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Tuesday, May 26, 2009
How to Break Someone's Heart
"Oh, yes I can," I foolishly responded.
"Oh, no you can't. I'll start screaming," she said. I tugged on her some more and she started screaming.
I pushed her back in the car. "Are you crazy? There are people everywhere," I said.
"I don't care. If you don't care about my feelings. I don't care about yours," she responded.
My daughter was participating in the town's recreation track program. There was a track meet scheduled that afternoon and everything seemed to be going fine until we arrived in the parking lot.
Perhaps, it was the fact she couldn't find her track-issued t-shirt that day, or maybe it was because I wouldn't let her eat before her race and she was getting cranky. Either way, she was a bitch and I was getting irate.
Since there were no physical ailments stopping her like a broken leg, sprained neck or twisted vertebrae, I didn't want to let her off the hook. My policy was if you started something you had to finish it. And all she needed to do that day was run a lousy 100 meters down the back stretch of the track. She could leave after that if she wanted. But she didn't budge.
I couldn't understand it. She's actually a good sprinter and usually wins her races. I enjoy watching her and I think she enjoys being watched. I had re-arranged my afternoon to take her to the meet and I had even charged up the video camera so I could film her racing down the track. We had arrived on time and all she had to do was step out of the car and walk a few yards to where her team was assembled. These were just a few simple things she had to do and then I would feel better.
She wasn't moving. She wasn't getting out.
I knew I would have to take it in stages - exiting the car, walking to the track, getting her to the starting line. Coaxing a kid is like diffusing a bomb. One false move and the whole mission is compromised.
More families were pulling into the parking lot. They parked, walked by our car, and looked over and saw us sitting there. They would wave and then motion to the track. I nodded my head and gave them the one minute sign. Then I turned to my daughter with all the compassion I could muster: "You'll be the only one not there. You're gonna let your team down."
"I don't care. They're all dorks," she deftly answered.
"Listen, you're getting out of the car and you're going to the track," I said. She shook her head as I spoke. "If you're not going to run then you need to tell the coach that yourself."
I opened the car door and walked towards the track entrance. I had to stay strong and not look back. I didn't hear any car doors opening so I kept walking until I was out of her line of sight. Then I quickly snuck behind a bleacher to spy on the car.
The parents in the stands looked at me oddly. I couldn't let them know I had no control over my child so I tried to pretend I was looking for something on the ground.
"Hey, is your daughter going to run today?" a parent asked.
"Uh, yeah. She's just getting her sneakers on," I replied.
Come on get out. Don't leave me hanging here, I said to myself. Don't make me talk to these people.
Eventually, I saw the car door open and my daughter step out. I let out a sigh of relief and sat myself down on a bleacher. It was a small victory that would be short-lived.
My daughter moped her way into the stands and sat down next to me.
"You can't be here," I said. "The stands are for parents. Down there is where you belong."
"I'm not going," she said.
I looked around and saw the other parents watching us. I'm a self-conscious wimp. I don't like making scenes in public. My daughter was feeding off of this.
"I hate track," she continued, her voice rising. "Running is stupid."
I wanted to reach out and throttle her right then and there. But instead, I stood and calmly walked out of the stands and onto the field, pretending I wanted to get a little closer to the athletic action at hand.
I figured I was able to lure her once before, maybe I could do it again. Besides, I knew she would not want to sit in the bleachers with all the other parents, even she would start to feel uncomfortable.
It seemed to work. She got up and followed me to the center of the field. My goal was to get her to a parental safe zone - a place where I could speak and no one else could hear. At that place, I could give her a verbal berating that would help me release some steam and give her tons of things to talk to her therapist about in the coming years.
I stood my ground pretending to watch the other teammates getting ready for their races. She nudged herself against me and asked when we would be going home.
"After you run your race, you can go home!" I snapped.
"Not running. Hate it."
"I came all the way down here to watch you run. I think you should run," I said.
"I don't care, that's your problem. I don't need to watch myself run."
"Look, it's just a 100 meters. It'll take you a couple of seconds. You'll be done and we can leave."
She just shook her head and folded her arms across her chest.
I placed my hands firmly on her shoulders, bent over and looked her in the eye. "If you don't run, you lose your phone."
"You're not taking my phone."
"Oh, yes I am."
"Oh, no you're not," she said with the added side-to-side head shake.
I wanted to pick her up and throw her onto the starting line, but a couple of other parents had meandered onto the field and I could see them watching me out of the corner of my eye.
I knew the next step would be a screaming match and I wasn't going to let that happen. So I ever so gently dug two fingers into her spine, pushed her forward and told her we're going home.
I kept my hand on her back and walked her briskly to the exit. As I passed one of the parents I just pointed to my daughter and told them she wasn't feeling well.
I kept pushing and smiled at the parents who gave me a nod of surprise.
I calmly got her into the car, sat myself down and started the engine. As we drove, I exploded:
"You couldn't run a goddamn, lousy sprint, huh! You had to just stand there! Well, now you're going to pay. No phone, no TV and no computer. I don't care if you sit in your room by yourself the rest of the week. You're not getting anything!"
She was silent the rest of the ride. When we got home, she left the car, went straight to the room and shut her door.
I didn't hear from her for a couple of hours, then my wife told me to go look what she had posted on her door.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Boston Daze
I moved to Boston in the winter and was glad to find a warm place with steam heat. When I moved, all I had was a couple of suitcases, an old bicycle and an alarm clock. No bed and no furniture.
The first thing Curt and I did (Curt moved up from my home town to take the second bedroom) was to go out late at night and drive to the back of the local convenience stores. There we found our furniture - plastic milk crates. This was well before IKEA opened up around the country and made the need for such staples obsolete. The CD also put the final nail in the coffin on those plastic cages that were perfectly sized for holding and lugging LPs.
Later, we would buy plywood and cut pieces for shelving that could be placed over the crates. This was also well before Home Depot, so we would have to beg the local lumber place to cut our wood to specific sizes.
My last piece of furniture was a bed. Until I had a bed, I was sleeping on the floor with a blanket and pillow. Did I mention that I was dirt poor. My goal was to have 5 bucks at the end of each week after all the expenses ate into my meager paycheck. It didn't always work.
But I still needed to move up in the world so I bought cinder blocks, a full piece of plywood and a 6 inch piece of foam rubber. A local place in Boston advertised the foam and would cut it to any size. That's all I needed to know for the sale. The whole investment was under $50 and much cheaper than the luxurious futons which were becoming quite popular. I think Curt had a futon.
I stretched my flannel sheets over the foam which sat on top of my rock-hard plywood, which rested on top of my four 20-pound cinder blocks. I remember feeling so proud that first night when I pulled those covers over me and rested my head on the pillow.
Then June arrived. The temperature in the tenement soared. We didn't open our big wood framed windows because there we no screens, the noise outside was not conducive for sleeping and we were always afraid of some seagull flying into the room.
We did go out and buy hi-speed fans which helped stir the thick hot air in our apartment but there was not much relief until the sun went down. And even then there wasn't much respite, because I, in all my wisdom, was sleeping on a frickin' foam mattress with flannel sheets.
When I would arise from my bed, the bed curled up along my back because the sweat from my body and the chemical reaction of the foam formed a glue-like bond to my body.
One time I was able to stand on my feet with my bed affixed perfectly to me from head to toe. If the doors to the rooms were a bit bigger I may have been able to make it out of the apartment and onto the street in this pose.
I'll remember those days of hell fondly. I must've lost 20-30 pounds back then.
Monday, May 18, 2009
The Chaperone
I volunteered to go on my son's 8th grade field trip to Washington, D.C. as a chaperone. I figured it would be a day off from work, a chance to see an important museum that I had never been to (U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum), and hang with my son's class and some of the moms that would accompany the trip as well (Mom's I would Like to have Fun with).
We're about 4 hours north of D.C., so when I was reminded that the buses would leave by 6:30am the notion of fun started to drift out the door. I'm not a morning person and I knew I would spend the night before trying to coax myself to sleep so I could get up at 5:30am and get showered, dressed and fed in time to leave.
At about 1:30am I was pounding my pillow. "Fuck, I have to fall asleep."
I got up, assessed the situation, felt the heaviness in my head and knew it was going to be a crappy day.
I forced myself to shower, shave and dress. I prepared some breakfast, cleaned up the dishes and ran upstairs to the bathroom. I had one more important thing to do.
If I couldn't take a dump right away, my next chance would be at a rest stop along Route 95. And I knew my sphincter would not cooperate then. I had ten minutes to try at home and as soon as I sat down, I knew it was going to be fruitless.
I thought briefly about busting open the enemas I had bought for Mother's Day, but I knew there would be multiple minor temblors after the initial eruption. I just didn't have the time or place for that risk.
So, I hopped in the car with my son and raced down to the school to meet at the appointed time.
We would be a three-bus convoy and I was on bus #2. It was a cool bus. Some nice moms and kids seemed okay. But as soon as I sat down I heard a sneeze. The chubby, Asian girl with glasses, who was sitting one row behind me on the other aisle leans over to her neighbor and says, "I have a cold." She proceeds to blow snot out of her nose for a good 20 seconds, then finishes up with a few coughs.
What dumb-ass parent thinks it's okay to send their germ-infested child on a hermetically-sealed bus for 4 hours each way? I'll tell you who, a parent who doesn't want that kid in their own house for the day.
Well, I'm a bordering hypochondriac. I can't stand enclosed space and the germs that go with it. And when I hear coughs or sniffles, I freak out. I start holding my breath and try to clear out of the perimeter. I'd rather inhale someone else's fart than risk the possibility of some rhino virus getting into my body.
