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H. Scott Higgins '67
Founder and CEO – Veterans Advantage, Inc.
Higgins is Founder and CEO of Veterans Advantage, Inc., the nation's leading military card program, which creates and delivers benefits to over 100 million active duty and military veterans, and their families. He was Managing Director of Lehman Ark Management Company, Inc., Senior Vice President of A.G. Becker, Chairman of Alcona Capital Advisors, and served as a financial consultant for many of the nation's leading banks, insurance companies and investment management firms.
He served as Trustee and Co-Chair of the New York Shakespeare Festival for 18 years, and was appointed by the New York City Mayor to Co-Chair the New York Vietnam Veterans Memorial Commission, where he was responsible for the design, funding, and building of the memorial, as well as the publishing of bestseller Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam. He was also an active member of the Freedoms Foundation Board from 2004-10.
Higgins graduated from Gettysburg College with a B.A. in Business Administration. As an undergraduate, he was the co-founder of the men's lacrosse team, captain of the wrestling team, and a member of ROTC and Phi Delta Theta. After his graduation, he received his orders for Vietnam as an Army Lieutenant. Upon his return, he earned an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. As a Gettysburg alumnus, Higgins served as a Trustee for 11 years and currently holds Trustee Emeritus status. He is a member of the Gettysburg Hall of Athletic Honor, Cupola Society, and 1832 Society.
Orin S. Levine '88
Director, Vaccine Delivery – Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Orin S. Levine '88 is the Director of the Vaccine Delivery Global Development Program for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in Seattle, Washington, leading the Foundation's efforts to accelerate the introduction of new vaccines and related technologies to improve routine immunization systems. Prior to this, he worked at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, where he lead the highly successful PneumoADIP project that accelerated access to pneumonia vaccines for millions of children worldwide. His expertise is frequently requested for appearances in print, radio, and television across the globe.
Levine graduated from Gettysburg with a degree in Management, and then went on to earn a doctorate from the Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health. As an undergraduate, he was a member of Sigma Chi, the Hillel Foundation, and played on the Bullets lacrosse team.
Kathryn A. Morris '92
Provost, VP for Academic Affairs, and Professor of Psychology – Butler University
Kathryn A. Morris '92 is Provost, Vice President of Academic Affairs, and Professor of Psychology at Butler University. Her areas of expertise include social psychology, psychology of gender, methodology, and statistics. She previously served as Chair of the Department of Psychology at Butler.
Morris graduated Summa Cum Laude with a B.A. in Psychology from Gettysburg College. As an undergraduate, she served as an orientation leader, member of the German Club, and a research assistant in the Psychology Department. Morris then earned a master of art and doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin. Recently, she received a Certificate in Higher Education Leadership from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education.
Sandra Berlin Walker '78
President and CEO – YMCA of Greater Cincinnati
Walker is President and CEO of the Greater Cincinnati YMCA. She focuses on youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. Under her leadership, the Greater Cincinnati YMCA's After School Child Care Program was selected by YUSA as the top evidence-based program in the nation. Her career with the YMCA spans 35 years, previously acting as Senior Vice President of Operations for the YMCA of Greater Boston. Locally, she serves on the STRIVE Partnership Executive Committee, focused on driving student success outcomes through collective impact. She is a founding member of the Human Services Chamber of Hamilton County and currently serves as Treasurer.
Walker graduated from Gettysburg College with a B.A. in Psychology, then earned a graduate degree in Counseling and Personal Services from the University of Maryland, College Park. As an undergraduate, she served as VP of Education in Delta Gamma, was an Executive Committee member of the Psi Chi psychology honorary society, and played for the Bullets woman's basketball team.

subset: commoncrawl


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Getting them last few pounds off
View Single Post
ESB Jr Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 202
vCash: 1000
Re: Getting them last few pounds off
Originally Posted by
Blade soon as you mention BMR, it implies metabolism is a factor in weight loss and a huge one.
How are you not comprehending that obviously metabolism is a factor in weight loss since it burns calories!? If BMR had nothing to do with calories, it'd have nothing to do with weight loss. It's all revolves around calories.
Originally Posted by
As for water weight, its easily lost but painful inin 1 day you can lose like 30lbs of water weight using certain techniques, bodybuilders have done so.
That numbers a bit high, and after about 15 lbs of water weight generally it starts to become unsafe. Plus you can't live like that, it's for very short term purposes.
Originally Posted by
Well as you've been through it, you have my sympathy. But are you seriously telling me that your dietary and exercise habits are exactly the same as when you were 60 pounds heavier?
What pill is this?
I wasn't trying to play the sympathy card, just pointing out that I also know from experience with it...but yes, same workout schedule and eating habits because it was during college when I had the same schedule from week to week so there wasn't much room to change any habits anyway. After being on my medication for a while my hormonal levels corrected and weight started to just drop off, and after about 8 months I was down 60 lbs where Ive stayed ever since. It's also not like I got prescribed medication then all of a sudden had some drastic change in any habits that would allow me to to lose 60lbs in that amount of time anyway; basically meaning there would have had to have been some drastic change to lose that much, but there really wasnt, so my point is there's definitely more to it than just water weight with the thyroid gland.
Levothyroxine or synthroid as a backup when I'm late to refill.
