text:
I just finished this book today. It's an old one and I'm sure many of you have read it, but if you haven't I definitely recommend it. It is the personal account of a journalist who survived the May 1996 disaster that killed a record number of people on Mt. Everest. This book was not light and easy for me to read–there is a lot of details about climbing technique and the names and places are recorded carefully (Jon climbed Everest as part of a journalism assignment)–but it really took me into a different world. It was fascinating to me what people undergo (endangering their lives aside) to ascend Mt. Everest. After reading this I am 110% sure that climbing Everest is not in my future. But reading about it from my warm bed? That I'm up for!
Distraction-Free Parenting
I think the universe is trying to tell me something. Last week I saw this video posted on Facebook and thought about it for an entire day. A few days later, my cousin posted this on her blog. And tonight when I checked my email I had a message with the subject line Acknowledge the Cost of Your Distraction. It was an article from HuffPost "Stress Less Parenting" series. I recommend reading the article, but the bottom line was that all of our devices take us away from moments we can never get back.
I have been so plugged in (and yes, I realize the irony of blogging about this). I check my email while sitting at red lights and watch YouTube videos while feeding Sam breakfast. To get through daily chores I don't like I oftentimes listen to podcasts or the radio. I've written about this before. But lately it seems worse. Staying at home with a baby all day can be challenging. It's isolating, and tedious, and to be honest, it can be really boring. I am immensely grateful that I have the opportunity to stay at home and spend my days with Sam–there is nothing I would rather be doing. But it's easy to fall into the Internet trap, and I want to change that! I'm not totally sure how to, but I started by unplugging for an hour tonight. I carried Sam around while making dinner, letting him touch everything (an onion, cheddar cheese, a loaf of bread), and then talked to him while he ate. Then I rocked him, played with him, and put him to bed. It was a completely normal, mundane night. But I know without a doubt that there will come a day when I will wish more than anything to be able to go back and spend one more night rocking my baby. I can't save up tonight for later but I can enjoy it now.
Apps That May Help You Keep It Together
I seriously considered taking a few photos of my house to show you why I need to write and utilize this post. But then I got worried that a government agency would rope off my dresser in order to do a study/excavation of the layers of clothes, papers and ice cream bowls that currently reside there–perhaps to determine if they are harboring any life. I also (half-heartedly) considered cleaning off said dresser instead of writing about it, but quickly dismissed that idea. Sam might need it for a science project in junior high. By then it should be teeming with life! I am such a great mother!
I drag my heels when it comes to technology. Until about 18 months ago I was using a phone that didn't even have the Internet. (I think David almost gave up on me.) But it makes no sense for me to hesitate, because every time I hop on a digital bandwagon (the iPhone/Instagram/e-book readers) I am absolutely amazed. How have I lived without it! Why didn't anyone tell me how great they were? Internet forever!
Apps are my new thing. I have several that have made an honest to goodness difference in my life and home–and for the better! (Leave my dresser out of this. There are rows of clean baby bottles in my cupboard and I am wearing a bra and clean clothes right now–that shows progress!)
The other day I had a lot to get done and so I started to make a to-do list. Several interruptions and a few hours later I realized I hadn't even gotten around to finishing writing said to-do list. Motherhood requires but does not lend itself to organization. Also, I think it burns up your short term memory in a fiery ball of crazy. This app helps. It basically allows you to make as many to-do lists as you want and then have them on hand when you need them. Every time I notice we're out of something I quickly add it to my grocery list. If I hear of a book I want to read I add it to my "To Read" list. I also love that it is visually pleasing–you can color code everything and it is easy to cross items off and add them back on if you need them again. Price: FREE.
Also, see that little cricket in the bottom right? If you click on him he will tell you encouraging things. He will be your new BFF.
Sadly, I am not a natural housekeeper. I love doing things related to my home, but tend to make giant messes cooking and rarely put away clean laundry. Once Sam was born things got worse. Every time I had a few spare minutes I would start running around like I was auditioning for a Scooby Doo montage. What do I do first? Shower? Work? Run the dishwasher? Nap? I'd often collapse in a heap having completed about 14% of each of those tasks and having created an even bigger mess and completely exhausting myself. This app is awesome because it tells you what to do.
Every day you are presented with a doable housekeeping list of rotating chores. They include the everyday (dishes, sweeping, laundry) as well as the yearly (flip mattresses, change AC filter). It even tells you what days you should clip your baby's nails and and when you should have a little You Time. I also adore that "Read to children" is on the daily chore list. You can try a Lite Version for free (I think it lasts two weeks), or buy it for $8. They also sell ebooks that you can print off if you're more of a paper and pencil type of person. You can customize your lists (no need to clip your teenager's nails or feed your nonexistent pets). Here are screenshots of my lists for today.
Price: $8 for the year.
Are there any apps that have helped you out? I'd love to hear about them!
Christ as an Infant
I have spent the entire Christmas season wondering what Christ was like as an infant.
Was He a good eater? How old was He when he slept through the night? Was He calm? Active? Did He laugh easily? Did Mary chase Him around the house all day trying to keep Him from slamming His fingers in drawers and drinking from the dog's water bowl?
Having an infant has made the divine birth feel so real to me. The images we see of the Nativity scene are so serene and beautiful, but I wonder if they mask the truth of how physical birth is. Of how tired Mary must have been, and how worried Joseph was that he couldn't find a more suitable place for his new son. I believe that Christ went through mortality in a very real sense–along with experiencing the sins and pains of the world, He also went through teething, scraped knees, and hurt feelings. That He was comforted by a mother who didn't always know the right thing to do, and a father who did his best.
I've also wondered how much Mary understood. Did she know that the infant she held had created the world? Did she know He would grow up to be loved and hated, and eventually killed? I like to think she didn't know everything, that she held her infant and only knew some of the simple truths of mothers everywhere: that she loved her baby. That she'd do anything for Him. That He was divine and precious and a gift.
I am grateful for the new perspective and gift of motherhood, and in particular for an understanding of Christ that brings so much joy and peace into my life. Merry Christmas! I hope you spent it feeling the love of those around you.
Dear Childless
Dear Childless,
A few months ago we were at a BBQ together–do you remember? I had dressed up my baby in something really cute for the party, but he'd puked all over it just minutes before we arrived, so we showed up fashionably late and smelling slightly of puke, but we were there.
Maybe you were just being polite, asking me about the day to day life of mothering a newborn. You asked about being pregnant, and giving birth, and about all the sleep I hadn't been getting. You agreed that my slightly pukey smelling baby was adorable and said you liked his name. And then, in a sort of round about way you asked me this: Is it worth it?
I've thought about your question for a few months now. I've also thought about all the questions I had before becoming a mother. I was surprisingly hesitant about having a child. I say "surprisingly" because I've always been in the Loves Kids category. As you know, I'm the oldest of 5. I was a favorite neighborhood babysitter. I nannied all through college. And yet whenever girls talked about how dreamy it would be to have a child, I just thought they sounded naive. I'd seen the hard days and long nights. I'd watched the stress and anguish and worry. I knew that the unexpected could happen. But here I am today, an honest to goodness mother. And I just keep thinking about your question, as well as all the questions I had before having a baby. So if you're up for a little advice, here are the questions I had pre-baby, and my best attempts at answering them.
Do I have to have kids? Of course not. But let's be honest: We live in a place and a culture that expects us to have children. But I seriously don't think societal pressure is a good reason to become a mother. You can affect and change so many lives, kids or not. You can have so much love in your life, kids or not. You can be happy, kids or not. You can be fulfilled, kids or not.
Am I ready? I wondered that for several years. And then one day I realized that I was never going to feel completely ready. More than anything I wanted that one pivotal moment where I'd know for sure, but it never came. Sometimes you just have to jump.
Will I always be happy about being a mother? No. There will be a day when your husband will come home from work to you in tears because you're positive the baby hates you. It is just sleep deprivation. There will be days that feel so unbelievably long and lonely you can't believe it. You'll have to call your mom and haul the baby and his 30 lbs. of stuff to the mall to remember there is still a world out there. There will be moments that someone will tell you to "trust your motherly instincts" and you will want to smack them because you feel like you don't have a single motherly instinct in your body. But you'll be okay. You really will.
Will it be hard? Duh. But seriously, what phase of life isn't? Work is hard. Marriage is hard. High school was hard. Look back on the easy-peasiest time period of your life and I bet you'll remember some hard. That's just life.
Will it affect my marriage? Yes. You'll see the man you love loving that baby you made and you'll feel like your heart is going to explode. Other days he will forget to start the dishwasher full of bottles and you'll feel like your head is about to explode. Motherhod is draining, and there will be times you'll feel like there isn't an ounce of anything left of you at the end of the day. It will take extra commitment, extra communication, and lots of patience with each other. You will see the best in him. You'll love him even more. You'll have a connection you didn't know you were missing.
Can I do it? Of course you can. As one book put it, you come from a long line of succesful parents. It is in your genes. No, it isn't all intuitive. And no, I have 't figured out which cry is "hungry cry" and which is "wet diaper cry." But you can do it.
Will it be like I imagine? A whole hearted no. It will be better. It will be worse. It will be crazier. One day you'll leave the house fully aware that there is spit-up in your hair and you'll wonder Who the heck am I? But it most definitely will not be like you imagined.
So, finally. Is it worth it?
Over the past 5 months the following thought has come to my mind on a weekly basis: These are the moments you will look back on for the rest of your life. I keep feeling like this is the most important thing I have ever done. I keep looking at Sam's impossibly big eyes and feeling like I am the luckiest person I know. And to be honest, I didn't know I would feel like this–I just hoped.
I will not try to tell you whether or not it will be worth it to you, but I will tell you that it is hard to know what it will bring into your life until it happens. So listen to whatever voice is speaking to you. Follow it. If you feel like motherhood is for you, then head in that direction. Embrace it! So much love will come into your life. So much life will come into your life. Be excited! But if it isn't for you then allow yourself to be at peace. Be kind to yourself and shower the people you love with all the good things you have to offer. You'll know what to do. And remember, so many of the good things in life come from embracing the unknown!
Unsolicited Advice
10 Things Thursday
First of all, I wanted to say thank you for all of the insightful comments, shares, and all-around love about yesterday's post. I cared a lot about it and I was so grateful to hear that so many of you have walked the same path I have.
Today I'm introducing something new. Every week I will be posting a list of 10 things that caught my eye or attention in some way. Imagine we are having an Internet lunch date. After ordering some version of a turkey sandwich (so predictable) I lean forward and say one of the following:
1. Let's imagine a fantasy world where we can eat an entire tray of cookies for lunch and leave feeling fabulous. Now let's make it a reality.
2. Let's imagine ourselves as the sort of people who can take a man's T-shirt and make something worthy of Anthropologie out of it. Then let's remember what happened the last time we tried to sew something and head right back to #1. They're impossible to mess up.
3. Let's add to our already impressive list of adult skills (like fixing our AC and scheduling regular dentist appointments) by getting our finances under control.
4. Noodles, schmoodles. Let's make a mouth-watering lasagna with thinly sliced zucchini. And be called a genius by our hungry husband. (Yes, I am referring to our one collective husband.)
5. Let's allow reality to slap us in the face. I knew there was something fishy about all those orange-skinned "After" photos.
6. Let's go to Target and let our baby try out all the cool baby gear. Also, let's wash him with Baby Magic and spend the rest of the day smelling his head.
7. Let's meet this girl. Her writing and story are oh so beautiful.
8. Let's get our butts kicked by tiny ballerina athletes. And then go back the next day (and next) for more.
9. Let's enjoy exaggeration at its finest. Lines from this blogger have made it into the Welch family vernacular.
10. Let's take some time to re-watch our favorite movie.
