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How often do you get a cold?
I'm generally fairly healthy, but cold germs just love me - I get about 6 a year. Personal best was 8. The editor of the mag I'm doing work experience at once had 14. 14 in one year!!!
(swear to god if I have to drink another cup of Lemsip I'm going to cry)
Had none for about seven months,
and I've now gone cold / stomach bug / cold
which aspects of a cold do you get worst?
nose-running for me - gone through a box and a half of MANSIZED TISSUES just from my two colds so far this autumn, constantly disgusting people in offices with how often I blow it - whereas my mum spends about a month with a hacking cough after getting a cold. (please no one make a comment about hacking their penis down my mum's throat, that would be gross)
Headache (qv sinus problems referenced below)
I get an excruciating headache for at least 3 days when I get a cold.
I can handle the other symptoms depending on how lethargic I am (bit of nose running etc. - no problem) but the headaches man, awful.
The beginning and end
Sore throats - ugh, can't stand them. And then the cough just lingers :(
for me it's the general run down feeling
don't usually get a cough or sore throat too badly
It's remarkable
how my frequency of colds has diminished since I quit smoking. Utterly remarkable.
Typical for me in a year
1x bad one which requires a couple of days bed rest to nail off
2x minor ones which I can struggle through with moderate discomfort
Haven't had a day off sick in 3.5 years though because my bad colds have either fallen on weekends or when I'm on annual leave. Quite something really.
Before packing the fags in I used to be guaranteed 4 bad fuckers a year. And I've got sinus problems so when I get a cold it's fucking horrendous. Anyone who whips the manflu banter out gets a smackdown let me tell you.
christ, don't even want to think how many I'd get if I smoked
I tend to get 3x bad and 3x lesser ones. Current one is a bad boy.
waaaaah. I'm the complete opposite!
Virtually never had a cold when I smoked. I assumed the smoke/fumes/ cancer causing toxins presumably didn't just zap healthy cells but also killed viruses or whatever.
Within a week of stopping, I got the cold and I feel like I haven't shifted it ever since.
now harbouring the worst kind of slightly chesty, stringy plegmed example of the fucking thing. SOB.
So yeah kids, don't quit smoking.
the first time I quit smoking this happened to me! About 5 days after stopping I got a hideous cold (presumably from where all of the toxic swill was trying to escape) which didn't fuck off for weeks.
This time - no repeat of it. Although I've replaced it with vaping so maybe the same toxins haven't had the chance to be released. Who knows.
ooohh, I wonder
if the vaping has kept the colds at bay. how are you finding that?
I was using one to cut down, buti was always forgetting to fill it/ charge it, and then it broke, and I bought another which broke, and I realised, I am too clumsy and forgetful, and for so long as I could run and buy a ten deck of fags from the shop any time my vaping didn't go to plan, that I'd never stop, so I just let the vaping go. I miss nicotine. it is a truly dizzying and wonderful drug.
I steamed last night with that bloody steamer thing that takes up far too much space on my worktop, using some menthol crystals to, and something has dislodged itself somewhere in my tubes (ahem), and I slept well and have no throat or cough today!!!!!
Yeah been a steady vaper for 2.5 years now.
Buy the liquid in in bulk at the start of the month - never run out. Actually prefer vaping to smoking to be honest. You get a cleaner hit without any of the secondary rankness (smell, mucus, feeling like you're going to have a heart attack).
Still have the odd fag here and there but they don't hit the spot the way vaping does. Praying that vaping's found to be 95% safe forever, although the bottles of liquid to have a skull and crossbones on 'em and say `AVOID CONTACT WITH SKIN`. Wonder what they're doing to one's lung tissue...
Best way to not get a cold
avoid children and public transport.
Looking forward to this year's bout of noro
no better feeling than rinsing off a child's puke covered sheets while squirting rusty water all round the toilet bowl.
both ones I've had so far have been during work experience weeks
so offices are good to avoid too, especially if your immune system is a bit underprepared because it's used to you being alone in the house all day.
Very rarely
Once a year maybe
Since I started using First Defence...
...at the first sign of any symptoms, I've not had a proper cold for a couple of years. It might just be a big fat placebo, but it's the only thing I've found that genuinely seems to see off colds.
[this post was brought to you by Vicks, manufacturer of First Defence products]
My mate
who's the daughter of a chemist swears by it (as does her Dad).
It's about £10 a throw ennit so I've never bothered with it.
Thinks it more like £7...
...but Boots/Superdrug regularly have it on half price, which by my calculations makes it less than a fiver. One bottle lasts a couple of years in my experience.UnicornPorn this'd this
- Pentago this'd this
never pay full whack for ti
it's always on dal somewhere.
It does seem to work, but unfortunately I AM ALLERGIC TO IT, so one form of sneezing, going puce and spluttering may be averted, while another is (temporarily at least) caused.
I am also allergic to the anti-allergy nose sprays too *does /special/ face*
More than once a year would be a disappointment
Haven't had one in 2015 yet. When I do get them, never last more than a couple of days.
Though I do cough up quite a bit more phlegm than usual for a couple of weeks afterwards (smoking's so hot).
Theres no germ known to humanity strong enough to overcome my fully functioning immune system
Couple a year, I guess.
They're always predictable too - coming after a really busy period at work, or after taking a plane flight or something.
I had one over the weekend just gone.
Mine follow a very predictable pattern:
- day one, wake up with a throat that feel like tonsilitus when I swallow. By the end of the day my nose is streaming with clear, runny snot.
- day two, snot starts to get thicker and yellower. Start to get fevers, shakes, headache, headrushes in the afternoon.
- day three, after a night of minimal sleep, snot still 'productive', fuzzy head still there. By the evening I'll just be snotty.
- day four, throaty cough, disrupting sleep.
- day five, chesty cough, disrupting sleep.
- day six, fine.
At the office im currently in
I reckon I catch a new strain of cold every hour.
Just one bad one his year so far
caught it after a flight to Dublin. I was cycling 1000 miles and walking the 5 peaks that week and the cold got progressively worse and worse. So bad that I couldn't speak or breath deep without wanting to vomit (which is hard not to do when hauling up Ben Nevis). Fucking awful week health wise, during one of the most exercise intense, sleep deprived periods of my life.
Hope I don't get one during next year's stupid bike ride I'm doing!
Those getting more than 4 or 5 bad colds a year, every year
Should strongly consider consulting their GP about nutritional and immunological deficiencies.
i'm almost constantly dealing with a sore throat/runny nose
haven't had a day off sick in years though (last one was hungover/still drunk pulling a sickie), didn't miss a day of college/secondary school either
i feel like when mr burns finds out he's invincible cos all the germs are trying to kill him at once and they cancel out
Eight colds in the first half of the year
None in the second. Since I've been doing fitness stuff (last five years) I've caught far fewer, so goodness knows what went on this year.
I'm rubbish for colds
during the cold seasons, I don't think it even goes away -- it has its own Slint-esque loud-quiet dynamic going on or something, and in Spring and Summer, I tend to get hay fever.
One memorably bad experience with having a cold...
I remember once developing a bad fever one night, after having watched the Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie. So basically, my mind was just absolutely skipping around under the influence of tiredness, a fever (and this was a really, really particularly bad cold, accompanied by a very slight (it was always a pretty big off-chance, mind) meningitis scare), and one-and-a-half (approx) hours of an Adult Swim cartoon.
At one point in the night, I remember getting out of bed and running to the bathroom -- for the briefest time convinced that somebody had challenged to race me there.
When I smoked - loads
all the time, the cough would linger for weeks. Now maybe 2-3 a year? One of which will be a bad one, one very mild, one reasonable. Last year I had one which led to quite a bad throat infection, then I got a random rash associated with a lower immune system. Quite interesting really. The worst bit I find is the lingering dry cough, especially at night.


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Make it easy for your clients to access your custom branded login page to their wedding on Aisle Planner by adding a "client login" link to your website. Here's how to add a login link on wordpress.
1. Go to your WP dashboard and hover over "APPEARANCE" in the left navigation; select "MENUS".
2. Find "Select a menu to edit" from the top half of the page and choose whatever is labeled your "Main Navigation".
3. Select "CUSTOM LINKS" from the left-side navigation.
4. Enter the desired URL (you can set up your custom branded login URL over in the BRANDING tab in Aisle Planner) and a name for the link (i.e. "Client Login" or "Client Lounge"). Select "Add to Menu."
