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This is a work in progress I'm writing using prompts from the Red Dress Club. Because of this, passages can be written out of sequence. This is where you can read all of Madison's (aka Mav's) Story (as it exists) in chronological order.
"I need you to cancel my 3 o'clock with the Shepards. I'll be out of the office the rest of the day." My fingers gripped my purse so hard the tips turned white.
Marcy nodded, her black ponytail bouncing. "Do you want your calls forwarded?"
"No, please just take a message." I forced a smile, practiced and perfect after years of working in sales.
Marcy grinned back. "Will do. See you tomorrow."
I hurried out the ornate door of the offices of Exquisite Haus Realty, my heels echoing on the marbled floors of the extravagant entry way. The air warmed as I approached the revolving doors. I merged into my compartment – the stickiness slamming into me – and walked into the afternoon heat.
I displayed none of my discomfort, my work mask fully in place. I slid my fingers into my purse, fumbling for my keys.
They dropped to the ground.
I stopped, bent, and picked them up.
They fell again, my fingers shaking.
A very well-dressed man reached for my keys and handed them to me.
"Th-thank you." I bit my lip too late, the tiny stutter already loose.
"You are welcome."
I tilted my head in acknowledgment and moved on before he continued the conversation.
I managed to unlock my car with the remote and slide into the soft exterior.
I twisted the key, the engine roaring to life. I flicked the dials to cool the air, and searched in my purse, pulling out my iPod.
I turned it on, going straight to my playlists.
Clients 1 – Older.
Clients 2 – Yuppie.
Clients 3 – Unknown.
Old School.
I tapped "Old School" and the moans of ecstasy from White Zombie's "More Human Than Human" blasted from my car's speakers.
I turned the volume down and I kicked off my heels, tossing them into the passenger seat. I waited until I hit the interstate and cranked the volume; my body vibrated with the beat.
How many times had I faked an orgasm to this song, stoking the flames in John's eyes until he transformed my cries into real ones?
Marilyn Manson's "Sweet Dreams" shuffled into play and I screamed, "Some of them want to use you. Some of them want to get used by you."
We'd used each other and loved every minute.
I giggled as Adam Sandler's "Piece of Shit Car" floated to me. The description fit John's high school junker perfectly. "I can't see through the windshield, cause it's got a big fucking crack, and the interior smells real bad, cause my friend puked in the back."
Guilty. I never touched Goldschläger again.
"Nothing Else Matters" by Metallica was next. I still remembered how to tap the notes out on the piano.
He'd taught me one afternoon, after sneaking into the music practice room to avoid detention.
My grip tightened and my face dampened with tears.
I drove faster as the songs carried me into the suburbs.
Metallica's "Enter Sandman" – the irony as he sang me to sleep.
Pantera's "Becoming" – my shoulder dislocated after crowd surfing.
"Under the Bridge" by Red Hot Chili Peppers – his voice stealing the senior talent show.
"Don't Stop Believing" by Journey – his merciless teasing because I loved the song.
"Thriller" by Michael Jackson – getting busted for pranking our principal on Halloween.
Fields increased as houses vanished, the countryside opening before me. I turned into a state park, the path etched in my memory. The trees barely marked the passage of time since I'd last been here, the six years a tiny blip in their life cycle.
Then it came on: the Jeff Buckley version of "Hallelujah", replacing the older Cale cover as my favorite.
I barely made it to our old spot before my vision clouded, the tears racing down my cheeks.
"Well there was a time when you let me know
What's really going on below
But now you never show that to me do you?
But remember when I moved in you
And the holy dove was moving too
And every breath we drew was hallelujah."
Distance. Pulling away. The end of us.
The call today from his younger brother.
"John's dead."
I folded the red and white checkered napkin over and over, the repetitive action calming.
"May I get you anything else?"
Flustered, I dropped it. I stared at the basket of bread sticks in front of me, the dried grease congealed after two hours of sitting untouched.
Where was he?
"Ma'am?" The waiter's irritation shined through his plastic smile. "May I get you the check?'
"What time do you close?"
"In an hour."
"I'll have a house salad then, ranch dressing on the side."
"Of course." He left, annoyance radiating from his body.
I sighed, as frustrated as my waiter. I opened my purse, pulling out a postcard with the state capitol on the front. I flipped it over, reading the familiar scrawl for the thousandth time.
"I'm not dead. Meet me tonight at Guido's Pizzeria. Tell no one."
No postmark.
My heart raced again.
John wasn't dead.
The delicious smell of oven baked pizza wafted through the air, bringing back memories of high school.
Our first date at this same table, tucked into a dark back corner.
His laughter as I pretended to give a blow job to a breadstick.
His tongue licking pizza sauce off my fingers.
His hand, pulling me into the narrow alleyway behind Guido's, my back against the brick wall as his body covered mine.
"Here's your salad." A plate thumped onto the table.
I jumped, nearly knocking over my chair, and shoved the postcard back into my purse. "Thank you."
"Enjoy your… salad." He flounced away, no longer hiding his contempt.
I stabbed my food and shuffled it around the plate, pretending to eat; "what if" scenarios flew through my mind.
What if by "tonight", he'd meant 5 PM, not sometime after 6? Three hours and still no sign of him.
What if this was a trick? I hadn't seen John in over five years, our communication by email or phone only. Why not email me instead of a cryptic postcard?
What if he was really dead?
I shuddered. He damn well better be alive. I would not mourn him twice in a week.
My cell phone danced on the table. I peeked at the caller ID and guilt washed over me as Danny's name appeared.
I slid my finger across the screen to answer. "Hi honey." My voice wavered and I cleared my throat. "What's up?"
"Me. I'm naked and waiting for you. Where the hell are you?"
I bit my lip. "You didn't get my text?"
"No, I fucking didn't get any damn text. What fucking emergency could have possibly happened to make you late after I just spent two weeks working in Hong Kong?"
I cringed as the lie rolled off my tongue. "I texted you hours ago. Amanda's dad is in the hospital and she needs moral support. I won't be back until late." Or in an hour if John failed to show.
"Fuck. Is he dying?"
"The details are sketchy and the doctors aren't talking. It's why Amanda is a basket case."
"Yeah. I'm so sorry." My gut twisted and I silently cursed John for putting me in this position.
"I'll try to wait up for you. If I'm asleep, you know how to wake me up."
"Thanks for understanding. I'll make it up to you."
"I'm counting on it, babe. See you later."
"Bye." I disconnected the call, shoved my salad away, and smacked my forehead onto the table.
I'd ditched hot sex with my boyfriend for being stood up by a dead ex-boyfriend's cryptic postcard.
What the hell?
I raised my head and reached into my purse again, ignoring the postcard and selecting two twenties to toss onto the table. I stood and hurried out the door.
A wall of humidity hit me as I strode from the brightly lit entrance into the path of a broken streetlight. I sped up, passing our alleyway, blinking away the bombarding memories.
I removed my keys and a warm hand covered my mouth as an arm lifted my torso – my body pulled tight into another's. Panicked, I struggled, trying to kick my attacker or gouge their eyes.
My keys clattered to the sidewalk as we disappeared into the alley.
My captor's arm was steel around my stomach, trapping both of my arms at my side. "Easy. I'm not going to hurt you."
I wanted to laugh through my fear at the clichéd line.
If you're overpowered, the best way to escape is to fake surrender. Make them believe they've won. John's words echoed from a lesson taught long ago.
I ceased my kicks, pretending the words soothed me. The kidnapper dragged me deeper into the darkness and I counted to ten, forcing my racing heart to calm and my muscles to relax.
Go limp.
I imagined my body a wet noodle.
Be patient. Their guard will drop.
I waited.
The arms slackened almost imperceptibly.
Attack. Quickly. Without hesitation. The eye, the nose, or the groin.
I thrust my head backwards with as much force as I could muster, hoping to break the nose.
It thudded somewhere on the shoulder, missing the face completely.
Laughter, dark and deep, echoed. "Your aim still sucks."
I froze.
"We're going to have to work on that, Mav." The arms released me and spun me around.
Black clothing covered all but his head, and he blended perfectly into the alleyway. The whites of his eyes floated in the black, the only part lacking camouflage.
"What, no hug for the dead guy?"
The words snapped my paralysis as I channeled my frustrations, fears, and anger into my right arm. My palm collided with his face, the loud smack sending reverberations through the alley.
His silhouette twisted with the ricochet before facing me again. "So a kiss is out of the question?"
"You asshole!" I exploded, my fingers clenched as I pounded his chest and abdomen, seeking a weak spot. "I thought you were dead!"
He winced but stood silent as my fists flew, my hands already aching from the blows.
"I went to your funeral! I cried for you!"
"I'm sorry, Mav."
His pet name opened an old wound. "My name is Madison. Not Mav."
"You'll always be Mav to me."
"I should shove your cryptic postcard down your throat. I'm supposed to b-be having s-s-sex right now." My words transformed into sobs as my energy died.
"I can fix that problem."
"Don't try to make me laugh. I'm pissed at you."
"I wasn't joking. I have very fond memories of this alleyway."
The cool brick pressed into my exposed back. My skirt twisted around my waist as my legs wrapped around his, the delicious smells of Guido's traveling out the back door.
The same smells danced in the air, the night teasing us. "I wouldn't mind revisiting a few." He leaned closer. "I've missed you, Mav."
His lips were hot against mine, consuming my protest.
I savored his familiar taste for moment, drinking in my youth before jerking my knee up.
He shifted at the last moment and I barely grazed him, earning me a string of curses as he stumbled away instead of dropping to the ground as planned. "Jesus, Mav! What the hell!"
"I have a life, John. A boyfriend. I'm happy. I don't hear from you except for phone calls and emails for five years. Five damn years. You cannot just swoop in here and have me dropping my pants five minutes after kidnapping me off the damn street!"
"Mav, I -"
"You decided to end us. You left me here. Then you get into a car wreck and die. I go to your funeral and say good-bye forever. Forever! A week later your damn postcard shows up and I drop everything because I think you might be in serious trouble. I lie to my boyfriend because you said tell no one, and then you stand me up! I label myself all kinds of idiot and leave, only to have you scare the hell out of me by kidnapping me!"
"Look, I di-"
"Tell me what the fuck is going on, John." The cloak of night brought the courage I needed.
"I never sent you a postcard."
"That isn't possible. I have it right here." I fumbled for my purse, wondering why every light in the alleyway refused to work.
My purse vanished from my hands.
