text:
If I could send a letter to myself in the early days of parenting, when the days seemed slow with four young kids under 6 years of age, this is I would say:
Love the Moment
by Kelly - Be A Fun Mum |
If I could send a letter to myself in the early days of parenting, when the days seemed slow with four young kids under 6 years of age, this is I would say:
by Kelly - Be A Fun Mum |
by Kelly - Be A Fun Mum |
It isn't a great heading for this post and I know it. There's a lot of noise about weight loss around these days, and much of it is sensationalised. If I really wanted to get good click throughs to what I've written here, I probably should have titled it something like:
or…even better…
or wait…just…
(just like that in big capital letters)
Ack! No, no, no! I'm sick of sensationalism. But I am interested in health and fitness, and sharing the story of my journey. Here's another headline:
You see, I never had an issue with my weight before. Not even during my pregnancies. Then my mum died, and it was like a brick that…fell…crashed…and life suddenly overwhelmed me; it caved in on me, and around me. I was depressed. The weight crept up on me slowly as did the heaviness in my person. Anxiety turned into an undercurrent of permanent fear.
I had to learn an entire new set of skills. It was tough when the usual challenges of life didn't let up. Still four children to care for. Still moving every year at that point of my life. Still with a husband working very long hours. Still motherless. Nothing stopped and I felt like I was drowning in bricks, with life throwing more bricks, never stopping. That peek was over five years ago now and I am different now. I am different than when I was under a cloud…sure — but what I mean is I am different now, than before was depressed. And I'm glad for the experiences I've had and the opportunities to learn from them.
People who haven't seen me for a while say, "Wow, you're looking fantastic," and it always surprises me. Why? Because losing weight wasn't my goal. I didn't weigh myself (I don't own scales) or track my progress. I simply changed my life in small and simple ways: learned more; stressed less; moved more; ate better. Losing weight was an outcome, a consequence, not a goal. I can't even tell you how much weight I've lost between these pics, but I was surprised at what small sustainable changes DO over a long period.
In the first pic below, that was probably close to 2 and a half years ago now, and I think I had already lost some weight at this point. I tend to carry weight evenly around my body (rather than having problem spots)…which is good — and bad. Good because I tend to hide weight well…and bad for exactly the same reason!
Changing my mindset has taken much longer than simply making small changes. (It's taken more than a year — ha — many, many years — but there was a fixed year that I had enough space in my head and seeing the outcome of small changes helped it all click.
I changed my mindset—> that affected my choices —> which in turn changed my body.
Do aim for a healthy life.
Do look forward to feeling well, and strong, and having the freedom to wear swimwear so you can swim without a care with your kids. Don't focus on how you look (don't buy into the RUBBISH society loves to splash around – just don't). Do focus on how obtaining health feels and the freedom that comes with that.
Do eat good food. Whole food is good food. It it what it is. What matters isn't high fat, or low sugar, low carbs or other marketing ploys. Over the years, I've been trying to introduce more whole fresh foods in my diet, and you know…my 'fat' intake may even be higher now. It's when we mess around the gorgeous food, change it and warp it beyond its form, that it's wrecked.
With the risk of appearing like I'm contradicting myself here, I do eat low fat yoghurt and milk sometimes, but the point is I don't worry too much about ensuring food is low fat, because when you treat each food with respect, you just accept it for what it is and how it fits in the big picture of overall health. For example, I love a creamy brie and I'll enjoy it sometimes in the big picture of my health. I don't want a low fat version!! Haha.
Do make small sustainable changes…and keep on keeping on. For example, buy natural yoghurt and have it with fresh fruit rather than buying 'low fat' (usually WAY higher in sugar) flavoured yoghurt. Swap whole nuts for biscuits. That sort of thing. There are a million little ways that make up to big changes.
Do learn to listen to your body. I'm not against plans. In fact, I'm doing one at the moment. However, I follow my own path, and I use programs as a tool, not as a goal. If you don't have your OWN big picture, a plan will most probably become a fad.
So this is the fifth year now, and made many changes to the choices I make, and how I approach life in terms of health. I'm always looking to push myself further. I found a wonderful PT group here in Brisbane, Phyzique by Lauren Phillips, and I attend 3 classes a week. I've been with Lauren for over a year now. When it came to the start of this year, I recognised the need for some support when it comes to putting more fresh food in my diet so I'm doing a 10 week challenge which will help me to be disciplined about the food choices I make. It's just another step.
Breakfast: Whole apricot
Snack: Blueberries with small amount of greek yoghurt
Lunch: Quoina & almond salad with egg
Snack: Almonds, carrot & celery sticks
Dinner: Black Rice, whole steamed vegetables, tuna, drizzle of soy sauce
Breakfast: 1 piece of 9 grain toast with peanut butter, lady finger banana
Snack: 1/2 cup fruit smoothie
Lunch: Black quoina & rice salad with a carrot
Snack: 2 chocolate date balls
Dinner: Deconstructed taco: lean mince, cooked with onion, herbs and baked beans, raw beetroot, raw carrot, lettuce
Breakfast: Natural yoghurt with blueberries with half an orange
Snack: Tuna sushi (out)
Lunch: Roast vegetable cous cous (150g)
Snack: 1 homemade ginger biscuit
Dinner: Warm chicken salad: with avocado, capsicum & vinaigrette dressing (out)
Breakfast: Porridge with sunflower seeds, wheat germ & small lady finger banana
Snack: Carrot & celery sticks
Lunch: Black rice with corn bok choy, dressed with cream cheese and a drizzle of sweet chilli sauce
Snack: 6 cherries
Dinner: Homemade chicken & ginger wonton soup with carrot and bok choy. After dinner: Apricot & oat ball
Breakfast: Porridge with blueberries and sunflower seeds
Snack: –
Lunch: Black rice with tuna, cherry tomatoes, corn and kale
Snack: 2 chocolate date balls
Dinner: Ham, spinach, avocado & fetta with sweet potato chips
Breakfast: High bran weet-bix with sunflower seeds
Snack: Almonds plus a few dates
Lunch: 9 grain bread with ham, avocado, cottage cheese, spinach, cucumber & tomato
Snack: Cherries
Dinner: Warm chicken salad (out)
Breakfast: Porridge with blueberries, natural yoghurt, sunflower seeds
Snack: Celery with peanut butter & snow peas
Lunch: Black rice, tuna, spinach salad, parmesan cheese (instead of dressing)
Snack: Apricot & Oat Ball
Dinner: Wholemeal muffin with lean bacon, egg, wholegrain mustard and spinach
3 Group PT Sessions, 1 x 7K Run
Note: I have more time to exercise now my kids are older. When they were younger, I couldn't manage as much, but still found ways to maintain fitness and I shared some in this guest post for Diminishing Lucy.
Week one down. I honestly like the food I'm eating and it hasn't been too difficult because I've already made many small changes to the way we eat as a family so for my meals, I'm just tweaking them a little. The trick is taking the time to fit in more (smaller) meals during the day and being smart about preparing food (so I don't get caught out). I don't have a diet to follow or anything like that — I choose my own food — but am trying to eat more whole foods, less refined, and making the calories count (like choosing quinoa instead of white rice; that sort of thing).
After a week, I've noticed a difference in the clarity of my skin.
I'll update again next week.
Five hard years learning, changing & growing. It's as simple as that.
by Kelly - Be A Fun Mum |
I wish I thought to take a picture of all the rubbish that came home in my children's bags on the last day of school. It was epic! Think this picture below times at least 100. This is just the remnants; the stuff that was salvageable.
School is finished and I managed to get through the last couple of weeks. I didn't get through gracefully, but the dreaded weeks are behind me. When there are rough patches in family life, I often feel alone. I wonder if there is something wrong with me. The kids bicker more than usual. My temper is stretched. I'm exhausted. The house becomes a dumping ground as we frantically try to do the everything that needs to be done, and be at all the places we need to be. This means things aren't organised at home, and I don't know where I'm at. I can't find things and the house runs in a hickelty-pickelty fashion. I feel down, and am unable to think clearly. I wrote about this, and was surprised, and so very encouraged by the lovely responses I received. Parenting can be quite a lonely journey at times. And yet we do share so many of the same experiences, so I have discovered once again.
I feel more like myself again.
There is a little story I want to share. It has a little to do with the odious task of unpacking school bags, and a lot to do with listening for the stillness of truth amongst the noise.
I watched my girls walk through the gate, and under the fiery poinsettia tree that provided a carpet of red-orange on the grass. They were walking slow, turning to each other in comfortable conversation. I never fail to feel a sense of pride at the evidence of their relationship and what good friends they are. It was the last day of school and I was glad of it. My two eldest girls were still 20 metres away when I wound down the window of the car.
