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root: ب-د-ء / noun / plural: بدايات / definition: beginning, start
Starting is always the most difficult part, really: whether writing a blog or learning a language.
Thankfully, the days of using flashcards to learn the Arabic alphabet (and practising pronouncing ع and ح until my throat ached) are tucked away around five-years-deep in my vocab-cluttered memory.
And it's now, armed with a bachelor's degree in Arabic and Linguistics and a consolidated addiction to language-studying, that I've decided to begin documenting my ongoing learning process.
So why is this 21-year-old Cypriot Londoner so passionate about Arabic? Well, that's what I hope to answer through each post on The Arabic Pages where I'll be sharing personal insights into the language and learning process, giving tips and recommendations, and explaining exactly why it is that I sit there in awe reading the Hans Wehr dictionary.
This blog, I hope, will also function as a platform for all of us Arabic-learners to connect; seek and share advice; and discuss the struggles of learning the language – basically, all things Arabic!
Whether you're studying Arabic or another foreign language (or you simply prefer to admire languages from a distance), I'm sure you'll find most of the posts here very relatable. (Grammar rule complexities and endless new vocabulary, anyone? *collective tearful sighs*).
And in case you clicked on this post for an answer to its title (how do I get started?), here's my three quick Arabic-specific tips for those contemplating the (brilliant!!) decision to start studying the language:
- Alif, baa, taa! If you're serious about learning the language properly, create a solid foundation by taking your time to master the Arabic script. It really will make everything a whole lot easier.
- Don't overwhelm yourself: focus on making steady progress and don't stress about how much you don't know (there's honestly no rush, the language isn't going to run away). Make sure to celebrate your achievements too; we often disregard just how amazing it is that what we used to perceive as strange, incomprehensible symbols are now being processed by our minds into sounds and meanings.
- Find your "why?": Identify your reason(s) for learning the language and keep a goal in mind – whether that's reading the obscure Arabic novel you once heard about or even your Ibn-Battuta-inspired travel aspirations. Language learning is never going to be a smooth road, so you're going to need some strong motivation along the journey.
Ahh, beginning wasn't too bad after all. Don't forget to say hello 👋 in the comments, introduce yourself, and tell us what language-learning tips you have for beginners.
Make sure to also subscribe below so you can get The Arabic Pages updates straight to your inbox!
Bye! مع السَلامة
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Brian Kimball, EVP of HCM Implementation Service, has over 25 years of expertise in the Human Resources domain including over 20 years in systems development and implementation. Since he started with HRchitect in 2000, Brian has led project management, functional consulting and training responsibilities in over 75 Applicant Tracking system evaluations and implementations. He is well versed in all aspects of the HR domain, including Applicant Tracking, Talent Management, Workforce Management, and the related technologies.
Hometown: Baldur, Manitoba (Canada)
Alma Mater: Central Baptist Seminary for my undergraduate degree and Regent College, which is part of the University of British Columbia campus, for my graduate degree.
Favorite Food: This is a difficult question, because I love to cook. I love fusion cuisine that is Mediterranean based. If I had to pick something that was my last meal, it'd be rack of lamb. It is probably one of my favorites, whether it is done Greek style, French style or Moroccan style.
Last book you read: The New Girl by Daniel Silva. It's an espionage thriller, which is part of a long series in which the protagonist is the head of the Israeli secret service and is also an art restorer.
One song you could listen to over and over: "I am… I said" by Neil Diamond – great existential song.
Hobbies: People would say that I'm a hobby farmer – I raise horses. I also do obstacle course racing and I play the piano.
How did you find out about HRchitect, and what made you join? I had known about HRchitect since the late 1990s, working with an association called IHRIM. I was the international editor for the IHRIM Journal, sat in on committees and was brought to leadership events. I got to know Rick Fletcher, the founder of HRchitect. At that time, I was working for a Canadian company called Intellect Systems, which had developed a full suite HCM system with HR, Payroll, and Time & Attendance. I was VP of Sales and I had anticipated that I'd finish out my career with the company. Unfortunately, Intellect Systems was a dot-com bust.
Rick and I had talked prior to all this happening, and he had expressed an interest in having me work at HRchitect, if I ever felt like making a change. When Intellect Systems closed shop and I found myself available for new opportunities, I called Rick and let him know I was available. Within a month, I was in Sunnyvale, California getting certified to implement Icarian, a talent acquisition platform. This was all back in 2001.
In your own words, what do you do at HRchitect? At the end of the day, I'm responsible for the quality of our service delivery for our implementation practices. That entails making sure we hire quality consultants, negotiating statements of work that make service delivery at a high quality level possible, and enabling and ensuring that our consultants get what they need in order to be successful. Along with other members of the management team, I'm responsible for providing leadership and direction for the company.
When I look at my role from the perspective of our clients, I am the executive who is the primary escalation point for any level of dissatisfaction on a project. By keeping in close communication with our practice leads and our consultants, I work to proactively ensure that we do not have any escalations and provide assistance as needed to enable our success.
What does a typical work week look like for you? A lot of calls with consultants and practice leads to understand what's going on with their projects and identifying areas where I can be of assistance. I spend about 30% of my week on business development, supporting our sales organization. I also participate in calls with our partners who want HRchitect to deliver implementation services to their clients. In those instances, I scope out projects, and negotiate statements of work. I spend probably 20% of my time in management activities like planning practice resourcing, understanding where we have gaps in delivery capability that we need to hire someone for. I also spend a good chunk of time monitoring and managing my e-mail, since that's the medium our clients, consultants and partners are using to get in touch with me.
What motivates you to wake up and go to work every day? When I hire people they put their trust in me and HRchitect. This motivates me daily to work hard and intelligently to ensure that the trust placed in me is merited. The success of HRchitect is paramount as our success as a company means success for its employees.
You've been with HRchitect for over 18 years. What makes you stay? I like what we as a company are building and my role is very interesting. I feel committed to HRchitect and enjoy seeing the company expand and continually improve in every area.
You're managing multiple large teams, all of which are remote. What tips can you share to help others better manage remote teams? I think that it is helpful to hire people who have experience working remotely. If your team knows how to work remotely, and is made up of disciplined and self-motivated people, virtual organizations are highly effective. If you are a virtual organization, make sure you make that a key point in your hiring process.
What's your leadership philosophy? You need to enable people to do their jobs well and trust that they will do a good job. I am very hands-off and I operate off of a baseline of trust. In the sporting world, I'd guess that I'd be referred to as a "player's coach". I don't believe in leading through pressure. I don't believe that people work well under pressure. I don't believe that bad news gets better with time, so if there is information or feedback that needs to be provided, I don't believe in waiting to do that. I believe in integrity. I believe the people that work for me have integrity. I believe in being very honest with our consultants. When I look at our consultants, I believe that they all work hard, that they all want to be successful, and that they all have a high degree of professionalism. With those beliefs, I just need to understand what motivates them and how to work with them to get them what they need to be successful because if they are successful, we as a company are successful.
Tell me about a project the consulting team has recently completed that you're particularly proud of.
It's hard to pick just one! Some of our projects are incredibly complex. When we have a team that does a good job with a complex project, that always stands out to me.
On a recent project where our client was struggling to learn how to manage their new benefits system, our team really went beyond the call of duty over and over to get the client to a point where the client went live and feels very comfortable with their new system.
Another that comes to mind was an HRIS implementation that one consultant was working on solo as a client-side project manager and advisor. The client was very hesitant and unsure and needed significant encouragement. The consultant earned their trust and became indispensable in taking them live. This required expertise in not only managing the client but in maintaining a positive relationship with the vendor implementation team. Both the vendor and client were extremely thankful for his patience and leadership and recognized the critical role he played in their mutual success.
Which employee perk that HRchitect offers do you enjoy the most? Why?
I guess this depends on how you define perk. I really enjoy the freedom that our President & CEO, Matt Lafata, allows me to do my job as I believe it needs to be done, and that I can work the way I need to work, instead of forcing me into a pre-defined notion of how I should be doing my job. Matt has displayed a lot of trust in my judgement and in the way that I work.
More about Brian Kimball