Every time she expelled mucus serum from her head, I would give her the evil eye. Of course, she never saw me do this but it was a way to channel my anger at her selfishness. Did she really need to go to Washington and visit the Holocaust Museum? She's Asian, what affinity did she have to that history? None. Get off the bus.
For the next 4 hours, I would not only think about the germs floating through my air space but I would also listen to 39 other school children screech, shriek, shrill and squeal. Again, my heart goes out to these teachers. They must have olfactory fatigue because they didn't seem bothered by this cacophony. I couldn't believe the calmness these teachers exhibited. But, if the teachers weren't reacting, then I knew I couldn't either.
Finally, the noise on top of the impaction I was beginning to feel in my bowels caused my body to just give way and pass out. It was an overpowering heaviness that beset me and it was welcomed.
I don't know what awoke me. It could've been the awkward slant of my head that now caused a muscle spasm in my neck, or it could've been the asshole that was beginning to paint the other half of the handlebar mustache on my face. Thank goodness it was just a mascara pen instead of the typical black Sharpie used at many colleges these days.
We arrived in D.C. and entered the museum. All I could think about was my consitpation. I knew nothing would budge until I got some more food on top. I was hoping further digestion would cause some act of peristalsis.
No. I wouldn't make it. As soon as my sphincter saw the horrid conditions of the transports to the camp, it would seize up and never let go. A slow death of poop buildup would occur. I would beg for a bullet right then and there.
I told the group I was chaperoning that I was going to be a little slower because I wanted to read all the exhibit signage. I told them to feel free to walk ahead and just meet up at the gift shop at the end (btw, what kind of gifts do they have in Holocaust museum?).
Their faces lit up and we both dispersed in opposite directions. They ran past the Dr. Mengele experiment exhibit and I ran to the Men's Room to unleash my own version of Allied bombing.
But, as was typical, throughout most of the war, there were no direct hits on the camps. I came up empty and now my body was retaliating. My legs felt weak, I imagined toxic fluids ciruclating throughout my body, and I sensed as if something was moving up my chest to the bottom of my throat. I was stuffed to the gills and not in a good way.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
What the Hell is that?
I surfed the web. I checked and re-checked my e-mail accounts. I got on my hands and knees and went under my desk to tinker with the wires down below. Got back to my chair and checked the weather, my stocks and my horoscope. I bounced my rubber stress ball off the wall. I checked the local news and national news and watched a video of a town overrun by chickens.
When our CFO got on the call to go over the financials, I left my office and went to the bathroom. No one missed me. No one knew I was gone. And no one was going to ask me any questions.
When I sat back down, I repeated a few of the previous routines because I had only killed about an hour.
And then I started playing with features on my cell phone. I checked my contact list. I put a couple of scenarios into my tip calculator, like splitting a $32.14 bill six ways. I changed my background wallpaper a few times and then put it back to the original because I liked that one the best. From my window, I videotaped a work crew across from my building paint white stripes on a newly paved blacktop parking lot. I erased it, though, because I was too far away and the image was too shaky.
I switched to the camera feature and took a few snapshots of things outside, like a plane flying by and ferry boat going down the Hudson. I erased those as well because they came out blurry.
I took some close-up shots of things in my office, like my computer screen, my hand on the keyboard, some plaques on the wall. Those were cool.
But then I tried to take some self portraits of me sitting at my desk. All I got was my fat face. I could've been anywhere. I played with a few more angles and then reached way behind my back and got a birdseye view of me sitting at my desk in front of my computer.
I freaked out. What the hell was that bald spot doing on my head???
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
53 degrees
When the leaves start falling off the trees, I begin calculating how long I have until the return of warmer temperatures. I have determined that we have 6 months of good weather and 6 months of bad. So when daylight savings kicks in, I hit the timer, hunker down and do my best to endure the shorter days of sunshine, colder air and general loss of energy.
But as the cycle nears its end, I begin anticipating all the glorious days ahead of me. Light until nearly 9 o'clock, green grass and budding trees, barbecues on the patio, women who wear less clothing, and warmth.
I'm talking about full body warmth. The kind that eradicates my frozen fingers and toes, my constantly dripping noses, and the poor posture I endured from leaning into cold winds with layers of clothing stacked upon my body.
That proverbial light at the end of the tunnel is real. And what propels me forward is the weather report.
While March is typically the month when spring begins, we all know it's a tease. Temperatures stay in 30's and 40's and the furnace remains on in my house.
Then there's April, probably the cruelest month of the year. April is like a stripper who gets down to her bra and panties, dances provocatively in front of you, takes your dollar and then walks off the stage laughing. What was that? I can stroll through the lingerie department at Macy's and get that from a mannequin.
April has days when the temperatures can reach the 70s and days when it's windy and rainy and in the 40s. April encourages your body to open up like that tulip in your garden, and then bam, it hits you with cold-hearted rawness that deflowers you.
As I write this, it is May and one would think we are well into the heart of spring. But as I drove into work today and listened to the weather report I heard numbers as disappointing as my 401K returns.
"Today will be partly cloudy with gusty winds at time and a high of 53 degrees."
I can take some clouds. I can take some wind. But I can't take frickin' 53 degrees. I can't take it in May, or at anytime for that matter. 53 degrees sucks.
It sucks when we go from fall to winter because it does not provide enough cold to produce a snowflake. And it sucks as we go from winter into spring because it does not provide enough warmth. It's a useless temperature completely devoid of any value. It only sits there to offer discomfort.
One still has to wear a coat because it's just not quite warm enough without one. One can't sit outside at their favorite restaurant because it's too cool to enjoy a meal.
53 degrees screws with my home's heating/cooling system. It's not hot enough to run the air conditioner. And since my house retains some heat, it's not cold enough to run the boiler. It stymies the whole power plant and leaves stagnant air in my home because the blower is not forcing air through the ducts.
If there is a higher being, why would such a deity create a climate that could attain 53 degrees? It is not good for growing crops. It is not even good for flying because at around this temperature ice can begin forming on your wings when at altitude.
One should never live in a climate that has 53 degree days. One should always live in areas that are consistently above or below this evil number.
53 degrees is a memorial of what you are losing from the days of summer and what you are not ready to attain from the days of spring.
53 degrees reminds me that I'm already dead and this is hell.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Mother's Day ... What a Bitch - Part II
As I came down the driveway, I saw one of my son's playing basketball. As I pulled in further, I saw my wife, the two other children and our dog hanging out on our stone patio. The sun was beaming down, there were smiles on faces and my wife waved to me as I came to a stop. All good signs.
I looked at my watch. It read 11:30am. I figured we had another eight hours to go. It was going to be a long stretch but so far things seemed to be fine. My wife loves it when the kids are outside and away from the electronics. If we just took it slowly, kept my wife in a good mood, and if I dropped a few Mother's Day guilt seeds on the kids, we could just make it.
At times I feel like one of those sherpas hiking up Everest. Using a long stick I poke into the snow ahead of me just to make sure the ground won't give way, plummeting the entire expedition to their death. I grabbed my purchase from the car and slowly walked towards the patio to join my perfect family. As I was about to sit, my wife asked me how I enjoyed the gym. I paused, waited for some echoes of sarcasm in the question. None to be had. The ground was solid. I was on my way to the peak, so I wished her a happy Mother's Day.
"Oh, thank you, honey."
Feeling like I was about to plant the flag, I sat down and decided to tell her about the news story I watched on my elliptical. I went into detail about the spa-like treatments people were receiving to blast the spackle out of their colon and feel light years younger. How trusted luminaries were lining up to have gleaming, clear plastic hoses lunged into their innards, to be spritzed with warm saline solutions (or other concoctions – Janet Jackson likes coffee grinds), and to end with a final fountain flush of feces that would eradicate terrible toxins and provide a squeaky clean digestive tract – one so clean you could probably eat off of it. And I had heard it all on the CBS Morning News with Charles Osgood.
"That is disgusting," my daughter said. The boys just shook their heads.
"Is that what people are spending their money on?" my wife said. "Don't they know how dangerous that is? You could develop a bacterial infection if the tube the use isn't clean. You could develop a dependency on this. It interrupts the body's natural ability to cleanse itself, and if the unlicensed operator doesn't know what they're doing, they could rupture your intestinal wall. I agree, absolutely disgusting. What's in the bag?"
How did she know about this stuff? CBS News didn't mention any of this.
"Plant food." It was the only response I could think of as I glanced at the pot of flowers that were in desperate need of watering under the harsh sunlight.
At the same time, I imagined that trusty sherpa's foot taking a deep plunge into the snow. "I'm ok," he would say to me. "Just slipped, ha, ha."
I recovered. She didn't blink an eye. She knew I was the one that took care of most of the foliage around the house. Once a year, she would stop at the nursery and pick up some colorful plantings, dig holes around the front of the house, drop about two cases of these things in the ground and call it a day. The other 364 days were left to me.
"I decided we would go out to dinner tonight," she then announced.
"Dinner? The kids said they would go to dinner?" I responded. My mind already raced ahead. No one would agree on the type of restaurant to go to. One person would feel slighted, tantrums would start and Mother's Day would end in mayhem and me eating a peanut butter & jelly sandwich alone.
"They all agreed on the Italian restaurant in town," my wife said smiling. "We'll go early so no one gets cranky."
"OK." I said. Was it the memo I sent around? Did they actually internalize the message I wrote? T minus 6 hours to go.
The weather was glorious. The sun warmed us without burning us. The puffy cumulus clouds in the sky formed playful creations above. And for the most part, the children stayed outside.
For the most part, that is, until about 5:30pm. That's when we heard the first scream.
