text:
Portable Charger RAVPower 20000mAh 60W PD 3.0 USB C Power Bank 2-Port Power Delivery Battery Pack High-Capacity External Battery Compatible with MacBook Pro iPad Pro iPhone 11 SE 2 Nintendo Switch
Potent Power for Your Laptop: Substantial 60W PD output means it can charge your MacBook Pro perfectly, just as good as the original charger (60W 20000 portable charger only supports macOS 10. 15. 1 and earlier)
Big Power, Small Case: A 20000mAh battery pack to power your iPhone 11 Pro Max from 0% to full 2. 6 times, iphone Xs 5 times, Galaxy S10 & NOTE 10 3. 4 times, iPad Pro 2018 1. 6 times, MacBook Pro 13″ 2018 0.84 times (Data based on internal lab testing)
Dual Fast Charging: Equipped with one PD 60W port and one QC 18W port to ensure you can charge your laptop and phone at top speeds simultaneously$49.99
Portable Charger Power Bank 26800mah, Ultra-High Capacity Safer External Cell Phone Battery Pack Compact with High-Performance Cells & 2 USB Output, Smart Charge for Smartphone, Android, Tablet & etc
❤【26800mAh Colossal Capacity & Widely Compatibility】Massive Powerful 26800mAh Potable charger can charge most phones over 6 times, tablets at least 2 times and any other USB device multiple times. Universal compatibility with all Android smart phones(Phone 6/7/8/7plus/8plus/6plus/x/xs max/11/11 pro), tablets, mp3/mp4 players, Airpods and other USB-charged devices.
❤【Portable Charger with 2-port 3.1A Output】With 2 USB output ports (5 V / 2.1 A and 5 V / 1A, total 3.1A ), QTshine portable phone charger can charge two devices at the same time, quickly providing enough power for iOS and Android Phones and More.
❤【Superior Safety – Intelligent Controlling IC 】Built-in multi-protection system, Our Intelligent Controlling IC protect the power bank against over current and short circuit. It'll automatically turn itself off when short circuit or overloading occurs. FCC, CE, ROHS certificated, add safety guarantee to your equipment.$25.95
Portable Charger 25800mAh Power Bank Super High Capacity Lighter External Battery Pack Dual Output Ports Recharging Phone Charger for Android Phone, Smart Phone, Tablet etc
HIGH HUGE POWER CAPACITY: Bulit with fabulous smart chips and double Li-Polymer premium batteries, this portable charger has a huge power capacity with 25800mAh , you can use it to charge about 6-8 times.
SPECIAL ERGONOMIC DESIGN: You will feel comfortable with its cured arc-shaped and palm size design, Anti-Fingerprints and sweat-proof surface is suitable for most important occasions, and the black color is very easy to clean. The power bank can charge two devices at the same time with dual USB ports.
FAST CHARGING POWER BANK: Two batteries and high advanced chips work together can bring the fast charging speed, the power bank will be charged fully in 12-16 hours with 2.1A and 24-32 hours with 1A. And only needs 4-5 hours to charge the phone fully.$24.95
GETIHU Portable Charger, The Slimmest 10000mAh Power Bank, 4.8A High-Speed 2 USB Ports External Phone Battery Pack with Flashlight for iPhone 11 XS X 8 7 Plus Samsung S10 Google LG iPad Tablet etc.
【Impressive Slim & Light】One of the most slim 10000mAh portable charger on the list. Completely palm and pocket friendly.
【Charging at the Fastest Possible Speed】GETIHU Industry-leading Smart IC combined to top-up your two devices simultaneously at full-throttle. (Not QC/PD)
【Powerful for Days】10000mAh pocketful power is enough to fully fuel the average phone several times to keep you connected days long.$10.99
CXLiy Portable Charger 24000mAh Power Bank High Capacity Battery Pack Phone Charger Dual Output 2 Input Port Small Size LCD Display Compatible with Smart Phone, Tablet and Android Device
【24000mAh High Capacity Power Bank】24000mAh external battery pack with huge capacity, it can charge iPhone 8 around 5 times, Galaxy S8 5 times, iPad Pro 2 times and other Android Devices multiple times.
【LCD Display Battery Pack】The remaining power can be displayed on the digital screen, including input and output status. You can choose when to charge the power bank as you like.
【Dual Output and 2 Input Ports Portable Charger】Type-C and Micro-USB Input with two options for you to choose charging the portable charger. Dual output maximum 2.1A fast charging which allows to charge 2 devices simultaneously. It is suitable for daily life, business trip or other outdoor activities.$20.59
Power Bank 10000mah,TONV Portable External Cell Phone Li-Polymer Batterys 2 Input and 2 Output,USB C and Micro USB Compatible with iPhone X/ 8/7/ 6/ Plus/ 5/ SE, iPad, Samsung, and MP3 Player
【Fashion Simple Design】 Ultra-Compact: Solid, scratch-resistant, slimline power bank with minimalist blue battery level lights and slight crisscross case texturing for a touch of subtle style
【Ultra-density Li-polymer Cell】10000mAh ultra-density safer Li-polymer cell be used, make sure the portable charger ultra-slim and easy to carry
【Intelligent Protection IC】Multi-protect safety system ensures complete protection for you and your devices$8.99
ROMOSS 10000mAh Mini Portable Charger External Battery Packs with Dual USB Output 2.1A LCD Display Perfect Carry for Travel, Compatible for iPhone X 10 8 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S8, Tablets More(Black)
[Almost :Smallest 10000mah Power Bank] – It's smaller (Volume decrease 25%) and lighter (Weight decrease 20%) than other big power bank. It is compact enough to fit in your pocket,hand, as large as 10000 mAh, it weighs only as 3 eggs (about 6.87oz). Slim body make it easy to put it in your pocket or back pack when phone battery dead during travel roads and outdoor sports.
[Compact Power Bank with Large Capacity] – (10000mAh)- which can provide 3.6 charges for iPhone 7, 2.6 charges for iPhone X, 2.3 charges for Galaxy S9 and 1.4 charges for iPad Mini. [No worry to take it with you in an airplane].
[Accurate Digital Power Display] – With the exact and clear LCD power display, you will know the real time power by 1% opposed to by each 25% indicated by a row of LED lights.Recharge your power bank in time. [Dual USB Output] Let you charge your cell phone and pad together.$16.99
Updated 2019 Version High-Speed Charging Technology Power Bank 20000mah USB C Portable Phone Charger, Ultra High Capacity Power Bank with 5.1A Output, External Battery Pack for iPhone, iPad, Samsung
✅High-Speed Charging: PowerIQ and VoltageBoost combine to deliver the fastest possible charge, support Qualcomm Quick Charge. Auto detect the charging requirement from your devices and allow simultaneously charging for your devices up to 2A(max) per port; Comes with 3 wires: 1 type-c cable and 2 micro cables. You no need to buy the cable separately to save your money. Charging 50% of electricity in 30 minutes, Fully charged the mobile phone in 1 ~ 1.5 hours.
✅20000mAh Ultra-High Capacity: 20000mAh Portable Charger huge capacity can charge phone and any other devices multiple times. Weighs as little as a can of soup (15 oz) yet charges the iPhone 7 almost seven times, the Galaxy S6 five times or the iPad mini 4 twice. Ideal for your daily activities or other long time outside trip.
✅3 Outputs and 3 Inputs: 3 USB Ports (one 2A and Two 1A) which can help you simultaneously charge USB powered devices, sharing the juice with your family and friends. 3 Inputs (USB C port, micro-usb port and light-ning port) save your money and time for taking more cords.$25.99
Aibocn Power Bank 6700mAh Lipstick-Sized Portable Charger, Fast Charging External Battery Pack for iPhone iPad Samsung Galaxy and More
Fast Charging Technology: 2.1 Amps output max, supports you charge 3.5 times for iPhone and twice faster than normal 1.0A input backup charger,saving your time.
Portable Mini size (1.2*4.3*1 inches) but high capacity 6700Ah, easy to taking for working, traveling, flights, business trips or any time you're away from an outlet.
Intelligent Safety Protection – Supports over-charged, over-discharged, over-voltage, over-current and short circuit protection and will automatic shutdown if a short circuit or overload output occurred while unit is charging.$9.99
Portable Charger Power Bank 30000mAh Bextoo External Battery Pack with LCD Digital Display and USB-C Input, Dual USB Output High-Speed Charging for Cell Phones, Tablet and More …
【Ultra-High Capacity 30000mAh】The 30000mAh capacity power bank provides 9 charges for iPhone 11 pro, almost 7 full charges for Samsung Galaxy S10, and over 2 and a half charges for iPad Mini. Suitable for a business trip or other outdoor activities.Without extra worry about low phone battery.
【Simultaneous USB Charging】Dual 5 V / 2.1 A USB Output. The power bank can charge two devices at the same time. Enjoy sharing the battery with your friends.
【Smart LED Digital Display】 The newest fashionable polished surface design with digital display, accurately keep track of remaining power, mirror LCD display makes it more fashion and cool.$36.99
Portable Charger 30000mAh 2USB Ports/Super Bright Flashlight Portable Charger Quick Charge Phone Pad (Black 30000mAh)
The Advantages of the this new powerbank:A beautiful and stylish LED display is equipped for the product to indicate the remaining power capacity for you any time, which will avoid the troubles in your work or life caused by the lack of power when you go out.
A small flashlight is also mounted on the portable charger, and it is very convenient for outdoor night walking, parties, power outage at home and looking for anything.
There are 3 input ports (Micro USB/ USB TYPE-C and Lightning for iPhone), which are applicable to the common charging cables of almost all the mobile phones on the market. No matter which brand of mobile phone and its charging cable you use, you can charge the mobile with the product, and port Micro USB or USB Type-c is preferably recommended.$29.99
Portable Charger Suhper Bright Torch 10000mAh PowerBank Quick Carge Phones USB Power Banks for Smart Phone Camera Games Console Bluetooth Headphone External Battery Pack etc.(10000 mAh)
With a large area of Suhper Bright Torch newly added at the bottom can be used for tourism, outdoor camping emergency lighting and provide long-term bright lighting
2xUSB ports output ports, capable of charging 2 devices at the same time, helping solve power concerns when your family or friends go out and also charging the camera.
