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" Brand: Argos / Type: Outdoor Play Equipment "
I bought this trampoline for my local Argos using the reserve and collect service. It cost just £15 which I feel is great value. It comes flat packed so is easy for transportation but this of course means that you have to assemble the product yourself. When building this up the poles are easy enough to put together however it is not very easy to get it evenly balanced on the ground which is the biggest bugbear of mine. Secondly when you have to attach the elastic it is extremely difficult to get it even so that there are no large gaps to ensure the child doesn't fall through. These problems with building meant that when assembled there was a problem with the use of the trampoline. Although after hours of fiddling with it I managed to ensure the elastic was even the trampoline did not stand equally on the 4 legs meaning when my 3 year old jumps on it there is unevenness meaning an increased risk of injury which obviously I don't want.
When assembled the trampoline is not sturdy but as I would be keeping a close eye I allowed my son to use it, the handle bar meant that he had something to hold onto whilst jumping, with the padding on the bars it means he can jump in comfort whilst also maintaining a secure grip with the grooves on the soft padding. The stoppers on the legs of the trampoline ensured that the trampoline stayed put however with the legs being uneven it did move around and did not stay positioned in the one area. It also means that it is exceptionally noisy when being jumped on so definitely not a toy for using indoors.
I have found this toy to be very durable, there has been no rusting on the bars or sagging of the elastic which for the price is really good value I feel. I have stored this trampoline in the winter months in an outdoor shed, it really just protects against the wind and rain as there is still plenty gaps to let cold in so it is by no means a space that removes all exposure to the elements.
My son has had a lot of enjoyment out of this trampoline but I would have been much happier if there was some way that the legs were all even and therefore less risk of injury. My son's trampoline is not the only one I have seen with the legs uneven, many places I have come across with this particular brand that has the same problem so it seems as if it is an all round problem and for that I have to remove 2 stars. It is a good buy but I would rather spend a bit extra on getting something that is 100% safe and not as noisy!
I love the outdoors, and my daughter is following in my footsteps (along with most other children!). I decided to get her some toys for outside around the beginning of the year. One of them being the Kid Active Junior Trampoline from Argos.
* Packaging and assembly *
The trampoline comes flat packed in a rectangle shaped box. The box is quite heavy, and carrying it through town was a bit of a mission, I luckily had mum with me so we took it in turns.
Once we got home I made the silly mistake of opening the box with my daughter around who wanted to play with it there and then. I don't think a 15 month old can understand it takes time to put it together! The box included the metal pieces which make up the base and handle wrapped in cardboard and plastic to stop damage in transit, the elastic rope, mesh mat, nuts, screws and washers, a tool thing (sorry I'm not that technically minded!!) and an instruction booklet.
Putting the base together was quite awkward for me, having to hold 2 metal pieces next to each other and trying to tighten up the screws was a nightmare. Mum came to lend a hand, this made things much more easier (even with a toddler getting in the way). Once the base and handle were erected came the task of threading the rope through the holes of the mesh and around the base of the trampoline. The instruction booklet was clear and concise up until this point. The task of threading the mesh is explained with a picture of the trampoline and a few arrows showing the directions in which the rope should be going. This nightmare probably took the best part of an hour, the instructions aren't as clear as they could be, in my opinion written instructions such as "start here, go over the bar for such and such amount of times, change direction and go under the bar" would have been much more easy to follow. But we got there in the end, and the little terror was beside herself with excitement.
* Playtime! *
We hadn't finished putting the rubbish away before daughter was on the trampoline. As soon as she was on she was bouncing away having the time of her life. The handle is a very good part of the trampoline design as it meant she could hold on and bounce as much as she liked as hard as she liked without losing balance and falling, it gave me great peace of mind also. My daughter finds it difficult to dismount, she doesn't like to step down from it so flops to her belly and edges her way off, this can sometimes be difficult as she occasionally gets her feet caught where between the mesh and the base.
I wouldn't normal admit this to anyone but since I'm reviewing all parts of the trampoline I can tell you that I've had a go (quite a few times) and it takes my weight fine and I'm not the lightest of people. Although I would say that it isn't recommended as prolonged use of someone too big for the trampoline will stretch the elastic.
