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The rest period was still underway, having been extended to ten minutes after Cedric used one of their two extension requests, and now each team was busy preparing for the next round.
Every now and then Nora threw a glance over to Lucy's side, fantasizing about how broken and discouraged she must feel.
The Luckless Mage of Greidwhen Academy. What a wonderful weapon Nora's upperclassman had given her. It made these past two months of flirting and flattering them well worth the trouble—especially after she was able to convince them that Lucy should be their target this year.
Now, it was only a matter of suffering through the rest of this match until everything would come together. Nora would qualify for the main tournament, and the only obstacle keeping Rosseau from becoming hers would be gone. It was perfect.
Nora gave a pleased smile after casting the last of her charms and focused her confident gaze onto Rosseau. He wasn't looking as chipper as before, and his daggering glance at her betrayed that he was suspicious of what Nora had said to Lucy earlier.
It wasn't fair, Nora thought. Why was he always concerned about Lucy?
Nora sighed. "Aren't you tired of fighting like this, Rosseau?" she said, taking a seat besides Rosseau and scooting closer to him. If Dominic had been present, she wouldn't have made such a move, but he was currently taking a much needed bathroom break..
Nora stared at the blond boy, appreciating his handsome features. He didn't respond to her question, though. He didn't even look her way. It made Nora's heart sting.
"What is it about that girl that captures your gaze?" Nora asked.
Rosseau reacted to that question, much to Nora's displeasure. He still kept silent, though; and after letting the question linger for a few moments, Nora stood up and turned to leave, figuring he would never give her a reply.
"Because she's not a scoundrel like our families are…like you are," Rosseau said. "Like I am…" he added with a mutter.
"You're beginning to sound like a commoner," Nora huffed. "We're nobility, Rosseau. We aren't scoundrels. We're simply blessed, and the unblessed will always hate us for it."
Rosseau didn't respond. He'd had this argument numerous times already with his own family. He didn't buy into their reasoning for a second.
"Do you really desire to be like them so badly?" Nora continued. "How unsightly. Your blood may be half human, but don't forget where the other half comes from. Even a Half-Elefrian should be proud of the strength their heritage offers."
Rosseau abruptly stood up and stepped towards Nora. His gaze was furious. "I know exactly what 'gifts' come with Elefrian blood! Rottenness, self-absorption, an insatiable desire for power and control! Our families pretend that we're all vested in each other's interests but they're all secretly plotting to make each other fall! It's a world I don't want to be a part of anymore! One I don't want to grow up in!"
Rosseau looked angrily at Nora, his breathing agitated. Nora was unperturbed. The look in her eyes was calm and missing the usual arrogance that was always hidden behind it.
"How naïve," Nora said flatly. "Do you think you'll be free from the high families' influence just because they don't concern themselves with a marriage unless there's-"
Nora suddenly stopped, and her face looked as if some incredible truth had suddenly struck her. Rosseau watched nervously as the girl's eyes seemed to dart calculatingly, and his chest tensed when a crude smile suddenly formed on her face.
"You're using her, aren't you?"
"Using? What are you talking about?"
"I can't believe I didn't realize it before. You think if you settle down with a commoner, you'll be left alone."
Rosseau swallowed hard and his brow furrowed. "That- that's not true."
"Yes it is!" Nora said, her tone was full of delight. "Because the high families typically don't care about a marriage without a pure-blood involved, you want her because she's human—not to mention her caste is so low it almost guarantees their indifference."
"Stop!" Rosseau said angrily, his fists clenched.
"You probably didn't even realize it yourself! You think your feelings are earnest, but that's your true motive for getting close to her!"
"That's enough!" Rosseau reached his hand out to grab Nora, not that he had a plan for what to do afterwards. Neither did he have a chance to figure one out as another body suddenly tackled him to the ground from his blind spot.
"Be careful with him, Dominic," Nora said, watching as Rosseau struggled to fight against another one of Dominic's holds. It was futile of course, and after tiring himself out, Rosseau lay helplessly on the floor with his arm contorted painfully in Dominic's grip. Rosseau's breathing was labored and his face was covered with dirt from the stone floor. He looked up at Nora, and his stomach turned at the sight of her jubilant smile.
"Oh Rosseau, you really are a scoundrel after all…"
The next round was about to begin, and both teams were already in position inside the arena, waiting for the referee to announce the round's start.
Nora looked back to her team's box, studying the sulking Rosseau in the corner seat hunched over with his head low. She then turned her gaze to her two opponents. To her delight, Lucy looked just as devastated as she had fantasized. The girl's head hung low, and her staff was held loosely at her side in a fragile grip that looked like it could let go at any moment. There wasn't even a circle of light around her feet to show that the protection charm was active.
The magicless beside Lucy didn't carry himself so weakly, however, not that it surprised Nora. One of his kind should be a cold-feeling snake, and Nora began to wonder if she could get under his skin before the match's end. Getting rid of Lucy and cutting the first threads of Rosseau's attachment to her would remain as the highlights of today's match, but wiping that disrespectful indifference off the magicless's face would be the cherry on top of it all.
And if he didn't learn his place today, there would always be tomorrow.
The ref slowly raised his hand into the air, letting it hang in the air while he took one last look at both teams.
"Begin!" he shouted, chopping his arm forth.
Nora took a thrusting step forward, conjuring an icicle three, four, then five times the size of her usual cast, and hurled it towards Lucy. An icicle of this magnitude would shatter the girl quite magnificently.
Dominic remained still, not bothering to rush forward. What was the point when your opponent looked as defeated as this?
Cedric braced himself but didn't take a step. He only glanced anxiously between Lucy and the attack coming her way.
And then there was Lucy, who didn't even seem to care what was happening. Her gaze was still downturned, and Nora could only imagine the hopeless expression that was hidden underneath those dark brown bangs.
The icicle closed in, a mere stone's-toss of ground left to cover, and Nora smiled at her cemented victory.
Then, Lucy's gaze shot up.
Nora saw the girl's face and couldn't comprehend its expression. It wasn't broken. There wasn't even a semblance of hopelessness. In fact, it was the complete opposite.
It was fierce, and it was frightening.
In the same second that Nora's mind told her not to worry, that the ice would shatter the girl as planned, the ice vanished before Lucy's fiery gaze and reappeared in front of Nora, hurtling towards her now. And before Nora could even begin to consider conjuring a barrier or dodging out of the way, the massive icicle crashed into her face and shattered her whole.
"A-Assaut Magnifique," the ref said, his mask hiding the double-take he did to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks. "Eight points, Hardtvelt."
Nora scrambled to her feet after being dumped into her team's box. Her legs felt like jelly, and the disorientation caused her to stumble forward onto the short fence for support. There was a disturbing pressure pulsing across her face. It wasn't physically painful—no headshots were in the tournament—but the terror of seeing a frozen stalk of ice accelerate into your head made if feel like something painful had happened. It was terrible, Nora thought; and she couldn't believe it had come from her own attack.
"What sort of cheating move was that?" Nora snarled through her teeth while trying to hold herself up. Furiously, she fixed her gaze onto Lucy and was surprised to see the girl looking right back at her with her own aggressive stare.
Nora didn't understand. Lucy was supposed to be brokencafter the previous round, but instead the girl's eyes were fiery and intense.
As both girls stubbornly stared each other down, their line of sight was finally broken when a column of light shrouded Lucy, and Nora was left by herself with a bad taste in her mouth.
Lucy appeared back in her team's box with Cedric beside her.
"That was good," Cedric said without a hint of excitement.
Lucy promptly hunched over and let out a huge breath of relief. "Scary is more like it," she gasped between her nervous breaths.
"I figured that too, but you did an great job. Starting without the charm to bait Nora, then sending the attack back at her with Inanimport… I wish I could have thought of all that myself."
Lucy managed a smile, happy that she apparently had some talent worthy of praise. She remembered how hesitant Cedric was to go along with this plan. After all, Inanimport was a weaker derivative of the standard Teleport spell, and—with the tradeoff of requiring less magic to use—it wouldn't work on people or magical objects. If Nora's ice had been imbued with any kind of magic then Lucy's spell would have failed, and she would have been shattered on the spot.
Thankfully, that wasn't the case; and now Lucy wouldn't have to explain to Cedric that she lied about her skill with using Inanimport on moving objects. An embellishment really, but it was the only way to convince him to go along with it.
"Nora's sure to be more hesitant with her icicles until she figures out what happened, not to mention that she's probably irritated that her antagonizing didn't get to you. This was an important round, and we've gained some advantages thanks to you," Cedric said unabashedly.
"Th-thanks, I'm glad," Lucy muttered, averting her bashful gaze. She wasn't used to being praised so much or so openly. As Lead Sorcerer, she was certain that she was supposed to be the steadfast one, but right now she felt like a little kid. Cedric's brazenness certainly did have a strange effect on her, she thought.
"Now, if you don't mind," Cedric said, pulling taught the laces of his leather gloves. "I think we'll go with one of my tactics for the next round."
The next round began with a pair of wind-blasts from Lucy that Nora and Dominic both widely sidestepped in case it exploded. The two then charged towards Cedric and Lucy.
To Lucy's unsurprise, it was just as Cedric had predicted: Nora wasn't preparing any icicles and was instead focusing on making an advance with Dominic to close the distance.
"She's trying to get in range for her stalagmites," Cedric said while trying to recall any information about Nora's range with them from her match recordings.
"What are the chances that Inanimport will work on them?"
"Probably zero. They aren't exactly the same as her icicles," Cedric answered shortly, not wanting to get into the specifics of how the stalagmites were likely an application of Nora's Ice-make spell. If that were the case, Inanimport wouldn't work because the ice was being actively transformed with magic to make it sprout from the ground.
Cedric cursed Nora's adaptiveness, but also strangely respected it. A lesser opponent would hesitate to use the stalagmite for fear of the attack being turned on themselves again. And even though Nora probably didn't know they were impervious to Lucy's mysterious spell, it didn't matter. What Nora clearly did know—whether through experience or quick deduction—was that the speed inherent with close-quarters combat would make it vastly more difficult for Lucy to turn them against her.
"This girl won't let up," Cedric whispered under his breath. "How's it coming?"
Lucy, with an incredibly focus eye, continued to send off pairs of exploding wind-blasts but to no avail. "I haven't figured out the timing yet," she said with a slight panic.
Cedric watched as Nora and Dominic crossed the halfway point, both of them effortlessly weaving past all of Lucy's attacks. Thankfully, Lucy's attacks had forced them to split their advance on each side of the arena, but it seemed the result he was looking for wouldn't come this round.
"That's fine," he said, unequipping his shield and handing it to Lucy. "We'll go with plan B."
Lucy sighed, taking a hold of the shield. "This seems mean."
"And that bothers you?"
Lucy looked hesitant at Cedric, pouting her lip until she exposed her deceit with a wicked smile. "Not at all."
Cedric didn't react to Lucy's playful ruse, much to her disappointment.
"Just don't forget to keep Nora distracted, and don't get distracted yourself," Cedric said. He then charged towards Dominic, thankful that Lucy had been able to wedge the brute away from Nora. If Dominic and Nora had been allowed to advance together, Cedric didn't know what he would do to stop them.
Cedric tightened his grip around his sword, knowing that his novice charge must look ridiculous to an experienced swordsman, while Dominic rushed with his own, much more practiced charge.
Stealing a glance to his right, Cedric was relieved to see that Nora was indeed occupied with Lucy's attacks—now he just had to hope that Lucy didn't forget her second task.
Dominic took another rushing step forward. One more and the gap would be closed. His eyes darted between Lucy and Cedric, watching their every move carefully. He had anticipated some kind of attack from the girl, but after that window closed with his last step, he saw no reason to hesitate with his advance.
With aggressive determination Dominic lunged forward, having already decided on the movements he would use to defeat the magicless.
Then, just as Dominic readied his sword for a strike, something appeared in front of his face. It was large enough to eclipse his view completely, but that was only because of how close it was. Dominic surveyed its splintery surface, noting the patches of dark brown wood and dingy teal paint scattered across its face, accompanied by a more careful pattern of metal rivet heads in its center.
A shield, Dominic deduced; and then his face connected with it, knocking himself clean onto his back and exposing his belly which Cedric readily plunged his sword into.
Dominic shattered in an instant.
Nora watched the glittering specks of light that used to be Dominic flutter at Cedric's feet. Now, the magicless was looking at her—and the matter-of-fact look on his face made Nora's blood boil.
"You insolent little-" Nora tried to gnash under her breath, but a sudden hit from one of Lucy's wind spells shut her up.
The attack sent Nora flailing backwards several feet, then onto the ground into a pathetic tumble. When she had finished being tossed, she tried to get up and get a sense of direction, but it was already too late. Cedric had caught up with her, and his sword sliced straight through her neck.
Nora's face went white and she let out a yelp just when the attack shattered her, and the brief image of her glittering figure appearing decapitated looked gruesome to everyone in the room. Nora was fine, of course, immediately appearing back in her box where she collapsed onto the floor and desperately grabbed at her neck to make sure it was there.
"Assaut Norme. Five points, Hardtvelt."
"Agh!" Nora yelled and slammed her fist into the wood fence beside her. The loud clap it created quaked up and down the line of old cedar boards.
"What is this farce?" Nora whispered to herself with a cold bite. "What spell is she using!?"
"Beats me," Dominic said while avoiding Nora's gaze, hoping with all hope that she wouldn't bring up his blundered attack.
Nora nearly hissed through her teeth as she scrambled to pick herself up. It was outrageous. Outrageous that she was losing to the lowest talent at Greidwhen Academy.
Nora stomped her foot onto the fence this time, the sensation of its bending frame barely satisfied her.
There was no being calm about this situation—no settling of her nerves to invite rationale. Nora was angry, and she was going to feed off that rage for every round from now on.
"You think she's mad!?" Lucy shouted, her worried eyes didn't know where to focus. The next round had begun not ten seconds ago with a pair of wind shots from Lucy, and Nora had immediately answered with a barrage of icicles that were now hurtling towards her and Cedric.
"I can't send all of these back at her!"
"Just do what you can to minimize their contact with the charm,"
"Dodge them!"
Cedric and Lucy both ran opposite ways to escape the attack's wide range. At the last second, Cedric abandoned his shield to lighten his load and help him escape every icicle. Lucy, meanwhile, slowed by the weight of her heavy staff, managed to inanimport the last two icicles on her side to avoid every one of them as well. She fumbled with where to release them, however, and the two icicles reappeared, pointing towards Nora's side but completely missing her by a wide margin.
It annoyed Lucy that she didn't aim it better, but she didn't have any more time to reflect as another barrage was coming directly at her. Its coverage was too wide to dodge left, and the arena wall kept her from escaping to the right, and there were too many to attempt an inanimport. At the last second, Lucy created a barrier to protect herself, she couldn't let her protection charm take damage.
