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What does a Folkwear pattern have in common with Slow Stitching you ask? A little over a year ago I pulled a large piece of rusted hemp fabric from my stash and began to add embroidery to it. Here is the link to the original post where I posted early images of exploring spontaneity through stitch.
At that time I had already cut and joined most of the individual pieces for the Michiyuki jacket. The embroidery was intended to add visual and tactile texture for interest. Simple line designs in running stitch were to lead the eye across the piece.
All good things require time, energy and inspiration. After my initial investment of time, I abandoned the project in April last year to focus on the church commission and some much needed personal wardrobe enhancement for the summer.
Two weeks ago I pulled the partially assembled jacket from my sewing cupboard and committed to finishing this UFO. Looking at it with fresh eyes I realized that the hand stitching was successful and I just needed to line the jacket and complete it at this stage.
I sewed on the buttons a couple of days ago and am very pleased with the overall look. I particularly like the way the back seam has turned out with the additional embroidery.
Following are a few close-up images to show you how the rusted textures and added embroidery support the overall design.
As I am tidying up the studio today I am busy pulling other unfinished projects from my stash. Individual pieces for another jacket, completely different from the Japanese Michiyuki, are pinned to the dress form. Upon inspection, I decided to add some hand quilting to the printed fabric. Stay tuned and check future blog posts!
Hope everyone had a productive and creative February. Enjoy your bonus day tomorrow!!! Looking forward to connecting in March. Happy weekend, everyone.


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Suge Knight's Big Break ... Victim Blames Himself for Death
Suge Knight's Big Break Victim Blames Himself for Death
Suge Knight has got a powerful weapon ... not a gun, and not a car. It's the guy he ran over who lived and told cops he was responsible for the other victim's death.
Cle Bone Sloan told LAPD officers the same day he was mowed down by Suge's truck, "I was in a rage. I f***ed up. I get that 'cause a guy is dead behind this s**t."
TMZ first posted the video of the accident, and you see Bone attack Suge almost the second he enters the Tam's parking lot in Compton.
Suge claims it was all a set up and Bone as well as others were trying to do him in, and he gunned it to save his life. Suge ran over bone, critically injuring him. Another victim, Terry Carter, died.
The court released photos of Suge's face, which appear to show the injuries he suffered when Bone attacked him. There's also a mug shot of Suge.
Suge's attorneys are going to use the audio to make the argument ... how can a jury convict Suge if someone else confessed?

subset: commoncrawl


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What is Social Engineering? – Exclusive Explanation
Social engineering is a non-technical way for a criminal to collect information on a target. It is an art of gaining entrée to buildings, systems or data by exploiting human psychology, instead of breaking in or using technical hacking techniques.
For example, instead of trying to find software vulnerability, a social engineer might call an employee and act as an IT support person, trying to dodge the employee into exposing his password. A social engineer usually manipulating people into breaking normal security rules and best practices to gain access to systems, networks or physical locations, or for financial gain.
Social engineers often use the willingness of the Peoples but also victimize people on their weaknesses. For example, an attacker calls to authorize an employee with an urgent problem that requires immediate network access. The attacker can request to the employee's pride, raise authority using name-dropping techniques. These are some types of social engineering attacks:
Type of Social Engineering
When an attacker calls someone and lies to them in trying to gain access to confidential data. For example, involves an attacker who pretends to get personal or financial data to confirm the identity of the recipient.
Quid pro quo
When a social engineer requests personal information from a party in exchange for something is Quid pro quo. For example, a hacker calls random numbers within an organization and pretends to be calling back from tech support. Ultimately, the attacker will find someone with a real issue who they will then pretend to help. Through this, the attacker finds the target, target information, and password.
When an attacker leaves a device infected with malware, For example, a USB drive. Then someone finds the USB, finder then picks up the device and loads it onto a computer, accidentally installing the malware.
When a criminal attempt to compromise a specific group of people by infecting websites with malware that target users accessing the website.
Diversion theft
The social engineers trick a delivery or courier company into going to the wrong pickup or drop-off place, thus intercepting the transaction.
Honey trap
The social engineer has shown himself as an attractive person to interact with a person online, fake an online relationship and gather sensitive information through that relationship.
Tailgating Piggybacking
Tailgating also has known as piggybacking. Piggybacking is a physical security breach where an unauthorized person follows an authorized person to enter a secured premises.
Rogue security software is a type of malware that tricks targets into paying for the fake removal of malware.
Phishing, Spear Phishing, Vishing, and Scareware – we already discuss these types.
Social Engineering Tactics
There are several tactics on social engineering tactics include:
- Intimidation– The secretary of a senior official receive a call stating that her/his boss is about to give an important presentation, but the required file is corrupt. The cybercriminals ask for the file to be sent to him via email or other via.
- Consensus– Criminals create a site with fake testimonials promoting a product indicating that it is safe.
- Scarcity and Urgency – Criminals usually offer a limited opportunity and People will take action when they think there is a limited quantity or a limited time and become victims
- Familiarity/Liking– People to do what another person asks if the victims like that person.
- Trust– Criminals build a relationship with a victim. For example, as a security expert criminal calls the victim offering advice and help. While helping, the criminals get important information from the victim's computer.


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For whatever reason, breaking your work routine can make a huge difference to your life. Victoria Stewart talks to five women about what happened when they stepped away from the stove.
Imagine you've left a highly demanding job in a kitchen, bar or restaurant with a view to finding a site in which to open your own place, having a baby or taking a breather while you work out what to do next.
This in between period has the potential to be both liberating and disarming – the conundrum of knowing you need to keep your eye on the industry and to continue making use of your skills whilst not taking on a full time job.
It's not as if there's an industry blueprint for advice on this. Technically you could easily find cover positions, but do you want to follow somebody else's rules again?
Thankfully, because the industry has changed a lot, opportunities have widened. Pop-ups, residencies or collaborations play a huge role now. It's almost considered a right of passage for talented chefs to trial ideas and venues and spaces, such as Carousel in Marylebone, that offer rotating cooking opportunities. Meanwhile there are chances to do private cooking jobs, and to consult or do recipe development for brands. But how to balance it all?
Here are five voices from the industry who describe how they've made it work.
To read the article, which appeared in full in the March edition of Code Quarterly, buy it here.


