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General Highlights:
Another birthday month has come and gone. I celebrated 37 at Loflin Yard a few days in advance, in a co-birthday party with Alanna and a lot of great friends. On my actual birthday, my parents took Matt and me to Flight, my favorite restaurant!
The current focus of my life is the CLA/CP exam to become a certified paralegal. I've been classified as a paralegal at work for a year and a half and decided I might as well be a licensed one. I'm taking the exam in mid-September, i.e. attempting to teach myself in two months what many people go to school for months or years to learn. So I know it'll be understandable if I don't pass all five sections on the first try, but I'm trying for a sweep. In any case, I wasn't willing to wait until January (the next test period) to do the only thing I can really do for my career right now. I naturally test well and there's no reason not to give it a shot. Even if I fail a couple of sections, it'll be progress. I'm hoping to share tips and some of my experience after the fact.
I won Glennon Melton's new memoir, Love Warrior, on Goodreads and read the entire thing under a tree in Overton Park one Sunday afternoon. With this book, Glennon claimed her permanent place on my panel of personal gurus. I connect with her and her message on a level I don't have words for.
I'm still not sure how I feel about Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. I enjoyed it, but it felt… unreal, in the context of the wizarding world we know. Maybe I'll like it more and/or sort out my thoughts on subsequent readings.
I finally checked out the first volume of the latest Shadowhunters trilogy, and I think its themes are the most interesting and complex yet! I also love the increasing overlap between old (some really old) and new characters.
With so many words in my head from studying, Netflix has been more appealing this month. Matt convinced me to start Parks & Rec at last, and I started How to Get Away with Murder because it's set in law school and might help me. It's not my usual type of show, but I'm loving it. I also watched The Big Short last week and think it should be required viewing for everyone. Preferably before the election. Seriously.
Like everyone else, I spent most of August watching the Olympics. It's a biennial sobfest for me. I've always felt attached to Michael Phelps, I think because he reminds me a lot of my brother, and am so glad he had a great last Olympic experience.
I signed up for Sling TV so I could watch all the Olympic channels, then found out the basic package I chose didn't include them. I think I'll hold onto it for at least another month, though, since it comes with two ESPNs and football is about to start. I got rid of cable several years ago and only miss the sports.
The Shipping Room podcast (about all kinds of fictional couples) has become my personal runner-up to Best of Friends Podcast. I also enjoy the occasional Hamilcast!
Around Town:
Gwen and I went to Crosstown Arts for Fish, an immersive experience with light and digital images projected onto line paintings of fish and other marine stuff. It was a refreshing activity on a hot summer afternoon.
My church held another Civil Pour event at Loflin Yard, inviting people to come discourse politely about our current political climate. I showed up to honor this bravery, though I didn't say anything, and everyone did remain civil. It's possible!
In honor of Elvis's Death Week, the Flying Saucer made an elf Elvis pint glass. My birthday has been overshadowed by Elvis's death day all my life, so I had to have it.
A big group of us went to Choose 901 slash Grit & Grind night at the Redbirds. #MemphisUnited
A few months ago I splurged on a perfect pair of leopard-print flats on Poshmark. Unfortunately, the previous owner had stretched them out so badly, they wouldn't stay on for one step, despite multiple attempts to shrink or pad them. This month I finally caved and spent as much again on a brand-new pair from the Steve Madden website. Moral of the story: never buy shoes with no return policy, even if it's a brand I know.
Matt and I went to Land Between the Lakes for a weekend. I'd been once with my parents two years ago, but that was a Jetski-focused trip. We did a couple of short hikes and checked out the nature center, elk and bison range (twice!), and planetarium. One year from our visit, LBL will be directly in the path of a solar eclipse, and the planetarium staff are very excited! Due to rain, we never got to swim, so I still don't know where the good public beaches are. But it's a very pretty area with lots of animals!
Random Happiness:
Here's hoping.
Over the summer I participated in a prayer class through my church, and a few of us are continuing on in a "story group" (one of the new types of groups my church launched this month). Being involved in this diverse group, getting to know these people and learning about prayer in a new and liberating way, has already had a noticeable positive impact on my life. I feel a sense of security and connection that I didn't have just a couple of months ago. The plan is for us to start serving on the prayer team too, which is crazy to me, since a stalled prayer life is what drove me to the class in the first place. (One of the many things I'd love to write about here if I had time.) I'm thankful and a little excited.
Your Monthly Rufus:
Pinterest Quote of the Month:
Posts I Loved:
♥ Abernathy Bland, making me cry as usual, wrote a beautiful reflection on the life and death of her Aunt Sissy.
♥ Mark Manson: Is It Just Me, Or Is the World Going Crazy?
♥ Abby Norman on the Final Five: Patriarchy and Performance
♥ Heather Caliri: Do You Wish You Could Change Your Story?
♥ Mayim Bialik on O.J.: Made in America (when is this coming to streaming?).
♥ Amy at The Messy Middle: Holding the Long View in Mind
♥ C. Jane Kendrick's desert adventure with her three young daughters made me smile.
9 Comments + Posted in: what i'm into
General Highlights:
July 2016: 95 degrees outside, 65 degrees inside. Daily thunderstorms, political conventions, unrest all over the world, and Pokemon everywhere you look.
The Fourth of July is my favorite holiday. I used to throw a big party every year, but these days I'd rather just enjoy it without the work and stress. Matt and I went to a party at Wes's apartment and then a bunch of us went to the Redbirds game. Instead of my usual flag cake, I branched out into a no-bake cheesecake (I say it counts as flag-ish since it had artfully arranged berries on top).
My friends Carol and Taylor got married. It was a good time with the whole friend group!
After hearing lots of advance praise around the blogosphere, I pre-ordered Bromleigh McClenaghan's Good Christian Sex and found it encouraging and refreshing. Christian culture desperately needs a more nuanced, realistic discussion about this topic, and I'm thankful to Bromleigh for starting it.
I also read another installment of Miranda Kenneally's Hundred Oaks series, and made a special library run for the final 5th Wave book, The Last Star.
Stranger Things on Netflix hooked me right from the trailer. I'm not much of a binge-watcher, but at only eight episodes, this show is a reasonable time commitment and very enjoyable. It's like if Stephen King wrote Super 8.
My mom and I spontaneously decided to see Weird Al Yankovic on his Mandatory Fun Tour! I've loved Weird Al since I was a kid, but had never been to one of his shows. He played for over two hours and changed costumes so many times I lost count. The expected Kurt Cobain impression and Star Wars finale were great, but my favorite part was during "Wanna B Ur Lovr" when he came out into the audience in a flame-printed suit and hit on a bunch of ladies. HILARIOUS.
Around Town:
A few months ago I raised some money for Operation Broken Silence, a local organization of filmmakers raising awareness about the war in Sudan. Last weekend was their annual fundraiser, Good People Good Beer. Ashley went with me and we had a great time!
I also went to a beer class at Wiseacre, focusing on their newest beer, Lord Skylark. It's a pale ale with Earl Grey tea and I liked it a lot!
I've been spending a lot of time at Loflin Yard, which is basically a big backyard downtown with live music, hula hoops for anyone's use, and amazing food and drinks. It's especially great on a Sunday evening. Once I rode my bike there!
The college dorm I lived in for three happy years is being torn down. I went over to pay my last respects, assuming they were going to implode it. Apparently it's too close to other buildings for a safe implosion, so they're taking it down very slowly with one wrecking ball. It's a terrible slow death for my former home. I only hope they're saving some bricks for alumni!
I've been loving this Shea Moisture water mint shampoo for a while now. It feels especially amazing after sweating in the heat. When I ran out of conditioner this month, I decided to try one of the new Garnier Whole Blends conditioners. This coconut oil kind has made my hair a lot sleeker without weighing it down, and it's cheaper than anything else I've used recently. Thumbs up!
Random Happiness:
Matt recently earned a plate at Flying Saucer, which meant a party and dramatic unveiling of the plate! It was a fun night. You have to drink 200 different beers to get there, so we'll be having my plate party in about five years.
As a longtime ambassador of McAlister's tea, I couldn't miss Free Tea Day. My mom went to two different locations and snagged this shirt for me!
It's so hot, I can't run more than a mile outside anymore without feeling sick. It really started to mess with my head, which is NO GOOD in running. I decided trying to force it was doing more harm than good, and I should focus on something else for a while. A great yoga studio near my house ran a special over Fourth of July weekend, and I splurged on a three-month membership! I've been going to at least two classes a week and already feel stronger. Enhanced tone and flexibility will only help me when I start training again in the fall. I think it's helping my mental health too.
My all-time favorite former Tiger, D.J. Stephens, was signed to the Grizzlies last week after three years of busting it overseas and in D-leagues! I've been waiting for this since he graduated, and was so happy I started dancing (silently) in my cubicle and texting people in all caps. He's earned this and I really hope he gets a good shot.
Your Monthly Rufus:
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On The Blog:
I wrote extensively about my PRK eye surgery – the prep and surgery, and the recovery. If anyone is considering PRK and has more questions, let me know! I read A LOT of personal accounts when preparing for the surgery and want to pass that on. I have officially measured 20/20 one month out, so I'm thrilled with my results.
Posts I Loved:
Some months I struggle to find enough posts for this category, but I deeply relate to and/or salute every one of these!
♥ Two of the best posts I read about current events in our country: Michelle Alexander at Medium: Something more is required of us now. What? and, from my friend Bethany, There Are No Words.
♥ Melanie Dale at The Mudroom: Your Marriage Doesn't Have to Look Like Anyone Else's.
♥ Ask Polly: Am I Too Needy to Love?
♥ Samantha Field: What Does It Take to Be a Christian?
♥ Tina Muir: Being an Athlete vs. Being a Skinny Girl Who Runs. I'm not sure how I came across Tina Muir, but I appreciate her so much!