Nora's ice crashed into the barrier, then, as Lucy somewhat anticipated, the ice turned into Nora's favorite cloud of snow.
Lucy struggled to see anything outside the dense, chilling haze of snow that surrounded her. She considered all of her options for escaping. Hold the barrier in front of herself and rush back to Cedric? Let the barrier down and blast the haze away with her wind? If only she had practiced how to create a sustained barrier that she didn't have to actively put magic into.
Lucy heard more icicles collide with her barrier, and the haze became thicker with the snow that their remains added. Though she was standing still, Lucy felt like there was a weight pushing against every subtle movement her legs made. Then she looked down and realized why. The snow was clinging to her. At first it was just patches of thin powder on each leg, but the patches began to expand until all their ends met to form a complete, thin layer of snow that started moving up her body.
Lucy tried to brush the creeping snow off in a panic, but it had already hardened into a rough layer of ice that her fingers scratched at helplessly. Realizing it was hopeless to keep clawing at it, she tried to step back, planning to run away. Unfortunately, she was too late to realize that her feet were frozen to the ground, and she fell backwards from the sudden imbalance after trying to move. The ice around her knees cracked and shattered under the weight of her fall, but it quickly reformed to keep her from moving.
The ice as a whole was moving quicker now, and its layer on her body became thicker by the second. Lucy's heart raced, and it became harder to breath after the ice fully covered her torso.
Lucy nearly screamed as the ice felt like it would creep up her face and over her mouth, but it stopped just short of her jaw and only continued to grow its thickness.
"Cedric!" she cried out instinctively. She didn't expect that it would do any good, but her expectation was shattered after a familiar body came trampling into the cloudy haze.
Cedric, equipped with his sword and shield, bustled into view with a more nervous look on his face than Lucy was used to seeing.
Cedric stood still for a moment, clearly thinking about what he should do, but his concentration was broken as an icicle shattered against his protection charm.
"My barrier isn't up anymore," Lucy cried, realizing that she had broken her connection with it when she fell. Her eyes then went wide as she glanced at Cedric's legs. "It's getting you too!"
Cedric looked down at the tiny patches of snow that were forming on his legs, and he immediately shifted his feet to make sure he wasn't stuck.
Another set of icicles smashed against his charm, and Cedric immediately rushed to Lucy's staff hand. Getting on his knees, he dropped his sword, brought his shield up into the air and with both hands slammed it down onto Lucy's wrist.
Lucy winced at the sight of the shield's banded edge crushing down on her arm, but it managed to shatter the ice around it with little pain. Cedric followed up quickly with hits at her elbow, then shoulder, freeing her entire arm.
"Cast some heat!"
Cedric didn't need to ask twice as Lucy quickly lifted her staff, preparing to cast the one spell every kid was taught to use whenever winter's chill bit past their blankets—Inward Warmth.
Lucy cast the spell and raised her body heat to a degree higher than she ever had before. The thin ice that was already trying to re-encumber her joints turned to slush, and thin streams of water flowed from underneath the larger pieces of ice that still covered her arm.
Cedric shifted his position, not allowing the ice that was still spreading on his legs to settle around his joints or freeze his feet to the ground. He was incredibly cold, though, a detail Lucy didn't miss as she watched him crack the rest of the weakened ice around her with his shield. Eventually, Lucy was completely free, and the shattered shell of ice that had covered her body peeled and tumbled wetly to the floor as Cedric helped her up.
"Thanks-" Lucy tried to say, but she was cut short as Cedric's legs suddenly buckled. Thinking quickly, she threw her arms under his, catching him gently and letting him lean against her.
"You're cold," Lucy said, now able to feel the incredible rate of his shivering. The cloud of snow must have gotten colder since earlier.
Another set of icicles crashed against their protection charms, hitting Lucy's for the first time and probably bringing Cedric's to its final limit.
"We need to get out of here," Cedric said through his chattering teeth.
With her staff in hand, Lucy created a barrier in front of them and backed out of the chilly haze, still supporting Cedric. When they finally exited, Lucy took Cedric into her arms once again and the two of them dropped to a kneel.
"Just stay like this for a while," she said, letting the remnants of her enhanced body heat warm him. Cedric would probably berate her for dispelling the barrier to cast a warming spell for him, so this was all she could think to do.
It only took a few seconds for Cedric's shivering to stop before he pulled himself away from Lucy.
"Thanks," he said flatly, rubbing his hands and breathing into them to bring in the last bit of warmth they needed. He looked over to the cloud of snow that was only a few feet away from them, and Lucy could tell by his hardened gaze that he was already analyzing their options from here. What she wasn't ready for, however, was how wide his eyes went, and how suddenly he sprang from his kneeling position to lunge at her.
"Get down!" she heard him shout as he pounced and forced her to the ground. Her face was surprised at the suddenness of his actions, but she was even more surprised by the sword that came slashing out from the snowy haze, barely passing over Cedric's head and also shattering the remains of his protection charm.
Dominic suddenly broke through the haze, and his fleeting image passed before Lucy's eyes, stumbling onto the other side of her and Cedric and kicking up a mess of dirt. He quickly got back up, but he was too late to strike as an unarmed Cedric tackled him to the ground.
Fist fights weren't exactly looked favorably upon in the Sorcerer's Tournament, but they certainly weren't illegal. The first punch into Dominic's face felt incredibly satisfying to Cedric, and though it wouldn't physically hurt his opponent, he knew the tournament's charm would fog his mind and vision for a second or two.
Unfortunately for Cedric, Dominic didn't need to see or think in order to fight back; and after a seemingly instinctual set of movements from Dominic, their positions ended up completely switched, punctuated by Cedric getting clocked in the face himself.
"Get off him!" Lucy shouted, sending a ferocious fireball straight at Dominic. Her jaw dropped, however, as she witnessed him expertly roll backwards and throw Cedric into her spell by the collar of his tunic.
Cedric shattered amidst the violent flame, and before she could finish processing the fantastic maneuver, Lucy heard a deep splitting of the ground from behind and turned just in time to see a stalagmite of ice spring from the ground and into her side. The next thing Lucy knew, she was inside her team's box, and the ref was announcing five points for Nora's team.
"That should bring her down a peg," Nora said after appearing back in her box. Her tone was unsatisfied, though, as she noted the eighteen-point gap between her and Lucy that was displayed so gaudily on the arena's scoreboard.
"I thought you weren't going to use that spell until later in the tournament," Dominic asked. He rubbed and patted his jaw cautiously, trying to make sure the tournament's charm had done its job protecting him from Cedric's punch.
"I kept the cloud up so that it couldn't be seen in the recording. A lot of good it did since it also slowed the spell's progress." Nora thought about how she had to keep feeding the spell with icicles so that the haze wouldn't disappear. "If that wasn't such a necessity, it would have shattered her in a matter of seconds."
Neither Nora or Dominic saw Rosseau's head perk from that statement.
"Well, it's no matter. We'll continue with this strategy for now," Nora said, flipping her flawless white hair behind her. "We won't be caught by their teleporting tricks anymore."
"And why, precisely, were you falling for these tricks in the first place?" an older woman's stern voice called out from behind. Nora's eyes went wide with shock, recognizing who it was before she even turned around.
"Sorry about that fire spell," Lucy said, holding Cedric's chin and checking his cheek for any swelling. "Are you sure you're alright? That hit looked painful."
"I told you, the tournament charm absorbs traumatic hits. It dulled my senses for a moment but I'm fine now. More importantly, you should reconsider announcing your presence before sending out an attack."
Lucy laughed, much to Cedric's surprise. "I definitely won't make that mistake again," she said. She brought her hand back down and smiled before casting the protection charm back onto themselves in just under half a minute.
"You're soaked by the way," Cedric pointed at her clothes. "Might want to dry off."
Lucy looked down at her combat robe and couldn't believe she had missed such a detail. The once bright purple robe and pink sash she wore had turned shades darker from being logged with water, not to mention that everything hung heavier now that she noticed.
Luckily, Lucy had studied a spell just for such occasion, Draw Water—though last time it was her entire closet that was soaked with water after she had accidentally Inanimported it onto the snow-laden lawn outside her dorm window.
Effortlessly, Lucy drew the water out of her robe, sash, and thermals and collected it into a wriggly blob that was bigger than her head. For a second, she thought about splashing some at Cedric, but she wasn't sure his serious personality would appreciate it. Instead, she led the sphere to the stone floor and let it collapse there without incident.
"Pretty good control," Cedric said, watching the water flow along the mortar paths that branched between each stone.
"Thanks. I just hope we don't get caught in whatever spell that was, again," Lucy said. She thought back to the image of a shivering Cedric and tensed up. Why did Nora have to use such cruel ice spells? Why couldn't she use something more gentle like this water?
A horrifying image of Nora holding a sphere of water on someone's head to suffocate them suddenly flashed in Lucy's mind. Okay, maybe Nora wouldn't use it so gently. But still, at least Lucy could probably use Draw Water to escape it. It's not like she could do the same with-
Lucy's eyes went wide, and she drew up her hand to cover her agape mouth.
"What is it?" Cedric asked, intrigued by Lucy's expression which screamed…
"I think I have an idea."
"Mother? Father? What are you doing here?" Nora asked, swallowing hard and hoping that her tone hadn't sounded too worried. Then she noticed Rosseau's parents behind them, but was too slow to address them as another voice called out.
"Mom? Dad? What's going on?"
Nora's mother gave a silent but visual scoff, and her father's brow hardened at the informal way Rosseau addressed his parents.
Rosseau noticed his parents react to it too, clearly suppressing embarrassment from the undignified manners their son was displaying. He would have to play along, he supposed.
That's all he was ever expected to do.
"Lady Straughtvern. Lord Bermouth," Rosseau addressed Nora's parents with a graceful bow. "To what do we owe the pleasure of this visit?"
Lady Straughtvern smiled proudly. Her perfect white hair—the symbol of her Elefrian heritage—draped behind her. Its cut was even longer than Nora's.
"Oh, do raise your head, Rosseau," Lady Straughtvern said. "A bright and talented young man such as yourself need not grovel for the sake of custom."
"You're too kind," Rosseau replied with a glaze over his eyes.
The beautiful older woman smiled pompously once again before moving her gaze to Nora. "I felt it would be a treat to witness your qualifying match for the tournament. Surely you must be in a fantastic lead already."
Nora held her breath as her Mother's delighted gaze danced towards the arena scoreboard, her expression turning blank as she focused on it.
"Nora, am I mistaken? You are currently behind by eighteen points?"
"A minor setback, Mother," Nora said quickly, though it didn't ease the suspicious glare her mother aimed at her. "W-we actually just won the previous round. Dominic did a magnificent maneuver to shatter their knight—only after I cornered them both with my spells, of course."
"Dominic?" Rosseau's mother chimed in, studying the red banner with gold embroidery that draped behind Dominic's back and signified his position as Nora's knight. "I thought you were Miss Nora's knight, Rosseau?"
Rosseau kept a cool face and threw a blank look to Nora. Her face told him that she was prepared for this, however.
"I'm sorry Madam Lambourgh, I know you must have been looking forward to seeing us compete together, but Rosseau and I just haven't had an ample amount of practice yet to fight together," Nora said. Her apologetic tone was completely exaggerated. "I promise, as soon as we're ready, I'll make sure you receive an invitation to see our first match together."
Rosseau's mother breathed disappointedly but seemed to accept Nora's reasoning. Rosseau wasn't surprised; instead, he was more interested in Dominic's reaction. Everything about the visit could suggest that Nora intended to replace him. But, despite all of that, Dominic's cool attitude was completely unshaken. From the smirk he smugly flashed at Rosseau, it was clear he believed that he wasn't going anywhere, and maybe he was right. That was the most unsettling part of Nora's talent for lying—how artful she was at finding ways to keep people quiet, despite any suspicions they held.
For Dominic, it must have been a promise that he wouldn't be replaced. For Rosseau's parents, it was the rare chance to rub shoulders with Nora's highly respected family. And for Rosseau himself, it was the knowledge that, no matter what evidence he gave, or how well he argued, his parents would never support an accusation against the Straughtverns' precious daughter.
The runes on the floor beside Nora began to glow, demanding to be stepped into to begin the next round.
"That's our cue. Please watch, Mother, and I'm sure you'll see that there is nothing to worry about."
Nora and Dominic stepped into the runes, and Nora surprised Rosseau with a confident grin before the rune's light swept her away and into the arena. Rosseau looked back to his parents, and then at Nora's who looked upon him with pompous eyes.
"Lady Straughtvern, may I ask that you allow me to speak with my parents alone?" Rosseau said, giving a short bow. It didn't take much else to flatter the nobles, and Nora's mother obliged him with a short reply.
Rosseau hoped the round would last long enough to say what he needed. He couldn't leave the box to speak with his parent's, so it would have to happen here.
If class politics was the only thing this gross family of his responded to, then that's what he would use to make them listen…
Nora sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly, letting the arena's cool air calm her senses. The round was hers to begin at her discretion, and she was fully intent on letting all twenty allowable seconds tick by before starting—and there was plenty to think about during that time.
The stakes had changed. Her mother was watching now, and it would shameful to offer her anything short of witnessing the total annihilation of her two opponents.
Nora breathed in deeply again…
And again…
And finally, for the last time.
Then, shards of ice materialized around her in an instant, and as soon as they had started, the runes at everyone's feet ceased to shimmer, and a magical chime resonated throughout the room signaling that the round had begun.
It took all of two seconds for Nora to finish conjuring her icicles. They were imperfect and jagged, and too brittle to do as much damage as her more carefully crafted ones could. But these icicles weren't meant for that.
A split-second later, Nora sent them off, throwing her full weight into the throwing spell that launched them.
The icicles flew at Lucy, and Nora was already wondering where she would have to throw the second set after she dodged. To Nora's surprise, however, Lucy wasn't dodging. Instead, she was staring down the ice coming at her. Was she planning to stop them with a barrier? That was fine by Nora. The cloud of snow would manifest from the debris, and this time she would make sure it took Lucy out quickly, even if it revealed the nature of her strongest spell in recording.
The ice flew at bewildering speed towards Lucy, a short second away from hitting her.
Nora braced for explosion that was sure to result, and prepared the spell that would manipulate the snow to freeze onto Lucy. Strangely, though, the explosion of snow never came.
The lack of a cloudy haze at the opposite end of the arena confused Nora, and she focused her eyes hard on the purple robed figure to see what had happened.
That's when Nora saw it.
The icicles were stopped dead in the air in front of Lucy, and Nora's mouth fell agape as Lucy flashed a nervous smile before whispering…
"It worked."