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@DISCWOMANNYC 12:25 pm - 26 Aug 2022
thank you for 8 years of Discwoman. we've experienced more thru this project than we could've imagined. we're evolving away from the platform of Discwoman to focus solely on the agency & roster talent at @dwartists ty for all the love & support over the yrs. AMPLIFY EACH OTHER pic.twitter.com/FhvI6E1iiG
@DISCWOMANNYC 2:40 pm - 14 Jul 2022
summer sale 🍒 50% off discwoman merch with code "DW2022" discwoman.bigcartel.com pic.twitter.com/dWrvnaxCFF
@DISCWOMANNYC 3:10 pm - 16 Nov 2021
.@aerielist is available for North American bookings, please inquire within 😘 twitter.com/aerielist/stat…
@DISCWOMANNYC 12:20 pm - 30 Oct 2021
NYC's @kilopatrahjones takes us into a tunnel this Halloween, a tunnel you definitely don't to see the end of. They've created a mix of techno, drum n bass and edits for us to fall fully into and not look back. discwoman.com/mixes/kilopatr… pic.twitter.com/UCBKMiSPVE
@DISCWOMANNYC 11:42 am - 14 Oct 2021
for all things FAUZIA please visit her beautiful new site Fauzia.co 😍
@DISCWOMANNYC 11:14 am - 22 Sep 2021
Merch restock & new colorways S/o @uninformedsis & @greendreamgirl for these beautiful images <3 discwoman.bigcartel.com pic.twitter.com/ejfU21lsII
@DISCWOMANNYC 4:26 pm - 23 Jun 2021
We have merch at this market today thru saturday come say hi! @NewYorkLiveArts pic.twitter.com/9V7tkaunEa
@DISCWOMANNYC 1:10 pm - 22 Jun 2021
.@mistervacation effortlessly oscillates between genres for a special Juneteenth mix of black producers, continuing the celebration beyond the day; a therapeutic and energetic ode for everyday. discwoman.com/mixes/misterva… pic.twitter.com/CGAGV51eoN
@DISCWOMANNYC 12:15 pm - 2 Apr 2021
some recs for bandcamp friday 😍 @arielzetina on an all-star-cast TRAX ONLY comp traxonly.bandcamp.com/album/soft-tou… RIOBAMBA new release with @mariimals riobambaaa.bandcamp.com/track/mystery-… @pe_nt__ s release on @UMFANG s label pent3.bandcamp.com/album/glue pic.twitter.com/SPznfR4xbq
@DISCWOMANNYC 11:49 am - 31 Mar 2021
Special edition @JasmineAmandla amp.wata globe long sleeves dropping at noon on discwoman.bigcartel.com Limited quantity hand dyed one of a kind pieces with color variations in blue, violet, grey, and aqua. pic.twitter.com/U7hkq30VuA
@DISCWOMANNYC 12:21 pm - 23 Mar 2021
New merch drop & restock on our site >> discwoman.bigcartel.com >> ty photographer tyler jones & models may & sarah <3 pic.twitter.com/kZeg9Vjenw
@DISCWOMANNYC 1:00 pm - 15 Mar 2021
We did an interview with @RollingStone it's been a about year since shit shut down and year since we asked for help and got abuse which shaped the year for us but inspired many reflections on this industry that promotes "love" but gives very little of it. rollingstone.com/music/music-fe…
@DISCWOMANNYC 11:21 am - 28 Feb 2021
Closing out #BHM with @BlackBandcamp co-founder @niksdelanancy, a database elevating black artists. This mix is a reflection of that, showcasing black women producers for a necessary, powerful and percussive statement on visibility. discwoman.com/mixes/niks pic.twitter.com/SM9ViSoKoe
@DISCWOMANNYC 11:12 am - 24 Feb 2021
Chroma's Siii Sii, intimately uses this space to layer spoken definitions of black joy with tracks that perfectly support these expressions; making for a powerful, emotive and meditative particularly perfect for this month. discwoman.com/mixes/sii-sii pic.twitter.com/g8zsiNAzn8
@DISCWOMANNYC 11:28 am - 17 Feb 2021
Member of @jukebouncewerk @elise1111111, brightens and lightens these gloomy days with this antidote of a set infused with vocals that will make you feel so cosy, creating a space for us to reminisce and crave what we miss most: the dance floor. discwoman.com/mixes/elise pic.twitter.com/5ozLZxqcmT
@DISCWOMANNYC 11:21 am - 11 Feb 2021
Internet icon @gothjafar has gained a huge following based on her impeccable taste in pop/electronic music. This mix encapsulates just that, every transition/track is as sharp as the next, successfully combining her love of pop and techno from 90s to now. discwoman.com/mixes/goth-jaf… pic.twitter.com/fnJu43TTwB
@DISCWOMANNYC 10:44 am - 5 Feb 2021
some bandcamp day recs 🌟 @itsFAUZIA dropped a new project 'flashes in time' ⭐ fauzia.bandcamp.com @thatjuana s 'floating' EP ⭐ thatjuana.bandcamp.com/releases @ziurinhell s album 'now now' ⭐ ziurinhell.bandcamp.com/album/now-now pic.twitter.com/FPJ55IXlCA
@DISCWOMANNYC 10:05 am - 5 Feb 2021
cop your @arielzetina merch before feb 22 😍 twitter.com/arielzetina/st…
@DISCWOMANNYC 11:00 am - 25 Jan 2021
this weekend we join with kansas' Untuck Collective for a very special stream raising money for the artists 🥺🌟😚Saturday jan 30 11am-11pm EST - twitch.tv/technofeminism pic.twitter.com/mrKmtIt6T2
@DISCWOMANNYC 10:22 pm - 15 Jan 2021
new @B_E_A_R_C_A_T merch bearcat.digital/shop <33333 twitter.com/B_E_A_R_C_A_T/…
@DISCWOMANNYC 11:15 pm - 2 Jan 2021
Terrell Davis Medical Expense Relief Fund gofundme.com/f/terrell-davi…
@DISCWOMANNYC 12:10 pm - 8 Dec 2020
NEW MERCH DROP >> discwoman.bigcartel.com >> love to our model @tyykai, our photographer Serena Jara & @Guari1x for providing studio space <3 pic.twitter.com/aVBEQSsO4E
@DISCWOMANNYC 5:11 pm - 20 Nov 2020
hi boos catch akua, @bergsonist @HUXTABLEJULIANA and @UMFANG s sets (and @frankiefatgold s 5 second intro) tomorrow sat nov 21 ❤ nts.live/incoming/vault… pic.twitter.com/eHZuHTpFAY
@DISCWOMANNYC 12:37 pm - 30 Oct 2020
For our 100th mix New York's @crys_cr0ss delivers an ode to the black trans and queer community with a selection of the upmost energizing tracks seamlessly blended creating the ultimate hypnotic rhythm. discwoman.com/mixes/cry-cross pic.twitter.com/JKj2MzkoRQ
@DISCWOMANNYC 6:12 pm - 21 Oct 2020
@DISCWOMANNYC 12:00 pm - 14 Oct 2020
.@TomuDJ takes us on an emo ride of ethereal bangers, which successfully captures where we emotionally are and where we physically want to be (in a rave with our best friends) discwoman.com/mixes/tomu-dj pic.twitter.com/jrWN5jnOHn
@DISCWOMANNYC 12:00 pm - 1 Oct 2020
Philly's @_estoc brings us a delightfully tough mix of everything fast and hard, the DJ and producer has created a perfect facilitator for this time of relentless chaos and unrest. We all need a vehicle to vent right now and she provides exactly that. discwoman.com/mixes/estoc pic.twitter.com/rv90g5rHiI
@DISCWOMANNYC 9:06 am - 23 Sep 2020
15% off all dw merch via discwoman.bigcartel.com with code "FIFTEENDW" 🌐 ships worldwide pic.twitter.com/9kegJQC4BT
@DISCWOMANNYC 9:21 am - 17 Sep 2020
images by @tyykai • merch available via discwoman.bigcartel.com pic.twitter.com/WUhJqzUOOW
@DISCWOMANNYC 6:18 pm - 3 Sep 2020
Help Boston Chery get a new Laptop gofundme.com/f/help-boston-…
@DISCWOMANNYC 11:09 am - 3 Sep 2020
UK-based Nahi Mitti, skillfully swerves through a galaxy of genres including her own tracks. Illustrating her affection for the unorthodox which extends beyond her track choices and into her captivating technical style of relentless momentum. discwoman.com/mixes/nahi-mit… pic.twitter.com/TOnibAgZxl
@DISCWOMANNYC 2:45 pm - 30 Aug 2020
Update <3 but can still donate gofundme.com/f/free-daria-a… t.co/NSJ9V2PvZZ
@DISCWOMANNYC 6:03 pm - 27 Aug 2020
Securing Safe Housing for Quay Dash gofundme.com/f/securing-saf…
@DISCWOMANNYC 10:17 am - 22 Aug 2020
restocked discwoman purple and black amplify tees + limited run of long sleeves discwoman.bigcartel.com 🌐 worldwide shipping pic.twitter.com/CmxfQnVwJd
@DISCWOMANNYC 8:32 pm - 21 Aug 2020
new discwoman merch + restocked amplify tees available discwoman.bigcartel.com ☁ worldwide shipping 🌐 pic.twitter.com/LNPDTAU8Sg
@DISCWOMANNYC 9:24 pm - 13 Aug 2020
new merch 💧 1L discwoman.bigcartel.com pic.twitter.com/g1RSSPOq8S
@DISCWOMANNYC 12:15 pm - 31 Jul 2020
yesssss new akua mix today via @Groove_Mag what a treat! 👽👽👽 groove.de/2020/07/31/aku… pic.twitter.com/2Akw3d4zhh
@DISCWOMANNYC 2:22 pm - 29 Jul 2020
we're moving studios 🚛 30% off all dw merch via discwoman.bigcartel.com with code "DW30" pic.twitter.com/741pDeLftF


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– Kevin Xu also received the Scroll Award
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 31, 2013 / PRNewswire — Dr. Rongxiang Xu, a Los Angeles resident, received the prestigious Scroll Award from the Los Angeles county government on October 29, 2013 in the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration, for receiving the International Golden Biatec Award 2013 for his invention of organ regeneration science. The Scroll Award was also given to Kevin Xu, Dr. Xu's son who is a California State Government Advisor, Young Entrepreneur Council member, CEO, and also supports and collaborates with Dr. Xu on his scientific research and developments.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/
The awards were presented by Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, Los Angeles County Fifth District. Mr. Antonovich provided opening remarks stating "Today, we welcome Dr. Rongxiang Xu, recipient of the Golden Biatec award for his scientific work in the regeneration of human tissue (organ). Here today with Dr. Xu is his son Kevin Xu." He further commented that Dr. Xu is a renowned trauma burn surgeon and scientist who revolutionized the way doctors treat burn victims and replaced skin grafting with his inventive burns regenerative therapy; prior to the development of burns regenerative therapy, patients would have to endure painful skin graft surgery which resulted in lifelong scaring. By applying burns regenerative therapy, patients with deep degree burns can heal with little to no scaring by in situ skin regeneration, thereby avoiding the torture of skin graft. The route and solution of organ regeneration science invented by Dr. Xu has led the scientific community to believe that human tissues and organs could achieve in situ regeneration.
The European IEF Economic Club awarded Dr. Xu as the only foreign laureate of the International Golden Biatec 2013 for his invention of organ regeneration science and its route and solution. The Golden Biatec international award is a prestigious honor for international personalities who have made great contributions to mankind. In the past, the Award has been given to 28 leaders of nations and world economy including Russian President Vladimir Putin, former U.S. President George W. Bush, and former President of France Jacques Chirac. Dr. Xu is the 29th international laureate of Golden Biatec. Rongxiang Xu delivered recently a landmark presentation during his awarding ceremony of Golden Biatec to declare that mankind is entering the era of applied organ regeneration science.
Jane Westgate: 336-209-9276, email@example.com
Cheryl Riley: 703-683-1798, email@example.com


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Michele Bachmann.On Wednesday, the first session of the 112th Congress will commence, at which point Republicans will take control of the House. To prepare for this new responsibility, G.O.P. leaders appear to have made several New Year's resolutions. Politics aside, the proposal of specific objectives is a far more pragmatic approach to governance than the Republicans' earlier suggestion of "have slumber parties." Let's review their emerging agenda. 1. Repeal the health-care bill: Representatives Michele Bachmann (R-MN) and Fred Upton (R-MI), the McCarthyist Tea Party–groupie and global-warming denying new chair of the House Energy Committee, respectively, are among the Republicans angling for a repeal of President Obama's health-care bill. "The more the people learn about Obamacare, the less they like it," Bachmann said yesterday on Face the Nation. "It's very costly; it's unwieldy. So we will put forth a clean repeal bill of Obamacare. And you'll continue to see us make that fight because that's what the American people want us to do." That all depends on Bachmann's interpretations of "American people" and "want." As The Washington Post reported in late July, support for the health-care bill has slowly picked up since March, when Obama signed the legislation into law.
Pantomime continued interest in the Tea Party: Republican interest in the Tea Party agenda is directly proportional to the usefulness of the Tea Party. To some, this is as obvious as the correct spelling of "socialism"; to others, a painful epiphany. "The Republicans, frankly, have been a disaster," said co-founder of the Tea Party Patriots Mark Meckler, referring to passage of post-election-day Democrat-backed legislation. Many a tricorne-topped head have also shaken disapprovingly at the ratification of the START Treaty and the extenuation of the George W. Bush–era tax cuts. Elected officials, better versed in the machinations of Washington than proprietors of Tea Party social-networking sites, for example, know that the buds revolution may need to steep for some time. Mike Lee, a Tea Party‐backed incoming Senator from Utah, told the Times, "As long as you have a Democratic president and a Democratic-controlled Senate, I don't think there are many people who are expecting that the government's going to be transformed overnight into something in the image of the Tea Party. That would be delusional."
Figure out some way to avoid a Mitt Romney nomination in 2012: How about Jon Huntsman? In an interview with Newsweek, the former Utah governor and current U.S. ambassador to China did not say he wouldn't be running for president in 2012, an omission that the magazine interpreted as a "winking response" and "about as close to a hat-in-ring announcement as you'll get from a sitting member of the incumbent's administration." Indeed, as Politico's nocturnal soothsayer Mike Allen prophesied, "[h]eads will explode at 1600 and in RomneyWorld."