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You limited your search to:
Decade: 1930-1939
Year: 1936
Month: February
Day: 21st
Collection: The Bartlett Tribune
Collection: Texas Digital Newspaper Program
The Bartlett Tribune and News (Bartlett, Tex.), Vol. 49, No. 23, Ed. 1, Friday, February 21, 1936
Date: February 21, 1936
Creator: Fox, W. W.
Description: Daily newspaper from Bartlett, Texas that includes local, state and national news along with extensive advertising.
Contributing Partner: Bartlett Activities Center and the Historical Society of Bartlett


text:
Reward offered in pharmacy robberyJune 15,2013BENNINGTON A company that works with pharmacies is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to the arrest of a man who robbed a CVS pharmacy on Kocher Drive in Bennington.
According to the Bennington Police Department, the suspect is a thin, white man, about 6 feet 3 inches to 6 feet 4 inches tall. Police said he was wearing a black face mask, black sleeveless vest and a charcoal gray hooded sweatshirt and gloves.
Police said the man entered the pharmacy around 9 p.m. May 21, showed a gun and demanded controlled substances. The man left through an emergency exit at the side of the building.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Crime Stoppers Hotline at (888) 479-8477. According to a press release announcing the reward, callers to the hotline dont need to leave their names or appear in court and the line doesnt record calls or use any kind of device that can identify callers.
The reward is being offered by RxPatrol, which is described on its website as a collaborative effort between (the pharmacy) industry and law enforcement designed to collect, collate, analyze and disseminate pharmacy theft information.MORE IN This Just InWASHINGTON Many of Americas young adults appear to be in no hurry to move out of their old... Full StoryBENSON The town will not return to the days of having a reputation of being the wild west of... Full StoryMIDDLEBURY Commuters are advised of nighttime road closures tonight and Thursday. Full Story
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USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program
Other ID: none
Status: Completed
Organization(s): USGS, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center
Funding Program(s):
Principal Investigator(s): Page Valentine
Affiliate Investigator(s): Jeremy Collie - URI
Information Specialist(s): Page Valentine
Data Type(s): Sampling: Biology, Sampling: Geology, Biological Field Study: Experiments, Biological Field Study: Surveys, Imagery: Photo, Imagery: Video, Visual Identification: Species ID
Scientific Purpose/Goals: Habitat studies; sampling and photo/video surveys; ROV operations.
Start Port/Location: Woods Hole, MA
End Port/Location: Woods Hole, MA
Start Date: 1999-06-18
End Date: 1999-06-25
Equipment Used: SeaBOSS, Dredge, ARGO, Amphipod traps
Information to be Derived:
Summary of Activity and Data Gathered: Mobilization June 17th in Woods Hole; demob June 25th in Woods Hole. 51 total stations; video/photo 47; sediment samples 13 stations. Dredge and trap samples at Univ. Rhode Island.
Staff: Dann Blackwood, Page Valentine, Tammie Middleton, Jeremy Malczyk
Affiliate Staff:
Georges Bank, United States, North America, North Atlantic,
Buczkowski, B.J., and Kelsey, S.A., 2007, Archival policies and collections database for the Woods Hole Science Center's marine sediment samples: URL: http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1187/.
Valentine, P.C., Malczyk, J. T., and Middleton, T. J., 2001, Benthic habitat and faunal surveys of Closed Area II, central Georges Bank, 1998 and 1999: .
Data Acquired


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We are in Sydney! I have left all of my loved ones behind to spend some time with strangers from around the world.
It seems that my first post was almost prophetic, as I spoke of being sleep deprived and emerging unkempt from the plane as a sign of pilgrim status. Well it seems any skepticism I had about not being quite a pilgrim in Australia was answered, as our plane was delayed by an hour and a half and we boarded the red eye flight literally rubbing sore and itchy sleep deprived eyes, most of us not even grabbing forty winks on the plane. But that was nothing… another group travelling on the same day had their 10am flight rescheduled for 1 in the morning!
In the mean time, milling around the waiting area, I managed to catch up with some friends I hadn't seen for quite a while. We talked of old times and some theories we had developed in our own minds about theology and ethics; expectations of what we would get up to at WYD and our plans for after the event was over.
Tick tick tick… time went on, I cast a semi-bored eye over the other travellers, some who had set up makeshift beds on the floor. I spied two Franciscan friars who looked exactly the same. Yes, they were identical twins, and I was overcome by curiosity as to how they had both come to receive the same vocation. We chatted a little, and it turned out that one of the brothers(x2) was involved in a soup kitchen program in the north of England, just two towns away from my grandmother's home, and coincidentally, I am going to visit her shortly after this pilgrimage is over. It was soon suggested that I go and lend a hand to the project, a prospect that pleased me no end. We were called to board, I bid them goodbye, and finally we were in the sky.
At Sydney airport, I stood outside waiting to be picked up so I could go to bed and catch a few zs. The wind whipped up a good chill, and as I turned around to retreat to the warmth of the airport, I saw two little dogs huddled up on a man's lap ("They're miniature fox terriers," he told me, "Milly and Molly."). Dear little things…the man could tell I wanted to stroke them, and assured me they were gentle, and indeed they greeted me with a couple of sniffs and a lick on the hand. The man and I got to talking, and asked me what I was doing in Sydney. I told him about World Youth Day, and he (a little shyly) admitted to being a lapsed Catholic. He looked at my wrist "aren't they Buddhist?" he asked, "No, it's a Rosary," I replied, and took one off to give him. He seemed reluctant at first, but assured that I had brought them specifically give away, gratefully took it.