5. Select "Save Menu" at the bottom right-hand corner of the screen.

subset: commoncrawl


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Teenager dies in police chase crash
A teenager died in a car crash during a police chase, officers have said.
The 19-year-old man was killed late on Monday night following the pursuit of a red Ford Fiesta.
Thames Valley Police have referred his death to the Independent Police Complaints Commission for investigation.
Part of the A33 in Reading, Berkshire, was closed on Tuesday morning following the crash which happened at around 11.25pm.
Acting Superintendent Henry Parsons, from the joint roads policing unit, said: "A 19-year-old man, believed to be from the Fiesta, sadly lost his life in the collision.
"We have referred the incident to the Independent Police Complaints Commission."
Motorists were warned of potential travel problems in the area.
The A33 is expected to remain shut between Rose Kiln Lane and Barclay Avenue on Tuesday morning.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Thames Valley Police 24-hour non-emergency number 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
PA Media


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Registration 7:30 – 8:30 am
Start time 8:30 am
Finish Time 11:00 am
Awards 11:30 am
Age Groups
Tadpoles - 4 to 6 years
Minnows -7 to 8 years
Bull Heads - 9 to 10 years
Awards will be given on the total weight of the first 3 catfish caught by the contestant
First, Second and Third place awards will be given in each of the 3 age groups. (Tadpoles, Minnows, and Bull Heads)
Overall Winner will be awarded a prize for the largest total weight of their first 3 catfish no matter what the division. (You will not win 2 prizes for overall and division winner)


text: House music originated in the early 1980s in Chicago. Since then it has grown and has a range of sub-genres, one of which is electro house. Electro house is a very intense style of music, with glimpses of beauty lost among a cascade of heavy drops and mind-blowing synths. It is gradually making its way into mainstream music, however, electro house still has a strong underground following, with new artists emerging all the time. As well as these new artists, there are of course the big names that are pioneering this diverse sub-genre of one of the most popular and recognisable forms of dance music.


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Justice Dinakaran's name withdrawn from list for SC appointment
By ANI
November 1st, 2009
NEW DELHI - Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan on Sunday said that the Supreme Court Collegium has withdrawn the name of Karnataka High Court Chief Justice P D Dinakaran from the list of judges who were to be evaluated for appointment to the apex court.
Not sure if I have rights to point to the following post for further reading: click.. but it gives an extensive account of the case.
I think it is time our judiciary is taken to task.
It was from the movies of yesteryears that I came across "Court martial" and deduced that it was the worst punishment any person serving in the armed forces is given.
Courts martial have the authority to try a wide range of military offences, many of which closely resemble civilian crimes like fraud, theft or perjury.
Indian Army has four kinds of Court Martial - General Court Martial (GCM), District Court Martial (DCM), Summary General Court Martial (SGCM) and Summary Court Martial (SCM). According to the Army act, army courts can try personnel for all kinds of offences except for murder and rape of a civilian, which are primarily tried by a civilian court of law.
Courtesy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Court-martial
While reading about Court Martial I do read that it has its own problems too. I also stumbled upon a blog detailing those who are facing court martial and other trials for various reasons.
Tuesday, 13 January 2009
Indian Army Courtmartial and Dishonourable discharge: Current List of Officers under a cloud
Anyway, since I am talking about our judiciary I think it is time something similar (or is there one?) is implemented before the entire system collapses. Those in the judiciary themselves are calling for action and hence it is imperative that something is done.
As for declaring assets which I had mentioned in an older post, we do have good news:
Madras HC Judge declares assets
Chennai, Nov 9 (PTI) Amid a debate over declaration of assets by judges, Justice K Chandru of the Madras High Court declared his assets at the time of being sworn in as a permanent judge today.
Justice Chandru, who was among 14 additional judges to be sworn in as permanent judges, said he was "starting a new convention" of declaring assets at the time of swearing in.
He handed over an envelope, containing details of his assets along with that of his wife and minor daughter, immediately after being sworn in by Chief Justice H L Gokhale.
The court has a strength of 54 judges, including the 14 sworn in today against the sanctioned strength of 60 which includes the Madurai bench.
SC judges declare assets on website
Dhananjay Mahapatra, TNN 3 November 2009, 03:20am IST
NEW DELHI: Two months after the Supreme Court, faced with demands and growing pressure from within, resolved to make public the assets and liabilities of its judges, the details were put up on its official website.
The significant step towards transparency was marked by some surprise revelations — one of the judges doesn't own even a two-wheeler, while another has a Yamaha motorcycle as his sole vehicle. There are details of land, houses, investments in shares and flats as well. ( See Ninan's cartoon )


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Geno Auriemma's Huskies have been without two of their best players -- Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis and Morgan Tuck -- for several weeks now. KML is recovering from an elbow injury while Tuck had arthroscopic knee surgery. But for the first time since they were sidelined, the program received some encouraging news: The players could be cleared to practice with the team next week, according to SNY.com's Carl Adamec.
Either way, neither will play Thursday night vs. UC-Davis, but it's unclear if they'll be available when the Huskies travel to Duke on Dec. 17.
I think both of them are almost on a similar timetable," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said Wednesday. "I was talking to Rosemary (athletic trainer Ragle) today and she's got her fingers crossed hoping that maybe we can get both of them back at the same time, meaning both able to play at the same time. I don't know if they will both start practice at the same time, but hopefully we can get both ready to play at the same time."
Mosqueda-Lewis, who has been working out with a brace on her shooting arm, says things are coming along.
"It feels a lot better and it's a lot less trouble to shoot with," she said. "I'm good. Today was the most that I shot, maybe for 30-45 minutes. That's good for me. Obviously my elbow is going to be a little bit sore but I'll just have to work through it."
And Tuck admits that sitting out has been tough.
"Everyone wants to be out there on the court," she told Adamec. "It's relieving to know that I'll soon be back at practice."
Tuck also said the knee is pain-free.
The good news is that the Huskies are 9-0 without Mosqueda-Lewis and Tuck, but as we move into the new year and UConn's AAC schedule begins, Auriemma will want a healthy roster as the team eyes its national title defense.


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October 31, 2017
Organizing Your Holidays? Check Our Calendar of Holiday Events.
Posted by: Nancy Skee
I love the holidays and everything that comes with it. l like all the holiday busy-ness, all the holiday food, all the gifts, all the craft shows, all the holiday decorations, all the music, all the holiday tours.....all the everything. It's holiday overload. A long time ago I decided that even if I wanted it all, I didn't have time to have it all. Now I pick and choose: bake homemade and buy pre-made, shop online and venture out, welcome family and friends and schedule a quick retreat. It's no fun when you've used up your reserve. Here's a little peek at what's going on this November and December.
- 4. Full Moon Tour. Enjoy wolves and campfires at the Wolf Sanctuary.
- 4 - 5. Greek Food Bazaar. Great food and crafts at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church.
- 4, 11, 18. Wine and Cheese Train. Love trains? And wine? And cheese? Your first class ticket gets it all at Strasburg Railroad.
- 10 - 11. Elizabethtown Heritage Craft Show. Handcrafted items to benefit the Heritage House Museum.
- 10 - 30. Christmas Candylane at Hershey Park. Holiday rides, entertainment, and even Santa and his reindeer.
- 11. Pub Crawl downtown Mount Joy. Buses run 7pm - 1am Hennigan's, Watering Trough, Beanie's, Joy's, Rosie's, Bube's and Mosby's. Book the Inn and you don't have far to crawl.
- 14 - 30. A Christmas Story at the Fulton Theater in Lancaster. Who doesn't love a leg lamp?
- 16 - 30. White Christmas at Dutch Apple Dinner Theater.
- 18 - 19. Taste! Lancaster. Food, wine and spirits at the Convention Center Downtown Lancaster.
- 24 - 26. Holidays at Mount Hope. Stroll about Mount Hope Mansion, enjoying the decorated rooms and a variety of events and activities.
- 25. Small Business Saturday. Call, stop in, or shop on line for some great gifts from Olde Square Inn. Don't you love our Comphy sheets?!
- Nov 30 - Dec 9. 12 Shops of Christmas Tour. A self-guided tour to fun, out-of the-way shops with gifts and treats.