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We breathe the same air ~ yet no one seems to care
Outside our body is the only unique ~ Inside identical, it is love that we seek
Tag Archives: #soul
Give thanks or Thanks in giving…
It goes without saying, that everyone likes to be given something. Surprises however, I will leave on the fringe, since I hate them, as do most people I know…just don't react well. That being said, gifts are still a nice way to confirm to someone that they matter, and it doesn't matter if they are tangible or emotional, gifts are a necessity…like water in a weed patch.
There are however, two camps in this world, those that give and those that take, each having a few variations, no different from eye and hair color. Similar to physical attributes, we always will be who we are inside and no amount of wrapping paper or window dressing will ever change it. So ask yourself, which are you? I know that I am a Giver, and having been raised by Givers, it firmly solidified my direction in life…that of certain disappointment, and an intense happiness, having no earthly definition.
In recognizing Givers and Takers, we are quick to see certain deviations to their definitions. For Givers, there is total satisfaction in just providing joy, because they know a person so well, and can offer the unexpected. Then, there is having to do something out of guilt, because it is expected, and lastly, hoping to be loved and wanted as much as the recipient. These subcategories are gray, and often overlap. However, true intent always remains loud, clear, and in the forefront. Givers also tend to have less, and ask for little in return, having no problem being last in line.
Takers are another story, and although broken down much the same, there is a darker theme. They take because they feel it is due them, owing nothing in return, or because they don't want to hurt someone's feelings, accepting whatever is offered without emotion. It can also be just a basic exchange of the moment, give to take, a time shamed ritual, where everyone feels good for a while. Takers also seem to have lower self-esteem, failing to understand any happiness or compassion behind the process. More often than not, they're well connected and/or wealthy, abundantly able to offer to others, but fail, instead, only worrying how they will survive without all they have, and how lucky they are to always get things.
Ironically, we don't come into this world as a Taker. After all, children are born filled with love and giving, it is not until they are challenged, a new perspective develops. Any adult or dog, can readily attest, if a child is asked for a bite of their cookie, they give up the whole thing…with a smile. Offering all they have, except maybe Mr. Blanket, because children are anxious for a positive reaction, and love, no different from the expression in giving itself. In addition, as they mature, children also discover what special buttons to push, further bonding them to those they care about.
I know I am not alone, when I comment on many drawings and objects de knick knack I've received from tiny hands, because they knew what would make me smile. In return, I gave tears, laughter, acceptance and satisfaction, and completed the circle, anxious to do the same for them. In life, that is also the only quid pro quo that should ever matter, because it is far more than legally binding.
However, somewhere down the line, life changes us, and only true Givers ever survive. The others left standing become Takers, unable to fully respond in kind, needing attention and gifts as reassurance of their own value, while falsely seeing their intended place in a family, friendship, business or organization. When I see these Takers, I think of the Emperor's new clothes. Nobody would tell the selfish man who wanted it all that he was actually naked…because they feared being out of his good graces, a different fact of human nature, which no Giver understands.
Every day in the media, we are bombarded with political and religious figures, celebrities and athletes, all showing what they have acquired or become, demanding to be noticed for who they are. These Takers are applauded, and given even more, by those hoping to receive attention in return…all of them missing the mark on giving, just taking what they can, and wanting, and wanting and wanting.
Like many, I have saved things over the years, those items that made me feel loved, and even more intangible ones reside in my heart. Nevertheless, the pick it up and feel it variety still clutter my life, and collect dust…like me, as time and memories pass. It makes me wonder what will be said after I die, when people look at what was saved. Obviously, nobody will understand the green Tupperware glass with a melt mark on the rim, the tarnished Cracker Jack ring, complete with rhinestone diamond in the center, or the aged dog collar with long expired tags. I also doubt that anyone will feel love from a vintage butter cookie tin, or tears over faded scraps of material and rick rack in a vintage button box.
Regardless of my odd legacy, those items gave back to me, teaching that the greatest gift of all, is knowing someone's soul, and unselfishly making their heart smile – as often as possible. Maybe that's why I have more pictures than albums, or space on a flash drive, so I could look back at photographed reactions, which delightfully I was responsible for, knowing they forever meant more than anything someone might purchase, wrap or mail.
Religion aside, whether you believe a story about dirty and odd gifts from a small angel, that later became a nativity star or not, you can't dispute a child, offering a wilted dandelion, favorite toy, or drawing that is colored in a shade or design they know you love. You see, Giving is the purest form of love, and it never asks for anything back, only tarnished human nature does that. So look at objects in your life, those connecting to the core of who you are as a person. Hopefully, the first thought won't be why the hell did I save that! But instead, where it came from, and who gave it to you. The second thought with any luck will be…yes, I still have the stuff, but I wish I had the Giver instead…and that my friend is a reaction everyone should take away.
Heart, Brain and Soul are indeed, Lions and Tigers and Bears…oh, my!
We've all followed the yellow brick road in some capacity, as either a movie of wonder, life's destination or just entertaining a fantasy of what if. Some of the more analytical in our world, even ask where the red road goes, prompting laughter or deep thoughts, while waiting for Godot or Yoda…depending on your out of body experience. That being said, when the scarecrow, the tin man and the lion are gifted with humanity, something already there of course, we sense a larger picture…something far and above a balloon, and movie set, and we are right.
Raised in the 60's and 70's, I had parents that had seen war and depression, moved for greener pastures, and always put family first. I guess you could say they valued life, and in turn gave us values of a lifetime. There was also never a right or wrong to question. Knowing the Golden Rule, I followed it straight and narrow, years before it became metric, and nobody knew what the hell was going on. That was however, until I became a teenager and wanted to be beautiful, and there was no movie set, fairy godmother or wizard to help my quest.
There was instead, a family drugstore, where Mom and Dad had been going since it opened. The owner and his wife were wonderful, and played a major role in my life, after I required heavy medication, in an era when it was not readily available or understood. This kind man also allowed us to have a running tab, paid off at the end of the month, insuring we could afford my prescriptions. As I matured, primarily due to this generosity, I learned the best acts of kindness are never seen or given to grandiose presentations. Instead, they are silent, felt in the heart and given by the soul, and if you've ever done or received them, you know no there is never any lion.
However, even the best laid bricks of mice and men crumble on occasion, and a few of mine did just that, shortly after turning into a teenager. As I mentioned, my parents were old school, meaning when I left the elementary world, our experiences didn't match up. It was a time when I wanted to wear mini's and jeans, which were all the rage, but girls couldn't wear pants, only skirts and dresses just above the knee. Likewise, I wanted to color my world, Chicago and New York style, in makeup palettes and brushes of Avon temptation, something else never seen in our home. You see, if you had a red dye No.4 lipstick, and a Helena Rubinstein compact nothing else was necessary.
Hoping to convince my mother of the value behind such cosmetics, which incidentally, would be barely visible behind the thick lens of my glasses, I accompanied her to the drugstore and showed her the colorful display of powders, shimmers, liners and sparkles. Looking at all that was before her, I'm sure the once young girl in her memories had a say in the matter, because we left with light brown mascara, a pale pink blush, and nude lipstick. Yes, I had the mother lode, and was going to be beautiful! Checking out was an almost religious experience, and one I have yet to forget in my aging brain…the day the scarecrow in the field finally burst the bubble of beauty.
As time went on, my desire for beauty continued, long after the initial cosmetics were gone. I never understood why my mother assumed it was a never ending well of glory, because she never asked if I needed more, and unlike my own daughters, a replenishment didn't just happen when she went to the store. That was also when I discovered misplaced courage, and crossed the road of honesty, stealing what I needed. Sadly, there is nothing as driven as a teenager on a mission of self service, and speaking from experience; I never thought I would get caught, because after all…we had an account at the drugstore.
Once I had perfected my shoplifting, which couldn't have amounted to more than a hundred dollars if ever calculated up, I was in the zone. Walking into the store after school, I'd look at several cosmetics and often drop two, replacing one on the counter and one in my purse. I'd also walk around the store with my selections, removing something from a package as I browsed, leaving the empty box on the shelf. It was a thrill, a satisfaction, and in the time before I wasn't caught, a lesson sent by a higher power.
You see, the clerk at the store was a woman named Betty, and also a family friend, usually working when I arrived. We'd exchange pleasantries, and I would go off to look at what was new, and occasionally buy something, always leaving with more in my bag. Then one day, in a less than Hallmark moment as I was reading greeting cards, attempting to hide an empty mascara package, I looked up, and knew she saw me. My blood went cold. I started to sweat, and as soon as her back was turned, I left the store. I also never went back to steal. Waiting for the other shoe to drop, I expected my mother to say something, or at the very least comment, that there were charges on her account she didn't understand. But it never happened…only silence.
Now if you are like me, silence is the great equalizer of life. It forces you to listen to your heart and soul, and allow your brain rip you a new one. Some people call it a conscience, but I know it as the oh shit moment, facing music only you can hear, while praying there won't be a sold out performance with everyone you know. In my case, that silence continued for years, until one day, after I was engaged to be married, and then there were all kinds of police sirens. They weren't for me though; they were for a 911 call at the drugstore.
Still loyal and conscientious, while working, Betty suffered a fatal stroke. I've always found it an odd comfort when people die doing what they love best, as if reaching the end of their yellow brick road, entitled to happiness. I still remember sitting in our kitchen, listening as the story unfolded, experiencing a mixed bag of feelings, as unrelated as stolen cosmetics in a purse, because after all that time Betty died with my secret. I had never acknowledged it, apologized or thanked her, and knew I could never make it right. It was in that moment, that the lions, tigers, and bears all came together, as my heart broke, my soul hurt and my mind knew the truth. I grew up that day.
As the years went on, the drugstore became a pawn shop, the family retired and we occasionally saw each other at church. I now see vintage ads on Facebook, for cosmetics I knew would make me beautiful, and I laugh, because it took something ugly to find the real beauty in life…something that comes from a pure heart and compassionate soul. Like my mother, I doubt Betty ever wore makeup in her life, but yet, I think she knew how important it was to a bespectacled young girl with pimples and a flat chest. She also let me tap my heels, free to go home, assured I knew the right road to take, and never to look back. You see, not all courage roars, and not all good witches sparkle, but the best ones watch over us for a lifetime.
Yes, you have one