What will become of these meetings, I don't know, but it certainly appears that close encounters are going to be there for the picking over the next few days.
Filed under: WYD


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chemical water treatment Companies in Northern Ireland
Fluid Dynamics International Ltd
based in Maidenhead, UNITED KINGDOM
Fluid Dynamics is one of the UK most experienced water conditioning and hard water scale prevention product manufacturers. Established in 1973 The only water treatment company whose products have been tested and proved effective under the US Government`s Green Proving Ground Scheme. With over 200,000 clients ranging from Coca Cola to Unilever to the US Airforce, and ...
EnviroChemie GmbH
based in Rossdorf bei Darmstadt, GERMANY
Our engineers and scientists consult on, plan, build, and maintain water treatment plants that are tailored to the respective customer requirements. Plant solutions for water recycling, resource recycling, zero discharge requirements or biogas production save valuable resources and energy. We supply plants `Made in Germany` to customers around the world.
Kirton Engineering Limited
based in Shepshed, UNITED KINGDOM
Kirton is a specialist company at the forefront of water treatment. We have developed a range of processes and equipment including: Membrane Technology (Ultra Filtration and Reverse Osmosis), Desalination, River Water Abstraction, Vehicle Wash Water Recycling, Centriguge Separation (Effluent Treatment) and Electrical Control Gear.
Holland Novochem B.V.
based in Nieuwegein, NETHERLANDS
Novochem Water Treatment develops and commercializes corrosion inhibitors, anti scalants, anti foulants, biocides, defoamers and flocculants for industrial purposes. The products efficiently prevent contamination as well as material damage in boilers, cooling systems, process water, pasteurization/sterilization units and/or membrane systems, applying the Best Available ...
Superior Manufacturing Corporation
based in Fort Wayne, INDIANA (USA)
The Superior Water Conditioner has been utilized since 1964 to control lime/scale and corrosion without chemicals in boilers, cooling towers, food service equipment and many other commercial and industrial applications throughout the world. Test sites around the world have shown proven results. On over 400 different types of applications, the outcome was the same... ...
Verhoeve Milieu & Water
based in Dordrecht, NETHERLANDS
OrganizationOver 25 years of experience in the industry of soil and water generates a wealth of expertise within our organization. The staff of Verhoeve Environment & Water is a healthy mix of experienced professionals and enthusiastic young performers. With this mix we are well equipped to develop and execute the most divergent projects. Our business is fully certified.
Waste water technologies & Water recycling Natuurbeton Milieu
based in Nederweert, NETHERLANDS
Waste water treatment for the automobile and transport industry. Also expert in water recycling equipment for washing processes. Carwash, truckwash, washequipment trains, busses etc.
Magnation Corporation
based in Oakland, CALIFORNIA (USA)
Magnation Corporation designed and manufactured in the United States with finest quality materials, Magnation Water Systems offer powerfully elegant and clean solutions to improve water and energy efficiency, soil and plant health, reduced fertilizer and chemical use, as well as improved maintenance and longevity of equipment. No chemicals, energy or maintenance required. ...
Lenntech Water Treatment
based in Delft, NETHERLANDS
Lenntech Water Treatment is a manufacturer and solutions provider for industrial water purification. Lenntech always offers its clients a spectrum of environmentally friendly technologies for each issue. Each proposed technology is compared both technically and economically with each other. Lenntech supplies water and air treatment systems for disinfection, filtration, ...
De Nora Water Technologies
based in Colmar, PENNSYLVANIA (USA)
De Nora Water Technologies provides a range of trusted disinfection and filtration technologies and aftersales support services for water and wastewater treatment in the energy, marine and municipal markets worldwide. With more than 50 years' experience in water treatment, the company has developed, delivered and installed thousands of installations worldwide across a ...


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Canon 430EX II
Started May 28, 2014 | Wanted thread
Shop cameras & lenses ▾
2006GTO • New Member • Posts: 2
Re: Canon 430EX II
Have BNIB 430EX II I bought 3 months ago from Adorama for my wife. Flash has not been opened or used. 100% new condition
Contact me if necessary @ firstname.lastname@example.com if necessary
Thanks...Greg in Aiken SC
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|May 30, 2014
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3009 Paseo
Oklahoma City, OK 73103
Located in the trendy Paseo District in downtown Oklahoma City, Picasso Cafe on Paseo serves up delicious food with a ... read more...
2575 E Waterloo Rd
Edmond, OK 73034
Toothies Bar & Grill is a casual restaurant in Edmond that invites everyone in to have a good time. Stop by for ... read more...
Bar & Grill
Jamaica Joe's Billiard Bar & Grill
5920 SE 15th
Midwest City, OK 73110
Head to Jamaica Joe's Billiard Bar & Grill for a full bar and tasty food that have been tempting customers since ... read more...
332 E 1st St
Tulsa, OK 74120
Head to El Guapo's roof to enjoy great Mexican food and amazing views of Tulsa's downtown skyline. El Guapo's, located ... read more...
4041 SW 149th St
Oklahoma City, OK 73170
JR's Pub & Grill in Oklahoma City, just outside of Newcastle, stays open late seven days a week, making it a great ... read more...
Bar & Grill
6509 N May Ave
Oklahoma City, OK 73116
Located in Oklahoma City, Cousins Bar & Grill is a great place to go for food and drinks with friends. This sports ... read more...