*Ten Things Thursday is inspired by the ever inspiring Shutterbean.
What We're Really Talking About When We Talk About Our Bodies
There was this one time about 7 years ago that I gained some weight. It wasn't a lot, but it was enough that I worried. It was the very first time it had ever happened to me and I decided it was a problem I needed to correct immediately. I signed up for a weight loss program and began a long year of tracking all the food I ate and weighing in weekly.
There were some good moments. For one, it was easy to lose weight. I lost about a pound and a half a week, and I felt like I'd accomplished something big when I reached my first goal. I learned more about nutrition, learned to cook a little, and felt pretty great about how I looked. I also started exercising regularly and started spending a lot of my free time doing active things, like hiking and yoga.
There were also some not so good moments. At a certain point my weight loss stalled, and regardless of what I did to try to regain the magic of my early weight loss days, the scale simply would not move.
After several months of redoubling my efforts a few things happened. One, I burned out. Two, I became pretty obsessed with everything weight related. What followed was several years of yo-yoing. I felt like I was doing everything I could to not gain weight, yet it just kept happening. At one point I was on a raw food diet–meaning I basically ate vegetable juice, salads, and sweet potatoes, and was still managing to gain weight. Those years were super painful. I wouldn't say I ever got really big (at my highest I was about a size 12/14), but I definitely had a big problem in my head. I was obsessive about my weight and drastic in the things I did to try to change it, swinging from "I don't care, I'll eat whatever I want" (translation: I'm eating as a way to mask how painful this experience is for me) to "If I don't lose weight I will never be happy" (translation: I'm not eating as a way to mask how painful this experience is for me). Neither position was healthy, and I went through some shaky times.
It took a couple of years and several doctors to clear things up. After a while I settled at a weight I felt fairly comfortable at and have been able to arrive at a healthier mental state. But I definitely have some residue left over from my weight loss experience. For one, I listen hard when people talk about their bodies. I feel like they are saying so much when they look in the mirror and say "Ugh. I hate my arms," or "What happened to me? I used to be so toned."
I've come to believe that the way we feel about our bodies tends to have nothing to do with reality. I have seen tiny women bemoan their chubby thighs the same way I've seen larger women do. I've seen people point to nonexistent lovehandles. I've seen women stand around talking about their worst features as if it was fun. I've also come to believe that having a thin, attractive body is not the fast track to happiness that so many of us believe it is. You can look great and be miserable. It's all about perspective. If you aren't happy you aren't happy, regardless of what kind of body you are living in.
Also, a lot of us take away everything else that we're made up of and boil it down to one issue–fat or thin? We can be intelligent, kind, creative, funny and sexy, and the only thing you think you are is fat. So what is it that we're really saying when we say we want to be thin? Do we want to be loved? Special? Admired? Accepted? Cherished? Do we want to be happy? Comfortable in our own skin?
So does your weight just not matter? Of course it matters. If I've learned anything, its that ignoring your body doesn't work. It's what hauls you around on your grand adventures. It's what gets you up in the morning and drives you to work. It's what looks back at you in the mirror.
Whenever I run into an issue that is causing me significant stress I like to give it the "End of Life Test." And by that I mean that I imagine it is the end of my life and I am on my deathbed. Does the issue I'm so concerned with have any bearing in that moment? When it comes to weight, my personal answer is yes and no. No, I will not wish that I'd had thinner thighs or lived off of diet shakes so I could fit into a size 4. But yes, maybe I will wish that I'd taken better care of my body so I could do all the things that matter: play with my kids, work hard, experience less stress.
So what if you have a long road to health ahead of you? So what if you're behind in the game and need to make some big changes? You can do it–start today. And in the meantime, treat yourself like you treat your best friend. I'll bet you don't dwell for a second on her arms or hips or thighs. When you look at her, you see all those late night conversations and that time she did a Cher impression that made you laugh so hard you peed your pants, or the afternoon she brought you a grocery bag full of pizzas and ice cream and a tiny stuffed elephant because for a whole week you'd thought you were pregnant and when you found out you weren't you were devastated. That's what the people who love you see as well. Be one of those people who loves you.
I think we all know what we need to do. We know we need to exercise and eat well and say no to unhealthy foods more often than we say yes. But we also need to look in the mirror and say thank you. Thank you for making it possible for me to swim in a waterfall in Costa Rica and have my babies and dance like a ridiculous grasshopper at that summer wedding. Thank you. I'll do better at taking care of you–but for today, just thank you.
You may have noticed the pictures scattered through this post. These are pictures of important moments in my life over the last few years–the finish line of a half marathon, the pinnacle of a challenging hike, my first day with my baby, dancing on my wedding day. Those were moments that couldn't have happened without my body and yet I don't remember thinking much about it in those moments–so I'm taking the opportunity to say it: thank you.
Why Diets Should Crawl into a Hole and Die (Plus, the plan I've chosen)
Here's the thing about diets: They should really just crawl into a hole and die.
I know that's harsh. But here's why. You start out completely pumped. You clear out your cupboards. You go to Barnes & Noble and buy every book written by your latest diet's guru. You spend a day feeling vastly superior to the people around you who are not following your enlightened diet of eating only foods that existed in the Elizabethean courts/Laura Ingalls Wilder plains/Southeast Asia.
You are committed. You are determined. You will succeed, damn it!
A few days go by. You're crabby. You're making your husband crabby. You get hungry and go to the cupboards only to realize you emptied them out a few days ago in preparation for your Sunshine and Air Diet. And then suddenly you remember: Don't I have an old bag of M&Ms in the pocket of my winter coat?
Next thing you know you have ripped apart your coat closet and are devouring a bag of stale, low-quality candy that you normally would have turned your nose up at.
Then you feel guilty. But feeling guilty about letting yourself down sucks. So you turn on your recent diet's creator. Maybe you send a strongly worded email or post an anonymous Amazon.com review. And although posting comments such as
The diet was a complete joke and who applied the author's spray tan? An orangutan?make you giggle for a few seconds, you still don't feel that great about how you look and/or feel. So it's back to Barnes & Noble. And the cycle continues.
Holy crap.
I never ever ever ever ever (x300) want to do that again. And believe, me, I've done it.
Diets don't work. Neither do diets that try to hide themselves under the cloak of "This isn't a diet, it's a lifestyle." Seriously, you're not unique with this line. 97% of all diet books start with that sentence. And if you're making me do crazy stuff that requires insane willpower, then I'm sorry, but yes. You are a diet.
Also, willpower doesn't work. We aren't made to spew forth massive quantities of it–in fact, every will-power based decision we make dips into our (shallow) reserve of it. Check out this article, Why Willpower Fails Us. It's fascinating.
So what is a new mother to do?
I've been thinking very hard about this, and through a combination of honest introspection, praying (really), research, and talking with my doc, I've come to the following conclusions about me and weight loss:
A. Trying to just "eat healthy" without any structure doesn't work particularly well for me. It is too easy to justify healthyish foods and get off track.
B. Counting every calorie/point/gram whatever makes me feel obsessive, OCD, and all around miserable.
C. I need to be able to have treats, cook, and enjoy eating out without feeling panicked about "messing up."
D. Exercise (and not just a leisurely stroll, but the sweaty kind) needs to happen often. Very often.
E. My plan needs to be something I can see myself doing long-term without feeling like I've sentenced myself to diet prison.
F. I need to work towards my best body now. Not my body at 18, or when I was a ballerina, or when I was making out with frat boys. Times moves forward people, trying to move backwards only make you unhappy. Also, you married that frat boy, so move on!
G. I want to settle at a weight/size that is easy and natural for me to maintain. In the past I've reached low weights that required heroic efforts to maintain, and it is so not worth it. It is also very demoralizing.
H. I want to lose my baby weight ASAP. According to my doctor, many women get stuck with the last 10 lbs. or so, and just keep adding on to it when they have more babies. She said that my body is in weight loss mode right now and that I should really go for it.
So my plan is (drumroll)
Wait, really? But that is totally a diet.
You're right. And I've done Weight Watchers before, with mixed results. I'll write about that first experience some other time (get excited, it involves a room full of middle aged women playing with puppets), but I have to say, it just feels right to me. I really think it can help me create habits that lead to a healthier lifestyle, and, it fits all of my requirements.
Weight Watchers has two plans, Points Plus, which is its most well-known plan and requires "tracking," or counting points, and Simply Filling, which takes away most of the math and has you focus on the healthiest foods (and is the plan I have chosen). I have been trying this out for a couple weeks now and will be making my own tweaks to the plan, which I will describe soon (probably tomorrow). So far it has required effort, but nothing that feels like a fad diet of yore. In the meantime, here is my first online weigh in.
I can't figure out how to turn it the other way, so just go ahead and tilt your laptop on its side. There you go. When the Software Engineer/Frat Boy gets home I will ask him to fix it. It says 162.2 lbs, which means I am 7.2 lbs. away from pre-baby weight! Also, I seriously can't believe I just posted my weight online. It's all the fault of that vulnerability book!
In other news, Sam has developed a terrible case of Fake Cough. It's pretty serious, so if you want to send us flowers or bring us a casserole we'd really appreciate it.
READER QUESTION: Have you tried any "fad" type diets? What happened when you did?
Losing the Baby Weight
Pregnancy has its perks. (You see? The amnesia is already kicking in.)
For one, I absolutely adored feeing unselfconscious about my body. I loved wearing maternity clothes, my typical problem area (belly) was something to be celebrated, and I loved putting the whole diet mentality on pause. No, I didn't throw caution to the wind and eat peanut butter cups for breakfast (or at least not often), but I did let myself just be. It felt like a gift.
I was also surprised by how I felt about my body after Sam arrived. I went almost a week past my due date, and he and I got big. I don't think any amount of cocoa butter would have saved me from the stretch marks caused by that little tank! (This picture stirs up some feelings of PTSD. Pregnant Jenna, you were completely justified in breaking down because you had to walk all the way across Target when you broke a pack of lightbulbs at the cash register.)
In the weeks after Sam was born I was surprised by how I felt about my body. I kept looking at myself in the mirror and instead of feeling upset about my stretch marks and random pooches I kept thinking: This is okay. I am okay. Pregnancy taught me that my body is for way more than my own self-absorption. Why critique something that let me bring this little guy into the world?
During my last trimester I made a conscious effort to avoid looking at the scale at my doctor's office. I've struggled with body image issues in the past and I was worried that a high number would mess with my mind. I knew my doctor would tell me if there was a problem, and I just tried to stay reasonable with what I ate. But if I had to guess what I weighed just before Sam was born I'd go with about 190.
A lot of that came off fast. Sam alone was almost 9 pounds (hello, baby!), and I had several weeks of intense night sweats that drained out a lot of water weight.
But did I lose it all? Not quite. I had this glorious fantasy that every last ounce would melt off as a byproduct of maternal bliss, but alas, the image I had of motherhood pre-Sam only vaguely resembles reality.
Trying to lose weight feels scary to me, because dieting and I have a not so great past. You can read a little about it here. So I am approaching this new effort with caution. No, I don't want to get stuck with extra weight, but going down the road of obsession and self loathing is absolutely not an option for me. (I don't have time for that nonsense!)
What I really want is for a healthy lifestyle to become my second nature. I already eat pretty well and exercise often but I know I can bump up my efforts. I'd love to clear the plateau I've been on for the last few years and settle into my best weight (and perhaps a sexy pair of jeans).Plus, I only get the one life, why not clear out this issue now and move on to bigger and better things?
I also want to be very clear about something–in no way do I believe that a person's self worth is based on their appearance or size or anything external. There is already so much junk circulating in our society that sends that message and I do not want to contribute to that by writing about my personal journey. Life is about relationships, and learning, and finding happiness. It's about growing and being kind and sharing what is uniquely you. It is not about being skinny and it never has been. But I have come to the conclusion that being healthy puts me in a better position to achieve all those things. So bring it on! (I will now step down off my soapbox.)