subset: commoncrawl


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Ouspensky's Introduction – from "A New Model of the Universe"
by Michael Colantoni
THERE exist moments in life, separated by long intervals of time, but linked together by their inner content and by a certain singular sensation peculiar to them. Several such moments always recur to my mind together, and I feel then that it is these that have determined the chief trend of my life.
The year 1890 or 1891. An evening preparation class in the Second Moscow " Gymnasium ".1 A large class-room lit by kerosene lamps with large shades. Yellow cupboards along the walls. Boarders in holland blouses, stained with ink, are bending over their desks. Some are immersed in their lessons, some are reading under their desks a forbidden novel by Dumas or Gaboriau, some are whispering to their neighbours. But outwardly they all look alike. At the master's desk sits the master on duty, a tall lanky German, " Giant Stride ", in his uniform—a blue tailcoat with gold buttons. Through an open door, another such preparation class is seen in the adjoining class-room.
I am a schoolboy in the second or third " class ". But instead of Zeifert's Latin grammar, entirely consisting of exceptions which I sometimes see in my dreams to this day, or Evtushevsky's " Problems ", with the peasant who went to town to sell hay, and the cistern to which three pipes lead, I have before me Malinin and Bourenin's " Physics ". I have borrowed this book from one of the older boys and am reading it greedily and enthusiastically, overcome now by rapture, now by terror, at the mysteries which are opening before me. All round me walls are crumbling, and horizons infinitely remote and incredibly beautiful stand revealed. It is as though threads, previously unknown and unsuspected, begin to reach out and bind things together. For the first time in my life my world emerges from chaos. Everything becomes connected, forming an orderly and harmonious whole. I understand, I link together, a series of phenomena which were disconnected and appeared to have nothing in common.
But what am I reading?
I am reading the chapter on levers. And all at once a multitude of simple things, which I knew as independent and having nothing in common, become connected and united into a great whole. A stick pushed under a stone, a penknife, a shovel, a seesaw, all these things are one and the same, they are all " levers ". In this idea there is something both terrifying and alluring. How is it that I did not know it? Why has nobody spoken to me about it? Why am I made to learn a thousand useless things and am not told about this? All that I am discovering is so wonderful and so miraculous that I become more and more enraptured, and am gripped by a certain presentiment of further revelations awaiting me. It is as though I already feel the unity of all and am overcome with awe at the sensation.
I can no longer keep to myself all the emotions which thrill me. I want to try to share them with my neighbour at the desk, a great friend of mine with whom I often have breathless talks. In a whisper I begin to tell him of my discoveries. But I feel that my words do not convey anything to him and that I cannot express what I feel. My friend listens to me absent-mindedly, evidently not hearing half of what I say. I see this and feel hurt and want to stop talking to him. But the tall German at the master's desk has already noticed that we are " talking " and that I am showing something to my friend under the desk. He hurries over to us and the next moment my beloved " Physics " is in his stupid and unsympathetic hands.
" Who gave you this book? You can understand nothing in it anyway. And I am sure you have not prepared your lessons."
My " Physics " is on the master's desk.
I hear round me ironical whispers and comments that Ouspensky reads physics. But I don't care. I shall have the " Physics " again to-morrow; and the tall German is all made up of large and small levers !
Year after year passes by.
It is the year 1906 or 1907. The editorial office of the Moscow daily paper The Morning. I have just received the foreign papers, and I have to write an article on the forthcoming Hague Conference. French, German, English, Italian papers. Phrases, phrases, sympathetic, critical, ironical, blatant, pompous, lying and, worst of all, utterly automatic, phrases which have been used a thousand times and will be used again on entirely different, perhaps contradictory, occasions. I have to make a survey of all these words and opinions, pretending to take them seriously, and then, just as seriously, to write something on my own account. But what can I say? It is all so tedious. Diplomats and all kinds of statesmen will gather together and talk, papers will approve or disapprove, sympathise or not sympathise. Then everything will be as it was, or even worse.
It is still early, I say to myself; perhaps something will come into my head later.
Pushing aside the papers I open a drawer in my desk. The whole desk is crammed with books with strange titles, The Occult World, Life after Death, Atlantis and Lemuria, Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie, Le Temple de Satan, The Sincere Narrations of a Pilgrim, and the like. These books and I have been inseparable for a whole month, and the world of Hague Conferences and leading articles becomes more and more vague, foreign and unreal to me.
I open one of the books at random, feeling that my article will not be written to-day. Well, it can go to the devil ! Humanity will lose nothing if there is one article the less on the Hague Conference.
All these talks about a universal peace are only Maniloff's dreams about building a bridge across the pond.1 Nothing can ever come out of it, first of all because the people who start conferences and those who are going to debate on peace will sooner or later start a war. Wars do not. begin by themselves, neither do " peoples " begin them, however much they are accused of it. It is just those men with their good intentions who are the obstacle to peace. But is it possible to expect that they will ever understand this? Has anybody ever understood his own worthlessness?
A great many wicked thoughts occur to me about the Hague Conference, but I realise that none of them are printable. The idea of the Hague Conference comes from very high sources; therefore if one is to write about it at all, one must write sympathetically, especially as even those of our papers which are generally the most suspicious and critical of all that comes from the government disapprove only of the attitude of Germany to the conference. The editor would therefore never pass what I might write, if I said all that I think. And if by some miracle he were to pass it, it would never be read by anybody. The paper would be seized in the streets by the police, and both the editor and I would have to make a very long journey. This prospect does not appeal to me in the least. What is the use of attempting to expose lies when people like them and live in them? It is their own affair; but I am tired of lying. There are enough lies without mine.
But here, in these books, there is a strange flavour of truth. I feel it particularly strongly now, because for so long I have held myself in, have kept myself within artificial " materialistic " bounds, have denied myself all dreams about things that could not be held within these bounds. I had been living in a desiccated and sterilised world, with an infinite number of taboos imposed on my thought. And suddenly these strange books broke down all the walls round me, and made me think and dream about things of which for a long time I had feared to think and dream. Suddenly I began to find a strange meaning in old fairy tales; woods, rivers, mountains, became living beings; mysterious life filled the night; with new interests and new expectations, I began to dream again of distant travels; and I remembered many extraordinary things that I had heard about old monasteries. Ideas and feelings which had long since ceased to interest me suddenly began to assume significance and interest. A deep meaning and many subtle allegories appeared in what only yesterday seemed to be naïve popular fantasy or crude superstition. And the greatest mystery and the greatest miracle was that the thought became possible that death may not exist, that those who have gone might not have vanished altogether, but exist somewhere and somehow, and that perhaps I might see them again. I have become so accustomed to think " scientifically " that I am afraid even to imagine that there may be something else beyond the outer covering of life. I feel like a man condemned to death, whose companions have been hanged and who has already become reconciled to the thought that the same fate awaits him; and suddenly he hears that his companions are alive, that they have escaped and that there is hope also for him. And he fears to believe this, because it would be so terrible if it proved to be false, and nothing would remain but prison and the expectation of execution.
Yes, I know that all these books about " life after death " are very naive. But they lead somewhere; there is something behind them, something I had approached before; but it frightened me then, and I fled from it to the bare and arid desert of " materialism ".
The " Fourth Dimension " !
This is the reality which I dimly felt long ago, but which escaped me then. Now I see my way; I see my work, and I see where it may lead.
The Hague Conference, the newspapers, it is all so far from me. Why is it that people do not understand that they are only shadows, only silhouettes, of themselves, and that the whole of life is only a shadow, only a silhouette, of some other life?
Years go by.
Books, books, books. I read, I find, I lose, I find again, again I lose. At last a certain whole becomes formed in my mind. I see the unbroken line of thought and knowledge which passes from century to century, from age to age, from country to country, from one race to another,. a line deeply hidden beneath layers of religions and philosophies which are, in fact, only distortions and perversions of the ideas belonging to the line. I see an extensive literature full of significance which was quite unknown to me until recently, but which, as now becomes quite clear to me, feeds the philosophy we know, although it is scarcely mentioned in the text-books on the history of philosophy. And I am amazed now that I did not know it before, that there are so few who have even. heard about it. Who knows, for instance, that an ordinary pack of playing-cards contains a profound and harmonious philosophical system? This is so entirely forgotten that it seems almost new.
I decide to write, to tell of all I have found. And at the same time I see that it is perfectly possible to make the ideas of this hidden thought agree with the data of exact knowledge, and I realise that the " fourth dimension " is the bridge that can be thrown across between the old and the new knowledge. And I see and find ideas of the fourth dimension in ancient symbolism, in the Tarot cards, in the images of Indian gods, in the branches of a tree, and in the lines of the human body.
I collect material, select quotations, prepare summaries, with the idea of showing the peculiar inner connection which I now see between methods of thinking that ordinarily appear separate and independent. But in the midst of this work, when everything is made ready, everything takes shape, I suddenly begin to feel a chill of doubt and weariness creeping over me. Well, one more book will be written, but even now, when I am only beginning to write it, I know how it will end. I know the limit beyond which it is impossible to go. The work stands still. I cannot make myself write about the limitless possibilities of knowledge when for myself I already see the limit. The old methods are no good; some other methods are necessary. People who think that something can be attained by their own efforts are as blind as those who are utterly ignorant of the possibilities of the new knowledge.
Work on the book is abandoned.
Months go by, and I become completely absorbed in strange experiments which carry me far beyond the limits of the known and possible.
Frightening and fascinating sensations. Everything becomes alive! There is nothing dead or inanimate. I feel the beating of the pulse of life. I " see " Infinity. Then everything vanishes. But each time I say to myself afterwards that this has been and, therefore, things exist that are different from the ordinary. But so little remains; I remember so vaguely what I have experienced; I can tell myself only an infinitesimal part of what has been. And I can control nothing, direct nothing. Sometimes this comes, sometimes it does not. Sometimes only horror comes, sometimes a blinding light. Sometimes a little remains in the memory, sometimes nothing at all. Sometimes much is understood, new horizons are disclosed, but only for a moment. And these moments are so short that I can never be certain whether I have seen anything or not. Light flares up and dies before I have time to tell myself what I have seen. And each day, each time, it becomes more and more difficult to kindle this light. It often seems that the first experiment gave me everything, that afterwards there has been nothing but a repetition of the same things in my consciousness, only a reflection. I know that this is not true and that each time I receive something new. But it is difficult to get rid of this thought. And it increases the sensation of helplessness that I feel in the face of the wall behind which I can look for a moment, but never long enough to account to myself for what I see. Further experiments only emphasise my powerlessness to get hold of the mystery. Thought does not grasp, does not convey, what is at times clearly felt. Thought is too slow, too short. There are no words and no forms to convey what one sees and knows in such moments. And it is impossible to fix these moments, to arrest them, to make them longer, more obedient to the will. There is no possibility of remembering what has been found and understood, and later repeating it to oneself. It disappears as dreams disappear. Perhaps it is nothing but a dream.
Yet at the same time this is not so. I know it is not a dream. In these experiments and experiences there is a taste of reality which cannot be imitated and about which one cannot make a mistake. I know that all this is there. I have become convinced of it. Unity exists. And I know already that it is infinite, orderly, animated and conscious. But how to link " what is above " with " what is below "?
I feel that a method is necessary. There is something which one must know before starting on experiments. And more and more often I begin to think that this method can be given only by those Eastern schools of Yogis and Sufis about which one reads and hears, if such schools exist and if they can be penetrated. My thought concentrates on this. The question of school and of a method acquires for me a predominant significance, though it is still not clear and is connected with too many fantasies and ideas based on very doubtful
theories. But one thing I see clearly, that alone, by myself, I can do nothing. And I decide to start on a long journey with the idea of searching for those schools or for the people who may show me the way to them.
* * *
My way lay to the East. My previous journeys had convinced me that there still remained much in the East that had long ceased to exist in Europe. At the same time I was not at all sure that I should find precisely what I wanted to find. And above all I could not say with certainty what exactly I should search for. The question of " schools " (I am speaking, of course, of " esoteric " or " occult" schools) still contained much that was not clear. I did not doubt that schools existed. But I could not say whether it was necessary to assume the physical existence of such schools on earth. Sometimes it seemed to me that true schools could only exist on another plane and that we could approach them only when in special states of consciousness, without actual change of place or conditions. In that case, my journey became purposeless. Yet it seemed to me that there might be traditional methods of approach to esotericism still preserved in the East.
The question of schools coincided with the question of esoteric succession. Sometimes it seemed to me possible to admit an uninterrupted historical succession. At other times it seemed to me that only " mystical" succession was possible, that is, that the line of succession on earth breaks, goes out of our field of vision. There remain only traces of it: works of art, literary memorials, myths, religions. Then, perhaps only after a long interval of time, the same causes which once created esoteric thought begin to work once more, and once more there begins the process of collecting knowledge, schools are created and the ancient teaching emerges from its hidden form. This would mean that during the intermediary period there could be no full or rightly organised schools, but only imitation schools or schools that preserve the letter of the old law petrified in fixed forms.
However, this did not deter me. I was ready to accept whatever the facts which I hoped to find should show me.
There was yet another question which occupied me before my journey and during the first part of it.
Should one and can one try to do something here and now with an obviously insufficient knowledge of methods, ways and possible results?
In asking this I had in mind various methods of breathing, dieting, fasting, exercises of the attention and imagination and, above all, of overcoming oneself at moments of passivity or lassitude.
In answering this question voices in me were divided:
"It does not matter what one does, only one has to do something," said one voice; " but one should not sit and wait for something to come to one of itself."
" The whole point is precisely to do nothing," said another voice, " until one knows surely and definitely what should be done to attain a definite aim. If one begins to do something without knowing exactly what is necessary for what object, this knowledge will never come. The result will be the 'work on oneself' of various ' occult' and 'theosophical' books, that is, make-believe."
And listening to these two voices within me I was unable to decide which of them was right.
Ought I to try or ought I to wait? I understood that in many cases it was useless to try. How can one try to paint a picture? How can one try to read Chinese? One must first study and know, that is, be able to do it. At the same time I realised that in these last arguments there was much desire to evade difficulties or at least to postpone them. However, the fear of amateurish attempts at " work on oneself " outweighed the rest. I said to myself that in the direction I wanted to go it was impossible to go blindly, that one must see or know where one was going. Besides, I did not even wish for any changes in myself. I was going in search of something. If in the midst of this process of search I myself began to change, I should perhaps be satisfied with something quite different from what I wanted to search for. It seemed to me then that this is precisely what often happens to people on the road of " occult " search. They begin to try various methods on themselves and put so much expectation, so much labour and effort, into these attempts that in the end they take the subjective results of their efforts for the results of their search. I wanted to avoid this at all costs.
But a quite different and almost unexpected aim to my journey began to outline itself from the very first months of my travels.
In almost every place I came to, and even during the journey, I met people who were interested in the same ideas that interested me, who spoke the same language as I spoke, people between whom and
myself there was instantly set up an entirely distinctive understanding. How far this special understanding would lead, of course I was unable to say at that time, but in the conditions and with the material of ideas I then possessed, even such understanding seemed almost miraculous. Some of these people knew one another, others did not. And I felt that I was establishing a link between them, that I was, as it were, stretching out a thread which, according to the original plan of my journey, should go round the world. There was something which drew me and which was full of significance in these encounters. To every new man I met I spoke of others I had met earlier, and sometimes I knew beforehand people I was to meet later.
St. Petersburg, London, Paris, Genoa, Cairo, Colombo, Galle, Madras, Benares, Calcutta, were connected by invisible threads of common hopes and common expectation. And the more people I met, the more this side of my journey took hold of me. It was as though there grew out of it some secret society, having no name, no form, no conventional laws, but closely connected by community of ideas and language. I often thought of what I myself had written in Tertium Organum about people of a " new race ". And it seemed to me that I had not been far from the. truth, and that there is actually carried on the process of the formation, if not of a new race, at least of some new category of men, for whom there exist different values than for other people.
In connection with these thoughts I again came to the necessity of putting in order and arranging systematically that which among the whole of our knowledge leads to " new facts ". And I decided that after my return I would resume the abandoned work on my book, but with new aims and with new intentions.
At the same time I began to make certain connections in India and in Ceylon, and it seemed to me that in a short time I should be able to say that I had found concrete facts.
But there came one brilliant sunny morning when, on my way back from India, I stood on the deck of the steamer going from Madras to Colombo and rounding Ceylon from the south. This was the third time I had approached Ceylon, during this period, on every occasion from a different direction. The flat shore with blue hills in the distance revealed simultaneously what could never be seen when one was there on the spot. Through my glasses I could see the toy railway going south and all at once several toy stations, which appeared to be almost side by side. I even knew their names: Kollu-pitiya, Bambalapitiya, Wellawatta, and others.
The approach to Colombo stirred me. I was to know there:
first, whether I should again find the man I had met before my last trip to India and whether he would repeat the proposal he had made me regarding my meeting certain Yogis, and secondly where I should go next: should it be back to Russia, or further on to Burma, Siam, Japan and America.
But I was not expecting what actually met me.
The first word I heard on landing was: war.
There began then strange muddled days. Everything was thrown into confusion. But I already felt that my search in one sense was ended, and I understood then why I had all the time felt that it was necessary to hurry. A new cycle was beginning. And it was as yet impossible to say what it would be like and to what it would lead. One thing only was clear from the first, that what was possible yesterday became impossible to-day. All the mud was rising from the bottom of life. All the cards became mixed. All the threads were broken.
There remained only what I had established for myself. Nobody could take that from me. And I felt that it alone could lead me further.
1″ Gymnasiums " were government " classical " schools containing eight classes, i.e., forms, for boys from ten to eighteen.
1 Maniloff, a sentimental landowner in Gogol's Dead Souls.