Bar & Grill
4309 N Western Ave
Oklahoma City, OK 73118
If pimento cheeseburgers served on a pretzel bun or fried chicken and waffles sound good to you, head over to The Drum ... read more...
James E McNellie's Public House
409 E 1st St
Tulsa, OK 74120
James E McNellie's Public House is an Irish pub located in downtown Tulsa in the popular Blue Dome District. This ... read more...
Bar & Grill
198 E Lake Dr
Medicine Park, OK 73557
You're sure to find the biggest party in Medicine Park at Park Tavern. This quaint riverside bar and grill serves up ... read more...
1851 S Douglas Blvd
Midwest City, OK 73130
Henry Hudson's Pub in Midwest City offers a place to relax, hang out with friends, have a drink and grab a bite to ... read more...
Bar & Grill
Email: email@example.com


text:
Track using Order ID
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- Track individual Orders
- View your entire Order history
- Cancel individual Orders
- Conveniently review products and sellers
|Important Note
The Eau de Perfume opens with a fruity top note that blends the enchanting aroma of luscious lychee champagne cocktail and crispy fresh accord of apple. The intense heart note of silken rose mingles with sensuous violet and a hint of vanilla fused with the warmth of patchouli. Red Delicious accentuates the exotic aromas with a base note of shimmering ambrosial accord, perfectly blended with red raspberry. Encased in a perfectly symmetrical globe, DKNY Red Delicious is harmony in a bottle. With Red Delicious, be unforgettable.
|Fragrance Traits
|Fragrance Classification
|Eau de Parfum
|50 ml
|Bottle Design
|Apple Shaped Bottle
|Ideal For
|Fragrance Segment
|Fragrance Family
|Fragrance Notes
|Base Note
|Leather, Vanilla, Amber
|Heart Note
|Patchouli, Apple, Rose
|Top Note
|Litchi, Raspberry
Please Note: All products sold on Flipkart are brand new and 100% genuine
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Edit Article
How to Plan a Romantic Wedding Night
So, you're getting married, and you want to plan your night...
This article has been tagged as a stub.
That means it's off to a good start, but still has room to grow into a more helpful resource. Until the article reaches its full potential, it will be hidden from search results. Can you help it flourish? If you think the article offers complete and accurate instructions, feel free to remove this tag.
1Decide where to go. Where do you want to be on your wedding night? If you want to be somewhere tropical, make sure the flight is booked. Make sure any hotels or places to stay are booked or ready.
2Prepare the room you will stay in. Put up pretty decorations or have fresh flowers waiting in the room.
3Buy any sexy lingerie needed.
4If you're making a meal, decide on the menu.
5Finally, bring any romantic presents you may have!
Community Q&A
Ask a Question
- Enjoy yourself!
- Smile!
- Don't be a drag on your wedding night. It's a bad sign.


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Samsung SM'ART Gallery Panels aren't just pieces of art, they're for displaying art
Samsung seems to be pumping out new devices like there's no tomorrow, but here's something new to set a precedent: SM'ART Panels specifically designed for displaying fine art. In development for five years, the high resolution LCD panels surpass standard television sets in an attempt to be a truly digital canvas. The panels are designed to display the fine details that an artist wishes to come through, such as texture and the exact color envisioned.


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Pop Culture
Scandal's Katie Lowes on marriage, plus news from HollywoodBy Gerri Miller
We talk with Scandal's Katie Lowe, plus news on Kate Hudson, Chelsea Handler & Jamie-Lynn Sigler.Go To Pop Culture
Category Archives: Planning
Why I #ChooseLove: In Sickness & In Health
I've been absent from the IFF blog for the past month or so, dealing with some health issues that kept me a bit too busy for wedding planning—or reflecting.
While I've dealt with doctor's appointments and missed deadlines at work, I've had a mental image of a calendar with pages flying by—each representing a day of wedding planning that we've missed. But, honestly, none of that really matters. What matters is the fact that, with the support of family and friends, we'll make it there together—the details of what the wedding day will look like are substantially less important. After all, that's what it means when you choose love.
At a recent doctor's appointment a nurse smiled at Justin, as she said to me, "you've got a good one sticking by you through this." Justin's response was instantaneous: "well, she's sure had her share of being by my side in similar situations."
It's true. Only four months after we met I was by Justin's side, calling 911 when he was injured, holding his hand as he came to after a 7 hour surgery, and traveling almost every other week between Boston and Philadelphia as he spent three months in a rehabilitation hospital relearning how to walk.
We've been testing the traditional marriage vow of "in sickness and in health" through the course of our relationship.
We haven't actually made it to the point of planning where we are addressing vows (which, as we've learned, are traditional in Christian ceremonies but not in Jewish ceremonies), but we both know that this concept isn't new to us. We've committed to holding up our relationship through adventures and health, and through the lows of sickness and injuries.
So, the countdown is on. We need to order rings. We need to design our invites. We need to pick out a ketubah. Finalize our huppah design. We need to pick out food. And figure out what to wear. And how to light our venue. And order flowers. And learn how to dance. The list is long, but we'll get it done.
After all, those are just details. We've already worked out the important things.
How do you #ChooseLove? Show us through InterfaithFamily's fun new campaign! Watch this video to see how other people #ChooseLove.