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Aside from poor performance and high energy costs, many potential dangers can result from improper water heater installation. That's why choosing the right plumber can make all the difference. If you need a new water heater in Orem, UT, turn to Authority Heating & Cooling to handle the job from start to finish.
At Authority Heating & Cooling, our goal is to install your new water heater in a seamless, efficient fashion. We offer a wide selection of makes and models, and we're happy to help you choose the option to best suit your space and your needs. When you hire us for water heater installation, you'll benefit from our courteous, professional plumbing contractors and reasonable rates. And we'll go out of our way to complete our work quickly without leaving a mess behind.
At our locally owned and operated business, customer satisfaction is our top priority. We strive to make our services affordable by charging competitive rates and offering written estimates for our work. Other benefits of choosing our business include:
- Convenient online appointment scheduling
- Work done by plumbing professionals
- Prompt project completion
When it comes to Orem, UT, tankless heater installers, Authority Heating & Cooling is a name you can trust. If you've been considering a tankless water heater for your home, our professional staff can help you understand the benefits of having one installed. In order for you tankless heater to save you money, it needs to be installed by a reliable professional, and our staff has the knowledge to get the job done right the first time.

subset: commoncrawl


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37 Southside Drive
Property Description
The MacPherson by Garman Builders, Inc. is a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom townhome located at Penn Grant. The first floor features a living room and a combination kitchen/dining space. The kitchen has upgraded granite countertops and an island. The second floor features a master bedroom with private bathroom and two other bedrooms and bath. The laundry is located in the basement.
Map & Directions
Located south of Lancaster. Drive south on RT. 272. Turn right at traffic light at intersection of 272 and Penn Grant Road. Turn right into neighborhood.


