt very royal in a way and during the tour, I discovered it was indeed a very ‘royal’ place.

I couldn’t help but imagine what parties were like there. It was a residence that had hosted many and the most elite in the land, the world! All of this, almost on my doorstep!

The Tour

Our tour guide was amazing. I was mesmerised by the story of the place. Her short blonde hair and large pearl necklace stood out as she projected across the room to her audience. The rooms were incredible. None more so than the ‘Gold Room’ that was built to entertain royalty and maharajas alike. In the middle of the room hung the most beautiful chandelier I have ever seen. I couldn’t take my eyes off it. It gleamed in the light and commanded almost everyones attention.

After the tour of the house, we headed into the courtyard, where a garden tour was about to begin. The garden tour was a no brainer. My Dad is a keen gardener and looking around the grounds, even if you’re not a fan of gardening, you still want to know how they create the beauty around you! They had these amazing burgundy tulips. So stunning! They lined the flowerbeds around the house and were the opposite of the tulips I was used to seeing in the shops. Everything in this place, including the flowers felt ‘exclusive’.

It was such a lovely day. I don’t get to spend much time on my own with my Dad, but we had so much fun that we have decided to make it a more regular thing. Spending time with my Dad is one of my favourite things in the world to do. He’s amazing! He keeps me grounded and along with my husband, is the only other person with the ability to calm me effortlessly. I love my Daddy! Today made me feel thankful for those around me and where I live. I’m so lucky to be surrounded with so much beauty.

Don’t take these places for granted! They can only keep going with your support! Today made me feel proud of my membership rather then thinking it was a waste of money. So much goodness can be maintained and created!

The post National Trust Day Out – My Reflections appeared first on SWANNY.ME.

http://swanny.me/2017/04/20/national-trust/feed/ 0 477
Ju Ju Be Content Creator http://swanny.me/2017/04/19/ju-ju-be-content-creator/ http://swanny.me/2017/04/19/ju-ju-be-content-creator/#comments Wed, 19 Apr 2017 08:42:25 +0000 http://swanny.me/?p=471 So, it’s been an absolutely crazy week for me. A few weeks back I applied to be a content creator for one of my all…

The post Ju Ju Be Content Creator appeared first on SWANNY.ME.

So, it’s been an absolutely crazy week for me. A few weeks back I applied to be a content creator for one of my all time favourite brands, Ju Ju Be. I worked really hard on producing a reasonably acceptable video, which with limited knowledge and a bag of nerves was difficult. On top of all that, my MacBook Pro was broken and I had to work with my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge mobile phone and an iPad – cue mahoosive tantrums and frustrated tears!

I bought a tripod and light ring to try and make it look professional. Although,  I ended up going with natural lighting in the end, always the way! There was a lot of fuss and some angry tears because I couldn’t get the video to upload properly to YouTube. Part of me thought that maybe it wasn’t meant to be, but I was determined to submit something and go for a role I would LOVE to do. You can watch the video >>>HERE<<<

A week or so later, Ju Ju Be announced their final three. I was on there!!! I was gobsmacked!  Yes, lots of exclamation marks!!!!!!!! I couldn’t believe it. Anxiety set in immediately though. The video, I kind of only expected Ju Ju Be Europe to see, was now going to go public and be seen by anyone and everyone. Eek! I was up against two other lovely Pink Ladies. By the time I had noticed the short list was out, I was very much third. If I’m honest, I felt totally defeated, but there was a voice inside me saying, “you can do this!” – I held my head up and I rallied around my followers…relentlessly.

After three and a bit days, the vote was finally over, but that wasn’t the end of the stress. Unfortunately for me, the vote closed on Good Friday, which most people will know is a Christian holiday and so most people are off work. The Easter weekend felt looooooong! But, this morning whilst I sat and drank my large and very delicious Chai Latte with the lovely lady that got me into these bags, I found out the news. My phone wouldn’t stop vibrating and I couldn’t stop grinning. I was over the moon!

Thank You!

So, I would just like to say a massive thank you to everyone who voted for me. This really is a dream come true for me and I really hope I can continue the high quality of vids that we are used to from the other amazing content creators. Alex is buzzing! He cannot wait to do his first official video.

I really look forward to working with you Ju Ju Be. I’m so excited! Thank you for showing belief in me by shortlisting my video and thank you to everyone who voted for me and showed belief in my ability. I’m eternally grateful!