A Roze(nsky) By Any Other Name
In 2011, TheKnot.com surveyed almost 20,000 newlywed women. They found that only 8 percent kept their last names. Of the remaining 92 percent, 86 percent took their partner's last name. Six percent hyphenated or created a new last name.
While I've seen other studies that show the percentage of women who keep their last names at closer to 20 percent, the fact remains: Changing your name after marriage is the "normal" thing to do.
Changing my name has never felt like the right move for me—my last name is the one on my degrees, it's part of the name of my photography business, it's the name I've written under, and, it's the name I've used my entire life. I've given this some serious thought. I support a person's right to choose the name that feels like the best fit for them, and I understand the idea that a unified last name presents a unified team.
But, for me, changing my name just doesn't feel right.
(It also should be noted, that Justin isn't up for changing his last name either. My last name is hard to spell, and he's spent too long building his brand to change his name to something else. I don't think this is a conversation only half of a couple should be having—if name changes are on the table, they should be on the table for everyone.)
It wasn't until recently, when concepts like name changes shifted from hypothetical to reality, did something click for me. Changing my last name would mean separating my name from my family's name—and taking a step away from my Jewish identity.
I know that marrying Justin, who isn't Jewish, won't make me any less Jewish.
It won't make our home any less Jewish; it won't invalidate the mezuzah hanging on the door, or make my observance of holidays any less meaningful.
It won't make my work any less Jewish; it won't tarnish my past community organizing, nor will it make my work with Keshet and commitment to full LGBTQ inclusion in the Jewish community less authentic.
Taking Justin's last name wouldn't make me any less Jewish… but it feels that way.
As an Ashkenazi Jew, with a very classically Ashkenazi Jewish last name, my name is a calling card. Rozensky, with its "rozen" and its "sky," shouts Jewish. I can trace its Jewish history. My name comes with a connection to my people—not just in the sense of "the chosen people," but also in the way it connects me to previous generations of Rozenskys. I'm not ready to step away from that tradition.
There will be plenty of compromises made in our marriage; after all, meeting each other halfway is an important part of keeping a relationship working. But when it comes to our names—which hold such important aspects of our identities—compromise doesn't seem like the best bet.
Finding a Ceremony Location that Fits
Where do you get married when you don't officially "belong" anywhere? This question, which seems rather dramatic, was the first hurdle of wedding planning.
Here are some places that we quickly checked off the list:
– A rotating wedding with stops at each temple or church where a friend of ours works as a rabbi and/or spiritual leader: problematic mostly as this particular world wide wedding tour would probably require a month long commitment for any wedding participant.
– My very first truly Jewish home, the Smith College Kosher Kitchen: while the space is filled with amazing memories of learning how to braid challah, welcoming Shabbat, and being part of true community, it's not exactly equipped for a wedding shindig.
– The churches that Justin attended growing up: a destination wedding wasn't something we were 100% opposed to, but asking family to trek out to the winding trail of places he called home (from Ohio to South Dakota back to Ohio and on to Pennsylvania) as he grew up wasn't exactly practical.
After all, as an interfaith couple with varied roots and no shared official physical spiritual home, there is no obvious, easy answer. And, as we look to bring together a diverse group of family and friends, we want to avoid the "eek" feeling that often accompanies being in someone else's religions home base. (We're introducing enough new things as it is!)
Our dramatic question of belonging (or a lack thereof) answered itself when we took a different tact to planning. When we rephrased the question from "where do you get married when you put religious tradition in the center" to "where do you get married when you put your own relationship in the center" the options started to reveal themselves.
A ceremony in a science museum? Why not? (Unless there are mummies—I have an irrational fear of mummies.)
A ceremony on a boat? Sure! (Weather permitting. And is one allowed to be both captain and bride?)
A ceremony in an abandoned theater with no lights, no running water, and a more than fine layer of dust? Yes. That's the winner.
When we looked at locations that had significance to us, a vacant theater became the obvious choice. Justin has been a part of a community of urban explorers for far longer than I've known him, and I've come to appreciate the beauty that is found in a place paused in time. We are people who, individually and as a couple, value adventure, the offbeat, finding experiences that might not jive with the norms—and so this feels more like "us" than any church or synagogue we might find.
I wouldn't go as far as saying that this is where we find our "sacred" … but, there is something holy about appreciating glamour where someone else might not look twice.
Taking a space, one that has been forgotten by its surroundings, and stepping back is a powerful experience. There's beauty in seeing a place for what it once was, what it is now, and what it could be. (And, isn't that the essence of a relationship? Appreciating all steps of the journey?) For us, the idea of transforming a quiet, slightly downtrodden theater into a site for a ceremony just makes sense. We're adding the lights, we're bringing in the huppah, but the magic of the building was already there.
How I Found The Gown
Just like my guy, my wedding dress found me in a weird unexpected way that, despite having watched more episodes of Say Yes To The Dress than I can count, took me by surprise.
My mother had saved her wedding dress in case I wanted to wear it at my wedding, and I promised her it would be the first dress I put on. I didn't want to try it on alone, and I had no idea how to unpack or repack it so as to preserve the last 33 years…so I invited three of my friends over one Saturday morning, kicked my fiancé out of the apartment, and played dress up.
The thing is, it really felt like I was playing dress up. I felt like I was wearing a costume, not my wedding dress, and while it's a gorgeous dress and fit me perfectly, the high neck, long sleeves, and overall itchiness made me feel like it was not for me. But I was also upset in that I really felt like someone playing dress up. Would I not feel like a bride? Would I not be a bride?