Before you read any further, this has nothing to do with Oprah, or a plethora of free items, insuring that those selected will get a big ticket item she can't live without, and they can never afford. It is however, about something much deeper, and unless you kicked the bucket in 1970, you will remember a boy named Charlie, and a single golden ticket, changing his future forever. His grandfather later confirmed the moment, by saying, "Charlie you won!"
Despite poverty and minimal prospects for a successful life, Charlie had already won, long before he found the chocolate, because as we discover…he had one. That one was a mother who loved him unconditionally, and a family, which although struggling to survive, still saw the good, because they had one another. After all, that's the true ticket we are given as we pass Go, and start the game of Life…before greed, deception, ego, and friends monopolize who we were supposed to be, causing us to lose sight of our future.
Unlike golf, life doesn't toss a mulligan when we need a do over. Instead, it demands we stay the course, try not to be a pawn, and roll the dice at least once on the journey, taking a chance with the cards we've been dealt. The problem with unwritten instructions, however, is that we rarely follow them, and often bring along friends, not offering the best advice, or with a decent track record. These guests on our path, can also emotionally bankrupt our soul…long before we realize it has happened.
Recently, a certain celebrity was featured in the news, mourning for her dead mother, a woman she walked away from years ago. Glittering in the public eye, this friendly actress has always been one to follow on gossip pages, watch on television and in movies, and for some, live vicariously through…or at least share the same haircut. How complete her life must be, since she had no use for the one mother, and one life she was given…until it was too late. I would call her actions an Imitation of Life, however, that title and movie have already been done twice…and very well, I might add, with the painful result perfectly dramatized. Because you see, no one ever wins at a funeral, and two are lost forever.
If life is indeed a game of winning and losing, why do so many make the mistake of cutting the quarterback and/or the coach, right as their game gets interesting? Sure, if it was Vegas, the card dealer handing out too many wins should be replaced, but only so the house would win, and not any onlookers, hoping to take what was never theirs in the first place. You see…if we're lucky or blessed, we already have a winning house, where unconditional love waits behind every unopened door, and there aren't any moments of chance. Why then deliberately pass on your past?
The only rational explanation for walking away from your one, the won that doesn't come with a trophy or certificate, can only be explained as a combination of pride and ego, coupled with fear and emptiness, which sadly, are the four corners in a home, that compassion always sweeps clean, insuring room for acceptance and love.
Nevertheless, a part of me is happy for those who can successfully rewrite their personal story, delete characters that know too much, remember too often, or refuse to accept an inevitable wrong decision ( Hell, we all have uncomfortable history!) That being said, such people still only live a faux fantasy, much like the children that went with Charlie into the chocolate factory, with a fake existence forcing them to perform daily. And should their agendas ever see the light of day, they'll have no one but themselves to blame, having missed out on not just their true journey, but who they should have been, with loved ones supporting them…even at their lowest point.
Yes, this actress is worth millions of dollars, has vacationed and celebrated herself for years, and has once in a lifetime memories, even walking down the aisle with her own brand of Prince Charming. However, you can't tell me, that there isn't a place in her heart hurting, a place where one woman, one family and one memory got removed. After all, you only get one moment at a time…and they never repeat, no matter how good they can be, or how much money you have to spend.
Just as the paper a certain Golden Ticket was printed on, once a page in life is read, all but life is dead…or so says Perry Como. Likewise, sand through the hourglass, is either just days of our lives, or the time left to hand over our ruby slippers, before facing the end, in a nightmare of epic proportions…complete with flying monkeys and melting witches! So make sure you do it right, with the people who know you best, and love you the most.
In rock music, one may be a lonely number, but in life, having that one hand, one heart and one love behind you, usually from your first breath, is the sole reason you have for trying, succeeding and discovering who you are. Because when everything is over, regardless of motives, fears, embarrassment and pain, if you've walked away from your one, in time, you'll be the one lost…no matter how much you think you've won.
Strike the pose and let the door close
There was a saying once, that you were old when you worried about the denigration of the youth. Now, however, it is the denigration of society and the entire human race, and worrying about it has long since grown old. Vogue Magazine, the timeless tome of advertising, style and impulse dreaming, was in the news today, with an exhibit, which confirms that flash for cash is no longer model behavior, leaving behind negative images, cluttering the stage of society. That being said, it also confirms there isn't any social left in humanity, so along with your exhibition, please pen a new moniker for this world…the darkness where we co-exist.
Newspapers and magazines were the first tangible window of the world, bringing fashion, news, humor, spirituality, cartoons and advertising. Teething on these pages of once mighty trees, was a rite of passage, which gave us the option to share life with one another, offer an opinion or quote a fact. I am proud to have known it, because it is where my mind learned, and yearned for more. However, as that desire grew, so did curiosity, and soon Pandora's Box was laid open, against waves of invisible communication, offering more than ever dreamed possible.
That being said, knowledge is not rude voyeurism, which is what now corrupts our minds, hearts and souls. Why is it news to know the intimate deals of strangers or celebrities? Watch boils and cysts pop open, spewing yellow and green pus against blood stained gauze, or hear heart wrenching details, as someone dies or an animal is killed? Likewise, underwear is just that…something worn under…and in private, not something for public commentary! Nothing is sacred anymore, personal or sentimental…because if it will get a response on social media, it is posted, and all the more, if it could be liked or become viral…as well as vile. We don't dream or live vicariously anymore, we live for quick attention, even if it is bad, or disgusting.
The society we have created, has fallen back to a Roman thumbs up or down with more lying than lions, as people tear down lives with hateful comments or jealous retorts. Everything is now offered for public critique, and there is no end in sight. Bullies, advertising companies, media productions and our very children will continue this game of life to the end, as it gets darker and darker. People are hurt, some die and some simply give up, all because of empty words and personal bravado, stepping in where it never belonged.
Lord of the Flies is no longer a book against a wall, but a reality, as we turn on one another just because we can, and know we will come out victorious with Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter crowds of invisible applause and approval. I remember fears that Strawberry Fields would forever brainwash the youth, offering ideas of free love, pot and LSD, music and nonconforming lifestyles, sure to undermine the establishment. However, as someone from that same slice of American Pie, I saw more love for one another, compassion, and roots of family values than I ever saw hate, blood and destruction.
All lives mattered when I grew up, and we didn't need to make it a statement, we just respected it and one another. Yes, there were times of political and racial unrest, but the foundation my home was on, was committed to caring, and with my open door, open heart and open mind, I didn't need an open Wi-Fi- signal to share. Life, like everything else, only works when it is taken care of, allowed to find its own level, tended and nourished with honesty and love.
Maybe someday compassion, understanding and brotherhood will again be in vogue, and having pride and class won't be something held up for comment, but will again define character in more than an exhibition. Then again, we've moved so far in the wrong direction, does anyone even care? What I do know, is that Somewhere over the Rainbow there are more than a few Grateful Dead, happy they are not living in the shadowed reality we've accepted, and taken for granted.
http://www.mzlks.net My newest on the shelf at Amazon
Milton was a Monster ~ and Paradise is Getting Lost
Years ago, cartoons could be dark and funny, and Milton the Monster was just that, in the era of The Addams Family and The Munsters. Looking at life through a slightly cobwebbed glass is probably what made me the person I am, and the writer I became. There is something reassuring about living in suburbia knowing it is okay to wonder about a twin size coffin with matching sheets.
Unfortunately, such humorous darkness is far from the real darkness, which shadows my writing career. I also know, that I am not alone in this world of publishing and social media and the perils are ones Pauline would've avoided. Yes, the days of mailed in submissions with stands of hair between a page, to tell if they had been read, when the rejection notice arrived are gone. However, writing along with ability, was and still is a business of who you are, or who you know, along with a dash of luck, and a moment of opportunity. Frankly, anyone who chooses this torture is either a true writer or a masochist, who enjoys pain with number two lead.
Vanity Press as it once was is now E-Publishing, and everyone and his or her grandmother can be an author in a few days with less than $25. That being the case, those of us of that live, breath and cry over plots and characters, nurturing a manuscript to life are often lost in the shuffle between these What I did on My Summer Vacation memoirs. It is indeed a twisted desire; to bring a character to life, filling them with your dreams, fears and ego, only to send them into the world to be ignored. Again, we have returned to the picking of sides for basketball in 1968, and we all know how that felt.
Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and all of their twice removed, third cousins play a role in this popularity contest, and despite reviews one prays to see, sometimes the book never is, all because you aren't playing full court with the right press or team. Becoming a bestselling author anymore can be as easy as having a lukewarm plot and have a Kardashian hold up the book, or have it shown in a shopping bag. Suddenly 51.9 million people want to read it. So much for the satisfaction of knowing the story is good – you just need placement…like an apple in the Garden of Eden.
I remember someone telling me the weight of popularity made her crazy. She went so far as to go to school wearing only one long earring. The following day, all her friends arrived with only one earring. She laughed, they beamed and I want to puke. This behavior is the lemming flavored stupidity we live. If it is on social media or television it is a winner and everyone needs to celebrate it. Lost behind are the true gems, never uncovered because they wanted to shine on their own, and not through an endorsement.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if for one day, everyone with a social media base looked at reality and those around them and made a difference? What is the value of all the likes and followers, other than an ego boost if they just sit? Look at those who are contributing to the world, writing great things, designing and bringing to life new possibilities, and offer them a hand with maybe a comment, simple nod or emoji smile :). In turn, as I was raised, they will do the same for the next person, and before you know it, there will be a better diversity of things to choose from! Books otherwise shelved can deliver a message, instructors can offer a new way to feel and express emotion, cooks might have a breakthrough that isn't featured at Starbucks, and children will know they really can accomplish anything.
I stopped wearing earrings years ago when I left work, staying home to care for my family members. Once in a while, I put them on and sparkle, remembering and changing my appearance. However, I do always wear two, because just like everything else in life, they go better together, and I can always share…if someone else needs to sparkle.
Misfits & freaks of society relegated to the streets find family in Stiletto
learning it isn't blood or the box we came out of making a family.