The post Ju Ju Be Content Creator appeared first on SWANNY.ME.

http://swanny.me/2017/04/19/ju-ju-be-content-creator/feed/ 1 471


WARC-Identified-Payload-Type: application/xhtml+xml

text:
Author Topic: Zane Starkiller  (Read 669 times)

Offline Zane Starkiller

  • Member
  • Posts: 545
  • Karma: +0/-0
Zane Starkiller
« on: 04/24/10 10:59:28 »

Full Name:
Zane Anthony Starkiller
Varies; usually late teens
Gender: Male
Birthworld: Coronet City, Corellia
Legal Status: Holds Citizenship on Coruscant, Corellia and Spira
Living Situation: His grandparents estate on Spira
Occupation: Vocalist and Lead Guitarist for hard rock band, Threat

Affiliation: The Criminal Underworld/The Starkiller Family
Rank: Force Practitioner Knight

Personal Skills:

-He is fluent in Galactic Basic and can understand Binary.
-Possesses a 180 IQ and a Eidetic memory.
-He is adept in the art of Deception (see note in Personality section)
-He is considered a talented artist and has learned the finer details and techniques to playing musical instruments most notably, the guitar.
-As a child of a Sith family he learned basic components of all the lightsaber forms, and practices Form VII: Juyo as well as Sokan.
-He has a firm knowledge of the Force but hardly uses his abilities.
-Has learned a deadly Martial Art that has no name.
-Despite his thin stature is incredibly resilient and possesses a strong constitution.
-He is an adept thief, able to pickpockets and use misdirection to his benefit

Force Powers

Neutral Powers[/u]

    [li]Basic Telekinesis [/li][li]Enhance Ability [/li][li]Enhance Senses [/li][li]Force Sense [/li][li]Force Persuasion [/li][li]Telepathy [/li][/list]

    Lightside Powers

      [li]N/A [/li][/list]

      Darkside Powers

        [li]Force Rage[/li][/list]

        Knight Level Powers
        Neutral Powers

          [li]Enhanced Telekinesis [/li][li]Force Cloak [/li][/list]

          Lightside Powers

            [li]N/A [/li][/list]

            Darkside Powers

              [li]N/A [/li][/list]Personality:

              A young man born a triplet with sisters Raven and Ciaran, to wealthy parents Alistair Starkiller and Neav Revata. He was raised to be an ideal young man. He obeyed his parents and remained a quiet boy constantly under the bullying of his sister Raven.
              Instead of speaking out against his sister he simply let it go and grew more apt to avoiding confrontation rather then start fights. He got along with his sister Ciaran and he hero worshiped his grandfather like his father before him shared a close relationship with his grandmother. He is easily lead around by others and can usually be seen being dragged around by someone else into one bit of trouble or another (usually with Chloe Draclau). Reaching his teenage years he became more resentful and turned to acting out to authority figures, his one escape was learning to play the guitar  and starting a band. He developed a close relationship with Chloe Draclau and is one of the only people he feels totally comfortable around.

              *Note: Zane developed an ability to deceive practically anyone, that came with his years being bullied by his sister along with his kidnapping and time in captivity. Being a private person that did what he was told, helped him stay under the radar and opened opportunities such as his Force abilities to grow to a respectable level without notice of his family, though he uses the illusion he is less then skilled with the Force to deceive them (his grandfather and possibly his grandmother seem to be the only ones that know on a certain level) and his Martial arts training he learned in captivity.

              Physical Stats

              Edward Furlong / Jared Leto
              Height: 5'10"
              Weight: 175 pounds
              Hair Color: Brown/Black
              Eye Color: Blue
              Other: He has a lean yet toned physique, a tattoo on his left forearm, a slave brand on his right forearm and an X shaped scar over his left eye.

              Known Family:
              Spouse: N/A
              Children: N/A
              Father: Alistair Starkiller
              Mother: Neav Revata
              Siblings: Raven Starkiller, Ciaran Starkiller
              Grandfather(s): Xander Starkiller, Brendan Revata
              Grandmother(s): Shery deWinter, Alexandra Revata
              Aunts: Lauda Cavataio, Morgaine deWinter, Asteria deWinter, Cordelia deWinter, Nessarose deWinter
              Uncles: Jason Starkiller, Coren Starkiller
              Great Aunts: Kailey Starkiller, Isobel Starkiller, Leilah Starkiller
              Great Uncles: Mark Starkiller, Mercutio Starkiller

              General Appearance:

              His hair is dark brown and his hair is usually medium to long length and has a tendency to fall in his face. His facial hair is always neatly trimmed. His eyes are a bright blue color but can range to a silvery blue depending on the light. His wardrobe consists of jackets and over coats he wears over different colored t-shirts. His pants are usually form fitting but are sometimes roomy and considered baggy. Some times he occasionally wears fingerless gloves and can some times be seen wearing different silver jewelry.