The increase of charging speed is accomplished by the brand new design of dual input port(Type-C, and Micro USB for smartphone), with which you can simultaneously charge this mobile power supply, and capable of being charged with different types of charging lines, such as USB etc.$13.99
VimPower Portable Charger 26800mAh PD 3.0 Power Bank QC 3.0 30W USB C for iPhone Xs Max, XR, X iPad Pro, MacBook, Nintendo Switch
🏋 【HEAVYWEIGHT CAPACITY】 On one full charge, the Voyager XL can charge: 1x times: Macbook 12 / Surface Pro 4 -OR- 6x times: iPhone 8 Plus / Google Pixel 2 / Samsung Galaxy S8 -OR- 5x times: iPhone XS Max / Samsung Galaxy Note 8.
⚡ 【LIGHTNING FAST CHARGE TIMES】 15W and 30W ports charge your devices and gadgets 2-3x faster than the traditional powerbank (charges an iPhone XS Max to more than 50% in half an hour).
📱 【MULTI-DEVICE COMPATIBILITY】PD 3.0 and QC 3.0 ports allow you to quick-charge all USB-charged devices. Features 2x Micro-USB, 1x USB-C, and 2x USB-A ports. Package includes 1x MicroUSB cable and 1x USB-A to USB-C cable.$23.43
EAFU Portable Charger, Mini Size LED Display Dual 3A High-Speed 10000mAh USB C Input Power Bank, Flashlight External Phone Battery Pack for iPhone Xs X 8 Plus Samsung S10 Google LG iPad Airpod etc.
✅【Informative & Precise LED Display】Instead of the blinking lights, the percentage-based display tells you exactly how much power left, better know when to recharge.
✅【Dual 3A max High Speed Output】Built in EAFU Smart IC technology, 3A max 2 USB outputs fast fuel your two devices simultaneously. Share it with your friends and family.
✅【Mini Body with Powerful Capacity】Ultra mini size but contains real 10000mAh power can charge iPhone 8 for 3.6 times. Perfect for traveling, business, school, camping etc.$13.99
Todamay Power Bank 26800mAh Portable Charger High Capacity External Phone Battery Pack LCD Display C Input, 2 Outputs Ultra Compact Quick Charge Power Banks for iPhone,Samsung Android etc. Red 2020
🔋【Upgrade 26800mAh Power Bank】26800mAh power bank with big power storage enables most phones charging over 6 times, tablets at least 2 times and any other USB device multiple times, universal compatible with most phones(iPhone 11 included) and tablets.The integrated shell has high structural strength and resistance to falling and crashing.
🔋【High Speed Charging External Battery】Dual USB output ports, combined with 5 V / 2.1 A and 5 V / 1A, quickly provide enough power for your device. Simultaneous charging for 2 devices, save half of your time.
🔋【Multiple 3 Inputs Portable Charger】Three inputs include Type-C, iOS and micro USB. No matter whichever cable you are carrying, you can recharge the battery pack easily.$34.59
Power Bank Portable Charger 25000mah High Capacity Battery Pack Smaller Size Lighter Weigh with Full LCD Compatible Smart Devices Android Phone and Other Cellphones
1.【25000mAh Power Bank】: 25000mAh power bank in a smaller size and lighter weight charges phone and any other devices multiple times.A MUST HAVE product for business people or traveler.
2.【Type-C/Lightning and Micro-USB Input Portable Charger】:Dual Input options for you to choose according to the current occasion.Type-c/lightning and Micro-usb port are both available.
3.【Battery Pack With Full LCD Design】: Tell the remaining power all the time with mirror-like look and cellphone size.$20.99
RAVPower Portable Charger 20000mAh PD 3.0 Power Bank QC 3.0 18W USB C External Battery Pack Tri-input and Tri-output Cell Phone Charger Battery for iPhone, Samsung Galaxy and More
Power for Days: Step into the upper echelon of battery capacity with a muscled 20,000mAh, fully capable of recharging your phone or tablet several times over.
The LED indicator displays the available power level of battery pack and charging status intelligently. Know before you go.
One for All: Compatibility at its finest, not only ready to charge almost all USB powered devices including laptops, tablets, smartphones and more, but also portable charger can charged by all the cables. Moreover, just taking one cable of the latest iPhone is enough when you traveling around.$40.09
CXLiy Power Bank 26800mAh Portable Charger Ultra High Capacity External Battery Pack 3 USB Output with LCD Display Dual Flashlights Backup Battery Compatible with Phone, Tablet and Android Device
【26800mAh Ultra High Capacity Power Bank】 26800mAh external battery pack with huge capacity, it can charge iPhone XR about 6 times, Galaxy S10 about 6 times, iPad Mini 2019 about 3 times and other Android Devices multiple times. Never worry about your smart devices out of battery.
【Full LCD Display Portable Charger】 Stylish Full LCD design makes it fashion and cool, the remaining battery capacity power 0% to 100% can be displayed on digital screen accurately, including input, output, and the current maximum amperage status. You can choose the best time to charge it as you like.
【Dual Flashlights and 3 Output Ports Battery Pack】 Dual flashlights makes you convenient use in evening for searching, reading or outdoor activities. Triple output ports, 5V/2.1A, 5V/2.1A, 5V/1A, maximum 2.1A fast charging which allows you to charge 3 devices simultaneously. It is suitable for daily life, business trip, travelling or other outdoor activities usage.$23.99
Portable Charger Power Bank 30000mAh Bextoo High-Speed 2 USB Ports with Full LCD Digital Display Compatible with Smart Phone, Android Phone, Tablet and More
【Real 30000mAh high capacity】Powerful Power Bank-fully charge your iPhone 11pro for 9 times, the Galaxy S8 7.5 times or the iPad mini 2.8 times. Suit for travel, and other indoor outdoor activities.
【High-speed Charging & Dual USB Charging】The Dual USB ports to charge your two devices simultaneously. Micro USB and Type-C two input let fully recharges itself more convenient and faster.
【Smart LED Digital Display & Universal Compatibility】LCD digital display will show you the remaining power from 1% to 100%. And the power bank supports iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, most other Smart cell phones, Tablets, Bluetooth devices and more.$34.86
USB C Power Bank, 26800mAh Portable Charger USB C, Charmast Slim Thin 3A High-Speed Battery Pack Type C with 3 Input & 4 Output Compatible with MacBook, iPhone, Samsung, Pixel More
🔋【High Capacity Portable Cell Phone Power Banks】: 26800mAh large capacity external battery can charge your smartphone at least 5 times, ipad mini 3 times, 2017/2016 Macbook 2 times. and it needs only 9 hours to fully charge the power bank, great for charging cellphones and tablets
🔋【4 Outputs Portable Charger】: 4 SmartE identification USB outputs (1 USB C + 3 USB A) can automatically detect and adjust the charging current to obtain the fastest charging, provide a powerful total current output of 5.4A to charge 4 devices (a USB-C device and three USB-A devices) simultaneously, the versatile and bidirectional USB-C port can supply a powerful 3A current by itself, also supports fast in and out
🔋【Slim and Compact Battery Pack with 4 LED lights】: Slim form with only 0.55in thickness, makes it comfortable to hold, fully rubber oil surface cover let you enjoy a good touch feeling and protect your devices from scratched or dropped. Built-in 4 Minimalist LED indicator shows remaining battery level at a glance (0–25%–50%–75%–100%)$39.99
[Upgraded] POWERADD Slim 2 Most Compact 5000mAh External Battery 2.1A Ouput Portable Charger with Smart Charge for iPhones, iPad, Samsung Galaxy, HTC and More – Blue
Ultra Compact – Remarkably small only 3.9*1.3*1.2 inch w/o packaing, hexagonal tubular design, makes it fits into any pocket or wallet easily, just portable on the go whenever you need it.
Upgraded Charging Technology – Auto detect your device and deliver its fully-intended charge speed up to 2.1A at most once connected.
Sufficient Power Supply – Add two charges to an iPhone 6, or at least one full charge to an iPhone 6 Plus, Galaxy Note 5/4/3, Galaxy S6/S7 and almost other phones$10.99
UGREEN Portable Charger 10000mAh PD 18W USB C Power Bank Power Delivery 3.0 Battery Pack QC 3.0 Fast Charge with LED, Compatible for iPhone SE 11 Pro Max, XR XS Max X 8, iPad, Samsung, LG, Phones
Power Delivery Fast Charging: The USB C power bank comes with USB C Power Delivery input and output, which can output 5V/3A,9V/2A,12V/1.5A,fast charge your PD devices, fast charge your iPhone Xs from 0% to 50% in 30 minutes.
Quick Charge 3.0 Fast Charging: Both of the USB C and USC A output of the charger can be compatible with Quick Charge 3.0 and 2.0, fast charge your Quick Charge devices. Charging your Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus fully in about 1.6 hours.Note: When the 2 ports are charging devices simultaneously, fast charge will be enabled automatically with a total Max.18W output
Ultra High Capacity: The battery pack comes with 10000mAh capacity, which can fully charge your iPhone xs 2.7 times, iPhone 8 4 times, Huawei P30 2 times or Samsung Galaxy S10 2.3 times. There is no need to worry juice your phones in travel and hiking.$21.99
Portable Phone Charger 10000mAh Quick Charge 2.4 A Power Bank External Battery Packs Dual Ports with LCD Display Powerpack Compatible for iPhone Huawei iPad Samsung Galaxy Nintendo Switch (Black)
【Upgrade 10000mAh Power Bank】High Capacity Ultra Compact Portable Charger Can charges an Galaxy S8 2.5 times, an iPhone 7 3 times (It depends on the capacity of your mobile phone) Suitable for a business trip or other outdoor activities.