"You DID IT! You finished school for the year! Congratulations!!" I didn't care who overheard me.
I watched the smiles creep on their faces. As they came closer, I noticed their swollen backpacks and a sense of dread filled me at inevitable: the job of sorting through the contents. Some of my prior exuberance leaked out of me like an injured balloon fading fast. More stuff to deal with. More rubbish. More things to find a home for. I get so sick of stuff sometimes.
Later at home, I found the usual in the backpacks: broken pencils, rotten fruit, pens without lids, 6 erasers (2 from the start of the year and another 4 so called 'replacements' I was commissioned to buy), empty glue sticks, small containers I had been looking for all year, 4 teaspoons, 1 fork, books, paper, paper, and more paper.
As I sorted through the items, I came across a self portrait and profile written by my then 7-year-old daughter.
You know, it's these little things that are like a burst of light through the storm clouds. It's the redemption in the chaos, when I feel I'm doing everything wrong. It's the moment in the big picture.
I looked through another bag and found a Portrait of Dad by my 5-year-old daughter (Prep). It's encouraging to know the effort to visit my husband with the kids on many a long weekend when he is working, is important, it matters, and it impacts on the children in a positive way.
I love the details in this picture.
The surgeon's hat. The glasses he wears when he is operating. The two pockets either side of the scrubs.
I love the words.
My favourite thing about Dad is: "Because he takes me to the unit at his work and gives me yummy food, and he makes silly jokes."
I flicked through some of the intact books to see snippets of our family life filter through. What I saw made me happy.
I was rather astounded by the artwork and felt grateful for the teacher's efforts and my daughter's obvious progress.
I watched a DVD filled with images of my 10-year-old. In it I see how much she has achieved and matured over the year.
When I'm in the valley, it feels like I'm stuck; there's a mountain to climb at every turn. Yet God reminds me of all these little blessings that put everything in perspective. Although the sound echoes loud in the valley as it bounces around and surrounds me, it's often the quiet, still, and small things that speak truth.
Valleys exist. Waves happen. The rain comes.
But then…
The grass is green. The sun is bright. The flowers sing.
by Kelly - Be A Fun Mum |
After a hard week, it takes just one special moment to reinforce what a privilege it is to be a mother. You know those moment that take your breath away?
Let me back track a little. My two older girls started training in Rhee Tae Kwon Do before I did. After watching for a few lessons, I wondered why I wasn't doing it with them. Rhee Tae Kwon Do is a wonderful family sport so I thought it might be a fun thing for us to do together. I asked the trainer if I was way too old to start. HA! He said no, so the next lesson, I was right beside my girls learning along with them. It's become special thing for us to do every week (plus it's a great way to fit a bit of exercise into my week).
This particular lesson, the adults were lined up along one side of the hall and the children were standing opposite. My eldest daughter was my sparring (fighting) partner. We faced each other and she looked up to me and smiled. I mouthed the words, "I love you," and smiled back. We are totally supposed to be serious but she had such a sparkle in her eye this night. After a few minutes of sparring, the instructor asked the children if they were a little scared of the adults. I figured the instructor's motive for this question was to ensure the kids have the ability to protect themselves from adults if they needed to. This is really important, and it's great the instructor trains the kids how to react in to many situations. All the kids answered "Yes" to the question. Until it came to my daughter.
"No," she said.
The instructor asked why (because adults can kick pretty hard you know).
"Because she's my mum and I trust her. I know she would never hurt me."
It wasn't so much what she said but the way she said it. It was like she couldn't possibly fathom the concept of being afraid of me, and I almost cried at the trust in her eyes. Her big blue eyes, the colour of sapphires, sparkled with honour. That trust makes me feel fearful and incredibly privileged at the same time.
I will always strive and be worthy of the trust I saw in her eyes in that moment.
Have you had any special mother-moments recently?
by Kelly - Be A Fun Mum |
Jolly pram.
My feet hit the ground, falling in rhythm with the repetive screech of the pram wheel as I walked the short path to pick up my school children.
I walked fast, as I like to do. Just up ahead, I saw a small grandma with a neat white bob, strolling beside a happy looking girl wearing red and white check pants. If I wasn't on such a get-to-school-and-back mission, I might have paused at the pair because they represented the joy you see in an illustrated children's book.
As I neared, the little girl jumped close to her grandmother's leg, hearing the (REEEK!) sound of the pram wheel behind her.
"It needs some oil," I said in way of explanation as I came along side the duo. I felt I needed to apolgise for the terrible sound coming from the contraption.
"I'm sure it's the last thing on your list of things to." The grandmother gave me a kind smile.
I was rather surprised at her empathic response. I often brace for some sort of judgement.
"It's not hard to do, but I just put up with it because it seems right down on the list of priorities right now." I gave a short laugh.
"Of course! Yes, absolutely."
I continued past the joyful pair and walked fast up the hill, my legs pumping hard.
"Who was that Mum?" It was the first time my son spoke since we left home. His question reflected the kind words the white-bobbed lady spoke, and I'm sure he wondered if she was a friend.
"Just a lady. Maybe walking to the school like we are. She was nice, wasn't she?"
Such a short conversation. And in many ways, an unnecessary one. However, I can tell you, her true empathy, non-judgemental words and face of kindness, made a difference to my afternoon. There was no look of annoyance or cold silence. Just kindness. Pure, simple kindness.
When was the last time I said something unnecessary but kind?
When was the last time I smiled at a stranger?
When was the last time I exercised empathy for those around me?
When was the last time I lived joy, so obviously?
Someone's Grandma probably wouldn't think anything of the conversation, but right now I'm writing it on my blog. You never know who you may touch; just a few words can make someone's day a little lighter.
Kindness is contagious.
And sometimes I am my own squeaky wheel…
The Things You Do For Your Kids
Do You Argue In front of The Kids
Playing With Kids (a confession)
by Kelly - Be A Fun Mum |
I don't want to give my kids advice, I want to impart wisdom.
a proposal for an appropriate course of action
ability to apply knowledge or experience or understanding or common sense and insight
Many will give my children's advice as they mature — doctors, dentists, teachers, friends, colleagues — but as a mother, I want to be different because I know and love them unconditionally.
I want to offer my children something more than advice. I want to give them the gift of wisdom. I aim to impart insight based on my knowledge of them and unconditional love of who they are. I hope this will enable my children to make good choices for themselves, long after the wisdom is given. It's a gift that keeps on giving.
I don't want to say, "You should do this."
I want to say, "What do you think?"
I don't want to say, "Believe this."
I want to say, "What is truth?"
I don't want to say, "Behave like this."
I want to say, "Do right."
In the small things, and the big things, I aim to give wisdom, not advice.
I often fall into the trap of advising my kids because it's easier and usually black and white. It's there, and then it's gone.
However, the complex shades of wisdom are an investment built over time and take a great deal of energy, thought and love.
Like a painting starts with shades, so I hope wisdom gives my children an individual map to work on which is grounded by knowledge and love.
As colour is built on the shades to reveal a picture, so I hope my children will add colour and shape to their own life as they live.
Then, as a mother, I can stand back with excitment to admire the ever-evolving picture I see.
What I see won't be my work. But my love.
What I see won't be what I picked. But what I sowed.
What I see won't be a destination. But a journey.
What I see will be beautiful. Individual. Unique.
And a surprise.
I'm sure of it.
by Kelly - Be A Fun Mum |
{My mother with her grandchildren. This picture captures her essence.}
She died 5 years ago, my mother. Too young to die at 51. They say time heals the pain. In many ways this is true: the knife pain in my heart is now an ache that never quite goes away. The pain is not as sharp but it runs deeper than it did before. I'm a motherless mother.
I often think I would be a better mother if she was here to encourage me. To be with me. There's grief in that.
I know how much she would have invested in, and loved my children; their life won't be as rich with out her. There's grief in that.
I want to pick up the phone right now and tell her something I'm excited about, but I can't. There's grief in that.
I miss the feeling of my mother being proud of me. There's grief in that.
I miss being held by a mother. There's grief in that.
I want to talk to her about how the children love each other one minute and bicker the next, knowing she would give me advice, not just general advice, but words of wisdom that would take in my situation, my personality and my children. There's grief in that.
I miss her holding me to the highest and pulling me up when I need it. There's grief in that.
I miss her encouraging me; being someone who says, "You're doing a good job." There's grief in that.