* Price and availability *
I purchased the Kid Active Junior Trampoline for £24.99. It is available from Argos in two different colours, blue and green or pink colours. We went for the pink colours.
* Opinion *
This trampoline is a fantastic addition to our garden. We have already has our moneys worth and we've only had it since February and it also looks like there are many more years left of use as it is suitable for indoor and outdoor use.
I would give it 5 stars but have to knock one off for assembly so 4 stars from me.
One thing that my children have always loved is their trampoline, with my Mum buying them a 6ft one with enclosure a few years ago, though this has never stopped them from bickering over the one I will now review!
The product in question is - "Argos - kid active junior trampoline".
I have to say that this was a well loved and used piece of outdoor equipment, outlasting even the newer trampoline, but unfortunately went to trampoline heaven a little while ago (due to being left outside and over exuberant 14 year old!).
The trampoline comes in flat pack design, so when my daughter unwrapped it (one Christmas!?), my husband immediately went and fetched his tools (bless him it makes him feel ever so useful!), though all that was needed was a socket wrench, and If I remember correctly I think it may have actually come with one.
The first thing to do is set up the frame work, with the base (where the trampoline cover gets attached too) having to first be attached to the handlebar end and the feet end, a feat that was (hilariously!) beyond my husband, but took me 10 minutes to achieve (it's his own fault, if he had read the instructions like I did, he would have managed it himself!).
Once set up ( and not screwed overly tight or else the screws will have the threading sheared off after use!), the unenviable task of threading and pulling tight the elastic that holds the cover or the "jumpy" part to the frame (by this time Kaitlin is beside herself with excitement and is crawling all over me!).
This part did take a bit of time, though you do want to make sure you have pulled this part nice and tight and made sure that it is evenly spaced, thus removing any gaping holes for little feet to get trapped into.
Once this is done away the child can go! I mean away, bugger off and leave me alone! Lol!
My daughter was initially a bit wary of jumping without holding on, so this is where the beauty of this trampoline lies, the child can jump as high as he/she wants to, but with the security of knowing that they shouldn't fall off.
Once a little more confident (and due to the fact her brother was then also jumping and doing tricks on it) Kaitlin decided she could do the tricks too, so started jumping side wards, flicking her legs up behind her, in front of her, splits in midair, (Olympics here we come!), the base did wobble slightly with every, and each more adventurous routine, but of all the times they have gone on it the base has never flipped up.
So how long did it last? A good few years, my son was only about 18 months old when we first got it, and it got broken last summer, my niece (who is 14 and nearly 5ft 6" by the way!) decided she would have a bounce.....and went straight through the material and nearly broke her ankle (which would have been preferable to my son, who wanted to break her neck, though it had been originally "loosened" by my drunk husband, so my niece still blames him!), though it would probably have lasted a bit longer if it hadn't been left out in all weathers for so long, by the time it had broke it was a completely different colour to the one we originally got!
Price wise I believe it was around the £20.00 mark, which for longevity of use is phenomenal, and also due to the fact that it is so lightweight and moveable, less likely to kill the grass on your garden like the bigger enclosed trampolines.
This would be ideal for the younger child, ideally around the 2-3 year old mark onwards, with mine starting from that age, but being used by the entire family, so it we got plenty of use from, and comes highly recommended from the Barrows!
Thanks for reading x
Wherever we go, and whatever we're doing, my daughter will hunt out something she can bounce on. We really wanted to get a trampoline for the garden, but realistically we just don't have the space, or we would almost fill it with an enclosed trampoline.
For a while we settled with a small exercise trampoline in the garden, but I always worried that my daughter would fall off it if she got too excited. In the end we compromised and bought a junior trampoline with a handle from Argos. It was £24.99 which was an average price from looking around.
I have been dubious about this style trampoline in the past due to hearing horror stories of children over bounding and the trampoline going forwards, taking the child with them if too much weight was placed over the handle area.
Putting my over protective parenting fears to one side, I watched my daughter like a hawk the first few times she was on it.
We had to assemble this at home as you may expect. In all honesty I found it easier to do than my husband, but I did let him have the pleasure of tightening all the bolts at the end. I didn't want to be responsible for it falling apart with our daughter playing on it. Far better to let Dad have that responsibility!