【Mini Portable Charger with LCD Digital Display】LCD power display can accurately keep track of remaining power, If it does not show up,pressing once on the power button to turn it on.
【High Speed Charging External Battery】 JONKUU power bank has dual USB ports, combined with dual 5 V / 2.4 A output, quickly provide enough power for your phone and other devices.$16.99
Aibocn Power Bank 10,000mAh External Battery Charger (White+Black)
Exquisite and portable, handheld size but high capacity(10000mAh). Unique Anti-Fingerprints design, more cleanly on its surface when you hold it in any places.
Double USB Port (2.1Amp and 1Amp Output), Input: 5V 1.0A, allows for simultaneous charging of your iPad, iPhone, Android, and more at high speed.
Intelligent Safety Protection – Supports over-charged, over-discharged, over-voltage, over-current and short circuit protection, more safe to use.$9.99
45Products foundFilter


text:
Here are
The top 9 books
I plan to read in April 2021
Click on the covers to know more
📚 The Future of Buildings, Transportation, and Power,
by Roger Duncan and Michael E. Webber
Published in July 2020
See my latest words about it here.
📚 Dictionnaire amoureux du polar, by Pierre Lemaitre
Published on October 22, 2020
See my latest words about it here.
📚 The Archipelago of Another Life/ L'Archipel d'une autre vie, by Andreï Makine
Published in French in 2016
Published July 11th 2019 by MacLehose Press
I will technically begin to read this book in French on April 5 with Carol from Cas d'intérêt. We will post bilingual Q&A on her blog and mine, let us know if you would like to join our buddy read.
"A tense "Siberian Western" set in the inhospitable, boundless Russia taiga at the height of the Cold War.
On the far eastern borders of the Soviet Union, in the sunset of Stalin's reign, soldiers are training for a war that could end all wars, for in the atomic age man has sown the seeds of his own destruction.
Among them is Pavel Gartsev, a reservist. Orphaned, scarred by the last great war and unlucky in love, he is an instant victim for the apparatchiks and ambitious careerists who thrive within the Red Army's ranks.
Assigned to a search party composed of regulars and reservists, charged with the recapture of an escaped prisoner from a nearby gulag, Gartsev finds himself one of an unlikely quintet of cynics, sadists and heroes, embarked on a challenging manhunt through the Siberian taiga.
But the fugitive, capable, cunning and evidently at home in the depths of these vast forests, proves no easy prey. As the pursuit goes on, and the pursuers are struck by a shattering discovery, Gartsev confronts both the worst within himself and the tantalising prospect of another, totally different life."
📚 A Swim in a Pond in the Rain, by George Saunders
Published on January 12, 2021
"From the New York Times bestselling, Booker Prize–winning author of Lincoln in the Bardo and Tenth of December comes a literary master class on what makes great stories work and what they can tell us about ourselves—and our world today.
For the last twenty years, George Saunders has been teaching a class on the Russian short story to his MFA students at Syracuse University. In A Swim in a Pond in the Rain, he shares a version of that class with us, offering some of what he and his students have discovered together over the years. Paired with iconic short stories by Chekhov, Turgenev, Tolstoy, and Gogol, the seven essays in this book are intended for anyone interested in how fiction works and why it's more relevant than ever in these turbulent times.
In his introduction, Saunders writes, "We're going to enter seven fastidiously constructed scale models of the world, made for a specific purpose that our time maybe doesn't fully endorse but that these writers accepted implicitly as the aim of art—namely, to ask the big questions, questions like, How are we supposed to be living down here? What were we put here to accomplish? What should we value? What is truth, anyway, and how might we recognize it?" He approaches the stories technically yet accessibly, and through them explains how narrative functions; why we stay immersed in a story and why we resist it; and the bedrock virtues a writer must foster. The process of writing, Saunders reminds us, is a technical craft, but also a way of training oneself to see the world with new openness and curiosity.
A Swim in a Pond in the Rain is a deep exploration not just of how great writing works but of how the mind itself works while reading, and of how the reading and writing of stories make genuine connection possible."
📚 Monet & Oscar, by Joe Byrd
Release date: May 1st, 2021
Will be reading for France Book Tours
There are still review copies available: click on the link or on the book cover to get your free copy!
"At the end of WWI, Oscar, an American soldier in a French Army hospital, learned of his mother's death while recovering from his war wounds. He remained in France to search for his father, an Impressionist painter, whose identity his mother never revealed. Through curious circumstances, he's hired to be a gardener for Claude Monet. Oscar jumped at the opportunity to further his landscaping career by working in Monet's world-famous garden at Giverny. He hoped the most renowned Impressionist could help him find his father.
Monet, tired and disheartened by his ailing health and deteriorating eyesight, took Oscar along on visits to his previous painting venues and allowed him to meet some of his art-world friends. These meetings provided insights into Monet's life and art and clues to Oscar's father's identity.
On a train returning from Paris to Giverny, Oscar met and fell in love with Isabelle, a beautiful young American artist, who introduced him to the emerging 1920's fashions and mores. She is the daughter of one of Monet's major American clients, which interests him. Over Monet's daughters' objections, Isabelle and Oscar become regular guests at family gatherings as their infatuation blossoms into a unique love affair. Oscar's past, present, and future collide in a way that he could not have anticipated."
📚 The Old Capital, by Yasunari Kawabata
Published in 1962
Will be reading during April 19-25 with the Japanese Readathon Community (on Discord), and for Books in Translation Challenge and for The Classics Club
"The Old Capital is one of the three novels cited specifically by the Nobel Committee when they awarded Kawabata the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1968. With the ethereal tone and aesthetic styling characteristic of Kawabata's prose, The Old Capital tells the story of Chieko, the adopted daughter of a Kyoto kimono designer, Takichiro, and his wife, Shige.
Set in the traditional city of Kyoto, Japan, this deeply poetic story revolves around Chieko who becomes bewildered and troubled as she discovers the true facets of her past. With the harmony and time-honored customs of a Japanese backdrop, the story becomes poignant as Chieko's longing and confusion develops."
📚 Double Indemnity, by James M. Cain
Published in 1936
Will be reading for The 1936 Club, and for The Classics Club
I have never participated in any club readings posted by Stuck in a Book.
As I have two books published in 1936 on my Classics TBR list, I might as well use this opportunity. Actually, I had a third book, which I just read : A Cat, a Man, and Two Women.
"Tautly narrated and excruciatingly suspenseful, Double Indemnity gives us an X-ray view of guilt, of duplicity, and of the kind of obsessive, loveless love that devastates everything it touches. First published in 1935, this novel reaffirmed James M. Cain as a virtuoso of the roman noir."
📚 For The 1936 Club, I'm also planning on reading The Swedish Cavalier, by Leo Perutz
📚 If all goes well, I will read a French novel with one of my student:
Cinq cartes brûlées, by Sophie Loubière
And Coraline, by Neil Gaiman, with another friend
📚 Murder in the Mews (Hercule Poirot #18) by Agatha Christie
Published in 1937
Part of my project to listen to all of HP, for The Classics Club
"Are you ready for a question about each of the stories? How did a woman holding a pistol in her right hand manage to shoot herself in the left temple? What was the link between a ghost sighting and the disappearance of top secret military plans? How did the bullet that killed Sir Gervase shatter a mirror in another part of the room? And who destroyed the "eternal triangle" of love involving renowned beauty, Valentine Chantry?
Hercule Poirot is faced with four mystifying cases: Murder in the Mews, The Incredible Theft,, Dead Man's Mirror and Triangle at Rhodes. Each of them is a miniature classic of characterization, incident, and suspense."
📚 Appointment with Death (Hercule Poirot #19) by Agatha Christie
Published in 1937
Part of my project to listen to all of HP, for The Classics Club
"Among the towering red cliffs of Petra, like some monstrous swollen Buddha, sat the corpse of Mrs Boynton. A tiny puncture mark on her wrist was the only sign of the fatal injection that had killed her.
With only 24 hours available to solve the mystery, Hercule Poirot recalled a chance remark he'd overheard back in Jerusalem: 'You see, don't you, that she's got to be killed?' Mrs Boynton was, indeed, the most detestable woman he'd ever met."
📚 I should be able also to listen to at least Hercule Poirot #20, plus 5 Biblical books (Micah, Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, Nahum), and a French audiobook.
Review copies available throughout March:
The first two for book tours,
the third one to read and review at your own pace!
List of books I can swap with yours
📚 Several buddy-reads, as you see
📚 And usual refrain, trying to catch up with my reviews…

subset: commoncrawl


text:
It is Wednesday of Holy Week in Jerusalem the year 30 AD. Jesus has less than 48 hours before He is nailed to the wooden beams of a Roman cross.
I often try to put myself in the place of others to see from their perspective. I have found this an excellent approach at building empathy. I wonder what Jesus' mindset was on this Wednesday. He knew what was before Him. He had mentioned it to His disciples on numerous occasions (even though it appears they didn't grasp the immediacy of his prophetic words). Yet we see in the scripture that Jesus continued His routine. He resided outside the city, probably in Bethany (Matt 21:17). His early morning would be spent in communion with the Father. One of the things I didn't realize until lately was that Jesus didn't need to carry a written scroll of the sacred texts. He had these memorized. This was actually common among religious Jews, so it is a safe assumption that Jesus knew them by heart. Of course He knew them – He helped write them. John 1 tells us that Jesus is the "Word of God" so He knew the scriptures more intimately than any religious person ever could. He actually understood what each line and phrase was intended to convey. And that was another reason that He and the religious leaders so often clashed.