I miss being known. Truly understood and recognised for who I am. There's grief in that.
Grief is like that. Yes, it dulls but the pain spreads as you live life, and the gaping holes that remain, become more obvious. They seem to spread until once what was whole, is no more; it's gone and you are left with an empty feeling of loss. True loss. Gone. That part of my life is lost. I'm a motherless mother.
Loss. It's everywhere. Grief: in its every form is relative and real to the person experiencing it. It's in the mother who has lost a child. It's in the broken marriage. It's in the woman who longs for a child. It's in the widow and widower. It's in sickness and discord. It's in the what-could-have-been. True: some forms of loss are greater than others, but it is all real.
When I'm overwhelmed with an aching sense of loss, I remember what I have.
Much of who I am I owe to my heritage: The way I was raised; the people I have loved; the love I have experienced.
Memories can be painful. But they are oh so very beautiful. I'm looking for my mother's favourite perfume this month. I want the smell to bring back visceral memories to mind.
It's like explaining what it's like to be in love, or the joy of meeting your first child: I can't fully explain how my faith has helped me parent. What I can say: it's not religion, it's relationship. It's a way of living. It's hope.
My own little family here with me. My husband, my children. We can create our own identity. We have choice. We have love. We fight through the hard times and fix and build around the broken pieces. I can't, and won't dwell on the loss, or the what-could-have-been. I have here. And I have now. And I want to make it count.
Who hasn't experienced some sort of loss? Yes — loss, grief, the what-could-have-been — they leave holes that never heal.
Accept: I can't fill them. I can't fill the holes. It's gone. However, I can build on them. And around them. The emptiness — while still there; the essence always gone — is replaced with something new. There is always something new. Something to build. Something beautiful.
There is always strength in weakness. There's always a way to shine in the darkness. There is always hope.
by Kelly - Be A Fun Mum |
I have realised I don't have to be everything to my kids in order for them to thrive. Actually, trying to be everything can do quite the opposite, I believe. In my many, many moments of weakness, I see how capable my children are.
From a curled up position on the couch, the house still ticks away. Sure, not as efficiently or as well as I may like, but things still happen. My daughter makes cheese toast for dinner. My son brings me water and I love the proud look on his face. The other girls rush around making me comfortable with pillows. When I'm sick, it reaffirms to me the importance of not always being
a total crazy control freak in charge of absolutely everything in the home.
When I'm tired, I slow down from my fast forward normal. It's a good thing for me sometimes. When I'm tired, I don't be the hero but focus on the simple things like chillin' with my kids and watching them smile. This post is a perfect example: I Feel Crappy Today.
I get majorly feral when I'm pre-menstral. I know I'm being feral but it's like I'm watching myself from above but can't stop the crankiness (or eating all the carbs in the house). It happens 2-3 days every month. Every. Single. Month. I have decided to be honest with my kids about it. With my pre-teen girls, I explain to them that I'm getting my period (which is something we have talked about before). The younger kids don't notice so much; I don't go into details with them.
The key for me is to ensure the children know why I'm cranky (age relevant) and that it has nothing to do with them; that is, they are not the reason for my crankiness. I hope by being open about normal stuff, it will be just that: normal. I don't want to spring a "big talk" on my kids or give them the token book without tricklings of information beforehand. I'd rather talk about things as they happen so over time, the education is there along with the real life connection. I say something like this, and I say it every single time I'm premenstrual and feel it's affecting the family (believe me, I do try to ensure it doesn't affect them but usually fail):
"Sorry I'm so cranky Beautifuls. I'm getting my period again. I'm totally fine and please know that I'm not annoyed at you, or cranky at you. I'm just not at my best."
This usually opens up the opportunity for the children to ask questions which helps me gauge what information to give them. Some might assert that you should protect children from these sorts of negative issues but these issues are life, and whether I like it or not, they affect the family. For my pre-teen girls, the issues will far too soon, be their own. I can either feel guilty for being cranky before my period (because I've accepted that I surely will be) or use it as an opportunity to share with my kids, to help them understand what positive tools they can use when they feel down and educate them about normal stuff.
I'm not great at routine. I mean, I'm okay with the broad outline of the day — breakfast, morning school jobs, afternoon jobs, washing hands after toilet, dinner — but fixed routine and organisation I don't sustain well. I'm more of a creative dreamer and am liable to be caught up in the moment so dinner is late. That's me. That's me not trying to be the mum I'm not. Of course, there's good and bad about my personality and how it plays out in my parenting, but I have noticed that my children are unique, and develop their own sense of how they like to do things anyway. Take my two eldest for instance: Number 1 is more like me and yet Number 2 is always super organised and has her own special routine, despite me being the type of person I am. I've discovered it's more important for my kids to feel secure about who they are at home rather than me enforcing my own personality values on them. My imperfection hasn't majorly damaged my kids (I don't think!).
Being fallible (and honest about it) has brought depth to the relationship I have with my children. People are often shocked at how deeply my kids share with me, especially as my girls get older as there's an expectation they will lie to me. Below are re-occuring instances where I have seen a genuine openness and honesty between the children and I.
Previous posts:
I strive to be the best Mum I can be, and at the end of the day, the best I can be is not about being perfect all the time but creating a loving environment where my children have the opportunity to shine. And they do. Bless them!
by Kelly - Be A Fun Mum |
{How high is too high? How much freedom is too much?}
I recently read a post from the lovely Megan from Writing Out Loud about Parenting Against Instinct (which I loved). In the post, Megan talks about how she often holds herself back when her daughter, for example, is climbing the ladder to a slide. This is something I often do also, but I may not call it parenting against my instinct (or I'll use the words gut and intuition which I think in this instance, are interchangeable). The longer I parent, the more I trust my gut. What I have to hold back is my own insecurities and anxieties and external pressures on how I should parent.
When it comes to instinct or intuition, I think an automatic sense of knowing what to do is assumed, and this is especially applied to new mothers. When I first became a mother, I found very little of it natural. In fact I found the transition to motherhood difficult.
I believe trusting my gut (or instinct, or intuition), is something very different. I believe women particularly have an ability to accumulate vast amount of conscious and sub-conscious information over time and make sense of it to get a feeling for things, even though the exact reason for the feeling can't necessarily be traced.
Trusting my gut comes down to this: I know myself, I know my children and I know my family's situation better than anyone, plus I've invested much time and energy into my family so I can fall back on my intuition to help me make good decisions for those in my care. It's not guess work or magic, it's applied knowledge.
Just recently, I arranged for my daughter to visit her Aunty's home for a sleepover. She was a little unwell but my sister was happy to have her (and I trust my sister completely; she's like a second mum really). My daughter REALLY, REALLY wanted to go to her Aunty's house, and there was a potential that she would be fine. It was hard to tell my daughter that I decided that she couldn't go. She was absolutely devastated. As it turned out, that night she deteriorated and was very ill. In the past, I would have probably would have spent a lot of time trying to work out if I was being over protective, and being influenced by my daughter's desperate pleas. But I felt very clear in my decision because I had the feeling. My daughter got over her disapointment and we arranged for another time for her to have a sleep-over. In this instance, I made the right choice.
I often plan to do things on my own with the children because my husband often is working, even on weekends. On this day, I decided to go on a short bush walk with the kids. When I got to the destination (I hadn't visited before) and I felt it wasn't safe for me to go with all the children on my own. I don't know why, because I could only see the start of the trail. I probably should have researched it better myself but it was a new area and I was trying to scope out where great walks were. Sure the kids were disappointed but we still had a nice drive and stopped at a park instead. Later, my husband came with us and we enjoyed the walk but there were many parts we had to hold the younger children's hands and so I'm glad I didn't go on my own.
I often have to hold myself back when I parent but it's my own insecurities and anxieties, and also external pressure on how I should parent that I fight, not my intuition. I'm quite an anxious person so it's something I'm aware of.
There are many times when I become reactive when I parent depending on whom I'm around and what their expectations are. I'm not proud of this. Sure, I learn from other parents in a positive way, but I also am influenced in a negative way. What is right for one family may not be right for me and my family. I often worry about being judged for my decisions but at the end of the day, I have learned (or am learning) to stay true to how I believe I should parent.