"Dammit, John! You can't just-" I stopped as his shadow tossed something into the dumpster. "What did you just do?"
"Come on." His warm hand gripped my forearm, dragging me toward the opposite end of the alleyway.
I yanked my arm away. "No. I want my purse. It was a gift."
The hand returned, tighter this time. "Sorry, Mav."
I dug the soles of my sneakers into the pavement as he pulled me again, my heels finally catching on a crack. Instead of stopping my movement, my upper body pitched forward as the ground threatened my face.
I flew into the air. The wind whooshed from my lungs as my stomach landed on something hard: John's shoulder.
My body jiggled as he jogged – an unwieldy sack of potatoes.
"Put. Me. Down." Each word exhaled like a grunt.
"In a minute."
"Now. Or. I'll. Scream."
"I never slept with Elizabeth."
"What?" We left the alleyway behind Guido's and moved into another one across the street.
"Elizabeth Forsberg, senior year. You broke every damn window in my car because you thought I slept with her. I never did."
My stomach twisted.
The wave of nausea breaking over me as I discovered them in his steamed up junker. Puking in one of the huge planters framing the school's sidewalk. The flood of tears as I fled, stopping only to empty my stomach again. The dry heaves each time their embrace played in my mind.
The metal bat cool in my sweaty hands. Powered by betrayal, my fury rained upon the only outlet for my rage. The difficulty of knocking out the safety glass. The satisfaction as the back window shattered.
Running as the house's lights flicked on.
"I saw you in the rear-view mirror. I kissed her to make you jealous."
"Gonna. Be. Sick."
The jarring motion ceased immediately as he lifted me off his shoulders and set me down. I turned away a split second before I emptied the few bites of salad onto the littered ground.
His hands caressed my neck, pulling my hair away from my face.
Bent over a toilet as he protected my hair.
"Someone can't hold her liquor."
Letting him believe the lie.
I whirled and knocked his hands away, praying my pyrotechnics were over even as my stomach danced. "Why would you bring up something from eight years ago?"
"It kept you from screaming for help."
Stunned, I stared at him – my first good look in five years.
Even in the brighter alley, he blended into the shadows. His black leather jacket matched the rest of his clothing, out of place in the summer heat. A new scar graced his chin. His blue eyes were serious, free of the teasing I expected, with a few new lines creased around them. Power radiated from every muscle, like a jungle cat ready to spring.
Everything else heartbreakingly familiar.
"I need you to come with me." He reached for me with his right hand. "Please Mav."
The plea paired with my curiosity and obliterated any common sense. My hand met his and we raced to the end of the alley.
A motorcycle waited there, hiding between the buildings. He handed me a helmet as he straddled the bike. "Put it on." The engine roared to life.
"John… what the hell is going on?" My voice shouted over the loud muffler.
"I received an email on an old account this morning, telling me to be here tonight."
"From who?"
Lightning raced toward us, the echoing boom several seconds behind.
My death hold around John's waist tightened. "Get me the hell off this bike!"
"Almost there." He weaved through the city streets, veering through the occasional alleyway.
"I used to live here, John. You've been driving in circles for thirty minutes. Stop this damn thing or I'm jumping off!"
"Two blocks, Mav."
"Hurry." I inhaled the leather of his jacket, my body clenched around his.
Wind in my hair, flying over the open road.
Waiting for the straightway to creep my hands beneath his T-shirt, tracing the lines of his six pack before moving them lower.
The bright crackle arced above my head, the simultaneous boom so close it reverberated over the rumble of the motorcycle.
The heavens opened seconds later, drenching us.
Too late, we pulled into a driveway, the rickety garage opening before us as we sped into it, my body forced into his as he braked too quickly.
"Wait here." He vanished before I could argue.
Thunder shook the walls, the wind roared, and rain slammed the roof and windows.
I climbed off the bike, my legs shaky, barely able to hold me. I stumbled to the tool bench, curling into a tiny ball beneath it.
I needed my pills. Now.
He found me there. Minutes, maybe hours later.
"Mav?" His voice was soft, gentle. "I'm here now. We can go inside."
He didn't wait for a response and cradled me in his arms, jogging between the garage and house as rain pelted us.
I held on for dear life, as lightning lit the air around me, paired with another crash.
"I have you, Mav. It's ok. Hold on."
"My pills." I finally choked the words out.
A muttered curse answered me. "All I have is your license, cash, and credit cards."
I trembled as another boom vibrated the room, my heart threatening to explode.
The kitchen. Harsh fluorescent light. Cupboards slammed. Glasses clinked.
The scent of an old friend, begging me.
The familiar taste of Uncle Jack on my lips, coughing as it ran down my throat, leaving a trail of fire.
The vise in my throat lessened and I gulped with greed. "More."
He set me down, releasing me. "Sorry, Mav. Your stomach is empty. Anymore and you'll be over the toilet all night. I'll get a bath ready. Will you be okay for a minute?"
I lied and he left.
More thunder.
I quickly poured another shot, the sloshing noise so loud, I was certain he would hear.
I tossed it back, the fire slightly less. I poured another.
I walked up to the front, facing the dozen people in front of me.
I rubbed the new shiny chip in my hand.
"My name is Madison and I'm an alcoholic. It's been two years since I had my last drink."
The thunder echoed again and I tossed the shot back, already feeling the wooziness slide over me.
I poured a fourth drink, half of it spilling on the table as the bottle disappeared from my hand.
"I need you here, Mav."
I lurched into his arms, draping my arms around his neck again. "Oh, I'm here, baby."
"That hit fast. Let's get you cleaned up before you pass out."
The arms again, and I burrowed my head into his neck, smelling the rain mingled with…him. I wondered if he tasted the same.
I licked his neck, the saltiness bursting on my tongue as my body caught fire.
I needed him.
He put me down next to an ancient claw footed bathtub. "Can you undress yourself?"
"Hell, you can't even stand straight. Arms up."
"Make me forget. Please."
His hands and mouth covered my body, my moans drowning out the rolling thunder.
My wet shirt made a sucking sound as he peeled it from my skin.
I tumbled to the floor and he struggled to pull off my soaked jeans.
My lacy bra followed, joining the puddle on the tile.
I hoisted myself up using the tub, clad in only my panties.
"Make me forget, John."
I was naked.
My hair and body still damp, wet sheets twisted around my torso.
Black. The room was layered with it. Not even the glow of an alarm clock.
Silence. The storm long gone.
"I don't recommend turning on the light." John's voice whispered mere inches from my ear.
The tickle of it scared me and I nearly fell off the bed. "Jesus, don't do that!" A thousand needles pierced my skull at the movement. "Oh God."
"I wouldn't move either."
"Now you tell me." I lowered my voice to match his. Every part of my body wanted to die.
"Will you be okay if I leave the room for a few minutes?"
"I've been fine for five years. A few minutes are nothing."
A sigh escaped as the bed shifted the tiniest bit. I sensed him move across the room, his footfalls undetectable.
Wrapped in his arms, our skin sticking as summer spilled through the window.
I traced the lines of his arm. "I want to stay here forever. With you."
"Bed? Or were you thinking bigger, like the entire state?"
"Both. I never want to move again."
He chuckled. "I think your dad might notice."
"He told me to marry you."
The arms left me. "What?"
I rolled to face him. "He said I should get pregnant so you'd marry me."
"You mean my trust fund?" He crawled out of bed, giving me the full view of his naked body. "I don't receive it until I'm twenty-one. A long time to watch a squalling brat."
"I don't want kids. You know I just want your body." I teased him, trying to elicit a smile.
"I'm leaving, Mav. When I get it. I'm gone."
I shoved the disappointment away. "I know. I only want right now. Fuck the future."
He slid his jeans back on, forgoing the underwear. "Don't you want anything? To see the world? Have a career? Move out of your dad's house?"
"I wouldn't mind a replay of ten minutes ago…."
"I'm serious, Mav. What's your dream?"
"A bottle of tequila, some limes, and an ice cube?"
"That's what you want to do with your life? Alcohol?" He climbed back onto my bed. "You're better than that, Mav." He fingered a stray lock of my hair, before tucking it behind my ear.
"Here." A warm hand found mine with uncanny precision, pressing a few pills into it.
"What are they?"
I slowly sat up, not caring about the sheet sliding off my torso. I swallowed them, their dryness leaving a bitter taste.
His fingers found mine again, wrapping them around a cup. "Water."
I gulped it down.
"Easy. You don't want to be sick again. I have some crackers for you too."
A rustling noise, his hands again guiding mine to the prize.
I nibbled on a cracker.
"How much, Mav?"
"Huh?" My stomach gurgled, this time in ravenous hunger. I popped the rest of the cracker in my mouth and grabbed another.
"The whiskey. One shot would not have had you curled up in a fetal position all night."
He leaned in, greeting me with a hot kiss. "Damn, Mav. You taste like a bar. I thought you were going to wait for me."
"It's been a while." How many shots? Two? Three? Four? I couldn't remember.
"Define a while."
"Two years, nine months, twenty-one days and… twelve hours…give or take?"
"Aw hell. AA?"
"Yeah." Crumbs stuck to my chest, as I continued eating.
"Fuck, Mav! Why didn't you tell me?"
"You never asked. I wanted to tell you in person, but -"
"Forgive me." Hot lips covered mine.
I dropped the crackers.
This was absolutely the last time I'd let him do this.
His thumbs caressed my cheek as he stole my breath with a simple kiss, his passion sweeping me away.
Last. Time.
I reached for him, wrapping my naked body around him so his skin met mine.
The blades of grass tried to poke through the thin blanket – the stars, moon, and flickering fire casting shadows over us.
"Not yet." His magic fingers knew just where to touch me.
"Please." I tried to reach him and return the favor.
His body naked, blanketing mine in the cool fall night.
"Trust me."
"I do."
I didn't know this was good-bye.
My fingers brushed something rough on his left shoulder. Without even thinking I explored the foreign texture.
"Dammit, Mav!" He shoved my hands away and disappeared.
It took several seconds to clear my desire laden brain.
"Was that… a bandage?"
"Yeah." The voice traveled from across the room.
"What happened?"
"It doesn't matter."
I stood, pulling the sheet from the bed and wrapping it around my body. "I think it does. You insisted I come with you. It's about time you tell me what is going on."
"The less you know the better." His shadow peeled back a corner of the curtain, peering outside. A faint glow sneaked through the gap, illuminating half of his body.
I dug my manicure into my palms, fighting the past – the urge to hold him.