After breaking fast with His disciples He would head to back into Jerusalem probably over the road from the Mount of Olives. Let's take a minute and consider what breakfast would look like. Jesus, fresh from His time with His Father in prayer and having been awake for some time already, would be fresh and alive. I can visualize various members of His band coming in and picking up a piece bread and fruit the women have spread on the table and playful conversations picking up.
"Andrew, did you sleep in the barn again? You have straw sticking out of your hair." John asks Andrew as he sleepily walks into the large room.
"Speak for yourself John. From your smell I would say you slept in the barn AND you haven't bathed in a month," Andrew replies.
"Andrew, he is just a boy." James exclaims. "He hasn't learned that a man must bath at least once a week if he is to share close quarters with his friends. Out in the fields and walking in the wilderness he can get away with only the occasional ritual bath, but not when we all come to Jerusalem."
"He will get His ritual bath soon enough," Jesus says. "We all will be cleansed very soon. Passover is upon us my brothers. A very special Passover indeed."
After breaking fast they would take the 30 minute or so walk to Jerusalem entering through one of the massive gates in the city wall. They would proceed to the Temple. One of Jesus' favorite places to teach was Solomon's colonnade. Here he would take a seat and begin to teach.
These final few days were a political chess match. Jesus continued to teach and heal while the religious leaders repeatedly tried to trap Him in His words. One day they asked Him about paying taxes expecting Him to either anger the authorities by saying NO or displeasing the crowds by saying YES. Instead Jesus says, "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's, and unto God, that which is God's". Another time they demand to know by whose authority He is teaching. They did not sanction Him therefore that are suspect of His credentials. Not to mention He takes issue with a significant number of their interpretations of the law. Jesus answers their question with a question. "I will answer you if you answer my question first. John's baptism – where did it come from? Was it from heaven or of human origin?" Now they are trapped because they did not accept John's baptism and message, but they know the people did. To answer as they truly believe would risk a riot and further alienation from the people. But to answer otherwise would reveal their blatant hypocrisy. So they say, "We don't know."
If He was stressed by the continued manipulations of the temple leaders, none of the Gospels bear this out. And personally, I don't expect that these things surprised or stressed Jesus. Not because of the fact of His divinity, but because of His intimacy and trust in the Father. The impression I take from studying Jesus in the scriptures is One who is 100% confident in Himself because of His absolute connection with the Lord of the Universe. There is no sin to disrupt that connection. He consistently seeks to know the Father's will and communes with Him constantly. And He is obedient to the uttermost.
A logical question arises – did Jesus know all the events each day held beforehand? We see that a number of times He is aware of what is going to happen… sending the disciples ahead for the donkey on Palm Sunday, waiting for Lazarus to die before heading to Bethany to raise Him, seeing Nathaniel under the tree before they meet. But I don't think this has to be extrapolated that He knows every detail of every day. In fact, I think He knew the details that He needed to know to be in the right place at the right time. And I am sure that He was given the words He needed at the time they were needed (see Mark 13:11). This came from His communion with and total faith in the Father which was reflected in complete obedience. But in keeping with one of the "secondary" reasons He came and lived among us, for Him to effectively model a life we are to strive for, He would have to "walk by faith and not by sight" some of the time.
I encourage you to take time to put yourself in Jesus' place on this Wednesday in His final week. Consider what might be going through His mind. How did He find the will to move resolutely toward His death rather than look for the way to escape. Then apply that to where you are right now. What incremental step can you take to grow your faith and move a little closer to the person the Lord has called you to be… the Lord has equipped you to be… the Lord died for you to be. Don't misunderstand. The Lord isn't calling a person of little to no faith to immediately become one who boldly faces down the religious leaders and willingly dies for Christ. But He is calling us to grow in our faith today to be a little stronger today than yesterday. And then tomorrow to grow a little stronger than we were today. In time, perhaps less than we can imagine, the Lord will put us in places were our natural response would have been to run and hide, but our faith response becomes to stand and proclaim the goodness and richness of the Lord.
Be blessed today my friend and allow the Lord to make you a blessing to those He puts in your path this day.


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Category: poetry
Mojo Monday ~ Honey In Your Heart
Mojo Monday ~ Phenomenal Woman
Fairly recently I was thinking that someone needed to take Maya Angelou's poem Phenomenal Woman and put it into song. Well a friend of mine posted this video of Candaian artist Amy Sky performing this poem as a song. So fabulous and inspirational.
Here is a little story about how Amy Sky got permission to turn the poem into a song:
"I carried this incredible poem around in my purse for months, while trying to contact Dr. Maya Angelou to get her permission to put it to music. One day she showed up — serendipitously – at a taping of the Dini Petty show that I was also on. When I told her I wanted to set the poem to music, she said she had always wanted it to be a song, and gave me permission on the spot. Not only was I thrilled to be able to sing out her inspiring words of self- affirmation night after night, I learned a very valuable lesson about intention. I passionately believed the poem should be a song, and the universe heard me and responded. I encourage anyone who has a dream, no matter how out of reach it seems, to keep it in your purse – keep it close to your heart. Travellers who undertake a journey for the right reasons, are always helped by invisible hands."
Mojo Monday ~ Poetry for Mother Earth
|Image Digitally Created by Michelle Fairchild in 2008
Our planet absolutely astounds me. There are so many descriptive words that come to mind while contemplating our shared globe: wondrous, remarkable, amazing, incredible…and yet none of them can really do it justice. How do you describe something so sacred and miraculous?
What I know is that we do the best we can using our sacred earthly tools such as words, both prose and poetry, paintings, songs, dances, culinary arts, rituals and activism.
In honor of our big blue planet here is a compilation of prose, poetry and song to honor her.
Your beauty is astounding
so much so that it brings tears
to the eyes of those who really see you
the greens and blues, the red, browns and yellows
the rainbows that you sometimes wear like magical jewels
and underneath your stunning appearance
you are humble
You are a provider
a giver of life
if it were not for you
and the water that covers
two thirds of your surface
there would be no life
and yet you are humble
There are those
in certain circles
who are concerned
about worshipping you
as a deity
and yet it seems
that since our very
lives and survival
depends on you
that there needs to be
greater Reverence in how we view you
There needs to be more
love and respect
in our actions and thoughts
towards you
and while we can celebrate
that forty-one years ago
inspired individuals celebrated
the first Earth Day on
April 22, 1970
we must also honor that
every day is Earth Day.
~ By Michelle Fairchild
Once, not long ago, it was a hearty tree
providing shade, food, and oxygen—
a world of its own.
For a hundred years,
perhaps more,
it flourished with breath and life.
Then it was cut, sawed, ground, and pressed
until it found itself resting softly
between two friends.
Peacefully and patiently
it waited for the moment
it would burst forth into the world
and exercise the meaning of its life.
And now that moment has come.
It gracefully caresses my cheek,
wiping the tears from my eyes
and taking on my pain as its own
All those years
as seed, tree, wood
and tissue
in preparation for the fleeting moment
it would console my sadness.
As it gives its life to comfort me
I almost failed to see the kindness in its deed.
Wrapped up in self-centered pain, tear-blinded,
I nearly missed its selfless service.
Who will give witness to such compassion if not me?
Shriveled and soaked, it died while serving a fool
who discarded thousands of its brothers and sisters
without a thanks –not one tear shed in gratitude.
Teach me to see through the teardrop, that in the midst of pain
I may understand the true source
of the softness against my face.
Teach me to cry with my eyes wide open.
I can change the world
With my own two hands
Make it a better place
With my own two hands
Make it a kinder place
With my own two hands
With my own
With my own two hands
I can make peace on earth
With my own two hands
I can clean up the earth
With my own two hands
I can reach out to you
With my own two hands
With my own
With my own two hands
I'm going to make it a brighter place
With my own two hands
I'm going to make it a safer place
With my own two hands
I'm going to help the human race
With my own two hands
With my own
With my own two hands
I can hold you
With my own two hands
I can comfort you
With my own two hands
But you've got to use
Use your own two hands
Use your own
Use your own two hands
With our own
With our own two hands
With my own
With my own two hands
Mojo Monday ~ Poetry
The Academy of American Poets, which was founded in 1934, led the initiative to designate April as National Poetry Month. Their goal was to widen the attention of individuals and the media—to the art of poetry, to living poets, to our complex poetic heritage, and to poetry books and journals of wide aesthetic range and concern. The first National Poetry Month was held in April of 1996. The Acadeny of American Poets has enlisted a variety of government agencies and officials, educational leaders, publishers, sponsors, poets, and arts organizations to help.
|Magnetic Fridge Poetry
- Highlight the extraordinary legacy and ongoing achievement of American poets
- Introduce more Americans to the pleasures of reading poetry
- Bring poets and poetry to the public in immediate and innovative ways
- Make poetry a more important part of the school curriculum
- Increase the attention paid to poetry by national and local media
- Encourage increased publication, distribution, and sales of poetry books
- Increase public and private philanthropic support for poets and poetry
- Take a poem out to lunch.
- Recite a poem to family or friends.
- On April 14th Celebrate Poem In Your Pocket Day
- Attend a poetry reading.
- Put a poem in a letter.
- Memorize a Poem.
- There is even a book called Committed to Memory: 100 Best Poems to Memorize (1996) which is suggested as a great guide to choosing poems which lend themselves easily to memorization.
- Sign up to receive a poem a day via email or if you have an iPhone download for free Poem Flow and receive a new poem every day
|Poetry as an art form
Natalie Merchant Sings the Poets
Natalie Merchant beautifully transforms poetry to song.
Finding Freedom
Finding Freedom
by Shiloh Sophia McCloud
What if we woke up today
And the old stories didn't have their sting?
What if we didn't resist what there is to do?
And set about our tasks, whether grand or mundane
As if we were serving the world through our tending.
What if we gave ourselves permission to love,
really love,
those who previously, we framed with our thoughts
as if we always know how they will be,
What if we treated them differently? Made ourselves.
What if we did a simultaneous cleansing,
a right of forgiveness…
If we took responsibility for what has gone before
and then choose to move forward powerfully
Instead of guiltily.
