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Chapter 25Mature
"Uh," Alex stopped to think about his reply. It wasn't a trick question, but for some reason, it felt like one. "Not really. A pack has a hierarchy."
"OK. Just asking." Marcus said.
Pausing for a second, Alex took the initiative. His friend had asked that question for a reason. "Unless you're saying it like I mean to defend you guys."
"That's the impression I'm getting." Marcus said. The tone in his voice sounded neutral, or at least semi.
"Not that that's a bad thing, I hope." Alex said.
"No, it's not." Marcus said. "You did it again, though."
"Backing off from him? I know, and I wish I hadn't."
"I saw your eyes turn yellow too." When his friend replied, Alex felt a chill run through his body. How close had he come to showing his fangs or claws? "That scared me."
"I thought he was going to shift in the store, or something." Alex said, trying to deflect what he thought was coming.
"He likely realized you were onto him." Marcus said. "I mean, you said it straight up. You thought he was stalking us, and then he gets defensive about it."
Although Alex agreed with his friend's assessment, something still felt off. "Makes me glad Trevor didn't notice."
Marcus nodded at that statement with a "Mmm."
Not long after, their meals arrived. Both of them fresh, hot cheeseburgers. While Marcus paused every so often to text, Alex stayed on his meal, thinking of it, and the good company of his friend, as rewards for not shifting at work.
Tuesday, October 4th, 2011
Moon Phase – First Quarter
As he sat into his classes the next day, Catherine once again stopped by. Meeting her outside the classroom, she was quick to ask what had happened the day prior.
"He was acting like a customer, at least until I started talking to him." Alex said. As he spoke to her, he kept his nose trained on any scents around her. Her fear scent wasn't there.
"He said he wasn't stalking us because we're pack members?" Catherine asked, her tone rising halfway through in question.
Alex looked back to the door, dropping his voice in response. "As far as I could tell."