I'll fill you in on the details of my plan tomorrow. The little tank is singing to himself in his crib and I have a feeling he needs a raspberry blown on his belly.
Vegetables & Tender Mercies
For the past 3 weeks I have woken up every morning with a hankering for fresh vegetables. Or in other words, there's a distinct possibility that aliens have taken over my body.
Pre-baby I spent most mornings trying to figure out a way to make dessert resemble a healthy breakfast (i.e. oatmeal with chocolate chips and coconut flakes–try it, seriously). Lately, I've started the day with sugar snap peas and carrots dipped in hummus. If there are any cooked vegetables or leftover salads I go for those too.
I call this new trend a Tender Mercy.
There are many Tender Mercies in my life right now. For example, my hair has decided that shampooing every third day is enough. I also haven't washed my makeup off at night since Little Man Sam was born and have not broken out like I normally would. And two days ago I tried on my pre-baby jeans and they zipped up. Yes, they zipped up to form a scary little muffin top, but still. Another tender mercy? Leggings. And sweat pants. I cannot fathom a day when I'll want to move on from them. It may be the start of a long and unhealthy relationship.
But back to vegetables.
My sister-in-law brought over the most heavenly dinner the week after Mustache Man Sam was born (let's see how many nicknames I can divulge here), including this salad dressing. I am over-the-moon about it:
Tender Mercy Salad Dressing (aka El Torito Salad Dressing):
In a blender combine:
- 1 TBSP dry ranch salad dressing mix (like Hidden Valley)
- 1 TBSP red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup low fat buttermilk
- 1/2-1/3 cup fresh cilantro, long stems cut off
- 2 TBSP roasted and salted pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)
- 2 TBSP finely grated parmesan (optional)
Once blended, slowly add 1/3 cup vegetable oil through the top cover of the blender jar. Blend until smooth and refrigerate. I've been eating this over a salad that includes avocado, shredded chicken, and extra pepitas.Eat and repeat until pre-pregnancy jeans fit.
Baby Daddy.
When I was 15 and in the throes of my very first romance I thought very intently about what kind of man I wanted to marry. It was something that needed to be pondered. Weighed out. Decided. And then I made a declaration.
I can remember it very clearly–I was standing in the dining room of our rented Italian home with our nanny Cammy. Every available surface was lined with vintage wine bottles (our renters' decoration) which they had made us swear with all solemnity not to drink. (Hilarious. They didn't realize how safe their precious collection was with their Mormon renters.) I had made a decision, and I made the following statement (Cammy, back me up on this):
I want to marry a guy who is tall with green eyes and curly hair. It would be cool if he were good at computers. And, I like the name David.
Okay, if you know us maybe your jaw just dropped? If not, please know that that is exactly who I married. David Welch, green eyed, curly haired (childhood nickname Big Wave Dave), computer software engineer David.
Or in other words, I think I dreamed this man up and then somehow convinced him to marry me.
There are other weird things about us. Like on our first date (17–I know–17) when I told him I thought it would be great if we got married because I thought it would be really fun to live with him. He thought for a moment then agreed.
Or maybe the time he was present at my first kiss? Me and another 14 year old emerged from the bushes to find David standing there with a smirk. "What were you two doing?" he asked. I yelled something like "Shut up, Welch." Or maybe the time we were high school gym partners?
Anyway, I digress.
The point is, there is no one who could possible be better at loving me. No one who thinks I'm quite as funny or encourages my writing quite as well. No one who would allow me to scowl at him for hours on end when morning sickness struck. No one who I'd find quite as brilliant and understanding or a better listener.
What's even stranger is that when he was 13 he said he wanted to marry a blue-eyed supermodel named Adriana Lima. Oh. Wait. That wasn't me.
What the First Two Weeks Were Like
This post is inspired by an article by Jody Peltason called "Before I Forget: What Nobody Remembers About New Motherhood," which the beautiful
Mal sent me a few days ago. The timing was perfect for me, and I'd really like to add my own thoughts.
This post is about my first two weeks as a mother. I don't think every new mother's experience matches mine, but I think the things I went through
are common enough that it's strange we don't talk about it more. Maybe it's just practical–could anyone possibly share in words what those first few weeks feel like? How heavy our new responsibilities (mixed with sleep deprivation) can feel? It may be impossible to describe, but I'm going to try.
I've heard it said numerous times, first about pregnancy, and then about the newborn stage, that mothers' brains drop a curtain over the difficult times. All those anxious, terrifying, nauseating moments get camouflaged behind a hazy image of your squishy newborn gazing up at you, their perfect eyelashes fanning out over their cheeks. I think that's a good thing. It allows us to look back on one of the most important times of our lives with happy memories. It allows us to get our courage up to have sex again, get pregnant again, have more babies. But in my experience, that curtain can make a woman in the throes of new motherhood feel all kinds of lonely.
The author of the article above shared an experience she had going to the drugstore with her newborn. She was exhausted and stressed by the ordeal of getting her baby out of the house. An older woman came up to her and pointing to the baby said, "Aren't you just on cloud nine?" This prompted a feeling of disbelief. Of guilt. What was she supposed to be feeling?
Five days after my son was born a neighbor called to ask how she could help out. It was 8 AM and I had just had one of the most profoundly anxious nights of my life. Over the past few days I'd only slept for a few stints of about 45 minutes a piece, and that was only because I'd forced myself to stop my crazy Internet searches that were going on at all hours of the night. The neighbor congratulated me on my baby, then said "Aren't you just in heaven?"
There was a horrible pause.
Was I supposed to feel like I was in heaven? I was bleeding, I was engorged, I was swollen. I still hadn't figured out how to breastfeed my son, and my anxiety was so bad that I'd woken up shaking and hyperventilating on multiple occasions.
If I'd been honest with my neighbor I would have said something like "Sam is the most incredible thing that has ever happened to me, and I've never been so miserable in my life." It's amazing that those two statements can both be perfectly true and exist in the same sentence. Instead, I mumbled something about how wonderful my baby was. And he is.
It's just that my body had just undergone the most dramatic shift of its life at the exact moment that I was handed the most important role of my life. It's just that my mind had started had started inundating me with horrible images of accidents that could hurt Sam–falling down the stairs holding him, bumping his head on the dresser, and others that scared me so much I've decided not to record them. It's just that nothing had ever scared me more than being responsible for my perfect little boy.
So, in heaven?
But it did get better. All the support around me helped. Figuring out a way that I can get several hours of uninterrupted sleep every night helped. And time helped–just a few weeks later and I feel completely different. Five weeks after giving birth, motherhood is feeling (dare I say it?) fun.
One day those early experiences will be a tiny speck in my life's rearview mirror, and all I'll remember about that time period is that first sacred moment when the doctor laid Sam on my chest, and the way his head smelled, and the way David cried when he first saw him. But I wanted to make sure I remembered this part too. Because motherhood encompasses all shades–the yellows and golds of contentment, the reds and orange of anxiety, and even the gray, jaggedy-edges of depression. It may not have been what I was expecting, but what ever is?
At 4 AM I found myself singing a Ke$ha song to the baby.
He's now waking up every morning feeling like P. Diddy, and if that morning arrives at 6 AM or later I feel like a lucky woman.
Sleep is sort of my new hobby. I'm in the off-season, of course. But what I lack in actual hours logged I make up for in sheer mental energy. I read about it (Happiest Baby on the Block, BabyWise), I strategize for it (dream feedings), I plan for it (I have a notebook where I record what methods works), and I purchase gear (swaddling blankets, white noise machines, Johnson & Johnson bedtime lotion). It's kind of like going on a diet and suddenly wanting a hot fudge sundae more than anything.
As a side note, I am starting to look more and more like Ke$ha, but with more spit-up stains and less glitter. I have also started taking care of the baby in my sleep–meaning I hear his squawks, and make him a bottle, change his diaper, and start feeding him, only to actually wake up and realize I have done none of those things yet and Boss Baby is gonna fight, till he sees the sunlight.
Tik Tok.
Reaching Out
I really don't know why I'm writing this.
It is past midnight. My adorable (but almost unbearably fussy) little guy is wheezing happily in his crib. We just had the ceremonial "changing of the guard" in which the baby is brought down to the parent who has been holed up in our spare bedroom (aka The Baby Bunker) and passed off so the other one can get some rest. And here I am blogging.
I think I need a little normalcy. A little outlet? Somewhere to record all this awesome craziness that is now my life.
It's funny, I had the nursery all ready. I had stacks of onesies washed in special baby detergent, and a giant basket of diapers, and a stack of books on breastfeeding. I'd taken my classes, read my online articles, hedged my bets. And as it turns out, there's simply no preparing for this thing called parenthood.
Sam. Born 3/14/13 at a very alert 8 lbs 13 oz with an abundance of hair and a fan club already waiting.
Paradigms & Pain
I've been thinking about physical pain a lot lately. It may have something to do with the sensation of hauling around an extra 25 pounds (some of which wriggles on its own accord), and the extra stress that it puts on my back, my neck, and my butt (sciatica, anyone?). But mostly I've been thinking about it because in about 10 weeks I will be giving birth. I always assumed I would be flat-out terrified at this point. I pictured pregnancy as a train whose breaks have gone out just as it makes it over the top of a hill–think bareling, steam filled, shrieking panic to the valley below. But it doesn't feel that way at all. In fact, I feel calm.
David and I have been attending hypnobirthing classes during the month of December and I've gotten all sorts of new looks at childbirth. I've watched several filmed births that involve no screaming, swearing, or (magically) epidurals, and I've wondered, could that work for me?
I'm not of the opinion that epidurals are evil. In fact I feel modestly annoyed when "natural birth" is toted as a girl scout merit badge to be won only by the truly womanly. When women feel strongly about giving birth without pain medication–and give birth–I think it's incredible. When women opt for epidurals–and give birth–I think it's incredible. Bottom line, the goal is a healthy baby who is no longer fist pumping your ribs, and there are many ways to achieve that.
As part of my hypnobirthing training, I have spent the past few weeks practicing relaxation and listening to positive affirmations in the soothing voice of Marie Mongan (we just refer to her as "Marie" around here). It's pretty great. It has really made me think about how my paradigms affect other experiences in my life, and I'm pretty darn curious about how hypnobirthing will play out on D-day. My main goal is to have a calm, peaceful birth, regardless of whether or not I opt for an epidural. No, that's not true. My main goal is to get Baby Sam here safely. And if I can do that without panic, so much the better.
For the past few years I have considered myself a person with low pain tolerance. This doesn't necessarily add up with my previous life experiences. I've never been bugged by things like shots or getting blood drawn, and as a teenager I would dance until my feet literally bled through my canvas toe shoes. But when I was 21 I had and experience that changed my perception of pain. I was in Mexico and while walking in the ocean I stepped on a piece of glass. It slid right into the bottom of my foot and for a few seconds I felt nothing but the slicing sensation. Then the pain seeped in. Pulsed in. Crashed in?
Anyway, it was horrible. I walked through the sand and salt for what felt like a half hour and basically cried and screamed as a few unbelievably unhelpful Mexican lifeguards assured me I was completely fine, and an American nurse (who just happened to be lounging on the beach near me with a kit that included equipment for impromptu stitches) bandaged me up. I was basically hysterical for about 3 hours–it hurt so badly.
When I finally stopped crying and fell asleep I was positive that I had just proven myself to be the biggest baby in the world. Yes, I'd cut my foot. But crying for 3 hours? Geez.
So for years, I've looked back at that experience as proof that I simply cannot tolerate pain. Then this year on Thanksgiving a new family friend told me about the time he stepped on a stingray in the ocean. He talked about how badly it burned and what an incredible amount of pain he was in. I joined in with my story of stepping on the glass. And then he asked me, "Did you see the glass?"
Well, no.
"Then how do you know it was glass?"
I didn't.
In fact, our description of how the pain felt was remarkably similar–down to the several hours of horrible pain following the accident. And suddenly I realized. I don't have a low pain tolerance. I just had a really painful experience.
It was strange how completely that one realization has changed the way I see myself handling pain and, subsequently, birth. It was like that weird moment on The Parent Trap when the twins realize they are more than just arch-rivals. (Okay, it was nothing like that.) And now I'm wondering, what other false premises am I working under? Yes, this is a bit heavy for 2 days after Christmas, but so is this baby who woke me up at 4:30 this morning…