I thought of Carrie Bradshaw on Sex and the City and the episode where she realizes that she can't marry Aidan after having a reaction to the wedding dress. As I asked my friend to unzip me, a small part of me was afraid this was another step in that direction. Maybe I wasn't meant to be a bride?
So rather than waiting for the appointments I had planned with my family and friends back in New York City, I snuck to the David's Bridal a block from my house one night without an appointment about a half hour before it closed. I just wanted to look around and get a vision of myself in a wedding dress that wasn't from 1981. I literally put my box of pizza on the floor and tried to go through the racks.
Eventually, a sales person approached me and asked me if I needed help. I explained my project – that I just wanted to try on a dress to get the image of my mom's dress out of my head. I showed them the picture. They understood. (And this isn't knocking my mom's dress – it's a beautiful dress, and I would be honored to wear it – it just didn't feel like mine). So she showed me to a catalogue and I hurriedly selected a few dresses I wanted to try, apologizing the whole way.
Since I wasn't expecting to get THE dress, I had chosen a short dress off the sales rack that I thought might be a good option for one of my engagement parties. I put it on and… no. Not the one.
So I grabbed one of the two dresses she had left for me and tried that on instead. I remember feeling that it was a little fluffy – I wasn't sure whether to put it over my head or step into it. There was no coddling – I was alone in the dressing room trying it on. But as I stepped out, I glowed. It was beautiful. It was elegant. It was simple. It was romantic. It was timeless. It was classic. It was me.
But I wasn't looking for THE dress, so I just asked them to take a picture of it, hurriedly tried on a sheath dress that wasn't nearly as magnificent but was what I had thought I wanted, and went home.
Only I couldn't stop staring at the picture. I wanted to show everyone. It was so beautiful. I thought, "This might be The One."
Sure enough, I became even more excited about my long planned dress shopping appointment in part because it was only a few miles from the David's Bridal in New York and I could go show everyone how amazing the dress was if nothing else worked. As I tried on dresses at the bridal salon with my mother, my grandmother, and one of my best friends, I just kept comparing everything to the dress from Chicago – the no name, but the one that was just so me.
And soon we were in the car again heading to David's Bridal, and I was in the dress again, and ringing a bell saying yes to the dress. It wasn't the designer I thought. Or the price. Or the style. But I cannot imagine walking down the aisle in anything else. So I guess it found me.
This Is What We Are Going To Look Like For the Rest Of Our Lives
I did not mean that we were walking down the aisle in jeans and hooded sweatshirts. I meant that if you asked 5-year-old Ryan what he would look like or who was the man he was going to be on his wedding day, he could not have imagined it. And everything is different from what I imagined on my 15th birthday. And even at 25, I would not have believed you I would be getting married 600 miles from where I grew up and that was only four years ago.
At the beginning of this blog, I was asked to introduce Lisa and me as a couple. That couple could not have planned what lay ahead for the both of us. It is amazing to look back when I first started writing in April and see the changes in our lives that have happened since then. Many of them were not planned, but Lisa and I remained a team and got through all the ups and downs together. The wedding we planned in April is nowhere near identical to the wedding that is happening in just 8 days.
Where am I going with this? I don't know.
My spiritual mentor Scott and I talked about the power of "I do not know" this week during our weekly chat. Sometimes in life, it is best not to know. There is a lot of truth in that statement. We tend to get caught up on what we do know, and forget that we do not need to know everything in order to be successful. We simply have to trust that G-D has got it worked out.
Easier said than done. Especially this close to the date and you feel like you have to know everything. Everything needs to be set in stone. And maybe for the wedding it does have to be. However, at the moment, in life, it is best that I do not know life's full plan. Knowing that I love Lisa with all my heart is really all I need. Life's other details will be taken care of with or without my help, it seems.
I have talked about being spiritually ready to get married throughout the course of this entire blog. I can say that I am ready and have not even gone to the mikveh yet. What I thought "spiritually ready" looked like in April, and actually feeling it now, into my soul, are two very different things.
Being of Service During Your Services
One aspect to my spiritual life and was instilled into me by my original mentor and many who came after, was to be of service. In the beginning I took the suggestions that being of service meant giving someone a ride if they needed it. Or if someone was struggling it meant to stop and lend an ear. I came to understand that being of service meant being in service to others and to G-D. My experience has shown again and again that being of service was a keystone to spiritual development.
After those first experiences, I began to realize I was being drawn further into the nonprofit sector as a desired occupation. Before I knew it I was working at a nonprofit food bank and volunteering my time at two other nonprofits. Even during my current job search, I find myself unable to get away from wanting to have an extra purpose in going to work each day.
When it comes to the wedding, there not a lot of time when we can be of service to others. After all, this wedding is about us. As I discussed my "food blog post" we need to at least give everyone a good meal. Meatballs and doughnuts is the least we could do. And since making that decision, not everything has been easier, but it did give us a brief moment of calm when it came to planning.
When it comes to my religious practices, we always talk about Jewish "Services" for the holidays and Shabbat. Although we call it a wedding ceremony, couldn't it also be called a wedding service? But why would we call it a service? It is the whole reason we decided to have a Jewish service in a Catholic Chapel, because it is for G-D. When we join together on that day, those prayers are for us, but also very much for G-D as well. The whole ceremony is joining the three of us in a holy union of love. Sounds like being in service to G-D to me.