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And Then I Met You
This is a story about love, night skies and soup-stained ballgowns that I wrote as a little side fiction for my novel, Boy Crazy (that I'll be posting soon). Enjoy :)
And Then I Met You
Hereford, England. 1852.
I rub my chin thoughtfully, eyeing my sister as she twirls in her new dress. "You look like a lily pad out on the marshes," I observe.
My twin sister, Angelique, halts at my answer and swivels back around, her pretty face screwed up in anger. Her cheeks are flushed, a startling contrast against her smooth creamy skin and her aquamarine eyes view me with disgust. "Ashlyn, could you try to be at least a little bit less infuriating today?" She complains, wandering off to her closet to try on a different dress. "It's my birthday, you know."
I raise an eyebrow at her turned back. "It's my birthday, too. And I was only being truthful." Her dress honestly does make her look like a swamp plant –what with its earthy green colour and rounded layers. The rest of her is perfection –her honey locks staying perfectly in the swirls on top of her head and her face as lovely as always. If only she had a beautiful personality to match that beautiful face.
But look at me in comparison. I turn to face the vanity mirror we both share, scrutinizing myself from my black hair now coming out of its pins, tired blue eyes and washed out expression. But this ill-looking complexion was to be expected. I had been lying awake for hours last night, too excited for Will's return to sleep. He had only been in Wales for a few weeks, but during that time interacting with my family had been exhausting. I got by on the fond memories Will and told myself we'd be reliving them soon – like the walks we go for outdoors, under the peaceful night sky. With no one to bother me with wedding preparations or pester him about his new artwork. Just him and I. Just stars and us.
Not long after, I find myself smiling. Will has always has the power to draw a smile from me, with his crooked ones and constant teasing, even in the darkest of days.
Angelique emerges from the wardrobe with a new plum-coloured dress and quickly disappears behind the folding screen to change into it. I let out a resigned sigh. Angel has always been so vain, so in love with her own reflection that I wonder if she cares about anything else. She is always out of the house attending this or that ball, racking up more admirers whenever she so much as turns her head. She could have a new suitor for every day of the week, I swear. Every day there is some new gentleman at the door come to confess his love to her, armed with bouquets of roses and all kinds of jewellery. All the girls in town are envious. I hear them talking behind their hands whenever I go out to buy something or other. Awful things they say. I try to ignore them.
I, too, used to resent her –she always had the finest dress, or was the best dancer, or played any instrument the sweetest. I felt as though I was constantly living in her shadow. She was the one the sons of Papa's guests wanted to speak with. She was the one who everyone would 'ooh' and 'ah' at during a party. They all seemed to forget I was there. That is, everyone until Will. Will, who doesn't care for status or wealth. Will, who looks deeper than the surface. Will, the love of my life.
As Angelique busies herself with powdering her face and fixing her dress, the fifteen-year-old me is standing at the balcony looking over the grand ballroom. A wide staircase cuts the balcony in two, cascading to the ground floor and widening outwards at both sides. The ballroom is already packed with people –men clutching flutes of champagne, smart in their dark suits while posh ladies chatter in colourful ball gowns and headdresses. At a glance I know they were Papa's business partners and Mama's friends. And I know none of them.
I hear someone call my name and turn to see Angelique swathed in a pale pink frock with a halter bodice and folds down the sides. My own dress is a deep sapphire colour with a full, pleated skirt. Scrunched-up fabric hanging around the skirt in the shape of roses. "Yes?"
"Mama said to ready ourselves. Father is just about to make the announcement." She strolls gracefully to the far end of the staircase. I take my place next to her as close to the banister as I can get, lest I trip. Below, Papa emerges from the crowd and walks to the stand at the mouth of the stairs. He attracts everyone's attention by clicking his fork against his glass. Their gazes sweep up from their respective conversations, gathering on Papa's face. He clears his throat and announces our arrival, calling our names, 'Angelique Marie' and 'Ashlyn Theresa' Elswood in a loud, clear voice. That's our cue. We descend the staircase slowly as the audience applauds, Angel looking straight ahead, back straight with her dainty hands holding up her skirts while I'm grasping the material of my dress in my fist, my other hand firm on the bannister and my eyes glued to the ground. Don't trip, don't trip, I urge myself. It wouldn't have been the first time, and I was hoping to get through this night without a bloody nose.
Miraculously, I make it down in one piece. Upon seeing my boots hit the floor, I can't help but break into a smile. A fortnight ago I could barely waddle in anything that had even a ghost of a raised heel. All those sessions with the governess really did pay off! I spin around to beam at Papa, but of course, he is spellbound by Angel's stunning entrance, as are all the other viewers. I turn away ruefully. I anticipated this but can't help but feel a little put out.
I feel a tap on my shoulder and start to find Papa suddenly behind me. "What are you doing, Ashlyn?" He hisses in my ear. "Greet them!"
I hold my ground. "But, Papa, I don't know any of them," I frown.
"The peak of society is gathered here today. You will make a good impression of yourself," he says in a lecturing tone, avoiding my query. I want to argue that it hardly seems reasonable for the 'peak of society' to be attending a children's birthday party, but decide against it. Papa was always scolding me about my sharp tongue. I won't make him scold me at least for tonight.
"Yes, Papa," I mumble. Satisfied with my response, he gives me one last stern look and walks off to a group of his friends. His scowl dissolves as soon as he turns away. I sag heavily. Something tells me I'm going to hate this party.
The party is in full-swing. The air is alive with excitement. Couples are gathered in the centre, twirling and dipping and gliding across the floor as the musicians play a sweet, playful tune. Mama and Papa weave between the clusters of people, socializing with everyone while Angelique gets passed around the floor from partner to partner, everyone praising her for her impeccable dancing skills. A family of socialites, I think, leaning my elbows on my lap with my chin in my hands as I swing my legs under the chair. So where does that leave me?
I've been sitting here all night, lurking in the dark space where the light of the overhead chandelier doesn't touch. I've been thinking, watching as everyone else enjoys the party. They're having fun from the looks of it. I clench my hands into fists and take a deep, calming breath. Nothing will change if I don't, I tell myself and reluctantly rise from my seat. The song has ended. There is a short round of applause, during which I make my way through the crowd to the centre where Angel is standing. She turns when I come up behind her.
"What are you doing here?" She mutters under her breath, so only I can hear her.
I ignore her outburst. Plastering a smile on my face, I approach her partner –a tall, youthful-looking man with sharp features and a mop of dark hair. He regards me with curiosity. Nerves fill my stomach as he stares but I shove them aside. I curtsy at him politely and introduce myself, extending my thanks to him for attending the party. Before long, I have engaged him in a light conversation. I learn that his name is Sir Coleman Billings and he's our neighbour, living in the estate just down the lane. He owns a stable with ten horses, he says, and they're all winners at the racetrack. He drones on and on about them –about Aramis, his most prized stallion and how he named him after a character in The Three Musketeers. He then goes on to ask me if I've had the pleasure of reading it and is aghast when I tell him I haven't. My artificial smile remains on my face as he babbles, twitching at the sides. I inwardly kick myself for ever taking up conversation with him. I should have just left Angelique (who has been whisked off by another gentleman) to it.
Growing bored, I excuse myself as mannerly as I can manage and make my escape. After that first blunder, the nervousness has faded away to nothing. Rich and important as they are, they're just people. Just like me. So why should I be anxious around them?
Not five minutes later, I'm dancing with someone else: a businessman this time. Interaction with him is a blur of numerical figures and stock prices: nothing I understand nor care for. And so I moved onto the next and the cycle continued. My presence in the room grows and grows. People start approaching me instead of vice versa. All I have to do is stand alone long enough and there will be a new acquaintance, a new personality to entertain. They are all the same sort of people, probably due to the fact that they are Mama and Papa's choice guests. Most of the men are snobbish and speak to me of the property they own, the places they've been and the salary they make, all with the same snooty-nose and downcast eyes. The ladies chit-chat to me about petty matters (jewels, dresses, etc) and gossip about who is having an affair with whom in this room and whose husband is secretly corresponding with whose daughter. I reluctantly accept all this information, smiling all the while. Why do women like to talk about these things? I think, moving on to the next group of people. They smile and laugh in their jewelled frocks and fancy headdresses, but they are not so pretty inside. Angelique would like these ladies.
Fed up of chattering on the sides, I decide that dancing might be more enjoyable. At least then the talking with be minimal. Just as I am about to step into the circle of dancers, I hear a loud yelp from behind me. Before I can even turn to the source, a hard force connects with my back, forcing me to the ground. Startled, I let out a scream as I crash to the ground, just saving myself with my hands. Even worse, I feel a thick, warm liquid splatter all over me. It smells oddly like soup. I scramble around to find an empty serving bowl, its contents splashed out on my skirt and back. A silver platter lies just beyond it. And beyond that is a boy.
He's kneeling by the mess, head bowed. He doesn't look that much older than me. The first thing I notice about him is his coppery red hair –mid-length and pushed back, soft-looking. He's dressed like a servant –dark shorts and a brown blazer too big for him- and golden skin speaking of days of hard labour out in the sun. His face lifts, revealing emerald green eyes, filled with vexation.
"Will!" A man dressed similarly bursts out from the kitchen door behind the boy. He must be the boy's father, I think, taking in his identical features. He takes in the scene and instantly his face goes red. He crouches down and pulls the boy –Will- sharply to his feet. He gives little resistance. They both look at me now. Realizing that I'm still on the ground, I stagger embarrassedly to my feet. "My apologies, miss," says the man, his voice filled with remorse. "It was an accident."
"Not to worry," I reply in a breathy tone.
Seemingly annoyed by the whole ordeal, the boy jerks away from the man. The man scowls at the boy and growls in his ear, "Apologize".
"Why should I?" The boy grunts, eyes burning into mine. "It was her fault. She was in my way."
I stare right back at him, aghast at his ridiculous claim and frankly, feeling rather angry myself. "'In your way'? You charged right into me –I didn't even see you!"
He starts to retaliate but is stopped by the manservant, who claps his hand over Will's mouth. "Shut your trap," he snarls menacingly to the boy. He seizes verbal attack but the aggravation on his face remains. Before he can say anything else, the man practically drags him by his ear back into the kitchen. They disappear through the doors without another word.
The whispering starts the moment the doors close. Unbeknownst to me, our little spectacle had drawn a lot of curious eyes. The people gathered around speak softly to each other behind their hands, disclosing their opinion of the situation to each other. I only pick up a few words: 'vulgar boy-servant' being one out of countless insults to Will flying around the room.
Out of nowhere, a hand grasps my arm and tugs me to the side. Mama. Her face is twisted with irritation as she takes in my appearance. "What were you doing, just standing there? Get changed!"
Nodding limply, I scuttle off to my chambers. The third time I have been scolded and it's only eight o'clock, I think bitterly as I shut the door. I stumble about blindly in the darkness until I find a matchbox and light the oil lamp suspended from the ceiling.
I riffle through my clothes and come up empty-handed. This was my very best dress. Nothing else I own can compare. Grudgingly, I call for the maid to help me into a deep green dress I sometimes wear to Church. As she buttons up the back, I stare at the cloth in the mirror. The colour triggers thoughts of the boy, Will. How angered he'd looked. How accusatory his words had been. I huff at the memory. And Papa thinks I've got a sharp tongue.
Once dressed, I head back to the ballroom. This time when I come down the stairs, I am not ignored. Some gaze at me and even smile my way. But it's not delight I see on their faces. It's pity. There are even those who did not witness what happened were among the sympathizers. I survey the room, suddenly feeling intensely detached from everyone. That's enough socializing for one day, I think. Going back to shadow-lurking for the rest of the night is an appealing idea.
Something flashes in the corner of my eye –a rusty red-brown blur. I whirl around, only to see a woman holding a pouch of that colour. A pang of disappointment hits me. I frown in spite of myself. Surely, I can't want to see that boy, can I? He slandered me to my face! I feel my cheeks flush with irritation at being scandalized so. And at my party, no less!
And that's why I burst through the kitchen doors, determined. The staff look up from what they are doing, gazing at me peculiarly. "The boy who spilled soup on me," I start heatedly. "Where is he?"
"Are you really not going to apologize?" I demand, wrapping my arms around myself. Gooseflesh has risen on them from the cold. After tracking him down, he insisted on only speaking to me outside ('where prying ears couldn't reach,' he'd said). I thought it to be a bizarre request but was too agitated to protest. He led me just outside of the back door. My back is to the forest, the boundary that separates our land from the hills beyond it.
Will is leaning against the rear wall of the house, hands shoved in the pockets of his blazer. "That's what I said."
I narrow my eyes at him. "But you ruined my new dress. That cost Papa a fortune."
"A fortune he can afford to spend again."
I gape at him, flabbergasted. "You don't feel even the slightest bit guilty? Don't you have a conscience?"
"My conscience is unruffled by such petty a matter."
Ooh, that does it. I march right up to him until we're face to face. Well, face to chest more like. His height hadn't shown previously, but now he towers over me. However, I don't allow that to faze me. "You fiend!" I curse. "Not only have you wrecked my dress and disrupted my birthday party, but upon being confronted, you stubbornly deny your wrongdoings." A harsh gust of wind prise locks of hair from their pins. I push them back impatiently. "Is there no end to your insolence?"
To my surprise, he makes no move to evade me, but instead takes a step closer. He gazes at me impassively, eyes boring into my own as if he can see right through me. He's quite handsome, I realize, with his sharp cheekbones and square jaw, straight nose and full lips. The kind of beauty that would earn a second glance from anyone no matter how high their standards are. The realization only makes it harder not to blush at our proximity. He's so close his lanky frame bends over me. So close that I can feel his breath on my face.
He removes a hand from his pocket and reaches out. Before I can even register what he is doing, he has a lock of my hair in his grasp. He toys with it, twirling a lock of my midnight hair around his index finger. "Is declaring the blatantly obvious a hobby of yours, little girl?" He tucks the hair behind my ear, eyes back on mine. "Or am I just a special case?"
I inhale sharply, eyes widening. Just when I thought he couldn't get any more infuriating. "I loathe you," I state blandly.
"You don't even know me," he smirks. Smirks! At me! My rage escalates further. And in this moment I swear that if this weren't my father's house and there were no rules of etiquette and acceptable behaviour, this boy's blood would be on my hands.
"I know you enough, Will," I spit his name out like it's poison. "You work for my family –a servant of some sort. And servants are to obey and respect their masters."
How I long to slap the sneer off his face. "So, if you're my master, it is my duty to always speak the truth to you, is it not?"
That throws me through a loop. My angry expression falters. Where is this going? "Yes…?"
His lips stretch into a grim smile. "In that case, an insincere apology would be completely unacceptable –and mind you, that's the only kind of apology I could give about this. Now, if you want honesty, then I'd have to tell you that I sincerely hold no concern for your soiled dress. Or your party, for that matter." He slips his hand back in his pocket, looking bored. "It was rubbish anyway."
The last part hits the hardest. Nonetheless, I press my lips together, attempting to look impassive. "Oh?"
He gives a sigh, looking skywards with a resigned expression -like he would rather be elsewhere. "Oh, yes. The whole thing looked like a terribly abhorrent experience. I don't know why you even bothered standing up."
I cock my head to one side, confused. "'Standing up'?"
"The part when you stood up, a new resolve on your face, and promptly stole your sister's partner." His eyes fall back on me, lips quirking up at one side. I feel my cheeks burning. He saw that? But I was going around the room and I never caught sight of him. He taps the side of one eye. "Vision of a hawk," he boasts.
I highly doubt that.
"You did not look as if you were enjoying yourself either. But I must say, you concealed it well," he continues. "Smiling and dancing with those dull folk."
"Oh, what would you know?" I grumble, pouting slightly. "And about what you said before…As if you're some expert on parties and fun." I glower at him.
He ponders this for a moment, humming to himself. "I don't know about parties, but I can tell you what's more fun than rubbing elbows with those upper-class snobs."
"A little impatient, are we?" He simpers. "Well then, I suppose it's quicker if I just show you."
"Show me?" I echo suspiciously. And that's when I hear the muffled voice of Papa from inside the house. "That's my father. I have to go."
Secretly relieved to be free of Will's company, I pivot and start for the door. Just as I reach for the doorknob, he grabs me by the crook in my arm, yanking me back. "Going so soon, love?" He grins. "We had a deal, and I don't think I'm about to let you out of it so easily."
My eyes widen at him. "But my father-"
His hand slips down to mine, clasping it in a tight grip. "He'll never catch us if we run!"
He breaks into a sprint, towing me behind him. We barge through the treeline, leaving the house behind us altogether. As we run, twigs snag at my skirt and the hem gets soiled in the muddy patches. But Will doesn't stop despite my complaints. He sets a mean speed, like a starving man dashing to a banquet table. The moonlight seeps in through the leaves of the boughs above, glossing his coppery hair. He's insane, I fret inwardly. I'm following a madman. This has been by far the most eventful night of my life. One moment I am dancing and mingling with dukes and ladies of the court, the next I am muddied and dishevelled, running through the forest with a boy I met an hour ago.
What have I gotten myself into?
He stops abruptly, sending me crashing into his back from the momentum. "We're here."