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Sort by: Date | Rating | Most Helpful
"Our family is gluten/casein free and have many food insensitivities, but this recipe is easily adapted & they LOVE the muffins (AND I'm getting carrots in my daughter who thinks carrots are only for dogs and horses) :)"

subset: commoncrawl


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How many rounds would you say is a good number for someone to keep on hand when it comes to defense ammo?
I normally keep between 300-400 rounds for each of my handguns. Range ammo is in the thousands per gun.
What do you all think? I thought about putting a poll, but I wanted to get honest answers, not someone just clicking the biggest number and leaving it at that.
No brand wars, caliber wars, bullet weight wars etc. Just how many rounds of defense ammo per gun. With defense ammo becoming harder to find, some of us probably would have to be more reasonable with how many we keep on hand based on what's available. Even a lot of online supplies in 9mm and .45acp are very hard to find. Especially certain bullet types like HST, Ranger T, Gold Dot (in 50 round boxes).


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Snow Patrol Chasing Brit Single Award
The Best British Single nominees shortlist has been announced, prior to the Brit Awards ceremony this Wednesday (February 14).
As previously reported, this years' Brit Awards will feature the first ever public live vote for the Best British Single category.
The original eleven singles have been whittled down to five by public voting in recent weeks - the finallists are:
Snow Patrol "Chasing Cars"
Razorlight "America"
The Feeling "Fill My Little World"
Take That "Patience"
Will Young "All Time Out"
Taking place at London's Earls Court, this years Brit Awards will be hosted live by Russell Brand. Artists confirmed to perform at the all-star bash are Red Hot Chili Peppers, Snow Patrol, The Killers, Scissor Sisters, Amy Winehouse and Take That.
Oasis are to be presented the Brit 'lifetime achievement" award by former Beatle Ringo Starr.
Click here for full information on how to text your vote for Best Bristish single


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Live in northern Wisconsin about halfway between Minneapolis/Saint Paul and Superior/Duluth.
I work for a large retailer based out of Minneapolis.
I have a wonder wife and 7 kids.
Some day I hope to have a small farm with lots of little critters.
pretty much everything (except liver *grin*)
I have a penchant for asian food.


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All articles ever written on Lomography.
We had special workshop - Trying to change the color of LOMO LC-A lens cover
Which do you like more, the original black cover or the sprit red one? How about you try to chang color of them? -
Sam's Analogue Films
As a budding filmmaker, Lomography's ideals called out to me. To reply back, here's a couple of my analogue films!