Instead, I circled behind him, my eyes seeking the answers.
A glare on his dark skin, the white reflected what little light the window let in. The gauze and tape covered most of his left upper back and shoulder.
A chill filled me. "That looks pretty serious."
His silence echoed in the room.
"Was it…serious?"
"Enough? Fine. Be an ass. But don't make me witness it. I'm outta here." I stormed from the room, nearly running into the bedroom door in my haste.
Ten seconds later the futility of my actions hit me as I realized I only had a sheet and no clue where my clothes hid. I flicked on a hall light and winced, the lurking headache creeping behind my eyes.
My hangover was not helping.
I needed a drink.
I tripped on the sheet as I found the kitchen, turning its light on. The bottle of Jack still sat on the counter, ready and waiting.
"I'm sorry." He spoke from behind.
I closed my eyes, my nails imprinting half moons into my palms. "For what? Leaving me? Coming back? Being an asshole?" I couldn't hide the bitterness.
"About the Jack. I didn't know, Mav."
"I know. My bad, right?" I eyes watered and I cursed his ability to reduce me to a hormonal teenager again.
"Mav…" He pulled my hair loose from the sheet.
"Just.. stop.. okay?" I blinked back the tears. "I wish…"
"I'd stayed dead?"
The word "yes" raced to the tip of my tongue, riding my pain, but refused to go any further. My lips held it prisoner, refusing to let it escape.
"For what then?"
I wish you'd never left.
I wish I'd forgotten to pick up the mail yesterday.
I wish I didn't crave a shot of whiskey.
"I wish you'd tell me what happened to your damn shoulder and what the hell is going on."
His eyes searched my face for… something.
"Your clothes are in the dryer. Get dressed. Then we'll talk."
"Tell me now, or I put on my clothes and leave. What happened to your shoulder?"
"I stepped in front of a bullet." Sorrow filled his face. "It didn't matter."
"I don't understand."
"She believed I'd keep her safe. She was wrong."
"She?" Did I even want to know? I gazed at bottle. Surely just one shot wouldn't hurt.
"Yeah." He moved between me and the bottle, blocking my view. "I lived. She didn't."
The jealous beast within silenced as my relief sickened me. Someone was dead. She was dead.
He had wanted to die for her.
I ran as fast as the sheet allowed to the bathroom, flashes of earlier that evening slamming into me as I kneeled.
It wasn't supposed to happen this way.
I sacrificed me, shoving my insecurities and fears behind a mask, along with the entangled dreams.
I had to. The mask filtered emotion. Without the hope, the joy, and the fear, I gained the one thing I craved.
It paired with the a desire too strong to hide: revenge.
I stopped drinking.
I molded my mask into blasé perfection.
I threw myself into work.
I thrived.
I waited for my wish to come true.
For the call.
I'd invite him over for drinks and don my sexy black dress.
His jaw would drop. At me. At my life.
Perfect without him.
He'd beg for forgiveness.
Danny would walk in, greeting me with his customary deep kiss.
And I'd see John's heart shatter.
Instead he had wanted to die. For her.
His hands pulled my hair away, keeping it safe.
Like a million times before.
History repeating itself.
It melted the mask and stole my control.
"No." My voice was hollow, bouncing off the bowl.
I whirled around, welcoming the pain as my hair yanked from his hands. "No! I won't do this again!"
"This?" Confusion filled his face.
"This. You. Us." I knew how our story ended.
"Good idea." He rocked back on his heels, standing up and moving away.
His easy capitulation surprised me, knifing the hopeful teenager within who dreamed of happy endings. "You agree?"
"You've made it clear I have no say in the matter." His voice was nonchalant, contradicting the biting words.
My anger wavered, lacking the fuel to burn. "Okay then. If you could just get my clothes and drive me back to my car, I'll be out of your life for good." I tried to match his tone.
"I'm sorry, Mav."
"Yeah." I slid the remnants of my mask into place; I hid the agony.
I flushed the toilet and waited.
He didn't budge from the doorway.
"You can't leave."
My laugh was shrill. "Of course I can."
He shook his head. "It isn't safe."
"I'll be fine." I lied.
"I can't take the chance. Someone used you as bait. If they did it once, they'll do it again."
"Bait?" Little sleep and even less food took their toll and I struggled to follow his chain of thought.
"The postcard and the email. They were either a test or a trap. Now they know I'm alive."
"What do you mean "they know"? You stood me up and then kidnapped me into the alley."
"You were bugged. They heard us."
Shock flooded me. "What kind of shit did you step into?"
"The deep classified kind. And now they know I'm willing to break my cover for you. It's why you can't leave."
Panic edged out the flare of warmth at his words. "I can't stay here."
"We won't. We'll have to switch locations."
"John, I have a life! A job. A home."
"I'm sorry, Mav."
"A boyfriend."
The regret vanished from his face, transforming into something unreadable. "I know."
"I'm not giving up my life for you."
"That's what I'm trying to prevent."
The true meaning of his words hit me. "You think someone will try to kill me?" I couldn't hide the incredulous tone. "Why?"
"Because you matter to me."
BETWEEN THE PROMPTS POST – Non TRDC – Third Degree
His face hid in the dark, the only light shining from the hallway behind him. His silhouette cast mine in shadow, shielding my reaction.
The five words rendered me speechless as a myriad of emotions seeped through the holes in my shield.
I grabbed the last one, a life preserver in a stormy sea.
"I matter to you?" I tried to keep my tone even, in control.
I laughed again, bitterness creeping in. "Wow, I hate to see what happens to people you don't care about." The anger's energy strengthened my façade.
He stepped towards me. "Mav, I-"
"No, you don't get to do this. You don't get to try to make this better. Right now you're going to answer my questions or I am gone. I don't care if I have to walk out of here wearing only this sheet. Do you understand?"
Again, his lack of argument surprised me. "Well, okay then."
"Mav, you-"
"Don't Mav me. I'm asking the one asking the questions. I don't want to hear a single word from you that isn't an honest answer. Got it?
The silhouette shrugged. "No problem."
I eyed him warily. "Why are you agreeing so easily?" The John I'd known was a fighter. He didn't capitulate without reason.
"Because I won't let you walk out the door."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" My volume rose with each word.
"You aren't leaving. So I either play your game and convince you to stay and play nice, or you end up in restraints until I think it's safe for you to go.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Fear escaped into my words. To be trapped. No control.
I gulped, my bravado vanishing. "You're an asshole."
He shrugged again, unconcerned. "You wanted honesty. Don't ask for what you can't handle."
"Fuck you."
"Is that a question or a command?"
I bit my tongue. He wanted me to take the bait. I took a deep breath, reigning in my frustration. "Why won't you let me go?"
"I told you, they'd use you to get to me."
"Well, who the hell are "they"?"
"I'm not sure."
"You're blaming "them" for everything and you don't even know who "they" are? What the fuck, John?"
"I'm tracking down leads, or was, until I met up with you." He crossed his arms. "It's going to be a bit more complicated now, since they know I'm alive."
"Why me? I'm an ancient ex-girlfriend you haven't seen in over five years. Why not your brother or your parents?"
"I haven't spoken with them since the day I left."
"Now I know you're lying."
"Why would I lie about this?"
"I don't know, but you still talked to Nathan. He even mentioned it in your…" I stopped.
"Eulogy." Was it just a week ago I'd sat at his funeral, clutching Amanda's hand so hard I'd left marks?
"I don't know what my brother said, but if it mentioned us speaking, it was a ploy to hide our estrangement and his wish for my inheritance."
"That doesn't make sense."
"Appearances are important to him. It makes perfect sense."
Something didn't click right. "But if everyone thinks you're on good terms, wouldn't whoever is after you target your family instead?" My eyes had adjusted, and I just barely made out the tensing of his jaw and the clenched fists. I'd hit a nerve.
"No, I'm right. It means I'm not in danger. I can go back to my life!"
"No, Mav. You can't."
"Why the hell not? I'm a nobody."
He shook his head. "You still don't get it."
"Then explain it to me."
"They didn't use my family as bait. They used you, Mav. Maybe they took a wild guess, maybe they were close enough they knew I'd never seek out my family. They played a hunch and know it worked."
"So, because I drew the unlucky straw and read a stupid postcard I have to go on the run with you?"
He was closer, his movement performed without detection. Nearly within reach. "No, it's my fault. Even if you hadn't shown up, you'd be in danger."
"Why? Now that they know you're alive, why wouldn't they just switch and go after your family?"
"Because I fucked up, alright! I knew better than to fall for this shit and I fucking did it anyway. They know you're my weakness because I broke the number one fucking rule!" His shouts echoed off the tile, his body so close I could feel the heat radiating off his skin.
I swallowed hard. "What's the number one rule?"
This time he had the bitter laugh. "If you fake your death, you need to stay dead, not meet up with people from your past."
The back of my knees bumped the toilet as I tried to increase our distance. "Why would you d-do that?"
His thumb traced my jaw, following it back to my ear. He tucked a loose piece of hair behind it and I shivered. "I had to. In case the email was true."
I bit my lip again, this time trying to stop my jaw from trembling as his thumb traveled down my neck. "Wh-what did it say?"
He leaned even closer and whispered into my ear. "I'm in danger. I need you."
***The Shot***
His lips were inches from mine.
His thumbs traced hollows where my neck met my shoulder, my pulse racing beneath.
His eyes…
I broke his gaze, focusing on the bandage. "H-how…?" My free hand rose and I traced the outlying edges.
His muscles flexed beneath my finger tips. "I already told you."
"No, you didn't. Tell me."
He tensed. "There was a party. Very high profile. Senators. Judges. CEOs. I was undercover for my employer as an investor."
He sighed. "I'm a consultant of sorts."
"Of what?"
"Espionage. Companies hire me to test for security weaknesses. I also freelance on other… jobs. The party was one of those. My employer's daughter, Tina, was my cover. I was her date."
Unable to stop, my fingers branched out from the bandage, traveling the lines of his torso. "And?" How little I knew of the life he'd led.
"I was supposed to meet with a buyer. They either didn't show, or decided not to approach me."
My thumb discovered a rough ridge of skin on his abdomen, a scar about an inch long. I stroked it, wondering its origin. If it had come close to killing him. "Then what?"
"We were one of the last to leave. I escorted her to our car and -" He stopped, shaking.
The nausea returned, knowing what came next. I placed my hand over his heart, the thud reassuring me he'd lived. "You tried to save her."