I snatch my hand out of his and put both of mine on my knees, completely exhausted and out of breath. Will doesn't look fatigued in the least. He leaves me behind, stepping out from the treeline. The land is clear from here. Slopes of green grass stretch out as far as the eye can see. The night air is cool and crisp, drawing blood to my cheeks and the tip of my nose. The only sounds to be heard are the bristling of grass under his feet as he ventures onward and the distant trickling of water. There must be a stream somewhere close.
He's about twenty yards ahead of me now, leaving me behind. "You must get out of the house more. Get some exercise," he calls to me. "You and those other prim and proper weaklings." Unabashed by his retort, I lurch after him.
"Well?" I pant. "Aren't you going to tell me the reason you dragged me out here?"
"Look up," he says simply.
I do as I'm told and the air is snatched from my lungs.
Hanging above us is the most magnificent night sky I have ever laid eyes upon. A canvas of midnight blue decorated with splashes of indigo and lilac laced with brown, dusted with the white of thin clouds. And dotted around the sky are a million twinkling stars, hung all around as if they had rained from heaven and become frozen in time. They light up the sky and cast their dim light upon the earth below. I am in awe, captivated by the sheer beauty of it all –the picture to which I've slept under, oblivious to its charms.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Will says at my side. I had been too busy admiring that I had not heard him approach.
"Extremely," I breathe, still entranced.
The spell lifts when he takes my hand in his once more, pointing ahead with his other hand to a hill just beyond us. "That's the best spot," he says. "Come on."
We set off further, walking this time, to my relief. Worries of my father long forgotten, I indulge in the moment. It's incredibly peaceful out here, with just Will beside me. If only I could be this at ease at home.
I steal a glance at him. He looks very familiar with this view, not so dazzled as I was, but seemingly content. Like one would be upon returning home after a long time away. He must come here often, I presume. I feel a sliver of envy towards him. It must be wonderful to have a place like this to come to every now and again. I must ask him to bring me here again. I flush at that thought. I have only just gotten here and I am already anticipating another tryst with this boy? My mind is running away with me.
"You look torn," he observes. "Something tedious on your mind?"
I blush at the fact that he has been staring at me without me knowing. I know what he is probably referring to, but I don't want to think of that too soon. If my father finds out about this, the consequences of my actions will be severe whether I worry or not. I simply shake my head, hoping to steer the conversation elsewhere. "So, Will…" I begin. "Is that short for William, Wilson or Willis?"
He laughs as if I had just said the funniest thing. I can feel myself burning up again in anger and embarrassment. "Are you quite finished?" I say through gritted teeth.
"Aren't you a fickle little thing," he teases, sobering. "First you want my apology and now you want to get acquainted with me?"
I make a face at him. "This is the second time you're referred to me as a child," I point out, "when I am not. I am fifteen years old today. Far from a little girl."
One of his eyebrow quirks up, smile foregone. "What would you rather I call you then?"
"'Milady' or 'young mistress'."
Now it's his turn to pull a face. "Your name is Ashlyn, is it not? Then that's what I will call you," he says stubbornly.
Oh, for heaven's sake! I think, exasperated. He's impossible! No benefit will come from speaking to him. I wriggle my hand out of his and trudge ahead, determined to pretend I'm alone.
"It's 'William'," he calls, his voice losing the condescending edge to it for the first time since I met him. He probably senses my growing distaste for him and decided to proceed with caution. "William Clark."
I'm tempted to keep ignoring him, but my good reason takes effect. Clearly I'm not going to be rid of him any time soon. Where am I stalking off to, as if I'm eager to get to the place he was taking me? And even if I were to turn back…The trees in the dense forest all looked the same; I wouldn't have a prayer of finding my way back on my own. Sulking until he finally returns me home wouldn't do any good. And so, reluctantly I pause, allowing time for him to reach me before turning around. I curtsy respectfully, just as the governess taught me. "I am happy to make your acquaintance," I say dutifully though insincerely.
He cocks his head at me, smirking like he knows. He takes one of my hands and presses a gentle kiss to it. His lips brush against my skin as he speaks, eyes fixed on mine. "And I you, Miss Ash."
"But that sounds positively boring."
I shuffle onto my side and prop myself up on my elbow. The grass tickles my arm as I shift. "Then you have an issue with the aspirations of women everywhere. What lady wouldn't want to marry a respectable man, live in a fine house and have pretty children?" I challenge.
He's lying on his back with his hands knitted together behind his head, eyes on me. "But isn't there anything else you'd like to do with your life? Make art? Travel the world?"
"I have always wondered what the world looked like outside of England," I admit, playing with a few strands of grass. "Beyond these green fields and muddy roads…" For a moment, my mind drifts far away. A land beyond my home? Filled with different people and different cultures and etiquette. New landscapes and foreign tongues. The only additional language I know is French, which I learnt to become an 'accomplished lady'. I wonder what it would be like to have an actual use for it –to walk down the Avendue des Champ-Elysees and converse with the people like I belong."I will travel," I decide. "One day."
"And art?"
I let out a wry laugh. "I can't draw a straight line for the life of me."
He chuckles, "I bet I could teach you a thing or two."
"You can draw?" I say, astonished and admittedly, a little impressed.
He shakes his head. "Paint." He raises his hand up to the sky, fingers splayed out and dark against the starlight.
"What do you paint?"
"Landscapes mostly. Sometimes I come out here with my drawing pad and watercolours and an oil lantern. Paint the night sky in all its glory." His voice sounds incredibly far away, like only his body is present and his mind is trapped in a dream. And all at once, it comes crashing back. He adds in a grave voice, "If I can sneak away from the kitchen, that is".
"Have you been working for us long?" I inquire. "I've never seen you until today."
He shakes his head no. "My father and I moved here from London a fortnight ago."
My interest peaks. "You lived in London? What was it like?"
"Crowded and dirty," he says ruefully. "And the people there –absolute mingers. Every last one of them."
I had always thought London would be a city of classy, sophisticated folk. "Oh." My eyes break contact with his, not letting him see the disappointment swimming in them. Then they catch sight of something else. Alarmed, I grab hold of his hand, holding it closer for inspection. I gasp at the sight. "What happened to you? You weren't injured before…" I trail off, horrified. Dark bruises decorate his knuckles, a stark contrast against his skin. The skin closest to the indents of the joints is split, encrusted with dried blood.
"My punishment," he explains, showing me a small smile. "Fifteen whacks of the ruler for causing a scene, ten for ruining your gown and five for wasting the soup."
He says the words flippantly as if it's of no significance to him, but I am a different story. I've had my fair share of slaps and pinches for naughtiness but nothing of this measure. Surely this was unreasonably cruel? The soup –my dress- it wasn't that serious a matter, not to me. Sadness wells up in me for him. How heartless must have been the deliverer of this abuse. A lump rises in my throat unbidden as moisture gathers in my eyes until Will's are just a dark blur in my vision. I roll onto my back and blink up at the moon, willing the tears to stay at bay.
In turn he rolls onto his side. His hand is still in mine. Now he weaves his fingers through the gaps in mine, interlocking our hands. With his other hand, he rubs at a tear that escaped and rolled down my cheek. His eyes soften. "Girls are prettiest when they smile, Ash," he soothes, voice gentle and even. "So smile."
"But you must have been in so much pain." My voice is little more than a hoarse whisper.
He shakes his head slowly. "Physical pain will seize to exist as time runs its course. And it was my own silly mistake that caused this to happen." His fingers linger on my face, thumb tracing my cheekbone. "Next time I will be more careful."
"Your…mistake?" I sniffle.
He nods once, firmly.
I let this sink in. So this is the kind of situation Will's in. It tears at my heart, but I know it could be worse. Here he is, smiling at me. And earlier, probably right after he was hurt like this, he was teasing and laughing and dragging me off into the forest. Surely someone who was devastated or deeply emotionally-scarred couldn't have acted this upbeat all this while. So as much as I hate what was done to him, I decide I'll lay this issue to rest. Besides, he doesn't seem to want to dwell on it either. I take a shaky breath in, feeling a little better. "Well then…" I crack a smile, "does that mean I'll get my apology?"
He grins deviously, high spirits returned. "Pigs will fly first."
"You're a scoundrel, William Clark."
"Adds to my charm, doesn't it?"
I let out a good-natured laugh. "I'm afraid I might be immune to you then."
"I think not," he says playfully. "The night is still young, Ash. I'll charm your socks off before you know what's hit you."
We laid there for what felt like hours –chatting and laughing, teasing and berating. Sharing stories of our childhood with one another and laughing at our ridiculous memories. I told him about the time I slipped on an ice-covered slope and skidded all the way down on my rear. He told me of the chaos that befell his previous master when a turkey had escaped from its pen and sieged his manor. We divulged our secrets –how I've always harboured a secret resentment for my perfect, likeable sister and how he despises his father for his brutal methods of disciplining. Every story, every feeling, every expression is a thread of ourselves, slowly weaving together the tale of our lives. And by the time we decided to head back, I feel as though Will is a companion I've known for the longest time whom which I've shared my entire life with. Secretly I wonder if he feels the same.
We stroll back through the forest leisurely, not in any hurry to part. His hand is still interlaced with mine, showing no sign of the desire to withdraw. We've been holding hands virtually throughout the whole of this adventure. I'm still not sure what to make of it. I'm sure the governess would have a fit if she saw me holding hands with a boy I just met. But is it really as tactile as all that? Friends can hold hands, can't they? Although it doesn't feel very chummy, I admit. Especially the slight chills that slam down my spine when he runs his thumb over my knuckles...
"Will, earlier I shared with you what I plan to do in the future, upon your request. But you never told me your own," I prompt.
He hums beside me. "What I want to do with my future…" He strokes his face thoughtfully. "I've always thought of painting seriously," he confesses. "One day I'll pack my bags and go in search of new things to paint. All I've ever painted are townhouses and streets and grassy hills and streams. So I'll set my canvas frame on new ground. Make art in a different atmosphere, with different sceneries. I'll paint waterfalls and caverns and mountains –anything I please. There will be no more limits. No more restrictions. I won't spend my years a clumsy servant anymore. I'll live life of my own accord."
Passion fills his voice as he speaks. Passion born from a life of hardship. It's inspiring to witness. If only I had that drive –that ambition. But all I know is how to entertain people and uphold my family name, and I am a failure at even that. I wonder what's out there for me. If it is more than to marry a rich man and become a respected member of society, what else will I do? Where else will I go? What do I hope to achieve? Will seems to have it all planned out. How lucky he is. "What do you plan to do with your paintings?"
"Sell them. And when they gain popularity, I'll auction them off to the highest bidder," he says confidently. "And over time, I think I'll widen my boundaries beyond natural landscapes," he continues. "If people pay me enough, I'll paint their portraits, too. Or anything they request."
"You're very ambitious," I observe.
"Of course," he smiles crookedly. "There is no achievement without ambition, Ash."
Ash. That's the third time he's called me that. But just like the hand-holding, I'm not too bothered about this either. As horribly informal as it sounds coming from a servant, it has a touch of personalization to it that I like. Like decorating a plain dress with ribbons and beads to make it more unique.
The house is in sight now, orange light glowing from the windows. We are just emerging from the treeline. We sneak into the house through the front door. The hallway is empty and unlit. All the maids and butlers must be in the kitchen or helping to serve the drinks in the ballroom. Nonetheless, we creep quietly up the stairs and down the corridor. The wall to our left cuts off where the railing starts, looking over the ballroom. We hurry past until the light no longer touches us. Soon we are standing right outside my bedroom door, awkwardly facing each other.
"Won't your father be furious that you left?" I say.
"I doubt so. He is probably too furious with me over my past actions to even want to look at me yet, let alone wonder where I went."
I frown a little but nod.
He chuckles at my expression. "There you go scrunching up your face again." Before I can answer, he lifts his hands to cup my face, smoothing out my furrowed brows with his thumbs. I laugh at the motion, purposely twisting my face up in bizarre expressions. He laughs along with me.
"You seem to find fault in everything I say," he smiles, hands still holding my face.
The governess would definitely disapprove of this. I flush at the feeling of his warm hands on my cheeks. "Not everything you say," I disagree, casually stepping out of his reach. "Your dream of painting the world –I think it's wonderful."
Now it is his turn to flush. He averts his gaze from me. "You think so?"
I nod, smiling. "And I'd like to see it come true."
He gives me a dazzling smile back. It tugs at my heartstrings. On first glance you couldn't tell he was a mistreated servant boy. With his pure heart and rugged good looks, he might've been the prince out of a storybook.
"I should go," he says finally, sighing at the end. "Someone might come looking for you. And upon seeing us together, outside your chambers…" He throws me a suggestive grin. "The consequences won't be pleasant." I respond by turning into a strawberry.
"I suppose you're right," I say, sounding as flustered as I feel. The way he's looking at me has my stomach fluttering in the strangest way. And he's even nearer than he had been outside the back door. I can feel the heat rolling off his body, and if I just took one step forward, we would be pressed together at every point possible. I banish the indecent thought immediately, now extremely concerned for the cleanliness of my conscience.
"G-goodnight then, William Clark," I stutter, hastily bowing my head as I curtsey. He bows and catches my hand for a formal hand-kiss. But just as my hand reaches his lips, he tugs it backward, jerking me towards him and presses a kiss to my cheek instead.
My body goes rigid at the contact. My skin tingles deliciously as his lips slide up to my ear. I can feel him smiling as he murmurs, "We'll meet again in your dreams, dear Ash."
He draws away slowly and releases my hand, which falls limply back to my side. My eyes are wide, cheeks burning, mouth slack. I want to say something but my rational mind is in tatters, unable to form a coherent thought, let alone string together a sentence. I'd bet my last penny that he can tell. Because as he turns and walks away, a mischievous smile is evident on his face.
Three knocks come from the door. My heart flutters as I rise to answer it. Angelique grimaces in the mirror. She grumbles at the huge smile on my face. "Coming to see a lady at her chambers. I'd expect no more of that uneducated swine," she snorts disapprovingly. "You will try to drill some manners into him before the wedding, won't you? I won't tolerate a bumptious fool marrying into the family."
"Oh, Angel," I sigh wistfully, passing a hand over her shoulder. "If only you would look deeper into people than just background and heritage, maybe you would be engaged, too." She grunts like she thinks I'm absurd but I ignore her, walking up to the door and throwing it open.
Will looks breath-taking in black velvet jacket with golden embroidery on its cuffs and lapels. A silk cream shirt with frills at the neckline pokes out under it. He grew a great deal since I met him. Now the top of my head barely reaches his shoulder. "Dear Ash," he greets, smiling warmly.
I scoot forward and shut the door behind me, launch myself into his arms. He staggers a little and straightens, wrapping one hand around my waist, the other smoothing down my hair. He smells of wildlife –like rich soil and herbs and wildflowers. I hug him closer, feeling absolutely content in his arms. "How was Wales?" I murmur into his chest.
"Serene. It had the most beautiful rocky landscapes. It was tough to paint the small details in their structure, but I do love a challenge." I hum in reply, too absorbed in the wonderfulness of feeling him here, in my arms, to form a complex response. He chuckles into my hair, pressing me closer to him. "Did you miss me?" He whispers at my ear.
I close my eyes and sigh into his chest. "A little."
"Only a little? You're hurting my ego," he teases.
Grinning, I lift my head from him and grasp his face between my hands. "Darling Will, have you forgotten? Battering your ego is my favourite hobby."
"Oh, really?" He leans in closer and says, "I thought this was your favourite hobby." Then he presses his lips into mine. I smile into the kiss, stretching up on the balls of my feet to get even closer. His mouth tastes sweet like wild berries and sunshine. I lose myself in the feeling of our lips moving against each other's, slow and passionate and filled with the essence of our sweet reunion. His hand weaves into my hair, beginning to unravel it from its pins. I reluctantly draw away. "Will, it took a lot of pain and effort to style my hair like this," I warn, trying to sound stern but failing miserably. "The maid's efforts will not be in vain."
He pulls back with a grin and grabs my hand. "There's something I want to show you."
He leads me through the corridor into the guestroom Mama and Papa let him stay in for tonight. He lights the oil lamp and it bathes the room in an orange glow. Next, he trudges to the bed on which a canvas rests facedown. He plops down on the bed beside it, making the springs creak under his weight. He flips the canvas over, smiling shyly. "I've been working on this for a while. My engagement gift to you," he says tenderly.
I stare at the picture, mesmerized, feeling a wide grin spread across my face.
"Do you like it?"
I hold my hands out and he places it in them. I admire the detail in each component of the painting –every blade of grass beneath us, even the beads on my emerald dress. We are looking far out at the stars. Will is pointing at the sky, showing me a constellation up above, his lip parted as if in speech. Our hands are clasped together tightly, held between our bodies. Lying against the green with stars reflecting in our eyes, we look like we escaped from a fairy tale.
"Do you?" He repeats, sounding more nervous by the second. "I-I might have gotten the beading on your dress a tad wrong. I didn't really remember-"
"It's perfect," I assure him, placing the canvas back on the bed. I caress the back of his neck, pulling him close. Warmth fills my chest.
He beams up at me, reflecting the love I feel for him –every smile and kiss and embrace we share when we're together, and every long, heartfelt letter when we're apart, all trapped in his eyes. "Truly?"
I giggle at him lightly. The accomplished, sought-after artist doubting of his work? But of course that isn't it. He isn't just any painter, after all. He must be the most frustrating, bothersome, romantic, tease of an artist England's ever seen. And I'm absolutely smitten that he's mine. Which is why I press my forehead against his, and glow right back at him, whispering, "Truly," before leaning in for another kiss.