We know, how guilt does not inspire
but condemns us to hidden silences.
Let us be honest with ourselves
If things have not turned out as we hoped for.
If our dreams feel dashed or doomed.
Just say it.
Are there ties that need cutting?
Are there others that need re-tieing? Mending?
Heal it, Mourn it.
But only for less than a day or two
Then it is time to move forward.
Slowly, surely we move toward hope again.
So – it is foolish to love again, try again, risk again.
But what else is there to do?
Really. Really?
We are living in a broken hearted world.
Because some of us are hungry.
Some of us are hurting.
Some damage is too far done.
To admit what is, is not to enforce a negative reality.
We have what we have and words and thoughts
do not change what we have.
But we can change our futures.
We can love beyond reason.
We can choose to move ahead with as much joy as we can find.
Some of us are happy – some of us have enough.
We can rejoice in what we have,
Guilt is not the bedfellow of true joy.
Let us be truly truly thankful for what we have.
And when we are, what we no longer need
Comes into clear view. And we can make changes.
We see how we can give, and serve.
Finding freedom comes from telling ourselves the truth
About us.
Finding freedom comes from admitting and releasing.
Finding freedom comes after a lifetime of pain or pleasure.
When we allow ourselves to see what is truly here.
In our lives in the world.
A space is opened up in us when we are no longer
hiding from our conscience, our soul, our heart.
Finding freedom comes after grieving.
Freedom is not free, or easy, or even likely.
Good Riddance to Disappointment
I wrote a poem called Good Riddance to Disappointment just a few days ago as part of the current Cosmic Cowgirl on-line course I am following for 30 days called A Year of Promise. One option of the Day Three exercise was to share something you would no longer tolerate. During the course of my life I often felt like a disappointment to certain people in my life whenever I was overweight. I shared that I will no longer tolerate thinking that I am a disappointment to another human being. Just yesterday I was exercising after work at the park. On my walk I passed a beat up pick-up with three young men sitting inside. From behind I heard a whistle and then "Ooh baby, I love your ass!" and then laughter. There was no one else around so I knew the comment was directed at me and I also knew that it wasn't sincere but rather meant to poke fun at me. I had a wonderful aha moment though because the whole scene made me smile. I really didn't care what those young guys thought of me. Their opinions meant absolutely nothing. It really struck me on a deeper level ~ Why would I care what they thought of me? It is what I think that matters!
Good Riddance to Disappointment
I was told that my thighs
were too pudgy
my middle too round
from now on
only 30 carbs a day
I wanted
I wanted
to please
I wanted
to be loved
Appetite suppressants
like caramel candy
would ease the hunger
and help me get
through the day
No bread or crackers
no milk or pasta
or even too much fruit
all this effort in order
to melt the fat away
I wanted
I wanted
to please
I wanted
to be loved
I didn't question
the methods
there was no mention
of health
all I did was obey
I feared
I would disappoint
if I was not thin
I was learning
fat was not okay
I want
I want
to please
I want
to be loved
these are the things
for which my little
4-year-old self
would pray


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Take your family out to Scottish Rite Theater, one of the oldest operating theaters in the state of Texas, to watch The Town Musicians of Mumbai starting April 2 – May 1, 2016. Perfect for little kids, the theater allows children to sit on carpets in front of the stage to feel like they are in on the action!
Collaborating once again with the Sacred Cowgirls Indian Swing Band in an all-new Bollywood adaptation of a favorite tale, The Town Musicians of Mumbai, is an original Bollywood-inspired version of Grimms' beloved Bremen Town Musicians. When four loyal beasts become old and discarded, they set out to become famous musicians in the marvelous city of Mumbai. With live music from The Sacred Cowgirls and original Indian choreography and dance, this show will please one and all! Recommended for all ages.
Dates: The performances are scheduled on Saturdays at 11 am and Sundays at 1 pm, April 2- May 1, 2016.
Location: Austin Scottish Rite Theater, 207 W. 18th Street, Austin
Tickets: $12/ adult, $8 children; Tickets available online and at the door.
Giveaway: Win a family four pack of tickets to see The Town Musicians of Mumbai, winner's choice!
What do you have to do to win? Leave a comment below or complete the form by 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 31, 2016 for a chance to win. See official rules here.


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A new website offers just the thing that´s been missing this election season: Yiddish curses for your political foes. May you live to a hundred and twenty without Social Security or Medicare,' reads one of the entries on the Yiddish Curses for Republican Jews site. And they´re not messing around: according to the site´s Facebook page,
The best Yiddish curses start out like a blessing and then snatch it all away. You should make a fortune and spend it all on doctors. You should eat a feast of the most delicious foods imaginable and every bite should make you sick. They are specific, which is why we´ve written a whole bunch of new ones for these very particular circumstances.'
Here are some of our favorite 2012-inspired additions:
May your insurance company decide constipation is a pre-existing condition.'
May you make a fortune, and lose it all in one of Sheldon Adelson´s casinos.'
May you find yourself insisting to a roomful of skeptics that your great-grandmother was "legitimately" raped by Cossacks.
May God give you a daughter-in-law who is as kind as she is beautiful, as patient as she is rich, as wise as she is devoted, a virtuous woman in every way. And then may a ballot initiative invalidate her marriage to your fat lump Rebecca.
May you have a hundred houses, and in every house a hundred rooms, and in every room twenty beds, and then may you fall behind on just one of your mortgage payments and have the bank repossess everything.
May you find yourself lost and stranded in a village of Palestinian Muslims, and may you be treated only with dignity, kindness and respect.
May your son be elected President, and may you have no idea what you did with his goddamn birth certificate.
May you live to a hundred and twenty without Social Security or Medicare.
May the secretary your husband is schtupping depend on Planned Parenthood for her birth control.
May you live to a ripe old age, and may the only people who come visit you be Mormon missionaries.
May your grandchildren baptize you after you´re dead.
May your son the doctor introduce you to his fiancée, Bristol Palin.
May you be reunited in the world to come with your ancestors, who were all socialist garment workers.
May you spend your whole life supporting and voting for and sending money to Israel, and may you one day be actually forced to move there.
May your child give his Bar Mitzvah speech on the genius of Ayn Ran
May the state of Arizona expand their definition of "suspected illegal immigrants" to "anyone who doesn't hunt." - That means YOU, Jew boy!
May you have a rare disease and need an operation that only one surgeon in the world, the winner of the Nobel Prize for Medicine, is able to perform. And may he be unable to perform it because he doesn´t take your insurance. And may that Nobel Laureate be your son.
May you grow so rich that your widow´s second husband is thrilled they repealed the estate tax.
May you sell everything and retire to Florida just as global warming makes it uninhabitable.
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Plan your summer hiking and camping fun with our Oregon Outdoor Guide newsletter
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Help! I'm Pregnant and I'm Painting!
Safety Tips for Moms-to-Be
We've heard from so many women who upon getting pregnant suddenly experience a serious urge to nest. Rebuild the guest room into a themed nursery? Baby-proof every nook and cranny in the house? Build a giant log cabin in the back yard? Hormones have incredible power to help motivate you to get things done, but make sure you keep yourself and your baby safe while your super-mom skills kick in.
While we typically encourage taking projects on yourself, being pregnant creates a few risk factors you need to take into account before getting started. So, with that in mind, we've asked a few of our favorite OB/GYNs for a few basic rules to live by, at least for nine months:
Rule #1: If it stinks, stay away:
Avoid toxic chemicals to protect your unborn child.
(You'll have enough of smelly diapers before you know it.)
Some experts advise you to avoid overexposure to some common household chemicals. The key word here is "overexposure." So, if you smell something suspicious in your general vicinity, leave the area. But what are considered "toxic chemicals" and how can you avoid them?
Toxic Substances
TETROGENS: (Basically, this is a substance that can potentially cause genetic changes in a fetus.) Most of us know about the negative effects to a fetus when mom uses illicit drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, and some prescription drugs. What you may not know is that the more common tetrogens around the house—such as paint, paint removers, bleach, lye, even cat litter-can also be dangerous to an unborn baby.
Now remember that for the vast majority of such chemicals the risks are there only after prolonged exposure. But to be on the safe side, if a project involves working with a toxic chemical of any kind, it's best to delegate the task to someone else.
Painting Baby's Room
Painting the baby's room can be exciting but most paints and sealants give off fumes that can be dangerous to your unborn baby. Refinishing baby furniture might seem like a great idea, but be aware that sanding or scraping old paint can release toxic particles into the air you breathe.
Jane Tip: If you are working on a pre-1970 home, be cautious as lead-based paints were often used during this period. Sanding or scraping lead based paint can release lead into the air. Lead poisoning can cause severe developmental problems in unborn babies. If you think your home might contain lead, contact an environmental home assessor to help determine the amount of lead and what you can do about it.
Here are a few ways you can protect your unborn baby while working around the house:
- Select a water-based paint that is designed for indoor use and doesn't contain lead or mercury. Most indoor latex paints fall into this category. But always check the label to make sure.
- If you must use oil based paint schedule painting or renovation for a time when you are not around, allowing several hours for the fumes to dissipate before returning.
- When you are storing unused paint or chemicals make sure they are sealed tightly and try to store them outdoors.
- If something stinks (including your husband), leave the room. Put fans in any room you're repainting to speed drying and disperse toxic vapors (more on this below).
A Sticky Situation: Glues & Solvents
Remember that glues and solvents fall into the toxic chemical category. So stick to working on those projects that use nuts and bolts—pun intended.
The strongest glue you should be using is basic Elmer's glue. Any type of epoxy or rubber cement should be a "no-zone" for you during your pregnancy. Their vapors, even in small amounts, could be harmful. Click here for our complete guide to adhesives.
Again, the best way to determine what to use and what to avoid is simple: if it stinks, stop and get someone else to do it.