♥ Katie Elizabeth Hawkes: You Don't Know Your Story Yet
♥ Suzanne Falter: 10 Sure Signs of Growth
♥ Allison Arnone: You've Changed
♥ And, not applicable to me in any way, but purely enjoyable: Design Mom: A Perfect Day in Paris with Kids
2 Comments + Posted in: what i'm into
The Recovery
In the three months between my consult and my surgery, I read every PRK blog post I could find. Most stories were positive; a few were angry and regretful. These perspectives helped me go into PRK with correct expectations. I knew there was no way to predict my outcome, even a best-case scenario would involve some pain and frustration, and it could be months before my vision was consistently clear. Also, due to the severity of my astigmatism, there was a slight chance the surgery wouldn't work and I'd need a re-do in six months (this was covered in my package). I believe knowing exactly what I was getting into made my experience easier, since all physical challenges are a mental game to some degree.
I stayed with my parents for the first few days following PRK. They were willing to take care of me, and I didn't think being alone immediately was a good idea. After my surgery (which was in the early afternoon on a Thursday), I slept for a couple of hours as recommended, then stayed up until a normal bedtime. My light sensitivity was off the charts – I had to wear sunglasses in the house and could still see perfectly without turning any lights on – but other than that, I felt fine! I didn't feel pain, just some irritation. (I'll come back to this later.)
On Friday morning, my mom took me to my post-op appointment. My vision was 20/25 in one eye and 20/30 in the other, after less than 24 hours! After that, I relaxed around the house and took a long afternoon nap. My vision seemed pretty clear, and my eyes only felt tired. I was even able to go to dinner with friends (wearing a hat and sunglasses). On the way back to their house, I told my parents how pleasantly surprised I was, and how lucky I felt. I knew the third day was the worst for a lot of people, but everything was going so well, I thought I might be home free. Spoiler alert: Not so much!
When I woke up on Saturday, I could tell this wouldn't be another easy day. My eyes felt really bad, and drops didn't help. After a few hours lying on the couch in increasing pain, I decided it might help to get out and distract myself. So, against her better judgment, my mom agreed to take me to the Bath & Body Works annual sale. It was a venture straight out of Allie Brosh. Within two minutes of entering B&BW, it became nearly impossible to focus my eyes on anything. I felt my way around the sale displays, grasping at lotions and body washes. To get to the register, I had to stumble through the visual minefield in the middle of the store – bright spotlights pointed at very shiny candle lids. Somehow I paid for my stuff, but bumped into a few other shoppers trying to find my mother. She quickly checked out and led me out into the mall… where I noticed that New York & Company was having an 80% off sale. Moments earlier I'd been wondering how I was going to get to the car, but now I was like "Wait! Let me see if I can regroup." But I was already on a downward spiral. After a few minutes' pause, I couldn't even get my eyes open to put drops in them for relief. By the time we got back to the house, my mom had to physically lead me to bed. The pain was a solid 8/10 – it felt like needles stabbing my eyes. The knowledge that it was just my nerves reconnecting and my eye tissue regrowing did not help AT ALL.
Missing my own bed and my cat, I still wanted to go home as originally planned for that day. My mom reminded me that I had some hydrocodone, but I didn't want to be so out of it that I couldn't leave. (I also stubbornly did not want to let the pain beat me.) So, after a nap, my boyfriend came to take me home. I powered through the dinner my parents had cooked, but once Matt put me in the car, I was pretty incoherent. The moment I was settled at home, I took the hydrocodone and went to bed, where I slept blissfully for twelve hours. When I woke up Sunday morning, the pain was gone, never to return! I had a pain hangover all day, though, and my vision was terrible. My doctor had explained that the vision fluctuations happen because brand-new eye tissue is "bumpy." It felt like I'd regrown my whole eyes in one day, so at least the loss of my vision progress made sense.
I planned for a week off from work, and needed it. I couldn't drive or do much, so I mostly relaxed at home, doing small chores and "watching" a lot of Friends, since I can enjoy it without seeing every minute. On Wednesday, almost a week after the surgery, my mom took me to another follow-up. The doctor removed my bandage contacts and cleared me to drive. As I'd expected from my research, my vision took another hit once the contacts came out. They're not corrective, but they protect the new tissue, and the eye gets used to them. Even so, I was relieved to be free of them.
I worked half a day from home on Thursday and Friday, my face inches from the computer screen. By noon on both days, my eyes were exhausted and I was very ready to hang it up. Thankfully, Fourth of July weekend would give me some extra time to heal and rest, and it proved to be the turning point. On Saturday night, July 2, Matt and I went out with some of his friends. I realized on the way to dinner that my vision was so good, and my eyes felt so normal, I hadn't thought about them in several hours. On the Fourth, for the first time, I was able to read a magazine without strain. Happy Independence Day to me!
Since that weekend, my vision has been stable and good. At my one-month follow-up on July 20, I was confirmed 20/20 and discharged from my surgeon. My vision won't be officially "set" for about six months, but I have no complaints about what I've got!
Notes and Observations
♦ Most people who've had PRK say the post-surgery irritation feels like sand or dust in your eye. That's a fair take, but I'd describe it as like a contact lens went in badly, or had something on it. None of the write-ups I read mentioned the psychological toll this takes when all your life, that feeling has meant danger to your eye (keratitis feels similar). It took me a few days to understand why I had a constant sense of low-grade panic. Even then, I didn't get over the alarm until the bandage contacts came out and I could be sure that any weird feeling in my eye was not caused by a harmful foreign object. If you're considering PRK and have a history of difficult eyes like I do, be aware.
♦ My new vision is crisper than it ever was with glasses or contacts. My astigmatism was so bad, I figure I never had a contact lens that sat exactly like it was supposed to. Colors are also more vivid. I thought I must be imagining that, but I talked to a friend who had PRK 20 years ago, and she had the same experience. I think it has something to do with the new shape of the eye refracting light differently?
♦ My eyes are definitely shaped differently now. When I pat my eyelids, I can tell they're less bulgy. My eyes never fully closed before PRK, and I've been sleeping in a sleep mask for three years to prevent problems. But as far as I can tell, my eyes close all the way now! I'm still using the sleep mask most of the time as a precaution, but can probably quit it eventually. Also: over the years, I've amassed a collection of high-end, guaranteed-no-pinch eyelash curlers. Every one of them pinched me… but now they don't! Between that and no more tight sleep mask flattening them, I'm on my way to killer eyelashes. Vain, but exciting.
♦ I haven't had the severe eye dryness many patients experience. I use preservative-free moisturizing drops several times a day, but don't always feel like I need them. However, I'm sensitive to the cold, dry air in my office building. It hit me like a brick wall on my first day back at work and is still bothering me. I feel fine everywhere else. I'm happy with my choice to get PRK in summer – the heat and humidity probably helped, even with the extra bright light to deal with those first few days.
♦ My halos have been limited to a slight glow around bright lights, sort of a smudge if I'm looking directly at the light. It's barely noticeable and should go away over time. Honestly, I think I had a halo-like issue before, because this seems like an improvement.
♦ Don't underestimate the impact of overall health on your PRK experience. I decided to have the surgery now partly because I'm in a healthy and strong moment of my life. I think that contributed to my positive outcome. I also cannot recommend vitamins and supplements strongly enough: minimum, a daily multivitamin, fish oil, and vitamin C. I took extra vitamin C gummies every day for a month on the advice of a friend who had cataract surgery. It speeds healing. I'm also a big believer in probiotics – I take refrigerated capsules, but if yogurt or kefir or whatever is preferable to you, knock yourself out.
I'm only a month out from PRK, so nothing is set in stone yet. I'm also aware that I'll probably still need reading glasses as my eyes age. But as of now, getting PRK is one of the best decisions I've ever made. It's truly miraculous that after a lifetime of half-blindness, I can lay under a laser for two minutes and get up with functioning eyeballs. I was prepared for a worst-case scenario, but got a best-case instead, and I feel incredibly thankful and lucky. Yay for sight!
4 Comments + Posted in: health, milestone, thankful
I had PRK vision surgery three weeks ago, and I think it's safe to say it was a success! Throughout the process, I read LOTS of information and personal accounts about the surgery, and I believe that good preparation was key to my correct expectations and overall great experience. I've also gotten a lot of questions from people who are considering it for themselves. So here's the story of how I was once (legally) blind, but now I see!
The Backstory
I started wearing glasses in first grade. I probably needed them earlier, but it wasn't obvious until I couldn't see the chalkboard. When I was fourteen, my parents finally allowed me to get contacts – at great cost to them, since at the time, the only lenses that worked with my severe astigmatism cost $100 each. No matter how careful I was, the contacts tore and needed to be replaced often. I didn't have access to mainstream, disposable contacts until well into my 20s.
My vision life as I knew it ended in November 2013, when I got keratitis in my left eye. The experience resulted in a stack of medical bills and a permanent prohibition on full-time contacts wear. I was in glasses for four solid months, which was torture after 20 years out of them. Once healed, I figured out a compromise of wearing my glasses until lunchtime on weekdays. I got used to it, but was frustrated by how much longer it took to get ready "blind" on weekday mornings. With less contact support, my eyes also started deteriorating a little faster (I was -7.5 with a 180 axis, if that means anything to you). I also lived in constant fear of getting another eye infection and being banned from contacts entirely. LASIK or anything like it had always sounded impossible for me. I was horrified by the idea of being conscious while someone held my eye open and did stuff to it. But one blurry morning about six months ago, I thought, This is my reality for the rest of my life. This will never change, and my eyes will only continue to get worse. Maybe I'm finally annoyed enough to do something about it.
The Prep
At my eye checkup in March, I asked my doctor about vision correction surgery. He immediately said I was a good candidate and recommended PRK, not LASIK. Both procedures are common and involve a laser. Here's my quick and dirty explanation of the differences (squeamish alert):
LASIK: A flap is cut in the eye and folded back over once the laser has done its corrective work. Pros: cheaper procedure; immediate vision stability; minimal recovery time. Cons: permanently altered night vision (halos) for many; risk of corneal damage with subsequent concussions or other head injuries.
PRK: The top (epithelial) layers of the eye are essentially scraped off by a surgeon before the laser portion of the surgery. Those layers then regenerate over a few days/weeks/months, eventually resulting in a whole and functioning eye. Pros: fully intact eyes with no long-term risks or night halos; preferred surgery of most ophthalmologists, athletes, and the military; regrowing your eyeballs makes you feel like Wolverine. Cons: longer, more painful healing and recovery; vision can take up to six months to fully stabilize.