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The Global Intelligence Files,
files released so far...
Index pages
by Date of Document
Our Partners
Al Akhbar - Lebanon
Al Masry Al Youm - Egypt
Asia Sentinel - Hong Kong
Bivol - Bulgaria
Carta Capital - Brazil
CIPER - Chile
Dawn Media - Pakistan
L'Espresso - Italy
La Repubblica - Italy
La Jornada - Mexico
La Nacion - Costa Rica
Malaysia Today - Malaysia
McClatchy - United States
Nawaat - Tunisia
NDR/ARD - Germany
Owni - France
Pagina 12 - Argentina
Philip Dorling - Fairfax media contributor - Australia
Plaza Publica - Guatemala
Publica - Brazil
Publico.es - Spain
Rolling Stone - United States
Russian Reporter - Russia
Ta Nea - Greece
Taraf - Turkey
The Hindu - India
The Yes Men - Bhopal Activists
Sunday Star-Times - New Zealand
Community resources
courage is contagious
The Global Intelligence Files
On Monday February 27th, 2012, WikiLeaks began publishing The Global Intelligence Files, over five million e-mails from the Texas headquartered "global intelligence" company Stratfor. The e-mails date between July 2004 and late December 2011. They reveal the inner workings of a company that fronts as an intelligence publisher, but provides confidential intelligence services to large corporations, such as Bhopal's Dow Chemical Co., Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and government agencies, including the US Department of Homeland Security, the US Marines and the US Defence Intelligence Agency. The emails show Stratfor's web of informers, pay-off structure, payment laundering techniques and psychological methods.
B3* - US/CHINA/ECON - China ratings agency issues warning on US debt
Released on 2012-10-17 17:00 GMT
Email-ID | 89951 |
Date | 2011-07-14 09:50:16 |
From | firstname.lastname@example.com |
To | firstname.lastname@example.com |
List-Name | firstname.lastname@example.com |
(AFP) a** 3 hours ago
BEIJING a** Chinese credit ratings agency Dagong said Thursday it had put
US sovereign debt on negative watch for a possible downgrade -- following
a similar move by Moody's the previous day.
The announcement came as US lawmakers try to hammer out a deal that would
allow President Barack Obama to raise the country's debt ceiling, which in
turn would allow it to meet its repayment obligations and avoid a default.
Moody's Investor Service on Wednesday placed the United States' triple-A
rating on a downgrade watch because of rising prospects the US debt limit
will not be raised in time.
Dagong followed suit, saying the ability of the United States to repay
debt was likely to decline given its economic growth was expected to slow
and fiscal deficits to remain high in the next couple of years.
"Various factors that affect the repayment ability of the US federal
government will keep deteriorating," it said in a statement.
"Dagong will downgrade the US sovereign ratings if there is no substantive
improvement in its repayment ability and willingness within the period of
Republicans are refusing to lift the country's $14.29 trillion debt
ceiling without deep government spending cuts, while they reject
Democrats' demand that tax increases must be part of any sweeping deficit
reduction plan.
A downgrade could sharply raise US borrowing costs, worsening the
country's already dire fiscal position, and send shock waves through the
financial world, which has long considered US debt a benchmark among
safe-haven investments.
China is by far the top holder of US debt, with holdings at $1.153
trillion in April, according to US data.
Dagong has made a name for itself by hitting out at its three Western
rivals -- Moody's, Fitch and Standard & Poor's -- saying they caused the
financial crisis by failing to properly disclose risk.
The Chinese agency, which is trying to build an international profile, has
given the United States and several other nations lower marks than they
received from the the big three.
It downgraded US sovereign ratings to A+ from AA in November after the
Federal Reserve announced plans to inject $600 billion into the struggling
US economy.
Emre Dogru
Cell: +90.532.465.7514
Fixed: +1.512.279.9468


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Bioprocessing innovations in demand
When asked to rate the factors responsible for creating bioprocessing improvements in the past 12 months, the largest portion (72.6%) cited "overall better control of processes," followed by "improved downstream production operations," and "use of disposable/single-use devices."
Vendors' focus on R&D
To evaluate how well vendors' R&D match industry needs, the BioPlan survey asked about budget changes in 2012. Vendor respondents reported an average 1.9% increase in basic R&D for product development, a 2.4% increase for hiring new staff, a 4.3% gain in sales budgets, and a 3.4% uptick in capital-equipment purchases.
Ingredients InsiderCynthia ChallenerFDA Approves Novel Treatments in 2014
EMA Recommends Suspension of 700 Drugs Tested at GVK Site GVK Biosciences argues that EMA's recommended suspension of 700 drugs is disproportional to reported infractions.
Nelson Patterson has been elected to Pharma & Biopharma Outsourcing Association board.
There are significant differences between small molecules and biologics fill/finish capacity.
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Working Capital Solutions for Businesses Nationwide
Call us today at
for more information about our services; or use our apply online form, or fill out our contact form.
If you've previously worked with one of our representatives, find them here.
Home > News & Info > Archives 2012
(TROY, MICHIGAN, November 19, 2012) – Crestmark is pleased to welcome Iain Michie, Vice President, Debtor Credit Manager. Michie works out of the Troy, Michigan, office.
Michie joins Crestmark from Marquette Commercial Finance in Texas, where he worked as a Credit Manager for five years. With over 45 years in the financial industry, Michie has tackled a range of positions – from collector, analyst, account, portfolio manager to CEO and President. He established himself working at a number of companies, including United Factors, Manufacturers Hanover, Heller, and Main Factors.
"Iain's experience and knowledge are unparalleled and he will be a tremendous asset to our team," said Jack R. Roper, Group President. "I enjoyed working with him in the past, and am glad to have him as a part of the Crestmark family."
A native of Scotland, Michie moved to Canada and as a young adult spent 10 years working in the Arctic trading furs with the Eskimos. He began his financial career in Canada, and later moved with his family to Dallas. Michie has four children, is the proud grandfather to eight grandchildren, and this December he will celebrate his 25th wedding anniversary with wife Shannon.
Crestmark is a nationally known and respected FDIC-insured bank that provides innovative financial solutions for small- to medium-sized businesses. Financing solutions include asset-based lending, accounts receivable financing, lines of credit and factoring. Crestmark finances most business-to-business companies, and has extensive experience in helping many industries including transportation, manufacturing, staffing, government contractors, apparel and furniture manufacturing. Headquartered in Michigan, with offices in Florida, Louisiana, Tennessee, New York, Alabama, California, Illinois, Ohio, Missouri, North Carolina, and Texas. www.crestmark.com
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Archives: 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006
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I'm an American living many years in Australia and still go for lots of American recipes- give me a coconout cream pie over a pavlova any day!!! :)


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Rachel Posner
this wiki
Rachel Posner | |
Name: | Rachel Posner |
Alias(es): | Sapphire |
Status: | Alive |
Date of birth: | February 23, 1990 (Age 24) |
Nationality: | American |
Residence(s): | Lynchburg, VA, Washington, D.C., Joppa, MD |
Profession: | Escort/Prostitute, Waitress, Call Center Worker |
Mother: | Cheryl Posner |
Played by: | Rachel Brosnahan |
Seasons: | 1, 2 |
First episode: | "Chapter 1" |
Appears in: | 2 seasons, 9+ episodes |
Gallery |
Rachel Posner is a former prostitute, who eventually bonded with Doug Stamper.
Rachel tells Stamper that she's from just outside Lynchburg, Virginia. She dropped out of Lorimer High School during her sophomore year and ran away from home after refusing to testify against her physically abusive father. She was arrested in April 2012 by the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia for loitering at the District Grand Hotel, 2460 Connecticut Avenue.
Season 1Edit
Peter Russo hired Rachel for a night in early January 2013, where he was arrested for DUI with her in the passenger seat. Doug Stamper later met up with Rachel, and gave her $10,000 cash to keep quiet about Russo. During this encounter he pays Rachel separately to sleep with him.
Later, Doug and Rachel met again. Doug here talked to Nancy Kaufberger, and asked her if Rachel could move in with her, and Nancy consented.
Doug Stamper defends her against a sleazy boss who tried to approach her sexually. He lays down the law and makes it clear that Rachel will be working there without sexual harassment.
Stamper later gives Posner a new lease on life, setting her up with a new apartment and job as a waitress in an upmarket Georgetown restaurant. It is later revealed that this was the precursor to them asking one last favor of her: seduce Peter Russo one last time. As the series progresses, her character ceases to stay quiet and it is revealed that she's actually quite clever. Rachel seduces Russo the night before he is to have an important radio interview. She encourages him to drink alcohol into the early morning, leading to a poor performance on the radio. This causes Russo's chances of being governor to end, and he spirals out of control until he is eventually killed by Frank Underwood.
Season 2Edit
Rachel is then moved by Doug Stamper out of Washington DC, to an apartment in Joppa, Maryland, a significant enough distance from the D.C. area. Rachel is intentionally isolated by Stamper, and he begins to develop an infatuation with her. In AA he admits he's addicted to her like he was to alcohol. He often stops by her apartment, making sure she develops no relationships, and asking her to read to him.
Despite Stamper's efforts, Rachel develops a friendship with a woman she meets on a city bus, Lisa Williams. She also begins attending Lisa's church, the Fellowship. Lisa becomes Rachel's roommate, when Lisa's roommate starts smoking meth. They start having an intimate relationship when they find out they trust and care deeply for each other. Stamper finds out about the relationship and orders Rachel to end it, because he wants to be the only person Rachel needs. She breaks up with Lisa for her safety. He then gets her from bed in the middle of the night, drive her out to nowhere, not saying anything. She jumps out of the car and runs into the woods. Doug follows. "Rachel, don't be stupid". Rachel leaps out of the shadows and hits him on the head with a large rock. "Rachel, stop, what-" she hits him again, knocking him to the ground. Rachel looks at Doug, her expression is terror. She immediately sprints to Doug's car and drives off. The next morning we see Doug's body, his eyes staring out, half closed, unblinking, with bloody gash, as a helicopter hovers overhead.
Behind the ScenesEdit
Rachel Posner was portrayed by Rachel Brosnahan in Seasons 1 and 2 of House of Cards.
Season 1 | ||||
"Chapter 1" | "Chapter 2" | "Chapter 3" | "Chapter 4" | "Chapter 5" |
"Chapter 6" | "Chapter 7" | "Chapter 8" | "Chapter 9" | "Chapter 10" |
"Chapter 11" | "Chapter 12" | "Chapter 13" |
Season 2 | ||||
"Chapter 14" | "Chapter 15" | "Chapter 16" | "Chapter 17" | "Chapter 18" |
"Chapter 19" | "Chapter 20" | "Chapter 21" | "Chapter 22" | "Chapter 23" |
"Chapter 24" | "Chapter 25" | "Chapter 26" |