Once built, we could see straight away the trampoline was sturdy in its own right. With four decent girth metal legs which are short enough to be low to the ground, but at the same time high enough for a child to get a good bounce without touching the ground.
The elastic that attaches the frame to the weaved bouncing area was doubled up which I liked. Extra strength for extra peace of mind for parents. With an 80cm area approximately for bouncing, the trampoline provides some good space for wobbly children.
The trampoline in its assembled frame is very lightweight and I was quite surprised by this. This is probably what made me worry the most about it tipping over. My husband told me I was being silly, and even tried to wobble the frame to prove to me how strong it was.
You can use this trampoline indoors and out, but ours stays in the garden on the grassed area. As my daughter has gotten older, we have seen a difference in how she bounces in it. She has no fear at all and will jump using the handle, sometimes without the handle, and she'll also jump off onto the grass. I have relaxed a lot more around her as I see her confidence with the trampoline, and I don't want to install my fear into her.
The handle itself on the trampoline arches around the whole of the width of the frame which does help make it sturdy. There is a cushioned are in the centre at the top which is designed to be held when bouncing. By staying central, also helps keep the weight in one place.
I can honestly say I have never seen it topple once when any child has been bouncing on it. My nephew goes on it occasionally, but we have just started to stop him as you can tell he is getting too heavy for it at eight years old. The maximum weight recommended for the trampoline is 35kg.
Overall I have been pleased with the purchase and it makes up for not having a large enclosed trampoline in the garden. It has worn well over the winter months, but I would keep it under cover if possible to prevent rust forming despite its protective layer on the paintwork.
The Kidactive trampoline is an excellent, low priced alternative to the more expensive large trampolines that seem to be in every family garden at the moment! At around £20, it is much, much cheaper than other designs, and can be used from ages 3 and up, although my daughter has been using hers under supervision since she was two, and my 14 month old enjoys the occasional bounce!
The trampoline is easy to assemble with straightforward instructions and sturdy components. However, the elastic rope takes some effort to attach, and getting the trampoline base central is a bit of a challenge. It really needs to stay assembled, so storage can be an issue as it is quite large. The trampoline has a safety bar for the children to hold on to with padded handles. These are a great idea, but in practice have two problems. First, if your child is anything like mine, getting them to use it is near impossible (not the trampoline's fault, I acknowledge!). Second, the foam padding wears away quite quickly, and once split, children cannot seem to stop themselves tearing it even more.
The only real down-side is the lack of covering on the ropes, meaning that a child can easily end up with their foot going through. However, this seems to be why the trampoline is aimed at children 3 years and older as similar ones with safety covers are advertised for anything from 12 months plus. It also explains why the price is so much lower.
For my sons second birthday i wanted to get him some toys that he was able to use both inside and outside. As most toddlers are, he barely sat still and was an adventurous little boy, forever running and climbing, so i thought a junior trampoline was worth a go. I wanted one like the picture shown, as his birthday is in March and it would have to be used inside for a short while until the weather was a little nicer.
I popped along to my local Argos store and was suprised to find the Kids active junior trampoline at a mear £19.99. It came in a fairly large square box, that i had to put on the back seat of the car as it would not fit in the boot ( bear that in mind when collecting - i have a large A4 and struggled).
I didnt think that my son would be too impressed with opening a box and waiting an hour or two to be able to play with his trampoline so i made it up the night before his birthday. As you may have guessed, the product is flat packed.
In the box was everthing i needed including the instructions and i got started (felt like i was part of DIY SOS, lol). The four edges needed screwing together, and then the handle to this which has a foam like handle that runs the legth of the bar itself, and then finally attaching the mesh base and not forgetting the elastic!
As you can see from the picture the framework is purple, and the mesh and handle are green, with a bright orange elastic, to throw in a little variety. Perfect for either little boys or girls. The framework is coated metal to withstand a little of the british weather and the mesh is a coated plastic, thus making this waterproof too. With the trampoline comes for 4 rubber feet that need to just be pushed on, which i found were a little floor in the product in that, outside i found that the rubber either perrished or became stiff and almost brittle and then didnt stay on the trampoline itself effectively.