We recently spent a day 4-wheel-driving at Double Island Point. We found a spot on the beach to swim and set up a makeshift camp. There are always cars driving past on the beach so we needed to watch the children carefully, but I was an over-anxious mess. In fact, I was so anxious, I ended up sitting on the beach constantly ordering my husband to watch the kids because I convinenced myself they were going to be run over. HA! When I'm really anxious, I often freeze and become reactive and this is a perfect example of this. I didn't have a nice day, and I really didn't facilitate giving the children a good day either. Fortunately, they had fun anyway…but my husband had to deal with a deranged wife for the day! This wasn't intuition, it was anxiety. If I would have gone with my gut, I would have fought off the I'm-frozen-must-control-everything-around-me feeling and just got into the day by spending it playing close with the kids so I could ensure they were safe because the danger was real. Lesson learned.
{Soldier Crabs at Double Island Point}
It sounds a little strange but I've come to know the difference between my intuition talking, and my insecurities talking. My intuition speaks in a deep calm and decisive voice, and my insecurities are jittery and unsettling. My insecurities are about me and what I feel, and my intuition is applying what I know (even though I don't always know why I know) into caring for my family.
I still get it wrong…just like that day at Double Island Point. However, getting it wrong is one step to getting it right next time. It's just another exercise in wise parenting.
Of course, intuition isn't the only factor to consider when parenting. For example, my children enjoy a variety of play experience with sticks but in a busy playground, and out of respect for others who may think differently, I ask my children to refrain from playing with sticks at certain times. Then there's my faith, what I know of my children's physical and emotional abilities and many other situational reasons that affect the way I parent and help me make good decisions in the moment. So, as well as these other factors, I often trust my gut to help me make good decisions because it's not just a feeling, it's knowledge.
Playing With Your Kids (a confession)
by Kelly - Be A Fun Mum |
I remember when my fourth child was born. A big beautiful baby boy. That's a lot of b's. After he was born, a lot of people congratulated me on (finally) managing to have a boy after 3 girls. But I wasn't hoping for a boy. And I wasn't hoping for a girl either. I was excited about welcoming a new person to our family, and if it was another girl, I would have been just as thrilled!
I couldn't wait for my three girls to meet their brother. Here they are watching TV on my hospital bed.
I remember coming home from hospital to my brood of children under 6 years of age. And Motherhood hit me with full force. Motherhood. It's filled with so much joy. Incredible really. But there is also a lot of sacrifice involved. And I can tell you, I felt it especially when my children were little. Right from when you carry your first child within you, your body doesn't belong to you anymore. And it doesn't stop when the child is born. So much of what is "yours" ceases to be anymore. In a way you, your body, and your life is dictated by your role as Mother.
What you eat can affect pregnancy and breastfeeding.
When you eat depends on when you have a spare moment (and sometimes you hide in the pantry to eat a piece of chocolate so you don't need explain to a 2-year-old, why they can't have some).
What you wear depends on how much vomit and snot you are prepared to have on a particular outfit.
When you dress you need to allow for breastfeeding and looking after little children. This means dresses are sometimes out…and dangly earrings, and long hair left out, and necklaces, and rings, and a lot of other things.
When you sleep, and how long for, depends how sick your children are, when they are teething and a myriad of other reasons.
What you do and where you go depends on how settled your child is and a million other variables.
The home needs to be child proof, and is rarely tidy when you have a toddler tearing around pulling everything out.
You can't go anywhere without a huge bag filled with mumsy things.
You can almost never sit down for a more than a few minutes, even when you're trying to have coffee with a friend.
You're constantly (absolutely constantly) responsible for keeping another person alive.
Sometimes you feel like a machine, always providing for the needs of other and cease to exist as an individual person.
It's like you need to consult 100 variables before you make any decision! And that can be extremely draining. This may not be true for everyone, but it was for me. I'm not trying to paint a negative picture of motherhood. Being a mum is an incredible privilege. And if anyone asked me whether I would recommend becoming a parent I would say, without hesitation, "YES!" Best thing that happened to me. However, the sacrifices involved in parenting, at any stage, are real.
My baby boy is now almost 4 and my eldest will soon be 10. I've entered a new phase of parenting, filled with school issues, attitudes and extracurricular activities. I can tell you, all the sacrifices when children are little — all the wearing nights and long days; all the giving of yourself, and your body — it's all worth it! And it's ALL IMORTANT!
You see, while being a mum is always going to involve sacrifice (because that's part of the beauty of it), it does change. You will get (most of) your body back. You will be able to go away for a weekend (childless) with your spouse. You will be able to sit for more than 2 minutes at a time while the kids play. You will find yourself again. It does happen.
If you're in the midst of raising little kids, feeling weary, and my story rings true to you, I'm telling you from the other side: What you are doing is vital, even when no one notices. It's an investment, so keep on keeping on and keep on loving the moment. While it may not be clear now, you'll look back and see all the moments for what they are: pieces of a beautiful masterpiece.
by Kelly - Be A Fun Mum |
Many people have misconceptions about me. They see me with my four children (6 years between them) and think I'm some sort of Earth Mother. In truth, I found the transition from full-time work to stay-at-home-mother (SAHM), well, basically a shock. I've written this list with a little jest, but honestly.
I know many women take to Motherhood gracefully and smoothly (I'm jealous). But for me, it was a struggle. Over time, I've settled into my role as mother, so much so, I blog about it! I've listed below, 6 things that helped me with the adjustment.
Joining a mother's group gives structure to your week and also affords the opportunity to talk with other adults. Even if your child is very young, it's beneficial. Find a group near you.
I made use of the service many Pharmacy's provide for monitoring infant health. I went every two weeks for the first 6-8 weeks. This gave me reassurance and got me out of the house.
A little walk outside does wonders. I used to walk down to the local fruit and vegetable shop most days to buy fresh produce for dinner. This got me out of the house and gave me a "mission".
Start an interest that's not too time consuming. I scrapbooked when my children were young.
There are many online support groups for mothers. It's wonderful to chat and connect with people who are at the same stage as you. Here's a few places to look at:
Find out what works for you and your growing family. Try not to get caught up with taking on too much advice. What works for one family may not work for another. It takes time to find your way so don't expect too much, too soon.
After reading over the list I wasn't surprised to find it boils down to structure and support.
Motherhood is truly a blessed job so if you are like me, find ways to make it work for you.
Stay at Home Dad: Beginning the Idiot's Guide


text: Dan Kennedy The Magic of Magnetic Sales and Marketing Lesson 6 "The Problem" And The Solution Whenever you learn something new, or get your perspective widened, the biggest problem comes when you try to bridge the gap between new ideas, new information, new intentions, and implementation. It's a huge gap. Unfortunately, you can't easily bridge the gap from new ideas, new information, new intentions, to implementation -- to something actually happening in your business from this course alone. If you want to make the transition quick and easy, you need tools. I'm now going to invite you to use a precise set of tools I created to help you quickly and easily apply what you learned in this course to increase your sales, profits, income and wealth. If you own a business of any kind: How would you like to stop being an advertising victim?.....Finally get accurately measurable, quick results from each and every dollar you put into ANY kind of advertising, marketing, or promotion? At will, attract a flood of new customers? At will, spark a huge cash flow surge? Define and DOMINATE any target market of your choosing - for less than $2.00 per prospect? (It doesn't matter if you own a company selling sophisticated software only to the Fortune 1000 or a local flower shop. Incredibly, what I'm about to reveal to you can re-invent your entire marketing process for the better!) If you are a Sales Professional: How would you like to end cold prospecting once and for all? Possess new, powerful ways to magnetically attract prospects who are pre-disposed to view you as an expert ally and advisor, pre-disposed to buy from you? Put an end to being screened, to phone tag? Have qualified prospects eagerly asking you to make time to see them? If you are a Sales Manager or Marketing Executive: How would you like to cut all the fat, waste, even the uncertainty out of your company's advertising AND make your salespeople immensely more productive? All those benefits, and many more, are readily available. You see, I have assembled a product like no other -- it's called THE MAGNETIC MARKETING SYSTEMS TOOLKIT and you might think of it as a