"There was a glint from a roof on the other end of the street. I covered her but -"
I pulled him closer, wrapping my arms around him in a hug. I barely noticed the sheet now exposed one breast – only wanting to hold him. "I know."
His arms joined the embrace, holding me tight. "The bullet went straight through me, missing everything vital and punctured her lung and an artery. I woke up in the ICU. She didn't live to see the ambulance."
I listened, my ear over his heart, the beat music as tears trickled down my cheeks. Why hadn't it occurred to me his faked death grew from the seed of reality?
"If I hadn't moved, she might still be alive. The doctor said a quarter of an inch in any direction and I…. wouldn't have made it."
"Then you b-both would have died." I broke down as sobs wracked my body, cleansing any remaining jealousy. "When I heard you were d-dead, I..I..I-"
"I know, Mav. Shhh, don't cry." His voice broke as he held me close. "I'm sorry. For everything."
"I..I…I thought I'd never see y-you again."
"I'm here. You're with me now." His hands rubbed my back, trying to soothe me.
"I…I was s-so mad at you. I…I hated you!"'
"I don't always like me either, Mav."
"I…I..I loved you." The words escaped before I caught them, my emotions caged animals finally released.
"Look at me."
My gaze lifted, seeking out his.
"I am so fucking sorry." His cheeks were streaked with tears, but his eyes…
I knew that look.
They said he wanted me naked. Now.
One spark and my body caught fire again.
"Please, Mav." His hands cupped my face, the gentle caress a surprise. "Please stay with me."
My sheet loosened even more, my hands too busy exploring the changes time etched on his body, finding another new scar, this time on his lower back. How many more hid? How many times had he come close to death? I swallowed, trying to find the strength to speak. "You aren't giving me much of choice."
"They tried to kill me, Mav. Tina was collateral damage. They didn't care about her. But you…" He tugged the sheet down, his fingers a feather down my sides as more shivers shook me. "I can't let them hurt you."
This is wrong. He'll hurt me again.
I ignored the voice of reason.
I needed to celebrate life.
"Okay." I stepped out of the sheet, my entire body bared as my skin glowed with the beacon of light from the doorway.
"I'll stay."
His only answer was a growl as cold tile pressed into my back.
* * * In. Out. In.* * *
I watched him.
In. Out. In. Out. The steady cadence of his breathing sang to me as he slept on his back, arms and legs splayed in every direction, leaving me only a tiny slice of open space.
In. Out. In. Out.
The bandage rose and fell, taunting me. Reminding of what was almost lost.
In. Out. In. Out.
The light creeping beneath the curtains highlighted bruising I'd missed in the dark. Black. Blue. A sickly green. Pockets of it battered everywhere, marring a muscled body that put to shame the one I'd once known.
God, he was beautiful.
How many times had he strolled into class late and escaped penalty with a simple smile?
How many dirty looks shot my way because he dated the school slut?
How often had his gorgeous body sparked doubts on his reasons for choosing me?
How many people had been sucked into his spell with a pleading look and jumped to his bidding?
How many sycophants clung to him hoping to be popular by association?
How many women had surrendered to his heated look?
How many times would I fall for him all over again?
In. Out. In. Out.
Scars. Bandage. Bruises.
His body a canvas of physical harm. Old. New.
Yet he'd carried me on his shoulders, in his arms.
And last night he –
I flushed with the memory.
He'd done things his injuries should have prevented.
I resisted touching the angry skin again, afraid of causing more pain.
In. Out.
Had his beauty ever saved his life?
Was it why I agreed to stay?
I looked away, breaking the spell, and eased off the bed.
Every muscle in my body protested as my empty stomach demanded food.
Clothes, then food.
It took me ten minutes to find the laundry room, hidden in the unfinished basement next to a workshop. By then I'd seen most of the house, discovering it was a traditional 1920's bungalow. I padded to the kitchen, finally dressed, praying John had some food in the refrigerator.
Uncle Jack greeted me, right where I'd left him.
I closed my eyes, fighting the urge to drink.
"I had my first drink at twelve. Just to see if my dad would notice. He didn't."
I'd been the awkward ugly duckling, taunted by others who sensed my weakness. But no one dared bully me now.
"It didn't become a habit until I was sixteen, when I learned it could numb pain and fear."
The vodka disguised in Gatorade, always ready in my locker. Yet my liquor cabinet at my apartment was empty.
"It gave me courage to do things. Sex. Break the rules. Not to cower in a closet or the girl's bathroom at the hint of thunder."
God, I needed courage right now.
I licked my lips, imagining the taste. I opened my eyes and reached for the bottle.
"I stopped once… for a while."
I stared at the bottle in my hand as memories of last night flashed.
Against the tiled wall, my legs wrapped around his waist, just like our first time in the alleyway.
Forearms braced against the shower wall while he teased me from behind.
The bed as I begged for more.
One thing missing.
I did the math, the possibility blindingly clear, and walked over to the sink. My hand shook as the contents of the bottle swirled down the drain, the pull to welcome its familiar burn diminished.
Not much. But enough.
For now.
*~*~*~*~*~*The Demands~*~*~*~*~*~*
I sat at the tiny wooden table, watching John's back as he carried the breakfast dishes to the sink. I wanted to remove his faded black t-shirt and jeans.
I didn't dare. His greeting of a smile, not a kiss. Clothed, not naked. Small talk over breakfast.
He wanted distance and it confused the hell out of me.
The silence stretched.
"Where did you learn to cook?' I asked, hoping to distract myself from the rippling muscles. Washing dishes shouldn't be sexy.
More half answers.
Was he trying to piss me off?
"Are you mad at me for some reason?" I hated the insecurity creeping into my voice.
"Then what stick is shoved up your ass?"
He stopped, gathering strength before facing me.
Oh, God. He's giving me the speech. Last night was great. It's not you, it's me.
"This." He pulled phone from his back pocket and set it on the table.
I blinked. "That's a cell phone."
"That is the end of the life you led until I figure out what the fuck is going on."
"I don't – "
"Let me finish. This is a burn phone. You will make three calls with it. You will call your boss and say you need a leave of absence and a formal letter will follow. You will call your closest girlfriend and say my death caused you to rethink your life and you're going away for a while. Have her pack a suitcase for you that you'll be by to pick up later."
"She'll never let – "
"You'll make her believe it in ninety seconds. Tell her you got pissed and busted your cell and don't want to be contacted."
My mind reeled at what I'd agreed to. "And the third?"
"You break up with your boyfriend."
* * * Drawing Blood *** (between the prompts)
"You want me to break up with my boyfriend?" I threw the phone at his head, watching in horror as it missed, not even grazing his ear, and the phone bounced off the kitchen window, plopping into the soapy sink.
"Fuck!" I ran to the sink, but John was already there, fishing out the soaked phone. "Did I break it?"
He shook the phone, spraying warm droplets of water onto my skin. "I don't know." He flipped the phone open, using his shirt to wipe the buttons. "It wasn't on but I'm going to give it a chance to dry off before we use it." He twisted the dial on the oven to 200 degrees. "Hopefully this will do the trick."
"You're going to bake it?"
"It's saved phones more delicate than this one." He set the phone next to the oven, waiting for it to preheat as he whirled on me. "What the hell were you thinking?"
I swallowed. "I didn't mean to do that."
"Throw it at me, or the sink?"
"The sink. My aim sucks." I forced a smile.
"This isn't a joke, Mav. I didn't cook up this scheme to play house with you. I fucked up and I don't want you to end up dead. Or worse."
He walked closer, each step designed to grow fear until only inches separated us. "If you're dead, any power they had is lost. If you're alive, they can make you beg for death."
My vision swam even as I tried to convince myself this was a joke. "Why did you order me to break up with Danny? What does he have to do with anything?"
"Leverage, Mav. He can be used against you. Once they realized you've pulled a disappearing act, they'll try to find ways to lure you back. If the ties are cut, they probably won't bother."
"Probably? You want me to dump him because he might be safe? What about Amanda, is she in danger?"
"Who's she?"
"The close friend you told me I had to call."
He cursed, running his hands through his hair. "Married? Single?"
"What diff – "
"Just answer the damn questions!"
"Divorced, with a two year daughter." My gut churned at the thought of putting them in danger.
"Hell." He paced the kitchen. "Does she have family out of state?"
"Her dad lives in California."
"When you call her, tell her to visit him for an extended trip."
I placed my hands on my hips. "And how am I supposed to do that without telling her what is going on?"
"If you want her as safe as possible, you'll think of something."
The pressure of the situation slammed into me. "And Danny?"
He shrugged. "The worse the breakup, the less likely he'll be a target."
"How do I know you aren't just fucking with me?"
His eyes blazed. "I don't fuck around, whether it's with someone's life or my girlfriend."
I stumbled backward, the power of his words a physical blow. "Last night was…" A pile of words rested on my tongue but none fit.
"What, Mav? What was it? An aberration? A good-bye fuck? Or are you hoping to pick up where we left off?" He was vicious, ice coating his tone.
The venom was poison, seeping into my soul, severing the tender truce declared mere hours before. "You asshole! Would that be before or after you stood me up on my twenty-first birthday and breezed out of town without a good-bye?" Each word grew louder.
"Best thing I ever did. Do you even give a fuck about this guy? Do you love him?"
Each sentence was a sword, slicing me open. "How I feel about him is none of your damn business!"
"You made it mine when you decided to jump me."
"I jumped you? You have not stopped trying to get into my pants since you grabbed me in the alleyway!"
"What diseases do I have to worry about from all the other guys you've screwed behind this guy's back?"
Furious I shoved him, instinctively going for his weakest spot: the injured shoulder. "Go to hell!"
The grimace of pain was the only sign I'd hurt him – his body immobile. "I'm already there."
"I'll leave you to burn then." I stormed to the front door, thankful I'd put on my sneakers earlier. Tears slid down my cheeks as I slid the deadbolt open only to have my wrist grabbed, twisting me around. "Let me go!"
He pinned me against the door, his body a wall, his grip firm. "I can't. I'm sorry."
I didn't bother struggling, knowing I would lose unless I caught him off guard. I poured all of my anger into my gaze. "I hate you."
He flinched, the movement so fast I might have imagined it. "I still can't let you go. We've been through this."
I released the tears, rivers of them soaking my cheeks. "Why do you hate me so much?"
He grip softened, the free hand wiping the rivulets away. "I don't hate you, Mav, only some of the choices you've made."
"What did I ever do to you?