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NJ-RUG Announcement:
The New Jersey Revit Users Group is pleased to announce the creation of NJ-RUG and would like to extend an open invitation to our monthly meetings. Our mission and purpose is to create the right conditions for NJ AEC Professionals to learn about Revit / BIM and increase the adoption of BIM across our industry.
The NJ-RUG meetings will focus on the holistic lifecycle of the BIM process; from pre-construction all the way through facility management. Discussions will focus on user training and development, new technology, and applications as they relate to Revit and interoperable programs.
Come to our next event and meet with local AEC professionals to collaborate and discuss the use and implementation of Revit / BIM. All Revit user levels are welcome and we also want to encourage attendance and participation from senior architects and project managers.
Meeting Location:
The Auditorium at DLB Associates, 265 Industrial Way Eatontown, NJ 07724
Upcoming Events:
View our Calendar Online: http://www.meetup.com/NJ-RUG
Direct Contact: Lee Kopsaftis – email@example.com
AIA South Jersey Annual Meeting
Tuesday October 16, 2012
5 to 9pm
Location: Annata Wine Bar
216 Bellevue Avenue
Hammonton, NJ 08037
Program Title: "Getting Up and Running with REVIT" 1 LU
Presenter: Synergis, Engineering Design Solutions
John Daukshus – Director of Building Development – AEC Solutions
Bill Knittle – Building Solutions Engineer
Learning Objectives:
1. Learn about the different disciplines of Revit and how it supports BIM.
2. See how to utilize Autodesk Revit software so that Principals, Partners, Designers,
Drafters and Contractors can get the most out of their design.
3. Understand the cost, risk, and time it takes to fully implement Revit in order to partake
in the BIM process.
4. Learn how to plan your Revit Implementation for success.
Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a revolutionary process that AEC professionals and building owners are adopting worldwide in order to produce higher quality buildings, on schedule, and on budget. The concept is simple! Design, analyze, and visualize consistent, reliable, and coordinated information via a 3D virtual simulation of the proposed building. Revit is a tool specifically designed to support the BIM methodology and provides a broad range of AEC focused features that aid designers, contractors, and owners in making informed decisions at every stage of the building lifecycle. Unfortunately, Revit is not your typical 2D CAD application and thus, should not be treated as such. Therefore, one must understand the cost, risk, and time it takes to fully implement Revit in order to partake in the BIM process. Join Bill Knittle and John Daukshus as they discuss with you the challenges that you, your staff, and your business as a whole will face when you are getting up and running with Revit.
Parksite – Mitch Lauver
InPro Corporation – Michael SchellEric Rupnow
PPG Industries – Gregory Barbini
Hoagland, Longo, Moran, Dunst & Doukas, LLP – Andy Carlowicz
Cost: AIA-SJ Members* – FREE; Intern Architects & Associate Members* – FREE;
Non-Members & Guests – $35.00
RSVP to Bruce Turner at (856) 405- 0351 or email@example.com by Friday, October 12, 2012.
*Membership determined by the membership roster as of the date of this meeting.
Building Contractors Association of New Jersey will be hosting BIM 101: An Introduction to Building Information Modeling on June 27, 2012
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27, 2012 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Earn 8 GBCI CE Hours or 8 AIA Learning Units
Your Resource for Successful BIM Implementation
Building Information Modeling (BIM) is changing the way projects are constructed. Whether you are a prime contractor using BIM across an entire project or a subcontractor impacted by a specific BIM implementation, this emerging practice requires new mindsets and technological know-how in order to achieve significant improvements in efficiency and cost control.
AGC's BIM Education Program—developed in conjunction with leading BIM practitioners, technology firms and educators—is designed to prepare construction professionals at all experience levels to successfully implement BIM on a construction project.
More information:
Visit Reed Construction to register for the event.
Robert Mencarini, AIA
At a recent AIA Newark Suburban board meeting we were discussing ways to increase the benefits to the membership. One board member said that one of the most common email and phone call questions he gets is about where to find low cost continuing education (CE) credits. Especially at this time of odd numbered years when NJ architect licenses are set for renewal by August 1st.
As most members know, membership includes monthly general meetings. At these meetings we usually have a CE event. This is also the case at the other local components throughout AIA NJ. These are a great source of knowledge and CE credit.
Another great source of CE material is online. Much of it at no cost. I frequently read the articles found at McGraw Hill Construction (http://continuingeducation.construction.com/), publishers of Architectural Record, ENR, Green Source, and Sweets. After reading the articles, either online or in print form, I usually take the online test. The system notifies me that I have passed and forwards the passing grade to the AIA's group that keeps track of the records. I also print out (usually to PDF file) a copy of the certificate for my records. All at no cost. You can't beat that. For a $10 fee the test can be taken on paper (either from the tear-out in the printed publications or printed from the online version) and mailed in to be graded and recorded.
Most of the articles are usually of very high quality technical knowledge and take a little more than an hour including the ten question test. Many articles are labeled for HSW and the new SD (sustainable design) credits. I generally find the ones not written by representatives of product manufacturers and service companies to be of the greatest value, but I'll leave that judgment up to you.
Each licensing jurisdiction may have different requirements on the number of CE credits that can be accepted in this format. I believe NJ accepts up to 7 credits per cycle. Check each jurisdiction to make sure you are in compliance.
Here are the links to a few of many hundreds of excellent no cost online CE articles. Enjoy.
Robert Mencarini, AIA
AIA Newark Suburban Architects, Trustee 2007-2009
BIM Promotes Sustainability http://continuingeducation.construction.com/article.php?L=5&C=516
Best Practices in Integrated Project Delivery http://continuingeducation.construction.com/article.php?L=115&C=408
Energy Modeling for Sustainability http://continuingeducation.construction.com/article.php?L=5&C=399
I've been working with BIM, mostly Revit, for 10 years now. In the beginning there wasn't much published on the subject. It wasn't even called BIM. Back then the terms were more like Object Modeling and virtual building. Now, not only do we have numerous printed books, we also have scores of software & service companies, websites, blogs and wiki's devoted to all sorts of BIM tools and processes.
Ten years ago, blogs and wiki's didn't even exist. Now they are one of the greatest just-in-time learning tools available. And the best part is the information is completely free.
Every day I spend at least a few minutes glancing at what others have posted. Almost every day there is something of value. Here I'll share with you a few of the ways to find these great sources of information.
The first tool in my BIM knowledge toolbelt is Google Alerts. Google Alerts are a free web news clipping service. You sign up for any topic you are interested in, not limited to BIM, and every day or week Google Alerts will email you the new or revised links regarding that topic. It's as if someone is reading every single online reference to a particular subject and clipping out the link, writing a synopsis, and emailing them to you. Google Alerts automatically keeps track of what it has sent you in the past and only sends the updates. I have a few Google Alerts set up to subjects such as Revit, Bentley Architecture, Archicad, various IPD topics and tools, Autodesk, etc. I have them set to email once per day. I could also set it to send as it finds them, which is too frequent for me, or once per week. Once every day I get an email that tells me about any web-news article, any blog, or wiki regarding BIM or Revit or what ever the Alert is set to. This keeps me very informed about the subject.
The first step to setting up a Google Alert is to create a free Google Account (https://www.google.com/accounts/NewAccount). This account give you access to all of the free Google tools. Some people call this the Google OS. It includes email, Contact Manager, Calendar, Google Docs (Writer, Spreadsheet, Slide Presentation, etc.) I'll write more on these very useful tools in a future post. Once your Google account is set up you go to: http://www.google.com/alerts?hl=en to set up a Google Alert. Enter the Search Terms, the type of places to search, how often to send it to you, and to what email address or RSS feed to send it to. That's it. All for free. I highly recommend this free tool.
The are many blogs that I look at least every few days. I'll list them out in no particular order. There are many more available. Do a search and see what helps you the most:
paulfaubin.blogspot.com by Paul Aubin, author of Mastering Revit Architecture book
revitoped.blogspot.com by Steve Stafford
allthingsbim.blogspot.com by James Vandezande, SOM colleague
www.caduzer.com by Scott Rosenbloom, SOM colleague
www.designreform.net by David Fano
The list could go on. I have over fifty in my Google (blog) Reader. I suggest you do a search, see what you find and share the really good ones by posting a comment to this post.
The purpose of the AIA NJ Technology In Practice blog is to share knowledge about the use of technology in the professional lives of our members and their firms.
The goal is to expand the knowledge, flatten the learning curve, and decrease the time it takes to implement and benefit from the tools and technologies that allow Architects to be more efficient, more productive, & more profitable.
A decade ago, having been involved with the use of technology in residential and large and small scale commercial / institutional architecture since the mid 1980's I jumped at the chance to join a small startup software company in Massachusetts called Charles River Software. The goal of this company and it's founders was to deliver on the promise of what technology can offer the AEC industry. This company, later known as Revit Technology Corporation became part of Autodesk, Inc. in 2002 where my role was working with firms around the United States and beyond implementing these new tools. I left Autodesk in 2005 to form my own BIM consulting and architecture firm. Eventually, after many years of working with firms on the early implementation stages of BIM tools, I joined Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill, LLP in NYC as a Senior Manager of Virtual Design + Construction, for the opportunity to apply this knowledge on very large buildings with teams that are beyond the early adopter phases of Building Information Modeling.
We'll start the blog with two main areas, Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Integrated Project Delivery (IPD).
In this context the term technology means more than the many electronic hardware and software tools available to architects. It also means processes and procedures that can help us achieve our goals. The tools and processes that we use interconnect to form a fabric that runs throughout our business. I have a long list of topics and links to related and helpful information to start this knowledge share and ensuing discussions.
I suspect, as I've seen in other related ventures, the interconnections from BIM to IPD to Sustainable Design is very much intertwined. The implementation of one informs the needs and uses of the others.
As the Editor and Contributor of the AIA NJ Technology in Practice blog I will share with you my knowledge in these areas and invite others, from within the AIA NJ community and beyond, to share their knowledge as well.
I look forward to this opportunity to share my experiences and knowledge with the AIA NJ community.
Robert Mencarini, AIA
AIA Newark Suburban Architects, Trustee 2007-2009


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Select () or exclude () categories to narrow your recipe search.
As you select categories, the number of matching recipes will update.
Find exactly what you're looking for with the web's most powerful recipe filtering tool.
I am a mother of three. I love to create new recipes. I also love discovering recipes to try.Chocolate is my ultimate desert indgrediant. I love a variety of spices but garlic is my passion.
Favorite foods have a variety of flavors. From Italian, to Mexican, to Greek and Middleeastern.I love sweets as well such as cookies, pies, custards and many others.