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The Plurale line brings more beauty to your kitchen, making it more complete and impressive. And with Tramontina's stainless steel dish drainer rack with glass holder and yellow cutlery holder, you ensure that even your sink gets a modern touch. A product with an innovative design that combines the boldness of color with the richness of stainless steel, which guarantees a kitchen full of character. Beautiful and functional, Tramontina's dish drainer rack has silicone feet to prevent it from sliding and scratching surfaces. It includes a polypropylene glass holder and cutlery holder attached to the frame of the rack. In addition, it has capacity for 16 plates and 12 glasses. A modern touch with a relaxed feel to make your kitchen even more enjoyable and inviting.
|Main Functions and Benefits
|The new Tramontina Plurale dish rack is much more than an ordinary dish rack. It combines bright colors with the modern touch of stainless steel. This is design innovation combined with practicality and daily efficiency. It is a compact item that performs as well as a complete appliance. It adds decoration to your kitchene. It brightens and adds character to your kitchen. It spruces up your home.
Highly resistant stainless steel that maintains its, original features, preserving the beauty, hygiene, and durability of the material.
A modern and fun design makes your decoration more beautiful and functional, with four options of colors.
Shiny finish.
Silicone feet hold it in place without scratching surfaces.
Polypropylene cutlery basket and cup holder that can be attached to the rack.
Capacity: 16 plates and 12 glasses, in addition to cutlery and other utensils.
|Recommendations for Use
To keep stainless steel products looking good it is best to wash
them with only detergent and use a soft sponge.
Dry it immediately after washing where possible, because the chemical
substances in the water (chlorine) may cause marks.
Installationinstructions: Fit the glass holder in the rack slots.
Slide the glass holder down for a perfect fit.
Note: if you need to disassemble it, slide the glass holder up and remove the parts from the base.
|1,05 kg
|90-day warranty against manufacturing defects.
* You can compare up to 4 products per category.
Com a Tramontina, você sempre conta com a melhor solução para seu negócio. Preencha o formulário e solicite seu orçamento.
E-mail: [email protected]
Horário: 7:15 às 12:00 e das 13:00 às 17:00.


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Available - usually in stock
Ref: AA1324Brand: Pretty Bird
A complete pelleted diet specifically designed for most African species including African Greys and medium and large Conures, contains calcium for strong bones and a healthy bird.
Ground Corn, Ground Oats, Corn Gluten Meal, Ground Wheat, Coconut Oil, Canola Oil, Soya Oil, Olive Oil, Safflower Oil, Corn Oil, Calcium Carbonate, Dicalcium Phosphate, L-Lysine Monohydrochloride, Choline Chloride, Natural and Artificial Flavors, DL Methionine, Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Ferric Sulfate, D-Biotin, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Oxide, Niacinamide, Vitamin B12 Supplement, BHT (As a Preservative), Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Beta Carotene, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Selenite, Folic Acid, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Natural and Artificial Colors, Menadione Dimethylpyrimidinol Bisulfite (Source of Vitamin K3), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Cobalt Sulfate
Crude Protein (min) 14%Crude Fat/Oil (min) 8%Crude Fiber (max) 5%Moisture (max) 10%Ash (max) 4%Vitamin A (min) 17,000 IU/kgVitamin D3 (min) 800 IU/kgVitamin E (min) 200 IU/kgCopper (min) 10 mg/kg.
Home > Bird Feed & Snacks > Parrot and Large Parakeet


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Every year, The Municipal Information Systems Association (MISA) of Ontario recognizes municipalities, individuals within municipalities and organizations for excellence in the use and delivery of technology.
A panel made up of representatives from various municipalities selects award recipients from all nominations received. This year had a record number of submissions. Awards were presented at the Annual Conference Awards Banquet on June 4 in Hamilton, Ontario. Winners accepted their awards from MISA Ontario President Connie McCutcheon.
2018 winners who received the Excellence in Municipal Systems award included:
City of Cambridge
CleanUP Cambridge
Recipient: Robert Delorme, Manager IT Strategy, Planning, Portfolio & GIS
Town of Innisfil
Custom GIS Applications
Recipient: Grant Cowan, Manager of IT
City of Mississauga
Virtual Campus
Recipient: Shawn Slack, Director Information Technology & Chief Information Officer
City of Toronto
Project Tracking Portal
Recipient: Rob Meikle, Chief Information Officer (Abere Channie & Richard Ng accepted on his behalf)
Parking Tags Administrative Penalty System
Recipient: Kalli Chapman, Director Legal Services – Prosecutions
There were several other awards that also recognized outstanding individual contributions to MISA Ontario last night:
This year the People's Choice Award went to the Town of Innisfil.
Partner of the Year Award was presented to SHI Canada for their ongoing support of the association. Country Manager for SHI Canada, Patsy Swanson, accepted the award.
The highly distinguished John Cushing Award of Merit was presented to Daniel Munns from the Town of Whitby for his years of long and exemplary service to MISA, being a champion for small municipalities, and a dedicated board member since 2009.
The Lifetime Membership Award recognizes individuals who have been active in the association including participation on committees and the Board of Directors for a number of years. Harry Turnbull, from the City of Windsor, received this award for his dedication to association over the years.
Garry Bezruki, formally of the City of Waterloo, also received this award for his previous service as Treasurer on the Board of Directors.
On behalf of MISA Ontario, we congratulate this year's nominees and winners.
All winning submissions for "Excellence in Municipal Systems" awards will be available on the MISA Canada website later in June.
For more information about our awards and previous winners, please visit our awards page
Any inquires please contact MISA Ontario's Community Manager, Jacqueline O'Hara.
2020-09-15City of Kitchener joins world-class cities with WCCD platinum-level ISO data certification
2020-09-02MISA Canada Digital Newsletter - September 2020
2020-08-12MISA Canada Digital Newsletter - August 2020
2020-09-24Webinar - Simplify Security: OpenID Connect, Office365 and Identity Management For 3rd Party Web App
2020-09-30MISA ON Watercooler chat (hosted by Abe Abernethy)
2020-10-27 » 2020-10-28MISA Ontario 2020 InfoSec Virtual Conference & Trade Show


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A place to document version history.
(The Release Date) Spooky's House of Jump Scares Released Today! - Uploaded on Oct 24th, 2014
On October 24th, 2014, the game was released.
Updates, and Polish - Uploaded on Nov 1st, 2014
- Stopped notes from spawning while monsters are active
- Added subtitles to Spooky
- Made Specimen 2 slower
- Fixed some grammar issues
- Added a spooky information station
- Changed Monster collisions
- Remapped some controls
- Added more notes
- Adjusted texture brightness for better composition
- Added a new texture set
- Added a story scene
Spooky December Update (2.3) - Uploaded on Dec 8th, 2014
- Made textures more customizable
- Fixed some texture reloading issues
- Added a trigger to tell you if the game is going to run slow
- Adjusted the FOV
- Fixed render distance calculation
- Added a new special NPC
- Added some helpful text
- Fixed collisions to be more fluid
- Made the music sound better
- Added new menu sounds
- Added more effects
- Adjusted some sound volume
- Added more rooms
- Fixed some drawing slowdowns
- Added more scenery
- Added some weird surface drawing systems
Spooky January Update (2.5) - Uploaded on Jan 17th, 2015
- Added new rooms
- Added mini games
- Fixed Specimen 5's fog to make the specimen scarier and less frustrating.
- Added a mobile texture system to improve performance
- Fixed surfaces from breaking when you start over
- Added a new texture set
- Fixed surfaces from messing up depth (sometimes) on older graphic cards
- Fixed Cat-DOS from stopping the ambiance
- Added more scenery
- Fixed controls text
- Fixed minor spelling errors
- Added a new level
- Added new specimens
- Added a weapon
- Fixed the flesh rooms to count as rooms
- Fixed the Centipede spawning two holes on top of each other
- Added more information to CAT-DOS
Spooky January Update (2.5) (Mac Version) -Uploaded on Jan 27th, 2015
Spooky January Update (2.5) For Mac got released on Jan 27th, 2015.
Spooky's House of Jump Scares 2.5 (Mac Version 2) -Uploaded on Feb 1, 2015
Second Spooky January Update (2.5) For Mac got released on Feb 1, 2015.
Spooky's Game on Steam Greenlight -Uploaded on Feb 2nd, 2015
While this is not an 'update', it is still a somewhat important announcement.
Kira announced that Spooky's House of Jump Scares would be getting its own downloadable content. (DLC)
The game is still free, but you must pay for DLC.
Spooky March Update (2.7) -Uploaded on Mar 12th, 2015
A few more levels and enemies, some extra polish and scenery, and more has been included in this new update. IndieDB Staff - Please place under embargo until 3/13/15 if you can.
- Fixed up some weird frames on Spooky
- Made jump scare sounds editable
- Fixed maze rooms for being too frequent
- Fixed Specimen 8's voice
- Added a Pause feature
- Added two new levels
- Added two new NPCs
- Added more art
- Made NPC textures editable
- Added more sounds
- Added more texture sets
- Added more scenery
- Fixed the footstep sounds
- Added more rooms
- Fixed minor glitches
Spooky Steam Early Access and Updates (2.7.1) -Uploaded on Apr 24th, 2015
- Replaced Specimen 10
- Added more rooms
- Added a new minigame
- Polished animations
- Lowered memory usage
- Added more options
Spooky July Update (2.8) -Uploaded on Jul 21st, 2015
- Added new levels
- Added new NPCs
- Added new textures
- Added new scenery
- Added new rooms
- Added an ending
- Added more notes
- Added more scares
- Fixed bugs
- Balanced gameplay
- Optimized assets
Spooky Bug Fix Update(2.8.1)
- Bug Fixes
Spooky Bug Fix Update 2(2.8.2)
- More Bug Fixes
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.


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Houston Astros right-hander Justin Verlander and Los Angeles Dodgers lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu will square off as the starting pitchers in Tuesday's All-Star Game, the league announced.
The starting lineups for the contest in Cleveland have also been released.
AL All-Star team manager Alex Cora joked with Verlander about being the "opener" after the eight-time All-Star asked him about it.
"You know what? You are. You are the opener," Cora replied, according to Evan Woodbery of mlive.com.
Cora also revealed New York Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka will probably pitch after Verlander, and left-hander Aroldis Chapman will be the AL's closer, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.
NL All-Star manager Dave Roberts plans to use fellow Dodger Clayton Kershaw after Ryu and then likely go to New York Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Verlander, 36, will start the Midsummer Classic for the second time in his career - he got the nod for the first time in 2012. Ryu will be the first Korean-born pitcher ever to start an All-Star Game, according to MLB Stats.
Both pitchers have had outstanding seasons so far with Verlander accruing a 2.98 ERA with 153 strikeouts - second most in the AL. Ryu, a first time All-Star, leads the majors with a 1.73 ERA and a stunning 0.82 BB/9 rate.