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There are a lot so fun things to do when you visit Manson, Washington. Some are local (hiking, biking, walking, swimming, fishing, water skiing, boating, canoeing, sailing, wine tasting, or just hanging out in the sun. Other activities are regional, like golfing, hang gliding, white water kayaking, cross county skiing, snow shoeing, snowmobiling, hiking, and down hill skiing at the local ski hill.
The Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce is a great resource for information about What to Do Around the Lake Chelan Valley.
There are also spring, summer, fall, and winter Special Events at Lake Chelan.


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Bladder Infections
Have you had a bladder infection this year? If so, you're not alone: each year, 13% of women (and 2% of men) experience the classic urinary burning and frequency that signal a urinary tract or bladder infection, often called �UTI� or cystitis. Anywhere from 30�50% of all women have at least one UTI in their lifetime. In the United States, there are more than 14 million UTI�s per year, nearly half a million of which require hospitalization. In adults 20-75 years old, these account for more than 8 million doctors office visits and account for direct costs of more than $3.5 billion.
The bladder is one of our most under-appreciated organs. We take it for granted until we have painful, embarrassing or scary problems: symptoms such as urinary frequency, urgency, burning, pain, leakage or bleeding. Despite the pain and disruption bladder symptoms cause, many patients ignore them out of fear or embarrassment. Myths and misinformation too often influence how women handle bladder problems.
The good news is that a little knowledge can go a long way towards restoring bladder health. Speaking up also helps. Your doctor won't know your symptoms if you don't tell him or her. Talking to your doctor is the first and most important step towards a diagnosis and a solution.
One of the most common bladder problems are urinary tract infections. UTI�s are generally heralded by classic signs such as urinary burning, urgency, and lower abdominal pain or pressure. There may also be bloody urine. They are usually treated easily and quickly with antibiotics for anywhere from 3 to 10 days.
While UTI's in girls are relatively common due to poor toilet hygiene practices, the most important risk factors for UTI's in young women are a history of previous UTI's and frequent or recent sexual activity. Celibate women rarely have cystitis unless they have another risk factor (e.g. diabetes). While the use of spermicidal agents is very important to prevent unintended pregnancies and transmission of sexually transmitted diseases, it may increase the chances of a UTI by two to three times. Women with frequent recurrences are more likely to have a maternal history of cystitis and to have had cystitis at an early age.
The risk of UTI's also increases in elderly women living in institutional settings or who have conditions associated with impaired urinating or poor toilet hygiene. Estrogen deficiency may also contribute to UTI risk in postmenopausal women. Among generally healthy postmenopausal women, sexual activity is a less important predictor of cystitis than it is in younger women. Recurrent UTI's in this age group are more likely in women who have cystoceles (bladder prolapse) or urinary incontinence or in those who have previously had genitourinary surgery.
Most acute UTI's are uncomplicated and easily treated with a short course of oral antibiotics. However, occasionally, they can spread upwards towards the kidneys and cause an infection called pyelonephritis. Signs of these complicated infections include fever, chills, or lower back pain. Women at greater risk for pyelonephritis include those with diabetes, pregnancy, immunosuppression, previous pyelonephritis, UTI symptoms persisting for more than 14 days, or those who have structural abnormalities of the urinary tract. Although UTI's are generally fairly easy to treat, many women may have sporadic recurrences. Up to one half of women with a UTI may have another UTI within one year.
Antibiotic resistance has also become a significant problem with treating UTI's as well as other infections. Women whose symptoms are not resolved in 2-3 days should discuss this possibility with their physicians. While there is a medicine available over-the-counter without a prescription to treat urinary pain or discomfort (UriStat), this medicine does not treat the actual infection and taking it should not be considered a substitute for seeking medical attention. Another medicine to consider while taking antibiotics for a yeast infection: OTC probiotics will help prevent vaginal yeast infections, which often arise as a complication of antibiotic therapy.
Some women have persistent bladder pain with urgency and frequency without evidence of infection. This may be interstitial cystitis (IC). IC affects approximately 1.3 million Americans; more than 90% are women. Its cause is unknown and it is difficult to diagnose. This contributes to psychological, social, sexual, and hygienic problems for patients with IC. There is one FDA-approved medicine to treat bladder pain associated with IC: Elmiron�.
What should you do if you have any bladder or urinary problems? Drink a full glass of water every hour. . .and talk to your doctor.
Reviewed and Updated June 13, 2009
Created: 9/5/2003  - Donnica Moore, M.D.
All the content contained herein is copyrighted pursuant to federal law. Duplication or use withoutthe express written permission of DrDonnica.com subjects the violator to both civil & criminal penalties.Copyright © 2006 DrDonnica.com. All rights reserved.


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As a person who lives with mental illness, there is a lot of trash people say that makes me either roll my eyes or feel the edges of a rage blackout start to close in. In no particular order, here's crap I hate. Please feel free to share your pet peeves with me, too, on Facebook or on Twitter.
"Don't worry about it/so much."
Oh! That's so cool! I have had anxiety disorder my entire life, but it has never occurred to me to just STOP worrying about something. What a simple fix! Done! I'm all better. God, do I feel like an idiot for not trying this before. Thank you!
"Have you tried yoga/deep breathing/essential oils/exercise?"
Yoga: What a great opportunity for silence to really let my brain go wild with horrible thoughts. Also, am I doing this right? Holy crap, I am so not doing this right. This is just another thing that is awful. Deep breathing: Oh god. Wait, how do we breathe again? Holy crap, why do I never think about how breathing is the thing that keeps us alive? And now I feel like I can't. Ugh… this makes me realize how rapid my breathing usually is. Will this make me pass out? Life is awful. Essential oils: NOPE. Exercise: Fine. Yes. If I put on a podcast and go for some exercise, I can get out of my brain for a while and tire myself out. But wait. Slow down. This rapid breathing and racing heart makes me think of panic attacks. Oh shit. AM I having a panic attack? Two miles from my house?
"Just think about something else!"
Okay. Which thought should I move onto? The ones that inspire panic? The ones that inspire sadness? Maybe the ones that remind me all the horrors that have happened, might happen, could ever happen in the entire world to anyone at any time? There's not some secret compartment of cheer and calmness in my brain and I'm just too dumb to access it. Here is literally the only thought that calms me, EVER: Life is utterly meaningless. There are 100 billion galaxies and I am a speck of dust in one of them. Nothing matters. You think that's too dark/not true? Back off, yo, because THAT is the something else I can cling to.
"Think happy thoughts! Go to your happy place! HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY!"
My happy thought is that I am smart enough, in enough therapy, and medicated enough to not actually give a shit about this meaningless advice. Also, please get over your obsession with happiness. It's annoying.
"Everything is fine/will be fine."
Yes, only because I do the hard work of worrying obsessively about stuff. Oh, is that irrational? NO KIDDING. Also, look around. Tons of stuff is not fine. It is SEVERELY not fine.
"This too shall pass."
Fine. Maybe. But once it passes, the next horrible thing raises its hand and gets called in, forever and ever and ever. Also, do you know what doesn't pass? DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY. It will wax and wane. I will be treated. I will never be cured. So thanks for the reminder that it won't actually pass.
And my personal least favorite:
"Choose to be happy/not worry."
Well, aren't you superior. You just CHOOSE happiness and calmness. How nice for you. You're right—I am obviously choosing to be miserable. My alleged "illness" is really just a moral failing. This is just like how people choose to have cancer or any other illness. God, why can't they just get over it? I am so glad to understand now that I can just decide to be better and BE BETTER. This is revolutionary.