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Yea. I can't even imagine air drum solos that can compete with that. But don't feel bad… she's not some scrub kid off the street – it looks like she actually has albums and a following out in Japan. Of course, this is all conjecture since I don't read Japanese at all. But from what I can gather, her name is Senri Kawaguchi and she was born in 97 and is probably the coolest kid at her High School… ever.
And for giggles, here's a collection of her crushing it all throughout childhood.
Why? Just 'Cause.


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Ali Qasim
A Qasim ACA
Ali is currently a Global Adviser at Rothschild & Co, he has advised on international M&A deals totalling over £7bn.
Ali is an International ICAEW prize winner and One Young World Ambassador.
He decided to go against the grain by joining PwC as a Higher Apprentice at the age of 17, straight after his A-levels and became the youngest ever ATT member.
Declaration of Interests
Membership of, or interests in, formal bodies or groups, including other professional bodies
- Associate Member, CISI
- Member, ATT
Membership of ICAEW Council, ICAEW Boards and other ICAEW Committees
- Council
Partnerships, Directorships or beneficial interests in companies
Professional or social relationships with individuals who have business relationships or who compete with ICAEW
Any other matters you feel should be identified


text:
I feel as though I don't fully understand just exactly what The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi is really about, but honestly, that just makes me all the more interested in finding out. From secret societies to heist groups to treasure hunting to unveiling truths about the past of one's parents, this book really does seem to have it all. And on top of that, it definitely gives off a somewhat steampunk feel which is really just an aspect of novels that I find I cannot resist. Plus, the cover is a brilliant green with gold and silver trim which caught my eye the very instant that I first saw it. What I can't figure out is whether or not this novel will spill over into some form of magic.
Ultimately, The Gilded Wolves has definitely found a spot on my TBR. I don't know what sounds best about it: the enticing adventure or the cast of characters who are sure to be an absolute blast to read. I can only hope that this book ends up being as fantastic as it sounds.
What are your thoughts on this book? Have you read it? Do you intend to? Is it one you don't think is worth reading? Let me know in the comments!


text:
|How fitting it's from Raintree Nursery...
They look like nice,healthy plants and I am looking forward to my Wall o' Willows.
I also ordered a new variety of Alpine strawberries to complete my little patch. Thanks to much hovering and covering/uncovering/covering of my new plants during the endless freeze, it looks like they've all survived.
|Alpines in their raincoat.
I have taken a Mental Health Day tomorrow which is almost as fully planned as Chicken Mama's Day Off (hahahahaha - choke, sob - if my day off was that packed with to-do's, I'd never get out of bed!) Mine is comparatively mundane - cat rassling (the Boyz have their annual check up), digging, digging, schlepping manure, digging and more digging, planting, and dinner prep.
|Three healthy plants!
My coldframe is perking away, which always gives me hope when I pass by. I've already harvested some arugula, the radishes are growing, and the lettuces are just popping up through the soil. It's hard to think of it as May - even though the days are getting gloriously longer. With this grey, cold, weather, it just seems weird.
|Arugula and row of radishes.