subset: commoncrawl


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888-532-5806 | Contact the Institute »
For the 2014-15 school year, Section 98 of the State School Aid Act directs MVLRI to address nearly 20 tasks to strengthen teaching and learning for K-12 education. Toward that end, staff has responsibilities as summarized in the items below. (For exact language, please see the legislation.)
Support and Accelerate Innovation in Education
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By RYAN TOLMICH
Three months after the two sides finished atop the Premier League table, reigning champions Manchester City and runners-up Liverpool clash in one of league's biggest early season match-ups.
Liverpool enter Monday's clash at the Etihad bearing news of the club's latest addition, as the Reds completed the signing of Mario Balotelli Monday afternoon. The Italian will be unable to play against his former club, but Liverpool will still boast the scoring potential of Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling, each of whom scored in the Reds' 2-1 victory over Southampton last time out.
Meanwhile, Man City are fresh off a victory of their own, with David Silva and Sergio Aguero each scoring to open the club's title defense in a 2-0 victory over Newcastle last week.
In Spain, both Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid will kickoff their La Liga campaigns after Atletico knocked off their city rivals to claim the SuperCup this past Friday. The reigning La Liga champions will start their campaign with a trip to Rayo Vallecano, while Real Madrid host Cordoba in their opening contest.
If you will be watching today's soccer action, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action (Today's TV schedule is after the jump):
2:00 p.m. – Real Madrid vs. Cordoba – beIN Sports USA
3:00 p.m. – Manchester City vs. Liverpool – NBCSN
4:00 p.m. – Rayo Vallecano vs. Atletico Madrid – beIN Sports USA
Considering their play today, I can understand why City can repeat winning the crown.
They completely outplayed Liverpool.
Jo Santos Sr.
kara kartal
Did you just see the highlights? City is class no doubt about it and did a great job of punishing Liverpool's mistakes, but did not completely out play them.
Diego's Maradoughnuts
You're right that Liverpool could've changed the plot on a couple of occasions…. but to me city won comfortably. Liverpool really need to figure out how to produce a 90 min performance — seems everything is there to challenge for the highest honors, but more patient and consistent teams will continue to have the advantage in the high level showdowns