"Let me in! I need a towel," my oldest son yelled.
"I'm taking a crap, wait a second," my other son replied.
The two of them share the top floor of the house with their own bathroom. Most of the time this works well except when one of them clogs the toilet and they try to use my bathroom, or when one of them wants their privacy while the other one wants to get in. The latter was occurring now.
After some more door pounding, I knew I would have to intervene, and thus the fighting would ensue.
"Open the door!," I heard my oldest son scream as I made my way upstairs.
"Give me two seconds! I'm naked."
"C'mon, I know what a penis looks like."
"No. I'm coming in." My son had found a screwdriver and was trying to pop the pushbutton lock.
"Just wait. I'll throw a towel out."
"Nope. This is my bathroom, too." He popped the lock and opened the door. "Oh, my god, that's disgusting."
"I told you to wait, asshole."
I got to their floor to see my son holding a piece of "used" toilet paper. As he said, he probably only needed a few more seconds, but my other son was impatient.
"I'm not an asshole," he said. "You're an asshole. In fact, your asshole is hanging out."
"OK, that's enough," I said authoritatively.
My son flushed the toilet, picked up his pants and bolted for his brother. Fists went flying along with the verbal assaults.
"You couldn't wait for a fuckin' towel!?"
"Fuck you."
"Break it up," I said. But they continued wrestling with each other, slamming into the wall. They knocked a framed photograph down. It was a picture of the both of them arm-in-arm on their little league baseball team. The glass shattered.
I heard my wife race upstairs. Now, I knew we'd never reach the peak.
"You little fuckers!" I screamed. "You couldn't hold off. It's goddamn Mother's Day." I tried to separate them and got caught up in the scuffle. A 14 year-old and 16 year-old create a lot of mass and momentum. I remembered when I could hold both of them in each arm. Now, I was wrapped up in the whirlwind. We spun around and around and then slammed into another wall. This time I heard a crack.
"What the hell was that?" my wife said as she climbed the steps.
I turned to look and saw a gaping rip in the sheetrock. "Nice going, you assholes." I said.
"You're the asshole," they both responded.
How could I be the asshole? I didn't start this fight I thought to myself.
This only served to enrage me further. I used my strength and leverage and dragged them down to the floor. At this point, I could only use my weight to keep them pinned down. I felt like the guy who jumped on the hand grenade in order to save his platoon. I hoped there might be one last ditch effort to silence them before my wife got to us.
None to be had.
"Get off me, I can't breathe," my oldest son said.
"Good," I responded.
"Would you get off of them," my wife said as she stood over us. "You're going to hurt them."
I guess those innate motherly instincts jumped. She needed to protect her young. I don't know if I was more shocked by her attitude or the white plastic bag she was holding in her hand.
"And what's this?" she asked. "Why did you buy enemas?"
The boys started cracking up. They saw the Fleet twin-pack their mother pulled out of the bag.
"You actually put that in your butt?," one son said.
"That is so disgusting," the other added.
I got off the boys and stood up. I grabbed the package out of my wife's hand and walked down the stairs.
"Forget it," I said. "You can celebrate Mother's Day by yourself. I'm not going to dinner. Assholes."
Mother's Day ... What a Bitch - Part I
Nothing could be tenser than a day where everyone is supposed to please a mother.
It is not in our family nature to pull together as a team, agree on the same thing, and be completely unselfish for more than 3 ½ seconds. In other words, we're a typical family.
Even with those hurdles, though, I thought the day had all the makings of something good. No one needed to get up early for any appointments or be driven to some away sports game. There were no major homework assignments hanging over anyone's head. The morning greeted us with bright sunshine, pleasant temperatures. And my wife got up early and left the house.
She went to the gym, a morning ritual she follows 7 days a week. It's mission critical, like her cup of coffee in the morning – without it we're all toast.
I used that free time before her return to make sure the kids knew what their suggested behavior should be for the day. I say "suggested" because with kids any direct demands are usually met with a complete opposite result. So instead of talking to them, which they hate, I did the only thing I know they would listen to – I sent a text memo to the group:
"Hey, 2dayz Mother's Day. U should say or do something nice. She brought u in2 this world. Don't be a-holes. Thx. Dad."
The bait was set and now they just had to wake up. I planted myself in the kitchen and waited for them to eventually appear; looking for the free food I have to provide them.
Eventually, they arrrived one by one. I asked each of them as they wandered into my lair if they got the text – again being quite careful not to preach to them in a direct face-to-face manner.
They nodded and I left it at that, not going any further with it. I thought it would give them a chance to show their maturity without having to ask for it. I would just play it cool and let them do their own thing when their mother walked in the door. A woman, who just sought a little adulation from her children. A person who craved the respect and admiration she thought every other family's child offered. A mother whose female body was hardwired to watch over her brood and would fall apart if absolute perfection was not achieved.
I couldn't take it any longer.
"You guys have a plan or what? What are you going to tell your mother when she comes home, huh? Don't bug her, don't ask her for anything. Just be nice. Can you do that?"
My oldest responded: "Dad, you're starting a fight. Go away."
Yeah, he was right. I needed to get out of there before she got home. "I'm going to the gym," I told them and left.
This would be perfect. She would get home, the kids would ignore her, there would be a little fight, she would shower, calm down, and then I would return. I'd miss the whole thing.
[And, in case you're wondering, I would NOT be in the doghouse because I went to the gym. The gym is the one acceptable place I could go, even on Mother's Day. The rationale behind this was, we pay a family fee for our membership. My wife is usually the only who goes to the gym on a regular basis and it pisses her off to know that if we signed up for a single membership we would save 50% a month. So anytime any of us show up there it actually makes her feel better. I would just be doing my part.]
At the gym, I see a lot of other women, probably mothers. In fact, I'm one of the few males there. I feel a little uncomfortable.
I start to imagine some dirty looks and thoughts like: "What a selfish guy. His wife is probably stuck at home with the kids while he gets his workout in. Yeah, he probably didn't even get her anything except an IOU."
"No, no, ladies. It's not like that," I imagine responding to them. "She's an early riser, she was here this morning. You can check the sign-in sheet. Look for yourself. Please. No, don't hit me."
I'm imaging all this as I stand still on the elliptical machine, just staring ahead. "Hey, are you done?" A woman asks. I just shake my head and she walks away in a huff.
Well, the ladies were right on one thing. I didn't really get my wife anything for Mother's Day. I mean what can you really get? My wife hates flowers and she hates waiting in lines at restaurants. The two big things you do on Mother's Day.
But as I was striding away during my cardiovascular workout, or whatever you call what you do on an elliptical, I had an epiphany. Actually, it was just a small idea which I got from watching the CBS Sunday Morning News Show that appeared on my personal TV monitor. The segment was on detoxification and the use of high colonic cleansings. It had become one of the hottest purification techniques today. A bevy of celebrities like Paris Hilton, Robin Quivers, Brad Pitt have been touting its beneficial health results – weight loss, skin rejuvenation, no more joint pains, higher energy levels. A doctor even wrote a book about it – The Martha's Vineyard Diet Detox.
How bad could this be? I mean CBS news was reporting it. So I thought, my wife likes to take care of herself, this would be a thoughtful and unique present. Again, things would be perfect.
So after I left the gym, I stopped by the CVS and bought a twin-pack of Fleet enemas. I mean nothing says 'I love you' like a good bowel irrigation.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Tough Times
Even this week I heard about a family that lives near us where both parents lost their jobs. And for those still looking for positions, there seems to be slim pickings.
I, of course, have been pining to lose my job. Without a pay raise or bonus this year, I calculated I would make more money by getting laid off, taking a nice severance and then working at Home Depot for the rest of the year.
But that is not going to happen. My shaky financial institution is now safely propped up by government money, the division I work in is considered the shining star of the organization so they need to keep all their staff in place, and I got promoted instead. I can't even buy my way out of this place.
All in all, in these extraordinary times I should take solace that I'm still on the inside of the building instead of the outside. I should take solace, but I don't.
I've never been let go from a job but I think if I were it may serve as that swift kick in the ass to go out and be resourceful that much faster. Slowly, I'm realizing resourcefulness may not even be enough in this economy. So I come to the sad resolution that I am probably better off where I am now. At least, that's what I try to rationalize. To be honest, I feel like the guy who keeps getting denied his parole at Shawshank. But in the meantime, I'm still looking for ways to tunnel out.
I'm also using these times to teach the kids some lessons about economics. While daddy's income has stagnated, and the costs of goods has increased some belt tightening has to occur if we want to keep the working capital working.
We cook a lot more meals at home instead of eating out. We're starting a "Recession Garden" where we grow our own vegetables to save on buying them at the local store. So far, we're off to a slow start. The only vegetable that was taking root was Squash, and if I calculated correctly we should have 4-5 pieces to feast on in about 3-4 months. All the other vegetables were eaten by the deer and rabbits, which leads to the consideration of eating the wild game we could trap in our backyard. But after thinking about for a while, the dollar meals at McDonald's are a more economical choice.
I've also asked the kids to dig deep and think about recycling their existing material goods for cash. While eBay is a perfect medium to transact these things on, it could take weeks to conduct a sale and then you have to trust that the winning bidder actually pays. We need to conduct transactions mano-a-mano where greenbacks flow instantly.
Combining history with economics, I pulled out some old textbooks and showed the kids what life was like back in the other recession or as it was referred to then - The Great Depression.
I told them how perfectly respectable parents dressed their kids in ragged clothing to look pathetic and put them out on street corners to sell their wares. Apples were a popular commodity back then, and the streets were filled with little urchins hawking this fruit of the Garden.
I encouraged them to read Oliver Twist for any insights there and then Grapes of Wrath just to learn a bit more on the "American Experience".
I have to say I'm quite proud of my older son.