- 1 - 2. Intercourse Village Holiday Celebration. So many fun events out in Amish Country, along with their annual open house.
- 1 - 23. The Nutcracker. A wonderful Christmas tradition at the Fulton Theater in downtown Lancaster.
- 1 - 30. White Christmas continues at Dutch Apple Dinner Theater.
- 1 - 31. A Christmas Story continues this month at the Fulton Theater.
- 1 - 31. National Christmas Center. Your last chance to visit this cool attraction before it closes early January. (Get free admission with your Belsnickle tour ticket! See below.)
- 1 - Jan 1. Christmas Candylane at Hershey Park continues. Holiday rides, entertainment, and even Santa and his reindeer.
- 2 - 3. Find Your Belsnickle Tour. Visit 17 local Bed and Breakfast Inns decked out for the holiday and enjoy treats and win prizes. (We're on the tour! It's going to be a blast!) When you reserve your room with us for this weekend, you'll receive one free ticket for the tour - a $20 value. Please request at time of booking. Tickets are limited.
- 3. Marietta Candlelight Tour of Homes. A great thing to do after your Belsnickle tour!
- 8. Christmas Candlelight Tour of John Meuller House in Lititz. See how Christmas was celebrated centuries ago.
- 8 - 9. Christmas Folk Art Show at Manheim Railroad Museum. 717-584-5567.
This is just a mere sampling of wonderful things to do in Lancaster County for the holidays!! You can get even more information at Discover Lancaster. Did you also know that during your visit with us, we can often arrange for you to have dinner with an Amish family? You'll sit at the family's kitchen table along with other guests and enjoy an Amish meal prepared by Sarah or Rebecca. Tour their farm, ask questions about their lifestyle, and make some new friends! It's a genuine Lancaster County experience. As we get into this busy season, it's easy to get overwhelmed. Just remember to be thankful and to do good, and as they recommend when an aircraft is in distress - put on your own oxygen mask first. Take a little time for yourself so you can be a blessing to others. Give me a call; I'd love to help you make your holidays peaceful and happy.


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Events Gallery
YO STAY HUNGRY provided rap-inspired hors d'oeuvres for Jonathan Mannion's celebration of the 20th Anniversary of Jay Z's Reasonable Doubt.
"Blazin, hot like cajun [...] That butter soft shit from that leather on the Fonz."
-Jay Z, Brooklyn's Finest
"I push the Z eating shrimp scampi with rocks larger than life"
Jay Z, Ain't No
On a panel entitled, "Stay Hungry: Increasing Diversity with Food & Hip Hop," Darian Harvin of Buzzfeed News, Candace Queen of Meroë & Co, Elle Simone of Shechef, and Syreeta Gates look at how both hip-hop and food have a strong presence within a range of communities and subcultures across America and the connection between the two.
YO STAY HUNGRY provided lyric-inspired refreshments at JP Reynolds' release party for his album Guavamatic Space Dream.
"Starlight disco. NY, Frisco. DC, Chi. Make it sweeter than Nabisco."
-JP Reynolds, City of Love


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Rabbi David A Cooper lived with his wife in the Old City of Jerusalem for over six years during the 1980's, studying Kabbalah and Hasidism with a number of different masters of those traditions—who typically choose not to be identified. He has also been a student of Sufism, initiated by Pir Vilayat Khan, as well as Zen Buddhism with Roshi Bernie Glassman, and Tibetan Buddhism with Tsoknyi Rinpoche. He has studied and sat on retreat with many Vipassana teachers, from both the East and the West, in the Theravadin tradition.
Prior to his time in Israel, Cooper owned a business in Washington D.C., doing political consulting, and before that he worked at the Democratic National Committee in the infamous Watergate, as the Director of Research. He has studied the world's wisdom traditions from the time he was a teenager, over fifty years ago. He has studied with dozens of teachers in the Jewish world. His primary teachers have been Rabbi Zalman Shachter-Shalomi and Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. He was ordained by R. Zalman in 1993.
Rabbi Cooper has written about many of his experiences in seven books and two sets of CDs. His most popular book, God Is a Verb, has been a national best seller, with over 125,000 copies in print in English, plus being available for Dutch, Portuguese, Rumanian and East Indian readers. His best selling audio set, The Mystical Kabbalah, was for a while one of the top ten best selling series at the well known firm of Sounds True. He has led workshops and retreats in almost every state of the union as well as Holland, Germany, Poland, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. He has appeared on public radio and public television, as well as the main subject in a Dutch produced documentary on Jewish Mysticism.
Obviously, Cooper is comfortable in dialogue with many different traditions; some have called him the Buddhist Rabbi. This identification has a certain degree of truth in that Cooper openly acknowledges his indebtedness to the cross-fertilization of esoteric teachings from various traditions, while at the same time deeply honoring the powerful themes of virtue, respect, study and service that are found in his root tradition of Judaism. All of this comes through clearly in his published works and his private communications, much of which appears on his website.
Rabbi David is a dedicated retreatant and he commits himself to extended silent retreats at a fairly steady frequency, either teaching, or for his own personal reasons. This contemplative life style, for both he and his wife, is itself the hallmark of the teachings—walking the talk, as some would say.
He has done many three-month retreats and currently is planning to set aside three months each year from now on for personal retreating. When not on retreat, he is engaged in writing, teaching and the ongoing fulfillment of a ever-blossoming relationship with his wife, Shoshana.


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So! Better late than never, they say. So let me be late and thank 2015 for the bad and the good. Well, just for the good, for talking about the bad would take forever, and would be a bit pointless, I think. If you don't know, I'm struggling with manic depression. As a result there are times when I neither write, nor do anything, truly. But as I'm here today, willed into life by friends, I figured I'll thank for the good stuff, for there was good stuff!
First of all, my favorite last year crafts. In the pictures, currently, only the second row middle is sold, to a Boss out there, I hope you're kicking ass wearing these! Anyways, let's start from the start. I waited forever for a chance to order some bat spacers-pendants, and those cabochons. And when I received them, I found myself unsure what to do with the beauties. In the end, I painted a lovingly smiling skull that I called Beloved, for it might as well be a lover immortal. Get it? Also, it's not related to Skulduggery Pleasant on purpose, at that moment I didn't yet know of such a fantastic character. Next, top in second row is a bracelet called Alice Hearts, my tribute to Alice in Wonderland. Always wanted to make one of those. Then there's Saints Row tribute, one of my all time favorite games. I just had to give it its due therefor. And the last is Midas Gold earrings, all set in gold colors. To be honest, when I was making them, I was wondering if Varric (Dragon Age) wouldn't be willing to get a pair (matching his own chain) for Bianca. The rest can be found [here]
And don't you get me wrong. This year I have made many beautiful things. I sold a lot of them too, and people gave me kind reviews for each one. It was one of the most artistically rich and muse smile filled years for me. May this year be no less in this department.
Starting with arts, let's continue to where I started in the first place. I painted a great ton this year. I learned a lot about painting too. And putting together this little collage taught me I draw extremely similar faces, so I guess I have plenty to improve yet. Anyway, there's my own characters there, there's Grav3yardgirl, Floki from Vikings, a comic book version of me, and quite a few postcards. I learned I loved making those, for I work best when I see full picture at once. I also just now realized I didn't enter Vikings as my top hit of 2015, so letting you know right now – wow, loved it, wow! The rest of the paintings are [here]
There were a lot of small moments that got to me too, although for the lack of pictures, some couldn't end up in here. In spring I saw a woodpecker peck wood. I saw a ton of squirrels playing about. In summer my friends took me out to watch Inside Out and gave me a haircut upgrade, a very nice bleached undercut. We played Cards Against Humanity and had a blast therefor. And while my bookshelves were broken apart: this year was the year we put on a metal brace on it, and now it holds! I got a ton of presents for birthday, so many postcards from all over the world, so many tea packets, sweets, and kind words, I never ever got this much before. One of the many top hits is that Moriarty tie you see in one of the pictures. Loved how the envelope said "man's tie" and the postcard pointed out Tarquin Blackwood was a chic guy, so I should be too.