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Thanks to Jeff Carter for directing me to the above video (via Christian Nightmares), which uses science fiction as a means of teaching a particular conservative Evangelical perspective on the Holy Spirit and other topics to children. [Read more…]
Spirit Quest
Helen Bond's Ten Things About Jesus
Helen Bond has a new article in The Bible and Interpretation, "Ten Things I Learnt about Jesus by Writing a Book about him." It offers a nice, balanced overview of some key points related to both the methods and the conclusions of the scholarly quest for the historical Jesus. The book she is referring to is [Read More…]
An Unbending Quest for Truth
The blog Unreasonable Faith shared this: I think that really what it is getting at is the fact that some people do not think the truthfulness of their position is as self-evident as their rhetoric claims, since otherwise they would not be opposed to their children and those under their influence thinking and exploring freely. [Read More…]
Maurice Casey responds to Thomas Thompson
James Tabor wrongly refers to an "all-out war among the experts" regarding the question "Did Jesus exist?" At present, the only person who can be considered an expert in New Testament in any sense, and who has disputed the existence of a historical Jesus in academic publications, is Robert M. Price. He teaches at an [Read More…]
Doctor Who: Underworld
The very title of the Doctor Who episode "Underworld" hints at its intersection with religion. But while the "underworld" in question turns out to be a world of tunnels with no access to the sky, the episode nevertheless more than lives up to the expectation that it will provide interesting terrain for exploring religion. Although [Read More…]
Jesus, Criteria and the Demise of Authenticity
Several bloggers have mentioned the upcoming conference and accompanying book, with the title Jesus, Criteria, and the Demise of Authenticity. It might seem that the title could more naturally have been "Jesus and the Demise of Criteria of Authenticity." But I suspect that the wording is intentional – what has changed is not so much [Read More…]


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हेर्नुहोस भिडियो
Jyoti finished her School Leaving Certificate(SLC) from a school in Dang. In spite of the fact that she joined a school to examine an Intermediate Degree in Arts (IA), she dropped out and chose, rather, to center in music.
Jyoti Magar joined with a Kathmandu-based record organization and recorded her first collection in 2006. A music video was additionally created, however the organization later chose not to discharge the collection, potentially because of dangers required in delivering a collection of another vocalist as once huge mob.
Magar's second and third collections Maya Sanga (with adoration) and Ui Mulako Sinki Ui Mulako Chana got to be moment hits all over Nepal and among Nepali diaspora abroad. Starting 2015, she has delivered more than about six collections, offering voice to almost 30 Nepali society tunes. Jyoti Magar regularly composes and forms her music herself. She likewise shows up as a model in her music recordings. Some of her celebrated tunes incorporate Piratima Dam Chha and Jimmal Bauki Chhori.
Aside from society (lok dohori and teej tunes) singing, Jyoti has additionally showed up in a Gurung-dialect film and has done radio dramatizations and road shows before.
In a meeting with the NepaliHeadlines, when inquired as to whether she had any proposals to newcomers, Jyoti said that music is a love to ruler Saraswoti and it needs a ton of persistence, practice and genuineness, and on the off chance that you are entering the musical world only for name, notoriety and cash, simply don't do that. At the point when asked whether her charm was suitable in Nepali people music, she reacted saying that like curry needs salt; music needs fabulousness, and style in melodies, as well as in words, which means and music.
In the same meeting, she requested that the administration of Nepal ought to give an alternate visa or if nothing else a personality card to craftsmen and VIPs to encourage global and residential voyages.
Jyoti Magar has gone in numerous nations of Asia, the Middle East and Europe to perform in musical stage programs fundamentally sorted out by non-occupant Nepali associations abroad.
A couple TV meets that she showed up on were either controlled and not communicate at all because of her 'unseemly method for dressing'. Jyoti Magar's meeting directed by Nepal Telivision Plus (NTV Plus) was never communicate on the grounds that the blue pencil group discovered it evidently obscene. Another meeting for Himalayan Television was additionally controlled because of dress issues.
Jyoti has pummeled the cases that she dresses improperly and disgustingly. While scrutinizing NTV's choice not to communicate her meeting, she said to a Nepali online magazine, "indicating tad bit of cleavage is regular even among those ladies who controlled it, I was there in Nepali customary dress, however it shouldn't have been edited like that in any capacity".
In 2016, a video clasp was spread on online networking which demonstrated that Jyoti was clearly plastered and was moving in an extremely provocative manner in the boulevards of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.


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- Pharmacy program measurement and outcomes
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- Physician dispensing of prescription drugs for workers compensation claims
- Jurisdictional updates on topics such as compound medications and for states including Florida, Texas, California and Illinois.
ATLANTA, March 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Broadspire, a Crawford Company and leading third party administrator (TPA) and medical management services provider, will bring together representatives from a number of key industry organizations to discuss challenges in prescription drug management for workers compensation claims during its first pharmacy summit Thursday. "The intention of the summit is to focus on global industry issues, trends and developments in the future," said Danielle Lisenbey, Broadspire's chief executive officer. "One of our key objectives is to help identify common threads that tie together claimant, payer, employer and carrier interests. We expect to share ideas that we can put into practice to improve outcomes for everyone concerned." More than 50 brokers, practice leaders, clinicians and others from major insurers, insurance brokerage firms and pharmacy benefit management (PBM) organizations will attend the summit, which will be held at Broadspire's Sunrise, Fla., medical management headquarters. Broadspire medical management personnel and representatives of the attending organizations will be featured speakers. The summit will include sessions on the following topics:


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eBird allows you to upload photos and audio directly to your eBird checklists. When you upload these images to support your records, it not only provides our regional data-quality reviewers with excellent information to evaluate your observations of rare and unusual species, but also gives other birders an illustrated checklist of the birds you observed, making for a more enjoyable and informative experience when browsing eBird. Who doesn't like seeing more pictures of birds? Explore all photos from eBirders here.
This document provides guidance on uploading photos to help you understand our vision for these tools, and to help you make the most of these tools and your time investment in uploading images to eBird. Importantly, these tools mark the initiation of an important partnership between eBird and the Macaulay Library, whereby each record supported by rich media in eBird automatically becomes a part of this valuable scientific research collection. To learn more about sound recording guidelines, please see our audio upload guide.
eBird Photo Upload Guidelines and Best Practices
How do I upload a photo?
- Take a picture of a bird.
- Download the photo to your computer, and know where you downloaded it (folder, desktop, etc.).
- Go to your eBird checklist containing the record for that specific bird (any photo you upload must be of the individual bird you're reporting- not a bird you saw like it, last year for example, or at any other time).
- Either drag the image(s) from your folder into the media window, or "Select" it using the file browser.
- Rate the quality of your image from 1-5 stars. (see below)
- Add sex or age information that is associated with the bird in that specific image.
- Repeat as desired (up to 10 files per species).
- Hit Submit, sit back, and enjoy the beauty of your eBird checklist!
When you are entering species in your eBird checklist, you will see the Media option either available as a drop target, or as a button in the "Add Details" section. Once you've found the location, either drag-and-drop, or "Select" your image. These two screenshots below give an idea of the two potential views for this system. At this time there is no way to add images through the eBird Mobile app—we plan to add that in the coming months.
eBird Photo Upload Best Practices
- Take photos of all unusual species you see on an outing, or anything you can get a good photo of
- Crop the images so that the subject is large and visible in the frame
- Size images to be max 3000px on the long end, and aim for 2-3MB files when possible
Which birds do I upload photos for?
For now, the primary focus should be to try and document any sighting that is rare or unusual with a photo. This includes any species that is flagged during data entry. "Rare or unusual" can mean species that are either "flagged" as rare for the location or season, an unusually high count of a species that itself isn't rare, or a species that you consider to be unusual. A secondary focus is on taking advantage of species that simply offer a good photo opportunity: if a bird is being cooperative in good light, by all means take the photo! This means that we'd like photos for a first country record for Emperor Penguin, for a flock of 10,000 European Starlings, or just a great picture of a Northern Shoveler on the local pond.
Documenting a high count of Red-winged Blackbirds
Best practices for resolution and size
If possible, size your images to be 3000px on the long side, and between 2-3MB in size.
eBird accepts images up to 10MB in size, in JPEG, PNG, and GIF (non-animated) formats. Each species on a checklist can accept 10 images.
Whether you shoot your images in RAW format or JPEG, please submit the images as 2-3MB JPEG files.
Because these photos are becoming part of a permanent scientific collection (especially for computer vision learning), it is best to try to provide a medium-to-high resolution image. As time goes on screen resolution will only improve, so it's a good idea to provide a good quality image that will remain useful for many years to come.
In terms of image size, the eBird checklist view shows two sizes: a smaller embedded view, and a larger expanded view. Over time these two view sizes may change, so it makes sense to provide an image that is sufficiently large to scale into the future.
How to crop and edit your images
Make sure to crop so that the bird is large and visible in the frame; we want to avoid distant photos that could be improved by a quick crop. When cropping, make sure to leave a little "canvas" around the edge of the bird—having that wiggle room will usually make the image look nicer.
When editing, aim to make the bird look as it did in the field; please avoid over-saturation, over-sharpening, or augmentation of the image beyond what you observed in the field--the idea is to create a natural reproduction of how the bird looked in life.
If you have several photos that show different parts of the bird, please upload multiple images. Aesthetically pleasing images are fine, as well as those that show the bird in habitat.
Rating your images and adding comments
Each image has a star rating associated with it, ranging from 1-5. This rating is meant to evaluate the quality of the image; not the quality of the bird in the image. A great photo of a common bird should be 5 stars, and a low-quality image of a rare bird should be one star. We plan to introduce ratings that deal with interesting behaviors, rare birds, and other such details in the future. Stay tuned. At this time the rating is given by the person uploading the file—in the future we plan to move towards community-based rating.
Here are our suggestions for each star rating:
1-star: The lowest-quality of identifiable images possible. Very distant record shots (e.g., mile-distant digiscopes), very grainy, small-in-the-frame, and out of focus images. Barely identifiable.
2-star: Fairly poor images. Not very sharp, poorly lit, and/or much of the bird obscured. Fills a fairly small portion of the frame, but not tiny.
3-star: Mid-quality images. Fairly sharp, decently lit (e.g., dappled lighting, partially backlit), a busy background (e.g., branches), is partially obscured, and doesn't fill very much of the frame.
4-star: Images that are quite good, but not fully 5-star worthy. This rating will likely span many of the "good" photos. 4-star photos are ones that have a bird that is pretty sharp, but might have mediocre lighting (e.g., sidelit), is partially obscured in a tree, and doesn't quite fill the frame. It is still a solid photograph, but just not the top quality.
5-star: The best images possible; one with a bird that fills the frame, is sharp and well-lit, has a clean background, and is posed well.
Adding Comments
The comments section below the media is different than the one attached to the entry for that species. Media comments refer to that specific image or recording, whereas the species comments refer to that entire observation, which is often not just the bird that you photographed or recorded. This is a subtle yet important difference; the media comments are attached to the image, and the species comments attached to the observation.
Adding comments can provide specific information about the bird in the photo; whether it is to designate an individual among photos, or to provide comments on behavior, etc.
Adding age/sex information to a media file
Each rich media file uploaded to eBird can be further annotated. Right now, sound files offer more options for additional metadata, but you can indicate the age and sex of the bird in both images and recordings. It's important to remember that this photo or sound may be accessed away from the eBird checklist (e.g., within Macaulay Library), so the more information you can add to describe what's happening in the image the better. Age and sex should correspond directly to the bird in the image. So if you upload a picture of an adult male Northern Cardinal, you should select 'Adult' for age, and 'Male' for sex in the drop down menus accompanying the uploaded file on the checklist page. In some cases you won't know the age or sex, and it's fine to choose 'Unknown' for both. In some cases more than one age/sex is represented in the image. For these cases just use 'Unknown', and consider providing further details in the 'Comments' section that accompanies the file. This additional information will travel with the file wherever it is displayed.
Adding Age and Sex information is very useful, and will become increasingly more valuable as we add new functionality that explores the media that eBirders are uploading.