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Online Catalogue | Software | EFFECTS PROGRAMS
HitFilm is a compositing program to rival Adobe After Effects. It has a huge amount of compositing features built-in as well as a great particle engine. After Effects has been establish longer and so has a greater range of effects and brilliant features like the Rotobrush tool, but it can only be bought by subscription to the Creative Cloud. HitFilm is available in a permanent licence and is only £194+VAT
Click here for more information
An indepth compositing program from Blackmagic. There is a free version and the Studio version with extra features
Datavideo CG500 is a character generator designed for live events. The titles are created in a character generator very similar to Vistitle, and played out using the CG500 player program, which overlays the titles over live video using a Blackmagic card. You can buy the software and configure your own workstation or buy ready-made workstations from us at DVC.
Adobe After Effects software helps you create compelling motion graphics and blockbuster visual effects with efficiency, precision, and infinite variety. Its also integreates seemlessly with Adobe Premiere Pro, Encore, Photoshop and Flash Pro via the dynamic link. Not just for the seasoned effects pro After Effects has a lot of ways to help the beginner make spectacular effects, and the common interface with Premiere means its easy to learn.
Price:£129.00 +VAT (£154.80 Inc. VAT at 20%)
The new version of Imaginate includes a whole host of new features including the ability to create slide shows from multiple images.
NB: this program can be used as a stand-alone application to produce standard definition slideshows, or with EDIUS 4 or before. Imaginate is not validated to work 100% with EDIUS 5 and there is unlikely to be an update from Grass Valley
Latest news
Email firstname.lastname@example.com
© 2014 - 2017 DVC Ltd.