"You killed our baby."
Continued on: "The Appointment"


text:
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Ministers of communion distribute the Body of Christ and the Precious Blood during the Communion Rite of the Liturgy of the Eucharist. This ministry should be conducted with reverence for the Blessed Sacrament and respect towards the other people attending the liturgy.
If you would like to be a Minister of Communion, please, fill in you name and contact information below:
- I. Dress
- The ruling principal for dress is modesty. Ministers should not be dressed to draw attention to themselves. Rather, they should be dressed to reflect the reverence and respect required for this ministry. Dress should not physically hamper the conducting of the duties of the minister.
Preferably, men should be dressed in a jacket and tie (shirt and tie during the summer months). At minimum, a collared shirt and slacks are expected.
Women may wear slacks, skirts, or dress outfits. They should be knee length. They should cover backs and shoulders.
Please, no jeans or sneakers.
- II. Sign-in
- The ministers plan to arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled start time for liturgy. When the ministers arrive, they sign-in on the sheets provided in the vestry.
- III. Prayer
- Before mass begins, the ministers should take a few moments to mentally review what their duties are. They should reflect on the importance and significance of their ministry.
They should ask God to help them serve God and their brothers and sisters well.
- When the Priest raises the chalice to receive the Precious Blood, the ministers move forward to the front of the nave. They bow together then line up at the side of the altar closest to the choir.
- The distributors of the hosts should stand closest to the wall at the back of the sanctuary.
- After receiving communion (and communicating the deacon if there is one), the priest (with the assistance of the deacon if he is present or one of the ministers if he is not) distributes communion under both species (first the Body, then the Blood) to the ministers of communion.
- The priest gives the cups and ciborium to the appropriate ministers.
- The distributor of the hosts for the south section of the Church with the corresponding cup minister give communion to the altar servers then proceed to their section.
- The distributor of the hosts for the north section of the Church with the corresponding cup minister give communion to the altar servers then proceed to their section.
- The priest and deacon (or third distributor of hosts if there is no deacon) distribute hosts in the center aisle.
- As each communicant approaches, the minister holds up the host and proclaims clearly, "The Body of Christ." Nothing should follow this proclamation except the communicant's "Amen." The minister then places the host in the communicant's hand or on the communicant's tongue.
- If a host falls to the ground, the minister immediately picks it up and consumes it.
- If a non-communicant approaches the minister, the minister may use their thumb to make the Sign of the Cross on the person's forehead. No words are spoken.
- The ministers of the cup stand to the side. As each communicant approaches, the minister raises the cup and proclaims clearly, "The Blood of Christ." Nothing should follow this proclamation except the communicant's "Amen." The minister hands the cup to the communicant and takes it back after the communicant receives. The minister wipes the inside and outside of the rim with the purificator, then turns the cup a quarter turn before presenting it to the next communicant. The minister uses the entire purificator as needed.
- If any of the Precious Blood falls on the tile, the minister immediately places the purificator over the spot. The minister gets another purificator and finishes distributing communion. Once done, the minister returns the cup to the credence table, then returns to clean up the spilled Blood. After the liturgy, the minister informs the priest of the spill.
- If ministers finish their section before other ministers are finished with theirs, the ministers should help finish these other sections. The distributor of the hosts should stand near the front pew of the section with which they are helping. The cup minister should stand near the other cup minister.
- Only for 9:00 when there is catechism
7.5 A fifth paten and cup will cover any overflow in the Chapel, the north transept, and the Cry Room. After done with these, they can help up front if needed.
- The distributors of the hosts take their ciboria to the altar where the priest will consolidate the hosts. When the priest is finished, the minister brings any empty ciboria to the credence table placing them on the corporal on the table.
- The ministers of the cup proceed to the credence table, consume the remaining Precious Blood, and place the cups with purificators on the corporal on the credence table.
- The ministers proceed to the front of the nave before the altar, bow together, and return to their seats.
- The ministers say a prayer of thanksgiving for their ministry.


text:
- Work with the Audit Team to execute Internal/Statutory Audit related services for clients - Be a part of team in large assignments and might have to lead small / medium audit teams - Ensure quality work - Candidate is expected to work closely with the Director / Partner to build client relationships. - Work with the Audit practice to execute Internal Audit / Indian GAAP / IFRS / US GAAP accounting services. - Have strong soft skills like leadership, inter personal, team and communication skills both verbal and written. - Sector - Financial Service, Manufacturing and Service. Desired Candidate Profile: Requirements : - Be a qualified CA - Have a minimum of 6+ years post qualification experience in Statutory Audit in a similar environment (Audit and Accounting firms) - Have the ability to work under stringent deadlines and demanding client conditions - Be willing to travel within India or abroad for continuous/ long periods of time - Have strong soft skills like leadership, inter personal, team and communication skills both verbal and written.
Accounting Finance Ifrs Auditing Statutory Audit Us Gaap Internal Audit Indian Gaap Ca Audit Management


text:
Die Hobbit Kampagne/The Hobbit Campaign
Nice concept, I like when faction-mechanics differ each other, even if to a small extent^^
Yes, Crag, your two-part sound suggestion sounds really great and fitting, in the general spell's context.So, I guess we have to wait patiently a bit, now, for further information or updates/news regarding both this suggestion and Imladris. We don't obviously know which faction will come next and how this spell will be rendered graphically (theoretically, we don't even know if all of this will be part of the game).
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text:
Up next in my series of interviews from the Insomniac music festival Nocturnal Wonderland is none other than Dirtybird's own Sacha Robotti!
According to Robotti's biography on Resident Advisor:
"Although Sacha's sound has evolved throughout the years, you can recognize his signature in everything he creates. Meandering between the dirty bassheavy 'booty' plains of electronic dance music and its futuristic shores, his music is funky, creative, has character, uses a palette of rich sounds, and tells a story with layers of depth and emotion. It also has a sonic quality that makes it stand out. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for this gentleman with a weird little thing for sweaty dance workouts and happy bass-massaged faces…"
I got the chance to interview Sacha, and I can say without a doubt he is one of the nicest DJs I have ever met. He has a genuineness in his answers and a love for his fans, music, and the quality of the sound system that only a Dirtybird artist could have. It makes sense that he chose that label to start playing under his own name. We talked about house parties, festivals, and what unusual creature he feels is his spirit animal.
I was trying to remember the first time I saw you play, and I think it was at a warehouse party in DTLA. It's cool that you play small underground events as well as the major festivals. Do you have a preference between the two?
Was it in the beginning of December? That was the first party that I played in LA. It was called Altered States, and it was a Burning Man fundraiser, I believe.
Right now, I love the big ones or the small ones. I like really good sound systems. You can make me very happy with a good sound system. It can be a very big club or it can be a small club. As long as it has a good sound system and my music works, then that's cool.
You have the Dirtybird Campout coming up. I interviewed Claude Von Stroke, and he was saying he liked it because the DJs get to mix with the crowd. What are your feelings on that?
It's just a big party. Everyone gets drunk together, and I love that Dirtybird parties are very inclusive as opposed to other events, which may not be as inclusive. DJs are on pedestals and feel cooler than the fans. What I like about all the Dirtybird artists is the vibe. They are approachable. Anybody can come up and talk to me, and I think it's the same with all the other guys like Barclay or Justin Martin, where he's making pizza with fans.
Are you running any activities?
I don't know yet. Maybe. Hopefully.
Were you at the Campout last year?
Yeah, it was the first time I played a solo gig under my own name. I played my set and then just stayed on the stage and listened the whole day to the other artists.
We'll have to play some dodgeball. Challenge Ardalan.
Dodgeball, yeah. Ardalan is such a fun guy. We gambled together in Reno, and won $1,200 and we paid our car with it. It was dope, so I'm sure were gonna do something.
Do you have any new music coming out?
There's something coming out on Insomniac Records called "Plant the Seed," and then I kind of signed something with Bristol for a track that I did called "Elephant Man." It's a very bassy, break-beaty track. I don't know when that's coming out. Right now I'm signing a few things. Maybe something on Dirtybird, but nothing is signed yet.
You are also working with Justin Jay. He's doing this whole house party scene with Justin Jay and Friends. Have you gone to those?
Yeah, I played one, and it was really, really crowded! I played my set, and the minute after I played my set, it got shut down by the cops because people were climbing the fence of the property. It was very fun. It was a big house. A fraternity house, I think.
Would you ever think of throwing your own?
I did that at the end of January. It was really good. We expected 150 people, and 500 came. It was called Comfort Zone. The logo is the sloth head because I like sloths. It's my spirit animal because it's so chill and is moving slow as opposed to the fast-paced life. It's just smiling. So I like sloths. They are just cool. I want to throw another one. We are still finding a date. I have a warehouse space, and we are just finding out if we can throw it there. It's cool.
I'm from Berlin, and what I don't like about playing in America sometimes is that everything shuts down at 2 o'clock. If there are five DJs on a lineup, each person only gets to play an hour, so I'm throwing a party so I can play 4 or 5 hours just by myself. It's basically a really egotistical thing to do, but I'd get to play a longer set and actually tell a story and not just play bangers, which is great.
I'm not complaining, but I grew up with a different kind of spinning with longer mixes. Sometimes it takes me half an hour to an hour to warm up, so when I'm playing a festival, I've warmed up for half an hour or forty-five minutes, and then I have fifteen minutes left of my set. I'm in a groove and I'm like, "Okay, I have to stop now." So it's sad.
Would you ever play an open-to-close set at Exchange?
Sure. Book me, guys! I'm down.
Is there a difference between crowds in the US and the crowds abroad?
I feel crowds here are more appreciative in a way. They give you more direct feedback as opposed to maybe in Berlin. But that might just be my personal experience. I like when people dance and get down and have fun as opposed to just being cool.
Do you have any particular plans for your set tonight?
No plans. Just have fun. At Burning Man I played some really dark and fast techno. Maybe here I will play something else. I don't know. It depends on my mood, and it depends on who is there. I can't give you a definite answer.
Here in California, I play more bass. I just feed off the crowd's energy and my own energy. Then both energies "make love" and something comes out and that's the set. Sometimes it's an ugly child and sometimes it's a beautiful child and everybody's happy.
For info and tickets:
Sacha Robotti
Dirtybird Campout


text:
To many people they couldn't be further apart: communism and Islamism. However, on closer inspection they have a lot in common.