complete, transformational marketing department in a box. Actually, this is such a unique product it is hard to describe, but I'm going to take my very best shot. There are 6 main, moneymaking components in my MAGNETIC MARKETING SYSTEMS KIT -- let me walk you through each of them: Moneymaking Component #1: No Brainer, Fast Implementation First, in general, I've made implementation an 80% no-brainer, because I have done 80% of the work for you. In addition to teaching on the 6 Cassettes in the Kit, I have taken 11 different businesses and 4 different sales careers, in 6 different business categories, and treated each one as a private, paying client, and created complete direct marketing/Magnetic Marketing Systems for each one, including all of the power documents: prospecting and sales letters, ads, postcards, and so on. These documents are all marked Copyright Free, which gives you permission to take them and use them, virtually as-is! (When I am paid to develop ONE collection of documents, for one client, I am typically paid $7,500.00 to as much as $15,000.00 plus royalties, so there is over $75,000.00 worth of copywriting services provided in this Kit!) Now, here's the best part: Information and ideas are fine, but let's bridge the gap to implementation. It turns out that 90% of all businesses and sales careers fit one (or more) of these categories perfectly. YOUR business or sales career will match up with (at least) one of these categories so perfectly, you will be able to steal and use those power documents and strategies outright, just as if they were created for you.. only very minor adaptation necessary! Please pay attention to this point! At each seminar, after each speech, I am surrounded by people, each asking if the Kit applies to this business, that business, each believing theirs to be so different it must not be included. So, to repeat: 90% of all businesses and sales careers are covered by this Kit! For most, at least one category is such a perfect match, there's instant application with little or no creative adaptation. The Kit covers business-to-business selling situations, to-consumer situations, retail, restaurants, professional practices, real estate, automobile sales, even financial services sales (where there are compliance issues), direct sales and network marketing, industrial, big ticket items, and on and on. Just about everybody who gets this Kit finds one category to be a very close match..they learn and borrow from ALL the materials, AND they are able to instantly and easily apply the tools from the one category best matched to their business. Included in these Copyright-Free Documents, in one of the business examples, are the now famous Giorgio, Romance Director Letters that I already talked about. You've just got to see this complete marketing masterpiece! Moneymaking Component #2: Learn From What Others Have Done In addition to everything I created for you, I have also included 102, yes, 102, additional Exhibits that I did NOT create. These came from people just like you, who purchased previous Editions of the Kit, took something, adapted it to their business, then sent it in with a report of extraordinary results. These Exhibits let you see exactly how business owners, marketing executives, and salespeople have very successfully adapted and used the power documents in the Kit. By seeing how they've moved the documents from one business to another, from a different business to theirs, you can see how to do it too. Included in these 102 Exhibits, you even get a Cash Flow Surge Letter.....4 typed pages that brought in $58,000.00 of extra, cash business in 15 days for an art gallery owner and has been adapted, with similar success, in over a dozen different businesses that we know of. These four typed pages ALONE could easily be worth thousands of dollars to you. Don't mistake this Kit for a big collection of form letters, by the way. SOME of my Marketing Systems are letter driven. But virtually EVERY possible media; every effective method of getting your marketing message out to your target markets is included in my Systems. My MAGNETIC MARKETING TOOLKIT is a comprehensive, integrated package of help with marketing messages, target marketing, and every media and method. Moneymaking Component #3: The Cafeteria Tape Audio Tape #1 walks you through every page, every power document, every tool, every example in the Kit. Sit down for about a half-hour at your desk or kitchen table, with the Kit, listen to this first Tape, and you will understand everything in the Kit, where it is, why it's there, how it is to be used. This way, you quickly set up your own cafeteria line, so you can go back through the line, pick out the strategy and tools most relevant to your business right now, get those up and running, working for you, then go back through the line and pick another system… etc. This Kit is NOT something you're going to zip through once, put on a shelf and never go back to. Not at all! It IS a true tool kit you'll keep going back to, time after time, month after month. And each time you choose and put to work a System, a strategy, or tool, you will AGAIN simplify your business, strengthen your marketing, increase your income! Moneymaking Component #4: A Crash Course In Magnetic Marketing Audio Tapes #2, 3, 4 and 5 give you a fast, crash course in these unusual, powerful marketing strategies. These unique cassettes condense my answers to a full day of interviewing about all of my marketing methods.....it's a total brain drain.....and it's eminently listenable. I promise you: you're going to EAGERLY listen to these four cassettes over and over again, making new discoveries every time! If you have business associates, get them to listen to these 4 tapes, and they'll instantly have their minds opened to these new approaches. Moneymaking Component #5: Get Off To A Super-Fast Start..... Audio Tape #6 is the Fast Start Tape. Here, I focus only on a couple of the most powerful, easy to master, easy to implement Marketing Systems you can very quickly see great results from. Moneymaking Component #6: Hands-On, Personal Assistance: A $1,000.00+ Consultation Value! You get TWO 2nd Opinion Critique Certificates -- each lets you send any one printed promotional item for your business to me for my personal feedback, by mail or FAX. You can send in an ad, letter, brochure, whatever. And staff does NOT do this; you get advice from me on what you've done well, what you haven't, and how to improve it. (By the way, a warning: I'm rather blunt. I may hurt your feelings. But I WILL improve what you're doing!) As a consultant, I frequently provide this 2nd Opinion Critique Service to many companies, entrepreneurs, even ad agencies, and charge $200.00 per Critique, so this IS a very real $400.00 value. However, it can certainly be worth a whole lot more to you. (There's a dentist in Sacramento, for example, who made three little changes in his Val-Pak Coupon after my critique - - and TRIPLED the response. Or an industrial products company..one little change in their trade journal ads slashed their cost-per-lead by 30%.) You ALSO get a My #1 Marketing Challenge Consultation Coupon. I will respond to your most vexing marketing challenge. I regularly charge $800.00 per hour for consulting, but this is included for you at no added charge! There are also THREE extremely powerful Bonus Reports: "How To (At Least) Double The Results From Your Yellow Pages, Coupon & Other Print Advertising - little known, carefully guarded secrets for super-productive ads." "How To Turn Mailing Lists Into Money: Sophisticated Target Marketing Made Simple." This Report shows you how to obtain the names, addresses, etc. of the people most likely to buy your services or products. "How To Print All The Money You Want Legally." This Report shows you how to create lead generation magnets, widgets, and secondary reason for response that will cause an avalanche of new customers. Who Should Get The Magnetic Marketing Toolkit? 1. ANY/EVERY Small Business Owner in ANY field. 2. ANY/EVERY manufacturer and business-to-business marketer competing for business, supporting salespeople in the field. 3. ANY/EVERY retailer or other business attracting traffic to a store, showroom, theater, restaurant, other place of business or to events. 4. ANY/EVERY sales professional who needs appointments with truly qualified prospects. 5. ANY/EVERY doctor, accountant, financial planner, other professional involved in practice-building. 6. ANY/EVERY 'network marketer'. 7. ANY/EVERY corporate CEO or Sales Manager interested in greater return-on-investment from advertising. "How Can I Be Sure The Magnetic Marketing Kit Will Work For My Particular Business?" In all my years of selling this Kit, including selling over a million dollars worth at my speaking engagements with Zig Ziglar and Peter Lowe last year alone, I have been asked about THOUSANDS of different types of businesses. Understandably, everybody thinks theirs is a "special case." The first thing you should know is that most aren't. Most "one-of-a-kind" businesses have much in common with many other businesses. Second, we have a measured 96% satisfaction rate on these Kits - 96% of all Kit buyers not only keep the Kits, they also, subsequently make additional purchases of other materials, seminars or services from me. Third, odds are heavily in favor of one of the "models" in the Kit so closely matching your business that you'll be able to just "steal" (with my permission) and use, with 90% of the work already done for you - a true 'no brainer' AND other 'models' close enough you can pick and use parts. But, like everything I sell, this IS guaranteed, so you take no risk. How Much Does The Kit Cost? What if I told you it cost NOTHING? By MANY standards, that's absolutely true. Even if you hire a local advertising copywriter (not one of my stature), you'll pay, at bare minimum, a few hundred dollars to get just one sales letter campaign created. If you hire a copywriter or consultant of my caliber, you'll pay thousands. So the Kit pays for itself the very first time you do anything with it! But more importantly, I'll give you a special, extra Guarantee...a