Since I'd done some research, I wasn't surprised that my doctor thought PRK was the better choice for me. I accepted his referral to Eye Specialty Group in East Memphis and went for a consult two weeks later. A friend who'd had LASIK years ago advised me the appointment would be quick and easy. Well, I was there for four hours, saw at least as many doctors and nurses, and was given a dilation drop that effectively blinded me until the following morning. On the plus side, the staff didn't miss a thing. My only (amused) complaint was having to sign surgery paperwork I couldn't read for myself after the dilation drop took effect. ("I'm a contract administrator," I told the counselor. "I'm not comfortable with this.") I knew I'd need a week or so off from work after the surgery, and I also didn't want to do it around any big trips or other events. So I scheduled a date three months out – the first really open space in my calendar – and the wait began.
Around the beginning of June, I started doing whatever I could to prep for a good PRK experience. Many people say vitamin C and fish oil have an especially positive effect on recovery. I've been on a serious daily regimen – multivitamins, fish oil, probiotics, other supplements – for years, but I added vitamin C gummies to the routine. Following instructions, I got rid of my contacts three weeks prior to surgery and started a series of eye drops the week of, as well as Gabapentin, which is some sort of nerve blocker. The Gabapentin caused what my boyfriend calls "buffering," where it took me about ten extra seconds to process things. (I continued to take it until a few days after the surgery, and while I know it helped with pain, I felt much clearer and more alert once I was off of it.)
The Procedure
On Thursday, June 23, my mom took me to the surgery center in Collierville. We checked in around 1 PM, and a nurse took me back for a final set of tests and measurements. I was starting to get nervous, but she was so kind and reassuring. As a person who constantly mixes up numbers, I'd been anxious about all my measurements going into the laser correctly, and it did me good to see how thorough the staff was. After I waited for a few more minutes with my mom, another nurse brought me into a lounge-y prep area. She gave me a Xanax, then covered my hair, put a bunch of drops in my eyes, cleaned the area around my eyes, and left me to chill out briefly. I felt a little skeptical that a Xanax would be strong enough for this procedure (I'd never taken it before), but I was mellower by the time she returned to take me into the operating room.
PRK is a very quick procedure – only about ten minutes. I lay down in a flat chair (like a dentist's chair but more comfortable) and received another slew of numbing eye drops. A nurse handed me a small stuffed animal to hold onto, which I was unashamed to take. The doctor explained the basic steps of the surgery, asked if I was ready, then swiveled me under a light, applied the horror-movie thing that holds your eye open, and started methodically scraping my eye. This was the scariest part, but all I felt was pressure. I was never in pain or even very uncomfortable during the surgery. It was just very trippy watching this scraping happen and my vision get blurrier. There was no getting away from it. Then it was time for the laser. They warned me that it makes a lot of noise and you can kind of smell your eye burning, and that's true, but I wasn't even disturbed by that after the scraping. My only concern was whether I was looking at the laser adequately, since at that point everything was a giant blur and I felt like I had zero control over my eye. Hope I'm looking at the laser!! I'm doing my best!!
After 60 seconds of laser, the doctor rinsed my eye with cool water (which actually felt good, not headache-inducing as many have reported) and put on a clear "bandage contact." Immediately, my vision was clear. I was elated, or as elated as you can be on Xanax. The doctor asked if I was ready to do the other eye, and I responded so enthusiastically I think he was a little taken aback. I officially had at least one working eye and I had survived, so the second one was a piece of cake. The nurses helped me sit up slowly (as I exclaimed that I could see them), then took me to a recovery room and went to fetch my mom. While we waited for the immediate post-op, my mom said I had really surprised her by being the first one in our family brave enough to do this, and I declared myself to be a "secret badass." (I stand by that statement.)
The doctor and nurses came back in, checked me over, and gave us instructions. They were surprised that I wasn't in more pain, with the numbing drops wearing off, but I only felt some irritation – nothing I hadn't expected. On the way to my parents' (where I would be staying for a few days), I rested in the car while my mom ran into McAlister's to get me a tea and then into CVS for more moisturizing eye drops (which I had forgotten at home). I was pleasantly surprised by how okay I felt. I could see, and so far, so good!
Stay tuned for Part 2: The Recovery and Concluding Thoughts!
6 Comments + Posted in: changes, health, milestone
General Highlights:
My June revolved around two events: taking a long-planned trip to San Francisco with my dad and sister, and getting PRK on June 23. Everything else was secondary. I've been fortunate to have enough time off work for both of these things, and I WILL post soon and more in-depth about each. Short version, I'm having a good, steady recovery with decent vision (reading and screen time are still a strain), and the trip was great.
The only book I completed in June was the Hamiltome, cover to cover on my flights to San Francisco. Pretty sure my last one-book month was in the early aughts, but in my defense, I was physically unable to read for a third of the month. Still, my book totals are very low this year and it's no good. For me, not reading enough is like not getting quite enough oxygen. I can function, but not at a normal level.
I've been rewatching a lot of Friends during my surgery recovery (seasons 8 and 9), because I can still enjoy and follow it with my eyes closed. I'm also caught up on Mindy in time for the finale next week. I don't know how I feel about this whole Jody thing.
Around Town:
The remodeled Levitt Shell is in full swing! I went to my first show of the season with Matt and some of his friends, one of whom was one of my good friends when we were all in middle school together. Life is funny.
Two weeks after my half-marathon, I did the Gibson Guitar 5K downtown. It was 94 degrees and humid at race time. I was dizzy by mile 1, gave up, and walked at least half the course, resulting in the worst 5K performance of my running career. But I'm trying to strike it from my mental record. It happens.
The Scruggs Club reconvened at the Redbirds to cheer on Wes's favorite player, Xavier Scruggs, who now plays for a different minor league team. This time, our signs attracted the attention of his fiancee. Hilarious as usual.
Our friend Kim and her husband were in town from Finland for one night, which happened to be the day after my surgery. I was feeling okay at the time, so my parents kindly drove me downtown to have dinner with the gang. Kim was excited at the prospect of being in What I'm Into, so ta-da!!!! (PS: She has a travel blog chronicling her amazing global adventures!)
I was pleased with this root beer float cake that I made for a baby shower!
At Home:
I'm taking care of as many random home tasks as possible during my time off. My Comcast internet has been consistently terrible as long as I've lived here, but I thought my modem was bad or something. This month I saw a thread on Nextdoor to the effect that Comcast doesn't have sufficient bandwidth for our neighborhood. So I had U-Verse installed this week and am THRILLED with the speed and consistency so far. Moral of the story, location really matters with internet service, so ask your neighbors.
Oh and on that note, I got new next-door neighbors in June! I used to have a rotating cast of med-student renters next door, but now a couple around my age has bought the place. I'm excited about it.
Random Happiness:
I was the honored witness to Matt's ceremonial 200th beer at the Flying Saucer. He has now earned his second plate. Plate party in July!! He also surprised me one day with this Significant Otter shirt. I knew he'd ordered a shirt for me, but assumed it was for one of his sports teams, so I was very surprised by this and laughed so hard I almost cried. I love it.
Pinterest Quote of the Month:
Your Monthly Rufus:
Posts I Loved:
♥ Abby Norman: On Finding Space for All of Me and We Are Hamiltons
♥ Cara Meredith addresses the inherent problems with the term "love on" (which has always made my skin crawl on a visceral level).
♥ Aziz Ansari in the New York Times: Why Trump Makes Me Scared for My Family
♥ Allison Fallon at Storyline: Doing the "Right Thing" May Be Keeping You Stuck
♥ Mandy Hale: Why We Cling to People Who Don't Love Us
♥ I discovered Ask the Pilot this month via the Freakonomics podcast, and enjoyed his take on the current TSA crisis.
4 Comments + Posted in: what i'm into
Completing my first half-marathon on May 28, 2016 was one of the proudest accomplishments of my adult life! As a runner, I've progressed at a ridiculously slow pace. I had zero running ability as a kid, and couldn't even run laps in marching band without feeling suffocatey. When I was in my late 20s, I decided to attempt short sprints during my walks around the neighborhood and at the gym. That was all I did for years. It never felt good, and I decided the whole "runner's high" thing was a myth. But for reasons I still don't understand, I kept doing it… until, one day on the treadmill, I reached my usual stopping point and didn't feel like I might die. So I kept going. And then I did it again and again. I was probably running a 20-minute mile, but I felt as gleeful as Dash running on water in The Incredibles. I'd put myself through seemingly pointless suffering, never expecting the situation to improve. But by persevering, I conditioned myself to do the very thing I thought I couldn't do. I think about this lesson often.
On my birthday two years ago, I ran the Elvis 5K at Graceland. I'd walked many 5Ks previously, but I was determined to run this one without stopping. That 3.1 was a huge achievement for me at the time. I hung at that distance for about a year. When I ran the Cooper-Young 4-Miler last fall, something shifted. Suddenly I could run further and further with less effort. I decided I wanted to work up to 10K by the end of the year, and I did it on New Year's Eve day. Then I ran the Hot Chocolate 15K in February. After that went well, I figured if I could run over nine miles in freezing conditions, I was legit! So I registered for the inaugural Memphis in May Great American River Run. I could think of no better first half-marathon than a brand-new race celebrating the city I love.
To add to the excitement, my SIPster and co-adventurer Bethany decided to fly up to Memphis and join me. She's running a half every month in 2016 and needed a May race anyway. (I know.) Her flight in on Friday was delayed five hours, so we didn't get a ton of sleep, but we still felt pretty good on Saturday morning!
The half-marathon route started downtown and passed most of the landmarks I wanted to show Bethany anyway. If they keep that route in the future, I recommend it as a quick and fun way to see the city! For the first few miles, the temperature was pleasant, and I was overflowing with thankfulness and goodwill. But miles 5-8ish were up the boring back side of Mud Island, with no shade or points of civic pride, and it started to get hot. Still, I never felt like I couldn't continue. I'd memorized the list of things available at different mile markers, and I knew there would be cool towels at mile 9. I rounded the top of the Island, saw the river, felt the breeze, and claimed what turned out to be a Grizzlies growl towel. I think we were supposed to give them back, but I knew immediately that this GRIND towel was coming with me. I felt so re-invigorated, I sent Matt a selfie with the towel on my head. While running.