subset: commoncrawl


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From the "Colors of" collection, the Heaven colorway in hues of blues. The jacquard wraps have an obvious "right" and "wrong" side to the wrap so it's like getting two designs in one! This is a thick weighted wrap that will be great for those in cooler climates. It will need a little extra love to break in, but will soften up beautifully with use.
- Suitable from newborn through however long you wish to hold them
- 100% Cotton
- 280 g/m2 - (thick weight)
- XS - 3.6M - Size 4
- S - 4.2M - Size 5
- M - 4.6M - Size 6
- L- 5.2M - Size 7
- XL - 6.0M - Size 8
wash on cold, line dry, steam iron
Why Lenny Lamb?
- Founded in 2008, designed by a family run company , and made in Poland. Fair trade.
- Made of strong cross twill weave fabric and quality tested
- Made from 100% cotton and dyes that are Oeko-Tex certified, formaldehyde free.
Don't see the size you are looking for? Email email@example.com to place an order for your size!


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Friday, May 21, 2010
Kutrappirivu is not based on 'Rashomon'
The recent times has a vivid sort of publicity blooming up in Kollywood. Just compare the films with a western flick so as to gain more public glare. Previously, we could hear that Prithviraj-Srikanth starrer 'Kutrappirivu' is based on a French Film '36 quai des Orfevres'.
Now, there are reports that the film is based on yet another fantastic Japanese film 'Rashomon'. This Japanese film made in 1940s is based on a murder narrated from different points of view out of which none of the characters speak the truth and the climax is left to the audience for deciding the truth about.
Director Manmohan says that Kutrappirivu is not based on this film and maybe few sequences will have certain shades of it.
The film is hitting screens this Friday along with 5 other films on the race.
Posted by Admin at Friday, May 21, 2010
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NEW YORK (AP) Ś The official line is ōweÆll see.ö But the Rolling Stones seem in such fighting trim, clear-eyed and focused, that itÆs hard to believe thereÆs not more cooking beyond the current flurry of activity surrounding the bandÆs 50th anniversary.
The archetypal rock `nÆ roll band is booked for five concerts in London and the New York area over the next month, the last one a Pay Per View event. The Stones on Tuesday released yet another hits compilation with two new songs and HBO is premiering a documentary on their formative years, ōCrossfire Hurricane,ö on Thursday.
ōWithout saying yes or nay,ö Keith Richards said in an interview this week, ōonce this starts rolling, I canÆt see it stopping. The band feels good about themselves, they still feel theyÆve got something to offer. Obviously there are a lot of people out there who agree. WeÆll go along with it.ö
Fifty years is hard to fathom (ōItÆs impossible,ö Keith cackles. ōIÆm only 38.ö). The Rolling Stones have been through death, defections and addictions, through classic discs like ōExile on Main Streetö and ōSome Girlsö and forgettable ones, and are still operating with Richards, Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts. Ron Wood, the new guy, joined in 1975.
ōI thought it would be kind of churlish not to do something,ö Jagger said. ōOtherwise, the BBC would have done a rather dull film about the Rolling Stones.ö
Fifty days was a better yardstick when Watts first set up his drum kit. ōIt was quite normal for a band to last a month,ö he said.
The Stones formed in London in 1962 to play Chicago blues, led at the time by the late Brian Jones and pianist Ian Stewart, with boyhood friends Jagger and Richards. Bassist Bill Wyman and Watts were quick additions.
Anniversaries usually arenÆt big on the bandÆs agenda, but Richards said the Rolling Stones felt external pressure to mark this one.
ōThis band is famous for not obeying the rules and bowing to pressure or anything,ö Richards said. ōBut over the course of the year we felt more and more aware that there are folks out there counting on us. You canÆt let them down. At the same time, you realize that the folks are right. Playing together over the last five months you realize that thereÆs this thing out of your life thatÆs been missing.ö
They spent several weeks in Paris rehearsing five hours a day for their concerts, including two dress rehearsals before audiences in a club and theater. To mark the occasion, the band has dug back into its catalogue for songs like ōI Wanna Be Your Manö and ōThe Last Time,ö although Richards held the line at resurrecting their first single, the Chuck Berry cover ōCome On.ö
Jagger didnÆt want the band to take on too much, ōbut I thought it was important to do some sort of a show, even if it was just a club gig,ö he said. ōI didnÆt want it to be too nostalgic and I wanted to be pretty irreverent about it. My idea of the tour is calling it `F--- Off, WeÆre 50.öÆ
Few people in the concert industry expect the Stones to mount one of the huge world tours that they have done in the past, given ages that range from WoodÆs 65 to WattsÆ 71, said Gary Bongiovanni, editor and publisher of the trade publication Pollstar. More live shows wouldnÆt be a surprise, however, perhaps as residencies in a number of large cities, he said.
The bandÆs periodic sabbaticals sometimes stretch so long that Rolling Stones fans canÆt help but wonder whether itÆs all over now. The most recent time out lasted five years. If anyone threatened to make it permanent it was Richards, always the most protective and romantic about the band, because of his best-selling autobiography that took some shots at his songwriting partner Jagger. Richards dismissed the idea that it created a barrier.
ōAnybody who thinks that doesnÆt know the band,ö he said. ōThis bandÆs sense of humor is basically built upon insulting each other. IÆm not saying there wasnÆt an issue here and there, but itÆs really water off a duckÆs back ... You cannot offend a really good friend. I happened to put it in print and everybody else was saying, `Oh, my God.Æ I thought it was fairly mild.ö
(Said Jagger: ōI donÆt want to talk about KeithÆs book.ö)
Wood is often the diplomat if things get rough between Jagger and Richards.
ōI still feel that necessary sometimes,ö he said. ōTheyÆre getting along so much better than I donÆt have to be the referee or the adjudicator.ö
Wood said heÆs pleased with how the band has shaken off the rust. As RichardsÆ fellow guitarist, he sees his role as keeping the band tight, and said the Stones have a greater economy in their playing than they used to, getting to the essence of the songs.
ōYou give Mick a song and have a good beat to it, he can entertain anyone,ö Watts said. ōHeÆs the best in the world at it. Now that Michael JacksonÆs dead and James Brown is gone, heÆs the best in the world.ö
Jagger was a driving force as co-producer of ōCrossfire Hurricane.ö The film focuses on the rise and classic years of the Rolling Stones, back when their shows were considered dangerous and not an institution that youÆd take the whole family to see.
Footage shows concerts cut short when enthusiastic fans rushed the stage and made it impossible to play. ōWe were playing pop songs to 10-year-olds,ö Jagger said. ōIt was very weird. You get used to it in 10 minutes, itÆs not that difficult. ItÆs much easier to play three pop songs to teenagers than two hours of blues music to connoisseurs.ö
The film contains interviews from all Stones, including former members Bill Wyman and Mick Taylor. None are seen as they are today; Jagger wanted to keep the emphasis on the era and not go back and forth between the past and present.
For his part, Richard said he barely remembers the cameraman being there for all the backstage scenes. ōIÆm crashed out in the dressing room with some babe with me,ö he said.
From the looks of things, heÆs fortunate to remember anything. The thin, dissolute rocker has given way to a character that children often point to on the streets, recognizing him as Captain Teague, father of Johnny DeppÆs Jack Sparrow in the ōPirates of the Caribbeanö movies.
The parents will tell them: ōOh yeah, heÆs also in the Stones,ö Richards said, laughing.