Double Guarantee: This Isn't Some Ordinary Satisfaction Guarantee. I'll Guarantee PROFITS. First is our usual, uniform 60-DAY UNCONDITIONAL SATISFACTION GUARANTEE. But beyond that, I'll add 10 more months, for a total of 12 FULL MONTHS, conditional - and here's the only condition: if, at the end of a full year from your purchase, you want a refund, just show me proof that you did something, anything, used one System or strategy, and look me in the eye (on paper) and tell me that you didn't put tens of thousands of dollars in the bank that you wouldn't have otherwise, and I'll refund every penny you paid. I guarantee you make at least $10,000.00 by using this Kit - or your money back. So I argue this Kit costs you nothing. But there is an investment. I could sell this Kit for more than a $1,000.00 and still be delivering a genuine, inarguable bargain. If you don't believe that, drop by some high falutin' ad agency, sit down with a couple of the "Suits," and get a quote for them to create an ad campaign or a direct-mail campaign for you. More often than not, the Armani-suited boys'll talk in thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars...they'll prescribe advertising to match your wallet...and, more often than not, it'll be lousy to boot. Here, you've got stuff that absolutely works! And the entire investment, under the terms of a limited time, Internet only offer, is just $297.00. If you're in business, you know $297 doesn't buy much advertising, and it's easy to WASTE that on just one ill-fated ad or marketing "idea." If you're in sales, your time has to produce value greater than $50 an hour for you to earn $100,000 a year - so this Kit only needs to "save" you 8 hours to pay for itself...less than an hour a month in improved productivity. $216 In Special Bonuses If You Act Quickly If you place your order within 15 days of reading this invitation, I will also include the following two special bonuses. Bonus 1: My "Customer Appreciation Tapes" (valued at $199). For details on this tape set, click here. Bonus 2: "How To Automatically Master New Skills & Program Your Subconscious Mind For Success". This tape explores the uses of "spaced repetition learning" and "subconscious programming," for a wide variety of applications, and provides tips for getting the greatest value from any audio cassette-based learning product or system you own or acquire. Listen and discover how to accelerate your mastery of new information and skills, how to effortlessly learn new "scripts" for selling, and how to "implant" new, more productive, motivational ideas directly into your powerful subconscious mind (a $17 value). Make this investment today - I guarantee you'll be very glad you did. "Thank you! I invested in your Magnetic Marketing System about seven months ago and it has literally changed my life. You promised you had strategies that would work for any business and you were right. I'm a professional magician. Before I got your System, I did 12 to 20 shows a year - obviously not enough to make a living. After putting into action what you teach, I now book between 20 to 30 shows a month!" -David DiPietro, The Magic of David Dee, Roswell, GA "After attending your seminar in Omaha, we purchased your Magnetic Marketing System. WOW! We used the 3-letter System to sell our Coupon Books. We targeted 1,600 local companies. We sent out our letters about 9 days apart. Our response: Letter #1, 7%; Letter #2, 8%; Letter #3, 3%; total response: 18%! We sold 3,700 books and had a profit of $26,000.00! You're a legend!" -Doug Nielson, The Big-O Book, Market Innovators, Omaha, NE "Magnetic Marketing System Toolkit" (plus the $216 in free bonuses if you act quickly )... $297.00 (Limited Time special price)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
In The Beginning:
Dennis Condrey
February 1, 1952
Originally from Florence, Alabama
Moved to Colorado
Returned to Florence, Alabama
Now lives in Huntsville, Alabama
6'2" 250 lbs
Double Underhook Piledriver
The Chicken Wing
Abdominal Stretch
The Brain Buster
The Nose Dive
Mr. Wrestling II
Tojo Yamamoto
The Road Warriors
The Fantastics
Dusty Rhodes
Magnum T.A.
Rock N Roll Express
The Midnight Express
Dennis Condrey - OWW
In a classic SmackDown moment from December 13, 2001, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and Booker T brawl inside a grocery store.
DDP featured in Total Wrestling Magazine
Destiny Wrestlin presents The Good, The Bad, and The Ladders
Demolition appears on CAC Radio
WrestleMania onsale party November 14
This week's ClickWrestle Match of the Week is Alissa Flash vs. Chik Tormenta from July 17, 2014.
WWE Superstar
Pro Wrestling Legend
WCW and TNA Legend
Booker T and Steve Austin brawl in a grocery store
Copyright/DMCA issue?


text:
Corsets, tartans, off-kilter tailoring and more - sounds like Gaultier in a nutshell, no? London-based crowd-sourcing e-tailer Matches Fashion has teamed up with Cameron Silver of renowned L.A. boutique Decades to bring a selection of archival Jean Paul Gaultier pieces up for sale, a timely collaboration that coincides with an imminent retrospective on the designer to open soon at the
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text:
Falling tree narrowly misses Rowan County woman during storm
Updated: 06/04/2014 - We're tracking reports of storm damage out of Rowan County.
Updated: 06/04/2014 - We're tracking reports of storm damage out of Rowan County.
Posted: 06/02/2014 - News of stricter federal emissions standards on coal-fired power plants is being met with groans in eastern Kentucky, where locals are worried about keeping their coal industry jobs.
Updated: 05/28/2014 - There's a lot of cleaning up to do at a resort on the banks of Lake Cumberland.
Updated: 05/22/2014 - Around central Kentucky, many people spent Thursday cleaning up from storms that blew through the previous day as well as Thursday morning.
Updated: 05/22/2014 - The Mercer County community of Burgin is one of three locations area officials say were hardest hit by Wednesday night's storms.
Updated: 05/22/2014 - Lightning is to blame for a massive fire in southeastern Kentucky that nearly destroyed a family-owned business.
Posted: 05/22/2014 - Wednesday night's storms caused damage in Madison County.
Posted: 05/22/2014 - Widespread damage was reported throughout Eastern Kentucky including parts of Perry County.
Updated: 05/22/2014 - "By the grace of God." That's what a Georgetown pastor says saved his church after it was struck by lightning.
Updated: 05/22/2014 - Uprooted trees and scarred landscapes frame many of the roads that run through the Evergreen community in Franklin County.
Updated: 05/20/2014 - Police are now looking for a person of interest, following an early Tuesday morning shooting outside of a Richmond strip club.
Updated: 05/15/2014 - Wilmore property owners say Wednesday's storm caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to their building and displaced 15 people.
Posted: 05/15/2014 - The National Weather Service has confirmed that a tornado touched down in Bullitt County during storms on Wednesday.
Updated: 05/14/2014 - Nearly 7,000 are without of power after storms roll through in Lexington Wednesday evening. That number is down from 13,000 earlier in the afternoon.
Updated: 05/15/2014 - A Subway restaurant is left damaged after storms roll through Wednesday evening.
Updated: 05/14/2014 - Additional rounds of showers and thunderstorms could lead to local high water issues.
Updated: 05/09/2014 - These nests are more than just eyesores. They can cause major problems for horse owners in the Bluegrass and across Kentucky.
Posted: 05/07/2014 - The summer-like weather we're having may have you thinking of cooling off in a pool.
Updated: 04/30/2014 - There are several roads in Rockcastle County that are under water.
Posted: 04/29/2014 - Flooding and lightning are still causing issues around Lexington.
Updated: 04/29/2014 - Many in southeastern Kentucky are reporting damage in Harlan County.
Updated: 04/28/2014 - Kentucky emergency management officials say they're concerned about flash flooding because Monday's storms could drop up to five inches of rain in some areas.
Posted: 04/28/2014 - President Barack Obama says the Federal Emergency Agency will work with local officials in Arkansas, which was the site of a deadly tornado.
Updated: 04/25/2014 - When it comes to severe weather, this season is off to a unusually slow start here in Kentucky.
Updated: 04/24/2014 - The line was out the door as parents tried to get their kids in to summer camp.


text:
MLB Power Rankings: Who Is Your # 1?
MLB Power Rankings: Who Is Your # 1?
|Power Rankings
|Washington Nationals
|The Nationals have already tied their franchise record for wins in a season since their move to DC, as they edged out the Cardinals 4-3 on Sunday.
|Cincinatti Reds
|Unfortunately, we will likely not see Billy Hamilton in Cincinatti this month, but the Reds did call up Tony Cingrani, one of their top pitching prospects, to pitch down the stretch.
|Texas Rangers +1
|On Sunday, Jurickson Profar became the 1st Texas Ranger to homer in his first major league at bat. Profar is widely considered one of the top 2 or 3 prospects in baseball.
|New York Yankees -1
|Alex Rodriguez will likely be returning to New York's lineup Monday night against the Rays.
|Oakland Athletics +6
|The A's are arguably the hottest team in baseball as they swept the Red Sox this weekend for their 9th consecutive victory.
|San Francisco Giants +3
|The Giants rank 8th in the majors in batting averange and OBP, but are just 16th in runs scored.
|Atlanta Braves -2
|The Braves have lost 10 of their last 14, and are 7 games back in the division. Hopefully this isn't a repeat of last year's historic collapse.
|Chicago White Sox +2
|Adam Dunn, who leads the majors in home runs, has missed his last 2 games with a strained oblique.
|Tampa Bay Rays -3
|David Price won his AL leading 17th game on Sunday, as the Rays beat out the Blue Jays 9-4.
|Baltimore Orioles +3
|The Orioles took 2 out of 3 in the Bronx this weekend, and sit comfortably in the second AL Wild Card spot, as they try to reach the playoffs for the first time since 1997.