Bethany had passed me at around mile 5, but I caught back up to her around mile 12. Getting to cross the finish line together was great! Alanna was waiting for us there, and the official race photographer caught her excitedly jumping out from the sidelines and running with us for a minute before deciding she probably wasn't supposed to do that. Hilarious. (For the record, we finished in 2:49. I wasn't shooting for a specific time, but realized early on that I could finish under a 13-minute mile, so that became my spontaneous goal and I achieved it.)
I was extra happy that Debra, Lance, and my nieces came in from Nashville to meet me at the finish! Debra has done the Music City half twice, and gave me lots of good advice while I was training.
Overall, I'm very happy with my first half-marathon experience, and it won't be my last. Only a few days later, Matt and I registered for the St. Jude half-marathon in December! It'll be my first St. Jude (and his first half), and I'm excited. I also like that it's far enough away that I can take a little break and mix things up. For a while, I had to run so much that it was the only exercise I had time or energy for (other than yoga here and there). I'm pretty sure that's why I've gained about ten pounds in two months, most of it at the end, during my most intense training. I never ate very differently than my usual, or devoured entire pizzas or stacks of pancakes – I tried to make good decisions. It feels discouraging and unfair, but I'm forcing myself to stop obsessively Googling "half marathon weight gain" and give my body time and grace to balance itself out. I have a strong body that can do awesome things like run 13.1 miles. That's worth celebrating!
If you're a late-bloomer runner like me, I encourage you to stay true to yourself and your own progress. Over the years people have tried to convince me to take on distances and challenges I didn't feel ready for, and sometimes it felt really lame and/or lazy to turn down potential glory. But I've listened to my body and done things on my own terms, and it's made every milestone that much better. Trust and believe in yourself. YOU CAN DO IT!
8 Comments + Posted in: empowerment, fitness, memphis, milestone
General Highlights:
On Saturday I ran my first half-marathon, the inaugural Great American River Run! I won't say too much right now because I'm going to post separately about it (really), but it was a good experience, I'm recovering well, and I'm willing to do it again. I never thought I could run a half, but once I decided I wanted to progress, I went from a 5K to a half in eight months. Feeling accomplished!
May's unofficial theme was Baseball and Brewfests. I celebrated Cinco de Mayo with free tacos at the Redbirds, followed by a Jackson Generals game the next day. The following weekend, Kelsey, Clark, Wes, and I went to Huntsville for my first Rocket City Brewfest. I had a great time and discovered a few new favorites (UFO Big Squeeze Shandy, anyone?). The Saturday after that was Taste the Rarity at Wiseacre here in town. It's been fun, but needless to say the diet has begun.
June is going to be a big month. I'm taking a family trip to California, getting vision surgery, and starting on some other endeavors. Stay tuned.
I finally read Jeff Vandermeer's Southern Reach trilogy, which had been on my list for a while. If you enjoy character-driven, thought-provoking sci-fi that gives you a good ride but doesn't necessarily answer every question, you will love this. I've been recommending it to a lot of people.
Matt and I are almost finished with Season 2 of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt! (My crappy modem keeps interfering. Thanks, Comcast.) I especially love the therapy (Tina Fey!) and gentrification storylines.
I've been to a lot of great shows at Minglewood Hall, but HAIM last week was one of the best! It made me want to start writing songs with my sister. They played some new stuff they're currently working on – glad a new album is on the way.
I'm obsessed with Hamilton. I don't care if that makes me basic. It's amazing, and Lin-Manuel Miranda is truly one of the most brilliant creatives alive.
In other news, the release of a new Justin Timberlake track is always cause for rejoicing.
Around Town:
My mom and I were going to run a 5K together for Mother's Day, but it was canceled. So instead, we took a bike tour of Midtown murals. I did something like this with Alanna a couple of years ago, but it was fun to hit up old and new murals with my mom!
Bethany was here last weekend for the half-marathon, and I really got to show her My Memphis. Alanna and I took her to Overton Square (where we had a Chad Michael Murray sighting!!), Jerry's Sno Cones, the Memphis Made taproom, the Madison rooftop, Beale Street, and a few of our favorite restaurants. We also did the Sun Studios tour, which I had been saving for her visit. It was a great weekend.
A big red ball visited Memphis this month. I finally caught up with it at the Brooks Museum on its last day, and also wrote a Memphis Type History piece about the New Daisy Theatre in connection with its stop there.
At Home:
I've started working from home on Wednesdays, and it is glorious. Getting that peace and quiet in the middle of the week is great for my mental health. Rufus is happy about it, too.
My plants are all thriving beyond my hopes! I keep exclaiming about them every time I come home or go out. Perennials: they get the job done.
These Jordana eyeshadow palettes were irresistible, and of course I had to get a few more things to meet the free shipping threshold! I'm really pleased with all of these products, especially the blush stick (in Apple Cheeks) and the liquid lipstick (which is VERY long-lasting).
Random Happiness:
My older niece turned four this month. !!! GROWING UP TOO FAST. I saw her at her birthday party, then got to go to the zoo and hang out with her while she was here last weekend. She also came with my sister, BIL, and other niece to cheer me on at my race.
Matt and I are still dating and doing great. I'm very happy. :)
Pinterest Quote of the Month:
Not actually from Pinterest, but from Alissa Wilkinson via Cara Strickland:
Your Monthly Rufus:
Posts I Loved:
♥ I'm glad I came across Perfect Number a few months ago. While I don't necessarily agree with everything she says, I look forward to her posts and find them validating and thought-provoking. This month she tackled, among other topics, the Boundaries books and the "God has one perfect guy for you" myth.
♥ Matthew Fray: The Other Law of Attraction: Self-Worth and Gender Identity in a Mixed-Up World
♥ The Culture of Moore: Should We Stop Sharing That Newsroom Clip?
♥ Divergent author Veronica Roth on mental illness: Anxiety, Meds, and Words from the Horizon
♥ "I've spent most of the past seven years since I graduated from college feeling like a failure, because I can't afford to be that carefree with my career and my finances and just quit everything… Coming to terms with that reality made me realize just how classist and elitist that whole concept of 'quit everything & do what you love' is, because very few people can afford to live like that. And I began to notice that all the people who were touting this as the One True Way to Creative Success were making a hell of a lot of money off of people's insecurity." Mic drop, Bethany Suckrow: Creatives: Can We Please Stop Shaming Ourselves for Working Traditional Jobs?
7 Comments + Posted in: what i'm into
General Highlights:
I'll blame the lateness of this post on how eventful April was. April through June is THE BEST time to be in Memphis, but it's also the busiest. On top of that, I've been traveling. I attended the Festival of Faith and Writing in Grand Rapids, soaked up a lot of great wisdom and inspiration, and came home with a pile of books to add to the already hefty stacks around my room!
If you follow me elsewhere, you may have wondered who this guy is. His name is Matt, and we went to middle and high school together. We didn't really hang out back then, but he randomly chatted me up on Facebook in early March, and we've talked every day since. He's a good, kind, and fun person, we have a lot in common, and I'm just enjoying being in a happy, supportive relationship! I'm still a little stunned by the whole thing (in a good way). I'll leave it at that right now. :)
I devoured two books by FFW speakers on my flights to and from the Festival. (Both of their talks were wonderful!) Then I needed a break from deep thoughts and moved on to Heathers-meets-One Direction novel Kill the Boy Band. Despite the title, I was surprised by how dark it was.
I only attended one night of Music Fest this year, to see Weezer, who had been on my bucket list for years. Rivers Cuomo was not too high to perform and the show was great! I also saw Julien Baker, Young the Giant, and Panic at the Disco.
Around Town:
Even though the Grizzlies got swept by the Spurs, I was thrilled to go to both playoff home games! Alanna and I bought our Game 3 tickets as soon as they went on sale, but Kelsey surprised me with Game 4 tickets when I met her for brunch that day! It was a miracle that the Grizz made the playoffs at all due to endless injuries, and they fought hard to the end against a tough team. As one homemade growl towel said, "So proud of my team… all 28 of you." Also, Grizz (the mascot) jumped off an extension ladder and pile-drove another mascot through a folding table, so that was awesome. MEMPHIS VS. ERRRBODY.
Wes, Kelsey, Clark, and I went to opening day at the Redbirds. The next day, we were Twitter famous.
April is crawfish month around here, and I enjoyed them at Rec Room one weekend and at Overton Square another. Matt took me to a great Founders beer dinner at Flying Saucer (the Mango Magnifico is amaaazing). Becky, Gwen, and I checked out and loved the latest hipster hangout, Loflin Yard. There's a bar in an old locksmith shop and a big yard with abundant Adirondack chairs and fire pits. I'll be spending a lot of time there this summer.
Alanna and I ran the inaugural Grizzlies 5K!
Food Truck Fridays have started at the Dixon Gallery & Gardens. I'm participating now before it's too hot!
At Home:
I had a couple of run-ins with my HOA in April, first for some thin wire I'd put on my gate to keep Rufus inside, and then for the clear twinkle lights on my patio (what kind of Scrooge doesn't like twinkle lights??). I decided I'd better upgrade the fold-out chairs on my balcony, or they'd send me a letter about that too. So I got these faux wicker armchairs and cushions at Garden Ridge and am very happy with them. Now I just need more time at home to enjoy them!
My perennials are all coming back full strength and look beautiful. I also planted my essential herbs in pots: basil, mint, and rosemary. The mint has already grown about a foot since I took this picture.
After I stayed with my friend Erin the pie queen in Grand Rapids, Matt requested a blackberry pie. This recipe was a win and will be made again (though I used Pillsbury pie crust due to time constraints).
Random Happiness:
My older niece just turned four (CRAZY), and I went to Nashville for her Shrek birthday party! My BIL Lance did a wonderful job planning the party and was Head Ogre for the festivities.
I've gotten serious about half-marathon training just in time – the race is only a few weeks away! After my 15K in February, I lost a lot of mojo, but I'm finally feeling strong and steady again and my mileage is good. My only complaints are #MidtownRunnerProblems – bad sidewalks, lots of obstacles, constantly trying not to get hit by a car or bus. But I usually plot my route through Overton Park for some relaxation. Anyway, I welcome tips for running a half in hot weather, because it'll be hot by then!