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NBC Forecasts Continuing Positive Trend of Cambodia's Economic Growth
AKP Phnom Penh, July 16, 2018 —
Senior leaders of the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) have once again shared their positive perspective over the country's economic growth this year.
This positive view was made known here last Saturday at the NBC's first semester work review meeting.
H.E. Ms. Chea Serei, Assistant Governor and Director General of Central Banking of NBC, said the country's macroeconomic situation will remain strong as the inflation rate is low, the exchange rate is stable, and the foreign reserves are high.
The banking sector, especially the banking system, continued to progress strongly while risks have been managed effectively, she added.
H.E. Chea Chanto, Governor of NBC, said in the first half of this year, Cambodia's economy continued to grow steadily, especially in the fields of export and tourism, with robust growth in construction and continued growth of the agricultural sector, which would make economic growth in 2018 a viable high.
"As a banking regulator, NBC has contributed to maintaining stability and developing more banking and financial sectors. In fact, the banking sector has been playing a central role in supporting the growth of the last 20 years. This contribution is made through providing financial services to companies, enterprises and people to create and expand economic activities that contribute to promoting economic growth, creating jobs, promoting equity and efficiency in line with the Royal Government's Rectangular Strategy. Better banking and financial institutions and the risks to financial stability are low and manageable," he said.
According to the National Institute of Statistics, and the calculation of the NBC, this year, Cambodia would achieve an economic growth of 7 percent with the contribution from 10.2 percent of industrial sector, 6.5 percent of services, and 2 percent of agriculture sector.
In the first six months of this year, the average inflation rate was at 2.6 percent, down from 3.5 percent during the same period in 2017 as food prices have dropped from 4.5 to 2.6 percent.
By Khan Sophirom


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Downtown Honolulu is a foodies dream. There are so many fabulous restaurants, it doesn't matter what you're in the mood for, you can find it here. It was a difficult decision trying to figure out where we wanted to eat with such a limited time on the island. We ended up with a good mix of Mexican, Italian, and a beer garden, the best part is they were all within walking distance from the hotel. So without further ado here is where I recommend eating in Honolulu.
Mi Almita Cantina
Was recommended to us by the hotel concierge, Meena, and it was an excellent recommendation. Mi Almita features fresh coastal Mexican and is owned by James Beard Award-winning chefs Hugo Ortega and Michael Mina. We were here during Happy Hour, which is daily from 12pm-5pm. The happy hour menu is limited and focuses mainly on tacos, which is perfect for me, I've never met a taco I didn't like. On this trip, I was just starting out as a vegetarian and tried so hard to keep it that way, but I failed miserably (after the trip I went back to being a full-time vegetarian). I ended up getting 3 beef tacos, and 1 Vegetarian taco, which has sautéed poblanos and mushrooms, and red onions. The tacos were delicious! The beef was tender and flavorful, and my vegetarian taco was perfect as well, the veggies were cooked until tender and still had a little crunch to them. One thing that sets this cantina apart is the frozen margarita wall, yes you read that right. They had 6 frozen margaritas when we were there ranging from Luau Punch to Blue Hawai'i, to Moscow Mule, and your basic margarita, which is what I ended up getting. Kenyon was our waiter, he was incredibly friendly, helpful and attentive. I loved this restaurant so much and wished we had more time to come here again.
Address: 2311 Kuhio Avenue, Honolulu, HI
First Floor of the International Market Place
Arancino Di Mare
Is located on Kalākaua Avenue and focuses on Napoli-style Italian food, made with ingredients imported straight from Italy. I found this restaurant on Yelp! And knew we had to come here when I saw pictures of the risotto di Funghi. I did get this amazing dish, which consists of five different types of mushrooms and carnaroli rice. It doesn't sound like much until they bring it to the table and finish it tableside in an imported wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano which made it so deliciously creamy and cheesy, I couldn't stop eating it. The mushrooms helped cut the richness of the dish. I also got the Hibiscus Royal, which is prosecco with an edible hibiscus flower at the bottom, it was okay, the prosecco would have been better on its own. Overall I enjoyed this restaurant and meal, Ricky was a fantastic waiter and took care of us while we were here.
Address: 2252 Kalākaua Avenue Honolulu, HI
Maui Brewing Company
Makes my favorite beer, Bikini Blonde, so when I saw they have a restaurant in Honolulu I knew we had to check it out. Randy was our waiter, he was attentive and friendly, he also helped me pick out a couple of my beers on the beer flight. The atmosphere here was great, very laid back, but what else would you expect from a restaurant on O'ahu? For dinner, I got a beer flight, as previously mentioned and the Fish N' Chips, which is made with fresh local fish (the batter has Bikini Blonde in it), house cut fries, crunchy and slightly spicy slaw, and Hawaiian tartar. The fish was so good! The batter was light and airy, the fish was cooked perfectly, the french fries were addicting, and the slaw was delicious, it had some heat to it which I really enjoyed. You can't come to Maui Brewing and not get a beer flight. For my flight, I got: Pineapple Mana, Coconut Hiwa, Makena Cloud, and Lilikoi Saison. I LOVED all of the beers, except for the Coconut Hiwa, don't get me wrong it was good, I just didn't enjoy it as much as the other 3. I would highly recommend coming here, and I can't wait to check out the locations on Maui.
Address: 2300 Kalākaua Avenue Honolulu, HI
Hula Grill
Was our last meal on the island, we actually came here twice, once for drinks and for breakfast before we headed to the airport. I went with the two Ka Lei Local Eggs, which comes with your choice of meat, homestyle potatoes, and toast. I also got the Mac Nut Iced Coffee, which is made with Maui coffee. Breakfast was pretty good, my favorite part was the homestyle potatoes, they had bell peppers and onions in them, I will be stealing this for when I make hash browns at home. We got to look out onto Waikiki Beach and watch the surfers while enjoying our last meal in paradise, we also saw a double rainbow! Devin was our waiter for this last meal, he was super sweet and friendly. When we came for drinks the night before, I got a Hula-Rita blended, I couldn't decide between passion fruit and guava, so our bartender mixed them both for me. It was one of the best tropical margaritas I've ever had. I would recommend Hula Grill, for an ono breakfast and for drinks, but don't forget to save room for a slice of Hula Pie with that drink though.
Address: 2335 Kalākaua Avenue Suite 203 Honolulu, HI
Oceanfront at the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort
Mai Tai Bar
This legendary bar is located at the famous Royal Hawaiian Hotel, and just like the hotel itself, this bar has a pink theme to it. We came here on our first night (which should have been our second night, but don't get me started) to get a Mai Tai and catch an incredible Hawaiian Sunset. I was in Mai Tai heaven, they have 7 variations of this fantastic tropical drink. I went with White Wash, it's topped with 2 floats! It has Old Lahaina silver rum, Ferrand dry curaçao, orgeat, fresh lime, and pineapple juices, and is topped with a float of Old Lahaina dark rum and their signature coco-loco foam, Phew! I have to say it not only was it pretty to look at, but it also tasted quite good! I paired my Mai Tai with the Chocolate Seduction, it was a chocolate cake, toasted coconut, caramelized mac nuts, and a vanilla bean gelato. Let me just say O-M-G this was the most delicious, decadent dessert I've ever had! EVERYTHING about this dessert was amazingly delicious, my mouth is watering just thinking about it!
Address: 2259 Kalākaua Avenue Honolulu, HI
Oceanfront at The Royal Hawaiian Hotel
Is located at The Laylow, Autograph Collection, which happens to be the hotel we were staying at. We came down for drinks and something to eat. I felt like a beer and a burger (bad vegetarian, I was just starting out, gimme a break) I got the Mainlander burger, wagyu beef burger with American cheese, and a house sauce, it also came with fries and house pickles and my beer was my all time favorite, Maui Bikini Blonde. The burger was delicious and bigger than I was expecting. It paired perfectly with my beer and was exactly what I needed after a long day. I wish we had more time to explore more of the menu, but we had minimal time and a lot of restaurants to try. I highly recommend the Hideout, even if you're just coming for a drink.
Address: 2299 Kūhiō Ave, Honolulu
Every restaurant we went to in Honolulu was fantastic, we didn't have a bad meal anywhere. The only other time that has happened to me was Portland, another foodies dream. I hope you enjoyed this post. Have you been to any of the restaurants mentioned in this post? What restaurants do I need to check out the next time I'm on the island? Let me know in the comments! Mahalo for reading!


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Faros Hotel
The Faros Hotel features excellently accommodation offering everything you need for a relaxing holiday and it is within easy reach of all major entertainment and shopping areas.
Ideally situated near the harbour in the cosmopolitan resort of Ayia Napa, the Faros Hotel offers its guests the ideal setting for a great holiday. On hand are plenty of restaurants, cafes, bars and other attractions; the lively town square is just 5 minutes stroll away.
The Faros Hotel is an ideal choice for young couples and families, or anyone young at heart. The hotel's swimming pool is an attraction in itself with its crossover bridges, Jacuzzi fountains, water jets and waterfalls. A separate children's pool allows safe paddling for the very youngest holidaymaker and, to complete the scene, the surrounding terraces and gardens invite you to lie out and bask in the sun. Guests of the Faros Hotel can discover marvellous beaches, explore delightful little villages with a variety of restaurants and bars, and relax in front of the most beautiful sunsets nature has to offer.
A well-equipped health club with gym room, a tennis court, table tennis, billiards and other games are available for when you've done chilling. Organised leisure activities are also on offer and nights are filled with the sounds of Cypriot music and folk dancing or another of the variety of themes while you enjoy your evening meal.
Olympic Rating: 3 Star
Official Rating: 3 Star
Twin bedded rooms with bath/shower & WC, direct dial telephone, satellite TV, radio, safe deposit box, air conditioning with individual temperature control, balcony with side sea or sea view. Garden Studios with twin beds (sleep up to four persons) with bath/shower & WC, direct dial telephone, satellite TV, radio, safe deposit box, air conditioning with individual temperature control, hairdryer, mini bar, balcony or veranda. Superior rooms also available with central Air-con, individual temperature control, Spacious balcony with Seating Area, International direct dial telephone, Satellite TV, Radio, Safe Deposit Box, Mini Fridge, Hairdryer and Wifi. Superior Rooms offer splendid views to the pool and the Mediterranean sea.


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Overwhelming emotions for Octo Pramac Yakhnich in the DutchTT; characterized by the rain which on lap 16 forced the riders to return to the pits. Danilo Petrucci was leading, Scott Redding came in third with an impressive race pace. The prospect of seeing both on the podium was concrete, confirmed by Danilo times (four consecutive best lap as the track began to dry out) and Scott's comeback in lap 13. He registered over two-times seconds less than the leading group. Scott took the lead at the first corner but a mistake set him back 10 positions. The British rider did well to stay calm, and from lap 3, recovered positions that let him catch up to the leading group while the rain began to fall harder. Meanwhile, Petrux had a perfect race without making any mistakes letting him take the the lead in lap 14. After the red flag and the re-start, the rider Fiamme Oro, had to deal with a technical problem that forced him to retire. As in the first start, Scott could not keep the position, but had the merit to believe in it to go get Pol Espargaro and win his first podium with Octo Pramac Yakhnich.
With 15 points won, Assen Scott rose to 14th place in the ranking of MotoGP with 32 points. Danilo, after three consecutive Top 10 remains with 24 points. Octo Pramac Yakhnich rose to sixth place in the ranking for teams with 68 points.
3rd - Scott Redding
"It is a great satisfaction. It was a very difficult race. In a few moments, before the red flag, I could not see hardly anything. I drove by instinct and I managed to stay upright. The feeling with the bike was great and it was so even in the second half of the race. I am very happy for having given this satisfaction to the boys who have done an extraordinary job. We had so much bad luck so far and this weekend with the first row on the grid and the podium is a reward for having always continued to believe in what we were doing."
DNF - Danilo Petrucci
"I am very disappointed. We went very fast throughout the weekend, the team did a superb job. I was convinced that I could be among the first even in dry conditions. I felt good in the race, everything was going the right way, I was very motivated because I felt that this was the right time to bring home the victory. Unfortunately, that problem has ruined everything. I saw the dash go off and I thought even that would hinder me. But the engine stalled. I am disappointed but also aware that we have done an extraordinary job. I would have deserved this win but I am sure we will have other opportunities. Starting from Germany!"