Proper ventilation is a must. Regardless of being pregnant, we can't stress enough the importance of good ventilation. You can create good ventilation by opening windows or doors opposite from each other. This creates cross ventilation and keeps your working space safer. If ventilation isn't clearing out the vapors then consider leaving the area.
Jane Tip: Use exhaust fans (blowing air from inside the room to outside through a door or window) to ventilate while painting or renovating.
Also consider covering air conditioning and heating vents in the room being worked on to prevent the fumes from circulating to other areas of your house.
Rule #2: Cover Up!
Protect your child by protecting yourself.
While protective apparel for doing home improvement may not be glamorous or fashionable, you should definitely wear it anyway. Most of us think, "What's a little saw dust?" Remember anything that touches your body can possibly affect the development of your fetus. We know gloves and masks can be annoying and sweaty but think of wearing them as a way to protect yourself and your child.
What to use:
You'll need a mask that fits properly and has no gaps, which can decrease efficacy. A gas mask or ventilator isn't necessary-though if you're considering a project that requires one; it's not one you should be doing while pregnant!
As for gloves, we recommend both disposable latex and vinyl for those with latex allergies. Nitrile gloves (thick gloves similar to those for dishwashing) are recommended when working with more caustic products like paint removers, stains, urethanes, mineral spirits, etc. All those projects will have to wait until after the baby's born. Want more safety tips for your home and your family?
Rule #3: The shocking truth: Electricity and babies don't mix.
Electricity must always be handled with care but it's a definite no-no during pregnancy. Having respect for electricity during pregnancy is an absolute must.While it's common to accidentally receive a small to moderate shock while working on an electrical project this makes the task extremely dangerous during pregnancy. While your heart has been beating for many years and a slight shock could cause an arrhythmia (irregular heart beat), your heart can easily correct this. As for your fetus, their heart is so young that it may not be able to overcome an arrhythmia caused by a seemingly mild shock. For this reason, we can't stress this highly enough: stay away from electrical projects completely while you're pregnant! Click here for our complete circuit breaker guide.
That said, if you find yourself in a situation where you are the only one at home and you have no other choice but to do some electrical work, make absolutely, positively, 100% sure that there is no electricity coming through the wires you are working on. Don't just rely on the fact that when you flip the switch nothing happens. Use an electrical (or circuit) tester to guarantee it is definitely dead. If you're still not certain, then pull out the candles and relax. This way you can wait in ambiance until someone else comes along to help.
Rule #4: The Earth may revolve around the Sun, but your center of gravity is off.
As your belly begins to grow, your center of gravity tends to shift. This adds to issues of clumsiness. Many women even forget their bellies are there!
For this reason working on an elevated platform like a ladder requires extra precaution. If you must get up on a ladder, make sure someone else is holding on to both the ladder and you. Heck, if someone else is there, make him or her get on the ladder.
Additionally, while your belly can cause clumsiness, it can also make lifting more difficult. Lifting something you would normally find easy to lift becomes increasingly harder the further along you get in your pregnancy.
In lifting anything, make sure to use your legs. The bigger you get the harder it will be to lift something in front of you, due to the fact that your belly's growing but your arms aren't. If you can, find someone else to do any heavy lifting, or take the time to lift properly.
Gardening Can Be a Hazard
Gardening may seem like the perfect task to take on while pregnant, at least during the early stages of your pregnancy. We feel it is important to know there possibly is a silent danger in your garden that can affect your baby. It's called toxoplasmosis. While more than 50 million Americans carry the parasite in their blood called toxoplasma gondii, the vast majority of people will never experience symptoms of this infection because their immune systems protect them from getting sick. This little parasite can cause an infection known as toxoplasmosis.
While you're pregnant, you'll want to take special care to avoid exposing yourself to this unseen danger. This parasite can seriously harm an unborn baby.
The most common transmission of a toxoplasma infection is from cats. Don't worry, you don't have to throw kitty to the curb!
Avoiding contact with the Toxoplasma parasite is easier than you think. It is transported via cat feces. Often humans will come in contact with it while gardening or changing the litter box and inadvertently pass the parasite from their hands to their mouths or eyes. As we said, normally, this never becomes an issue. But if you're pregnant, take these precautions when you are gardening or changing your cat's litter box:
When working in the garden, wear proper gloves and avoid touching your mouth. Assume your cat, or a neighborhood cat, has used your flowerbox as a toilet.
If at all possible have someone else change your cat's litter box while you are pregnant.
If you must change the litter box yourself, use rubber gloves (a mask too if you've got one) and go outside if you can. This will help avoid breathing in potentially harmful vapors.
At Least I'll have Time to Clean the House!
While you're pregnant have someone else take over the clean up duties that require the use of toxic substances such as bleach, oven cleaners, or other cleaning agents. All of these could potentially harm an unborn baby.
If you absolutely must use chemical cleaning agents, wear proper gloves that come to your mid forearm, open the windows to ventilate the room and consider using a respirator to fully protect yourself.
If all of these warnings have you in a tizzy, there's no need to panic. If you've had a bit of exposure to some toxic chemicals, or have worked on some projects recently, more than likely, you don't have to worry. According to the OB/GYNs we consulted, it usually takes prolonged exposure to a substance to have any adverse affect on your child.
We know that life doesn't always allow us to follow exact instructions and that sometimes you just have to do what has to get done. We just suggest taking a moment to think about what you plan on doing before doing it. Is it a project that absolutely must get finished or can it wait until after the baby's born? Is there a temporary solution to your dilemma that won't put you or your baby in possible jeopardy or is there someone else who can help? Remember, these are simply guidelines for you to try to follow as best you can. We just want you to be safe, secure and happy—hey, you're about to be a mom!
See also:
Protect Yourself from Head to Toe
A Home that Grows With You
Turn Your House into a Hazard Free Haven


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Tag employer long term
Are you shocked to read such a bold statement? Before debating on this, let me explain on who a freelancer is: A freelancer or a freelance worker is somebody who is self-employed and is not committed to a particular employer long term. Fields where freelancing is common include journalism, book publishing, journal publishing, and other


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Today I watched the movie 'Split' and only now I realize how it's been somewhat common for me to use the word Split for situations where I have compromised myself and where I haven't stood completely 'whole' in certain situations or with people in my life, facing the eventual consequences that this compromise or dishonesty creates, which implies that if I am not clear in the starting point of creation of something or I am aware I am not being honest with myself in it, the outcome or result of it will force me to face my creation and my starting point for what it was.
A common example is when one establishes a relationship based on fearing to be alone and in doing so, because the fear is that of 'being alone' – and if this starting point is not corrected throughout the whole relationship – the outcome and result is that most likely such relationship will end and one will face one's fear of 'ending up alone', which can be initially perceived as a 'negative' outcome, but it is in fact in this process of self-honesty where those 'darkest moments' of facing our fears and the result of our creations that we also learn from our mistakes and learn to strengthen ourselves and realize how we created such fear and made It real in our minds by evading it, thus evading to face the reality of ourselves which is the truth that will invariably – sooner or later – comes out to the surface for us to see it face to face.
This is part of 'owning my creation' and realizing that as much as I would have liked things to be different in certain aspects of my life, I also at the same time can recognize the reasoning behind my decisions, the context of them and also being able to recognize how I invested myself, my time, my dedication to points of creation that I 'hoped' and yes created an 'expectation' could turn out differently, but they didn't stand the test of time and a common emotional outcome of witnessing this is saying 'I wish things could have been different' but, as much as we could have seen a potential in something or someone, we cannot control the outcome when there are others involved in that same point of creation, we only have our self-responsibility. We can only be certain about who we are within it all from beginning to end – the rest and what pertains to others' participation in the point of creation, we cannot control at all. We can assist, we can suggest ways but ultimately if the other person doesn't stand through it in an equal stance of self-responsibility, that's where consequence will speak for itself if one's starting point wasn't clear and wasn't changed through and while in the creative process.
Here it's also not to imply that one cannot have a 'flawed' starting point and not change it or align it as one goes participating in that process or creation, what matters is precisely having the intent and determination to change in the process and do what's in our hands to apply ourselves on – yet if one doesn't do this, one ends up compromising in one way or another not only oneself but others as well and that's when a joint process of creation has to come to an end.
In this movie Split I found the relationship of the psychiatrist with the main character with dissociative identity disorder a main point for personal reflection, where in her attempt to help and consider this disorder as something that makes people superior, special and treating the patient in a very 'positive-manner' leads her to overlook the magnitude of the problem she's dealing with. Her role represents an unconventional attempt to stand up for people with Kevin's (main character) condition. And without spoiling anything here, let's simply say that there are consequences for doing that, and I could relate to this as well in my personal experience.
The 'split' point I'm trying to get to here is where I am aware of the potential consequences that something or someone can create in their own lives and so in the lives of others, I am aware of something that is mostly regarded as 'abnormal' or 'dangerous' or 'psychopathic' behavior in people yet, I've tried to focus too much on the good, the potential, the best aspects of them, while at the same time condoning behaviors, thoughts and actions in others and within myself consequently that should not be regarded as 'human nature' or 'normal emotions' in our psyche, because in taking these things very lightly, consequences can ensue in various degrees that we can only regret when it's too late.
I've learned over these years to learn about and understand our minds, the intertwining of it with the physical body, the level of multidimensionality that a particular personality trait can have and at the same time, the level of absolute discipline and dedication that correcting any patterns, habits or traits requires by an individual. Yet at the same time, the way that I've approached certain conditions in people is through gullibility, where I have underestimated the potential detrimental consequences that can be acted out by each one of us where we can allow ourselves to – in one split second – act out on the worst of ourselves and not even be able to control these impulses and only realize 'what has been done' after one has acted out on those thoughts, emotions or feelings that lead us to these consequences, irreversible consequences that many of us have faced when saying or doing something that we end up regretting or feeling terribly bad about afterward, yet this doesn't have to be the way to 'live' in this world, because we can learn to prevent it, to stop ourselves before 'pulling the trigger' and causing such consequential outflows – not nice, not pretty, yet sometimes this is the only way we can get to understand what we are doing o ourselves and so others, to see it face to face and walk through the consequences of it all.