This blog has focused largely on being spiritually ready for the big day. So if being of service is important, than how was I in service this week? I actually found myself at a working interview at a soup kitchen and food pantry. I do not think there is any higher calling than giving people the basic need of food. Ever since leaving Philadelphia and the food bank there, I missed working in that environment. I missed it so much that even spent part of my time during a business trip in New Orleans at TribeFest, where I met Editor Lindsey Silken, this past year and volunteered at a food bank. It is the most rewarding thing to do with my time and at the end of this, there may even be a chance at an upcoming open position. I actually agreed to have the second working interview this upcoming Tuesday, before I turn 100% of my thoughts over to the wedding.
"Service which is rendered without joy helps neither the servant nor the served. But all other pleasures and possessions pale into nothingness before service which is rendered in a spirit of joy." – Mahtma Gandhi.
An Inter-Faith Yom Kippur in a Time of Weddings
As Friday settled in and the sun began to set, we began to prepare for the weekend. I was preparing my body by beginning my fast. Lisa was preparing for a busy Saturday.
One thing that makes Lisa a wonderful inter-faith partner is that she asked me before she made dinner if I minded. Since to my knowledge, there is not a lot of fasting in Catholicism, she wanted to be respectful for my decision to practice faith in a way that was meaningful for me. I never once expected her to fast with me because our relationship is based on encouragement and not on forced decisions.
When we rose on Saturday, it was going to be a busy day for the both of us.
We both attended the Saturday morning services for Yom Kippur.
Although the services and sermon was great, it was the simplest things of the day that brought me the most joy. A year ago, I could not even enter a temple if I wanted to because major knee surgery had me laid up and streaming the services from my computer. And as we chanted during services, we would have been grateful and content. However, with so much changing over the past year, outside my relationship with Lisa, our temple was the only constant. And for that I would have been grateful and content. The last part I will say about services is that it was great to have Lisa there for me in the morning. When I attended the afternoon services without her, she was dearly missed. However, she was there in the morning for me and for that I am grateful and content.
When I asked Lisa about services, her first answer was the most important. She liked being there for me. It melts my heart a little bit even to think of it. However, her overall view was that a lot of things remained universal. There were songs to be sung, readings to follow, and a sermon to be heard. She was most fascinated with seeing the Torah scrolls being unveiled from behind the curtain and then carried around to be touched by tallit or prayer books and then kissed.
Lisa also had a busy rest of the day preparing for the wedding. She needed to go purchase a slip for her dress and several other pressing wedding purchases. And this was before she needed to attend her own bridal shower that day. We know we should have planned better to not have it on such a big day, but that is when most people were available and since we do have not a very active Jewish circle of friends, no one really thought much of it until the date was set. Lisa was grateful for all those who were able to attend the event.
This snapshot of our day is very much what it is like to live in an inter-faith world; we all just need to be respectful of everyone's decisions and try to be there in the best ways that we can.
Expectations, Acceptance, and Fantasy Football
"My Happiness grows in direct proportion to my acceptance, and in inverse proportion to my expectations." – Michael J. Fox
One thing about me is that I am an avid fantasy football player. As a matter of fact, I am champion of one league, two years in a row and am currently tied for first place in that league again. Before the season began and even before the draft, I went over my team from last year. I realized that I had very little of my original team that I drafted still on that team. That means that week in and week out, I played the game. I worked hard and it brought home two championships. This year is not much different. I selected Adrian Peterson with my first pick in the draft, thinking it was a steal at the fifth overall spot. I expected him to be a stud and carry my team to victory. However, due to his legal issues, he is sitting on my bench and I have had to pay attention every day and make the smart decisions to put me into first place. As a matter of fact, my only loss of the year was when he was playing for me in the first game. Every win since then has taken a lot of work and of course some luck.
Planning a wedding and a life is not much different.
There will be expectations when you begin planning. Some of those will not be met. You accept them and continue to forge ahead.
One expectation Lisa had was that her grandparents would be able to attend the ceremony. It looks like now, the trip may be a little much for them and we are both a little heartbroken. For myself and those who have been reading along, know that I was very excited to have my spiritual mentor come be at my side during the wedding. As it turns out, he was over committed and triple booked that weekend and could not get out of one commitment to be at the wedding.
In life, I have really been focusing on the expectations not being met in, but in a positive way. As the job search continues, I am overwhelmed by the experience. But in a good way. In the middle of the recession, I lost my job and it took nearly two years to find steady employment and many hours submitting resume after resume. I had those expectations when I sat down and started the job process this time. However, people are stepping up in ways I did not expect. Every day, my face is in front of someone new or someone offering advice and information. It has actually made the process exciting and even enjoyable. Instead of expecting the worst, I accepted this is the reality and it has helped my outlook tremendously.
As we enter in Yom Kippur this weekend and continue to reflect, I had a lot of expectations over this past year. What would happen and where I would be today. I cannot do much with those failed expectations. I can accept that I have a beautiful fiancé that I could not be more excited about marrying in just over a month. I can accept that I am being overwhelmed with support from people right now. I accept and cherish that I can put extra time into the wedding planning. I accept that not having a job is allowing me for a visit back east. I can accept I will not be at a desk for the next month and instead will be spiritually readying myself for the big day and what comes next. I do not expect, I simply accept in just over a month I am going to be surrounded by loved ones and have one of the greatest days of our lives.