text: During Covid we have modified our programs to address many various needs of families and seniors in our community. We are now partnered with the Food Bank and various other agencies to distribute food and other goods in various and creative ways. We are very flexible in fulfilling the needs of our partner agencies and individual people and/or households.


text:
After an uneventful overnight flight on United, we arrived in Berlin Sunday morning. Our premium economy seats were very comfortable, but the one complaint is that the food was so bad they couldn't have made it worse if they tried. Airline food we've had over the years has ranged from mediocre to pretty good. This was just awful.
Sunday, 9/24
A quick taxi ride to the hotel (the Axel) got us there by 9:30 and of course it was too early for check-in, so we dropped our bags and went for a long stroll before having lunch at noon. Fasanenstrasse is a particularly pretty street, with significant late 19th and early 20th century architecture.
The Berlin marathon was going on, so the Kurfurstendamm was very busy and festive. Otherwise the Schoeneberg neighborhood was very sleepy.
We had a very nice lunch at Elefant, around the corner from the hotel. The food is traditional German, with a huge selection of schnitzels and other standards. Stanley had veal schnitzel with mushrooms and onions, accompanied by home fries and a salad, while I had beef roulade with red cabbage and very good potato dumplings. We really enjoyed the food. We had a couple of bottles of Kostritzer black beer. Service was cordial and efficient. The bill with tip totaled just over 50 euros.
After checking into the hotel around 2:00 we got settled and took a nap for a couple of hours. I should note that we were wary after reading many negative reviews of the Axel, but either they have corrected the problems or the complaints were unfounded.
The room and public areas are very clean, the staff is helpful, and our room appeared to have been recently refreshed. The mattress looked new and was very comfortable, and the carpet was probably new too.
Dinner was at Rutz-Zollhaus, a former toll house on a canal in Kreuzberg. It was an easy subway ride back and forth, and as it is one of very few top restaurants in Berlin that are open on Sundays I was very happy to have chosen it.
Monday, 9/26
First order of business was to buy a couple of bottles of Pedro Ximenez sherry, which we were able to get at KaDeWe, the famous department store just a couple of blocks from the hotel. The food courts on the top floors are spectacular. There is every kind of wine you could imagine, so we had no problem finding the sherry. We then walked around checking out all the food offerings as we would return there for lunch.
We decided on Fischkutter, which offers a large menu of all sorts of freshwater and saltwater fish.
Stanley had Adlerfisch, which translates as meagre, from Corsica, with saffron butter, and I had Steinbeisser, translated as spined loach, from Iceland, with citrus wasabi mayonnaise. We shared the two side dishes, stewed cherry tomatoes and sweet potato fries. Both were perfectly prepared. We also had a bottle of spatburgunder rose from the Rheingau, for 27 euros. The total with tip was 88 euros.
The beautiful desserts at Lenotre beckoned us, so we had a hazelnut mousse cake and espressos.
After that we took the subway to Stadtmitte, the old city center in East Berlin, walking up Charlottenstrasse, past the Gendarmenmarkt and the three buildings framing it, the German and French cathedrals and the concert hall.
We walked through the park to the Potsdamerplatz, which is rather ugly. We took the subway from there back to the hotel.
For dinner we went to Reinhard's am Kurfurstendamm, a large restaurant in a prominent corner location.
Tuesday, 9/27
This was our day in Potsdam to tour the Sanssouci Palace, which was built by Frederick the Great. We took the U-bahn, S-bahn and a taxi and arrived just in time for our 11:40 tour. It was curious that the audioguide gave a wealth of information about the palace, who many of the guest were, and much about Frederick himself, but absolutely no mention of the fact that he was gay.
After the tour, we took a bus into the old center of Potsdam, which is charming and filled with restaurants.
I had already chosen Der Butt based on Tripadvisor reviews, and it was an excellent choice. The lunch we had the previous day at Fischkutter was very good, but this fish restaurant was even better.
We started with a salmon cream soup and a crab soup with tiny shrimp. Stanley had a whole flounder stuffed with speck, and I had filet of black halibut. We drank a red ale that was very good.
The total with tip was 90 euros.
Dinner Tuesday night was at Volt, a restaurant in a former electrical substation.
This gets an A for design. Service was good too, but the food was unexciting. We chose the 3-course menu. There are no choices. You get sea trout, flank steak and a blackberry dessert. There were also two amuse-bouches and a miniature jelly doughnut (not very good) following the dessert. The dessert was very good, but overall there was nothing exceptional about Volt. With a bottle of wine for 40 euros and tip, the total was 218.
Wednesday, 9/28
This was supposed to be a rainy day, but the forecast was completely wrong. It was a mix of sun and clouds and pleasantly cool.
We took a taxi to the Reichstag to see the dome that's been built on top, with panoramic views.
We had planned to have lunch in the adjacent rooftop restaurant, but it was closed for a private event. Just as well, as it is expensive and the menu is extremely limited. Instead we found a nice place nearby that was very good and reasonably priced, Hopfingerbrau.
After lunch, we walked to the museum island, where we visited the Pergamon museum, which exhibits reconstructions of Greek and Roman architectural monuments.
Back to the hotel, then dinner at Diekmann, a short walk away.
This was Stanley's birthday, and I was hoping for dinner to be perfect. Thankfully it was.
This one beat our dinner at Rutz Zollhaus by a nose. The reason for the difference is that the main dishes did not both have the same accompaniments. Each was a unique creation.
We both had an Aperol spritz as aperitif, accompanying the amuse-bouche of stewed cherry tomato. We started with foie gras and pigeon, main courses were lamb belly and braised ox cheek, and desserts were creme brulee with strawberry sorbet and plum tart with vanilla ice cream. The presentations were absolutely gorgeous. We had an excellent wine from the Pfalz region and a glass of ice wine with dessert.
The service was perfect. This was definitely our best meal in Berlin, and the total cost with all the drinks, and tip, came to under 250 euros. It was worth every penny.
Ranking the restaurants:
- Diekmann
- Rutz Zollhaus
- Der Butt (Potsdam)
- Reinhard's
- Fischkutter
- Elefant
- Hopfingerbrau
- Volt
Thursday, 9/29
Having had a wonderful time in Berlin, we left in the morning for our train to Paris, picking up food for lunch at the station.


text:
Node:Void Variable, Previous:Void Function, Up:Variables
If you attempt to evaluate a symbol that does not have a value bound to
it, you will receive an error message. You can see this by
experimenting with our 2 plus 2 addition. In the following expression,
put your cursor right after the
+, before the first number 2,
type C-x C-e:
(+ 2 2)
In GNU Emacs 21, you will create a
*Backtrace* buffer that
---------- Buffer: *Backtrace* ---------- Debugger entered--Lisp error: (void-variable +) eval(+) eval-last-sexp-1(nil) eval-last-sexp(nil) call-interactively(eval-last-sexp) ---------- Buffer: *Backtrace* ----------
(As with the other times we entered the debugger, you can quit by
typing q in the
*Backtrace* buffer.)
This backtrace is different from the very first error message we saw,
which said,
Debugger entered--Lisp error: (void-function this).
In this case, the function does not have a value as a variable; while
in the other error message, the function (the word `this') did not
have a definition.
In this experiment with the
+, what we did was cause the Lisp
interpreter to evaluate the
+ and look for the value of the
variable instead of the function definition. We did this by placing the
cursor right after the symbol rather than after the parenthesis of the
enclosing list as we did before. As a consequence, the Lisp interpreter
evaluated the preceding s-expression, which in this case was the
+ by itself.
+ does not have a value bound to it, just the function
definition, the error message reported that the symbol's value as a
variable was void.
In GNU Emacs version 20 and before, your error message will say:
Symbol's value as variable is void: +
The meaning is the same as in GNU Emacs 21.


text:
Jacqui Suchostawski
Level III Reiki Practitioner
Hello! I was born in London, ON, but grew up Strathroy, which is where my family and I call home.
I studied visual arts and child psychology at the University of Windsor. With my Bachelor of Arts Degree in hand, I continuously strive to increase my knowledge.
I first was introduced to Reiki while studying at the University of Windsor. My roommate was studying to become a Nurse Practitioner, and Reiki was a requirement for her studies.
In 2000, I became attuned to Levels I and II, so that I as a way to deal with my own migraines. I found the healing technique of Reiki a wonderful way to manage my own pain with less medications and found that I wanted to help others feel their optimal as well.
Since then I have spent many years practicing, expanding and deepening my knowledge of Reiki healing and energy, which has been an integral part of my daily life. I have recently attended my Third Degree in Reiki to further help others in their healing journey.
In the field of alternative medicine, Reiki is a form of therapeutic healing intended to help bolster the patient's own healing abilities to cure all manner of maladies. When this energy is unbalanced, the person suffers from all sorts of emotional, mental, and physical illnesses. This is where an effective practice such as Reiki comes in handy.
Reiki is not a replacement for traditional, modern medicine. It is a complimentary form of healing to assist in whole well-being. Benefits include aiding in relaxation, assist in the body's natural healing processes, and develop emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being. It is also said to induce deep relaxation, help people cope with difficulties, relieve emotional stress, and improve overall well-being.
Love and Light to all