              Clothes- Assorted black jackets, jeans, t-shirts
              "Iron Cross" Electric Guitar -
              His very first electric guitar gifted to him on his 10th birthday.
              "Skull" Electric Guitar - His very first electric guitar he purchased on his own, black in pristine condition.
              Jedi Lightsaber - A gift from his former teacher the Jedi Master Mustadio Nieson. During captivity Zane learned the old master's way of fighting and upon escaping their captors Zane come into possession of his teachers cane that secretly housed this lightsaber. It contains a lightsaber crystal blue in color but has not been analyzed to see what other mods it has.
« Last Edit: 03/06/12 12:29:47 by Xander Starkiller »

Offline Shery deWinter

  • Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc...
  • Administrator
  • Member
  • Posts: 14,201
  • Karma: +3/-0
  • Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc...
    • Star Wars: Descension
Zane Starkiller
« Reply #1 on: 04/26/10 08:16:46 »
Added to the bio list

Offline Zane Starkiller

  • Member
  • Posts: 545
  • Karma: +0/-0
Zane Starkiller
« Reply #2 on: 08/15/10 11:22:05 »

Full Name: Nieson Mial
Real Name: Mustadio Nieson
Age: 78
Gender: Male
Birthworld: Nishr
Legal  Status: Presumed dead; single; Prisoner
Living  Situation: Jolly Bantha
Occupation: Slave, Formerly: Jedi Master

Affiliation: Jedi Order
Rank: Jedi Master
Force Rank: Master

Mate: Zalera Black (Deceased)
Children: Ovelia, Velius, and Celia Black

Notes and Skills:

-This character is an NPC relevant to the kidnapping story arch of Zane Starkiller
- Keeps his identity as a Jedi Master a secret
- Usually wears ragged black clothing that resemble some sort of robe but not of common variety
- His cane is secretly his lightsaber, blue in color
-Though formidable in his younger years, a crippling injury has left him unable to function well without calling on the Force
- Due to the severity of the injury is forced to walk with a cane and without access to the Force via the nature of the Jolly Bantha, is little more then an old man
- Was trained in the fighting arts of his native people including a martial art so secret it has no name
« Last Edit: 11/10/10 08:57:18 by Xander Starkiller »


text:
Author Topic: Tarzan Tarkis -The Duke-  (Read 477 times)

Offline Tarzan Tarkas

  • Member
  • Posts: 65
  • Karma: +0/-0
Tarzan Tarkis -The Duke-
« on: 05/08/10 12:58:45 »

-Name- (paraphrased from his brothers)

Tarzan Tarkas (Lievdon)

Republic Remnant/Duke

Half-Vong, Conceived by Midichlorians.

Quite toned.

blue eyes and blonde hair

-Distinguishing marks-

Blue within blue eyes.

Born on Csilla

Mother, Hannah Lievdon (from a Nabian high class family - last surviving member)

Father, genetic material manipulated to birth Tarzan through midichlorian manipulation by the plane tof body and mind, native vong heritage present in his physical structure.

Tarkis can be stoic at times but in general is a boring guy to sit next to. No overly violent behavior unless encouraged and he has always preferred to try and sort out through non physical means, preferring the word and subterfuge. His mother taught him manners, how to treat a lady and right from wrong and the indifference in-between. His life living within royal boundaries taught him patience, publicity skills dealing with many cultures and peoples throughout all. He has matured less than adjusted to the galaxy, adhering to a strict regimen of physical prowess and mental agility. Despite whom his father may have been. He does have faults however and enjoys when people probe his space, always being one who needs to have their own way, observing a test or meeting or event with reserved, withdrawn talents, centering his mind to deal with life’s quandaries

Patience and understanding may not be part of his virtues but often kept in check by the subtle Princess he servers.