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Your search "hitchcock" resulted in 3 Articles
Reel vs. Real: Anthony Hopkins as Alfred Hitchcock
For this installment's featured biopic, let's look back at a 2012 American film that explores the life of influential director Alfred Hitchcock and the creation of his acclaimed thriller film Psycho. -
American Masters: Alfred Hitchcock
When it comes to suspense flicks and psychological thrillers, British filmmaker and producer Alfred Hitchcock has helmed some of the best that the world has known and seen. In this installment of American Masters, let us pay tribute to the brilliant filmmaker and pioneer who has been called "The Master of Suspense." -
Appreciating Films: Rope (Featuring Alfred Hitchcock's Experimental Stunt)
Alfred Hitchcock's 1948 film, Rope, is considered by many to be his most experimental and innovative film. It is renowned for its ingenious editing techniques and use of real time which has led numerous people to believe that the film consists of one continuous shot.


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Honest Appalachia, the newest leak platform to make headlines, has made the use of Tor a requirement. "It's not optional," says Garrett Robinson, who built the site. "If you try to use [Honest Appalachia] without Tor, it will just redirect you to a page with directions on how to use it."
Launched on January 10th, the site is focused on West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina. Both Robinson and cofounder Jim Tobias live in the region and feel this rural area could especially benefit from more transparency. Robinson says the biggest challenge with this work is authenticating the documents, which is why they have modeled their site around handing submissions over to journalists rather than publishing themselves. "Journalists have a lot more experience dealing with this, so we want their help to analyze and authenticate these documents." He says once they receive files, they will decrypt them and then go through the process of "cleaning" the file of any other identifying metadata before handing it off to journalists.
The code is open source. "A truly secure site will withstand attack," says Robinson, and the tool can be easily replicated by running a script that installs about 80 percent of the software, leaving only the cryptography to be done manually. The hope is for others to use it to "support accountability and transparency in their communities," but Robinson is quick to point out that Honest Appalachia doesn't guarantee anything. "When you hear guarantees and promises in the security field, you should get concerned," says Robinson. "You should always be reevaluating. Security is a process, not a product."


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Essex Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Attempting to Erase Computer Files in a Child Pornography Investigation
Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced James A. Vilkas, age 26, of Essex, Maryland, today to three years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for seeking to obstruct a federal child pornography investigation by erasing images from his computer, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein. Judge Blake ordered that the federal sentence be served consecutive to the sentence Vilkas received last December on related state charges of 10 years in prison, with all but three years suspended.
According to Vilkas' guilty plea, on January 26, 2008, a woman advised the Baltimore County Police that she believed her 14-year old daughter had met an adult male, only known to her as "Jimmy", on the Internet social networking website MySpace.com. The woman provided "Jimmy's" cell phone number to the officer. Baltimore County officers contacted "Jimmy, " who was James Anthony Vilkas, and asked him to come in for an interview the next day. During the interview on January 27, 2008, Vilkas admitted to meeting the girl on MySpace.com and that he continued to contact her via e-mail and cell phone, even after she advised him that she was 14 years old. Vilkas told the officers that he invited the minor female to his house on January 26, 2008 and that they engaged in sexual activity.
At a second interview conducted with Vilkas on January 28, 2008, Vilkas admitted that he asked the minor female to send him sexually explicit pictures via e-mail, which she did. A search warrant was executed at Vilkas' home that same day. Upon entering the bedroom belonging to Vilkas, officers saw that a program designed to erase data from the computer was running on the computer. The program was immediately stopped in an attempt to preserve evidence. Vilkas' computers were seized and submitted for forensic examination pursuant to a federal search warrant. One of the files located on the desktop computer is a log of an Internet chat occurring on January 27, 2008, between James Vilkas, and "Coren." In the chat Vilkas requested assistance from "Coren" in erasing his computer hard drive.
Vilkas used computer software from January 27 through January 28, 2008 to erase the pictures sent to him by the 14 year old minor female so that they would not be discovered by law enforcement authorities.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Details about Maryland's program are available at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/md/Safe-Childhood/index.html.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Baltimore County Police Department and Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger for their work in this investigation and prosecution. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Bonnie S. Greenberg who prosecuted the case.


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Heart of a Samurai
Margi Preus has created a masterpiece with this fascinating, exciting, and factual historical novel. In 1841, fourteen-year-old Manjiro and his four friends find themselves fighting for survival on a deserted island after their fishing boat is destroyed in a storm. Luckily, an American whaling ship rescues them before they perish. They cannot return to Japan because the country's borders are closed to both foreigners and to citizens who have strayed. Imprisonment or even death would await them. Manjiro is curious, intelligent and eager to help with the work on Captain Whitfield's ship. They become very close and Captain Whitfield takes Manjiro home with him to Massachusetts where he attends school and helps on the Whitfield's farm. He is believed to be the first Japanese person to set foot in America. Over the next ten years, Manjiro has more adventures on the high seas, pans for gold in the great California Gold Rush, and has experiences he never dreamed of. But his greatest dream has always been to be a samurai. Manjiro wants to return home to his family in Japan. He wonders if his friends are still in Hawaii, where they chose to stay rather than chance meeting barbarians in America. Read this thrilling, amazing account of Manjiro's life and discover what happens as he pursues his dream and what truly makes the Heart of a Samurai.


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An Enemy of the People Politics Quotes
How we cite our quotes:
Quote #10
Dr. Stockmann: "A party is like a sausage machine; it mashes up all sorts of heads together into the same mincemeat--fatheads and blockheads, all in one mash!" (5.76)
The Doctor seems to have no respect for any political party at all by this point in the play. To him, any large group that unites to form ideas is inevitably full of lies. The only real truths are to be found with individuals.
People who Shmooped this also Shmooped...


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Staying in South East Asia means we enjoy the pros and cons of living by the equator. Yes, I know sometimes it's hot as an oven but hey, if you ask me it sure beats the grey London skies the Brits have for most of the year (just being honest!). So if you're like Calvin and Audrey, who love taking advantage of the sun here, opt for a garden wedding!
But before we hit the garden party that would make even the Mad Hatter jealous, lets start with the time-honoured "pick up the bride" ceremony.
Photos courtesy of one of our latest LWB vendors, photography studio – Stories by Integricity Visuals.
You can't have a Chinese Wedding without the much anticipated (and feared!) "pick up the bride" game. Here the groom and his heng tai (aka good mates) must arrive at the bride's house early in the morning. Now don't be fooled by the title because collecting this bride-to-be is no simple affair. The bride's besties (called chi mui for the day) subject to the boys to some quirky challenges.
Think Fear Factor meets Amazing Race with a good dose of Groomsmen Got Talent lah.
As you can see from the pics above, Calvin and his buddies were treated to hanging bananas and faces in flour. Not too bad, considering I heard of one wedding where the guys had to lick each other's armpits… now that's just gross!
Who said getting married was easy? Haha.
Next on the agenda was a relaxed Chinese tea ceremony, where the couple must show respect to relatives and close friends, who would in turn wish them well by giving them an ang pow packet.
The bridal party then headed off to a breathtaking venue – the indoor garden at the Royale Chulan Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. Lavender was the colour of the day, as seen on the chairs and in the gorgeous floral arrangements. I love how they used hanging baskets for these, and kept the decor minimalist yet tasteful.
Audrey looking gorgeous with her parents. WGA is all for the 'flower in the hair' look – it softens a bride's features and gives you that au naturel vibe.
Purple is actually a popular colour for weddings here in Asia. I think we've published over three purple-themed weddings here at WGA!
Calvin checking out his beautiful bride? Hehe.
Awesome how the boys have purple ties to match!
The celebration ended on an elegant note with dinner in the grand ballroom.
And what a ball they had. The bride and groom were even pulled on stage for an endearing impromptu performance of "Nobody But You".
Nobody, nobody but you!
Audrey's Little White Book
Ceremony & Dinner location: Royale Chulan Hotel, Kuala Lumpur
Wedding gown: Neoromantic
Evening gown: Sophia Bridal
Cheong sam: Emerald Brilliant
Make Up: Hebe Leng
Cake: Wong Li Lian
Flowers: Lee Wah florist
Photographers: Grace & Mark
Congratulations to Calvin and Audrey from the team here at WGA. Also, kudos to the red gown – very glam and of the moment ('Red' is 'in' – Vogue tells me so!).
If you liked these photos, you may want to check out Stories by Integricity Visual's Little White Book page. Or drop them a line by emailing to email@example.com.


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Learn how to create and cultivate an incredible company culture.
When building and maintaining a successful business, it's critical to create employee engagement, empowerment, and high morale. Your team is your best asset, getting things done and creating raving fans in the community. Sure, having a ping-pong table, white-board walls, and a game system are fun; but including a smart office design with a clear set of values and norms that actively guide the way a company operates, can create and build a strong, flourishing company culture.