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From rose brown highlights to throwback updos, all manner of covetable hairstyles have made it onto our radar for 2020, but it seems there's only one we all can't get enough of: the not-so-humble fringe.
The likes of Bella Hadid and Emma Watson have made a case for micro-fringes (full, but super-short and a little bit edgy) while the schoolgirl-esque sweeping side fringe made a massive comeback on AW20's runways, so it was only a matter of time before the rest of us got involved.
The fringe we're loving right now? It's all about the French girl fringe. Ideal for anyone growing out a full fringe or for those tip-toeing their way into the trend, the French girl fringe is grown out, centre-parted and totally laissez-faire. The ideal accompaniment to your new post-lockdown French girl bob.
Think Brigitte Bardot with an injection of Alexa Chung indie.
Still not sure what we're on about? We caught up with pro hairstylist and founder of London salon Hare & Bone, Sam Burnett, to get all the details on how to work the ultimate French girl fringe.
Why is the French girl fringe so great?
'The French girl fringe is super versatile and can be tailored to work with different face shapes, hair textures and express your individuality, so it's ideal for reinventing your style for 2020.
'The length, lighter texture and slightly more square line of FGF open up the face a lot more, visually strengthening and lifting the cheekbones whilst widening the eyes compared to the heavier more face framing fringes from previous seasons.'
What should I ask for at the hairdressers if I want a French girl fringe?
'Ask your hairdresser to consider your face shape so you choose the best fringe line that's most flattering for you. The FGF can range in length from the centre of the forehead above the eyebrow to skimming or even sitting in your eyes.
'The main difference is usually a more square line compared to previous seasons and the texture is much looser, lighter and textured. If you have finer straighter hair you would be best to opt for fuller fringe that is visually broken up with a deep point cutting technique, that way the hair has enough weight to sit well without too much styling from you.
'If your hair is thicker and has more natural movement, ask for a layered fringe over-directed to a stationary centre point or where your hair parts naturally, this will give you shorter more textured hair in the centre of the fringe that naturally gains weight and length towards the cheekbones.'
If a full on fringe is more your cup of tea, read on for your expert guide to all things fringe and don't visit the salon before you're done reading.
1. Should I Cut My Own Fringe? Answer - Never
Put the scissors down. Rule number one of getting a fringe is to not cut it in yourself, regardless of whether you're feeling optimistic or even if you've had one before.
'Surely we've all seen disaster videos on Facebook,' says Sophia Hilton, director of Not Another Salon, 'so why do we still think this will work out well? Put it this way, fringes are the one thing that all trainee hairdressers are scared of because they are so difficult to do.'
Got it, and according to hairstylist Paul Edmonds, the exact same goes for a trim, because wonky curtains aren't a cute look.
2. Take Your Face Shape Into Consideration
You've heard of brow mapping, right? Well the same philosophy can be applied to fringes because believe it or not, your face shape is detrimental to picking the right style.
'Anyone can pull off a fringe,' says hairstylist Paul Edmonds, 'but they have to be adapted to the shape of the face. Many assume that fringes need to be hard and blunt but this style doesn't work with all face shapes, there are so many styles of fringes that can be tailored to each face.
What Fringe Suits A Round Face?
A sweeping side fringe is your best bet, and if you want to elongate your face, ask your hairstylist to leave it a little longer at the edges, so that it falls just below the cheekbone. Curtain-style bangs that sit at both sides also work to lengthen round faces.
What Fringe Suits A Oval Face?
'Long thin faces can pull off a longer, heavier fringe.' says Paul.
Think super-blunt and full.
'If you widen and bring the fringe straight across it'll help gives width to the upper face, instantly emphasising the eyes and cheek bones.'
What Fringe Suits A Heart-Shaped Face?
A Brigitte Bardot-esque, fringe is one of the most flattering cuts for heart-shaped faces, especially if it's super-textured and choppy, but you can get away with pretty much all styles, including much heavier, fuller fringes.
What Fringe Suits A Square Face?
According to the experts, soft, layered, sweeping fringe styles complement more angular face shapes without detracting from your cracking bone structure.
3. Do Fringes Work On Curly Hair?
Yep, girls with curls can get involved, too. Think more Alanna Arrington, less 70s Top of The Pops.
'Big curls and a fringe is so underrated,' says Sophia, 'but be careful. When you call up the salon make sure you ask for the curl specialist or at the very least a person that loves curly hair.'
Why? Because it really pays to know the curl pattern.
'With our curly clients we cut the fringe in when wet and at a longer length,' says Paul. 'When it dries and the curl shrinks, so we can then trim it again to the right length. If you have curly hair and are getting a fringe for the first time, start gently with a subtle, shallow fringe. Once your stylist knows how the curl sits, you can be braver with the cut.
Afraid it'll take over your entire face? Paul suggests isolating a keratin treatment to the fringe only, as it helps soften the look.
4. Can I Get A Fringe If I've Got Fine Hair?
If you have super-fine hair that gets oily really quickly, you might want to re-think those Alexa Chung-inspired bangs...
'It might not be the style for you,' says Sophia. 'Just a little sprinkle of hairs hanging over your face is never going to a be a good look, but if you're really adamant you need to go for a super thick fringe where your hairstylist will take a chunk of hair from further back.'
If you do opt in, invest in products with the muscle to give limp lengths some oomph. The OUAI Dry Texture Foam, £24 is an airy whip packed with rice protein and polymers to give hair structure, hold and a cool-girl wave to boot.
IGK's Beach Club Volumising Texture Spray, £25 consists of clever polymers and proteins to give fine hair guts sans any stickiness. Simply spritz in and scrunch.
5. How Should You Style And Look After A Fringe?
'Soft fringes can grow into different shapes but straight, strong fringes look awful if they aren't maintained,' says Sophia. 'When deciding on a fringe with your stylist, you must consider how often you can come back to the salon realistically.'
To keep your fringe looking sharp, less straggly, it pays to get a trim every three weeks to a month. Conveniently, a lot of salons offer free fringe trims in between cuts, as they're super-quick to do.
6. Will I Suit A Short Fringe? Possibly Not...
Micro-fringes, or Euro-fringes as they're known in-salon, are flooding Instagram feeds everywhere. Super short and totally selfie-worthy, all manner of celebrities have given the look a go recently, from Emma Watson to Emma Roberts and Bella Hadid, but like all major chops, it needs to be very carefully considered.
'This look can go from looking vintage and quite playful to edgy and intense,' says Sophia, something Paul seconds: 'It's almost an elfin and really quite dramatic look that usually suits smaller faces,' he says.
And the upkeep is the same. 'I have many clients visiting me for regular upkeep with these fringes - usually every month. If you love the look as much as I do, remember that with a short fringe, the trick is is not to cut too deep into the hair.' Not only will this stop your fringe from looking too weighty, but it will also ease the process for when you want to grow out in the future.
7. You Might Need To Beef Up Your Hair-Care Arsenal
'Often, people straighten or blow-dry their fringes every day so the hair is very prone to heat damage,' says Paul - cue split ends, brittleness and breakage, so it pays to invest in products that are going nourish and protect.
- Shu Uemura Blow Dry Beautifier - £25 SHOP NOW
If you use heated styling tools every day, treat your lengths to a slathering of this stuff first. With antioxidants and dimethicone, it's like a coat of armour against intense heat and makes hair ultra-glossy. 'I always advise my clients to use it,' Paul says.
- INNOluxe Elixir - £24 SHOP NOW
'INNOluxe has transformed thousands of my clients' hair,' says Sophia. 'It's a little potion that I mix with colour, which allows me to rebuild the hair as I colour it. No more breakage and lost hairlines.'
- TRESemme Biotin Repair Shampoo and Conditioner - £4.99 each SHOP NOW
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8. How To Grow Out A Fringe Properly
Cast aside the notion that growing out a fringe will take yonks or make you look unkempt. According to Paul, it's not that difficult - if you're clever about it.
'Fringes aren't as scary a commitment as people think and they can be grown out in 3 or 4 months,' he says. 'It means another trip to the salon, but once you get it cut into and blended into the hair at the sides of the face, then the growing process is simple.'
'It's seems counterproductive,' agrees Sophia, 'but constant trims are the only way. Growing out a fringe feels like forever, so it's best to keep it in shape while it's growing longer.'
Makes sense, right? Bye, chunky bangs.
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text:
Article Type:
Press Release
"Our records also indicate the recent costs for operation of {these} clinics are substantially less than the costs of salary increases for Grady's top executives."
-Emma Darnell, Fulton County Commissioner
Atlanta, Georgia--- Advocates for Responsible Care (ARxC) is calling upon the Board of Commissioners of Fulton and DeKalb Counties, the Fulton/DeKalb Hospital Authority, Georgia elected officials, patient advocates, community leaders and concerned residents to voice their concerns over Grady Health System (GHS) closing of outpatient clinics, reducing programs and services to patients and violating their mission to the residents of Fulton and DeKalb county. ARxC asks all Georgia residents to strongly express their agreement that the Grady Health Systems administration should be accountable to serving the residents of Fulton and DeKalb counties before receiving any financial allotments.
Since 2009, Grady has cut services and communication with the residents of Fulton/DeKalb Counties and defaulted on upholding their mission. GHS Bylaws state: "Grady Memorial Hospital Corporation's mission is to provide healthcare to indigent individuals and the sick or injured and to promote the general health and welfare of the citizens of the State of Georgia and surrounding areas…"
GHS has made every change in their practice that would cancel their accountability to the county residents and has insisted on moving toward a policy of greater privatization. To date, the GHS Financial Report can be summarized as:
- Grady has substantially increased the salaries of its top executives, putting this burden on
backs of the poor of Fulton and DeKalb counties.
- Grady has announced the closing of 3 Outpatient Clinics cutting services to neighborhood
clinics by 24%.
- Grady has touted financial stability while publicly claiming a deficit of over $80 million.
- Grady has neglected to collect money from other metro counties for the delivery of services to their residents.
- Grady has neglected to seek assistance from the State to support regional programs.
- In addition to providing less care by closing vital clinics, GHS is reducing the Average Length of Stay (ALOS) for inpatients.
- Grady is cutting the number of clinic visits for patients and decreasing emergency room services.
- GHS independently cuts measures that jeopardize the quality of care to patients without county, state or community input.
By critically cutting medical services and programs to the poor, GHS demonstrates a blatant disregard for serving the public while rewarding costly bonuses to their executive administration. Since August 2009, when Grady closed their Outpatient Dialysis Clinic, ARxC has fought for 31 Grady dialysis patients to receive long term dialysis care. We feared that the closing of the Dialysis Clinic was Grady's first step in deserting the patients. Today we know that Grady intends to further neglect their mission without providing a dialogue of care for the residents of Georgia.
We will let the voice of the residents of Fulton and DeKalb be heard at A CALL TO ACTION.
Join us in protest on
April 6, 2011 11 A.M. at
Otis W. Smith Health Center
2600 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr SW
Atlanta, GA 30311