Putting the trampoline together ideally needs 2 people, but you could do it alone if you really had too. I must say that when putting the elastic on, you have to do this yourself by threading it through the holes in the mesh and around the pole on the trampoline side. I found it very tricky to maintain the mesh from becoming slack, and admitted defeat and got my husband to finish it for me. The last thing my son wanted to do when he first jumped on it was to jump, land on the floor and the mesh not pop back up again, kind of defeats the idea of a trampoline?!
Anyway, we got it assembled.... eventually.
The look on my sons face when he saw it was a memorable one and he jumped on to it and away he went, until i panicked that the trampoline seemed to leave the floor slightly when he jumped hard. Whether this was because he was being too vigorous or he was too light i do not know, as when first assembled, the trampoline appeared stable. Although i was paniking, he seemed to find it even more exciting, lol.
I would say the width of the trampoline is about 90cm wide which is a decent size for a toddler really, especially if they are doing what they should be doing and holding on to the bar.
The trampoline spent the summer in the garden and was used greatly, but now coming up to 3, i feel my son has already outgrown it. Still plenty of room for a parent o have a quick bounce and relive their childhood a little!!
Would i recommend it?? Well at £20 you cant expect the sort of trampline with the enclosure that have the extra stability, but this is versatile in that it can be used in or outdoors, so yes, but a star knocked off the for the shabby rubber feet and stabillity of the product when being used.
After my son out grew his first trampoline my mum bought him this bigger one. It took some time to put together especially when you have to thread the elastic cord through and around the trampoline to secure the bouncing mat in place. After completing this the trampoline seemed very stable and even compared to the last one he had which was very wobbly. The trampoline comes in two different colours either pink or the one which we have which is red, blue and green and costs around £19.99 from Argos.
The height of the trampoline off the ground is around 20cm which isn't a lot so the worry factor of my son falling off and hurting himself is small and I have put foam play mats around the sides of the trampoline to help reduce the risk of him hurting himself which further reduces the worry.
The trampoline is made from strong steel which makes it very sturdy and has a cushioned handle which makes it easier and better for children to keep a grip of without hurting there hands. It can be used indoors or outdoors but we keep ours outside in the garden and through time it has developed some rusty bits around the feet where the rubber soles which keep it from sliding about have came off but considering it has been outside for over a year in all sorts of weather from glorious sunshine to rain and heavy snow it is still in a good condition. In total it is a great buy and a great trampoline for young kids. The recommended age is for 3 and up but my son just turned 2 when he got it and I feel this age is totally fine to play with it.
My little boy has a lot of energy, like most three year olds. He's got a million and one toys in different shapes and forms but I noticed that he didn't really have anything that he could activley play with. I thought he was a little young for a bike and always worry about him falling of the slides kids can get incase they tip. Looking through Argos, I noticed this thought and at the reasonable price of £34.99, it would be a great idea. Not only would he have great fun on it, but it would also burn up some his energy.
The trampoline is 86cms tall, 89cms wide and 89cms in depth, it is quite big but can be used in the house or in the garden. I bought mine in the July, so it was in the garden for the best part of its use. It isn't too tall so the children can normally climb onto it pretty easily and don't have far to fall if they come off.
The trampoline itself is a simple metal frame with 4 legs and a handle going from one leg to the other that the child can hang on to. It is a piece of material stretched to the frame and tied with a kind of industrial rope. It's very sturdy and doesn't hardly move when my son bounces on it.
The handle on the front of the trampoline is padded which is good because holding a metal bar wouldn't be too nice for the child and if they do bump themself on the bar, it isn't going to hurt because it's protected.
The trampoline came flatpack but the tools were all incuded and me and my daughter had a good time putting it together. It didn't take long, about 45 minutes and we had it set up ready for my son to come home. (I left him at my moms while we did it so we could surprise him.)
My son came home and wandered into the kitchen chatting away and when he spotted the trampoline, he stopped suddenly and was like "mommm I wanna go in the garden!!" He ran out and was very pleased with the trampoline. That was that, he was on it like a shot bouncing away although I did make sure he held on tight as I didn't want any accidents. I also said he couldn't wear shoes on it to be sure it was kept in the best condition it could be.
He was thrilled and played with it for a good half an hour repeatedly shouting "Mum, look at me bouncing high!!" The trampoline says it is for 3-8 year olds although Idon't know how many 8 year olds would still find it as fun as younger kids do. My son didn't get bored with it because even after the initial novelty has worn off, you can play different games incorporating the trampoline like little assault courses for the child which they enjoy a lot.