Then there's those moments I couldn't mention, forgot, or just had no pictures of. Like getting review requests from publishers (yes, that equals free books). Authors contacting me, just to talk, or even them leaving me a comment or two somewhere. I've received a phone just because, had a pleasure of trying a lot of different energy drinks, including Monster: The Doctor, which is currently my favorite Monster flavor. Then there were other wins, like Grav3yardGirl liking and reblogging my painting of hers [here], Mortisia reblogging some of my stuff, Katers17, now known as KateInRealLife replying me to actually all of my messages. I re-opened my personal art Facebook Page and became part of Crowley Emporium project for crafts and jewelry, made by me and two of my friends.
And best of all, I realized what a bunch of amazing friends I have. Some found me brooding over the darkest moments in my life and helped me back up. Others just got there for a word or two, or an exchange of music that they heard and "thought of me". I guess in this department I'm just lucky like that. I've people who go an extra mile to help if they're means to do so. I hope they know that I love them all.
Then, as this blog demands, there's the book wins. I admit, this year was indeed unyielding in time and will to read, and yet never the less I have something to rejoice about. For one it'd be me finding myself a new series to read and love, which are Skulduggery Pleasant books by Derek Landy. That skeleton mister just has the most perfect vibe about him. Got a lot of unusual, unique, and otherwise different reads this year too, those being Into the river by Ted Dawe, apparently a banned book following the story of this Maori boy in all-boys boarding school. Yakuza by Gabriel Loidolt, which I'd call "Irezumi" instead, a pretty damn nice book, very short, with very slight Murakami vibe to it. Very slight, mostly by the whole go-around. The Radleys by Matt Haig was a serious surprise. So simple, so mundane, and yet not at all, because every seen-a-hundred-times thing that family did was done by vampires, for they're all vampires! And, of course, my own pick for the book club, Neuromancer by WIlliam Gibson. I wanted to read that one for so long! This blog of mine is mainly meant for horror, suspense, fantasy, and books alike, while I do realize I don't follow the pattern. That is why I have made the Nosferatu Shelf category, to have those books put in a list. But this year I hope to fill it in a little more with Cyberpunk too. After all, we do await Cyberpunk 2077, don't we?
Speaking of games, here's my nine hits. They're not the releases of 2015 per se, but something I discovered, got to the end of, and loved last year. First was definitely Bastion. It somehow reminded me I like games, and that I should actually finish them now and then, and not just spend hundreds of hours doing anything but main quests, as so many games these days allow you to. While not the second one, still, Transistor, being a creation of same developers, is a beauty to behold. Mind you, not for the weak of mind. It's heart-breaking at more than one point.
Saints Row was in my inventory forever, and so one day I got around to playing it, on co-op non the less. Can't play first one, second one gives me motion sickness, so I started at the third one and merely read the wiki's for the first two. Must say, there's rare a game that makes me so happy inside as these games do. Definitely my favorite co-op of all times, and probably my favorite gangster games too.
Eye Divine Cybermancy fits the theme of me seeking out Cyberpunk stuff. My friend wanted a first person shooter we could play together and have fun doing so (some fps co-ops are lame, just that). She spoke of Cybermancy and I just thought I'll go see how much is it on Steam, since it was Summer Sale and there it was, for 2.49eur. We took it and we had a blast.
Shipwrecked is in a sense merely a DLC for Don't Starve, but there it is. I got it, I loved it, can't wait for it to become part of Don't Starve Together. By the way, one of the highlights was getting that game free for myself and my friend, since they took me into the beta testing group!
Payday 2 was a nice surprise, I'm still playing it and loving it. Satisfies a whole different need of bold nihilistic sense of freedom and courage (not bravado). Wicked jokes, fun characters, and caring Developers just make my dark little heart happy.
Dragon Age Inquisition… Ah well, I don't even have DLC's yet, got it for my b-day in 2014, still playing, still loving, still happy to see Dorian throw a fit over lack of books in my library…
The Wolf Among Us was a discovery of the year, I believe. I really disliked the graphics from what I saw when my friends played it. But then I watched Drive with Ryan Gosling and that vibe got me. Now I can say it's an amazing game and I am extremely sad there's no more of it. I guess I'll just have to indulge in the comics…
And, of course The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Unlike some, I've no disappointments to express over the length of it. Unlike many, I didn't grind, because I explored and leveled up naturally doing so, by sheer need to beat off a Leshen off a chest I wanted. The only disappointment I did get was the shortness of the Hearts of Stone. Truth is, CDPR gave such 'expansion packs' free back in the day, audio and all, free for all with a registered game. The quality and length seemed quite alike to me, so I'm glad I got it free as a gift, for I'd be a lot more disappointed if I paid 10 bux for it! Other than that – yes, it's very good!
And the last are the things I watched. First of all, let me just mention Vikings. Loved it so very much, it was a far better season than the previous one, and the music is just mad good. Truly a blasphemy that I forgot to include it here. And I guess I can also add I loved American Horror Story: Hotel a lot too, although I haven't finished it yet!
Let's start with the movies now then. First is the Legend, a story of brother Krays. Strange in so many senses it was a perfect little fun-drama-bang piece after such disappointment as Black Mass was. I'm a bit sad I've no books on these guys, but I'll have to fix that I guess! Any publishing houses who want to provide me with those?
I somehow rediscovered Dracula (1931) [here], and crafted my four favorite pairs of black and white gothic earrings. For once I appreciated how beautiful this movie is, and what a wonderful actor Bela Lugosi was.
Mr Holmes was a happy little piece for me too. I'm a great fan of Sherlock, and Sir Ian just fills in those shoes so well! It's just great, go watch it.
Drive and Gangster Squad were on my Ryan Gosling marathon that I required to have all of a sudden. Now I can say I really enjoy that actor and the often superbly weird things he stars in. Gangster Squad is full of those good goofy, naughty, and otherwise good jokes you might also find in Saints Row. And Drive is just an amazing original movie. Never have I watched anything like this, but I do hope to watch something like this again, someday. When first 5 minutes you spend staring at a character who doesn't even say a word (not a mute tho), and your face is glued to a screen in suspense…
I watched quite a few series too. Orange is the new Black got me by a mention in Supernatural. Was the last drop, more or less. It's good in it's own way, really. Mad men was more or less an old recommendation. Was mentioned in Orange is the new Black, so of course it was a natural chain… Banzai was a Lithuanian show, six episodes total, of these two Lithuanian men, educated people with sense of humor, traveling. This year they went for Japan. One of them, being tall and big man, had the funniest troubles concerning shoes! And the one zombie show I liked: In The Flesh. I liked the different approach to it, to zombies. I liked the Englishness of it all. I loved the strange-fam thing of "let's pretend there's nothing wrong", and misleading prophecies everywhere. And I loved how protagonist was gay and no one bat an eye at it.
So all in all, as you see, I had a rich year spiritually, if I may say so. And I do believe many things I didn't mention here for I merely forgot about it all, having so much. Those big and small things don't let me say it was a bad year. No, it wasn't. It just wasn't good either. But that's not a bad thing.
Stay happy and survive.
Links to find me: [Instagram]; [Tumblr]; [DeviantArt]; [Twitter]; [Facebook]
So. I call myself Quinn or Soukyan, as you prefer. I'm almost 26 now, living with my parents and manic depression. That one's an arse. It comes and it goes. It's unicorns and roses when it's gone. But when it comes back – I dream of dying, disappearing.
Yet my depression is not as bad as my surroundings. Heck, I'm sure they're fueling my depression. My sister is a bully, a religious bigot, a homophobe, racist, hypocrite, and just a selfish brat (she's 32) who literally screams and cries if things aren't her way. She bullies me worse than anyone else ever did nearly every day. She scolds our mother, often pushing her to tears (hit her once!! her own mother! she hit me once, but heck, I hit her back, so that won't happen again, but our mother?!). And father just does nothing and grows sicker every day, so that's that.
Some years ago we ended up in a lot of debt, most of it thanks to my sister and her desire to be better than everyone, in hopes people will like her more. I worked ten years, freelanced as translator, illustrator, worked in factories (packing, preparing produce) and so on. But it wasn't enough. It's 4 debts, each one about 5500 euros. And I don't think that I can afford spending another 10 years on them.
So, I worked all that shit just to have my health fail, and my depression grow. I lead a double-life, since my parents and sister are against everything that I am (my mental gender, my religious views, etc). My wisdom tooth is growing sideways and hurts my whole jaw. My blood is not clotting, so they can't perform a surgery. My blood pressure is out of control, and nosebleeds with poorly clotting blood equals waterfalls.