text:
I no longer experience words as connecting us to anything essential. I see them as merely events in a language game.
Archive for November, 2012
Posted in Philosophy on November 30, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Prevalence is a measure of the number of people meeting criteria for a given condition in a specific time period. Lifetime prevalence is the number of people in a given population that will have the condition at some point in their lives. For example, the lifetime prevalence for asthma in the US is about 13%, which means that 13% of the US population will have asthma at one point or another in their lifetime. Let's compare that number to the figures for "mental illness." At some point in their lives, 46% of adults will meet criteria for a psychiatric diagnosis, 30% of adults will meet criteria for alcoholism, and 40-50% of adults will get divorced. Now definitions of what constitutes an "illness" certainly do differ, and most of the definitions that I looked up in Webster's relating to health, illness, sickness or disease emphasized a functional definition. That is, they defined health as practical, working capacity to do things and illness as loss of this capacity. However, when one looks up "disorder" one finds this: "an abnormal physical or mental condition." The concept of normality, which is a statistical concept, is turn defined as "conforming to a type, standard or regular pattern." Now I ask you, what sort of regular pattern are we seeing when 30-50% of the population doesn't conform to it at some point in their lives? Of course, if you look around you right now you won't see 50% of the population suffering from "mental illness," and so it may indeed look like emotional suffering is not so statistically common. But if we take a larger, high altitude view, our species is suffering from a hell of a lot more emotional disorder than is commonly understood. This is the myth of isolation which I believe contributes to much of the emotional suffering that we call mental illness.
In my opinion it was Kant, not Wittgenstein, who solved all the problems of western philosophy. My reasoning goes like this. The pre-eminent problem bedeviling the corpus of western thought since Plato was the question of how knowledge is possible. The issue is the ontological status of epistemological conclusions. For example, if I conclude that two circles are similar in the fact that the ratio of their circumference to their diameter is always the same, I naturally posit a cause of this similarity which is consistent and unchanging, since if I were changing it could not have caused the pattern that I perceived. And even if I suggest that the pattern I'm perceiving is not entirely accurate (that in fact the ratio of C to d for any circle is "cake" and not "pi"), still there is something causing the erroneous pattern that I am seeing and that something must actually exist in order to cause my erroneous perception. So the question becomes for the neo-Platonic thinkers, "how can I know that I know," or "how can I have justified true belief and also know that it is justified and be justified in believing it?" The question was later re-described by Hume as the "problem of induction" and his answer was, quite simply, "you can't!"
Of course, Hume's skepticism sent shivers through the community of rationalist philosophers who wanted to continue their dabbling in natural philosophy and their readings of "the book of nature written in the language of mathematics." And Kant, taking him very seriously, clearly was not going to let his beloved ship of science founder on the reef of British skepticism. So Kant's answer was this: we can indeed have synthetic a priori knowledge of the contingent (phenomenal) world, but what this means is just that we can employ the heuristic of induction and universality merely as a utilitarian tool or allegorical interpretation of experiences, and not as a literal representation of "the truth." The problem, as Kant saw it, was that thinkers since Plato had been far too prone to think about the world analogically. This led them to believe that, for example, if a watch has to have a watch maker, then a universe that is as intricately designed and as lawfully described as a watch must also have a universe maker. In Kant's world, we can still speak about ideas like "pi" or "God," but must understand that these are simply useful heuristic models of experiences that, though they point beyond the contingent, cannot ever be directly given in experience. Ontological conclusions about the heuristics of reason (about epistemological principles) can never be proven or disproven. They are "the noumenal" and are forever forbidden to us as phenomenal creatures.
In this way, we begin to see numbers as convenient words that we use to describe experiences. Numbers are simply a way to signal our understanding of certain properties of sets. And the idea of a set is itself nothing more than a product of our brain's evolutionarily adaptive tendency to remember and classify events. Whether numbers and sets are anything more than that cannot be entertained or verified by a contingent mind. Likewise, God is a convenient word that we use to express the idea that a duty is a principle that does not depend on physical contingencies, and that if such an uncontingent principle is to have real causal power, its existence must be guaranteed by an uncontingent cause or being. But whether God is anything more than that convenient idea is not something that can be experienced. And if it cannot be experienced, it cannot be spoken. By describing the limits of our thought, what Wittgenstein re-described as the limits of speech, Kant thus absolved us of ever having to answer Hume's provocative skepticism about the problem of induction, which was the problem of knowledge which was the problem of everything, in the west.
When I was in graduate school studying neuroanatomy I realized one day that the paradigm of brain mapping being taught was not intellectually satisfying to me in one very important way. Here's the paradigm: peripheral nerve group A is stimulated by an event and fires signals which travel to brain cell group A which are then stimulated into activity which is different than peripheral nerve group B being stimulated and sending electrochemical impulses to brain cell group B, so that's why we experience different sensory events as different. For example, if I see the color "green" this stimulates certain cells in my retina which sends impulses to various regions of my brain in the back of my head so I see green, whereas when I hear the note middle C on the piano, other brain cells in other parts of my brain are stimulated, so that's why I don't confuse green with middle C.
Neuroanatomy comes down to brain mapping—a description of which events end up stimulating which groups of cells in your peripheral and central nervous system.
The problem I had with this was that one day I suddenly realized that the model didn't explain anything at all! How do we, the sensing creature, know that group A's neurons being stimulated corresponds to "green" events and that group B neurons being stimulated corresponds to "middle C" events? Is there some master control center somewhere else in the brain where cells know that A neurons mean "green" and B neurons mean "middle C?" But if that were the case, then we would just end up with yet another extension of the brain mapping. So is there yet another neural center of representation to code the first representational center? Of course, this could quickly become an infinite regress…
It quickly became clear to me that the neuroanatomical model provided no explanation whatsoever for what I named "the subjective character" of human experience. (Which is the fact that I clearly experience green as distinct from middle C). Based on this model of brain mapping, how could I ever know the difference between middle C and green, since they all seemed to reduce to one group of neurons or another when mapped onto my central nervous system?
I asked all my professors to clear up this paradox. All but one had no idea what I was talking about. The one professor who understood the question also understood that he did not have the answer.
Philosophers of mind call this the "anesthesia problem." In order to give an objective account of the human mind, they claim, one must feign anesthesia about all of these so called subjective experiences, since the objective neuroanatomical models provide no way of locating a neuroanatomical cause of subjectivity. Since to feign anesthesia is clearly ridiculous, they therefore claim that the objective models must commit the fallacy of trying to reduce something that is irreducible. Call it "subjectivity" or "intentionality" or "mind," the objection to the neuroanatomical model is still the same, and it is misguided.
The problem is that we have forgotten what Kant taught us about models of human experience. In brief, what Kant said was that we are contingent beings trying to understand the world from the perspective of the uncontingent. He cautioned that though this may be a useful approach to many of life's problems, it is ultimately doomed to fail, because it is clear that we cannot, at least in this life, transcend the contingencies of an existence in a physical body. Thus, he said, we should not be surprised if we constantly come up against the limits of our knowledge, which Wittgenstein said were the limits of language.
What does this have to do with modern neuroanatomy? The mistake that I made as a student was to follow my professor's lead in assuming that events create distinct and discreetly localizable responses in the brain. Certainly at the level of resolution that most modern imagining techniques allow, it looks as though responses to distinct events can be localized with some degree of certainty. However, we also know that the brain is a much more interdependent organ than was previously thought, and that there really is no such thing as a completely isolatable event. The body impacts the brain and the brain impacts the body in a continuous dance of mutuality. For example, cortisol levels released in response to stress damage the hippocampus and may be implicated in depression and anxiety. Brain deficiencies in prefrontal executive circuits can impede activities of daily living and result in increases in stress hormones and subjective experiences of anxiety and depression. The list could go on from there, and no doubt will as our science refines its level of resolution. The point is that it is no longer appropriate to think about discrete brain regions but rather we need to think about the state of the entire brain as it is situated in the body at any given moment.
From this perspective, it is no longer appropriate to think about "knowing" the difference between middle C and green. To say that we "know" the difference between middle C and green becomes a non-sequitor, unless by "know" we are simply describing a propensity for future actions, which seems as preposterous to me as the argument from anesthesia. Because to know the difference between C and green would seem to imply that there is something added to the complete description of the whole brain in response to C. But this just recapitulates the mistake that Kant was trying to warn us about. It represents the effort to go beyond a contingent description of the facts and hypothesize an object that can never be given in experience. Kant destroyed this endeavor in his critique of rational psychology but we clearly still see it cropping up in our cultural habits of experiential description. I think that the answer Kant would have proposed to my student question would be something like this:
"The answer is that the whole brain experiences C and green, and the whole brain is in a different electrochemical configuration when stimulated by C as opposed to when it is stimulated by green. What we call 'knowing the difference between C and green' is nothing more than the fact that our brains are in a different state at different points in time. There is nothing else to add to the description. You have exhausted all the facts available to your contingent brain. To try to move beyond these facts is to entertain an experience of the uncontingent, and that, my son, you will never achieve in this life."
Posted in Philosophy on November 25, 2012| Leave a Comment »
a colleague once asked what i think is a very important question, which i have continued to ponder for some time: what does a neurophysiological description of behavior add to our understanding of human psychology already described with a functional model? today it hit me: it helps me be less judgmental about my own and others' emotional vulnerability. if i describe emotional vulnerability in terms of the plasticity (learning) of my hippocampal-amygdala-autonomic response circuit to significant events or the relatively prolonged period of time that it takes my autonomic nervous system (ANS) to return to baseline after an emotionally upsetting event, then i think i can be less judgmental about myself and others as being "moody" or "sensitive" or "irrational." it orients me to an understanding of my own inborn limits and allows me to accept those limits rather than judging them as "wrong" or "bad" as i've been taught to do for most of my life. example: once when i had a falling out with a colleague she remarked that i "need to examine my issues and why i put up so many emotional walls." in the context, it was a statement that i experienced as quite pejorative, invalidating and hostile. needless to say it was not effective in promoting problem solving between us, nor in providing me with useful information about myself (at least at that time…). in fact, i am a person who does not trust easily and finds it difficult to overcome distrust and the neurophysiological model allows me to redescribe the situation: when i learn to "distrust" a situation or person i can validate that in fact it is objectively difficult for me to learn "trust" again just because my brain is especially plastic in that circuit involving the creation of memories and the linking of those memories (synapses in the hippocampus) to my emotional response circuits (amygdala and ANS). as the buddhists would say, i can learn to understand the nature of the way things are (the dharma) rather than being stuck in the shoulds of life.
Posted in Philosophy on November 24, 2012| Leave a Comment »
i was on my way to asking a friend if he was a buddhist.
the problem is that the question is immediately unanswerable.
like the question are you a pragmatist?
you cannot ask someone who challenges the entire metaphysical world of "definitions" to define themselves as one thing or another.
it's like asking if the sentence "this sentence is a lie" is true or false?
the stimulus has no satisfying response class.
why is this a problem for me?
i often find myself disappointed by my friend's words.
they seem anti-buddhist.
so i want to ask him if he is a buddhist.
because he certainly reminds me of one.
but then, his words disappoint me.
like an orchestra that starts playing schubert in the middle of an all-beethoven concert.
that's not right.
it's more like wagner.
schubert would be a pleasant surprise.
i therefore come to a question that demonstrates the inadequacy of words.
are you a buddhist?
Posted in Philosophy on November 18, 2012| Leave a Comment »
The classical problem of knowledge is this: if I presume that the evidence of my senses corresponds to something that would exist independently of my senses, then I must assume some sort of continuity of that something. I must assume that my observation is representative of a larger universal set of events. Modern science enshrines this principle in two words: homogeneity (the idea that my observations are a fair sample of observations that could be made from anywhere else in the universe) and isotropy (the idea that the laws of physics are universal). Following these principles has, unfortunately led us to several contradictions. For example, the speed of light is observed to be universal for all observers, regardless of their state of motion. Given that the speed of light is constant for all observers, it represents the maximum attainable speed of any existing phenomenon. (This is because if you could exceed the speed of light, it would no longer be constant for the person exceeding it—if your car accelerates past another car the other car's speed appears to decrease).
Given that nothing can exceed the speed of light, there are now portions of the known universe which are so far apart that it is not possible for an event in one part of the universe to be known in another part of the universe, because the light could not have traveled that far in the amount of time that the universe has existed (about 14 billion years). Thus, the principles of homogeneity and isotropy cannot be affirmed for all parts of the universe, since it is possible that the laws of physics may have changed in certain parts of the universe but that these changes would remain unknown in other parts of the universe.
Modern cosmologists try to deal with this paradox through the "inflationary principle," which states that at some point in the past the universe was small enough to be in complete causal contact (since it was small enough to allow light to traverse the entire known universe in the time that it had existed). At that time the laws of the universe would have been constant throughout and, as the universe expanded, it maintained this homogeneity, since once it expanded past the size that would allow light to traverse the entire universe, there was no longer any way for any event to change this pre-established homogeneity.
The original problem is still present, however, in concealed format. Because inflationary theory posits a finite point in the past at which time the universe went from complete causal contact to incomplete causal contact. And this represents a change in the laws of the universe (a transition point in the behavior of everything). Presumably, we should be in a position to observe those changes, since as we gaze up at the night sky we are actually looking into the "past," since the light reaching our eyes has been traveling towards us for a long time. It therefore follows that we in fact cannot assume that all observations of the known universe are homogeneous and universal, since we can in fact observe the finite period in time in which the universe's laws became "uncoupled" in time.
Once again we discover that, contrary to Plato's myth of the cave, there is no absolute truth. Once again we discover that the statement "there is no absolute truth" is itself a lie and a paradox. Once again we discover the contingency of words, models, ideas, conjectures, hypotheses, sense data. Once again we are reduced to a confounding mass of information that causes us to throw up our hands and utter that ultimate epithet of ignorance: "God."
Posted in Poetry on November 12, 2012| Leave a Comment »
cold is the cold of the lover who's gone
cold is the cold of the parent just died
cold is the cold of the grave in the mist
cold is the cold of the sweetheart you miss
cold is the grief of a chest in a knot—
empty your gut, empty your cot
of all that warmed the very human heart
of all you loved, of all that you sought
when winter's cold held me in my bed
i thought of you, i held it in your stead
a frown of frost seeded long ago
a cold of a cold that settled
and would not let me go
Posted in Poetry on November 12, 2012| Leave a Comment »
I used to think being single was the worst thing.
I used to think: not even the opposite ends of the planet
are aware of pain like I am. Once I went there and found
that all the world's anger and remorse
was shunted past them through a crawl space
in the ice. Arriving home,
I lit my own birthday cake and let the burning wax run
over the icing while I drank port and smoked a cigar.
I am grateful for the beginnings of love and the ends of war,
where-ever they are right now.
I've been down this road many times. Everything
here turns upon a stone of verse,
over which I vault with ease.
Posted in Poetry on November 11, 2012| Leave a Comment »
the following is a list of people who may be present for one's death:
a nurse
a doctor
a police officer
your math teacher
a priest
a friend
a spouse
a lover
your child
a grandchild
your editor
a parent
the janitor
a volunteer
another patient
a journalist
a stranger
your broker
your pimp
a crossing guard
a shepherd
a barista
a bar-tender
the mayor
a messenger
your attorney
a waiter
a bank teller
your sky diving instructor
a bus driver
your therapist
a gardener
a baker
your piano tuner
do you really think you have a choice?