The core is that both are ideologies financially supported by one or more countries. This makes them different from normal political parties as they not only need to deliver for their voters but also for their financial backers. So they might be in government, the economy might be doing well, crime might be decreasing and they might be doing well at the polls and yet they might still become under pressure from their financial backers because they don't do enough to further the ideology. And because the financial backers are in a position to play the factions in the party off against each other they can not ignore this pressure.
The supporting countries are usually strict dictatorships that don't allow within their own borders the kind of activism that they promote elsewhere. They defend that seeming contradiction with the claim that are already "pure" and that attacks on them would hurt the cause. So the ideology serves at the same time to defend repression at home and to project influence outside their borders.
Some of the resulting similarities are:
- In both cases party members are known for their loyalty and fanaticism. I suspect that that is caused to a large extent by the fact that there are no real ideological discussions in the party as the ideology is settled by the money supplier. This allows one to be a true believer. Sometimes elements of the ideology may be changed by the money supplier but that is still less stressful than seeing an endless ideological battle as often happens in really democratic parties.
- Both types of parties are very capable to survive in adverse circumstances like dictatorships.
- Both types of parties show a ruthless opportunism. Sometimes they may appear to be loyal democrats. But tomorrow they may dump and betray today's partners.
- Both types of parties are prepared to resort to terrorism, murder and whatever it takes to reach their goals.
- Coalition building is an important part of their power hunger. They can be very dedicated partners - as long as it suits them.
- They are always looking for the next honorable and popular cause that could improve the standing of the party. These are genuine contributions. The communists did much for social justice while for the Islamists are known for support for the poor and - in the case of Egypt - providing affordable health care.
- There is typically one big party (the communists or the Muslim Brotherhood) that is surrounded by a multitude of small parties (Maoists, Trotskyists, anarchists, etc, resp. Salafists and other Islamist parties). Where the big party tends to become dominated by old, somewhat conservative men these splinter groups accommodate the diversity of youthful enthusiasm. This constellation fits the big party as it encapsulates young enthusiasm while at the same time keeping the young fanatics at some distance so that they can't destabilize the big party. As a result the big party enthusiastically supports the splinter groups.
- The movement is split into major factions. The main fault line within the communist movement was between Marxist-Leninists and Maoist while the main fault line within the Islamist movement is between the Brotherhood and the Salafists. However, these conflicts don't stop the factions from collaborating on many fronts.
- Having a fixed ideology also makes leadership less important. Some communist parties had for decades the same leader. But replacement goes just as easily.
- Note that the end of foreign financial support will not automatically change the party. The internal hierarchical culture and the lack of tolerance for dissidents can stay around for a long time. Change is possible - as we saw in for example Poland - but it has to be explicit decision that makes the internal structure of the party more democratic.
- These movements tend to attract alienated youth who feel that their life is on a dead track. For some this is literally so: they are unemployed in some poor neighborhood and are dazzled when the movement opens for them opportunities to study in Cairo or go to Mecca. Other may be outwardly successful but miss a goal in their life.
These kinds of parties can be very lethal to democracies. There is not only the possibility that once they have won election they will never give it up again or that they may use a government position to grab power. But this threat also forces the other parties to become careful. As a result countries like Italy and Japan were for some 40 years ruled by the same party out of fear that if communists would be allowed to govern they might never release power. We see the same in the Arab world. The repression in Syria is the direct legacy of Brotherhood uprisings. In the case of Syria this was worse than elsewhere because it had a sectarian hue.
The polarization between untrustworthy Islamists/communists and the government also removes the space for other opposition parties. Normally under a dictatorship you see the rise of civil society organizations that are a-political and just represent people wanting their road paved or better public transport for their neighborhood. With Islamists or communists around such organizations tend to be hijacked by them.
The threat of violence has from the beginning hung over the Arab Spring. Everyone remembers how the Muslim Brotherhood threw Algeria into a civil war. Before the elections in Egypt and Tunisia the Brotherhood similarly made threats that they would take up arms if they got less support than they expected. In Libya the threats have gone even further and the democratic government seems there incapable of making decisions that go against the wishes of the Islamists.
We know how communism worked. Each "converted" country became a communist dictatorship that tried to export its ideology to its neighbors while making it impossible for its own citizens to get rid of communism. Just as communism Islamism has already been a powerful exporter of terrorism - with Osama bin Laden as its greatest success story - and of ideological fanaticism - as can be seen in many extremist mosques in Europe and the US. If this ideology is allowed to expand things will only get worse.
The Brotherhood has been accused of giving radicals a free hand - both to make hateful speeches and to commit violence, from pressuring women to cover their face to murdering opponents. When one reads about Chili under Allende one encounters similar - although less extreme - accusations.
The problem with this kinds of movements is that they stay around until the source has disappeared. Communism ended with the Soviet Union and similarly Islamism will only end once the Gulf States have become democracies.
Countries where such movements are important face an unsolvable dilemma. On the one hand they represent a large part of the population. Yet on the other hand they can not be expected to respect democratic rules. In my opinion in such circumstances it might be more important to focus on other aspects of democracy than elections - like freedom of speech and gathering and economic liberalization.
One example from a recent Debka report (Obama frowns on Egyptian army's alignment with Gulf regimes, coming crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood): Our intelligence sources disclose that the generals in Cairo now believe the Muslim Brotherhood regime deliberately turned a blind eye in the past year to the massive flow of weapons smuggled in from Libya into Sinai and onto the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. The Brotherhood, it appears, had been quietly accumulating an arsenal for the contingency of its downfall by setting up a clandestine armed "Center of Revolt" for resistance operations against any takeover of rule in Cairo. This Center of Revolt has set up a coalition with the armed Islamist gangs terrorizing Sinai. This was confirmed in the last 24 hours by Salafist statements, such as: "Sinai is the center of revolt against the military coup which deposed Mohamed Morsi as president." The generals realize the urgency of cutting down this Islamist terrorist-backed revolt before it spreads out of control to Cairo and the Suez cities of Port Said, Suez and Ismailia - not to mention the threat of sabotage to the international cargo and oil shipping traffic passing through the Suez Canal.


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Have chisel will chip!
Before recoiling in absolute incredulity that, deep in antiquity, oceangoing mariners from ancient Egypt landed on Australian shores, the evidence unearthed by Michael Terry, the veteran explorer of the Australian interior, should be investigated.
In 1961, on a mining exploration west of Alice Springs, near the Western Australian border, he spotted a carving of a rhinoceros-type animal, with short stumpy legs, a long upswept tail, and a curved back and horn. A short distance away, further search "revealed a horizontal human figure about seven feet long on a cliff face. . . . It seemed to have some kind of headdress, or helmet. There was a proper outline of anatomy. Whereas Aborigines are content to represent legs and arms by straight lines, this figure possessed ankles, calves, thighs and so on" ("Did Ptolemy Know of Australia?" Walkabout, August 1965). Six examples of a "ram's head" symbol were also found nearby. Both the "rhinoceros" and the horizontal figure were 30 feet above the present ground level, suggesting that the platform used by the carver had eroded away, testifying to their great age. Intrigued by this discovery, Terry embarked on further research into the whole question of pre-16th-century sightings and even landings on the southern continent. He reported that in 1891, Joseph Bradshaw found rock paintings in a cave near the Prince Regent River in Western Australia and quoted him as stating: "the most remarkable fact is that wherever a profile face in shown the features are of a most pronounced aquiline type, quite different from those of the natives we encountered. One might imagine himself viewing the painted walls of an ancient Egyptian temple."
Terry also documents the finding of a 2,200-year-old coin of Pharaoh Ptolemy IV (221–204 B.C.) by Andy Henderson in 1910, discovered while he was sinking a line of post holes across an Aboriginal track. The coin was two feet below the surface of a gravel ridge in a rain forest, inland from Taylor's Bay, 10 miles north of Cairns, a location that positively invites enticing speculation because the bay "is an obvious shelter from the south-east monsoon. I hazard that ancient mariners anchored there, and that some of the crew went ashore to explore the tableland, by way of the sole access, the Aboriginal walking-track. Possibly one carried a bag of coins which broke, or in some other way dropped the coin that Henderson retrieved" ("Australia's Unwritten History." Walkabout, August 1967).
Of course, it is always pleasant and diverting to indulge in flights of fancy but the impartial observer might conclude that Terry offers a sufficient core of hard facts to warrant further academic research.


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Chapter Operations
- Best Practices of BYU Alumni Chapters
- Chapter Positions
- Volunteers
- Chapter Leadership Transition
- BYU Alumni Activities Guidelines
- Ideas for Chapter Activities
Beginning an Alumni Chapter
Charter Application
A new chapter must submit an alumni charter application form to be considered for a BYU Alumni Chapter Charter. (Chapter Leader Training – Chapter Start up)
Charter Granting
The alumni chapter directors will review the alumni charter application forms and accept or deny a BYU Alumni Chapter Charter to new chapters
Charter Renewal
The alumni chapter directors will review the alumni charter application forms and accept or deny a BYU Alumni Chapter Charter to new chapters. Alumni chapter charter renewal will happen automatically as chapters submit the annual chapter event reports due at the end of August each year. These reports will be studied to verify that each chapter is meeting the chapter performance standards (True Blue Chapters).
Charter Maintenance
Compliant alumni chapters, those meeting the chapter performance standards, are recognized as regional organizations of BYU Alumni.
- Compliant chapters will receive the full service and support of the alumni staff.
- Compliant chapters are eligible to receive incentives offered by BYU Alumni
Charter Suspension
Non-compliant alumni chapters, those not meeting the chapter performance standards, will have their chapter charter suspended.
- Non-compliant chapters will receive limited service from alumni staff.
Charter Withdrawal
Chapters that remain non-compliant will have their chapter charter withdrawn.
- Non-compliant chapters must reapply for a charter to be recognized as a BYU alumni chapter.
Best Practices of BYU Alumni Chapters
Establishing a Good Chapter Board
A strong and supportive chapter board or chapter leadership committee is essential to the long-term health of a chapter. Members of this board understand the Spirit of the Y and have a passion for supporting BYU. They are willing to engage and take lead roles in connecting alumni. They identify others with passion by asking, "Who gets things done?" and then get them involved in the chapter. They also find representatives from various stakes in the area to ensure coverage of the entire chapter.
Make a Chapter Plan
How will your chapter work with local Church leaders? How can you assist those leaders in meeting the needs and desires of local wards and stakes? How will your chapter connect alumni to the university and reignite the feeling of the Spirit of the Y? What part will your chapter play in fulfilling BYU's divine mission?