Right now I can't afford a bus ticket to capital city, but if anyone's willing to help me out a little – I'm willing to give this one more fight and push. I took all the contracts for the debts. If I can pay them off, I can have the apartment signed in my name, and sister will never get it (her little daughter can, tho, if she wants it when she's old enough). And then, then at last I can move out and start my own life. Get my health back in order, and fulfill my life-time dream – become a true book translator.
Here's my fundraiser, if you know nothing about me and therefor don't trust me: [Dreams of Future]
There's a donation button for paypal in my [Blog] if you do trust me and my story.
And then there's two ways to help me without my ego feeling a kick in the nuts too: [Ebay] ; [Etsy] – I can't upload everything there, since it's a bit expensive, but you can find all things down here [CrowleyEmporium] and just email me via: firstname.lastname@example.com
And this is the finished product that you can see on my [DeviantArt], buy on [Etsy], or like on [Facebook]. Or follow me on Twitter][Tumblr
Some know, some maybe don't, but I have my little Etsy shop (link on the left), and that Etsy shop has a Facebook page too (where I work with two of my friends, together). And while I make most my sales directly through tumblr, directly with people, it's always super-nice when a sale happens on Etsy instead. Especially when after receiving a pair they write you they liked it.
I'm an anxious person. I have mini panic attacks every time someone orders a piece from me. I turn the item in my hands a hundred times over, to see if nothing broke, if nothing peeled, chipped. And these particular earrings had made me extra anxious. The beads are hand-made, glass, uneven. Therefor I couldn't place the caps OR the wire evenly either. It's just not in my skill range to file-off the beads into roundness appropriate. And then there's the chain, one bent over a little more than the other and I just couldn't get it to straighten out.
Thus I am extremely grateful to You, for buying them, for liking them and for writing me that. You're the best. You've made my day. I hope you will all the lotteries now.
Many things have happened so far, so many, in fact, that I don't even know where to begin. For instance, my pregnant sister has returned from UK. Currently she's 33 weeks. And every aunt and uncle turns to me: when will I give my due? One wishes to flip them all off sometimes. But then I realize it's much, much easier to swim by, smiling like a moron, imagining the books I'll read and the games I'll play when I swim away at last.
I received even more gifts from Bulgaria. It seems that country has all the most generous people in a collective. I received two green candles that smell like spruce forest. I use candles for work, to blacken the wire, heat up the enamel, etc. So this is a practical gift as much as it is beautiful. Also a vial of rose essence in a wooden case. I can't tell you enough how Lithuanian this little casing looks like. I guess we're not that far apart, in the end, even our flags are alike, aren't they? And the best thing: a huge pile of Fimo clay. I used up a lot and still have a pile of unopened ones laying on a shelf, away from sunlight and temperature changes.
Then, later on, something unbelievable happened. One day I sat there and remembered that when I was little, I had this blue etched ring. I got it, most likely, from a bubble-gum, once in my childhood sold with little cheap rings with it, in these boxes in market, with heavy-built women praising your choice of gum and ring that comes with it, without even looking at what you actually chose. I also had one with a little pearl bead on it, but that one's also lost. As is that beautiful green-eyed ring… Can you tell I like rings? Anyways, I really wanted a blue ring. But couldn't find any, nothing seemed even similar to what I had, besides those few gold rings I didn't fancy much, since I wanted a blue one. And then, one day at last I receive my package of beads. Friend, a month or two ago, ordered a whole bunch of all sorts of beads, in exchange that I make her a few pairs of earrings out of them, and then get to keep all the rest. So I take one package out, another, five in total and there, at the bottom of it, there's this weird small zip-lock bag. I pick it up and what do you know? It's a blue ring with etched "Predestined Love You" on it, the same cheap kind I had as a child. Friend agreed I can keep it, since she didn't order it, and the ring is obviously a "business card" made clever. But I don't care that it's a business-card, I love it!
Since then I have made a huge handful of earrings. You can find some in Etsy and all of them on Facebook. Some I didn't yet put up for sale, since I don't know which ones my friend will pick out and just how many different pairs I'll be able to make afterwards, since I'm running out of wire nails. When I resupply myself, I'll make more, but then there's another reason why I didn't put up all of them on sale: I might come up with more ideas, not just earring ideas, that is, so I wish to keep a little extra of those beautiful black mat glass beads.
Currently I am at the start of my little project of cheap books. Once I wrote this little article of prices of books in Lithuania and why e-books aren't popular choice here. One argument there were cheap paper books: you CAN, absolutely, get cheap books, but they won't be your pop-literature, which, let's face it, we all want and it's not always a bad thing either, since such little gems as "the fault in our stars" is also popular literature, and a bestseller (and so is your Song of Fire and Ice, there's nothing bad in word "pop" or "popular", it's only as bad as we believe it is, so let's not believe it is bad). I bought many books on sales, new books, since many a person doesn't like old books either. You'd say they're crazy and miss out on a lot? Well, I'll then ask you in return, if we'll assume that you have a way to read e-books, do you? Because if you don't, I will tell you the same – you're crazy, you don't know how much you miss out! Since I have four digits of books legally obtained on Amazon for a complete and utter zero for a price – some of them actually books from pop-section too! – you have no excuses. But anyways, so, cheap books. Non cost me more than two three euros for certain, and my goal is to find gems among them. It won't prove anything – books cost terrible money, and not just in Lithuania, but in most countries! And I did a lot of research on it, I don't see exactly why they couldn't be cheaper when they're sold only via digital media, say, a digital store that sends you a physical copy, the way BookDepository does. Yes, I did include binding, printing, minimums, average and maximums of payments to authors, workers, etc. so trust me when I say, they should be at least a little bit cheaper. I'm not claiming half a price, no, but a little cheaper would make everyone happy on the readers end, especially when you can get a digital copy for a buck or two if you know where to look. So yeah. I just want to find some super-cheap gems.
So far I actually found one, yes. It'd be Gabriel Loidolt book "Yakuza". Loved it, truly. Simple, short, marvelous.
And that'll be that for now. I should learn to write these more often, so that what I write is not a mess I did just now…
Oh, and this is what I watched Solar Eclipse via.
When I wake up, I usually pop the kettle to boil and go wash up. Then, with a large mug of fruity tea that smells of far away countries, with elves roaming about and merchants counting gold coins and possibly flying carpets carrying the goods they mean to sell, I sit down to read. Often I do that on the trainer bike, but on other days, I just sit on the couch I sleep in too. My goal for the day is a 100 pages. Any 20+ pages mean I can treat myself for a video game, a serie of anime or just whatever I wish to do that night. At aroud noon I stop and that's when my first meal happens. I eat twice a day, as bad as that is. I turn up my laptop at the same time too, sometimes serving myself lunch by a youtube video.
Currently I have a brand new lovely laptop meant to sate my second great love in life – video games. It's Lenovo IdeaPad Y510P with two graphics cards. Yes, I bought an external dvd-rom because of that. To someone who has Steam and all the games that I used to own in hard copy – on it, I shouldn't need a rom that much, but I did need it. Mostly because by now, after so many trips to UK without any annoying "friends" by my side, I collected a ton of Dracula dvd's and the highlight of my guilty-obsessions – Sherlock (BCC, yes). So I did need it.
So, when I turn my laptop on and am done with my lunch-breakfast (I always dreamed to be the person who goes out for brunch with a book at hand and maybe a friend), I fire up this silly browser game on facebook, just because. Reminds me of RuneScape days, altho that one was better and is fairly good now too, with all the fancy new things happening there. I go ahead then and check my DeviantArt, accept art into groups or decline, reply to some comments and leave some more on beautiful, well made art. I move on back to youtube and turn on the videos one after another while browsing Tumblr. Email is last, because usually it demands a lot of responses, questions and answers.
After I'm done with that, I move back to reading, because 100 pages usually is no where near done. I like finishing it all by 5PM, but often that's but a fancy dream that I nourish with more fancy tea's. Mostly because I prefer starting all the work at around 5PM, after my second meal. I translate texts, and if they aren't too big, I've plenty of time if I start at 5PM. I try very hard and I enjoy it plenty too. But don't get me wrong, it's not like I work a couple hours a day for my money, no, often enough it keeps me up to 5AM, but I don't complain. If you work good, people will appreciate it and pay up well, and even come back with other texts they need in the future. Naturally if you translate with Google Translate then you're probably doing one-time jobs for which people will be angry with you, earning you plenty of shitty Karma points.