Your monthly Rufus:
Pinterest Quote of the Month:
On The Blog:
My FFW recap was my only post here last month, but I also wrote a little piece about the New Daisy Theatre for Memphis Type History, in connection with the RedBall Project!
Posts I Loved:
♥ Angie at My So-Called Chaos: What Do I Even Do with A Boyfriend?
♥ Heather Caliri: Beliefs I Wish Weren't True: Bitterness Is Poison
♥ Jayson D. Bradley: Coming to Grips with Christian Hypocrisy
♥ Kelle Hampton: A Lesson from My Eyebrows
♥ The writing life is so meta: Jody Casella: Day by Day, Good Day
♥ Not my usual scene, but I appreciated this installment of Living with Kids on Design Mom, from a recently divorced mom. Love her style, too!
♥ A local Prince remembrance from Chris Davis in the Memphis Flyer.
14 Comments + Posted in: what i'm into
I've wanted to attend the Festival of Faith & Writing since I first heard about it a decade or more ago. In 2014, I was dying to go sit at the feet of Anne Lamott and Susan E. Isaacs, but a flight from Memphis to Grand Rapids, Michigan cost almost as much as a flight to Hawaii. Thankfully, a lot can change in two years. With an improved airline situation, and Christmas money from my parents and grandfather, I registered for FFW 2016.
However, I have never felt less qualified to attend a writing conference. After about a year of upheaval and intensity at work, my brain is fried, and even reflective writing just for close friends has ground to a halt. Though I can easily see the internal and external consequences of not writing, I can't generate the focus or energy to get back to my old self – let alone progress as a writer. Thinking about my approach to FFW, I didn't see the point of trying to hide or overcome my "writing depression." I decided I would go quietly, with open hands and heart, not hustling or trying to prove myself. I was only seeking a little inspiration and mojo (and a faith boost too). By that definition, this Festival was a win. I loved every session I went to, and felt buoyed just being around so many people who love talking about books.
Going to FFW at all was a bucket list item, but I knocked off another one: meeting one of my inspirations, Shauna Niequist ("the sensei," as Hillary commented). I thought all morning about something meaningful to say to Shauna, but all my ideas made me tear up, and I didn't want to be the crying weirdo at the book signing. So I stuck to my usual silent fangirling while she signed my old copy of Bittersweet. She did a Q&A earlier that afternoon, and I was encouraged by how similar our writing processes are.
Even though networking wasn't a priority for me, I met several of my favorite bloggers and had sightings of many more. After picking up my packet first thing Thursday morning, I was wandering aimlessly through the lounge when I was seized by Tammy Perlmutter, founder of my favorite collaborative blog, The Mudroom. She recognized me from Twitter and immediately introduced me to Mudroomers whose posts I've been reading and linking to for years. Then she took me under her wing for the rest of the morning. She convinced me to apply to the Redbud Writers Guild and made me promise I would pitch to her by July. Tammy, you're a wonderful human being. Thank you for seeing me!
I ran into Cara Strickland (one of the people I most hoped to see), and met Sarah from All Manner of Inspiration, who recognized me at a panel for beginning writers. We both participate in What I'm Into every month. She's great and we ended up sitting together at Shauna Niequist's talk.
After the first day of the Festival, I decided I didn't want to spend my entire visit to Grand Rapids on the Calvin College campus. Happily, I had Erin! Erin and I met on LiveJournal* maybe eight years ago and have been friends ever since. She attends seminary at Calvin and invited me to stay with her and her husband while I was in town. Erin was a fantastic and generous hostess, and having her and her place as a home base made my Festival experience even better. Since we're all into craft beer, we hit up two breweries, Founders and Vivant. Memphis's craft beer scene is great but still young, and it was cool for me to see what we're working toward. I knew ahead of time that Grand Rapids is one of the hipster capitals of America, so I also knew I'd feel at home there!
On the last day, I went to hear Sarah Bessey. At the beginning of her talk, she shared about her experience at her first Festival. Her husband had researched Christian writing conferences and sent her as an act of support and love. Sarah knew no one, heard over and over that she needed a "platform" and a "voice" to succeed, and decided by the end of the conference that she was done writing. She knew she would never be the right type of writer or person to fit into that world. As she prayed in her hotel room on the last night, she clearly sensed God saying to her, "You may never be published or known. But I called you to write, and if you write, I will meet you there." She went home revitalized and started writing just for God and herself. Eight years later, she's the author of two books and a polarizing and respected figure in North American Christendom. I don't want a high-profile role like that, but I do need affirmation that God called me to write, and He will meet me there, even if no one else cares. I didn't come home from FFW ready to take on the world, but I do have a little more spring in my step. And that's all I wanted.
In summary: 5/5, would go again.
*= I've met many of my best and most lasting friends on LiveJournal. We don't care that the rest of the internet has moved on. We like it that way. ;)
4 Comments + Posted in: the writing life, travel
General Highlights:
Spring is here! The world is green again!
I painted a Kimmy Schmidt-inspired shirt for International Women's Day (March 8) and loved the result! Since it's green, I also wore it to a St. Patrick's Day pub run with Breakaway. (On a related note, I bought new shoes that will carry me through my half-marathon, so it's time to get serious about training.)
My sister and nieces came to town during their spring break! Debra and Baby E were only here for a couple of days, so I took a day off at the last minute. We went to the Children's Museum, had lunch, and hung out at my house (both girls love Rufus, or as Fifoo calls him, Fruit Salad). Aunthood is the best.
My brother visited for Easter weekend. We made our usual Belly Acres run as a family on Saturday. Easter dinner was elk and lobster courtesy of him and Pops. On Sunday, my mom and I went to see My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, which I enjoyed way more than I expected. It's actually a great look at how real love – romantic and familial – changes throughout life.
I loved Andrea K. Host's indie novel And All the Stars a few years ago, so I finally picked up Stray, her first installment of a trilogy (also involving aliens). Stray has one of the slowest plot builds I have ever experienced, yet I couldn't put it down. I'm only holding off on book two because I can't spare that kind of time again so soon. I also finished Amy Plum's End/Beginning duology, which is a fresh, interesting application of a lot of the usual fantasyish YA tropes.
Invention of the Year: This month I discovered Library Extension, which instantly tells you whether your library has any book you're looking at on Amazon, Goodreads, etc. My system for marking to-reads is now obsolete and I couldn't be gladder about it.
I'm about halfway through Fuller House and enjoying it for what it is! Having read UnSweetined (not ashamed), I like that they pulled some of Stephanie's evolution from Jodie Sweetin's own life. She's definitely my favorite character this go-round.
I'm surprised to be saying this, but Demi Lovato is killing it. I finally broke down and bought Confident this month, along with Sia's This Is Acting. "Cheap Thrills" is my jam (and Sia is my Lady Gaga). I'm also obsessed with the Acoustic Covers playlist on Spotify.
Around Town:
I went to Cookies on Tap, where Girl Scout cookies were expertly paired with High Cotton's in-house brews. Meanwhile, Wiseacre put on a running and yoga event named after my favorite beer, Gotta Get Up to Get Down. I'm glad I went, but would have enjoyed it more if the wind chill hadn't been in the 40s.
One weekend I went to Slider Inn twice in 24 hours. It really is one of my favorite places in Memphis – I was actually still excited to go the second time!
My friend Christina and her husband just moved to South Florida. We all went out on the town last weekend and surprised them with a Funfetti goodbye cake. I'm going to miss her a lot, but at least she moved to a place I already visit regularly!
I organized Supper Club this month at Bhan Thai. It was a beautiful night to be on a Midtown patio, the food was delicious, and everyone had a great time. Yay!
At Home:
Here's your glimpse of spring in Central Gardens and your monthly Rufus. This spot on the mantel is his new hangout. I guess he can see a lot of birds up there.
My Dyson Animal vacuum isn't doing the job on my hardwood floors, so I impulse-bought a Bissell Power Edge for a fraction of the Dyson's price, and so far I'm thrilled with it! For the first time, I can walk barefoot through the downstairs without stepping on any cat litter or tracked-in crud.
I've been craving red bell peppers constantly. ??? At least it's a craving that leads to a lot of healthy meals!
Kelsey told me about Love Crunch granola. I got addicted and can't go back to the cheaper stuff.
I wanted a spring wreath, but wasn't feeling pastels or fake foliage. This design (seen on Pinterest, of course) spoke to me and was also Lent-appropriate! It took less than half an hour to make.
Random Happiness:
In March I made a decision I never thought I would make: I'm getting PRK! Due to a problem with my eye a few years ago, I am permanently banned from all-the-time contacts wear. This becomes problematic when you're thisclose to legally blind and have to remove your glasses to do your makeup, shower, etc. I decided I was finally willing to consider a scary but routine eye surgery rather than grope blindly for Q-tips for the rest of my life. After a lot of research and an intense four-hour consult last Friday, I am on the books to get new corneas in June. I'm sure I'll be blogging about my experience. Stay tuned!
My March Madness bracket is 3/4 busted, but I'm still in the top 10 of my work bracket pool and second place in my bracket pool with Emily. Not bad considering I hardly knew anything about any of the teams this year!
Pinterest Quote of the Month:
On The Blog:
I haven't written here (or anywhere) since February's What I'm Into. I know. It's not okay. However, I'll be at the Festival of Faith and Writing next month and would love to meet blogger friends. Hit me up if you're going!
Posts I Loved:
♥ Abby Norman at The Mudroom: God Isn't Asking You to Bleed Out
♥ Ruth Ogles Johnson in the Memphis Flyer: Just Say "No More" to the War on Drugs
♥ Peggy Kelley: Peace Like a Metaphor
♥ "The roads of this world are paved with the broken hearts of triers everywhere." Ivan Strong Moore: Moses in Zootopia
♥ Coffee Snob: My Faith in the Dark
♥ Angie at My So-Called Chaos: Making Your Own Closure When There Isn't Any to Be Found
♥ Unexpectedly encouraging: Life of Bon: 13 Things That May Not Be True About Having Children
8 Comments + Posted in: what i'm into


text:
Its been a year and I still can't get over the betrayal , the tightness in my chest whenever I see him or think of him , I hate him so much and its time for my revenge.