text:
Superman (1978)
"I'm here to fight for truth, and justice, and the American way."
"I'm here to fight for truth, and justice, and the American way."
Response to Peary's Review:
Once Superman (now played by Reeve) arrives in Metropolis, the meat of the story begins, as we're introduced to both the film's villain (Gene Hackman) and Reeve's love interest, Lois Lane (Margot Kidder, who Peary argues is "also perfectly cast" — though many fans seem to disagree). Like Peary, I'm not fond of the "broad comedy involving Luthor and his cohorts" (Ned Beatty as Luthor's right-hand man Otis is particularly annoying), but agree that the rest of the film "smoothly mixes myth, lyricism…, comedy (mostly deadpan), science fiction, romance, suspense, and tragedy." Reeve was (sadly) never better than here in his first, most iconic role; he has great fun embodying both sides of Superman's personality, and makes for a genuinely empathetic superhero. His scenes with Lane are surprisingly romantic, with their nighttime flight over New York City a particular highlight of the film (indeed, the special effects — while a tad "old fashioned" — are just as fun now as they once were). Film fanatics will likely be pleasantly surprised when they revisit this must-see blockbuster, which set the standard for future superhero flicks.
Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
Must See?
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text:
Ever wondered why blockchain is getting massive attention and popularity these days? The secret lies in how it works. It records and distributes digital information without allowing it to get edited. Moreover, it is rapidly making its mark by boosting efficiency and reducing costs.
Blockchain accomplishes this by omitting the middle man i.e. banks. Most recently, it has come to the limelight due to the popularity of cryptocurrencies. Blockchain is utilized to provide unprecedented security in all forms of digital transactions.
The unparalleled security it offers is because of its intricate maths and innovative software protocols that make it almost impossible for attackers to breach it. But before we dig deeper and discuss how secure blockchain is, I will discuss a little bit the technology itself.
Let's jump in!
What is Blockchain Technology?
This technology can be explained as a distributed, online ledger that records a digital transaction. What makes it really unique is that it cannot be edited or modified. This is the primary impetus that is expanding its applications in industries like healthcare and cybersecurity.
This technology makes the history of digital assets unchangeable; hence decentralization is the core concept. To understand it better, let's study an example.
Have you ever used Google Docs? If so, you can understand how Google Docs offers a shared document i.e with several individuals. Everyone can make changes in that document, and all the other members can view those changes. This is an example of decentralized distribution.
Blockchain has achieved recognition in such a short time because it offers transparency for numerous uses. But is it really secure? Does it provide the security and privacy that is required?
Let's discuss these pointers!
Is Blockchain Immutable?
As we discussed earlier, blockchain records digital transactions in a distributed ledger. Whenever a transaction takes place, all the members with the distributed ledger are automatically updated.
But is the transaction immutable? No, nothing is ever immutable! There is always a possibility of editing or modification. But for blockchain, it is incredibly challenging since the ledger is distributed, and there are complex mathematical puzzles that require great calculating power to be solved.
Accurately speaking, it would take 51 percent of computers to change all the recorded transactions in a short time frame. This is almost impossible to achieve.
When it Comes to Privacy and Security…
There are hardly any Information systems out there that concurrently provide privacy and security. But blockchain does a great job in addressing both these areas. Blockchain ensures this by utilizing the "Public Key infrastructure." This tool is used to thwart malicious attacks and provide robust security to confidential data.
Wondering how PKI works? PKI works with the principle of two separate keys—one public and one private. PKI works in a way that someone who has the private key can only decrypt the message sent by another key (public key).
To strengthen security, blockchain security solutions maintain the ledger in such a way that it is widely distributed and more extensive. The larger and more distributed ledger means more protection.
But Here Are the Concerns for Blockchain Security Solutions…
There is widespread concern about the blockchain security solutions.. The critics base their argument that even though blockchain security solutions have privacy-protection systems like encryption, blockchain transactions are still visible in network nodes.
The privacy issue related to blockchain security solutions is getting even more critical in light of the recent global emphasis on privacy, especially from the EU. There is a rising global effort to urge companies and businesses to prioritize the data privacy of people.
This is where blockchain is walking a thin line. It cannot control who hosts the node and cannot even delete the data. The immutable principle of blockchain security solutions is an issue here.
Decentralization at Odds with Scalability
There is a dilemma that haunts some companies; achieving scalability with decentralization! If you look at the process, the ledger stores all the transactions and keeps the record. But the problem is since the transactions keep on piling, the scalability is compromised in the process.
Very few companies can store such a mammoth number of transactions. This is where it is challenging to manage scalability and decentralization together.
Blockchain Security Solutions—The Weak Links in the Chain
Employing blockchain for security is not a perfect system. That is why hackers try their best to take advantage of the loopholes present in the technology. For instance, online criminals trick the miners to solve the already-solved riddle. This technique is known as "Selfish Miner."
Another technique that hackers utilize is disrupting the communication structure of the nodes; this technique is known as an "eclipse attack." With each year passing, hackers are trying to come up with new ways to breach the blockchain security solutions.
Massive Potential of Blockchain
With all these challenges, blockchain security solutions are still more secure than the centralized system. Remember, if the data is encrypted and keys are kept safe, then there isn't a problem. Blockchain has the enormous potential to fight cybercrime as online criminals' can't modify the data.
Numerous companies and banks have started using blockchain technologies now due to impressive blockchain security solutions. If you are looking to adopt blockchain for your business, you can reach the experts at vteams.


text: News These Food Words Are Officially Playable in Scrabble Merriam-Webster added over 300 new words to the board game's official dictionary. By Adam Campbell-Schmitt Published on September 25, 2018 Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Sandy Potere / EyeEm/Getty Images If you're an avid Scrabble player and logophile, it can be a bit frustrating when the lexicon moves faster than the board game's official dictionary can keep up. Double that frustration if you're a food lover, to boot, as our growing appetite for and exposure to dishes from around the world puts more foreign-language food words into Americans' daily conversations. Luckily, Hasbro and Merriam-Webster occasionally update the Official Scrabble Players Dictionary to include the language of the day, as they did on Tuesday with the release of reference book's sixth edition. Over 300 new words have been added from all walks of the English language (including adoptions from other languages) in a sweeping a game-changing update. Merriam-Webster wouldn't disclose the entire list to us, but here are some of the new food words (and their values) you can score big with as of this week: Aquafaba (22) Arancini (10) Bibimbap (18) Cotija (15) Farro (8) Flatbrod (14) Lemony (11) Macaron (11) Mulloway (16) Santoku (11) Sriracha (13) Other notable additions include ok, ew, twerk, bestie, bitcoin, and qapik—the monetary unit of Azerbaijan, which puts another "u"-less word in the mix when you're stuck with a "q" tile. "For a living language, the only constant is change. New dictionary entries reflect our language and our culture, including rich sources of new words such as communication technology and food terms from foreign languages," Merriam-Webster's editor at large, Peter Sokolowski, said in a statement. "The Official SCRABBLE Players Dictionary evolves to keep up with English as it is used today." The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary, Sixth Edition is available on Amazon for $23.65 in hardcover and $8.50 in mass market paperback. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit


text:
A prosperous farmer, stock-raiser and landowner in Union township, Marshall County, Thomas Houghton is a native of Rush County,
Indiana, born on the 4th of January 1829.
James Houghton, his father, was a pioneer of the township named. He was born in England in 1797, came to the United States when a young man, and locating on a farm in Rush county continued the avocation to which he had been trained, also as a good wagon maker. Here he was married to Miss Hannah Morris, who was born in Ohio, December 8, 1800, and there were nine children of this union, as follows: Phoebe, John, Thomas, Clarissa, Rachael, William, Elvira, Edward and Jefferson, all born in Indiana. The elder Mr. Houghton located in Union township in 1836, when he entered 160 acres of government land; and at once entered upon its improvement. After clearing and putting under the plow a large portion of this tract, he sold the property and purchased a farm near Culver, which remained his homestead until his death; In early life he was a wagon maker, following that trade also while a resident of Rush ounty. For many years he was a member of the Christian church and was altogether a useful, moral and valued member of the community.
Thomas Houghton received his education primarily in the district schools of Union township, although his father took much interest in his mental improvement and taught him how to read. While still a boy he was apprenticed to a harness maker at Plymouth, and after completing his term returned to his father's farm, of which he assumed the management.
His marriage occurred March 27, 1851, to Miss Nancy McCormick Mitchell, daughter of James Mitchell, a Marshall county farmer. Mrs. Houghton died March 18, 1854, leaving two children - Lorenzo and James Egbert. In 1855 Mr. Houghton married Miss Mary Ellen Byrd, a native of Marshall County, and to their union were born four sons - Charles E., Thomas E., John C., and William N. The second Mrs. Houghton passed away April 9, 1875, and on December 13, 1876, our subject was united in marriage to Miss Julia A. Myers, who was born in Ohio, May 22, 1856, and reared in Marshall county, Indiana.
The present wife is a daughter of Chris Myers, a farmer of Union Township, who was born in Germany and came to Ohio with his parents when he was but two years of age. He was reared and married in that state, his wife being Elizabeth Pontias, a native of Ohio. Mrs. Houghton was reared in Union Township, and received her education in the public schools of that section. The following six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Houghton: Orlando M.; Luther P., deceased; Dennis Ralph; Bertha E.; Effie Leola, deceased; and Cloe Viola, all of whom were born on the old homestead.
Following his first marriage Mr. Houghton removed to the farm upon which he now resides, which at that time consisted of 160 acres, but which now comprises 327 acres, scientifically cultivated and thoroughly improved. He is also the owner of two other farms of 166 acres, all in Union Township. As to his fine homestead, it may be said the Mr. Houghton has cleared about 320 acres of it and made the improvements, which have made it so valuable and attractive as a country home. He is also a valued citizen in his civic relations to the community, having served for seven years as a trustee of Union Township. He is identified with the Masonic order and the I.O.O.F. in Union Township, and he and his wife are faithful members of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Culver, having been heavy contributors in the erection of the beautiful church in Culver.
A Twentieth Century History of Marshall County, Indiana. Chicago: (The Lewis Publishing Company, 1908). McDonald, Daniel. pg. 434-5