|Detroit Tigers +3
|Miguel Cabrera and Justin Verlander are the only teammates who rank in the top 10 in the majors in WAR.
|St. Louis Cardinals
|The Cardinals called up their top prospect, Shelby Miller, on Sunday to help the bullpen down the stretch.
|Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim +2
|The Angels have played great of late, as they are winners of 9 of their last 12, but they still sit 3.5 games out of a Wild Card spot.
|Los Angeles Dodgers -7
|The addition of Adrian Gonzalez and co. hasn't helped the Dodgers much, as they sit 4.5 games out of the division.
|Pittsburgh Pirates -7
|Pittsburgh's playoff chances are looking dim, as their postseason odds have decreased vastly to about 30%.
|Milwaukee Brewers +8
|The Brewers have turned their season around somewhat, having gone on an 8-2 run. While they most certainly will not reach the postseason, they could end up with a .500 or better winning percentage.
|Arizona Diamondbacks -1
|The D-backs have gone on a 2-8 run to fall 10.5 games out in the division.
|Philadelphia Phillies +3
|The Phillies swept the struggling Braves over the weekend. A positive sign, in a very dismal season.
|Seattle Mariners -1
|Mariners pitching has been excellent this season (3.76 ERA), but their offense ranks last in the majors in batting average, OBP, and slugging percentage.
|New York Mets -1
|The Mets rallied around a 1st inning Jason Bay grand slam to beat Miami 5-1 on Sunday.
|San Diego Padres +5
|Chase Headley has hit 15 of his 23 home runs since the All Star break.
|Boston Red Sox -5
|The Red Sox were outscored 33-5 by Oakland this weekend.
|Kansas City Royals -1
|David Lough batted leadoff for the Royals in his big league debut, and he proceeded to get his first 2 major league hits.
|Toronto Blue Jays -4
|Ricky Romero is 0-12 with a 7.98 ERA in his last 13 starts.
|Miami Marlins -2
|Giancarlo Stanton has 10 home runs and 23 RBIs in 23 games since coming off the DL.
|Colorado Rockies +3
|The Rockies have given up a major league worst 729 runs.
|Cleveland Indians -2
|If the Rockies pitching has been horrible, the Indians pitching has been nearly as bad, and they don't even have to pitch in Coors field! The Indians are the only other team, aside from Colorado, to have given up 700 or more runs so far this season.
|Minnesota Twins -1
|In his career, Joe Mauer is 14-27 with 7 walks and 7 RBIs against Luke Hochevar.
|Chicago Cubs -1
|Josh Vitters has hit .093 since his big league callup on August 5th.
|Houston Astros
|On Saturday, the Astros and Indians both won. That was just the third time since the All Star break that both teams won on the same day.
Be sure to check out other great articles at DailyShootout.com.The Baseball Page
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Blissette said: The power rankings are the best. They all want to get used to what they all have been doing. - Kris Krohn 12:06AM 05/21/14
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- Northern Illinois to get $8.3 million for state construction projects
- Tree-lighting festival kicks off holiday season in Machesney Park
- Roscoe Boy Scout Troop's tree stand at new location
- Tips for selecting safe toys for kids this holiday season
- Prayer service for World AIDS Day Nov. 30
- Food Bank joins national #GivingTuesday movement
- Lee Hamilton: What lies ahead for Congress
- Rockford Public Schools faces $8.8 deficit, board OKs flat tax, HR chief
- Literary Hook: A holiday tradition: 'This Thanksgiving, Remember'
- Cold snap does not negate global warming
U.S. Cellular names new Rockford sales manager
U.S. Cellular has named Nina Cunningham sales manager for Rockford. In this role, Cunningham works closely with sales associates to help them effectively position the value of U.S. Cellular's products and services to customers and deliver the best customer experience in the industry. She manages a six-person sales team in Rockford.
"Nina is passionate about providing the best experience for our customers," said Jeff Olson, director of sales for U.S. Cellular in Central and Western Illinois. "At U.S. Cellular, we treat our customers like neighbors, not numbers, and they enjoy a valuable rewards program that recognizes loyalty."
Cunningham is from Chicago and is married with three children. Prior to joining U.S. Cellular, she owned her own paralegal business for 10 years while managing her husband's law practice. She has a bachelor's degree in paralegal studies and history. She is pursuing a master's degree in business administration, and in her spare time she enjoys listening to jazz or watching cartoons with her youngest son.
From the July 17-23, 2013, issue


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Screaming O Open Faced Textured Male Stroker
Average customer review: Average customer review 9 out of 10 (8 reviews) Add your review
Only: £9.99
Product Description
A simple but effective way to amp up masturbation and foreplay, this open male stroker gives you full control over your pleasure session. Grip as tightly (or as loosely) as you like, and enjoy textured stimulation from 7 x raised ribs with every stroke.
Made from super-soft, squishy elastomer, this non-intimidating male masturbator is temperature responsive and fully waterproof for a range of play possibilities.
Add a dash of water-based lube and use alone or with your partner for a climactic experience you won't forget.
Key Features:
- Super-flexible open male stroker with stimulating textures for fully customisable pleasure
- Made from ultra-soft real-feel elastomer for temperature responsive, lifelike sensations
- Ribbed for heightened stimulation
- Textured grip ensures slip-free play
- Perfect for solo masturbation and foreplay
- Non-intimidating design for couples and beginners
- Includes a sachet of water-based lubricant to get you started
How it measures up
- Opening: Stealth
- Internal Length: 4.25 inches
How it feels
- Texture: Textured
- Material: Realistic Feel
- Contains latex: No
- Contains phthalates: No
- Waterproof: Submersible
Product Videos
Screaming O Open Faced Textured Male Stroker
To watch videos, you need Version 9 or greater of the Flash Player. Click here to see which Flash Version you have. If you have Version 8 or less, get the latest Flash Player here".
A simple but effective way to amp up masturbation and foreplay, this open male stroker gives you full control over your pleasure session. Grip as tightly (or as loosely) as you like, and enjoy textured stimulation from 7 x raised ribs with every stroke.
Buyer's Guides
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Customer Reviews
Screaming O Open Faced Textured Male Stroker 9 out of 10 (8 reviews) Write your own reviewOrder by:
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- Rating
You won't be laughing for long
Reviewed: 11 September 2014 by Fun for 2, a Straight Married Male
This item is a bit wacky, and yet it actually really works! It's been designed with great humour in mind, and the box alone had me and the other half in stitches with its Mexican Taco theme. Open it up and you find two "hot sauce" sachets (aka lubricant) to boot!
Whilst there is indeed a lot of fun factor about this product, make no mistake, it packs plenty of pleasure too, and is 100% a proper sex toy. The feel of the material is incredibly luxurious, and the very cleverly designed finger grooves meant that my wife had total control of it without it ever slipping, even when she really started pounding away with the taco in full swing.
I must admit, it had me on the edge much quicker than I expected. Considering we had started the session in giggles, within a few minutes I had to tell my OH to slow down! The sensation of the thick, squashy slab of rib-textured material is insane. Two minutes later and I had to stop my OH completely as there was no way I was going to be able to hold out longer. She then teased me by using the taco on herself (use your imagination there) and she too seemed to really like the feel of the material being rubbed on her.
Needless to say, when she moved back to using it on me I wasn't in the mood for holding out any longer. An amazing orgasm (no doubt aided by my wife's naughty display with the thing) with a massive load ensued. Even my wife seemed impressed!
Whilst we bought the taco as a bit of fun to use in couples play, I will confess that I have used it myself a couple of times for a cheeky bit of solo play whilst the OH was out. From my solo experience, it is just as much fun, but my advice would be not to overdo it with lube. The material is so smooth that too much means you lose the friction that will really make the taco enjoyable. ;-)
Hygiene-wise, we were both very impressed. Inside the box, the taco itself is sealed in a plastic wrap along with talc that seems to make the material even nicer to the touch, and we both had no concerns with using it straight out of the box. Importantly, the design of the "taco" shape is perfect for easy aftercare as there are no nooks or crannies to worry about once finished - simply run it under water, and it's good as new and ready to be used again.
In summary, I'd definitely recommend this product for anyone who is looking to lighten the mood, and have a bit of light hearted fun, with a very happy ending!
- Pros
- Luxuriously ribbed material that is amazingly realistic and erotic!
- Cons
- Nothing - it's great fun and very pleasurable.
- Bottom line
- Great fun, good to lighten the mood, but you won't be giggling for long!