If I have no translations, I try to at least come up with an idea for possible jewelry. My books, my games and my dreams lead me to the state of mind that I am in now, where I dream I lived in one of the books, where I could be an elven craftsman and my work would have no equals. So I make jewelry, there's a link to my etsy on the right. And yes, I'm not good NOW, but heck, if I won't die or suicide, then I'll get better. With practice comes perfect. And I enjoy it a plenty. That witchy-piece I made is beautiful. And earrings are strange in their own way. And new Hellsing pendants I made have so much sentimental value, that I don't even care of the fact that their making can't even be credited to me, because it's just THAT easy: take a pic, cut a pic, glue the pic, enamel the pic. Put a chain on it. The red one isn't for sale btw, only the grey ones, sorry.
I try to be done with work at either 10PM or 11PM, which is when I decide whether I've done enough work today to allow myself a bit of gaming, pleasure reading, anime or anything else I might fancy at the time. Often enough I go ahead and cut myself a slack even if I didn't do enough. Mostly because if I stop – I start thinking of things. I am a very depressed person. And I don't think you can truly escape it or get cured of it ever. You can subdue it. You can fight it. And eventually you can cage it. But it's always there. Mine got out of the cage recently, with a lot of force. Enough to break the locks. Situation got even worse when I understood that some of my friends don't exactly care about it all. They live their lives and I can't blame them now, can I? Sure, I wish them luck. I hope they'll be okay forever. But that thing that now roams loose in my gothy little mind mansion giggles every time. I can hear it and I can feel it. And I am alone to fight it or give up. And this little routine is the last thing that helps me not to think of it all. Because like all the people who are depressed – I shouldn't think of it. That's the best cure. Avoid that thought. Just avoid it like it's the devil, the hell, the lava from Mordor. Avoid it no matter what. Hold on for each other, if you can't hold on for yourself, because when one of us falls – others waver too.
This ain't no joke. My friends are either crazy or extra-interesting people and day after day I keep thinking how lucky I am to have them in my life. There's always a person I can write to at 3am a text and get a reply to it. There's always a person who'll spare me a kind word if I share my silly future plans. There's always a person who will make and create something beautiful and fantastic and make sure I won't miss it. There are people who ask me the oddest things and have me try my skill limits at the craziest stuff. Like, yesterday I drew a morse on a horse. A year ago, or maybe two, I made miniature piglets for earrings. I cut up DVD disks, severed barbie hands sewed naughty parts onto teddy bears and so on. Other's pull me into different things that help my mind, not only my crafting skills. One fairly new friend gave me her copy of German "Bartimaeus: Amulet of Samarkand" book (Jonathan Stroud Bartimaeus sequence, I have all four, but when offered I agreed to take the german one because I really like the language and it was the first foreign one that I learned, so it'll be great to remember it and re-use it), the other, old friend, gave me a poem book with translation and original (old French) side by side, for I expressed my will to learn that language too (too many Dracula's musicales, people. I love your love for him). Then the other one who is a cousin beside a friend, made sure I get a spot in these cheap school-trips their teacher organised for their class (teacher knew me, so she agreed gladly), so I saw Germany (Berlin, Potsdam), Estonia (Tallinn), Latvia (Riga+) and Sweden (Stockholm). And each one of these people got something about them. Some are smart beyond measure. Some are creative beyond measure. Some make movies, other's make costumes, and you can do nothing but marvel at both. Some are able to learn a new crafting technique and make jewelry within night, worth all the praise. Some sleep few hours a day and work non stop all the other time for reasons not even they know. The only question there is – why am I in their world? I got some skill, I got some talent and some brain. But not enough of either. It's why I say they must be crazy, but hell, I love each one of them.
So on this high note, lets go on and see how past few days went for me, shall we? Let's start with the oldest. I experiment with techniques for crafting, for I want every piece I make to be different and as unique as it can be without being just trash. So I cut up DVD's after I was reminded they're made of two thinner layers stuck together, unlike one-fat-layer CD's are. I cut the edge, stick a blade in it and rip one piece off. Put a ruler on it and cut, cut, cut. If you're lucky, after you severed the beautiful-covered DVD in half, you will have transparent side and the pretty side. If you're less lucky, you'll have pretty side and one side with residue of the shiny bits.
And then I went on making other stuff. When the Muse hits me – it lasts long enough for me to burn for a couple of days and make several decent and good items or at least learn something new about making them. So what I did was: A pair of earrings carved into a book. Pretty much, I cut a slice of a book off, made back out of the cover, frame out of pages. Put a skull picture inside and covered it all in thick layer of enamel. It doesn't look so good, I guess, but it's different and I was quite happy in the making of it.
The other thing I made was a fail at first. I printed four pictures of skulls for this second work, cut it into a triangle and glued it on a piece of cardboard. I thought, wow, I'm so clever, this'll be hard enough surface for paper! Then I thought… No, no it won't. If some girl (or a boy, no discrimination here) puts those earrings into jewelry box – they'll be crushed, they will bend and in the end – they'll be ripped as any paper or light cardboard gets. At first I thought I'll throw it out and just make new ones and glue them on plastic (and I will make such once I get back into the mood of making, plus I need a few more items for it now, as I ran out), but figured, if I intend to throw them out, why not learn on them and experiment? So I did. I took a knife, heated it up and dipped into dry enamel and spread it like butter in uneven chunks onto the triangles on both sides. All well and good – hard and shiny. Thing is – edges began looking dirty and uneven. So I dug into the stash of supplies from old home renovation and find some wallpaper which says "you can wash it with water". In other words – waterproof (or hydrophobic, if you so wish) paper. I cut off even slices and put it onto the triangle edges. I think the final turn out looks decent if not real good. Not too bad, not too bad.
The third full piece is the previously mentioned DVD earrings. They're made out of a promotional DVD one gets with PC Gamer magazine, it contains the game demo and/or promotional trailer. Pretty much, what you do is you cut the edge of it, for if you look closely – it has some kind of melted residue on it, you need to scrape it off. Then you stick the blade in between, which is a hard task – guard your fingers or wear thick, real thick gloves, and then without pulling it out – drag it around whole DVD. Then carefully rip it apart. If you're lucky – you will have a clear side you can use for something else and whole shiny stuff will be on the part which you will cut up for the picture on it. If you're less lucky – there'll be residue on the clear part and you might not be able to use that then. All in the limits of your own imagination. After you done all that, you drop the fattest ruler you own and use same blade (I expect it's either a scalpel or a box opener) to cut it. No pressure, make long, firm slices across where you want to cut over and over and over until you cut into your cutting board. I hope you have one, coz table will not like the crafting you do. The further process is up to you. I put plastic wallpaper on the back – it's soft and squishy and green. Then covered edges with copper dye and clear acrylic paints to hold it all down. Then I pierced the holes, put through a gold colored little hoop and the hooks. Done. And I think they look beautiful.
From the creative field I can show you one small piece too. It's an elven shaman, you'll see her story in my DeviantArt page someday. She's a friend of Dyaebl, who has two stories in my dA (first; second) already. It's a very small picture, I avoid making such, even tho I find it a lot easier. But the interesting thing is not the size but the way it progressed. If you look closely, it seems it all started out so innocently and look what came out of it all. The picture in her BG is the village my father grew up in, by the way.
Now the other things. A month ago I ordered three items from one Etsy store, called Finding Supply and yesterday I finally received it. It was a free shipping, so it's normal for it to take a month to get here. Must say, I am very happy about everything it contained. First of all, the envelope was MAYBE re-used, I don't know, eitherway, I was glued with extra glue which held everything really, really firm and I approve to cautious shipping. Second – every item is packed firmly in the most compact size zip-bags, no excess air, no tangly edges. Packs were brand new (some people I bought from definitely re-use those bags), sturdy and well zipped. And thirdly – the items are great in quality and really cheap. Lets hope I can make lots of nice things out of it all.
And let me show you my Bartimaeus too. German language never looked as beautiful as when Bartimaeus describes his first summoning by Nathaniel. I've read it in Lithuanian, listened to audio book in English (I recommend it a lot, by the way) and now I can re-read it in German. No, there's never too much of Bart. Ever.