text:
The "Christmas Party" Sitting with Minnie Harrison 5th January 1954
The Saturday Night Club
If you are not in the UK, please contact firstname.lastname@example.com before you place your order.
This disc has been made to share with you albeit in sound only the thrill and excitement which pervaded the Harrison home circle sittings every week for many years from April 1946.
At a period when tape recorders were still in their infancy and extremely expensive, on 5th of January 1954, a very good friend of the Harrison family, Jim McKenzie was kind enough to record the 1½ to 2 hours of the sitting that evening and it is extracts from that recording which are on this disc.
As recorders then were reel-to-reel type it means that subsequent re-recordings are second or third generation recordings and the sound quality and continuity may be slightly impaired. You will hear some of Tom's running commentary during that sitting and his further comments later which we trust will be helpful.
After Tom's initial introduction you will hear through the trumpet the main circle guide and doorkeeper a North American Indian, Sunrise, who had been attached to Minnie Harrison for many years. You will then hear 4 of the 6 spirit people who spoke through the trumpet that night. Unfortunately, the resonance of the aluminium of the trumpet does create some distortion which affects the clarity.
Then you will hear the voices of 4 of the 7 materialised spirit people, who stood amongst the circle members and their guests that night, clearly seen in the red light and clearly heard through the hand-held microphone, which Tom held in front of them as they stood there, exactly as a radio interviewer would do.
Tom's Introduction audio clip
Track 6 - Sunrise (the spirit guide) introduction to James Andrew
Track 6 - James Andrew (trumpet voice) speaks to Tom
Track 11 - Granny Lumsden, materialised, speaks with a lady visitor and Tom ('Mac' doing the recording was her next door neighbour)
Track 13 - Aunt Agg, materialised, speaks in her best London accent
Divided into 17 tracks
Total playing time 77 minutes


text:
A chart explaining why Goldman, JPMorgan, BofA, Citi won't be hiring
If you're looking for a job in an investment bank, you'll need to be good. In fact, you'll need to be very, very good. These days, most banks aren't adding headcount - they're simply upgrading what they already have.
Harvey Schwartz, the new CFO at Goldman Sachs, elaborated upon the current state of affairs in the conference call that accompanied the bank's first quarter results this week. Right now, the "headwinds are hard given activity levels", said Schwartz. Goldman is already "at scale" and it's a "difficult time to build," he added.
While Goldman isn't building, there haven't been much in the way of hiring noises from JPMorgan, BofA and Citi either. All three banks are in the middle of cost cutting programmes. Granted, Citi is hiring senior M&A bankers, but it's also trimming in equities. Ronan Connolly, head of equities trading for EMEA at Citi, is the latest to leave according to Financial News.
The chart below, from CreditSights, helps explain why big banks aren't engaged in any big hiring now: overall, revenues are static. In the first quarter of 2013, investment banking revenues were remarkably similar to the first quarter of 2012. Worse: there are problems in the fixed income currencies and commodities (FICC) businesses that account for the bulk of banks' business. "FICC is producing at 2004 levels," said Nomura analyst Glenn Schorr in a note on Goldman Sachs. At Goldman, fixed income revenues were down 9% year-on-year when accountancy charges are deducted, said Schorr. At Bank of America they were down 20%. Investment banking is not a growth industry.
Unsurprisingly, therefore, banks' emphasis is on cost cutting and efficiency. New staff are being hired, but only as upgrades for former staff who've left. As the chart below shows, most big banks (with the exception of JPMorgan and Credit Suisse), have seen more departures than arrivals of staff registered with the UK Financial Services Authority (FSA) in recent weeks.
Changes to FSA registered staff since April 4th 2013
Source: FSA/IMAS
If big banks aren't hiring, who is? Hedge funds are sniffing around. So too are boutiques. M&A-focused investment Greenhill & Co also released its results yesterday. Chief executive Scott Bok said the bank is hiring and that Greenhill continues to, "see a flow of strong candidates who are seeking to leave the large universal bank model to join us." However, Greenhill isn't adding in big numbers: five to ten managing directors is the limit, said Bok. Why? The M&A market isn't growing either - although completed M&A volumes rose 22% year-on-year in the first quarter, Bok pointed out that this was skewed by two abnormally large transactions (Dell, Heinz). The number of completed M&A transactions actually fell 18% year-on-year, added Bok. "We continue to be cautious about expanding our headcount too rapidly in a market environment that's still seems challenging," he said, echoing the bigger banks.


text:
Do you love training your dog new tricks? Co-author Julianne Ubigau has trained her shelter dogs amazing tricks that help scientists save important animals.
Pooper Snooper is the story of Julianne's work tracking the Pacific Pocket Mouse with Sampson. The story details training, and tracking, and a little time for playing ball. As part of the wildlife detective team, the duo searches the terrain, and Sampson uses his powerful nose to pick up on the scent of tiny mouse poop. The scientists learn so much about the population of mice that would take much more effort with only humans searching for them.
Although the story centers around Julianne's work, author Jennifer Keats Curtis and illustrator Phyllis Saroff also bring the story to life. Jennifer has told the story of many scientists working in various fields. She can take complicated jobs or subjects and use language that young readers relate to and understand. Phyllis is a certified dog trainer, and she drew inspiration from some of her favorite pups for Pooper Snooper. The digital illustrations are realistic and fun!
We had an amazing time chatting about creating Pooper Snooper with Jennifer, Julianne, and Phyllis. Watch it here!
Get your copy of Pooper Snooper or download the "For Creative Minds" section and other educational activities at arbordalepublishing.com.


text:
Anyway I have my card for the Mojo Monday challenge!!
I decided to go with the round so I could use my Grand Spellbinder dies.
I am so loving this card! I wasn't so sure about this sketch but am so happy with it now that I have completed it.
So here is what I did
I used my Spellbinders grand die
Love these!!!
I also used a retired scrap-booking kit from SU - Crew Kids - Girl
The flowers and brads are all SU
Ink is black for the socks and Chalk Box Maroon for the sentiment
The socks are colored in with various greens, grays and a pink copic marker
I popped up the socks with some dimensional pop dots from hobby lobby
There you have it.
Life is too short to match socks!
Hope you are enjoying/have enjoyed the game today. I am a Bears fan so it's hard to watch the game knowing we were to close. Maybe next year :)
Have a great night!
Make sure to come back tomorrow as I am participating in the Ippity Hip Hop!!
till next time


text:
Next Week – Warhammer 40k 9th Edition, Indomitus, Chapter Approved and Battlezones
Next week the eagerly anticipated Warhammer 40,000 Indomitus Launch Box is up for pre order alongside a host of other goodies! We have been checking out this new set over the last few days so make sure to check out our Unboxing and Full Review!
Here's all the details from Warhammer Community!
Indomitus is nigh. On July 11th, the best Warhammer 40,000 boxed set EVER MADE goes on pre-order, kicking off a new era of incredible adventures in the 41st Millennium. Mark your calendar – this box is limited in stock, and once it's gone, it's gone.
It's going to be a great weekend – and Indomitus is just part of it. Today, we're looking at what you'll be able to grab at launch! However you like to play, we've got something for you… First though, here's This Week In Warhammer with the headlines.
Indomitus is a phenomenal set. The culmination of some of the best work our miniatures, rules, lore and art teams have ever made, this box takes everything that makes Warhammer 40,000 incredible and puts it in one place. Two huge collections of amazing, brand-new models are packaged with the full Core Book – everything a 40K hobbyist needs to hit the ground running in the new edition.
Indomitus is limited, but, in expectation of high demand, we've made absolutely loads of boxes. As an additional measure to ensure that every faithful fan gets their copy, we've limited orders to 6 sets. So, if you want to have over 5,000 points of new Necrons on launch day, we've got your back, while also giving you a better chance at securing your set.
The Core Book
Warhammer 40,000 rulebooks are treasured tomes. They're not just repositories of rules, but rich grimoires that players keep forever. We bet you still remember your first! The Core Book is your complete guide to the new edition, containing reams and reams of incredible lore and art that bring the Era Indomitus to life. Plus, it contains the rules – and we mean a LOT of rules. As well as the basic tenets required to play a game, you'll find expansion content for open, matched and narrative play, along with tips and army showcases to help you get started. A version of the Core Book is included in the Indomitus boxed set, making this a great tome to pick up if you're splitting the set with a friend!
The Limited Edition Core Book
It's not every day you launch a new edition of the world's best sci-fi wargame. To celebrate the dawn of a new era for Warhammer 40,000, our team has produced a gorgeous limited edition featuring cloth binding, gilt edges and some truly stunning cover art. Strictly limited to only 2,000 copies, this is your way to commemorate this monumental moment in Warhammer history.
Open War Cards
Open War Cards are the secret weapon for gamers who are hunting for awesome, fresh missions that'll both challenge and delight. Draw up your cards, randomise your missions and ensure no game is ever the same with countless possible combinations!
Chapter Approved
Chapter Approved, or to give it it's glorious full title, "Warhammer 40,000 Chapter Approved: Grand Tournament 2020 Mission Pack and Munitorum Field Manual" is your gateway to awesome matched play games. We've re-engineered Chapter Approved this year to be purely about matched play, giving you a host of new content for Grand Tournaments, as well as new missions Incursion and Strike Force engagements. Additionally, Chapter Approved comes with the 2020 Munitorum Field Manual, a massive update that brings every army's points into line with the new edition of the game.
Crusade Journal
Every army tells a story – what will yours be? The Crusade Journal is designed to be the ideal companion to your journey through narrative play in the 41st Millennium. As you play Crusade games, your forces will grow, change and develop, and this journal will let you track them, making for both an invaluable reference book, and a permanent record of your games.
Battlezone: Manufactorum – Battlefield
Get your table game-ready in minutes with these durable card battlefield tiles! Simply unfold and combine, and you've got an appropriately war-torn place to fight, particularly when combined with some scenery. This set is perfect for playing Combat Patrol or Incursion games, but grab two of them, and you'll have a large enough play area for a 2000 point Strike Force game!
Gaming Accessories
Also available at launch is a selection of essential gaming accessories – a combat gauge for those key mini-measurements, and a themed carrying case! These will only be available while stocks last, so make sure to grab them while you can.
Your Phalanx Made Easy
Love the new Szarekhan Dynasty Necron colour scheme but don't know how to replicate it yourself? Some superb new paints are entering the range next weekend, making getting your legion Battle Ready easy. From rich metallics to vibrant technicals, these paints aren't just for Necron players but anyone looking to upgrade their collection. We'll also be releasing a spray version of Runelord Brass later in the year – so keep an eye out for it!
Indomitus: The Novel
This weekend also has the Indomitus novel by Gav Thorpe, available in hardback, eBook and MP3 audiobook editions. Gav is the legendary loremaster behind some of your favourite armies and a number of incredibly popular Black Library books covering the Horus Heresy and beyond – we can't wait to read his take on this new era of battle. The English-language version of Indomitus will be also available in two limited editions, letting you choose a copy that matches your favourite faction – Space Marines or Necrons.
Books from Black Library
While not strictly Indomitus related, Black Library has some other cracking releases out next weekend, including a new anthology of Warhammer 40,000 stories in hardback and two novels from Warhammer Age of Sigmar now in paperback.
We'll be helping you count down to Indomitus next week with our last daily Warhammer 40,000 shows on Twitch, plus a series of in-depth How To Play videos and more! Find out when to tune in with our full timetable.
Are you excited? Getting ready for the new edition? Share your stuff on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using #New40K.