Birthed on the planet of body and mind he was born almost two years before mother was drugged and raped during one of the trips she was making to sell family goods. He clearly remembers his grandparents but by the time he was seven they had both passed away leaving himself and his mother to carry on the family business while he branched off with a mutual agreement concerning his mother and certain Royal profit holdings,  which Tarkis noted had become quite profitable. He knew he was the same as everyone else within succession and when at age 17 they went to trade with the closest jedi temple in the star system he decided he would like to assist and explore the Factions history, noting, the Republic. His gift. His mother, forbidding him permission she disowned her son to be raised by the Planet entity Zonama Sekot. During that time he was taught what it is to be Royalty and the responsibilities of life, an emphasis on teaching martial skills and the use of force imbued weapons but a special interest as he grew older in the harder forms of battle  kindled- the battle with words. Having always been fascinated with people and civilization, trying to understand language proved quite useful. Paying special interest in the art of war though he was marked within the line to ascension as by no means the strongest, albeit most cunning member of the Republic Remnant Aristocracy.

 The Duke was presented with such title as he assumed command of a Republic Remnant command carrier, the last known fleet of the Republicfaction  limping home after being defeated, saving whatever he could as the Captain and bridge crew lay burnt to a crisp on the floor around him. The princess commemorated him and was positioned the de-facto leader.

Flexible moral fiber, aware, acrobatic and skilled at diplomacy,

Flexible moral fiber(Dual trait), one lung(removed), no vong physical enhancements, medical plate fused to his skull, hair graph to hide the injury Tarkis experiences constant migraines, clouding his vision (sight) from time to time.

« Last Edit: 05/08/10 23:53:35 by Tarzan Tarkas »

Offline Shery deWinter

  • Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc...
  • Administrator
  • Member
  • Posts: 14,201
  • Karma: +3/-0
  • Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc...
    • Star Wars: Descension
Tarzan Tarkis -The Duke-
« Reply #1 on: 05/08/10 16:51:06 »
Hey Tarzan,
I have a few questions about your profile.

How is your character a Vong yet family related to humans? (I tried looking it up but couldn't find any Vong breeding with humans anywhere)
Also, could you please list at least two weaknesses?

Offline Tarzan Tarkas

  • Member
  • Posts: 65
  • Karma: +0/-0
Tarzan Tarkis -The Duke-
« Reply #2 on: 05/09/10 01:20:39 »
Edited the bio : P

Offline TiCira Hawk

  • Member
  • Posts: 2,012
  • Karma: +0/-0
Tarzan Tarkis -The Duke-
« Reply #3 on: 05/09/10 09:46:54 »
added to the bio list!


text:
Author Topic: Lana Orion  (Read 432 times)

Offline xLanaOrionx

  • Member
  • Posts: 81
  • Karma: +0/-0
Lana Orion
« on: 07/03/12 06:40:11 »
Avatar: Eva Longoria
Character Name: Lana Orion
Age: 25
Species: Human
Gender: Female
Homeworld: Naboo

Faction Affiliation: The Alliance
Faction Rank:
Occupation: Slicer, Jedi Padawan
*OOC Rank (Trainee, Adept, Elite): Apprentice
Force Alignment: Lightside

Lana has extreme obsessive compulsive disorder and habits. She is also a germaphobe. Her surroundings are scrubbed as often as possible. She is quiet and socially awkward, much like an Autistic individual.

History: TBA

This Aint a Sing Along
Step Right up, let's see what you got (TA)

Offline Cameron Centurion

  • Member
  • Posts: 2,522
  • Karma: +4/-1
  • Nex in Umbra
Lana Orion
« Reply #1 on: 07/03/12 09:33:40 »
Added to the Index.

I am fate.


text:
Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Oliver Half Iron Grudge match - 12 days and counting

The Oliver Half Iron is less than 2 weeks from now where we will have a rematch between me and my hubby - Joe. Last year he beat my by 15 min and more frustratingly grrrrr - still annoyed - by 2 seconds on the bike. This year that is NOT going to happen - no way - no how. (nope I am not even slighly competitive (LOL)).

However victory will not be easy - Joe is also competitve AND one of those darn "natural" athletes - so annoying - you know the kind - oh I guess I will run a marathon - and starts to train 3 weeks out and still pulls a 4 hour off. But I am confident - last year he quasi trained - he swam a few times and rode with me pretty much every weekend from February on and ran a lot on his own and only pulled out 15 min on me. This year he has barely trained. Actually about 5 weeks ago I asked him if he felt so confident about last year's success that this year's plan was to not train at all (LOL) - which I guess goaded him because he started running and while he does not go out on his road bike much he is out on his mountain bike for a couple of hours every second day or so. Should have kept my big mouth shut and my victory would have been assured...