And just to finish it nice, another picture, okay? Last collage, so to say. First on top is my new experiment – the Slave of Kirkwall from Dragon Age 2, I am a great fan of Dragon Age series, comics, books, games. Second picture on top is another experiment, it's a bow bent four times in length and four times in width and pushed through the loops of itselfs. Strengthened with sems there and here and metal studs. At the bottom, first picture is same studs used to mark which hoodie is mine (coz there's two same in my home and one ain't mine), it's an Assassin's Creed (not Masons) symbol (tho they're quite same). The thingy beside it is a bat made out of green note paper. Just so. Now, on far edge, three pictures, first (top) is a picture of how books hang over my head there and here, for I got no room to put it elsewhere and do trust me, there's just no way to put them less ominously. Below are some Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag logo's I intend to use up. What for? You'll see. One item is already on my dA, it's a pendant for a courtesan. And the bottom is my bane. Either no one's there to make me tea, or no one's simply making me tea, or there's a cup after a cup after a cup. And I randomly drink from all of them. Yep.


text:
'Λόγω Ψυχής' Training and Research Institute for Systemic Psychotherapy
The Clinical Training Program in Systemic Psychotherapy is designed for mental health professionals who wish to become systemic counselors and/or psychotherapists and work with individuals, couples, families and groups. Although systemic in its basis, clinical training is enriched with (i) attachment theory, (ii) narrative psychology, and (iii) recent findings in neurosciences. We use the acronym SANE to bring together all four elements of our theoretical and training approach: SANE-System, Attachment, Narrative, Encephalon. ®
The program consists of two levels and follows the training guidelines of EFTA, EAP and HELASYTH. The scientific coordinators are members of EFTA-CIM and HELASYTH. They are also licensed psychologists holding the EuroPsy and also hold the European Certificate of Psychotherapy (ECP)of EAP.
The Institute is a full member of NOPG Greece (ΕΕΨΕ) and the Hellenic Association for Counseling (HAC). It is also an Associate Member of EFTA-TIC.
A first degree in psychology, medicine (psychiatry or child psychiatry) or social work. A first degree in humanities and other social sciences is accepted for applicants who have completed a postgraduate degree in a subject related to mental health.
Entry to the second level of training (see below) requires successful completion of the first level.
The Institute follows an equal opportunities policy in relation to selection.
Attention is paid to the applicant's suitability for the profession of psychotherapy, based on their assessed ability to meet "learning outcomes" and is given priority over academic criteria (eg. degree grade etc).
Applications can be filled electronically and must be accompanied by two references, copies of degrees and certifications, a photograph. Selection includes an interview and completion of a written brief autobiographical description.
Training consists of two levels.
Successful completion only of the first level of training leads to the certificate in "Theory and applications of systemic counseling" (2 years attendance of the program plus 1 additional year to complete supervised clinical practice and dissertation).
Successful completion of the first level allows trainees to continue to the second level that leads to the "Clinical training program in systemic psychotherapy" certificate. The duration of both levels is 4 years the minimum and 6 years the maximum. A total of 1440 hours direct contact with course staff is required.
The 1440 hours of the four year program are divided as follows:
· Theoretical learning: 500 hours (includes academic teaching, case discussion and planning, skill and technique workshops) (see more in "Teaching Units")
Please note: Additional hours not included in the 1440 needed: 1000 hours of study (1:2 ratio) and 100 hours research field work
· Clinical practice: 370 hours (direct contact with clients in individual, family and group therapy sessions). Clinical practice takes place within the academic course (70 hours), in private practices of the Institute's clinical supervisors (associates) (300 hours). Trainees take part in family and group sessions and are involved in both assessment and intervention practices. Third and four year trainees may do voluntary work with clients at the counseling and psychotherapy service of the Institute which provides low cost services (these count as extra hours covering part of the required supervised work beyond training-see below)
· Supervision: 260 hours (direct and indirect as part of the course). Supervision is provided by the co-directors of the Institute.
· Personal therapy: 310 hours (the minimum) (2/3 must take place in group therapy with 'ordinary' clients). Therapists are chosen by trainees but must be members of systemic therapy associations accredited by EFTA. Personal therapy continues beyond the hours required by the program depending on personal needs and the judgment of the therapist.
Theoretical learning and the largest part of clinical supervision takes place within a group where trainees have the opportunity to learn from listening, observing and participating in the learning process of fellow trainees.
A minimum of 200 hours of supervised work with clients outside of the course (their work setting or on a voluntary basis) is additionally required either during or following completion of the course for qualification purposes. The Institute provides such opportunities through its counseling and psychotherapy service which is linked to its clinical training programs (in systemic psychotherapy and systemic diagnosis) and where work is indirectly supervised on a regular basis.
Level 1.
1. From the individual to the relationship: Birth of family therapy. ( G. Kalarritis)
2. Basic notions and developments in systemic thinking: From modernism to postmodernism. (G. Kalarritis)
3. Schools of systemic family therapy. History of the field. Contemporary approaches and trends. (G. Kalarritis)
4. Systemic therapy with individuals. (T. Bafiti)
5. Systemic therapy with couples. (T. Bafiti)
6. Systemic therapy with groups. (T. Bafiti)
7. Individual and family life cycle. (G. Kalarritis)
8. Enriching systemic thinking with attachment theory and narrative psychology
9. The brain and relational therapies: Enrichment of systemic thinking continued. (G. Kalarritis)
10. Genetics and psychotherapy. Nature through nurture. The question of temperament. (G. Kalarritis)
11. Theories of personality and change in the most popular psychotherapy approaches. (T. Bafiti)
12. Change and other basic notions in the enriched form (SANE) of systemic psychotherapy. (A. Androutsopoulou)
13. Stages of short and long term psychotherapy in SANE. (A. Androutsopoulou)
14. Current research findings and psychotherapy. Postmodern qualitative research (A. Androutsopoulou)
15. Self of the therapist. Personal development, importance of supervision, continuing education and ethics. (G. Kalarritis)
1. Use of DVDs for the development of knowledge and skills. Watching, thinking and discussing. (T. Bafiti-G. Kalarritis)
2. Practicing with foundation counseling and therapy skills: Building a therapeutic relationship. Importance of emotions and of a "safe place". (A. Androutsopoulou)
3. Practicing with basic techniques (modern and postmodern) in systemic and family therapy with adults, children, in various types of sessions. (A. Androutsopoulou- T. Bafiti)
4. Case presentation and conceptualization focused on adaptation difficulties (life-cycle issues, contemporary relationships and families, violence and abuse, drug dependencies, community work) . (A. Androutsopoulou, T. Bafiti, G. Kalarritis)
Level 2
1. Historical review of "mental illness". Birth of psychotherapy. (G. Kalarritis)
2. Systemic thinking and psychopathology: From the 1950's to the 2010's. (T. Bafiti)
3. Attachment theory, narrative coherence and psychopathology. (A. Androutsopoulou)
4. Resilience and normal processes: The emphasis on health. (T. Bafiti)
5. Psychopathology and contemporary findings in the neurosciences. (G. kalarritis)
6. Postmodern community interventions for dealing with psychoses. (A. Androutsopoulou)
7. Basic features and issues in systemic/relational diagnosis. (T. Bafiti)
8. Means of evaluating attachment patterns and narrative coherence. (A. Androutsopoulou- G. Kalarritis)
9. Qualitative research and psychotherapy: Working on team based research projects. (A. Androutsopoulou)
1. Use of DVDs for advancing knowledge and skills. Watching, thinking and discussing. (T. Bafiti-G. Kalarritis).
2. Practice of advanced techniques (modern and postmodern) in systemic and family therapy with adults, children, in various types of sessions (continuing from level 1). (A. Androutsopoulou-T. Bafiti)
3. Case presentation and conceptualization focused on mental health issues and psychopathology. (A. Androutsopoulou, T. Bafiti)
1. An ability to understand all issues covered in theory and workshops (see "teaching units" of levels 1 and 2), and comprehend their applications in a range of problems and various types of sessions (individual, family/couple, group).
2. An ability to develop a meaningful and effective therapeutic relationship with clients
3. An ability to apply, adapt and critically evaluate all the foundation skills and therapy techniques taught in the workshops and practiced in clinical settings to a wide range of problems and clients.