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The One Memory of Flora Banks begins with Flora living her tightly-controlled life at home in Penzance. I love Penzance and visit as often as I can. It's a beautiful town, with class and edge and fresh sea air, and it's an inspiring place to go to write.
The other day my partner Craig and I went for a walk around Flora's Penzance, as part of a revisiting of the book's locations we're doing to coincide with publication. Here are some pictures (and yes, Svalbard is up next – watch this space).


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By now, regular visitors to TBTP are well aware of my fascination with all forms of printing and printmaking. So it will be no surprise that I was impressed by this brilliant, short demonstration of stone lithography. In the video below, co-produced by Daysix Film, Alistair Clark of Edinburgh Printmakers demonstrates the stone lithography printmaking technique, from graining the stone, drawing the image with greasy ink, processing the stone, inking the stone, and printing on paper with multiple colors. A separate stone is required for each color.
Located in a former brewery complex in the Fountainbridge district of Edinburgh, Scotland, Edinburgh Printmakers is home to one of the largest printmaking studios in Europe.


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EGENS vision: to create the world leading IVD platform integrating R&D, manufacturing & service as a whole, providing the best products with services innovation, dedicated to the new generation diagnostic products with state-of-the-art technology , serving for people's quality life


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Cluster of Jewel Lake homes significantly damaged in earthquake
Several neighboring houses in a Jewel Lake neighborhood have been flagged as unsafe for permanent dwelling after all suffering similar damage in last week's magnitude 7.0 earthquake, and now residents want answers to why all the homes on their street suffered the same fate.
Each of the homes sunk between six and eight inches since the earthquake, and some neighbors also experienced bursting waterlines, structural damage in crawlspaces and warping doors and windows.
There were even reports by residents of so-called "sand volcanoes."
Now the neighbors are joining forces to try and figure out why their area alone took such a hard hit.
"We've started a group together," said Matthew Robinson, one of the affected homeowners. "We are actually having a meeting to get all of the people in our circle on the same page. there's something else going on here and it needs to be figured out."
Another resident impacted by the shake up was Dean Cannon.
"For someone to come in and just say 'you can't be here,' it's a difficult pill to swallow ," Cannon said, though acknowledged the risk to the safety of residents. "I understand why they had to do it."
The neighbors attended yesterday's emergency public assistance meeting, but they're still left with questions about their homes, and the safety of their families.
"Our neighbors, at least three of them, have been here for over 25 years," Robinson said. "My concern is, we spend all this money to pick all these houses back up, but it's not going to do us any good if they fall right back down."
For now, those yellow stickers from the city aren't enforceable, but residents say they don't know how or when they'll be able to feel safe in their homes again.
"Every time we get another one of these little quakes, the house sinks lower in the dirt," Robinson said.


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The Jets are ramping up the intensity at training camp as they prepare for the start of the 2020 season in just under a month. Between now and then, Joe Douglas and Adam Gase will have plenty of decisions to make about the roster.
New York has constructed its roster to the point where it has several locks. There are likely only a handful of players left off the list, like quarterback David Fales for example. Fales is extremely likely to make the 53-man roster, but is not a lock, which excludes him from the list.
As training camp goes on, here is a look at every Jets player who is all but guaranteed a spot on New York's Week 1 roster.


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Don't be surprised to see Boston's historic Fenway Park – in Essex, Vt. Pat O'Connor, a long-time baseball fan in general, but of the Red Sox in particular, decided to build the miniature replica behind his house in 2001, says the Associated Press. Details include a 12.5-foot-tall Green Monster, a 3×3-foot plastic Citgo sign just past the left-field wall, and baseball-shaped markers in right field that represent the retired jersey numbers of players like Ted Williams. O'Connor also built a "Little Wrigley" behind Fenway. It, too, has the elements of the real park, including an ivy-adorned faux brick wall, and flagpole pennants with the names of famous Cub players. Teams have competed every August since 2002, in a three-day event to raise money for the Travis Roy Foundation that aides victims of spinal cord injuries. Roy is a former Boston University hockey player who was paralyzed from the neck down while playing in his first game. Games run into the night at both parks. The tournaments have raised $715,000 to date for the Foundation, in addition to thousands more for other charities. "It's a magical place that really removes you from everything else that's going on in your life," says Roy.It's Vermont's Field of Dreams.
News of the Day
FENWAY "JUNIOR" FINDS HOME IN ESSEX; OUR FIELD OF DREAMSby


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I am attorney Bruce H. Goldberg, and I have been providing quality legal services from the same corner office for over 50 years. As a mainstay of the neighborhood, I am committed to helping members of the community with legal issues of all kinds.
A Neighborhood Lawyer
Committed To My Community
For more than five decades, I have worked from the same corner law office in the Bronx. I have had the privilege of helping multiple generations of the same families on their journeys through life. Many clients return to me over time, coming to me first when they are starting a family and buying a home, then returning later for estate planning services as they plan for their legacy. It has been, and continues to be, my distinct honor to serve the legal needs of my community.
Serving Clients
With Respect, Understanding And Compassion
Put My Decades Of Experience
To Work For You
Over the course of my career, I have helped hundreds of families and individuals deal with personal and financial issues. Whether you are ready to set up an estate plan, seeking compensation for an injury, buying or selling a home, dealing with divorce or considering bankruptcy, I can help.
To put my experience to work for you, contact me to set up a free consultation. Call my office at 718-CORNERS (718-267-6377) or fill out my online contact form.


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Fresh Take
Has Trolls World Tour Changed the Game?
The current global pandemic has led to some strange times for film and television, with massive delays and changes affecting many highly anticipated movies. Will all this happening, it's hard not to feel affected. You start to feel like you're losing your shine. But the grass ain't always greener on the other side...
Its official, Trolls has got in our heads... While the grass may not be greener for fans stuck indoors, Dreamworks and Universal, however, are claiming this new field is just as lucrative a market... So far.
While Universal has yet to give an official number on the revenue made by this straight to rental animation, Trolls World Tour has been boasted as the studio's best-ever digital debut.
The Dreamworks animated film intended initially for cinemas, claims to have made around 10 times the amount of its previous digital best-seller- Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, on opening day. With Jurassic World taking up to three million dollars on-demand, many experts are guessing Trolls World Tour is likely to have taken up to $100 million in sales.
The numbers are impressive, matching the opening box office of many successful movies, but reports from Universal and Dreamworks should be taken with a pinch of salt.
With no clear or official way to yet track rental sales, due to the variety of outlets and ways in which audiences can buy, we don't know official statistics as we do with traditional cinema releases.
The news is also coming directly from Universal who let's be honest, would be unlikely to tell us if the film was doing badly. Trolls World Tour does rank number one in most rental lists, so this would match what the movie studio is claiming. But whether this model will make for continuous revenue akin to a cinema release is yet to be seen.
In the coming weeks, we are unlikely to get any concrete numbers for the majority of video-on-demand releases as studios simply have the ability to only tell us good headlines, as streaming services such Amazon and Netflix have done in the past.
While rental is a sure way for studios to balance the number of films they have to release, on top of getting some form of income, it's not going to immediately re-write the system. While other releases, especially family films could use this strategy in the future, the event of going to a cinema is a much more profitable venture. Especially considering rental, streaming, and merchandising all comes down the line, on top of the money made during a theatrical release.
Trolls World Tour is certainly an interesting film to study from a business point of view, but one thing is for sure, the coming months and years will be the testament to how entertainment changes, but not with this early experiment.
Universal Pictures, who are owned by a television company- Comcast, has a lot more vested interest in creating content for the small screen, meaning we should hold on hope other studios stay loyal to cinema chains.
#trollsworldtour #dreamworks #universalpictures
Written by David Osgar