The point here for me is being honest with myself and realize the reality of what a person having a particular condition, habits or tendencies entail in terms of long term relationships in whichever form they might be. Of course, one could say we are all having mental problems and I agree to a certain extent, it's a default state in which we have allowed ourselves to exist. However there is also a process of acceptance and allowance in this – whether it is genetics or self-created in this lifetime – all consequences are entirely ours, whether they were created by us directly or past generations = still ourselves. Even though this is our current raw reality, we still have the ability to make a decision to support ourselves to cultivate the better aspect of ourselves and stop feeding what we know is consequential, detrimental, damaging or harmful for oneself and others.
In my case I have to also be more considerate of the level of consequences we can be facing in our current process of mind, being and body integration, to not deliberately want to see all human beings through the eyes of benevolence or potential only, because for that matter we all have potential. I have to remind myself that as much as I can see such potential, I also have to consider how far a point of consequence has already 'taken over' a person's mind and life, and accept the fact that no matter how much I'd like to assist another to focus on that better aspect of themselves, the decision is entirely up to them and if this is not done, I also have to make sure that I do not 'split' myself in compromising my self-honesty and integrity.
I can instead only remind myself and others to realize the extent of damage, harm, abuse that can be created and inflicted in thought, word and deed. Here I am particularly learning the relevance of assisting others through what can be defined as 'tough love' as well, which is to let the others see through physical reality consequences what they have been accepting and allowing in their own minds – and this also goes for myself at the same time of course, where I have to realize there's always a needed stop for us to wake up and so use those 'shocking' situations or consequences as crucial moments to make a clear decision in our lives: do we continue building and feeding the worst of us, the one that creates actual harm, abuse and self-disrespect to our living potential – or do we use such shocking situation, such consequential outflow as a lesson to learn from and never repeat it again.
And yes, it is unfortunate, it can be a 'sad' thing to realize that one can see the best of oneself and others yet, we sabotage our potential by sticking to what feeds our egos, what feeds our multiple personalities that are only there to continue existing as a mind that thrives in and of friction and conflict, not in common sense. And I also have to remind myself that there are such points of 'no return' in some cases, and it's part of what I have to make peace here with, that no matter how much I would want to stick to such potential – what will always be our measuring point is physical reality where actions or inactions speak louder than words or potential outcomes, which is what I can learn as well for myself both in my personal life and as a person that at the same time assists many more to develop themselves to their utmost potential.
This is something that is a key subject to me and I'm glad I went to watch this movie because it demon-strates very well to what extent we can take ourselves in living out personalities and allow our mind to fully take over, to the point where the real being, the real potential is too 'far out' to reach out into the surface and how potentially dangerous this can be – of course it's a movie, it is still fiction and is exaggerated in certain aspects – but still, if we take the example presented there and consider it in relation to our day to day experiences both within ourselves and with who we interact, we will more and more see the importance of 'mental health' as a primary point of importance in our human development, I have no doubt about it.
So to me, my 'split' to correct is compromising too much at times in wanting to be too much of a 'good doer' or 'tolerant' of certain things that may cause more consequence for myself and others – removing my split personalities where I am determining my thoughts, words and deeds on expectations, on fears, on potentials, on what I 'believe' could be the outcome of something, instead of looking directly at physical reality and so seeing the reality that is being created by me and others.
It is also not impossible to find human beings that can transcend these conditions at a mind level, requires a living decision, a constant one, for a lifetime to nurture and give life to create and build the better of ourselves instead of the worst of ourselves. There's always self-forgiveness to give ourselves a second chance, but there is also a point of enough is enough and when life is compromised for far too long, intervention is needed, for the best of all.
The outcome of having integrity, self-honesty and self-responsibility is precisely that, a creation where no matter what the outcome is, we can stand through it and own it, learn from it, grow with it – while at the same time remaining observant of the outcomes in physical reality so as to not create false or unreal expectations. This is how we can live integrity and self-support which creates sanity and preventing most of the sickness and problems we have already plagued our lives with – and doing this by myself, makes me the person I can live with for the rest of my life.
The best way to prevent mental problems is through learning to work with our thoughts, emotions, feelings, fears, habits, relationships and all of this can be walked in self-support within the Desteni I Process, the proof is here as myself, don't hesitate to ask or learn more about it, because it's a life changing process, if one works on it as intended of course.
Thanks for reading and check out the movie, I recommend it
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What makes a 'good' (= impactful, respected, useful) research article? Read on, and check out the podcast here (or on iTunes!)
KeyLIME Session 182:
Listen to the podcast.
Lauren A. Maggio, Todd C. Leroux, Holly S. Meyer, Anthony R. Artino Jr. #MedEd: Exploring the relationship between altmetrics and traditional measures of dissemination in health professions education. Perspectives in Medical Education.Feb 2018.
Reviewer: Linda Snell (@LindaSMedEd)
Research dissemination is essential for scientific progress and researchers have a duty to disseminate their research as widely as possible. So much so that major funding organizations are insisting on making public the results of their funded studies.
What makes a 'good' (= impactful, respected, useful) research article? Those who are looking at academic promotions dossiers would likely say the impact factor (IF) of the journal, or number of citations as a primary measure; however, the IF of med ed journals, even the best, are not particularly high, and citations can be slow to accumulate.
There may be other ways to capture dissemination and impact, especially vis-à-vis public communication and sharing outside traditional channels. Social media is changing the research dissemination landscape.
Altmetrics, which track alternate dissemination types, have been suggested as a complement to citation-based metrics. Altmetrics provide a summary of how research is shared and discussed online, and are seen as complementing, not replacing, traditional citation-based metrics. Altmetric data describe both the volume and nature of attention that research receives online: how often journal articles and other scholarly outputs are discussed and used. This can include (but are not limited to) online peer reviews, Wikipedia citations, discussions on research blogs, mainstream media coverage, bookmarks on reference managers like Mendeley, and mentions on social networks such as Twitter.
Results of prior studies comparing traditional and altmetrics are mixed, and little has been done in Med Ed.
To examine the relationship between altmetrics and traditional measures: journal article citations and access counts.
Key Points on Method
A cross-sectional, quantitative, bibliometric study.
Searched Web of Science (WOS) for articles published in seven HPE journals: Academic Medicine, Medical Education, BMC Medical Education, Advances in Health Sciences Education, Medical Teacher, Teaching and Learning in Medicine and Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions. Metadata included access count and citations – in some cases
Searched Altmetric Explorer looking for an altmetrics event (a tweet, media mention, Mendeley save, etc.) in the same articles.
Merged files and did descriptive and summary stats as well as 2 regression models looking at citations and access counts, with time since publication, public accessibility, IF of journal etc. as independent variables.
Key Outcomes
Nearly 2500 articles 2013-2015, mean citation =3, access count = 881. 57% in publicly accessible journals
Citation increase associated with journal IF, then blogging, tweets, and Mendeley saves.
Access counts positively associated with public access but not altmetrics.
Key Conclusions
The authors conclude a number of altmetrics outlets are positively associated with citations, that public accessibility is positively related to article access. Given the scientific community's evolving focus on dissemination, the findings have implications for a variety of HPE stakeholders, providing important insights into the factors that may improve an article's citations and access.
Important as it can inform the community by modernizing our understanding of scholarly dissemination and impact in HPE, and from a practical standpoint, it can help individual HPE scholars determine the best ways to use social media and other non-traditional outlets to disseminate and promote their research to academic colleagues and the general public.
Spare Keys- other take home points for clinician educators
There are other journals that publish med ed research that were not looked at in this study.
CEs need to look widely for the best place to publish before they think about tweeting about their paper!
Access KeyLIME podcast archives here
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Nashville United Methodist Church is a body of believers in the Heritage District of the North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church. We are Spirit-filled, orthodox church that seeks to save that unsaved, sanctify the saved, and spread holiness all over Nash County and the surrounding area.
Our beliefs and doctrine are found in the United Methodist Churches Book of Discipline which can be found here.


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Chapter 36: Love
Copyright © 2013 by Brian Bixby.
It was highly entertaining watching the look on Martha's face when she saw me sitting beside my love. She just couldn't believe it.
Neither could Ned. Poor Ned, he doesn't really want to be a vampire. He is cute, though. Maybe I'll just enslave him and try to see if it's actually possible to make a vampire sexually perform. It will probably kill him. But I'll have a lot of fun trying.
The washed-up nobody with the warrant, who is she? I probe into her mind, and find that she and this Kammen vampire that supposedly screwed me up are lovers of a sorts. So maybe there really are possibilities with vampires. Her situation is so interesting that I want her now.
You, Sally Truax.
She turns my way, unable to resist.
That's right, you and me, we're going to be great friends, along with your vampire buddy.
That makes her smile. Probably the first real pleasure she's ever felt. No, I can see in her head something she and the vampire did. Ingenious.
I hear Martha's voice, turn to look at her. She's speaking to Ned. She says, "Clearly Cross has Love under his control. I know she'll try to seduce almost everyone, but Cross is below even her standards."
That's a raw hit. I get angry, start to get up, but dear Edward reaches over and squeezes my hand. I relax.
Edward addresses Martha. "You're a rather rude little creature. You don't even address me with a proper title. It's Monsieur Cross to you, you pathetic little vampire."
But Martha's not paying attention. She's looking at my latest conquest, the Truax woman. She knows I did something to her. But you're not going to get her back, Martha.
To my surprise, she doesn't even try. She turns back to my dear Edward, and says to him, "Corpses don't need titles."
Edward laughs. He has a wonderful laugh, though thanks to his condition it is not very hearty. And he says to Martha, "In that case, I will dispense with your title, Martha Fokker. And you with it."