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If so, read on this informative article to learn the most crucial issues you need to know about android mobile phone apps.Android mobile phone applications are in a way much like iphone 4 software, which means that they are custom developed plans, generally, applications and video games computer software for that android platform. Consequently the applications can be attached to any phone or mobile device which uses the android system. The principle method for you to separate the apps is into free and paid. Contrary to iPhone, Google Android apps will not be usually available simply for pay. There are several fantastic applications for Android mobile phone that one could down load on the internet totally free.
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Originally posted on Orange Fizz | Last updated 12/19/12
While Newhouse is one of the great broadcasting schools in the country, the newest name connected to Syracuse is John Miller, not longtime ESPN play-by-play announcer Jon Miller. SU continues to look for JuCo help on both sides of the ball, as Miller commits to play his final two years along the offensive line. The 6'3" 317 lb. lineman out of LA Harbor Community College made his official visit to the Hill earlier this month. This has added to an already big month for Doug Marrone. Listen to a FizzCast exclusive with John Miller: Brett Peabody, head coach at LA Harbor, talked with The Fizz last week and told us Miller's stock would be rising in the coming weeks. Syracuse found a way to nab the all-conference stud. Peabody tells The Fizz about SU's interest in Miller: "Syracuse is really excited about him. Coach Adkins really likes his versatility, the fact he can play both center and guard. John's also one of the biggest centers out there and one of the most physical ones." Miller ...
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SDCC '10 | DC's Weird Worlds to feature 'monsters as superheroes'
in Comic News Comment
DC Comics is putting the "weird" back into the DCU with the launch of Weird Worlds, a new title that will feature three characters — the first of which will be Aaron Lopresti's Garbage Man. "Monster books, they've become horror books in the last fifteen years, but I want to get back to monsters as superheroes," Lopresti said of the character. No word yet on when the book will come out or who the other two characters are.


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For sale by Mr. cee Properties Ltd VERIFIED 4 Sep 7:43 pmGarki 2, Abuja
This is a semi detached 3 bedroom bungalow with c of o inside fcda quaters in wuse 2. This property can be remodeled to a duplex (there's already a provisional approval to this effect).
This is the best and well kept government quarters in wuse 2. there is full infrastructure...tarred road, security guards, cleaners etc...
Please call for more information and inspection.
Stay safe!
Watch out for:


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A footballer in Croatia has learnt that the price of opening a can of beer on the way to a match is reassuringly expensive.
Domagoj Vida of Dinamo Zagreb was on the team bus travelling to a cup game against lower league opponents when he decided to open the can of beer.
The coach of the Croatian champions, Ante Cacic, immediately ordered Vida to leave the bus, and the club have followed it up by imposing a fine of 100,000 euros on the 23-year-old.
"The Dinamo management has decided to punish Vida with a financial penalty of 100,000 euros for his behaviour," the club said on their website.
Vida, 'probably the stupidest footballer in the world', has 14 caps for Croatia.Reuse content


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Home > Archives > Healthy Recipes > 2006 > Granola on the Go
Granola on the Go Recipe
Just plain healthy recipe...
Enjoy this crunchy, sweet taste of Granola on the Go for breakfast or as a quick snack or even a topping on your yogurt. This recipe provides plenty of Vitamin E and fiber-rich ingredients. It is also lower in sugar via the use of sweet honey than many store-bought versions. A great day-after Thanksgiving snack!
Recipe Ingredients
4-1/2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup wheat bran
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup nuts or seeds (try a combo such as sunflower or sesame seeds and walnuts)
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup apple juice
1/2 cup assorted, chopped dried fruit such as apricots, apples or figs
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Recipe Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 x 13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix together oats, bran, germ, nuts and cinnamon. Blend honey, canola oil and juice. Add mixture to oats and stir until well coated.
Spread granola onto a baking sheet and cook 25 minutes, stirring a few times so that the granola browns evenly.
Remove from oven and let the granola cool on the baking sheet for ten minutes.
Add dried fruit when mixture cools. Store in an airtight container.
Nutrition Information
Too many possible variations to determine accurate nutrition data.


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The Texas A&M AgriLife Contract Office promotes both transparent and efficient customer-oriented support services for AgriLife faculty, staff, and administration ensuring seamless processing of contracts and other agreements. The principal role of the AgriLife Contract Office is to provide high priority customer services to all of Texas A&M AgriLife protecting the interests of the agencies. We are committed to the delivery of high quality programs, services, and research initiatives that strive to support the mission of Texas A&M AgriLife. Our services include:
- Contracts Decision Chart
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- Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs)
- Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDAs)
- Leases of Agency Facilities
For services pertaining to sponsored projects, please contact Sponsored Research Services (SRS) at 979-862-6777.


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The HTA68 only comes with a 7cm^2 hotside, which is a mismatch for the 2.5L engine.Originally Posted by mikienmb05
As I said before, you want the Blouch turbo.
This is a discussion on wastegate solinoid problem within the General Maintenance, Troubleshooting & Accidents. forums, part of the Tech & Modifying & General Repairs category; Originally Posted by mikienmb05 the sales guy is offering me a Forced Performance 68HTA instead of the mhi..says 0???what yaw ...
The HTA68 only comes with a 7cm^2 hotside, which is a mismatch for the 2.5L engine.Originally Posted by mikienmb05
As I said before, you want the Blouch turbo.
2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road - Daily
2005 WRX STi (Mods | Virtual Dyno) - Toy
Resident Tuner @ WTF Tuning
"Never trust anything that bleeds for a week and lives ..."
thanks for that jared me out of it the turbo was a good read though lol
well guys im on the verge of ordering been talking with david at maperformance.com hes locating the flywheel i want right now.and ime setting up tune with BOXER4RACING.COM..havent got it finalized yet though..heres the list
MHI 18G/8cm: 999.99
Grimmspeed EBCS: 94.99
DW 750cc Cobb spec injectors: 399.99
Exedy stage 1(15802) 409.99
f1 lightweight 13.7lb flywheel
thanks for all the help guys...!!!will stay updated may start posting pics of stuff as it comes and is installed
whats the deal with oil restriction on the turbo.got wind if i dont do it right it will blow pass the seals?? and should i have opted for a different wastegate/acuator spring/tension??? thanks again for all the help guys.will be doin all the work when it warms some burrrr


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The Decker House Bed and Breakfast has 5 bedrooms, all featuring private baths. Room rates range from $89-$175 a night, double occupancy. Rates include wireless internet access, an endless cookie jar and a delightful, homemade breakfast.
The Magnolia Suite is a private, third floor getaway featuring a king bed, sofa, fainting couch, double pedastal sinks and a jacuzzi bath.
The Gardenia Room on the first floor is fully accessible, features a king size bed and a walk in shower. An accessible ramp comes into the house near the room entrance.
The Rose Room ("yes," the Clintons stayed in this room) is on the 2nd floor, has a king bed, marble sink and vanity, and an open air veranda.It has bath with a shower.
The Iris Room, on the 2nd floor, and has a queen bed and a marble vanity and bath with a shower.
The Lily of the Valley Room on the 2nd floor features queen bed, a sunny disposition and a bath with a shower.
We are pleased to announce that we now provide complementary YMCA passes to our guests. Guests may visit a state of the art YMCA facility at the S.Monroe location.
Sunday-Thursday – 10% off rack rate
The Decker House Bed & Breakfast welcomes the business traveler and creates a comfortable, homey environment with modern amenities. Mention this notice to receive the business traveler discount.
Winter Dance Party- Make your reservations now for the Winter Dance Party at The Surf Ballroom. Celebrate the life and music of the late, great Buddy Holly with this traditional, historical, music filled weekend. Book now to stay at The Decker House on February 2,3 and 4, 2017. Stay all three nights and receive a Decker House Signature Mug as a momento. Book early as it is always a sell out weekend!
Copyright 2012 The Decker House Designed & Hosted by WebWise Websites Inc.