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Essential Oils and Balance
"Essential oils tonify the chakras, meaning they bring the positive gifts forward and help bring balance to the shadow aspects.
They offer the stable foundation onto which we can consciously craft our inner and outer world." - Candace Covington @divine_archetypes
Dilute it in carrier oil before applying it to your skin or adding it to your bath.
Also think about who else is inhaling the aroma. Children and pregnant or breastfeeding people may have negative reactions. People with allergies or asthma may not be able to tolerate aromatherapy or being in rooms where they are diffused or applied. And some essential oils are toxic to pets.
Be sure to do your research before using essential oils for healing.
To inquire about essential oils for your mind-body practice and/or purchase doTERRA essential oils and/or other natural wellness products, just go to: https://www.mydoterra.com/michellemoses6/#/ and:
1. Select join and save
2. Choose wholesale customer (if you plan to be a customer only - you can upgrade later but we can chat about that) or wellness advocate if you want to build a business with doTERRA or refer your family and friends and earn some money back for doing so.
3. Fill in your details
4. Choose whichever starter kit you feel drawn to (my pick is the Home Essentials Kit + Fractionated Coconut oil as it has everything you need to get started, otherwise select the Introductory Enrolment Packet and add the individual oils you would like to start with).
And as always, If you are interested in this or any other natural health product from doTERRA, contact me and I'd be happy to help you:).


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ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan — Turkmenistan on Thursday accused Russia of meddling in its efforts to build energy ties with Europe, the latest flare-up in tensions over gas trade between the two former Soviet nations.
The Turkmen foreign ministry rejected suggestions by Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin that the country was unlikely to ever be able to sell its gas without crossing Russian territory.
"Turkmenistan has sealed deals with large European companies — including in the energy sector — that have shown themselves to be trustworthy, honorable and reliable partners," the ministry said in a statement.
The war of words, which comes just days after President Dmitry Medvedev visited the natural gas-rich state, signals a renewed frostiness in relations. It may also be greeted in Europe, which is seeking ways of reducing its dependency on Moscow's gas exports by creating a separate pipeline.
Russia last year abruptly suspended its imports from Turkmenistan amid mutual accusations over responsibility for a pipeline blast in April. Deliveries resumed in January 2010, but at much smaller quantities.
State-owned Turkmengaz says Russian gas imports are expected to reach about 10 billion cubic meters this year, down from the annual 40 bcm it bought previously.
The European Union has lobbied actively for Turkmenistan to supply the planned Nabucco pipeline, a major project that would bring Caspian and Central Asian gas to Europe, bypassing Russia.
Turkmen officials said signs of waning Russian engagement have made consolidating ties with Europe a pressing necessity.
"This is even more relevant now, at a time when Russia has reduced the volume of Turkmen natural gas purchases," the Turkmen Foreign Ministry statement said.
Russia has steadily lost its grip over gas supplies from this isolated nation, as Turkmenistan has increasingly sought out other clients.
Deliveries to China began through a new pipeline completed late last year and are expected to hit 40 bcm in 2015.
Iran has also increased its imports of Turkmen gas, and Turkmenistan is now actively backing the construction of a 1,680-kilometer pipeline to India, which would cross Afghanistan and Pakistan.


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Nimalan A. Jeganathan, MD - Penn State Cancer Institute
Portals Internet Provider Display
Nimalan A. Jeganathan, MD
- Colon and Rectal Surgery
- Anorectal disorders
- Colon and rectal cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Crohn's Disease
- Diverticulitis
- Fecal Incontinence
- Hemorrhoids
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
- Laparoscopic colon and rectal surgery
- Ulcerative Colitis
Dr. N. Arjun Jeganathan is a colorectal surgeon at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and an assistant professor of surgery in the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery. He is the author of 10 peer-reviewed articles and books on colorectal cancer and presented lectures on the surgical treatment of inflammatory bowel disease and surgical specialization in the treatment of colorectal cancer. Dr. Jeganathan received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and earned his medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston.
After completing his residency in general surgery at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Jeganathan went on to fellowship training in colon and rectal surgery at Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio. His research fellowships include transplant surgery at Tufts Medical Center and gastroenterology at University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Jeganathan is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.
- Colon, Rectal, and Anal Cancer
- Assistant Professor of Surgery
- Identifying mechanisms as it pertains to colorectal carcinogenesis
- Gastrointestinal Cancer


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Intel has just announced that it's working on a new foldable display spec that may open the door to a whole new level of computing.
The company believes that the first foldable laptops are not far off and may hit the market as soon as later this year.
Intel seems to have big plans for the new foldable display spec in the form of a large foldable screen laptop that can adapt to a variety of use cases. Built to meet all the Intel Evo requirements, the computers should be responsive and offer quick charging, satisfactory battery life, and instant wake. The latest Intel Evo also includes Intel's latest 12th-gen Alder Lake chips.
Up until now, foldable screens have been more of a novelty than a functional piece of technology, but it's impossible to deny the potential is definitely there. A foldable laptop or PC can offer flexibility that similar devices can't achieve, displaying content in all kinds of different modes, including laptop, tabletop, tablet, and journal mode. Manufacturing a device that can support all these modes with equal success seems to be Intel's current goal.
While this type of flexibility is already being offered to some extent by some of the best 2-in-1 laptops, foldable displays could one day have the upper hand. When the entire screen can fold, the user is given access to new viewing angles and possibilities. Using one continuous screen as opposed to two separate screens can come in handy, especially when the device can later be folded to match current tasks.
Unfortunately, this technology has been far from polished thus far. Foldable PCs utilize Windows, and Windows 10 has not been optimized to make the most of the screen's potential. So far, Microsoft hasn't said anything about further optimization for foldable screens in Windows 11. However, it's possible that with Intel's plans for this year, we may be seeing support for foldable displays in the next huge Windows update.
Lenovo has already launched a device similar to what Intel may be aiming for, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold. While undoubtedly a novelty, it didn't achieve widespread success: The laptop lacked in performance and the absence of support from Windows certainly didn't help.
As Intel has announced that the new and updated foldable laptops should begin shipping in 2022, we may soon hear from Intel's partners as they begin releasing these PCs. So far, it seems that all foldable laptop models will rely on Intel chips, as AMD hasn't revealed any similar plans.
Editors' Recommendations
- AMD might have just enabled MacBook-like gaming laptops, but I'm still skeptical
- AMD might finally beat Intel for the fastest mobile gaming CPU
- Lenovo's CES 2023 Legion laptops include AI 'graphical wizardry'
- MSI might have the best 14-inch gaming laptop this year
- Alienware finally improved PC gaming controllers, but this one's still not perfect


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It's so crazy to me that it's almost September and almost the start of back to school. With school starting back up and considering COVID ruined a lot of school experiences for students (including myself) last year, going through sorority recruitment is a great place to start. Coming from someone who has been in a sorority for 4 years now, who has been in charge of recruitment as a Membership Director and who is currently the President, I have a lot of advice to share from experience.
DON'T BE NERVOUS | Believe me, just as nervous as you may be going through recruitment as a potential new member, the girl's recruiting are just as nervous, but also extremely exciting. Recruitment is my favorite time of the year because we get the opportunity to welcome new sisters into our sisterhood. It should be just as exciting for you. Take a couple deep breaths before the rounds start, talk to the other potential new members to release some nerves, and just be yourself. I promise that you will find somewhere that you will fit.
SHOW THAT YOU'RE INTERSTED | Whatever sorority you are visiting or talking to, ask questions and show you're interested in learning about them. Ask about their philanthropy, what types of events they hold, how COVID has affected their sisterhood, what does the new member period look like. They should have all the answers for you and this can also help with your decision making process.
TALK ABOUT YOURSELF | Just as important as it is for you to understand and learn about each of the sororities, it is just as important to share information about you. Coming from a former Membership Director, we want to know about you, we want to know if you will be able to vibe and have fun with us and find your girl gang. Talk about your interests, hobbies, leadership experience, and why you are going through recruitment. This is how you build bonds and find your sisters, and you can figure out where you fit best.
DON'T GO IN WITH ANY EXPECTATIONS | This is something I personally struggled with during recruitment. I creeped Instagram before the week of recruitment and almost immediately shut down the sorority I went with because they looked quote-on-quote "mean" and "intimidating" and I was honestly so afraid to talk to them. I was convinced I was going to go with another sorority. As soon as I walked in the room, though, I was greeted with smiles and warmth which eased my nerves immediately. As much creeping you may do ahead of time, you really won't know who you will enjoy talking with the most until you get there. With that also, you may talk to a sorority that is just extremely awkward and you don't have good conversation with at all, and that is totally fine. Remember to still be nice and accommodating though.
WEAR A SMILE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN | Believe me, I know you will be tired and you may not feel like talking to anyone once you get to the final rounds and later on in the week, but we, as recruiters, can tell when you're not enjoying yourself or having a good time and we keep note of that. Carry caffeine around you always, do some jumping jacks to stay awake, dress comfortable, yet confident. Set yourself up for success.
Sorority recruitment is supposed to be fun! Make friends, enjoy yourself, appreciate the process, and find your forever girl gang! If anyone has any questions at all, feel free to leave a comment below or send me a DM on Insta. I will respond!