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Staff Writer: Ashley Humphries
Homecoming is a night to cherish memories with all your beloved friends. It is also a night to laugh and have fun and dance all night long.
There are seniors at Woodstock High School who cherish the nights of laughter and excitement. Woodstock senior Ally Boyd says, "Loved homecoming! I love the fact that I could get all dressed up with my friends and be able to laugh all night long. It was too fun, defiantly a night I would love to go back to for my senior year."
Katie McCombs was asked "What is homecoming to you and how do you feel about this homecoming being your last at Woodstock High School?"
She responds, "Homecoming is a series of nights throughout the high school year that can't be forgotten. I won't forget my experiences. Not being able to go to Woodstock's homecomings anymore will just be an upgrade for when we all go to college and have dances and things along those lines. So, it's an upgrade for us seniors."
Being asked the same question, Valerie Gonzalez says "It's a night to have fun with your friends, and I don't know if I will miss it or not, I mean there are more things to do later in life like dressing up and going out that could be fun." Some people like Valerie G. think it's just a night to go out and have fun but not think much of it later on down the road of life.
Some students do not know what it is like to go to homecoming. They would rather go someplace else or were not allowed to go to the homecoming. Jaelyn Jordan states, "Well I wouldn't know what it's like to go to homecoming because either I didn't want to go because of the friend group or my mom would say no. I would have gone this year since it's my last year here, but senior project took over my time." Shannon Hickey added "I didn't go to homecoming but I would have gone if I could."
There are seniors who think homecoming is just another night but just with something to do with a group of good friends. Parker Perry and Matt Mattson agreed that homecoming was just "alright." They also agreed homecoming was not a big deal to them because they were still laughing with their friends in school and outside of school.
Rebecca P. and Levi Brock believes it is a waste of time and would not want to spend the money on homecoming outfits. Lena Alfano says, "I've never been to a homecoming in high school."
Katherine Meuse and Josh Roberson looking good. Wink, Wink.
Photo Credit: Katherine's mother
McKenzie and her crew taking on homecoming as a whole.
Photo Credit: McKenzie's mother


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Grain bowls are now everywhere, but Grain Traders can be credited for boosting the trend amidst the CBD crowd with their delicious pick and mix options. Build your own bowl with brown rice, soba noodles, quinoa or super greens as a base, and load up on your favourite veggies and proteins — meats come with delicious marinades, and veggies are either warm, cold, pickled, or dressed and always packed with flavour. When it comes to sauces, ask the friendly servers for recommendations; there are always vegan and gluten-free choices should you need them. Add further flavour with seasonings such as furikake and chilli and you have a winning meal for $16 onwards.
Where: #01-01/02/03, CapitaGreen, 138 Market Street
For more info: Visit www.grain-traders.com or call 6384-6559.
Photo: Grain Traders


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This was taken on a tour for the Rookery downtown Chicago. The last stop on the tour of the building was below this gorgeous stairs. Unfortunately, no one is allowed to go to the stop and shoot downward.
Tag Archives: fine-arts
Palace of Fine Arts
San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
Solo Warrior
computers******, 10th, 1600, 2008, 2009, 360, 3ds, 50cal, :), a, acog, acr, activism, actors, adobe, advertising, africa, aim, airplanes, ak47, alcohol, all, alternative-news, america, amplafitesttag, an, ancient-history, and, angeles, animals, animation, anime, aperance, apple, Architecture, are, argentina, art, arts, as, astronomy, atheist, australia, aviation, banana, bank, banned, barackobama, barrett, baseball, basketball, belt, bi, biggest, birds, bisexual, bizarre, blackra1n, blog, blogging, blogs, blue, blues, boobs, book, books, brandon, break, broadway, buddhism, bush, business, by, c, california, camcorder, canvass, car, carpol, cars, cartman, cartoon, cartoons, cash, cat, cats, celebrities, celebrity, celtics, cent, charity, chicken, children, chopper, christianity, classic-rock, classical, climate-change, clinton, clothing, college, comedy, comedy-movies, comic, comics, community, communityservice, computer-graphics, computer-hardware, computers, Concert, conference, convention, cooking, copycat, country, county, cow, crafts, crime, cs4, cyberculture, damn, dance, dead, death, debate, debatewatchparty, defuse, design, destroy, development, diet, diy, dog, dogs, download, drawing, drive, drugs, dtreats, eachother, ecommerce, economy, election, election08, elections, elephant, eminem, energy, entertainment, entrepreneur, environment, escape, event, events, evolution, exercise, exooutsider, exploits, facebook, fair, family, fashion, fat, fattest, festival, field, film, filmfest, finance, fine-arts, firefox, first, flash, florida, flowers, food, footage, football, for, free, fun, fundraising, funniest, funny, gadgets, game, gameplay, games, gaming, garden, geography, get, global-warming, goal, god, good, google, gotta, grabber, graffiti, graphic-design, Green, gross, gucci, Guitar, gunner, guns, h3cz, hack, hacking, halloween, halo, hangove, happiness, hard, harrier, haunted, haze, Health, hecz, high, hill on, hillary, history, hockey, home, hood, hoops, horny, hot, how, humming, humor, humour, hutchisyodaddy, if, illusions, illustration, images, in, indiana, indians, indie, infinity, info, insect, interior-design, internet, internet-marketing, internet-tools, intervention, iowavoteearlyforchangeweekofac, iphone, ipod, iraq, itunes, jail, jake, japan, jazz, jordan, keyboard, keyvault, kids, knife, lag, lakers, lazy, league, leaked, left, liberal-politics, liberties, life, liger, linguistics, linux, literature, live, living, lobby, local, localfieldoffice, lois, lol, London, lone, longest, los, loser, lot, love, ludacris, M16, m200, m9, mac, mac-os, magic, malaysia, man, management, marketing, marriage, math, mathematics, max, media, medicine, meeting, Microsoft, microwave, mix, modern, money, Montage, movie, movies, mp3, mp5k, multimedia, music, music-video, musicals, mw2, mybo, myself, nano, nasty, nation, national, nature, net, network-security, networking, never, new, news, nextgenupdate, nfl, ninja, no, nuke, nyc, obama, of, office, ohio, oil, omg, online, online-games, open-source, optic, orange, organizing, painting, paintings, pakistan, pals, paper, party, patchaed, pavelow, peace, performance, philosophy, phone, phonebank, photo, photography, photos, photoshop, physics, pictures, pineapple, pirates, poetry, points, politics, pop, porn, potter, pregnant, president, prestige, pride, prideevent, pridefest, pro, programming, ps3, psychology, puppet, Purple, pursuit, quagmire, quickscope, quizzes, quotes, random, rawr, recipe, recipes, registration, relationships, religion, republican, retard, rock, romantic, saint, satire, scary, school, science, science-fiction, scope, sculpture, search, secret, security, self-improvement, service, sex, sexy, shopping, show, shows, sick, sir, snd, Sniper, social, social media, social-networking, society, software, song, sony, sorry, soundboard, space, space-exploration, spelling, sport, sports, springboard, star-wars, startup, steady, steak, stewie, stumblers, stumbleupon, sucks, suprise, tags, tattoos, tech, technology, television, the, theater, these, thought, thug, tiger, tips, to, too, tools, topnotchmultimedia, touch, tour, travel, Trees, tube, tunnels, tutorials, tuts, tv, twice, ubuntu, unban, up, urban, vegan, vegas, video, video-games, videos, vietnam, views, Vintage, voter, voterregistrationdrive, w, war, ward, Warfare, water, waw, way, web, web-design, web-development, weird, were, western, will, windows, winter, WOMEN, women for obama, wordpress, words, workshop, worst, writing, xbox, you, youtube, zebra, zombie, zzirgrizzpersonalcbackup
Taken from Eravipuram, Kollam, Kerala, India.


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Will Haven «Muerte»
Release date: March 23, 2018
Additional Information:Download torrent Muerte for free and register group Will Haven in good quality MP3, FLAC. The site "Metal Download" represents the new album of group Will Haven under the name Muerte. Album Muerte came out and was recorded on label Minus Head Records in March 23, 2018. Group Will Haven plays in genre Hardcore, Metalcore, Sludge and was formed in country United States. Release Muerte was released on media CD (Compact-Disc) and in Studio album format.
Bands: Will Haven
Release Name: Muerte
Music label: Minus Head Records
Country of origin: United States
List of tracksI like
01. Hewed With The Brand
02. Winds Of Change
03. Kinney
04. The Son
05. 43
06. No Escape (feat. Mike Scheidt of YOB)
07. Unit K
08. Ladwig No. 949
09. Bootstraps
10. Now In The Ashes
11. El Sol (feat. Stephen Carpenter)
Similar music on Muerte:


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Nutrition for Lake District Challenges
Although this is easily over-looked, what you eat in a long term endurance event is extremely important - no marathon runner would consider just eating a sandwich and then going, although this is exactly what the majority of long-distance walkers seem to do!
What to eat on an event such as the 3000 Footer Challenge is especially important as it is a 'stop / go' activity - therefore you will need to consume a balance of slow burn food, as well as quick acting short term energy boosts to get your body going at the start of each of the peaks.
Short term energy foods
- Chocolate
- Sweets
- Some fruit
- Summary: High in suger and / or simple carbohydrates
Long term energy foods
- Nuts
- Pasta
- Meats
- Cheeses
- Summary: High in protein and / or complex carbohydrates
At Mobile Adventure, we provide our groups with a balance between these two food groups, as well as ensuring that you receive two hot meals during your challenge (3 Peaks), as well as another good meal at the end of all our Mountain Challenges. This ensures that your body has enough fuel to keep going, and makes your Mountain Challenge that little bit easier - Please beware providers who just stuff sandwiches down their clients!
What you drink is equally important - research has shown that 2% dehydration leads to 20% performance decrease - certainly enough to make the mountains feel even harder! This is because our bodies require water to 'burn' the fuel contained in food. If you are eating correctly you really only need to drink water, you certainly don't need some all singing energy drink - it is far more important to drink enough. A general guide would be around 2 litres per mountain, more in sunny weather.