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Luxury Personalised Vintage Their Year Champagne
Celebrate in style with a bottle of bubbly
Personalised & Despatched within 24 Hours
FAST UK Delivery
Product Description
The unforgettable pop of the cork, the fizz as it's being poured, the anticipation of the first sip… you simply can't beat a bottle of bubbly. There's just something so sophisticated about it that elevates it above other drinks and our champagne comes with the taste to match its status.
Perfect for celebrating a wedding, anniversary, birthday or just because you feel like drinking some bubbly at home, this bottle is guaranteed to get the party started.
The best part is the classic label that can be personalised with any name, year and a personal message across 2 lines. For inspiration, why not wish them a 'Happy birthday', congratulate the special couple on their marriage or anniversary or simply tell the recipient to savour every sip.
Whatever your choice of personalisation, it will be printed with expertise and care giving an almost handwritten style as if from a fountain pen or quill.
About Our Champagne
Our bubbly is a De Linières Brut NV and is crafted by Champagne Tribaut Schloesser in Romery, in the heart of the Champagne region in France.
Founded in 1929, the Tribaut family have been making champagne at their maison (champagne house) for four generations.
Located near Épernay, La Maison Tribaut has 25 hectares of vines, and the vignerons (wine-makers) cultivate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes. The blend of 30% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir and 30% Pinot Meunier creates a refined champagne with notes of cherry, citrus and green apple.
What does our bubbly taste like? It's a delicate, dry and crisp champagne, with an aroma of green apples and forest fruits. The Pinot Noir grape brings notes of red fruits and a deep flavour, whilst the Pinot Meunier grape adds a further fruity taste. The Chardonnay grapes give the champagne citrus and apple aromas, and add a final touch of elegance to this white sparkling wine.
About Our Labels
Our full-colour personalised labels are resistant to scratching and are printed using high-quality, waterproof inks.
Size: 750ml (75cl)
Please drink responsibly - www.drinkaware.co.uk
Read full description
Customer Reviews (345)
99% would recommend this to a friend
Customer Reviews (345)
99% would recommend this to a friend
Luxury Personalised Vintage Their Year Champagne
Personalised Champagne and gift box
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CFA Lecturers (Adjunct)
Job Descriptions
- Plan, prepare and deliver instructional activities that facilitate active learning experiences
- Assist in developing schemes of work and lesson plans
- Establish and communicate clear objectives for all learning activities
- Prepare classroom for class activities
- Provide a variety of learning materials and resources for use in educational activities
- Identify and select different instructional resources and methods to meet students' varying needs
- Instruct and monitor students in the use of learning materials and equipment
- Use relevant technology to support instruction
- Observe and evaluate students' performance and development
- Assign and grade class work, homework, tests and mock exams
- Provide appropriate feedback on work
- Encourage and monitor the progress of individual students
- Maintain accurate and complete records of students' progress and development
- Update all necessary records accurately and completely as required by law, district policies and school regulations
- Prepare required reports on students and activities
- Manage students behaviour in the classroom by establishing and enforcing rules and procedures
- Maintain discipline in accordance with the rules and disciplinary systems of the school
- Perform certain pastoral duties including student support, counselling students with academic problems and providing student encouragement
- Participate in department and school meetings if required
- Keep updated with developments in subject area, teaching resources and methods and make relevant changes to instructional plans and activities
Job Requirements
- Candidate must possess at least a Diploma, Advanced/Higher/Graduate Diploma, Bachelor's Degree, Post Graduate Diploma, Professional Degree, Education/Teaching/Training or equivalent.
- Required skill(s): self motivated, communication skills, learning orientation, organizing and planning, flexibility and adaptability, initiative.
- At least 2 year(s) of teaching experience is required for this position.
- At least 1 year of working experience in a related industry is required for this position.
- Passed all 3 levels of CFA
Kindly send us your comprehensive resume including current and expected salary to firstname.lastname@example.com
We regret that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.


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You missed it This great deal for IronFlower Fitness is over. But don't despair, we've got more great deals every day.
IronFlower Fitness
Celebrate Your Power with One Month of Unlimited Fitness Classes at this Women-Only Gym
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Men take over the wheel, the remote, and your favorite cardio equipment. Ready for a place where you can indulge in your femininity while getting fit? Check out this chicas-only gym in South Miami, replete with hot pink walls and crystal chandeliers:
• $69 ($149 value) for one month of unlimited fitness classes
• Classes focus on building strength, increasing flexibility, full-body toning & more
• Choose from two locations, one in the upper Eastside and the newly opened South Miami location
Let Your Sexy Strength Bloom
This female empowerment emporium offers a wide variety of fitness classes, including Ballet Barre Burn, Zumba, Booty Bounce, Boxercise, Pole Pop, and many more. Try one or try them all -- their staff and exciting classes have been designed to make sure you meet your fitness goals, while forgetting how hard you are working to attain them. Women love having a place that they can call their own, and IronFlower Fitness is the one gym where they can do just that.
PAID VALUE EXPIRES ON May 28, 2022
PROMOTIONAL VALUE EXPIRES ON March 9, 2014
7300 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, FL 33138
305-392-0883 | get directions
6840 SW 81st Terrace, South Miami, FL 33143
305-392-0883 | get directions


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average rating: -- / 10
kasino p? nett
Falconer Jamaal is certainly hooked on casino rc airplanes and creating dollhouses. Finally, he gets empowered by vacationing and exploring different locations just like Netherlands Antilles.
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I wanna cook
Cooking something?
Whatever it is, sell a few portions on Super Marmite! It's a great way to interact with your local community and to get real feedback on your cuisine :)Post a meal