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Learn more about GEO. F. TRUMPER (PERFUMER AND PRODUCTS) LIMITED. Check the company's details for free and view the Companies House information, company documents and list of directors.
Know about every new company document that is added!
Take advantage of our watch this company feature free of charge and have notifications sent directly to your inbox. Whenever a new document appears on this website, or if their particulars change, you will be immediately informed about such changes. To monitor these changes, all you need to do is click on watch this company.
|Tangible Fixed Assets
|£ 78,271
|Current Assets
|£ 1,496,867
|Tangible Fixed Assets Depreciation
|£ 218,415
|£ 125,852
|Shareholder Funds
|£ 1,155,294
|Profit Loss Account Reserve
|£ 1,151,294
|Called Up Share Capital
|£ 4,000
|Total Assets Less Current Liabilities
|£ 1,155,294
|Net Current Assets Liabilities
|£ 1,077,023
|Creditors Due Within One Year
|£ 419,844
|Cash Bank In Hand
|£ 832,533
|Stocks Inventory
|£ 538,482
|Share Capital Allotted Called Up Paid
|£ 4,000
|Number Shares Allotted
|£ 40,000
|Tangible Fixed Assets Additions
|£ 11,706
|Tangible Fixed Assets Cost Or Valuation
|£ 292,415
|Tangible Fixed Assets Depreciation Charged In Period
|£ 15,977
Information about the Private Limited Company GEO. F. TRUMPER (PERFUMER AND PRODUCTS) LIMITED has been prepared for information purposes only. It is not intended to be nor does it constitute legal advice. This is public information provided by the official company register.


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Until now.
The euro has risen nearly 19% against the dollar this year, and European tourists like Yannick are cashing in on the dream trip that has suddenly become, well, 19% cheaper.
At American cruise operator Royal Caribbean Cruise Ltd., European bookings for 2004 are up 120% from last year, and 40% of those bookings are for U.S. destinations such as Miami and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
"The price sensitivity is definitely working to our advantage," said Gary Burton, senior vice president of marketing at Royal Caribbean.
International visitors' contribution to the U.S. economy this year is estimated at $65.8 billion, with the projection for next year at $69.4 billion, according to the Travel Industry Association of America. "Forty-five percent of that money comes from European travelers," Cathy Keefe, TIA spokeswoman, told Reuters.
The British pound also reached a five-year high against the U.S. dollar last Thursday, prompting Britons to hop on planes to New York to pick up the designer items on their Christmas gift lists.
"All the designer products are so much cheaper in the U.S. now. New York is an absolute hotspot for Christmas shopping, so they get an international holiday, plus they save money on their shopping at the same time," said Jessica Potter, spokeswoman at ebooker.com, a British online travel agency that handles reservations for flights, hotels and car rentals.
"Bookings are significantly up this year, and flight availability has become difficult for us to find," said Potter, who visited the U.S. for a shopping spree herself.
The euro has risen 50% from its lowest point three years ago, making the United States and all its tourist attractions a better value for Europeans.
"The only reason I'm here is that it's cheaper," said Marc Stolk, Yannick's father, after a day of hiking and biking around the Everglades in Florida. "I've been wanting to come for a while, but when it was one euro to one dollar, it was too expensive."
But with one euro now translating to $1.24, the number of Europeans visiting the United States is on a climb from the 9.4 million European visitors nationally last year, according to the Orlando/Orange County Visitors Bureau.
Of the top 25 tourism-generating countries, Sweden and the United Kingdom are expected to gain the biggest market share in the United States in 2003, according to the Travel Industry Association.
The Stolks stayed at the Everglades Youth Hostel in Florida City, where 90% of the guests are European, and holiday bookings are up 30% from last year, the owner of the hostel told Reuters.
"Historically, the strength of foreign currency has always favored travel to the U.S.," said Jose Estorino, senior vice president of marketing at the Orlando/Orange County Convention and Visitor's Bureau, which is investing $1.7 million in an upcoming marketing campaign in the United Kingdom.
The campaign, which is scheduled to launch just after Christmas, will include direct mail at targeted households, advertisements on television, in newspapers, in the tunnels of the underground transportation system and on buses. "We expect the economic impact of the campaign to be $225 million in the next year," Estorino said.
In the meantime, Marc Stolk said he is enjoying his affordable holiday. "And if the euro keeps going up, I'll come back to see California."


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Here you'll find a list of articles written about Age of Conan in the media.
Article from Itavisen June 7, 2007
Preview of Age of Conan (Norwegian)
Article from Gamer.no June 6, 2007
Preview of Age of Conan (Norwegian)
Article from Catch-Gamer June 3, 2007
Preview of Age of Conan (Norwegian)
Article from Curse-Gaming May 21, 2007
"On the 21st of May, I had the opportunity to once again visit Funcom HQ and meet up with their Product Manager, Jorgen Tharaldsen"
Article from Killerbetties.com Submitted by BMunchausen on May 12, 2006
"Age of Conan - Hyborian Adventures, gamers like me can enter that world and finally test their mettle in the gritty, brutal setting of Conan the King."
Article from comicbookresources.com Submitted by Jeremy Goldstone on May 12, 2006
"What really separates "Age of Conan" from other MMORPGs is the combat. In most MMORPGS, combat is turn based and one-on-one. Even if there is a group, characters attack one at a time. In "Age of Conan," combat takes place in a real-time, closer to a hack and slash game than a traditional MMORPG."
Article from pc.boomtown.net Submitted byJakob Paulsen (Ventura) on May 14, 2006
"I'm not saying this to discriminate people based on their age, but it really isn't fun for a 30+ year gamer like myself to play with 10-12 year olds in MMO games....."
Article from Gameclubcentral.com Submitted by Sean TheDemon Driskel on May 2006
"A well done graphics engine for an MMO, Age of Conan will feature Vista support, and boasting a strong lush tropical influence in the terrain."
Article from atomicgamer.com Submitted by Jeff Buckland
"Funcom hasn't delivered a new MMORPG since Anarchy Online five years ago, but their new game is showing plenty of promise. Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures mixes single player action with great combat, horse-mounted action, large-scale PvP, player housing, and finally city battles to make one of the most ambitious games I've seen this year."


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The one year anniversary of the tragic events on September 11, 2001 will generate a roller coaster of emotions most of us are unprepared to deal with.
"I will probably silently weep and say a prayer for the families of the lost. In fact this brings tears to my eyes now just remembering," says one person who responded to a recent survey completed by Chart Your Course international (CUCI), a management development firm located in Atlanta, Georgia. Another person said, "It is a bad dream which we should forget."
The one year anniversary of the tragic events on September 11, 2001 will generate a roller coaster of emotions most of us are unprepared to deal with," says Greg Smith, President and the survey author. In early August, CYCI completed the survey after asking people to respond to six questions. The survey showed most people are dissatisfied with security measures that are currently in place. Furthermore, employers are not prepared to handle the broad range of emotions many people have held inside since Sept 11, 2001.
Over 250 people responded to the survey including responses from U.S., Iran, UK, Philippines, Indonesia, China, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Brazil, Uganda and Singapore. One person from Iran expressed sympathy to the American people, but requested his name not be listed. He said a leader in Iran issued a statement to arrest those showing sympathy to the US.
This anniversary is a sensitive and emotional issue for most people. "There are feelings and emotions just beginning to surface," says Smith. Sept 11 will have as great historical impact and emotional trauma as Dec 7, the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Businesses have the added difficulty of deciding what actions to take or not to take to commemorate the event. Answers to the survey show most businesses have not decided what they are going to do. A few organizations have made plans such as:
One business plans to gather around the flag in front of their building to observe 85 seconds of silence at a 9:10 a.m. EST and then play the National Anthem. Many organizations plan to communicate to their employees that their safety is a priority.
Despite the changes in airline security and efforts generated on homeland security, only half feel safer about their security. Many feel security changes are only cosmetic and cannot protect them from terrorism. Responses received showed only 16% would not fly that day. Everyone, but one individual in the survey, feel certain the U.S. would experience another terrorist attack.
Smith says, "Overall the biggest change that occurred is the change in the attitudes of the American people." Prior to 9-11 the American people felt untouchable, maybe even a little arrogant. "Now we are like everyone else in the world--vulnerable. We are more dependent on our faith, our jobs, our government and on each other," Smith adds.
Greg Smith's cutting-edge keynotes, consulting and training programs have helped businesses accelerate organizational performance, reduce turnover, increase sales, hire better people and deliver better customer service. As President and Lead Navigator of Chart Your Course International he has implemented professional development programs for thousands of organizations globally. He has authored nine informative books including his latest book Fired Up! Leading Your Organization to Achieve Exceptional Results. He lives in Conyers, Georgia. Sign up for his free Navigator Newsletter by visiting http://www.ChartCourse.com or call (770) 860-9464.
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The decision came late last night - on the eve of a planned demo today outside Transport for London (TfL) headquarters in Victoria Street by cab drivers and staff facing redundancy.
Nearly 100 TfL staff, who were facing the sack if they did not transfer to a private company 100 miles away up the M1 to save cash, have now been told their jobs are safe, the TSSA union revealed.
Manuel Cortes, the TSSA leader, said: "This is very good news for all our members at TfL who were facing the real prospect of losing their jobs if they refused to move to the Midlands.
"London's black cabs are famous throughout the world for the service and security they povide.
"Staff based in Coventry would never have been able to provide a better service."
Helen Chapman, deputy director of TfL's taxi and private car hire directorate, confirmed the plan to privatise the service had been withdrawn from today's (WED) meeting of TfL's finance and policy committee.
A new plan will now be considered in the New Year focusing on how the service "could be delivered in house..."
A spokeswoman for London Taxi and Private Hire, said:
"We are aware of a demonstration by members of the TSSA union and the United Cabbies Group that took place this morning outside Windsor House.
"The demonstration is linked to a paper, on the potential outsourcing of elements of the licensing process for taxi and private hire drivers and vehicles. The paper was due to be considered today at a TfL Finance & Policy Committee, however the paper has been withdrawn.
"The paper made a number of recommendations but we must be clear that no final decision had been made.
"We have engaged with employees, unions and the taxi trade throughout this process and will continue to do so. The trades unions and the taxi trade are aware that this paper has been withdrawn and we are unclear on their reasons for continuing with an unnecessary demonstration.
"We are currently considering how licensing services will be provided in the future to provide the best possible service to the taxi trade."