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Andrews and Rech Pty Ltd
Established in 1947, A&R has established itself as a major precision machining and fabrication business and since 1976 expanded and developed as a leader in CNC Machining. A&R has a comprehensive range of production plant and equipment, including CAD CAM technology with direct numerical link to CNC machines, and production reporting using a computerised bar-coding system which allows quick response to customer delivery and requirements. With a 3,000m^2 workshop, skilled and experience trades-persons and strict quality assurance to ISO 90001:2008 standards A&R will satisfy customer demands.
- 124 Long Street, Smithfield, NSW NSW 2164
- Telephone: 0296097833
- Email:
Accreditation: ISO 90001:2008, ,
Company Size: 35 employees
Operations: Leading sub-contract machine shop currently supplying components to the mining, railway, transport, glass manufacturing, wind power generation, automotive industries, defense and medical industries.


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This activity is closed to further registration.
Monday-Friday June 1-5, 2020 from 5PM-10PM
The American Red Cross Lifeguarding classes are designed to teach you not only the basics in water safety but also the proper protocol when dealing with any emergencies around water.
The Red Cross blends both traditional lecture style along with crucial hands-on training in order to teach you effective techniques to deliver prompt care to those in need.
Learn how to respond safely and efficiently to water emergencies with lifeguard classes from the American Red Cross.
Class held at SA
Natatorium 1430 W Cesar Chavez Blvd. SA, TX 78207
100 Military Plaza
San Antonio, TX 78205
Contact us for information:
Tel. 210.207.6000


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EVGA - Product Specs - EVGA GeForce GTX 970 Superclocked ACX 2.0 http://www.evga.com/products/Specs/GPU.aspx?pn=8296b494-5d1d-... 1 von 1 EVGA GeForce GTX 970 Superclocked ACX 2.0 Part Number: 04G-P4-2974-KR The new EVGA GeForce GTX 970 is powered by the next-generation NVIDIA Maxwell architecture, giving you incredible performance, unmatched power efficiency, and cutting-edge features. Maxwell is the most advanced GPU architecture ever made, designed to be the engine of next-generation gaming. Inspired by light, it was designed to solve some of the most complex lighting and graphics challenges in visual computing. For the first time, gaming GPUs can dynamically render indirect light using the new VXGI (Voxel Global Illumination technology. Scenes are significantly more lifelike as light interacts more realistically in the game environment. EVGA ACX 2.0 This card features EVGA ACX 2.0 cooling. With optimized Swept fan blades, double ball bearings and an extreme low power motor, EVGA ACX 2.0 delivers more air flow with less power, unlocking additional power for the GPU. Dynamic Super Resolution Technology Enable the detail of 4K monitors, on a 1080P display. DSR produces smoother images by rendering a game at a high resolution, then downscaling it to the native resolution of the display using advanced filtering. Super-Smooth and Stutter-Free GeForce GTX 970 cards support tear-free, super-fast NVIDIA G-Sync monitor display technology, including 4K. Together, these technologies provide the most immersive and competitive gaming experiences possible. Learn more here. SPECIFICATIONS KEY FEATURES Base Clock: 1165 MHZ Boost Clock: 1317 MHz Memory Clock: 7010 MHz Effective CUDA Cores: 1664 Bus Type: PCI-E 3.0 Memory Detail: 4096MB GDDR5 Memory Bit Width: 256 Bit Memory Speed: 0.28ns Memory Bandwidth: 224.3 GB/s DIMENSIONS Height: 4.376in - 111.15mm Length: 9.5in - 241.3mm Width: Dual Slot NVIDIA Dynamic Super Resolution Technology NVIDIA MFAA Technology NVIDIA GameWorks Technology NVIDIA GameStream Technology NVIDIA G-SYNC Ready Microsoft DirectX 12 NVIDIA GPU Boost 2.0 NVIDIA Adaptive Vertical Sync NVIDIA Surround Technology NVIDIA SLI Ready NVIDIA CUDA Technology OpenGL 4.4 Support OpenCL Support HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.2 and Dual-link DVI PCI Express 3.0 EVGA ACX 2.0 Cooling RESOLUTION & REFRESH Max Monitors Supported: 4 240Hz Max Refresh Rate Max Analog: 2048x1536 Max Digital: 4096x2160 REQUIREMENTS 500 Watt or greater power supply.**** PCI Express, PCI Express 2.0 or PCI Express 3.0 compliant motherboard with one graphics slot. Two available 6-pin PCI-E power connectors Windows 8 32/64bit, Windows 7 32/64bit, Windows Vista 32/64bit *DVI-D = Digital Only. Please do not connect to "DVI to VGA" adapter. **Support for HDMI includes GPU-accelerated Blu-ray 3D support (Blu-ray 3D playback requires the purchase of a compatible software player from CyberLink, ArcSoft, Corel, or Sonic), x.v.Color, HDMI Deep Color, and 7.1 digital surround sound. Upgrade your GPU to full 3D capability with NVIDIA 3DTV Play software, enabling 3D gaming, picture viewing, and 3D web video streaming. ****Minimum system power requirement based on a PC configured with an Intel Core i7 3.2GHz processor. EVGA Precision X Designed from the ground up to support new GPU technology, EVGA Precision X redefines what overclocking software should be. www.evga.com/precision EVGA OC Scanner X Featuring a brand new look and layout, this popular application has been adapted to show all of the latest GeForce vitals. www.evga.com/ocscanner MODS RIGS $1k Sponsorships for every 200 posts. Come show off your rig and join in on one of the biggest things happening at EVGA. www.modsrigs.com 24/7 Technical Support EVGA is here for you day or night to help answer any questions! www.evga.com/support EVGA GAMING If you live to game, this is the place for you! We have the best tournaments, prizes and game servers. www.evgagaming.com TEAMEVGA Follow EVGA on your favorite Social Networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Steam, and the EVGA Gaming Community. www.evga.com/teamevga PRODUCT WARRANTY This product is covered under EVGA's 3 year warranty which covers parts and labor. Further warranty extension is available upon registration within 90 days of purchase. For more details please visit http://www.evga.com/warranty/ 31.03.2015 11:08
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Publication Date
[Excerpt] Jules Verne isn't the only one who can take you on a worldwide adventure. Travel the globe in eight charts with the Bureau of Labor Statistics! Although BLS is the premier source for U.S. labor statistics, the Bureau is also widely recognized for providing comparable international data. BLS provides information on employment, unemployment, productivity, compensation costs, and other labor-related measures for countries in the Americas, Europe, and Asia and the Pacific. Let's begin our tour!
Suggested Citation
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2008). BLS spotlight on statistics: Around the world in eight charts. Washington, D.C.: Author.


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Perhaps because of the break last week, or perhaps just because, our week has been CRAZY busy. We've had some sort of special meeting or trip everyday. As always, these encounters are both enlightening and exciting, but it was a little frustrating and exhausting for us. For me, I've been out until after 7 every night this week, so when I finally make it home, I'm utterly exhausted and crash. Last night was especially bad on that count. Cherif told us we'd be leaving town to go visit…somewhere. None of us were really sure where we were going. The journey was frustrating. Cherif predicted it would only take 40 minutes, so he rented a sotrama for the lot of us. So, 20 of us squeezed in the back of it and we set out. Now, sotrama's aren't renowned for their comfort, and we were pushing the maximum capacity. Everyone was squeezed so tightly together that sweating started almost immediately. Then the traffic ended up being really bad, and what was supposed to take less than an hour, ended up taking almost two. Suffice to say people were hot, bothered, dehydrated (in my case), and very frustrated by the time we stopped. The place turned out to be pretty interesting though. It was a large plantation where they grew millet and turn the oil into biodiesel which they sell here. Naturally (pun unintended), this is much more eco-friendly than importing fossil fuels for the cars, and it costs Malians a lot less as well. It was a quick, but interesting tour, led by a very attractive young man who we'll meet again in Segou. Not that I was just shallowly focusing on physical appearances…it really was interesting, but that was nice too. Certainly made the overwhelming, long drive more worth it.
This week I also visited the tailor a few times. I have to say, of all the people I've met here, he's one of my favorites. It turns out he DOES speak French, so I can go and chat with him and design outfits. All the people who work and hang out there are also nice. One, upon hearing that I sing, insisted that the next time I visit I sing for the lot of them. Moreover, if you go around 3, you get a free cup of tea out of it! Anyways, I visited him several times this week with friends, and we're quickly becoming buddies, which makes me really happy.
My biggest source of busy-ness this week, however, has been the quest for kora lessons. I thought for a long time that learning the kora could be really cool. I play the harp, and the kora is kinda like the harp's great great great African grandfather. It's even called the African harp. Thus, I've always thought it could be interesting to return to the origins of my instrument. Not to mention a kora is a much cheaper and more portable instrument than the harp. Anyway, actually getting the lessons and instrument has proven to be much more of an ordeal than I thought. I talked to Cherif about it, then didn't hear anything for weeks. In the end a friend reminded him of it and he called someone. Next thing I knew, I was supposed to call and set up an appointment. Everything was a-go. So, I plucked up my courage, and dialed the number he gave me. The guy who picked up (it turns out) was NOT the guy who was supposed to teach me…it was his nephew. After a confusing conversation, I finally talked to the instructor, who agreed to give me lessons and told me to make an appointment with his nephew. We settled on Thursday. Unfortunately, as you recall, I was unable to leave on Thursday and was obliged to cancel my lesson.
After a few days, we settled that I would have a lesson on Tuesday afternoon. Unfortunately, when Tuesday came, it turned out Abdama (my instructor's nephew who was supposed to pick me up) had forgotten how to get to my house. I ran all around the house and up and down the neighborhood, trying to find SOMEONE to give him directions…no such luck. So, we settled that we would meet at the CCF (French cultural center). So I ran out and found a taxi driver to take me there. That turned out to be a weird ride. He was nice enough, chatted with me, invited me to share his lunch, etc. He also asked me to marry him, though, so after I definitively refused (told him I couldn't till after my studies and that I had a fiancé) it was kinda awkward. I then had to wait on the corner of the CCF for a while. It wasn't awful, I chatted with a nice guy who was sitting nearby and watched a lot of hippy toubabous come and go. It was a bit stressful though and I was happy when Abdama finally arrived. Abdama, it turns out, is in his third year at the university. We are about the same age and got along really well, talking about music, school, travel, etc. When we got to his house, he showed me into the courtyard where we'd have the lesson. This was the busiest courtyard I've visited – private lessons would be impossible. One corner had a tv around which men gathered to watch football and the news, the other was occupied by women cooking and doing laundry, and another houses a horse in its stall. So everyone was busy.
Abdama showed me the room where they kept koras and kora parts (they make the instrument themselves) and introduced me to the guy I'd be buying a kora from. He was nice, but freaked me out when he named an astronomical price. It was still less than most instruments in the US though, so maybe it was fair? Anyways, we discussed and I told them I'd think about it and get back to them soon.
As we waited for Abdama's uncle, he took a kora and played a piece for me. He told me that you typically learn a piece, and then improvise, adding in parts. At one point he even played some chords to imitate a harp for me – it was really cool. Then he passed the instrument to me. Of course I had no idea what to do with it, but he showed me how my fingers should rest and let me play around with it.
In the end, my instructor never showed up. Apparently his wife was sick and they were at the hospital. I was forgiving, but a little frustrated and troubled. I mean, I'm ok with Africa time, and don't really count on things running according to scheduled times, but I do expect them to happen on scheduled days. Combine that with the price of a kora and I began to wonder if lessons were worth it. So, I talked to Cherif the next morning, and things started to make sense. First of all, it turned out these guys doubled the price of the kora, so it really was too high (as I suspected). He was also disappointed by the fact that I still hadn't met my teacher, so right then and there, he called a friend and arranged for us to meet after dance class. This guy is going to make my kora, and is offering it for a good price. I will also get to be present when he builds it, which I think is SUPER cool. I feel like I will respect and love the instrument so much more after that experience. Moreover, he's giving me lessons! I am scheduled to have one this morning! And I know he will be a great teacher as he already started with me on Wednesday. As we waited for Cherif, he played me a piece which he said was pretty easy. After he finished he said, "Il faut voir," – you need to see it, and passed the kora to me. He then proceeded to show me different strings, told me what notes they were and which other strings corresponded. Then he taught me the accompaniment, and seemed pleased with my playing.
This experience was truly wonderful for me. I missed my music class, and learning a new instrument is always exciting. Moreover, learning from such a patient and excellent teacher is great, and after the headache I had on Tuesday, I started to feel really good about learning this instrument. So, although it took a while to get started, I am so excited to learn kora, and hopefully bring one home with me.
We leave for Djoliba this weekend! I am sure I will have LOTS to say when we get back, from what I've heard, this is going to be a great visit with a really interesting twist. But that's enough for now! Don't want to spoil the surprise!
Bon weekend!