This is my second book I hope you all like it, it will not have violence like my first book but their will be sex. So please read at your risk. Its different than my other one , more playful, enjoy the revenge.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Colorado man's tattoos show his devotion to Crimson Tide
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Nathan Davis wears his devotion on his sleeve.
And his biceps. And neck. And back. And just about anywhere else he can find.
The 35-year-old Davis has turned his body into an indelible billboard for his favorite football team, the Alabama Crimson Tide.
A Crimson Tide elephant adorns his right bicep, and a tattoo of the late Paul "Bear" Bryant decorates the left one. A likeness of former UA quarterback Kenny "Snake" Stabler is tattooed inside his right forearm and the Alabama state flag is sketched inside his left one.
He has a matching set of signature Alabama A's inside each of his biceps, which he shows off when he flexes his muscles in the gym, and another one just below his Adam's apple. The outside of each of his forearms spells out the words "Rammer" and "Jammer," from the UA victory cheer.
His masterpiece, which cost $3,500 and took a couple of years to complete, is a portrait of Bryant leaning against a goalpost and wearing his trademark houndstooth hat. It covers the bulk of Davis' massive back.
"My co-workers and people at the gym are like, 'Why would you put a picture of another man on your body?'," Davis says. "And I'm like, 'That is not just another man. He is a disciple to me.' People don't understand. It's a religion."
And he has one more to come. He is saving up for a Mount Rushmore-like mural of Bryant and fellow national championship-winning coaches Gene Stallings, Frank Thomas and Wallace Wade across his chest, one of the few remaining patches of skin that hasn't been tattooed with the Tide.
Davis, who grew up in Dothan and worked for five years as an Atlanta police officer, now lives in Fort Collins, Colo., where he works for a company that does background checks for the government and the military.
He became a Crimson Tide fan while watching an Alabama-Auburn game with his grandfather, William B. Lee, when he was a youngster. Although his grandfather was an Auburn graduate, he revered Alabama's Bryant.
"They showed a picture of Bear Bryant, and my grandfather said, `That's one of the greatest men to ever walk this earth beside Jesus Christ and General (Robert E.) Lee," Davis recalls. "Then I heard the coach talk, and I fell in love. I'll never forget it."
Nine years later, Davis realized how serious a fan he had become while watching the 1985 Iron Bowl with his oldest brother, John, an Auburn fan who is six years older than Nathan. His big brother needled him right until the end of the game, which Alabama won on the final play.
"When Van Tiffin kicked that 52-yard-field goal, I jumped up screaming and got into the biggest fist-fight I have ever been in," he says. "I had blood all over my face. My lips and nose were bleeding.
"At that moment, I went from being a fan to a fanatic. I never felt so proud of my team, because I bled for them."
That intense loyalty to Alabama cost him his first marriage, he says.
"I got divorced, and I would say 50 percent of that was because of my love of football," he says. "She couldn't take Alabama; she couldn't take football. And it is my life."
Now, though, Davis has found a woman who, if she doesn't understand his passion, at least accepts it.
"It's great that he's fanatical about something," says his fiancee, Bobby Bienvenue, an upstate New York native whom he met at a Harley-Davidson dealership in Colorado. "But I'm a northern girl, so I have a different view. I'm not fanatical about anything. That's the difference between where you grew up."
However, most folks out in Colorado don't know what to make of Davis' fanaticism, he says.
"One of these local Colorado men asked me, 'What has UA ever done for you?'," he says. "I thought on it for a second and said, 'Sir, my mama always told me it doesn't make a difference how you find God, as long as you find him. And through UA, Bear Bryant, and Van Tiffin, I have found God.'
"He then said, 'You people from the South are weird."
Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press
This story is from ESPN.com's automated news wire. Wire index
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text:
Contemporary events space launching in 2015Friends House have today unveiled the identity of its newest events space. The standalone venue, with its dedicated entrance, reception and facilities, will be known as The Light. Currently under construction, this inspiring and contemporary destination venue for London is due for completion later this year, before formally launching in January 2015.
Redevelopment of the 1,000-capacity auditorium and launch of its dedicated website will further enhance the venue's conference and events portfolio in the heart of Euston.
An unveiling of The Light will take place at International Confex this week and will showcase the unique concept and build of the venue which has sustainability at its core. Featuring a distinctive 'skylight', the venue incorporates energy-efficient lighting, wall insulation and heat-exchange systems, making it one of the greenest conference and event facilities in the capital.
Paul Grey, Head of Facilities at Friends House commented: "We are eagerly following the progress of The Light's transformation. It is with great excitement that we look forward to unveiling the venue's new identity. The Light is not only a contemporary events space; it is also an important place of history at the heart of the Quaker's centrally-managed operations in Britain. As such, respect for heritage and the environment are of paramount importance to us."
Meeting the increasing demand from delegates and event organisers for large and versatile venues, The Light has the capacity to host a variety of configurations from theatre and cabaret style meetings, to graduations, product launches and exhibitions.
"The Light offers delegates a refreshing, sustainable approach to meetings and will be the place to go in London for professionally-delivered events."


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Freshly dilute all reagents and bring all reagents to room temperature before use. If crystals have formed in the concentrate, mix gently until the crystals have completely dissolved. MIx Diluent Concentrate (10x): Dilute the MIx Diluent Concentrate 1:10 with reagent grade water. Store for up to 1 month at 2-8°C. Standard Curve: Reconstitute the 4 ng of human IL-8 Standard with 4 ml of MIx Diluent to generate a standard solution of 1 ng/ml. Allow the standard to sit for 10 minutes with gentle agitation prior to making dilutions. Prepare triplicate standard points by serially diluting the IL-8 standard solution twofold with equal volume of MIx Diluent to produce 0.5, 0.25, 0.125, 0.063, 0.031, and 0.016 ng/ml. MIx Diluent serves as the zero standard (0 ng/ml). Any remaining solution should be frozen at -20°C. Standard Point Dilution [IL-8] (ng/ml) P1 Standard (1 ng/ml) 1.000 P2 1 part P1 + 1 part MIx Diluent 0.500 P3 1 part P2 + 1 part MIx Diluent 0.250 P4 1 part P3 + 1 part MIx Diluent 0.125 P5 1 part P4 + 1 part MIx Diluent 0.063 P6 1 part P5 + 1 part MIx Diluent 0.031 P7 1 part P6 + 1 part MIx Diluent 0.016 P8 MIx Diluent 0.000 Biotinylated IL-8 Antibody (100x): Spin down the antibody briefly and dilute the desired amount of the antibody 1:100 with MIx Diluent. Any remaining solution should be frozen at -20°C. Wash Buffer Concentrate (20x): Dilute the Wash Buffer Concentrate 1:20 with reagent grade water. SP Conjugate (100x): Spin down the SP Conjugate briefly and dilute the desired amount of the conjugate 1:100 with MIx Diluent. Any remaining solution should be frozen at -20°C.
Prepare all reagents, working standards and samples as instructed. Bring all reagents to room temperature before use. The assay is performed at room temperature (20 - 30 °C). Remove excess microplate strips from the plate frame and return them immediately to the foil pouch with desiccant inside. Reseal the pouch securely to minimize exposure to water vapor and store in a vacuum desiccator. Add 50 µL of Standard or sample per well. Cover wells with a sealing tape and incubate for two hours. Start the timer after the last sample addition. Wash five times with 200 µL of Wash Buffer. Invert the plate and decant the contents, and hit it 4-5 times on absorbent paper towel to complete remove liquid at each step. Add 50 µL of Biotinylated IL-8 Antibody to each well and incubate for two hours. Wash five times with 200 µL of Wash Buffer as above. Add 50 µL of Streptavidin-Peroxidase Conjugate per well and incubate for 30 minutes. Turn on the microplate reader and set up the program in advance. Wash five times with 200 µL of Wash Buffer as above. Add 50 µL of Chromogen Substrate per well and incubate for approximately 7 minutes or till the optimal blue color density develops. Gently tap the plate to ensure thorough mixing and break the bubbles in the well with pipette tip. Add 50 µL of Stop Solution to each well. The color will change from blue to yellow. Read the absorbance on a microplate reader at a wavelength of 450 nm immediately.
Calculate the mean value of the duplicate or triplicate readings for each standard and sample. To generate a Standard Curve, plot the graph using the standard concentrations on the x-axis and the corresponding mean 450 nm absorbance on the y-axis. The best-fit line can be determined by regression analysis using log-log or four-parameter logistic curve-fit. Determine the unknown sample concentration from the Standard Curve and multiply the value by the dilution factor. Standard Curve The curve is provided for illustration only. A standard curve should be generated each time the assay is performed.


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Fan Fic
CBM Index
Marvel Studios and The Effect of
The Avengers
on Potential Comic Book Movies.
With Marvel Studios planning sequels to
Captain America
Iron Man
The Avengers
, how exactly do other franchises like
The Black Panther
Namor: The Submariner
Dr Strange
, strategically factor into the bigger picture?
Filed Under: "
A recent news report indicates that a sequel to
is planned for a 2013 release. This is interesting news because it means that this sequel will be released virtually at the same time as Iron Man 3. The latter movie is said to be a completely
Iron Man
related follow-up with the movie not being used to boost any more Avengers movies. With the probability of Marvel Studios only releasing perhaps (at most) 3 movies a year, what other movies could potentially be added to their roster?
Black Panther
Namor: The Submariner
Dr Strange
seem to be the next logical adaptations for the big-screen.
Iron Fist
is another movie said to be in the works.
The questions is how would these movies fit into Marvel Studio's grand schedule of movies especially when you take into account that sequels to
Captain America
is likely and even more likely for
The Avengers
Iron-Man 3
and the
sequel are set for 2013. At the very most, one other movie might be slotted in the same year. It seems probable that a sequel to
The Avengers
could follow by the earliest 2014.
Dr Strange
Black Panther
movies seem unlikely for a mid 2012 release since there no official production or casting process has begun on either movie. So far
The Avengers
is the only major adaptation from Marvel Studios set for a 2012 release. Could T'Challa make his major movie debut in 2013? And then of course you have the presumed sequel to
Captain America
(which supposedly would feature more of Cap's adventures during WW11). Therefore, when can fans expect a sequel for
Captain America
? Taking into account the costs of production for all these movies, it is reasonable that at most Marvel Studios would release 3 movies per year.