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Location: Atlanta, GA
Member since 9/10/2011
- 0 total posts
- 1 question
Questions from yvonne1
Should I Consider Transconj. with Laser or Peel Resurfacing?
I am 54 years old & have bags under the eyes & a good bit of loose skin. One doctor recommended Transconj. w/skin pinch & laser resurfacing (erbium I think).... READ MORE


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Barry Street Health Center
Medical Oncology and Hematology
528 North Barry Street
Olean, NY 14760
Eyad Al-Hattab, M.D. and Gregory Hare, M.D.
Opened in 2011, Olean General Hospital in partnership with Roswell Park Cancer Institue (RPCI) offers Medical Oncology at the Barry Street Health Center under the direction of Eyad Al-Hattab, M.D., (RPCI) Medical Oncologist, supported by highly qualified oncology nurses. The Barry Street facility offers a complete array of medical oncology services in a modern, pleasant setting including:
- Evaluation and individualized treatment planning
- Chemotherapy
- Advanced hematology evaluations
- Infusion therapy
- Immunotherapy
- Bone marrow biopsies
- Pain management
- Nutritional counseling
- Access to national clinical trials
- Patient education
- Patient and Family support groups
- Cancer research center and library
Medical Oncology and Hematology affiliated with RPCI are also offered at Bradford Regional Medical Center, Bradford, PA.


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As you might have suspected, yes, I do make money from this blog. I feel very blessed to be doing something that I love doing and that also helps support my family and my desire to be a stay-at-home mom. I also want to let you know I'm committed to keeping this site free for you to use.
So how exactly do I make money from this site?
I have a number of advertisers and third-party affiliates including Google, Amazon, MySavings, Logical Media, Commission Junction, Share-a-Sale, Coupons.com, SmartSource.com, Red Plum.com, Escalate Network, and LinkShare. I have also accepted cash for ad space, sponsored posts, promotions, and other related ventures. I sometimes may also earn referral credit when you choose to click on links I have in the body of my posts.
You might be surprised to learn, however, that I am not compensated by or affiliated with many of the stores I do weekly coupon matchups for. These are done as a service to you.
What I want you to know about my advertising methods.
While I enjoy supporting my family through this site, I want to make something very clear. I am not out for a "quick buck." My goal is to build a site that is successful for the long haul. There have been times I've turned down paying advertisers because I felt they were inappropriate for my site and that you would view me less favorably. Making a few bucks is not worth risking the reputation I've worked terribly hard to build. I also recently made the decision to block political endorsements from displaying on this site. There are also offers I have stopped sharing because I had readers tell me of their poor experiences. I listen.
I also want you to know that all opinions shared on this site? They're mine. You can count on me for that.
What I want you to know about doing the deals I share.
Please understand that I work hard to make sure that the deals I post are true and accurate. If I unknowingly make a mistake in a deal I post, I will retract and/or clarify as soon as it is brought to my attention. Readers, I urge you to make sure you double-check any deal you find on this blog or any other site before doing it first. Please also note that I cannot be responsible if a store decides to not honor their offer, change their offer, cancel their offer, or if sale items are unavailable or out of stock at your particular store. Unfortunately, this has and does happen. Finally, you might be interested to know I'm posting out of the South Seattle area, so prices and deals on my blog may be reflective of my geographical area.
Comment Policy
I whole-heartedly welcome the sharing of opinions on this blog! Even if you don't agree with everything I say, you are welcome and encouraged to voice your opinion.
I do ask that you follow these common sense guidelines when leaving a comment:
:: Please avoid profanity and vulgar language.
:: Please avoid making discriminatory or racist remarks.
:: Please do not make personal attacks (such as name calling).
:: Please keep things on topic. Don't leave a question about a Walgreens deal on an Albertsons post.
:: Please, for the love of everything that is good in the world, NO SPAM! Understand that this blog already has a pretty sophisticated plug-in installed so most spam is "caught." In my opinion, spamming can be as simple as leaving a "great post" type comment with a link back to your blog or as blatant as a link and plug to your blog in the comments when I've not put out an express invitation that this is OK.
A final word to fellow bloggers and deal sharers: leaving your referral/affiliate links in the comment of my post or promoting your business without direct permission from me is strictly prohibited (plus, it's incredibly tacky). If you continue to do this, expect a very firm email from yours truly.
You should know that I very, very rarely delete comments. Why? Because most of my readers (that'd be you!) are completely awesome, know how to exercise good judgment and fair play and keep things clean. I never mind debate, so long as you're following the guidelines above. (However please note that if you disagree with me, you'll likely find me respond in the comments. So you've been warned!) When in doubt about leaving a comment, please contact me first.


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Safe driving is important to every driver especially for truck driver since they may carry a huge load as they travel on the road. However, accidents may happen and there are also some other people that may be involved. If you are a victim of a truck accident just recently, then your best option now is to settle it legally and the best thing you can do to start with is to hire expert truck accident attorneys.
On the other hand, what are the types of truck accidents which can be easily solved by truck accident attorneys? Now to give you some ideas, here are some which can be solved legally in court.
Reckless Driving – This kind of accident may prove to be fatal in some situations. Some of the victims here may lay dead after the accident and some are critically injured including the driver involved. As this may happen, the lawyer must do his or her job to solve this case fair and square.
Failure to Obey Traffic Signs – Avoiding following the rules in traffic can also cause some accidents. Well, there are lots of victims when it comes to this kind of truck accident and the attorney will surely help solve this case in court.
Truck Driver Fatigue – Truck drivers usually travel at long distances and sometimes they drive for more than 24 hours. Hence causing them body fatigue and accident. Well, this is also a job for the truck accident lawyer to solve in court if accidents may happen involving this situation.
Drunk Driving – Drunk driving is mostly the problem when it comes to truck accidents. The best advice here is for the driver to avoid drinking while driving to avoid a letter of demand coming from the lawyer.
These are some of the types of truck accidents a truck accident lawyer can handle and solve. Hire the best to win this case especially if you are the victim.


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oh and I completely agree that the price of the PS4 will be important, but I also think our thinking about how much a console should cost should evolve with the times.
Consoles are now full computers with many features. I can't tolerate having such weak hardware any longer. Consoles are so outdated by today's current hardware standards it's ridiculous and it shows.
I want the high end specs and if Sony will force us to keep the same hardware for a decade they better damn well future proof it.
Side note: if they disable used games I will go Xbox (unless Microsoft does the same thing)


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Editor Guzzo is no help in plumbing the mystery; despite the many rumors spawned by the departures (particularly Lopez's), he offers a blanket "no comment" regarding any personnel questions. And conversations with the exiting parties reveal no single reason for fleeing. Hodges cites the wonderful opportunity to enter a burgeoning field, and his viewpoint is echoed by Keating. As for Fillion, whose upcoming gigs include occasional pieces about high-altitude cooking for the new Foodfit.com Web site, he trots out the old I'm-leaving-to-spend-more-time-with-my-family explanation (he's married, with a four-year-old daughter who, he laughingly admits, "sometimes likes my cooking and sometimes doesn't").
For his part, Lopez says that the "entrepreneurial spirit" that's been bubbling inside him for years finally convinced him to start a business that will pair him with Kristie Porter, a onetime public-affairs director for the City of Aurora who just happens to be his ex-wife. (Lopez and Porter have a very modern relationship; although they've been divorced since the mid-'90s, they remain so close that Lopez agreed to stand as godfather to Porter's now-eighteen-month-old son by her current husband.) Lopez Communications is planning a Web site that he describes as "a clearinghouse for information about Latinos and Hispanics" (Latinolife.com), and he hopes to supplement the project with jobs for a variety of corporate and civic clients. He's said to have been awfully cozy with folks in the Webb administration; when he went to pick up some of his belongings at his wife's home at the time of his divorce, he actually took one of the mayor's off-duty bodyguards with him. Perhaps that's why he says, "Hopefully, in the seven years I've been at the Post, I've built up a good name for myself with people around Denver, both businesspeople and officials."
The timing of his exodus may look a little weird, Lopez concedes, but he insists that it wasn't based on a snap decision. "Before the announcement, I actually talked to Mr. Guzzo about whether I was going to be here longer. I know he was hoping that I would be part of the team, and I didn't want to stand in his way of what he's trying to accomplish. But my heart was burning another way. It's nothing against the Post or Mr. Guzzo. He's been absolutely fantastic to me."
Keating is also sympathetic to the newspaper's new editor, who's spent the last several months sifting through the wreckage left by his widely despised predecessor, Dennis Britton: "Glenn Guzzo inherited a tough situation at the Post," Keating says, "but he's turning it around. I would definitely work for him again." (In fact, Keating plans to do some "special projects" for the Post down the line.) Even Posties speaking behind the cloak of anonymity offer relatively sunny assessments of the new boss; although there's plenty of grumbling about low morale and high tension resulting from the News's strong circulation gains, no one contacted by Westword believes Guzzo is the reincarnation of El Britto Grande, and most feel he's got the ship headed in the right direction. But the question remains: Will there be anyone left to set the sails?
Have comments, tips or complaints about the media? E-mail "The Message" at email@example.com.


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Sat, Apr 14, 12 at 18:09
Somehow got infested. Waiting to see if beneficial nematodes will be effective. Early plantings grew to about 1" and then disappeared over night. Possibly cant direct seed this year, just plant healthy starts with a collar, bummer.
Any other suggestions/solutions. |
Follow-Up Postings:
Daily search-and-destroy missions. Even at night, say about 10 PM, because some are night-workers. Much more satisfying that spraying, and safer, too, are these techniques: Drop into soapy water; cut in half; drop into spider web; stomp. If they truly disappeared, suspect larger critters. |
- Posted by hosenemesis SoCal Sunset 19 USDA (My Page) on Sun, Apr 15, 12 at 0:26
I like to feed them to the scrub jays. Nasty buggers. |
- Posted by tropical_thought San Francisco (My Page) on Sun, Apr 15, 12 at 9:23
I got them last summer and I am in your area of San Francisco, they come from butterflies laying eggs on your plants. When people talk about the joy of butterflies in the garden I think OMG no. Once the eggs hatch they can eat a lot in just one night. You will be shocked the next morning. |
The adult is a rather ugly night moth. |
Are cutworms the ones who just mow down new seedlings? I just lost my only zucchini plant and some greens. Time to resow. Maybe I'll try collars. |
- Posted by hosenemesis SoCal Sunset 19 USDA (My Page) on Sat, Apr 21, 12 at 0:30
Yes- they go after the seedlings. |
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