Engage Volunteers
Who are the engaged alumni in your chapter? Develop a network of interested people and finding volunteers can be as easy as putting out a word-of-mouth request. The alumni association can provide lists of alumni in the area. From this list the affinity index and giving codes can be one marker for possible volunteers. Once a potential volunteer is identified, a direct invitation from the person they will be answering to is appropriate. Before extending the invitation, resolve the following questions:
- What responsibility will they be given?
- Who is this responsibility going to benefit?
- Why is this important enough to ask them to take this responsibility?
- How much time will be required to complete this responsibility?
Communication with alumni is critical. Alumni begin to see the chapter as a relevant entity as they receive regular communication from the chapter. This also leads to finding new people to get involved.
Email communication can be effective. Chapters can send a broadcast email to their chapter whenever they have a relevant message to share. Chapters are encouraged to increase the coverage of email addresses in their area by contacting the individuals without email address on their alumni lists and sharing that information with BYU. Keeping records current is essential to creating links and continuing links between alumni and the university.
LDS Church Recognition
Alumni chapter recognition from LDS Church leaders must be earned by each chapter in their own area. Each chapter should endeavor to discover the concerns and desires of the local church leaders and provide a way to meet those concerns.
Regular Board Meetings
A regular set of scheduled meetings is important for a well-functioning chapter. Regular meetings serve to solidify the board and allow the brainstorming of new ideas. Formal, working meetings are the norm, but informal board meetings at someone's home or yard are encouraged.
Dynamic Leadership
Chapter leaders should work closely with successors for a period of time to provide training and transition into new board positions. Chapter boards are strengthened as former chapter leaders continue to serve in the chapter but in more supporting positions. Prior experiences help them serve well while allowing the new leaders to focus on their current responsibilities.
Small Events
Themes can be assigned to "small events" and a hosting couple assigned to invite the participants. Participants should consist of known alumni as well as alumni new to the area or unknown to the hosting couple. Non-alumni community members can also be included. Here are a few ideas of event themes:
- BYU memories night
- "How we met at BYU" dinner
- Gatherings for a game-watch party
- Service activity such as writing letters to local BYU students including personal feelings and experiences while attending BYU
- Write letters to servicemen, or, have a small group invite over a family whose spouse is serving oversees
- Share inspirational BYU videos
The emphasis of these small activities is to build lifelong connections and relationships.
Chapter Positions
Keys to an Active, Dynamic Chapter
- Capable leaders who are passionate about supporting BYU and have the desire and time to work. One person cannot, and should not, do it all.
- Chapter leaders who recruit other alumni who also have a passion for supporting BYU. All who express interest should be involved.
- Volunteers who take service seriously so that events are successful.
- Task-specific committees with alumni who fulfill assignments without constant guidance.
Required Positions
1. Chapter Chair
|Co-chairs – serve with spouse when possible
|Length of Term
|2 – 4 years
|Time Involvement
|10 – 15 hours per month
2. Chapter Vice Chair - Director of Chapter Connections/Celebrations
|Co-chairs – serve with spouse when possible
|Length of Term
|1 – 2 years
Time Involvement
|5 – 10 hours per month
3. Chapter Vice Chair - Director of Social Media / Marketing
|Co-chairs – serve with spouse when possible
|Length of Term
|1 – 2 years
|Time Involvement
|5 – 10 hours per month
4.Secretary and/or Treasurer
|Can be separate positions
|Length of Term
|1 – 2 years
|Time Involvement
|3 – 6 hours per month
Highly Recommended Positions
Activites Coordinator(s)
|Length of Term
|1 – 2 years (or event-specific)
|Time Involvement
|Varies, 3 – 5 hours per month (varies according to event)
Fund Raising Coordinator
|Length of Term
|1 – 2 years (or campaign-specific)
|Time Involvement
|Varies, 2 – 4 hours per month
Replenishment Grant Coordinator
|Length of Term
|1 – 2 years
|Time Involvement
|Varies, 2 – 4 hours per month, more as grants are awarded
Emeritus Alumni Representative
|Length of Term
|Time Involvement
|Varies, as events require
Young Alumni Coordinator
|Length of Term
|2-4 years
|Time Involvement
|3-10 hours per month
Constituent Society Positions
- Management Society chapter president
- Law Society chapter president
- Cougar Club representative
- BYU-Idaho
- BYU-Hawaii
- Other BYU-affiliated organizations as they become known
Why People Volunteer
- They were asked to volunteer
- To feel needed and gain a sense of fulfillment
- To see children, neighbors or relatives benefit
- Religious reasons or a passion for the cause
- To gain experience that might help in a job search
- To meet new people and get networking opportunities
Recruiting Volunteers
- Do not assume that people are too busy. Sometimes busy people like to be busy.
- Be a friend and make sure they are welcomed.
- Do not belittle the job or make it sound too easy.
- Give the job a name, define a time frame, provide guidance and relay expectations.
- Make sure the task is achievable and the goal is obtainable. Do not add to the responsibilities during the job.
- Tell people what they will do, how long they are expected to do it, and who will benefit.
- People work for people, not things. Always recruit volunteers on the basis of the service to people, not the needs of the chapter.
- Remember that you are not trying to force them into volunteering, so never use guilt.
How to Find Volunteers
- Request a list of alumni that includes the affinity index. This index can help identify potential volunteers that may otherwise go unnoticed.
- Look to non-alumni (friends of BYU) and parents of current students as potential volunteers.
Chapter Leadership Transition
The alumni chapter chairs are the backbone of BYU Alumni in their area. The chairs' leadership and involvement are essential to the success of a chapter. When the time comes for a leadership change, please consider the following steps to make it a smooth process.
Duration of Assignment
A chapter chair serves a term of two to four years. This term can be shortened when circumstances deem it necessary. For the health of the chapter, this term should not be extended.
Selection of New Leader
- The chapter should create a search committee, which then selects a candidate.
- The Chapter Chair can be a part of this committee
- Though the Vice Chair/Director of Chapter Connections is a logical choice, others should be considered
- The candidate must meet the criteria outlined in the chapter chair job description.
- The Committee verifies the willingness of the candidate to serve as Chair
- A recommendation goes to the Alumni Board Chapter Director and the alumni staff.
- After receiving Alumni Board approval, the new chapter chair is installed.
Training of New Leader
- Chapter chair is responsible for training.
- It is recommended that the candidate serve as the vice chair and works closely with the chapter chair.
- It is recommended, though not required, that a new candidate attend the annual BYU Chapter Conference before taking over as chapter chair.
- The candidate must be familiar with chapter finances and BYU Alumni reporting procedures. He or she must know how to plan and manage an event.
Turning Over the Reins
- The announcement of a new chapter chair should be made in a public setting.
- A new chapter leader should be appointed during a time of beginning and planning and not just before a big event.
- The first responsibility of the new chapter chair is to honor and recognize the service of the previous chapter chair.
- The former chapter chair should remain involved in a capacity that will help ease the transition.
BYU Alumni Activities Guidelines
These policies apply to all BYU Alumni entities, including Aspen Grove, chapters, and affinity groups.
Standards of Conduct
While participating in BYU Alumni activities, individuals shall abide by the generally accepted standards of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as determined by BYU in its sole discretion. This includes abiding by high standards of moral character, chastity, modesty, honesty, respect for personal and property rights, obeying the laws of the land, and abstaining from alcohol, tobacco, tea, coffee and inappropriate use of drugs. (This statement should appear on advertising, tickets, programs, promotional materials, Website, emails, etc. related to the activity.)
Guidelines for Activities
BYU Alumni encourages activities that strengthen an alumnus' or alumna's ties with BYU and fellow alumni, promote supportive relationships with current students, provide opportunities to go forth to serve in local communities, and help BYU accomplish its objectives. Acceptable alumni-sponsored activities should support the mission of the university "to assist individuals in their quest for perfection and eternal life. . ." through "education that is spiritually strengthening, intellectually enlarging, character building, and leading to lifelong learning and service."
Activities should have a clear BYU purpose, help promote the Spirit of the Y, and connect alumni for good. Activities should be as inclusive as possible so all alumni can participate, and family, friends, and neighbors where appropriate. Activities such as the following are suggested:
- Reunions
- Service projects (community, church, or BYU-oriented)
- Career networking
- Job fairs
- Mentoring interns and recent grads
- Recent-grad transition efforts
- New-student send-off parties
- Funding replenishment grants
- Lectures, workshops, seminars
- Tailgate parties
- Hosting BYU performing arts groups or athletic teams
- Firesides
- Socials
Activities that have the potential of causing bodily injury or property damage, or that would be considered high risk, need written approval from the alumni relations office. Examples of activities that would require such approval include, but are not limited to, triathlons, marathons, white-water rafting, spelunking, rappelling, etc.
Activities that may exclude participants due to expense, marital status, age, physical ability, etc., should be reviewed with the alumni relations office.
Political Neutrality
BYU alumni are welcome and encouraged to engage in the political process as individuals. However, consistent with BYU's Political Neutrality Policy, BYU alumni chapters, affinity groups, and other BYU entities should not participate or intervene in the political campaign of any political candidate or use any of the resources of the alumni association, including the name of the university or any mailing lists or member contact information, to support any candidate or position. This prohibition on participation and intervention extends to fundraising, campaign contributions, endorsements, invitations to speak, official communications (like emails or newsletters), and any other activities that favor or oppose a candidate or position. Alumni and affinity groups should seek approval from the alumni relations office before engaging in any political activity.
High Risk Events and Liability
When planning or organizing an event that may be considered "High Risk" such as; 5K's, 10K's, obstacle courses, rock climbing, climbing walls, river rafting, fitness activities, bounce houses, bull riding machines, travel, etc., please do the following.
- Visit the following website to see a flowchart/checklist for Special Events: https://risk.byu.edu/insurance/events.php
- Consider using/contracting with a third party vendor to provide/promote and or operate your event. All vendor contracts should be reviewed by BYU's Insurance Manager and the Office of General Counsel prior to signing per the university's Legal Document Policy.
- If using a third party vendor, insure that they have adequate insurance (General Liability, Commercial Auto Liability, and Workers' Compensation) and that they will name your Chapter, BYU Alumni and BYU as Additional Insureds.
- If you have any questions regarding these issues, please call BYU Risk Management for clarification or assistance. 801 422- 4468 or firstname.lastname@example.com
Ideas for Chapter Activities
- Provide volunteers for a local literacy program.