A Hard Year Behind Us, A New Year Ahead
One of the things we celebrate at this time year is the chance to begin anew.
As of this past Friday, life is going to be starting in new ways quite frankly which we had not planned. I lost my job. And for the first time in awhile, I am simply at a loss for words.
I was trying to come up with a theme or message for this post, but keep coming up short. Therefore, I will do what happens when I go and give a mentoring talk and am not feeling incredibly inspired. Just share my honest experience and hope I am able to help one person.
This year has been tough, for Lisa and me. A year ago, I was stuck in a chair, completely laid up due to a massive knee surgery. The return to normal from there has been a long process and I still feel some of the effects of that every day. Lisa and I also were pushed out of one of the things we loved most in this world and the thing that brought us together: roller derby. And now, we are dealing with the loss of a job. All while planning a wedding.
This weekend we had a simple mission. Put one foot in front of the other one. Do the next right thing. Be in the moment. The remainder of Friday was spent talking to my spiritual adviser as well as my temple rabbis. One even shared that while she was getting married, her husband lost a job too. Saturday and Sunday we were visiting Lisa's family, trying to remain normal and focus on being around people who care for us. When I look back at the weekend, I remember the people who cared, the people who reached out and the look on our niece, and flower girl's face after she got off her first roller coaster.
Monday, we are back to the new reality.
Tuesday, we marched ahead and continued planning our wedding the way we envisioned it. We are too far along to be able to change much.
The next couple weeks are now going to be split between holidays, wedding planning and a job search. Lisa has a lot coming up as well. Her bridal shower and attending her first Jewish High Holiday services.
These upcoming weeks are going to be interesting. So in the meantime, L'shanah tovah (Happy New Year).
Signing a Ketubah in a Sacristy
Cole Porter famously wrote, "What is this thing called love? This funny thing called love. Just who can solve its mystery?" It is hard to explain love. We try. Poets try. Scientists try. However, it all falls short in the actual feeling one gets while being in love.
One piece of spiritual advice I like to adhere to is that you should do what you feel connects you to G-D. When being a Reform Jew in my daily practice, the guidelines seem looser, and this allows me to find a Judaism that works for me on a daily basis. It is one reason why I eat "kosher", but do not ask Lisa to do the same. (My definition of kosher is that I do not eat shellfish, do not mix meat and cheese, and no consumption of pork.)
These two ideas brings us to the Ketubah Ceremony. I cannot exactly explain why I feel the importance of the Ketubah. I hold the ceremony, the tradition in the highest regard not much dissimilar to a High Holy Day.
For those who are new to Jewish traditions, the Ketubah is a piece of art that is hung by the entrance of a Jewish or Inter-Faith home. It is there to remind you each day as you enter the home of that day and the happiness in your life. The art usually encompasses words that are very similar to traditional wedding vows. It also is the religious version of a marriage contract where it is signed by Bride, Groom, Officiate, and two non-family Jewish friends as witnesses. (There is a story about the witnesses, but I will save it for another time.)
When it comes to the purchasing of the Ketubah, I felt strongly about spending a large but reasonable amount of money. Apparently, that is a trend of mine as I also purchased an original comic book page from a convention this weekend. And when this piece of art symbolizes so much importance, spending a little extra never hurt.
Our actual Ketubah purchase was easy as we looked on a couple websites like Etsy, but selected one from ketubah.com. Lisa and I have very different tastes when it comes to art, so we looked through quite a bit until we found something that we were comfortable looking at for the rest of our lives.
The most adventurous part of the Ketubah purchase was when selecting and editing the text. Although I can be wordy and passionate, Lisa plays the role of reserved and is not quite as flowery I am when it comes to language. Due to that, we are not doing vows during our ceremony, and the Ketubah will serve that purpose during our actual wedding. Therefore, getting the inter-faith language perfect was critical. We also had an in-between-the-planning moment recently which I talked about the importance of here.
No clever ending today. Ready for the weekend. 57 days to go…


text: Two rectangular, optically flat, glass plates (n = 1.60)are in contact along one edge and are separated along the oppositeedge. Light with a wavelength of 550nm is incident perpendicularly onto the top plate. The air betweenthe plates acts as a thin film. Ninedark fringes and eight bright fringesare observed across the top plate. If the distance between the twoplates along the separated edges is increased by 550 nm, how many dark fringes will there then beacross the top plate?


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STOCKTON, CA - The Stockton Police Department is seeking the public's assistance in locating a man accused of sexually assaulting a woman in the parking lot of a property on May 5.
Officer Joseph Silva of the Stockton Police Department said the woman was in the lot of a property on the 2200 block of Grand Canal Blvd. around 12:10 a.m. when she was grabbed by the man and sexually assaulted.
Following the assault, the man fled in a burgundy or red vehicle with large chrome rims and tinted windows, said Silva.
The suspected assailant was described as an Hispanic man with brown eyes, dark hair fashioned in a crew cut, and a dark mustache. He was listed as approximately 25 to 30 years old, 5'10" tall, and weighed about 200 pounds. Silva said the man has full sleeves of tattoos on both forearms, and a large tattoo of cursive writing on the back of his neck. He also has a small scar on the outer edge of his left eyebrow.
Anyone with information regarding this case was encouraged to call the Stockton Police Department Investigations Unit at (209) 937-8323.


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On April 30 2015 at Shanghai, China 131 Views


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