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Old English Sheepdog Guide
Herding Dog Breeds
Watch All Breed Videos: A - K | L - Z
This is a square-proportioned, thick-set dog, combining agility with strength. Its compact body is broader at the rump than shoulders. A distinguishing characteristic is the top-line, which is lower at the withers than the loin. Its gait is free, powerful and ground-covering, yet gives the appearance of being effortless. This breed may pace or amble at slower speeds. Its ambling gait is sometimes described as a "bearlike" roll or shuffle. The coat is profuse, but not excessive. It consists of a waterproof undercoat and a hard, shaggy outer coat that is neither straight nor curly. The expression is intelligent. The bobtail's bark should be loud, with a "pot-casse" ring to it.
The amiable Old English is jolly but gentle. At home, it is a well-mannered house pet that often amuses its family with comical antics. It thrives on human companionship and is very much a homebody. It is extremely devoted to its family and protective of family members, tending children as flock members. It is friendly toward strangers. Some can be headstrong.
FAMILY livestock, herding
AREA OF ORIGIN England
DATE OF ORIGIN 1800s
ORIGINAL FUNCTION sheep herding
TODAY'S FUNCTION herding trials
AVERAGE SIZE OF MALE Height: 22+ Weight: 70-90
AVERAGE SIZE OF FEMALE Height: 21+ Weight: 60-80
OTHER NAME none
Energy level Medium energy
Exercise needs Medium
Playfullness Moderately playful
Affection level Very affectionate
Friendliness toward other dogs Friendly
Friendliness toward other pets Very friendly
Friendliness toward strangers Very friendly
Ease of training Easy to train
Watchdog ability Medium
Protection ability Moderately protective
Grooming needs High maintenance
Cold tolerance High tolerance
Heat tolerance Low tolerance
The Old English sheepdog needs daily exercise, either a moderate to long walk or a vigorous romp. It particularly enjoys herding. It can live outside only in temperate to cool climates, but it is strongly advised that this breed have access to the house or indoor quarters because it thrives on togetherness. Its coat needs brushing or combing every other day, or it may form mats. It may tend to track in debris. Major concerns: CHD
Minor concerns: gastric torsion, otitis externa, retinal detachment, cataract, deafness
Occasionally seen: none
Suggested tests: hip, eye, (hearing)
Life span: 10 12 years
The Old English sheepdog originated in the west of England, possibly from the bearded collie or Russian owtcharka. The breed was the answer to the need for a strong dog capable of defending the flocks and herds from the wolves that existed at one time in England. By the middle of the 19th century, these dogs were used mainly to drive cattle and sheep to market. As working dogs, they were exempt from dog taxes, but their tails had to be docked as proof of their occupation. This custom continues in modern times and has led to their nickname "bobtail." The breed was first exhibited in the late 1800s, and by the early 1900s the breed was a popular show exhibit. The Old English was recognized by the AKC in 1905. Early Old English sheepdogs could be brown, but were later restricted to shades of gray with white. Although the modern bobtail is very similar to the early specimens, it has a more profuse coat and compact body. The breed's popularity as a pet grew slowly, until the 1970s when it became a favorite media animal. Its popularity exploded, with pet owners wanting an exotic but lovable mop. Since that time, its numbers have gradually declined, but the OES still remains a well-known breed. It is now more often seen as a pet or show dog than as a working dog.


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Magic Blue WordPress Theme
We came up today with all new free WordPress template called "Magic Blue WordPress template". This theme supports widget, threaded-comments and search engine friendly pages. Also including page-navigation, advertising box, widgetized sidebar and a good looking search box. This template is very well designed and has a dark blue header and a dark blue body.
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Martha Stewart Crafts Silver Dimensional Ribbon Stickers
These stickers take the hard work out of getting each bow uniform. They are dimensional so no one will know that you are cheating (just a little).
Some of my favorite pictures are ones where I (and usually some one else) is in the kitchen cooking. It's such a fun time that it's one I want to make sure that I remember. And how better to remember it than with fun paper!Tags: food, treats, paper, scrapbooks, ribbons, crafts, stickers, buttons, scrapbookingAdded 9 Years Ago from Oriental Trading Co
This invite is so chic! I am digging the black and white details. So graphic and cool!Tags: DIY, white, black, paper, graphic, wedding, invitations, ribbons, black and whiteAdded 9 Years Ago from Michaels
These invitation kits are a great way to save money and really customize your invitations. This kit has really elegant curved details and a soft ivory color- so chic!Tags: DIY, paper, wedding, invitations, ribbons, crafts, crafting, bride, craft suppliesAdded 9 Years Ago from Michaels
These wedding invitations come in bold modern patterns yet have sophisticated elegance. Very chic choice and completely customizable.
This invitation is beautiful and elegant. The swirly pattern and ivory color make a great balance of the traditional and the modern. A great invite!Tags: paper, wedding, invitations, ribbons, crafts, Ivory, crafting, bride, craft suppliesAdded 9 Years Ago from Michaels


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ALAMEDA -- Kyle Boller took at least the first two snaps with the Raiders first-team offense Friday morning, before the media window to practice closed. Wednesday and Thursday, Boller and newly-acquired Carson Palmer alternated, with Boller getting the first rep.
On the injury front, middle linebacker Rolando McClain (ankle) appeared to be sitting out practice for the third day in a row, and he looked to be joined by free safety Michael Huff (ankle) and placekicker Sebastian Janikowski (hamstring).
Rookie cornerback Chimdi Chekwa, meanwhile, ran onto the field late with helmet in hand. He has missed the last two games with a hamstring issue.
Also, special teams standout Rock Cartwright made his return to practice after missing last weeks Cleveland game with a strained calf.
Cornerback Chris Johnson (groinhamstring) was seen leaving the facility before practice, dragging his right leg, and defensive end Matt Shaughnessy (shoulder), who was placed on season-ending IR this week, was observed walking in with his right arm in a sling.
Fullback Marcel Reece was again working on a side field with a trainer.