4. Recognition and avoidance of any discriminatory practice and evidence of cultural sensitivity in handling a variety of cases.
5. An ability to make use of supervision processes and show evidence of professional development and an acknowledgment of blind spots.
6. A capacity for critical thinking and reflexivity.
7. A capacity to resolve problems or even crises in the relationships with supervisors, fellow trainees and colleagues.
8. An ability to organize tasks and present clinical work in oral and written forms to mental health professionals.
9. Commitment to the ethics code of the Institute available online to all trainees and staff.
Assessment of trainees includes:
(i) Regular attendance of course activities
(ii) Yearly assignments, research project, and final year dissertation (case conceptualization).
1. Individual assignments (presentations and brief literature reviews).
2. Group assignments (presentations and brief literature reviews).
3. Journal of training activities and clinical work portfolio (reports on clinical practice, short case presentations, use of assessment and clinical tools).
4. Team based qualitative research project (including fieldwork, qualitative analysis, writing up, conference presentation and/or article)(to be completed within the 4-year training).
5. Final year dissertation (theoretical review and case presentation: case conceptualization, treatment planning and implementation, follow up).
Please note: A dissertation is required also of those trainees who complete only the two year training plus clinical practice and wish to be awarded the Certificate in "Theory and applications of systemic counseling".
(iv) Continuous process of oral assessment and feedback from trainers, supervisors and fellow trainees as part of participation in the clinical supervision group.
(v) Written assessment form of personal progress filled in by the trainee designed to evaluate "learning outcomes".
(vi) Written assessment form of trainee progress filled in by trainers and supervisors designed to evaluate "learning outcomes".
Assessment of the course includes:
(i) Written assessment form with comments and suggestions for improving the course filled in by trainees.
(ii) Continuous process of oral assessment and feedback to trainers and supervisors concerning training services as part of their participation in the clinical supervision and training group.
The Institute has the necessary materials and technical equipment to support teaching and learning. It also provides trainees access to selected scientific journals and to a virtual library with licensed access containing articles, books and videos on psychotherapy, research, training and diagnosis/assessment. All necessary materials are provided for free.
1st, 2nd and 3rd year
Teaching and supervision takes place at the Institute every Friday 5pm-10pm from October to June. End of year celebration on the first Friday of July.
The schedule for clinical practice and personal therapy are arranged with clinical supervisors and therapists.
4th year
Teaching and supervision takes place at the Institute one weekend a month from October to June. End of year celebration graduation day on the first Friday of July.
Fees are annual and can be paid in advance or in 9 payments (October-June). Teaching materials are provided for free (see materials and technical support).Please contact the secretary for more information.
Brief English summary of the course description.
Please consult our Greek webpage for detailed course information (entry requirements, learning outcomes, teaching units, clinical practice and assessment).
The institute offers a three- year part-time training program in Systemic Diagnosis addressed to psychologists who are interested in adopting a relational perspective to the use of well known psychometric (MMPI)and projective (TAT, Rorschach etc) tests for adults, couples and families. The seminar includes theories and findings in developmental psychopathology , in addition to clinical practice and individual and group supervision in administering and interpreting results. Successful completion leads to a certificate in "Clinical training program in systemic diagnosis". A total of 110 hours plus independent study. Two additional short courses on popular family evaluation scales (40 hours) and diagnostic tools for children (40 hours) are offered as part of or independently to the main course.
The Institute organizes a variety of specialized seminars and short courses for mental health professionals and mental health students which are announced at the beginning of each academic year.
Topics include:
1. Psychotherapy and neurosciences. New ways of synthesis
2. 'All you need is love'. The theory of attachment in psychotherapy
3. Use and abuse of substances. A systemic approach to understanding and treating.
Co-ordinator: George Kalarritis, MMedSci
4. Narrative tools in systemic psychotherapy.
a. The self-characterization as a narrative tool
b. Fiction as a narrative tool
c. Dreams as a narrative tool
d. Early recollections as a narrative tool
e. Group Supervision seminar in the use of narrative tools
5. Attachment trauma and loss: Narrative techniques for healing.
6. Qualitative research in postmodernism. From choice of topic to writing a report.
Co-ordinator: Athena Androutsopoulou, PhD
7. Training professionals in the Greek WISC-III
8. Skills and techniques for group psychotherapy
9. A synthetic systemic approach to treating couples
10. Therapy as an emotion-focused process
Co-ordinator: Tsabika Bafiti, PhD
Please note: Additional seminars by the Institute's co-ordinators and associates are announced at a regular basis on our webpage.


text:
484 George Street Aberdeen, AB25 3XH
Aspc ref: 341390
Fixed price £72,000
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1 Bdrm Top flr Flat. Hall. Lounge/Kitch on open plan. Bdrm. Bathrm (CT band - A). Garden. Fixed price £72,000 Entry by arr. Viewing contact solicitors. Below Home report Valuation (EPC band - D).
In a great city centre location this one bedroomed top floor flat requires refurbishment but presents an ideal first time purchase. The accommodation comprises of a hallway giving access to the lounge on open plan with the kitchen, a double bedroom to the rear and a centrally set bathroom with shower. Benefiting from double glazing, to the rear lie the communal gardens.
George Street enjoys great access to all city centre amenities and regular public transport is readily available to many parts of the city. Aberdeen University is within walking distance as is Aberdeen's main thoroughfare Union Street.
Communal Hall The communal hall is protected by a security entry system and from the entrance hall a door gives access to the communal grounds to the rear.
Hall Giving access to the accommodation. A ceiling hatch gives access to the roof space.
Lounge 11'7" x 10'8" [3.55m x 3.24m] approx. With a large window to the front this light and airy lounge has neutral décor and ample space for soft furnishings and small table and chairs as required.
Kitchen 7'1" x 5'8" [2.18m x 1.74m] approx. On open plan with the lounge and fitted with wall and base units, co-ordinating worktops with splashback tiling and a stainless steel sink with drainer. The automatic washing machine, fridge and electric cooker will remain. Note: In working order but condition not guaranteed. Ceramic floor tiles. Air extractor.
Bedroom 8'10" x 8'0" [2.71m x 2.45m] approx. Enjoying a quiet location to the rear with an open outlook. There is a recess with hanging and shelving storage and a built-in cupboard housing the hot water tank and further shelving storage for towels and linen.
Bathroom Centrally set and fitted with a coloured suite comprising of a bath, pedestal wash hand basin and w.c. There is an electric shower over the bath and extensive tiling to all walls. Air extractor.
Outside To the rear is a communal fully enclosed garden.
Notes Double glazing. EPC=D. The subjects are being sold as seen inclusive of all fitted floor coverings, curtains, blinds, light fitting and kitchen appliances along with household items and items of furniture.
Buy to let opportunity, sold with tenant in situ or vacant possession subject ot agreement on date of entry.
The date of entry is material and offers subject to survey, subject to finance or subject to the sale of the purchaser's own property will not be considered.
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Raeburn Christie Clark & Wallace
399 Union Street (sales) Aberdeen AB11 6BX
- +441224564636 01224-564636
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The foregoing particulars are being distributed on behalf of the Selling Solicitors by Aberdeen Solicitors' Property Centre Ltd. of 40, Chapel Street, Aberdeen AB10 1SP (Tel: 01224 632949). Whilst the particulars have been prepared with care and are believed to be accurate, no liability for any errors or omissions therein or the consequences thereof will be accepted by the Selling Solicitors or Aberdeen Solicitors' Property Centre Ltd. © Aberdeen Solicitors' Property Centre and Selling Solicitors.
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text:
Wouldn't it be fun if a professor teaching late 19th or early 20th century philosophy, literature, or any other expression of thought and culture would let me come and help the students see how the library's classification system grew out of that world view? That way library instruction wouldn't be an "extra" class session. It would be course content and preparation for research projects, all at the same time.
2 thoughts on "A Class I'd Love to Teach"
Now, who doesn't think deeply? How many librarians even know (or remember) these things?
You're sweet, Mark. But I'm not a deep thinker. I think, sure, but I'm also fundamentally lazy and, left to my own devices, I'd spend my day veging on the couch rather than seeking out professors teaching this stuff. To my credit, I did try to sell this idea to a professor my first fall here… but it never happened.


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