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A friend of mine who used to work in a hotel had a very odd job: naming the soup. I am sure he did other things as well, but each day he had to taste and name whatever the chef had put into the stock pot (my friend had some real reservations about some of the things that went into that pot, but that's a story for another day). He didn't know much about soup and would pick labels that were seasonal and hinted vaguely at the ingredients but didn't make any promises. I seem to recall names like "Spring Vegetable Medley" or "Summer Surprise."
I was thinking about him the other day when I cobbled together a soup from a few not-quite-right ingredients I had at hand: the wrong kind of stock, a cauliflower that had seen better days, not quite enough cream, a couple of small onions and some spice.
I make a lot of creamy cauliflower soup because it's easy and has become a family favourite (kids will eat cauliflower if, and only if, they can't see cauliflower). It's a great soup for early fall days when cauliflower is inexpensive and you really crave something rich and filling.
I always make this soup the same way, a little onion sweated in a pot till soft, a tablespoon of curry powder, some sliced carrot and a head of cauliflower that is boiled until fork tender in chicken stock. Puree with an immersion blender and, presto, you're done.
But this week I found myself out of key ingredients. No chicken stock, just beef. No curry powder and no will power to grind some up. No carrots; just a half-a-cup-or-so of leftover cream and a head of cauliflower that was getting a bit squidgy (I always buy too many when they're cheap).
I figured, if I was going to use beef stock, I would need to boost the other flavours to keep up with the stronger taste of the beef. So, I roasted the cauliflower at 400 F for 20 minutes or so to caramelize it and enhance the flavour.
Then, lacking curry, if not courage, I tossed the cauliflower with quite a little bit of smoked hot paprika, salt and pepper and put it in the pot with the stock and onions. After simmering for a few minutes until the cauliflower were really tender, I puréed, prayed and stirred in the cream.
The first taste told me I was on to something. A little too much paprika, perhaps, but altogether a creamy, smoky, roasty, beefy, cauliflowery delight. I topped it with a crostini and a bit of bacon, and we ate. The reviews were good and the left-overs went into the freezer in lunch-size containers (always a good sign that L isn't just being polite).
The only point of contention in the entire meal was what to call the soup. L (perhaps because she had to write the labels) wanted to keep it simple: Cauliflower soup. I wanted the name to reflect the complexity of the recipe (and the creativity of the cook). In the end, the labels remained blank and the soup went into the freezer anonymously.
Where is my soup naming friend when I need him?


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No words of wisdom from me today. I have just got home from the morning leg of "bike-to-school Tuesday" and now have to go back in the car with provisions as PTA is catering a funeral at lunchtime.
Thsi press release from Young Farmers today…. thought I'd share…. about its North Otago clubs coming together to hold a stock sale at the Waiareka Sale Yards yesterday. They made the call to local farmers and Members to donate stock and were pretty overwhelmed by the response.
"North Otago District Chairman Greig Moore was shocked at the amount of livestock donated (240 sheep and 72 cattle) and the money they managed to raise.
"I came into this thinking we'd make about $10,000 – not quite half way through it I started to think we were going to blow it out of the water."
And blow it out of the water they did. Over $68,000 was raised with every cent to go straight to the Christchurch Earthquake Recovery Fund.
Greig said that a lot of people turned out for the sale and the stock went for much higher than the usual sale price. Prime ewes sold for $184, prime lambs went for $180 and prime cattle averaged at a price of $944.77.
"One person ended up selling an angus steer for over $1300 alone."
Greig says that thanks must be made to those that donated and bought stock and also to several trucking companies: North Otago Transport, Rural Transport, Mainland Agri Transport, Waimate Transport and Bennett Transport all donated their cartage for free.
Stock agents also gave their services for free: PGG Wrightson and Whitestone Livestock Stock Agents waived their commissions for the sale."


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what makes Winecellars unique?
we are passionate about what we do and we have a team of professionals to run the business. We are all WSET certified ( Wine and Spirit Educational Fund). That is the minimum requirements for the company.
Where do you look for new wines?
traveling is always a good start to find something unique and bringing it back to Malaysia to share with everyone.
What wines could you recommend for someone who typically stays away from wine and who only drinks Shandy?
Since Shandy is a light beverage and slightly sweet, we would always recommend a new wine drinker a bottle of Lambrusco as its also light in alcohol ( average 8%)
Wine is born in the vine but a closer examination into the Sabahan soil reveals that the rise of wine is cropping up in newly wine shops and wine bars. How difficult is it to produce a vineyard in Sabah?
A well-balanced wine needs a combination of many factors. One must have the right terroir which means the right climate, soil, terrain, region and tradition.
A 20-year-old something's wine knowledge more or less begins with the accessibility of cheaper wines such as Jacob's Creek, Vella and Fat Bastard.
What types of wine can you recommend for a younger generation that would like to expand their wine knowledge?
I started with a bottle of Wolf Blass Yellow Label Cabernet Sauvignon 25 years ago! It has left an impression with me for a very long time. The wine is always consistent and it's not too difficult to drink and comprehend.
The coolest wine bars these days are turning up with wine on tap (in metal kegs). Are kegs our future? The hipsters think so.
It could be the future but wine is a mystique drink as every bottle is a living thing. It's always a pleasure to drink wine out of the bottle.
Are food and wine pairings meant to be serious?
Wine is meant to be shared with friends and there is no strict rule to say that red wine must be paired with red meats and white wine with white meats. Be adventurous and match your wines with anything that you like. You will be amazed to experience the new flavors that explode in your mouth!
Meng Tan – Founder of "Winecellars"
Joanne Lee
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Wednesday, December 6, 2017
12/06/2017: Grilled Seafood Kebabs &/or Turkey Pot Pie
Hello Friends, We will be serving the following dinner specials tonight: Our Homemade Turkey Pot Pie: Tender Morsels, House smoked turkey, fresh carrots, peas, celery, mushrooms and onion top with Flaky Pastry! $15.99 Grilled Seafood Kebabs: Grilled swordfish & Yellow Fin Tuna, peppers, tomato, zucchini and red onion marinated in Harissa; served with French Lentils and Buttered Rice. $16.99 Make sure to put your dinner orders in as early as possible! Dinners will be ready beginning at 5:30pm and are available until close at 8:00. Please reserve all orders by phone 202-506-3125 Phone-in orders will receive first priority. Walk-in orders at the shop will be on a first-come, first-served basis. We are located on the corner of 28th St. and P St. approximately six blocks west of Dupont Circle and 4 blocks north of M St. in Georgetown. Dziękujemy Smacznego! Thank You, Stachowski Market
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