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Crowbar crusader Kathleen Folden tells her story
There are 4 comments on the The Missoula Independent Online story from Apr 11, 2011, titled Crowbar crusader Kathleen Folden tells her story. In it, The Missoula Independent Online reports that:
Remember Kathleen Folden, the Kalispell trucker who drove to Colorado last fall and took a crowbar to a controversial sexual depiction of Jesus? Well, as the Daily Inter Lake reports , she recently launched a website, www.givegodlove.com, to tell her version of the events that led to her arrest.
Join the discussion below, or Read more at The Missoula Independent Online.
#1 Apr 19, 2011
This bimbo is clearly a sociopath with no remorse for her crimes. They should have beaten the hell out of her and locked her up! She is a total nutcase!
Langley, Canada
#2 Dec 16, 2011
The violence & hatred you display is far worse than anything this woman did... you f'n idiot!
#4 Jan 31, 2012
A Letter Given to Timothy, For All Those Who Have Ears to Hear
Thus says The Lord: If these men do not cease from their heresies, they shall be crushed beneath the weight of their own churches, of which they have built up in their own names!... Suffering My wrath, on account of all that which they have held back for themselves, in where they have forsaken the poor and the needy! Neither have they fed the hungry, in spirit or in truth!
And of their churches, they shall all be torn down!
And the people, even all those who had flocked to them,
They shall be set free, says The Lord...
When calamity comes!
For it has come! Yea, it is already here and has come! And though it seems to tarry in the eyes of men, it will surely come upon them, it will not tarry, for the Day is at hand!... Behold, I shall purge! And I, even I, shall be glorified! Says The Lord. The Holy One of Israel is My name, and every knee shall bow before Me, calling Me Lord.
Thus as it is written, so it is and shall be. For I had come, yet those in authority had no ears. Behold, they refused to hear! And so I am come again, and shall gather and leave them desolate; all light shall be taken and gathered... Behold, I shall return and also come in My glory! Yea, the whole earth shall bow down before Me! For I shall take hold of it, and it shall be shaken! Even the heavens shall be rolled back before Me!
For the earth is Mine, and all therein is My footstool!...
Thus I have spoken it, and it shall surely be, says The Lord.
#5 Feb 14, 2012
- For All Those Who Have Ears to Hear
Thus says The Lord, to all these sick and diseased children: You are all dying! You are passing from My sight!... FOOLISH CHILDREN!...
The sound of My voice shall come to weary you. Day and night will I utter My judgments against you, because of all your adulteries you have committed against The Lord your God... I, The One True God! Each of you seek to justify yourselves, while casting stones at My servants... You are accursed in My sight! Therefore, I shall not withhold My correction, and My discipline shall be severe!
Look at My Son, look at My beautiful Son... How do you see Him?... Your vision is marred! Your hearts are corrupted! You have all blinded yourselves to His image! For the multitude of these idols surround you, and your shame covers you still... Preaching, to My people, another Jesus!... YOU BROOD OF VIPERS! You shall all starve, as HE eats the fat of the land and gathers His spoil! You know not the voice of The Lord your God!... Lo, I have spit you out! With bitter tears I weep, as I tell you, I DO NOT KNOW YOU!
I had sent My servants to you, yet you had no eyes to see. They spoke to you, yet you had no ears to hear. Therefore have I caused My sons to prophesy against you! THEREFORE SHALL I SPEAK AGAINST YOU! For your ways I do hate! All your pride and showmanship are a great perversion of My majesty! And when I called to you, saying,COME OUT!, you would not hear... You refused to listen!
Churches of men, look on all you have done! You are trapped, ensnared by all your harlotries, which you have in common with your estranged mother, the catholic church... Satan shall devour you together!
Yet many of you will come to sing in that Day! And though you are left desolate, and brought to utter ruin, I have reserved to Myself a great remnant from among you... A great multitude who shall sing for Me, even unto their dying breath... For I am God, and this is My will.
My sons, I know this scroll, once eaten, is very sour in your stomachs. Yet know and understand, it will surely accomplish My purpose. And when I cause you to open your mouths, I shall speak, and I shall be very terrible unto them...
I shall utter My judgments against this generation and tear this people...
And as a piece of unshrunk cloth tears away from a garment,
So shall this people be torn...
I shall rend their hearts...
A rent which is deep, a rent made wide...
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With Instructables you can share what you make with the world, and tap into an ever-growing community of creative experts.
6 Life Hacks Using Hot Glue
How To Make Pierce Work Jewelry
Best Codes
My Money-Saving Habits
Clay flower pot - with a twist
Ultimate boredom toy, or for just whenever
Hornets nest hiding spot
3-in1 table
10 Life Hacks Using Rubber Bands
The Only knot you need to know.
Make Energy From Weeds
Compact Grappling hook
Enchanted Forest Mushroom Lights
DIY Clocks
DIY Emoji Patches
Plastic Bag Rug!
Waterproof Paper Wallet
Natural Mood Enhancers
Infused Oils for Aromatherapy & Skincare
Cute Corner Bookmarks!
101 Crafty Gifts
Home-made Organic Toothpaste 'Snow Caps' Old Swiss Teeth Whitening Recipe
Lego pen holder
How to Make Pumpkin Seed Salsa
DIY Reflective Cycling Sweatshirt - Skeleton and Japanese Demon
How to Make a Bow and Arrow
Thanksgiving Candy Turkey
Stocking stuffer gift: Money soap
DIY Wall Pop Art
Winged Boots with Sugru
Steel toe bunny slippers
Conductive Poetry
Wooden DIY Tool Organizer
Spider Attack
Five Simple Life Hacks-Part 2
DQ Peanut Buster Parfait- Life Hack
Life Hacks That You Need To Know
Top Ten Life Hacks to Improve Your Life
Hack Lego for everyday life
Domestic life hacks
Life Hacks
Apple Cider Press with Grinder
A Week of Healthy Meals Made in 2 Hours
Lego Minecraft Dog
Light saber (Star-wars) DIY
pocket crossbow
How to make an eye!
Purple Flowered Dress
Tie-Dye With The Kids
Tie Dye Drop Coth Shoes
Skeleton Shoes made with Laser Cut Stencils
Tie Dye Party! Learn to Tie Dye!
Custom Leather Knife Sheath
Glowing Pandora Flowers
Fire Balloon
The Quest for the Perfect Wallet
Make the best tweezers around
How To: Litter Box Train Your Hedgehog
Building a Home Theater Room
Two-Pronged Hunting Spear
how to make PAPER
Chocolate Temptress Porter Muffins
PVC Training Swords
Quick and Simple Dry Erase Board
DIY Photo Pocket Cushion
Make a Rune Blade
How to Get Beautiful, Natural Hair
how to wash your hair less
Jell-O popsicles
[Campfire Recipes] Bake a Cake in an Orange
DIY Circle Skirt/ Skater Skirt
Simple skirt with hidden pockets, no pattern needed!
DIY Midi Circle Skirt with Pockets : No Pattern!
Boat Bed with secret compartments
The Ultimate Survival Kit
Italian-Style Hot Chocolate
How to package dogtags with vacuumed formed ABS plastic ==Made it at TechShop==
How to create earrings using blown electric fuse
Arduino Chandelier from Jars
Wall Cabinet with Glue and Joinery
A word on humour
Container From Lip Gloss/Balm
Cup Cake Lip Gloss Container
Make Lip Gloss
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How to find water and attract sceptisism
How to look good.
How to be attractive.
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Beach Hair
Sweet and Salty Beach Waves Texture Spray!
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As part of my interview prep, last night I challenged myself to do the following:
- Make a Kubernetes cluster (on Google Cloud Platform)
- …running Dockerized Zookeeper (1) and Kafka (2)
- …with Kafka reporting stats into Datadog
- Send in synthetic load from a bunch of Go programs moving messages around on Kafka
- Then run an experiment to kill the Kafka master and watch how the throughput/latencies change.
Since thats a lot of that stuff I've never touched before (though I've read up on it, and it uses all the same general concepts I've worked with for 15 years) it should not be too surprising that I didn't get it done. Yet.
The surprising thing is where I got stuck. I found a nice pair of Docker containers for Zookeeper and Kafka . I got Zookeeper up and running, and I could see it's name in the Kubernetes DNS . My two Kafkas were up and running, and they found the Zookeeper via service discovery. So far so good. But then something went wrong with the place where I was going to run clients from; it could not talk to either of the Kafkas via TCP, connection timed out. What's more, I couldn't be sure that both of my Kafkas were even being advertised by Kubernetes DNS.
Learning how to debug in the container environment is one of the hardest things. It's like walking around in a brewery in the dark armed only with a keychain flashlight and your nose, looking for the beer leak.
I think it is time to take a break from container-ville and use small, local Kafka on my Mac to develop the synthetic load generator. That will also be interesting, because I'm hoping to be able to generate spiky, floody flows of messages using feedback from producers to consumers. It is actually something I've had in mind for years, and never had the right situation calling on me to finally try it out.


text: Divxturka.net is using Redbunker! Because Redbunker is better than Hotfile, Netload and Rapidshare ! Click here and buy REDBUNKER premium account! Plot: TAR is based on Pulitzer prize-winning poet CK Williams' collection of the same name. The film blends together adaptations of 11 of the poems to create a poetic road trip through CK William's life. The film takes us on a journey through several decades of American life from CK's childhood and adolescence in Detroit in the 1940s and 50s to the early 1980s: CK and his wife Catherine are married with their son Jed. CK prepares for a reading of 'Tar' in New York City, and spends his nights struggling to write new poems, haunted by memories of his past. As CK drives to his reading in New York City, he remembers central moments of his life: we come to experience and understand both his relationship to love and loss, and how he found his calling as a poet through the women in his life. The film takes us back and forth between past and present, punctuated by voice-over from CK Williams' poems, recreating the experience of memory and exploring how the fragments of one's man life can be turned … Genre: Biography | Drama | Romance IMDB Rating: 5.7/10 from 277 users Directed by: Edna Luise Biesold, Sarah-Violet Bliss Starring: James Franco, Mila Kunis, Jessica Chastain Release Name: Tar.2012.DVDRip.x264-PHOBOS Size: 681 MB Video: MKV | 720×402 Audio: English | AAC Runtime: 1h 12mn Information: Code: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2133333/ Download: Code: Single Link No Extraction http://www.redbunker.net/jjiyghok781k/t12.dvdrip-PHOBOS.mkv.html One Link Download Tar (2012) DVDRip IF YOU LIKE MY UPLOADS PLEASE GET A REDBUNKER PREMIUM ACCOUNT, Thank You All for your Support


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Let's use our community to the best of our abilities :)
Schools can use bi-weekly newsletters, monthly newsletter, or possibly weekly newsletters
Community members who may not be able to get out of their homes may still be able connect with the schools and following and listening to the extra-curricular activities on the radio.
A lot of work, but just calling our students parents and making them aware of their child's behavior and upcoming events in which they can get involved.
With unlimited extra-curricular activities at our school, their programs need to make money so they go out into the community and sell their fundraising product. A great way to connect with community and make them aware of upcoming events at RAHS. It could be given to them on a 1/2 sheet of paper or provide them with the school website address where they can access all the events.
Community Charity
i.e. Relay for Life, Darfur Awareness Run, Diabetes Walk, 623 run etc.
A community carnival put on by students and staff that invites the community to play games, have fun, and interact with each other.
Sporting events
Band & Choir Concerts
Specific Cultural Programs
Art shows
Play matinees
Student Volunteers
Baby Day
Toddler Day
Bring the school to the community-sponsored events.
Invite people from the community to talk about certain topics
Invite local companies
Different languages used on wall hangings
Multicultural Posters
Education Assistants
Language Lines
Appropriate greeting ie: handshake, bow, welcoming phrase, etc
Holidays and celebrations
Get involved with cultural meetings, programs, etc.
Make connections with local businesses. For example, for our Physical Education 12 class, we have built a good relationship with County Cycles in Roseville where they come and maintenance all 40 of our bikes 3x a year at No Charge.
Fire Department


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I'm changing the look of this website, but it is a work in progress. You may notice some pages look different than others, until I get the update done. Thank you for your patience!
I made this Cricut 70th birthday card for my Dad this year.
I wanted it to be really special! I included photos of him on the inside. The card is a half fold card, measuring 5.5" x 8.5". The cartridge used for this project is Storybook. The Stamping Solutions cartridge was used for "Happy Birthday". See the instructions below for all the cut sizes.
Materials Needed to make a Cricut 70th Birthday Card:
Quick Summary for this Cricut 70th Birthday Card:
Stamping Solutions:
Instructions for Cricut 70th Birthday card:
1. Fold a 8.5" x 11" piece of cardstock in half to create a 5.5" x 8.5" card. This will be the card base.
2. Cut two mats for the cover. I did solid card stock first (the mauve) then used a patterned mat next. Cut these at 8" x 5" and 7.5" x 4.5". Glue then to the cover.
3. Using the Storybook cartridge, load solid paper and select the "7" and the "0" button (these are buttons 33 and 36). Cut at size 5". You can also cut a shadow of each number by loading a contrasting sheet of paper, pressing "shadow" then "repeat last" and "cut".
Using the Stamping Solutions cartridge, select "happy
birthday" (button 17) and cut at size 1.75". You
can also cut a shadow of each number by loading a contrasting sheet
of paper, pressing "shadow" then "repeat last" and "cut".
Assemble the card by gluing all the components on the front
of the card.
5. For the inside, you can repeat the mats on the right side, and print out a verse of your choosing. For the left side, I cut a design on Storybook for the background (I selected "shift", selected "H" button 8, then "accent/frame". This was cut at size 8". I then cut out small photos of my dad, matted them, and glued them on the inside cover.
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