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- Home
- Anubis Birth Sign Pendant Jul 25 - Aug 28
Egyptian Birth Sign
Jul 25th - Aug 28th
Recently discovered artifacts show the Ancient Egyptians developed their own system of astrological prediction over 4000 years ago. The 12 Egyptian Birth Signs are based on different Gods and being born within a particular signs influences a person's character.
Anubis is the guardian of the Netherworld, Egyptian god of the future. People born under this zodiac sign are:
- Sympathetic
- Ssensitive
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18K Gold Ritual Bell Earrings with Diamonds
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The hand bell is an essential element in Tibetan rituals. These recycled 18K gold discs earrings measure approximately 3/4" in diameter and are engraved with the 8 bodhisattvas in the petal of the lotus flower. Each petal has a symbol of the 8 goddesses offering; beauty, flowers, garlands, incense, song, light, dance and perfume. The entire earring hangs 1 1/8" from 18K gold ear wire and is set with a rose cut diamond. The approximate total carat weight is 0.2.


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December 23, 2013
Roster named for Women's U-20 Championships
CHICAGO - U.S. Under-20 Women's National Team head coach Michelle French has named the 20-player roster for the 2014 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship, to be held from Jan. 9-19 in George Town, Cayman Islands.
The roster consists of 18 collegiate players, one professional and one player still in high school. The lone professional player is forward Lindsey Horan of French club Paris Saint-Germain, while midfielder Andi Sullivan from Bethesda SC is the youngest player on the roster, having just turned 18. Players born on or after January 1, 1994, are eligible for the 2014 U-20 Women's World Cup.
"At every position, we feel these players are technically proficient and possess a great understanding of how we want to play in order to be successful as a team," said French. "We have players with very unique qualities ranging from creative and effective finishers, to players who are threatening with their dynamic movement in the midfield, to players who are defensively strong and physical in one-on-one situations. Our overall athleticism will be another strength of this team."
Eight players on the roster have played two years of college soccer, while 10 recently completed their freshman season.
Three players on the roster - defenders Stephanie Amack, midfielder Cari Roccaro and striker Horan - were a part of the USA's last qualifying team that won the 2012 CONCACAF U-20 Women's Championship in Panama. Horan, the team's leading scorer during the last cycle, missed the 2012 FIFA Women's World Cup with a knee injury, but Amack and Roccaro were a part of the squad that won the tournament, defeating Germany 1-0 in the championship game played in Tokyo, Japan.
Roccaro, the current team captain who played center-back at the last U-20 World Cup, leads the way with 22 career U-20 caps, while Horan has scored 13 goals at the U-20 level in 17 matches.
Two players are from the 2013 NCAA Champion UCLA Bruins in goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland and midfielder Lauren Kaskie.
Four players are represented from Stanford University in Amack, goalkeeper Jane Campbell, former U-17 co-captain Maddie Bauer and outside back Laura Liedle.
Notre Dame has three players - Roccaro, former U-17 captain Morgan Andrews and defender Katie Naughton.
Penn State has two in defender Brittany Basinger and forward Mallory Webber. Naughton is the oldest player on the roster as she will turn 20 in February.
North Carolina, Virginia, Boston College, Florida, UConn, Harvard and Wisconsin have one player each on the roster.
While six players have yet to earn their first caps at the U-20 level, the roster is fairly experienced internationally with 10 players having represented the USA in a FIFA Women's World Cup at the U-17 or U-20 level.
The 2014 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship features eight nations divided into two groups of four teams. The top two finishers in each group will qualify for the semifinals, with the winners of those games along with the winner of the third-place match earning berths to the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Canada.
The USA opens Group A play on Thurs., Jan. 9, against Costa Rica, faces Jamaica on Sat., Jan. 11, and finishes the group against Guatemala on Mon., Jan. 13. The winner of Group A will meet the Group B runner-up, and vice versa, in the semifinal matches on Fri., Jan. 17, and the Championship and Third-Place Matches will take place on Jan. 19. All three of the USA's group games kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET and the tournament will be played entirely at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex.
Host Cayman Islands, Honduras, Trinidad & Tobago and Mexico are in Group B.
"The process of narrowing the roster down to twenty players was extremely difficult," said French, who saw 45 players in game action this year with the U-20s and many more during college matches this fall. "With such a short amount of time following the college season and before qualifying, it was crucial to find the right mix of players that complement each other's personalities on and off the field."
Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Jane Campbell (Stanford; Kennesaw, Ga.), Katelyn Rowland (UCLA; Vacaville, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (6): Stephanie Amack (Stanford; Pleasanton, Calif.), Brittany Basinger (Penn State; Purcellville, Va.), Maddie Bauer (Stanford; Newport Beach, Calif.), Lauren Kaskie (UCLA; Las Vegas, Nev.), Laura Liedle (Stanford; San Diego, Calif.), Katie Naughton (Notre Dame; Elk Grove Village, Ill.)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Morgan Andrews (Notre Dame; Milford, N.H.), Rachel Hill (UConn; Rollinsford, N.H.), Rose Lavelle (Wisconsin; Cincinnati, Ohio), Cari Roccaro (Notre Dame; East Islip, N.Y.), Andi Sullivan (Bethesda SC; Lorton, Va.), Mallory Weber (Penn State; Novi, Mich.)
FORWARDS (6): Makenzy Doniak (Virginia; Chino Hills, Calif.), Summer Green (North Carolina; Milford, Mich.), Lindsey Horan (Pairs Saint-Germain; Golden, Colo.), Savannah Jordan (Florida; Fayetteville, Ga.), McKenzie Meehan (Boston College; Scituate, R.I.), Margaret Purce (Harvard; Silver Spring, Md.)
Coaching Staff:
Head Coach: Michelle French Seattle, Wash.
Technical Director: April Heinrichs Clifton, Va.
Assistant Coach: Erica Walsh State College, Pa.
Goalkeeper Coach: Philip Wheddon Syracuse, N.Y.
Fitness Coach: Ryan Alexander Jonesborough, Tenn.


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Community EventsShare This +
We would appreciate your input on the events that we have planned for the upcoming year. If you have any new events that you would like to see the City sponsor, please let us know.
We also need volunteers to help with the planning and running of these events. Consider giving your time to help make these events successful.
Email us at: email@example.com
Upcoming Events
Sponsor a Celebration
Without the support of businesses like yours who care about its community and want to make a difference, we would not be able to reach our goals.
Drexel Town Square Movie Night
June 23 - Finding Dory
July 21 - Star Wars: Rogue One
August 25 - Fantastic Beasts
September 22 - Moana
Halloween Trick-or-Treat
Safe Site at the Oak Creek Historical Grounds AND City Wide Trick or Treat will occur on Sunday, October 29, 2017 from 4:00pm - 6:00pm.
4th of July Celebration
Join us on July 4th for a day filled with fun events. There will be a parade, games, food, drinks, fireworks at dusk and much more.
Dog Day 2017
Back for 2017!... Dog Day at Drexel. Join us Saturday, July 15 for Pier Pups Canine Dock Jumping, dog-related vendors and more!
Dog Day at Drexel Flyer
Canine Costume Contest - rules and entry form
DTS Summer Soulstice Festival
Join us for the first annual DTS Summer Soulstice Festival at Drexel Town Square in Oak Creek on Saturday, June 17, 2017.
Fall Festival
Details coming soon!
Winter Festival
Details coming soon!


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Chemical Fertilizers
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