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Erma Bombeck
Highlights of a Life
Erma Bombeck's best-selling books and syndicated newspaper column, At Wit's End, satirized the suburbs and the tedium of motherhood and housewifery. Housewives in "typical" homes across the country claimed that Bombeck understood them like no one else; they laughed at her columns with both delight and relief. According to the entry in the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame book, "her humor and insight helped break open the prevailing stereotypes of the housewife happily cleaning in heels and pearls."
Unusual Circumstances
Although Erma eventually became a "typical" housewife, her beginnings were a little out of the ordinary. Born in Dayton, Ohio, to a 16-year-old mother, Erma's working-class father died when she was nine, and her family drifted apart. Her beloved half-sister, Thelma, went to live with her natural mother, and Erma's mother worked in a factory. While later Erma realized her mother was wise and heroic, at the time Erma felt only abandoned.
Perhaps surprising, Erma was not the class clown: rather, she was a bookworm who loved to write. According to her biography at www.ermamuseum.org, "When the school day ended, she would rush home [and] grab a book… she would read out loud taking all the parts as though she were in a play. At Christmas, while her friends begged for dolls and bikes, she pleaded for books."
Young Erma's literary tastes shaped the writer she would become—she loved the humor of James Thurber, Robert Benchley, and H. Allen Smith to name just a few. She dreamed of writing her own stories and published her first humor column in the school newspaper at Emerson Junior High, The Owl. Her sense of humor was dry and sometimes acidic.
Breaking in to Journalism
Erma always wanted to be a journalist. "As a kid I spent my last nickel to hear Dorothy Thompson speak," she said. When she was fifteen, Erma asked the editor of the Dayton Herald to give her a job, offering to make arrangements for another girl to work while she was in school. She was hired as "copygirl" but only wrote for the paper once, when she interviewed Shirley Temple, "one sixteen-year-old to another," and won the newspaper staff award for feature of the week. Bill Bombeck worked at the Dayton Journal, and when Erma met him she liked him instantly. Two or three years later they dated casually, and then Bill joined the Army and went to Korea.
Erma was the first person in her family to graduate from high school, and she aspired to go to college. Of course college attendance by women was somewhat rare in the 1940s: most female high school graduates "either got a job and paid board or got married." To earn money for college, she continued to work at the Herald, where she was promoted to full-time writer.
College, Mergers, and Marriage
When she'd saved enough money Erma enrolled at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, but financial difficulties and lack of encouragement for her writing caused her to transfer to the University of Dayton, where she was able to live at home and pay her own way at the university. She wrote for the college's magazine with the mentoring of Brother Tom Price, who told her, "You can write."
After receiving her bachelor's degree, Erma returned to the Dayton Journal-Herald, where she was assigned to the women's section. The two Dayton newspapers had merged, just as Bill and Erma lives were about to merge. The couple had corresponded while Bill was in Korea, and they dated seriously after his return. Bill and Erma were married in August of 1949. In 1953, Erma gave up her job at the paper to stay at home and raise their adopted daughter, Betsy.
Erma's Suburbia
In many ways, Erma Bombeck was a product of her times, and she soon succumbed to the misery of suburban housewifery. She was tired, lonely, and isolated—afflicted, in the words of Betty Friedan in The Feminine Mystique, by "The Problem That Has No Name." But Friedan's book, which would later give form to Bombeck's plight, wouldn't be published for another ten years. In the meantime, Erma gave birth to two sons: Andrew in 1955, and Matthew in 1958. The Bombecks moved to Centerville, a suburb outside Dayton, and busied themselves with lawn mowing, carting kids to lessons, decorating and redecorating their home. The now-famous Phil Donahue lived across the street, and he would become a longtime Bombeck friend. He described the family as "hardworking, house-proud do-it-yourselfers."
Erma wanted to give her kids the childhood she didn't have. But her bottled-up creative energy put pressure on her nerves. At her death, Ellen Goodman's eulogy included a Bombeck musing from this time: "I hid my dreams in the back of my mind—it was the only safe place in the house. From time to time I would get them out and play with them, not daring to reveal them to anyone else because they were fragile and might get broken."
At Wit's End
In 1964, Erma went to the editor of the local paper, the Kettering-Oakwood Times, and offered to do a column. About going back to work, she famously quipped, "I do not feel fulfilled cleaning chrome faucets with a toothbrush. It's my turn." About writing a column, she said, "I was too old for a paper route, too young for Social Security and too tired for an affair."
Her column, At Wit's End, focused on the absurdity of suburbia, and the fact that "housework, if it is done right, can kill you." In a Time magazine interview from July 2, 1984, Erma said, "I'll be honest…when I started, I thought I was squirrelly. I thought it was just me. After the first columns, everyone on the block confessed it was them too."
But people beyond the confines of her own suburban block began to take note of Erma Bombeck's column. Glenn Thompson, editor of the Dayton Journal-Herald, noticed her work and asked her to return to her old stomping ground to write the ongoing feature. He also sent a sample to the Newsday Syndicate, who signed Bombeck to a short-term contract. In 1967, Erma accepted a long-term contract with the Field Newspaper Syndicate. Nine hundred newspapers would eventually carry her column.
Erma's success with the column led to some collections of her work in book form, and then books dedicated to her own peculiar take of the domestic life. Each subsequent book sold better, and after The Grass is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank, all of her books were best-sellers.
Bombeck Feminism
Many women in the era's growing Feminist Movement thought Erma Bombeck's message contradicted theirs. "I had a member of the women's liberation movement write to me and say, 'Lady, you are the problem.'" But Bombeck believed that ultimately, her columns liberated women, but in a different way from the "traditional" feminist brand of liberation. They didn't belittle the woman who chose to stay home, instead treating motherhood and housewifery as important. Feminist columnist Ellen Goodman said, "Bombeck cracked open the feminine mystique her own way: with a sidesplitting laugh." Patricia Leigh Brown said, "She made it okay to live in a ranch house with the requisite station wagon and golden retriever, because she could lovingly satirize the cliché."
In fact, Bombeck supported the women's movement, but she resented its exclusion of the housewife. After hearing Betty Friedan speak she said, "These women threw a war for themselves and didn't invite any of us. That was very wrong of them." In one column she wrote, "When did a woman selling orange slices in the dime store become more impressive than a woman who did a darned good job raising three kids for twenty years?" Bombeck later commented that
My type of humor is almost pure identification. A housewife reads my column and says, "But that's happened to ME! I know just what she's talking about!" You can't imagine what a great feeling that is for an American housewife. Basically women work alone when they're at home. They think no one is feeling what they are feeling, that no one understands their daily frustrations.
With the success of her column and books, Erma made a good deal of money through speaking engagements around the country. But in 1978, she gave them all up to do a national tour speaking in favor of the Equal Rights Amendment. Its failure to pass was one of her life's greatest disappointments.
The Bombeck household, of course, was firmly feminist: Erma was the main breadwinner. Bill Bombeck eventually retired from his job as a school administrator in order to manage his wife's career; at her peak she made from $500,000 to $1 million a year.
Onward and Upward
In 1975 Erma made her television debut on Good Morning America. She shared the screen with David Hartman, Nancy Dussault, Jack Anderson, Rona Barrett, Jonathan Winters, and Geraldo Rivera. She began with two-to-three minutes of her zany twist on life, which evolved into longer interviews with celebrities, including a famous Zsa Zsa Gabor interview in Zsa Zsa's king-size bed. She always interviewed with a down-home, relaxed style, and she remained on the show for eleven years.
As she got older, Erma's books and columns turned more serious, though still marked by wit. I Want to Grow Hair, I Want to Grow Up, I Want to Go to Boise featured stories about kids with a hope of beating cancer "and living to drive their parents crazy." A Marriage Made in Heaven … or, Too Tired for an Affair addressed personal issues such as the loss of a close friend, miscarriage, her mother's deteriorating health, and her own battle with breast cancer. Erma credited her sanity to her husband and their marriage.
Erma Bombeck's health began declining with a diagnosis of breast cancer, followed by a mastectomy in 1992. Then, in 1994 a hereditary kidney disease progressed to the point where she was on dialysis four times a day. Hundreds of people Erma had never met offered to donate their kidneys. But Erma died in April, 1996, following a transplant operation.
Hundreds of columns and several books mourned the loss of one of America's greatest humorists. Her work had affected the lives of people all over the country. Phil Donahue, who served as a pall bearer at her funeral, said: "when the scholars gather hundreds of years from now to learn about us, they can't know it all until they know about Erma."
Source: "Erma Bombeck." Contemporary Authors Online. The Gale Group. (14 January 2005). The Erma Bombeck Online Museum at www.ermamuseum.org.