However I should be okay because he has not swam a lap since last year - I am not even sure he has been in water besides to have a shower since then. So I am going to have to swim faster than him and then get on the bike and ride like the wind and hope I build enough of a lead to stay in front of him on the half. He is a super fast runner. I am also counting on that he has not done any bricks - hopefully this will all play in my favour. Not to mention all the riding I have been doing 4 days a week with a mountain climb at least once a week and 3 hour rides on the weekend. I just hope it is enough.

On other news outside the tri bubble - Baby watch 2009 is almost over and going as scheduled. As I said to my BFF don't worry nobody is going anywhere until the scheduled C-Section on May 27th and Voila tomorrow it will be. I should have bet her and the doc's $$$$. So tomorrow morning I will put on the hat of birthing coach - not sure what I will be doing since it is a C-section but I am excited to meet the twinkies all the same. And we are also waiting on my niece to have her babe - she is about a week overdue. It would be very interesting if they both delivered tomorrow that is for sure!

But in the interim I have to take Alley Cat to the vet later today because she is not keeping anything down and just very quiet - not like her at all. Good thing it is a rest day.

No comments:


text:
Spectroscopic Solutions for the Biodiesel Industry

Bruker Optics offers an array like FT-IR, FT-NIR and TD-NMR to test the different stages of the biodiesel production

Spectroscopic Solutions for the Biodiesel Industry

       Biodiesel is the fuel for the future. Soaring oil prices have encouraged the consumers worldwide to increase their use of biofuels made from natural resources. As an eco-friendly alternative to traditional petroleum diesel, it produces less air pollution, comes from renewable sources, is biodegradable and therefore safer for the environment. It can be blended in any ratio to conventional diesel, from additive levels to 100 percent biodiesel without compromise on quality and loss in engine performance. With biodiesel, any diesel engine can become a renewable fuel engine.

       Bruker Optics offers an array of spectroscopic solutions like FT-IR, FT-NIR and TD-NMR to test the different stages of the biodiesel production, from the raw materials to transesterification and final blending. The rapid, non-destructive testing throughout the process leads to less down-time and improved quality, saving you time and money.

Analyzing incoming raw materials

       A variety of feedstock sources such as vegetable oil, recycled cooking oils or animal fats can be converted into biodiesel. The yield of biodiesel from plantoil is however very much dependent on the quality of the incoming goods. If the raw materials contain for example higher concentration of free fatty acids (FFA), moisture, and phosphatides, the esterification process could become troublesome if those interfering components are not removed beforehand. Here, spectroscopy is a fast and accurate method to determine identity and exact composition of the incoming raw materials - of the oils and fats as well as of grains and seeds, if the crushing process is carried out in-house.

Monitoring the transesterification reaction

       Biodiesel is composed of methylesters, which are formed during the reaction of triglycerides with a methanol/katalyst mix. By closely following up the concentrations of the reagents and products, process operators can determine and influence the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the reaction. On-line spectroscopy can provide this valuable information, automatically and 24/7. Bruker Optics offers also solutions for the methanol recycling process.

Quality control & blend verification

       Fuel-grade biodiesel must be produced to strict industry specifications (ASTM D6751, EN14214) in order to insure proper engine performance and avoid problems including clogging of fuel lines, injection systems and filters. Smallest quality deviations, like excess levels of glycerine can lead to costly claims for compensation.

       Infrared instrumentation from Bruker Optics provides fast and accurate results with no sample preparation. It is so simple that these tests can be carried out even by unskilled personnel at the click of a button, without the need for costly training.

       Biodiesel is designed for complete compatibility with petroleum diesel and can be blended in any ratio, from additive levels to 100 percent biodiesel. However, some vehicle manufacturers limit the use of biodiesel proportion in their engines and therefore a close control of the blends is compulsory. Spectroscopy can evaluate all blends, from B1 to B100 to high precision.

Testing the valuable by-products

       The appealing aspect of the biodiesel process is that all by-products can be used, nothing is wasted. The economic advantages of selling glycerine, fertilizer and animal feed are enormous - if the quality is proven. Bruker Optics offers precalibrated systems for selected by-products of the biodiesel process.

Credit : Bruker Co., Ltd.