It had only been a few hours ago that Edward's sorcerers had caught me at Ned O'Donnell's house and knocked me unconscious. It seems odd to me now that I had been working against Edward at that point. They say love is blind, and I guess I was.
The next thing I knew, I felt a sharp pain and woke up with a scream, for two different sorcerers were beginning to torture me. I was chained against a wall in a small windowless cell. It was almost antiseptically clean, except for the places on the floor and wall where my blood had spilled when they had cut me.
But then Edward arrived. He was already so noble, I just didn't see it quite yet. He came through the cell door and looked at his wizards in disgust. Poor followers, they didn't really understand him. He told them, "Put those things away. I'll handle this one." He was so masterful.
The next thing I knew he had his hands on me, and I couldn't keep my hands off him. Or any of the rest of me. I'd found true love, and it was hard to wait until we got to a bedroom to consummate it.
Afterwards, I just watched him and ran my fingers up and down his naked body. Its gauntness haunted me, charmed me. He let me play with him a while. Then he sat up and said to me, "I'm expecting a visit from a friend of yours, Martha Fokker."
"She's no friend of mine," I replied. Really! Martha! That trouble-causing little squirt has caused me no end of problems. Thanks to her, I've probably got a death sentence hanging over my head. Thanks to her, I had to leave London. Thanks to her . . . oh, to hell with her.
"Nevertheless, my dear, you know quite a bit about her. She wants to kill me. Can you think of any way in which she is vulnerable, any way I can keep her from killing me, maybe even kill her if I have to?" Edward gave me his best smile.
Oh, I could think of a way she was vulnerable, very vulnerable, as in it would kill her.
Martha makes a move to lift up her blasting rod to attack Edward. But I had warned my love about Martha's odd-looking blasting rod, and he is ready for her. He lets go of my hand, lifts the magic mirror out of his pocket, and points it at Martha. Concentrated sunlight: no vampire can withstand it. Not even Martha. I'd already demonstrated that some weeks ago. Edward activates the mirror, and the power of five suns crashes into Martha. It knocks her back, step by step. In seconds she will start to burn.
And then she stops. Stops and starts advancing forward. It is hard to see in the glare, but she has her sorceress's wand in front of her. And she isn't burning!
I panic, clutch at Edward, foolishly dragging down his arm. The ray spills away from Martha. And at that moment she fires a blast of energy at Edward.
Had it been her blasting rod, Edward might have been hurt. But Martha must be weakened, and she is using only her wand. Edward is so strong, he just shrugs it off, knocks me to the side, and lifts the mirror again. The beam hits Martha and holds her. And then I see just how resourceful Edward really is, how brilliant. The power of the ray begins to increase. It doubles, quadruples. Martha roars, shaking the building. But it begins to force her back again.
I understand what Edward had already figured out, smart as he is. Because I had used it on her before, Martha was ready to counter the concentrated sunlight, but only at the intensity at which I had used it. By stepping the power up as he could, Edward is overcoming Martha's prepared defenses.
Edward shouts to me, "Take care of the other two before Martha thinks to use them."
So smart. I've already got Sally under my control, so I stand up and take over Ned's mind, too. It is simple. They will do nothing. No, better than that: I make them turn and watch Martha being destroyed.
Martha is falling back under the intense beam. She has stopped roaring. I think I can see her face despite the glare from the beam. It is still unburnt, but Martha knows what is happening to her, and it shows: fear and rage play across her face as she falls back one step, and then another. Soon she will back into a wall, her defenses will collapse under the pressure, and it will be over.
And then someone else appears out of nowhere, at the end of the table nearest me. I don't know her. She's just a girl. I reach out to take control of her. But I can't. Instead, I can feel something happen to me. What's happening to me? And then I heard a voice in my head.
I'm freeing your mind of Edward Cross's control.
What control? What do you mean? I'm in love with Edward.
For how long? When did your thoughts change from fearing him and wanting to avoid him?
It's hard to think back. I was different then, wrong. I did fear him, then, as late as this afternoon. But that was then.
And this is now. You know a more powerful sorcerer can control you. What Edward Cross has done to you may be gentler than what Jacques of Marseilles did to you, but it is still of the same kind.
I don't like to think about what Jacques did to me. And that Edward did the same . . . but he's Edward. I love him. And how the hell is this woman reading my thoughts? How does she know about what Jacques did to me?
Because I'm really two people acting together. You see before you Nora O'Donnell, who is sister to Ned. But I am also the spirit of Ivy McIlwraith, and am drawing on her power.
That's another person I could do without. Why should I listen to you?
How long have you loved Edward Cross? And how long have you hated Martha Fokker? Did she not help you escape Jacques' clutches? What has Edward done for you, that you should love him?
If Martha hadn't worked with me, neither one of us would ever have escaped Jacques. But she causes me so much trouble. And maybe Edward hasn't done that much for me . . .
. . . except brainwash you.
Shut up! I suppose you want me to throw in with Martha, for your precious brother.
Not exactly. Look at what is going on between those two. Look.
I look. There is Martha, desperate, falling back ever so slowly, rage contorting her features into a vicious creature. And there is my beloved Edward. But he is so changed. His brow is so furrowed, his eyes practically popping out of his head as he strains to push the magical beam of sunlight to a high enough power to destroy Martha. Even with all his power, and the sunlight at his command, Edward is barely winning.
They are completely committed to each other's destruction, now. And, truth be told, I do not want either of them to win.
Edward Cross is cruel, and Martha Fokker is vicious. If Cross wins, Martha and her children will all be destroyed to appease his wrath, and he will be free to torture and inflict harm to the end of his life. And Martha is not much better. Surely she will slaughter Cross's sorcerers to the last man. And she feeds off her blood lust. She may not be able to stop herself.
I'd seen that. Martha hadn't been able to stop herself in London. For that matter, she really hadn't been able to stop herself here in Chicago. I'd had to devise that concentrated sunlight trick to stop her.
I have not the power myself to resolve their struggle. But you do, Love, with my help. Tell me, which one should win?
I love Edward. I owe Martha. I don't know. I DON'T KNOW. You decide.
No. You know them both better than anyone else. It is for you to decide. What do they want, Love? Besides killing each other?
I don't know, I told you. No. Wait. Let me think. If I can think. How do I know what I'm thinking is what I'd really want to think? Do I really love Edward?
That's for you to decide. But right now, tell me, what does he want?
Now that I think about it, that's easy. Edward wants power. I can see that in him. He's dying, but he will cling to his power in Chicago at any cost.
What good does it do him?
I don't know. He just is that way.
And Martha?
I don't really understand Martha. She wants to get Ned back on the police force. I think she's still mad about Vic getting killed last year. She was in love with him, or as close as vampires get to that. Otherwise, she usually just wants to be left alone.
And what is to keep her from going on another rampage?
Nothing. Cripes, what am I? Her keeper?
Had Edward Cross not suspected Martha of threatening his power, he would not have attacked her, and she would not have attacked them. This whole conflict is pointless.
Tell that to them. Just look at them. That's all they can think of, right now. You said it, yourself.
Then what can you offer them instead?
Me? Nothing.
No. What do you do, Love? What are you good at? What can you give them? What do you want from them?
Nothing. I . . . wait, I think I see what you're driving at. I'm in love with Edward.
Because he made you so.
Doesn't matter. Shut up, you asked me to think this through and that's what I'm doing. I'm in love with Edward, I don't care how or why. I want him to be in love with me. And if he was in love with me, he'd have something other than power he wanted, and he'd be willing to settle this business.
And Martha . . . hmm, that's tougher. I wish she wouldn't get out of control the way she does. It always causes trouble for me. It causes trouble for her, too. She even admits it. She knows it's what causes her to do stupid things. Hell, the time she almost bashed Ned's head in, she was crying afterwards because she'd hurt him. Maybe if she was more in control, less violent, or less hasty or something. But I don't know how to do that.
But I do. I spent the last few decades as a ghost helping Sherlock Kammen control his sadistic tendencies.
Yeah, well what a success that was. No, forget that. I just saw what this cop Sally here thinks of Kammen. He's got her in love with him without enthralling her. But your work wasn't perfect, was it?
No. But Martha thinks she can improve on it for Kammen. Perhaps between what I know and what she knows, we can improve on it for her. Even if the work was imperfect, it might help.
Well . . . I suppose. How do we do this?
You go to Cross and begin. I'll support you.
I break our little magical mental dialogue and go over to Edward. Dear Edward. Or Edward Cross the damn head sorcerer here. I don't care which any more. I just want him to love me. And I want Martha to be less vicious.
I put my hands on Edward's head and begin using sorcery on him. Immediately I feel more sorcerer's power flowing into me, power with a great deal of knowledge and design behind it. Nora and Ivy join forces with me and we reach into Edward's mind. He wasn't expecting us, he's too committed to fighting Martha, he can't stop us. So we begin to change him. And then, through him, we change the magic of the concentrated sunlight into a beam of our own sorceresses' power to reach out to Martha. It's almost too much energy for me to handle, I feel light-headed. I'm not sure I can really do this. And then it's over, just like that. I drop my hands, slump down in the chair beside Edward, feeling drained and tired.
Edward looks over at me. He smiles, even looks a bit shy. He says to me, "I have an idea of something we can do together, Love. Are you interested?"
All of a sudden I feel a lot better. I smile back at Edward, one of my more enticing smiles. He deserves it.
But what of the others in the room? What of Martha? I look around. I had dropped my control of Ned and Sally when I treated Edward and Martha. The two cops look like they're collecting their wits, perplexed and unsure about what happened. Martha is sitting on the floor, looking stunned and tired. The girl, Nora, is seeing to her. I turn back to Edward. "What about them?" I ask.
Edward shrugs. "Let them find their own pleasures." He stands up, takes my arm, and we leave. I don't look back.
End of chapter thirty-six