- 1 person found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes
Paco's taco
Reviewed: 06 August 2014 by amiss, a Straight Married Female
I bought this for my husband for his birthday. As he is a stroker fan, he has had numerous strokers in past and not many of then last very long - they split, and start falling apart. And he find the majority of them too tight. So when I saw this I knew it was a must for him.
He absolutely loves it. Each side has a different texture (like most strokers), and where it's open you can choose how tight or loose you want it, which is a great for every male - one size fits all, unlike normal strokers.
He is very happy with his present, so I will be buying him another for his Christmas stocking.
- Pros
- Everything.
- Cons
- Nothing.
- Bottom line
- A must for stoker fans.
- 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes
Fantastic addition to the toy box
Reviewed: 08 July 2014 by crazy horse, a Straight Married Female
What a good idea, an open stroker. When it first cropped up on the what's new page, I knew it was something I'd want to try out on my hunk.
We had only tried one other stroker in the past and, to be honest, he wasn't too keen. It didn't help that I found it difficult to put it on when it, my hand and 'himself' we're all covered in lube.
Anyway, this open stroker solves that problem. It's soft, squishy texture feels lovely and the ridges are not over the top. Using plenty of water-based lube, he soon was begging me to slow down (in a good way!).
With the hand grips on the out side, I was able to get a nice firm grip, with out the risk of my own had slipping.
It's easy to clean, and for storage, just dust in a little corn flour and I put it back in its original package.
There are a few air bubbles in mine, but not enough to distract from the overall product.
- Pros
- The simplicity of it. The hunk loved it. Great price.
- Cons
- Nothing.
- Bottom line
- Great addition for the toy box at a great price.
- 1 person found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes
Reviewed: 07 November 2014 by ramrod86, a Straight Engaged Male
This thing is great!
With a small dab of water-based lubricant this just feels divine and runs my other strokers out of town. This is probably due to the more 'hands on' approach than Fleshlight-type strokers and even those without a rigid case.
The product has textures on two sides, one side has finger sized indentations to help with grip, the other has a wavy line pattern. The sensation really is top quality, and there are no issues with grip if you happen to get lube on your hand. You really only need a tiny blob of lube anyway!
To top it off, not only is the sensation great, but I feel much more comfortable knowing that it is definitely clean and dry, unlike other similar products. This was my main concern and motivation for buying this product. I don't like the maintenance of other strokers, but this requires a simple run down with toy cleaner/water and then gently padding down with a towel. My Fleshlight was once not dried entirely and it was left with a musty smell, I never used it again after that!
Plus, who wants 10 minutes of maintenance when you've either knocked one out in a hurry or have given yourself something to help you sleep? No need with this!
The tiniest niggle, if you had to wrangle a negative from me, is the product packaging was a little cringey being packaged as Paco's Taco or some such. It even came with a special 'taco sauce' lube packet. It was novel, but I'm not a huge fan of cheesy looking sex toys. This makes no difference on the quality or feel of the product whatsoever though!
For the price it is just bliss. Top sensation. Easy cleaning. Comfort in knowing that it really is clean and dry. Great price.
Can't recommend enough.
- Pros
- Top quality. Best sensation out of strokers. Easy maintenance.
- Cons
- Could be a little firmer?
- Bottom line
- Worth every penny!
- Was this review helpful to you? Yes
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Surprisingly fun
Reviewed: 22 October 2014 by DavidB1986, a Gay Married Male
As a gay man, I love anything that has a sense of kitsch/camp value. It's the one stereotype I allow myself to get away with.
Is it something I generally look for in a sex toy? I'd have to say… no. Not normally, anyway. But sometimes, a product comes along that makes you rethink your values when it comes to sex and sex toys - and it reminds you that sex should be, first and foremost, fun.
I bought this on the strength of the packaging alone. Never has a product's packaging made me smile quite like the Screaming O Paco's Taco stroker did. It just screamed "fun" and I knew that I had to give it a try.
First Impressions:
First things first - the packaging is incredibly gimmicky and tacky, and I love it! From the the little cockerel down to the proud declaration that the stroker utilises 'open-faced stroker technology'. It's so tongue in cheek and outrageous, that you can't help but feel compelled to open up the box and discovered what is inside.
Inside the packaging, is the stroker, which is sealed in a clear plastic bag. They also provide you with a small sample of 'Taco Sauce' (water-based lube). Even this feels like a stroke (ahem) of genius. If you're going to promote something like a taco - you go the whole way!
The stroker is made from TPE which is a really soft, stretchy elastomer that is also found in TENGA products (specifically the Eggs). Out of the packet, laid flat, it doesn't really look like anything at all, least of all a sex toy. In fact, it looks like something I put on the dashboard of my car to stop my phone rolling around.
On one side you have 7 thick pronounced ridges that run almost the whole width of the stroker. On the other side, there are 'indentations', which also run the width of the stroker too. The ridges are for stimulation, and the indentations act as a 'grip'.
The stoker utilises 'open-faced stroker technology' as I mentioned earlier. All that means, is that instead of a self-contained sealed stroker, it's flat, allowing you to wrap it around your penis. It's a simple concept, but one that has many many advantages, which I will come to shortly.
How to Use:
So the Taco stroker is incredibly simple to use - simply apply a liberal amount of lube to the ridged side of the stroker. Then, like you were making yourself a delicious Taco, wrap the stroker around your penis and stroke like you would normally.
Now at this point, I can already see a slight problem with the Taco, albeit a very small one, but still something I want to mention anyway. Now, I have large hands. Big old man paws. Holding the Taco was not really a problem for me. However, I do know a lot of ladies like to buy these sorts of products to use on/with their husbands, and I feel that if you are lucky enough to have more petite, smaller hands, then wrangling the Taco might be a bit of an issue. It's not going to be impossible, but the Taco is definitely a handful and a half.
So how does it feel? Pretty darn good, actually! The ridges are certainly indeed thick enough that they do turn an otherwise ordinary hand job into something a bit more special. The one thing I love about strokers like this, is that changing the amount of pressure/grip you apply to the sleeve really does enhance the overall feeling.
One thing I did note, was that you'll want to be careful to not get lube on the side you are holding. If you aren't careful, then the Taco will become more difficult than a greased pig to hold on to.
The other great thing about a toy like this, is that anyone can use it, regardless of penis length/girth. This is one thing where self-contained strokers can sometimes be a bit problematic. Sometimes it's too tight if you are a bit girthy, or if you are bit shorter, you might not be getting all of the textures/sensations. However, as the Taco is super-stretchy and open - whether you are smaller or bigger than average - you will get plenty of use from this toy.
Clean-up and Maintenance:
The Taco is really easy to clean - warm water, toy cleaner and then this is best left to air dry. Storage can be a bit tricky because of the material, so I do keep mine in its original box (and I've kept the original plastic bag it came in too).
You'll notice that once it's been washed and has dried, the material can feel a little bit tacky/sticky, so the best thing to do is apply a liberal amount of cornstarch/flour to both sides of the stroker before you put it away. This will restore it back to the way it was when you first took it out of the box.
The stroker is designed to be reusable, so it should last a little while (just don't go around stretching it too much!).
I guess I don't need to spend wicked amounts of money on masturbator/strokers to have a lot of fun. The simplicity of this product, and the fact that it does indeed feel really pleasant makes this incredibly easy to recommend.
- Pros
- Hilarious packaging, simple design, suitable for everyone!
- Cons
- Not much really.
- Bottom line
- Effective and a great giggle!
- Was this review helpful to you? Yes
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Students and staff all ears for Auro 11.1 by Barco
The brainchild of famous writer, producer, and director Subhash Ghai, the Whistling Woods International Institute is one of the largest media schools in Asia. Rated one of the ten best film schools in the world by The Hollywood Reporter, the school is committed to fully preparing its students for successful careers. To ensure that pupils are familiar with the most innovative technology, Whistling Woods recently implemented the revolutionary Auro 11.1 by Barco immersive sound technology at its Pelicula Auditorium.
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I highly doubt it
If I recall correctly, george p. bush has not even been elected to his first political office, but I think he is favored to win some texas land commissioner office this year. I'm sure he is being groomed for higher office down the road, but even the bushes know 2016 is too soon for him to be on a national ticket.
And I doubt Rand would choose him anyway. Let's not read too much into it. It is easy for us to sit here and criticize him for rubbing elbows with an up and coming member of a powerful political family, but Rand can't just go around snubbing and spitting in the faces of all the scum that surrounds him. If he wants to get to where he can really make a difference (the white house), he has to build coalitions of support and that sometimes means reaching out to people he would prefer not to. I say we cut Rand a little slack. He is the best chance we have got.
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