- "Adopt a school"- work with the principal and parent teacher organization to help provide needed materials, repairs or volunteers.
- Offer tutoring services to secondary schools or workshops to Boys & Girls Clubs
- Have young alumni who are home for the summer plan a back-to-school activity/freshman sendoff.
- "Life-long Learning"- anything from small study groups to "Chapter Education Day"
- Local tour or expedition
- Sponsor a youth education fair to inform and encourage academic preparation among pre-high school youth and their parents. Use staff people from BYU, BYU-Idaho, LDS Institute and local schools
Sports Events
- Sponsor a pre- or post-game party for local and out-of-town alumni.
- Organize local participation to an athletic event via bus, car, plane, etc.
- Sponsor TV satellite tailgate parties - invite alumni of other schools to participate.
- Conduct BYU sports clinics in conjunction with local high school.
- Fitness workshops
- Support a regional replenishment grant fund-raising campaign.
- Sponsor a performance featuring a BYU performing group (Young Ambassadors, Folk Dancers, Vocal Point, etc.)
- Annual BYU dinner dance
- Party or picnic for alumni and their families
- Founder's Day dinners/activities in local area
- Sponsor a golf tournament
- 5K or 10K Run
- "Go forth to serve" according to community needs; provide service to effect positive changes.
- "Christmas in April" is a national organization that oversees one-day housing repair programs in needy areas. April 25 is the target date for this event.
- Take the members of a local home for the handicapped or elderly on a picnic.
- Participate in planning or running local "Special Olympics".
- Volunteer at a local telethon phone bank: Children's Miracle Network, PBS, for example.
- Prepare and deliver a complete Thanksgiving Day meal to several needy families.
- As an entrance fee to a major chapter event, have everyone bring a food item (or several) to be donated to a local food bank.
- Volunteer as one-day coordinators to give others a break. Call hospitals, daycare centers, Meals on Wheels, shelters, food kitchens, etc., and arrange for chapter members to fill in for short-term shifts while the fulltimers get a vacation day.
Firesides/Education Lectures and Seminars
- Events driven by a specific topic
- Events driven by a specific personality
- Speaker's Bureau/Traveling Faculty
- Job Fair – invite recruiters and representatives from local businesses to set up booths and discuss job opportunities.
- Coordinate efforts with LDS Employment Services.
- Employment workshops – local recruiters, human resource professionals and BYU career search professionals can teach the interested alumni job searching and interviewing strategies.
- On-line career networking at http://alumnicareers.byu.edu
- "Pie social" Chapter members buy tickets for the refreshments (pie!) They also get an evening of visiting with and listening to a BYU professor share experiences, research, travels, etc.
- A touring caravan to historical locations sponsored by chapter alumni
- Back-to-School dance
- Pioneer Day picnic
- Barbecue


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The Diversity of Christianism & Culture Differences
There's just this certainty that God made us unique individuals for us to work with one another and unite as one body of Christ, making the saying "No man is an island" valid. As we look upon diversity deeper, there are different religions, culture and practices formed. Some of the product of diversity/differences are tattooing, social drinking and inside church etiquettes (proper dress attire/behaviour during service).
I have the right to do anything, you say--but not everything is beneficial. I have the right to do anything--but not everything is constructive. 1 Cor. 10:23 -Ghay Sagabaen,
|Renz Samson
My Body must be kept as holy as I can. Because God is Holy. As simple as that.
|Ericson Guinto
I am a conservative Christian.. Though I can influence others to the way I live as a Christian, it's still up to them to follow.. I go for Ghay's argument... as long as it pleases God, go on... because each of us have a different calling/purpose...
Do everything for the Glory of God. That's the very key, to remember that it's all about God. But never forget, indeed God is passionate for His Glory and the same way He is mindful for you in any means. So why allow something that someday could ruin your life? Just be careful with your motives because it can drive your life.-Ephraim Termulo, iameph.tumblr.com
27 comments
What you have written is in line with the Purpose Drive Life by Rick Warren.ReplyDeleteReplies
Oh, that's nice to know MUN, as i haven't read that famous book though! :) this is really interesting to know.Delete
I agree with Renz Samson... I also believed that our body is our God's temple so it is our responsibility to take care of it.. honestly, I'm quite guilty about it kaso I know for the fact na I have been abusing my body for a long time pero I remember din may nagsabi sa akin na even your body is physically weak, you have to make sure that you are spiritually strongReplyDeleteReplies
Hi Milton, well,, i we're all guilty on that "fleshy things" Christian or not--i'd say more of the religious side (im talking about those other religion) because we have dilemma and convictions in us if we do a thing or not... i know you feel that too.. you dont want your soul do it but your body tells you to...Delete
it's all the matter of self-control and that is indeed a deeper level of faith! :)
You sum it up well in your last paragraph. We are free to choose. And that's a great reason right there to know the Word of God so we can always make those right choices! Interesting to have all the interviews!ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks mary! i agree with you on this.Delete
Change your links! I got my own domain! Woot!ReplyDelete
It's interesting nonetheless. I was raised a Christian but my mother was false about her commitment to god and it ultimately turned me off to religion and god in general. I believe faith itself is a prison and an open hand depending on the person, and it was sung beautifully in the song Augustine by Vienna Teng. Check her out <3Replies
Too much love can really kill. Just look at Jesus. He loves us too much that he died for us. This is the kind of loving that we should have. Loving even unto death so as we can have life eternal.ReplyDeleteReplies
That's the best example of love we should all follow ish... i agree to you on this.Delete
I've read somewhere just recently how sad it is that the more religious some people are the more judgmental they become. That instead of becoming more loving, more forgiving, they become more concerned about how right they are and they look down on people "less holier" than they are.ReplyDelete
I believe the true sign of Christian maturity or any religion's maturity for that matter is having respect towards other people's beliefs, being more forgiven and definitely now highlighting how right you are to belittle others. That's just so wrong.Replies
True, i guess i was like that before when i started as a Christian, i'd agree as well that as you mature, you realize that the more the person sin, the more we should love them... but that's for those who don' t know Christ himself-- but for those who already know the truth, that's wickedness already, and it will surely be condemned.Delete
love those who dont know Christ yet!
I echo Mary/Saleslady371's comment! Great post.ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks linda. :)Delete
Our Pastor once talked about "disputable matters" - things that are neither black nor white in the Bible. But his examples were not so much on the extremes as tattoos and alcohol, more on the gray areas in other Christian cultures like whether or not women should wear pants to church or should the people be allowed to color their hair. His point is that there was nothing in the Bible about it (directly or indirectly), it's disputable or preferential. I don't stumble at the sight of a man with a piercing and we've had heavily tattooed international Christian bands on stage (most of them got inked before they were saved though), and you'll see kids in our church with rainbow hair colors. If it doesn't affect your relationship with God, then I don't see why it can't be done.ReplyDelete
That said, there are commands in the Bible against some of these issues. Sometimes, indirectly. Honestly, I like that the church dissuades people from drinking (not to be a hypocrite though, I used to drink) because drinking does lead to drunkenness. And the book of Proverbs has got a lot of things to say about drunkenness! When people argue that Jesus used to drink wine, it's usually because they fail to put context. Did you know that wine was used to put in the water for purification back then?
In any case, on some matters we can agree to disagree. :) What's most important is we remain Biblical Christians more than cultural Christians. And love! Despite our disagreements, love!Replies
This is so true here dani!: "What's most important is we remain Biblical Christians more than cultural Christians. And love! Despite our disagreements, love!"Delete
Keep the peace, spread the love. Love thy enemy, love thy neighbour as thou love thyself. They will know we are Christians by our love. Period.ReplyDeleteReplies
Truth, everything should be driven by love, in everything that we do, it should be love still. :)Delete
diversity is what makes humanity rich but it's also what makes it frustrating when we try to relate with others ... it's a fascinating subject to debate, but i think in the end, because we're all so diverse, the one thing that's difficult for a lot of people to cultivate is empathy ... and it's the absence or lack of empathy that is perhaps the root of many of our problems in society ...ReplyDeleteReplies
And also, people did not understand that through diversity we become more less of ourselves (in a good manner), making us needing other people in a common goal. :)Delete
nice to hear this thought from you sean! :)
It's best if believers will be reminded of Jesus wordReplyDelete
"Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division." Luke 12:51
Engaging the culture is not Jesus' intention from the very beginning, we can take the cue from Jesus life, works and words.Replies
I agree to that as well sonnie, uhm hum, and if only would everyone realize that Jesus should be the center of everything, therefore, i think this world would be a better place. :)Delete
I would agree with 1 Cor. 10:23!ReplyDelete
We are entitled to so many things, but we must not abuse the entitlement that was bestowed upon us. There's no such thing as absolute right or freedom. We have to be more responsible in our actions and act as mature Christians.Replies
"There's no such thing as absolute right or freedom." I agree to you on this, the problem with people today is that, they thought that nothing in this world is limited, they would abuse everything until it's too late.Delete
I hope everyone would get the idea of what you said, and from that, somehow, this world would be a a better place! :)
Our body is God's temple, so what should you do on the temple of God? take care of it and never stain nor put dirt on it.ReplyDelete
God Bless you Steve.
More Power
Exact thought mac, thanks for sharing! :)Delete
Thanks for the comment bud! I want conversations going, so i'll reply to you soon. KEEP YOURSELF UPDATED, Subscribe now with my email rss and like this site on facebook and blog connect.
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Ho Ho Chop SueySchaumburg Map
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This tiny spot serves up typical Americanized Chinese fare like fried rice, sweet and sour chicken and chop suey. If you like your food spicy, just ask and they'll kick it up a notch. Bring cash and know that Ho Ho is carryout only; you'll want to order 15 to 25 minutes before you plan on dropping by.


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What Is the Average Cost of Disposing of Asbestos? Average Disposing of Asbestos Price
Several factors such as type and amount of material determine the cost of disposing of asbestos. The average cost of disposing of asbestos is $1,000. Mostly the fee is charged taking into account the total square feet area, whereas in some cases it is fixed based on location and whether it is asbestos ceiling removal or siding removal. It may also depend on how much contaminated material requires to be removed from the disposal site. Asbestos is a potential hazardous substance which may cause serious health problems such as pneumonia and lung and abdomen cancer, if absorbed inside the body. Asbestos disposal is not needed always or as long as it is not damaged. The Environment Protection Agency recommends leaving asbestos intact if not damaged.
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