So far Marvel Studio's formula of using solo movies to setup
The Avengers
is working perfectly.
has received praise and success and the same seems like it will be even truer for
Captain America: The First Avenger
. Characters like the Black Panther, Namor and Dr Strange can easily achieve the same results. More importantly, these characters can easily be integrated into subsequent Avengers movies much like in the comic books.
Black Panther would make for an excellent adaptation for comic book movie. The lead character of T'Challa (Black Panther) may not be the most relatable in the Marvel universe, but the idea of the country of Wakanda is certainly relevant. It mirrors real world scenarios in Africa particularly pertaining to Wakanda's most valuable resource – Vibranium. The parallels of the metal can be found in Africa's gold, diamonds and other precious commodities.
Namor, like T'Challa, may not be exactly relatable, but he is a fan favourite and a Submariner movie would make a fan boy's wet dream (pun intended) come true. Namor is one of Marvel's most interesting characters. Another character also apparently set to magically grace movie screens is Dr Strange. These 3 characters are ideal candidates for movie adaptations and they fall under the umbrella of Marvel Studios.
Marvel Studios might apparently release mini movies for certain characters. This has potential for some characters, but Black Panther, Namor and Dr Strange seem to be more deserving of large-scale treatment as opposed to simple "character featurettes" as these mini movies would seem to indicate.
Once the sequel to
Iron Man 3
hit cinemas in the same year, when exactly could movies like
Black Panther, Namor: The Submariner
Dr Strange
be released? Considering the amount of money needed to produce
Thor, Iron Man
Captain America
The Avengers
sequels, solo outings for Black Panther and Namor might have to wait.
There actually seems to be very little limits in how far Marvel Studios can take
The Avengers
. Most presume that the franchise would extend into a trilogy.
The Avengers
could easily perpetuate for indeterminate movies. There would be no need for Marvel Studios to reboot the series (or any of its characters) to begin anew in order to keep the idea of
The Avengers
fresh for the big screen. In fact, all Marvel Studios need to do in order to allow
The Avengers
to run indefinitely (and keep it refreshed) is to add new members (like Namor) to the team roster – in exactly the same fashion as in the Marvel comic books. How many Avengers movies in total are feasible for any of the actors and for the characters? An obvious answer is to add new members to The Avengers team which allows the propagation of untold subsequent sequels that need not feature the initial team members if Marvel Studios do indeed see the need to extend the series beyond a trilogy.
Samuel L Jackson's contract with Marvel Studios extends for 9 movies which include
Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger,
and a probable trilogy series for
The Avengers
. That brings his tally up to 7. How many Avengers movies would feature the team's initial members i.e. Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow? That is a big workload for all of the actors concerned especially when you consider that they will be involved in producing both sequels to their solo movies and The Avengers practically one after the other.
It could be suggested that the mini movies being produced by Marvel Studios could feature characters like Scarlett Witch, Mockingbird and The Vision to name just a few. It may even more exciting to point out that IF at some point Marvel Studios do reacquire the rights to Spider-Man and the X-Men, then there is even chance that Wolverine and the Wall-Crawler could logically be included in The Avengers line-up as well.
In fact Marvel Studios have already produced a couple of mini movies. Since Maria Hill is going to play a role in
The Avengers
and then perhaps Hill might be one of the characters to be featured in one of these mini movies/featurettes. Black Panther, Namor and Dr Strange certainly deserve the big-screen treatment and one reason is that there is much potential financially and critically for these movies not to mention that fans would be delightfully pleased.
What is Marvel Studio's possible scheduled line-up of movies?
The Avengers
Thor sequel
Iron Man 3
Black Panther?
Presupposed dates
Black Panther
Namor: The Submariner
The Avengers sequel (or 2015)
Dr Strange
Captain America sequel?
Also, would the sequel to
Captain America: The First Avenger
occur after an initial trilogy of Avengers films or after?
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10-26-06, 18:02 #1Registered User
- Join Date
- Sep 2006
- Posts
- 4
Display number of failed attempts in the past 24hrs
I'm trying to display the number of failed attempts in the past 24hrs, where 'created' is the date and time field (25-OCT-06 02.10.56.163000000 AM) and 'event' is the attempt type.
I need your help in the following query:
select distinct s.id, initcap(name) Name, to_char(a.created,'DD-Mon-YY hh24:mi:ss') Created
from companies s, dg_companyprops c,
(SELECT companyid, max(created) created
WHERE event IN ('User not found', '%Failed%', 'Incorrect Password')
AND created >= SYSDATE - 2
group by companyid) a
where s.id = a.companyid (+)
and s.id = c.id
and (a.created <= sysdate - 1 or a.created is null)
order by 1;
**The created date displays nothing, partly because of the condition 'or a.created is null'. How can I get it to display the correct created date and time in the pst 24hrs?
Thx in advance for your help!


text:
Archive for December, 2012
Mirren, Mirren, Hollywood Star
Dame Helen Mirren will be standing amongst us hoi polloi this Thursday, January 3rd, 2013, as her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is dedicated. Currently starring with Anthony Hopkins, in HITCHCOCK, the story behind the making of his greatest thriller, PSYCHO, Ms. Mirren has been a member of acting royalty for decades. Of course we all remember her Oscar winning performance in THE QUEEN but Mirren fans will also remember her as Jane Tennison in the long running BBC series Prime Suspect. Click through the links here to remind yourself of many of the other great roles she has created for us over the years.
She is much deserving of Walk of Fame star no. 2,488 and a loving dedication ceremony which we hope to observe with our private luxury tour guests sightseeing the best of Los Angeles. Look for us in the crowd in front of the British Pub Pig 'n Whistle at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday. After that we'll be off to see celebrity homes in Beverly Hills and Bel Air. The New Year is starting off with a bang!
Chinese Theater Santa and Elf
It can't be Star Wars all the time for the characters in front of Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. This time of year you would expect Santa Claus and an elf or two. This elf appears to have received an award or is about to present Santa with the award. Neither seems as jolly as our private luxury tour guests who were visiting this Hollywood sightseeing destination with their guide, Paul, who captured this very candid photograph of the characters inhabiting the theater forecourt. There is always more to be seen than a movie at this grand theater — there is history and spectacle and a good amount of Hollywood oddity. Just last week Hugh Jackman received his Walk of Fame star just a few steps away from these fellows and next week Helen Mirren will receive her Walk of Fame honor. Sometimes we can show our guests what we know is going to happen and sometimes it is going to be surprise for all of us.
Automobile Glory Below the Petersen Museum
No one would question that Los Angeles is a car town, a mecca of the automobile and wheeled transportation in all its glory and variety. Our guide, Jeff, always attuned to what Los Angeles is driving, snapped this photograph during a private luxury tour through Venice. This is a stretch limousine for people who want to be seen and yet who do not want to be seen. Perfect camouflage for the Los Angeles Mediterranean climate. We would say not as comfortable as our own jet black custom vans for sightseeing but certainly a transportation option.
Speaking of cars and the automobile culture of southern California, the world famous Petersen Automotive Museum has opened up its basement car vault to select visitors for a limited time. Five times a day through January 6th you can be part of a small group docented tour through the cellar storage area of the museum to see the historic and valuable cars in their natural state. No signs, no velvet ropes, just up close and personal. For car lovers this is the opportunity of a lifetime! Make a visit to the Petersen Automotive Museum something to do when you next visit Museum Row on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles.
The Dramatic California Coast
There are so many sightseeing spectacles in California that just take your breath away. Sometimes the best way to appreciate the incredible grandeur of the location is to fly above it. Our private luxury helicopter tours range both north and south from Los Angeles. We captured this photograph above the Point Sur lighthouse, about 130 miles from San Francisco, on another perfectly clear California day. Just imagine all the incredible views we enjoyed on the way here from Los Angeles. Flying over Hollywood and Beverly Hills and low along the Malibu shore is fun but remember that California has about 840 miles of coastline to explore! We will be happy to design an aerial tour specifically to see the sights that interest you most.
Happy Holidays from Elite Adventure Tours
Wishing everyone Happy Holidays from all of us here at Elite Adventure Tours. If your dreams include a private luxury tour sightseeing through Hollywood, Beverly Hills or anywhere in Los Angeles we are here to see that you enjoy an excursion to remember forever.
Los Angeles ♥ Heart
Ann and Nancy Wilson of the rock group Heart just received their recording star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Now they can begin planning to attend another ceremony here in Los Angeles honoring their contribution to music, this one on April 18th — induction to the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame along with Rush, Donna Summer, Randy Newman, Public Enemy, Lou Adler, Quincy Jones and Albert King. This rare woman-fronted rock 'n roll group has had us singing Crazy on You since 1976. With more than 30 million albums sold they truly deserve enshrinement with all the other rock legends. If you plan on being in Los Angeles at any time we can customize a rock 'n roll private luxury tour for you and visit celebrity homes, the Rockwalk, the Walk of Fame, famous recording studios, bars, clubs and hotels where music history has been made. We will take you through Hollywood, Beverly Hills and downtown Los Angeles to show you where it all happened and where it continues to happen. If music is your thing, Los Angeles is a sightseeing wonderland and a tour here is something you should plan to do.
New Murals in West Hollywood
On the side of the parking structure overlooking a xeriscaped garden and urban park and playground is this fun and colorful Kenny Scharf mural. The parking structure serves the park and community center in West Hollywood and is right across the street from the Pacific Design Center. The xeriscaped garden is actually the roof of the parking structure for the West Hollywood Public Library. This public art on a grand scale greatly enhances the park and library experience. The easy parking with lots to see and do makes this one of our Los Angeles destinations during many of our private luxury tours — especially when we have kids on board. Bathrooms, running around space, a playground, lots of other kids, it can be a perfect place to admire the newly reconstructed park and the new library along with the beautiful Pacific Design Center buildings right across the street. There are always lots of photo opportunities for us, too.
Just around the corner is another grand mural, this one by Shepard Fairey that maintains his OBEY theme. With so many nice days during the year in southern California outdoor public art richly fills the urban environments throughout Los Angeles and its constituent communities (Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, and the beach towns like Venice and Malibu).
Holiday Merriment with Second City in Los Angeles
If you have seen the holiday theatrical staple, Charles Dicken's A CHRISTMAS CAROL, so many times you feel like the ghost of theater past, then maybe a shocking dose of Second City's reinterpretation of the classic is just what you need this holiday season. The production is still playing at the Kirk Douglas Theater in Culver City through December 30th. We are suggesting to our private luxury tour guests visiting Los Angeles over the holidays, already done with their sightseeing of Hollywood and Beverly Hills and looking for something fun and different to do to have dinner at a fine Culver City restaurant, go to the theater, and then find a rollicking local bar to repeat all the best lines in continuing amusement. I would quote some lines from the play here but this is a G-rated blog. Don't let the Christmas ghosts get you down. Enjoy a dose of full-throttled parody, satire and comedy with a rambunctious disregard for tradition. Merriment will ensue!
Caviar from a Vending Machine? – Oh, L.A.
When you really need something special, but quick, what better place to turn to than one of the three brand new caviar vending machines from Beverly Hills Caviar located around Los Angeles. Yes, when you absolutely must over-indulge yourself this instant you can choose from fine imported caviar (with the correct mother-of-pearl spoon to consume your tasty treat) to truffle oil to other gastronomic delicacies (Escargot, anyone? What, no foie gras?) We direct our private luxury tour guests to the machine in the Westfield Century City Mall when we are taking them shopping around town. With $50,000 worth of perfectly refrigerated and oxygenated fish egg merchandise in each machine (very securely monitored with cameras), customers have a wide choice of international and domestic caviars to choose from. Should you join us for a sightseeing tour around Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Bel Air then a short stop in Century City will be a perfect thing to do in Los Angeles to get you that perfect bite of Beluga caviar you have been craving!
Putting on the Ritz at the Los Angeles Ritz-Carlton
There are some Los Angeles hotels that we visit frequently to pick up our private luxury tour guests. With our eager guests seeking a unique sightseeing experience to nearby Hollywood or Beverly Hills or even a helicopter adventure, we pull into these hotels often enough to know the valet staff by name. One of those hotels is the downtown Los Angeles Ritz-Carlton, its unique bulging tower holding sway in the southern tip of the downtown skyline.
With 123 luxurious rooms, a rooftop swimming pool, spa and workout facilities and WP24, a Wolfgang Puck restaurant, our guests do not really have to leave their hotel to satisfy their needs when they visit Los Angeles. Yet in the immediate vicinity of the hotel is L.A. Live which means the Staples Center sports and entertainment arena, the Grammy Museum, the Nokia Theater, a modern multiplex movie theater, the Los Angeles Convention Center and immediate access to the stores and businesses of downtown Los Angeles. Of course, we prefer to provide Ritz-Carlton guests with their tour service, our private tour a custom luxury excursion perfectly complementing the care and hospitality they expect at the Ritz-Carlton. We work closely with the hotel's fine, professional concierges. We appreciate the hotel immensely and just love the guests who stay there.


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Appearing on CNN Monday, a spokesman for the family of murdered US journalist Steven Sotloff slammed the Obama administration, declaring that both Sotloff and his compatriot journalist James Foley were used, and still are being used, by the White House to further its agenda in Syria.
"We know that the intelligence community and the White House are enmeshed in a larger game of bureaucratic infighting and Jim [Foley] and Steve are pawns in that game and that's not fair." Barak Barfi told Anderson Cooper.
Referring to the ill conceived plan to rescue the hostages, Barfi said "…the Pentagon, the intelligence community were pushing back against the White House and saying it was their fault, that they didn't provide the surveillance necessary to find the hostages".
The spokesman also claimed that Syrian rebels supported by the US government were responsible for the journalists falling into ISIS hands in the first instance.
"We believe that these so-called moderate rebels that people want our administration to support, one of them sold him probably for something between $25,000 and $50,000 to ISIS and that was the reason he was captured," Barfi urged, claiming that sources "on the ground" have corroborated this information.
Barfi also accused Obama of making "a number of inaccurate statements" regarding the situation.
"They've said that the families have been consistently and regularly informed. That is not true," he claimed. "I speak now only from the Sotloff family. I can't speak for the other families. They said that these hostages were moved frequently. We know that for most of the beginning of part of this year they were stationary."
Barfi scolded Obama for allowing details of Sotloff's captivity, including torture of the journalist by extremists, to leak to the media.
"People now are talking about the torture that some of these hostages suffered. People talked about specifically some of the tortures that Jim suffered, and that's just not fair to his family. They need time to heal." Barfi stated.
The advocate suggested he knew of more damning information regarding the Obama administration's handling of the situation and threatened to reveal it, should leaks to the press continue.
"If there continues to be leaks, the Sotloff family will have to speak out to set the record straight," he said.
"The relationship between the administration and the Sotloff family was very strained" Barfi revealed. And "the administration could have done more, they could have helped us, they could have seen them through…I just do not believe they [the Sotloff family] were afforded the opportunities of respect they should have been afforded by this administration." he charged.
Steve Watson is a London based writer and editor for Alex Jones' Infowars.com, and Prisonplanet.com. He has a Masters Degree in International Relations from the School of Politics at The University of Nottingham, and a Bachelor Of Arts Degree in Literature and Creative Writing from Nottingham Trent University.


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Fantastic win for Armstrong
All-Ireland glory in Cavan
Last weekend was billed as a festival of handball as the final of the All-Ireland 40 x 20 singles took place in Kingscourt, Co. Cavan, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with the Senior men's final going to Robbie McCarthy of Westmeath and the Senior ladies' crown won by Cork's Caitríona Casey.
However, all the interest for the purple and gold was centred on Friday night as Fergal McWilliams and Mick Armstrong took to the court in separate finals.
Armstrong has watched his son, Keith, excel on the court in recent seasons, and the winning feeling has now passed up the line as Mick, who had come close on numerous occasions in the small court, finally laid the ghosts to rest with a fantastic win in the Golden Masters 'B' singles final.
Mick was up against the very good Mayo player Tom McCormack, and this was a final that went all the way. Mick took the opening set in impressive fashion on a 21-13 scoreline.
However, the man from the west of Ireland, who was crowned Golden Masters 'B' singles champion in the 60 x 30 court last year with a win over Brendan Murphy from Wexford, roared back in the second set and won it 21-15.
Mick Armstrong began the third set with powerful force and raced into a winning 19-7 position. However, there was a wobble of sorts as McCormack came back, but Armstrong was not to be denied on this occasion and, with his family support in the corner, Mick won the game 21-16 and collected the honours.
Fergal McWilliams was the next Wexford player in action and, unfortunately for the Horeswood man, he left his form behind him and found Trevor Hannon from Galway bang on his game in the final of the Over-35 'B' singles.
The Galway man raced to a 21-3 win in the opening set and, with everything going right for him, he pushed on and took the second set 21-5. Fergal played some fantastic handball to reach the final and his Leinster triumph will be a stepping stone to 2016 and another assault on the All-Ireland title.
The All-Ireland weekend did not finish there as on Sunday afternoon Wexford collected another title as the powerful Under-14 pairing of Josh Kavanagh and Diarmuid Moore won the doubles title with a fantastic comeback victory.
Josh, who claimed a world title last August in Calgary, was keen to add to his success with Moore, but their plan did not get off to the best start as they found Galway duo James Cummins and Enda Collins in top form and the boys from the west won the opening set 15-7.
However, the Wexford boys awoke to the occasion and romped home in the second set 15-6.
Momentum was with the lads in purple and gold and Kavanagh and Moore won a very good third set 15-11 and secured the All-Ireland Under-14 doubles title.
To wrap up a good weekend for the Model county, the Wexford Under-12/13 and the Under-14/15 team of six qualified for the Leinster finals after they both defeated Carlow to set up clashes with Kilkenny this weekend.
Wexford People


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Cancers are just one of the hardest things to cure. Although it varies from the kind and type, the fact remains that cancer is not that treated easily. And a lot of people are suffering from it. Eventually, through the help of clinical trials, a hope of getting healed can be achieved yet doesn't really guarantee you a 100%.
Clinical trials don't really guarantee every patient to get cured but somehow, it helps them look for solutions to their health problems. Seeking for help at it is very easy these days. You can look for clinical trials data anytime online and even recommendations from those medical areas.
Of course, through the help of the technology as well, looking for updates and such in this industry is also a big advantage. With it, possible cure can be achieved in instant. But nevertheless, the industry doesn't guarantee every patient the possibility yet chances are greater compare to depending on the medicines and such which said to prevent to making the disease gets worst.
As you can see, most of cancer patients are looking for hope at clinical trials. Though it doesn't really guarantee them yet the fact remains that a hope is possible.


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Sasuke Shirasaya Wooden Anime Samurai Katana Sword
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Sasuke Shirasaya Wooden Anime Samurai Katana Sword For all International bidders, we ONLY accept PayPal, Money Orders, Traveler Checks, or Bank Checks. We will not take credit card payment from International buyers NO Exceptions. All International credit card payment will be declined. Please do not bid if cannot meet any of the terms listed above! Thank You.
Click for Buy It Now(only $15.98)Sasuke Shirasaya Wooden Anime Samurai Katana Sword Overall Length: 38 " Blade: Unsharpened Blade Length: 26.75 " Blade Material: Wood Handle Length: 11 " Handle Material: Wood Condition: Brand New Scabbard Material: Wood
This the sword of Sasuke in Cursed Seal Level 2 Form. Sasuke has become one of the most popular characters in anime. Raised in the Uchiha clan he was always in the shadow of his brother. However, everything changed after Sasuke's brother killed the entire Uchiha Clan. Sasuke became obsessed with gaining power and avenging his clan.Sasuke Shirasaya Wooden Anime Samurai Katana Sword Attributes of the ... read more


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This is the first video of a series about real estate investing. In today's video, we are laying the foundation of what real estate investing is and learn about how to make the basic calculations in order to evaluate the investment opportunity.
Throughout this series, we are going to see all the basic elements of real estate investing such as the cash flow, the equity build-up, the plus-value, the ratios, the effect of interest rates on your return and even flips, foreclosures and short sales.
This video was originally published on http://www.mtlvlog.com/en/re-investing-101-basics-how-to-work-to-numbers
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