Overall, I only paid £34.99 for a safe, fun item for my child. I can't complain about that. I've covered it up now and left it in the garden and it is still in mint condition after we've owned it for a god while now. My son still loves it and is looking forward to being able to use it again on the hot summer days. It's good to burn energy and also for fun! Id recommend this to others, my child loves his.
About a month before Christmas Scarlet baby decided to use my Sofa and her Bed as a Trampoline. She would bounce so hard on them I really thought they were going to break. My sofa is only a year old so I wanted to stop her bouncing as soon as possible. I have never had a new Sofa before so I was determined it will be looked after. So when my Sister asked what to get Scarlet for Christmas I thought a Trampoline would be great. I didn't want a one of the massive ones with the net around for her but a little one with a handle.
So my Sister picked up the Kids Active Pink Junior Trampoline from Argos. We have used Argos before for some of her toys and the Kids Active are actually pretty good. We have the ball pit from this range and it has been through a lot with her. She has jumped on it, fallen asleep in it, been sick over it and generally rolling around in it and it is still a very sturdy strong Ball Pit. So I knew the Trampoline would be hard wearing.
Argos advise the Trampoline is 86cms in height, 89cms in width and 89cms in depth, I do find it is quite a big item and does take up a lot of room in the house. I am glad that it is for indoor and outdoor use so I will be able to put it in the garden with her House in the summer. The metal of the Trampoline is made from a string steel frame which is then coated in the pink protective finish and I must say that it is very study. My friends little boy has been on it and he is 7 and quite heavy but it with stood his huge bounces on it without flinching, I was quite impressed.
The handle on the front of the item has protective padding on it which I have felt and squeezed and I must say that if she was to catch her head on it that it would not cause serious damage. Around the edge of the Trampoline is a skirt which is also padded so if she does bounce off then she will not get caught between the bars and the bouncy part. Argos advice that the Trampoline is for ages 2 years to 8 years but Scarlet is 20 months old and she seems to be ok bouncing around. She has bounced off once but we had no broken bones and she just laughed, got back on and continued bouncing.
The item does come flat packed but all the tools are in the pack ready for you to put it together. My Sister and her Partner put it together so unfortunately I cannot comment on how hard or easy this was but I know they took about half an hour to put it up. Also there was a lot of sweating going on but with my Sister helping I would have been sweating as well, she is the most dizziest person I have met and can spend 20 minutes putting the item up wrong before realising.
Once up however, Scarlet was straight on it and spent the next half an hour jumping around. She knows already that she has to hold the handle and keep holding on whilst bouncing. This was after she tried a few times to bounce without holding on to the handle. I supervise her whilst on the Trampoline as I want to ensure that she is completely safe and she really is. I have read some really bad reviews on this on the Argos website after Scarlet had the item but I really disagree with them as I find this item really good for her. Plus it really does tire her out after an hours bouncing session.
My Sister paid £34.99 for this item and it is definitely worth it as it will be used for years to come.
The Argos Kid Active Junior Trampoline is available both in store and on home delivery. It is advertised as suitable for ages 3 to 8.
The trampoline comes in several pieces and requires piecing together. It took about 20 minutes to put together which wasn't bad considering you had to feed the elastic round and through the trampoline mesh itself to make it secure.
The trampoline is bright and colourful, with a large handle which is cushioned with squishy material making it comfortable to hold, and also easy to grip.
Although this trampoline is aged 3 to 8 it was bought for my 1 year old for his birthday. I do not believe the suggested age should put you off buying it for a younger child - both my 1 year old and my 3 year old love bouncing on it, and it will see them through a few years yet. It is strong, sturdy, easy to use and not too high off the ground so I am not concerned that my younger son could fall off and hurt himself.
The only downside to this I believe is that it does not fold down in any way for storage so it has to be put away in the garden shed completely made up. This isn't a problem as we have the space, but for a smaller garden or people with not much living space this could be a problem.
Overall I would say it is a great little product for very active children who have energey to burn!
Harry is a very active little boy, so we are constantly looking for new places to go and things for us to do outdoors with him. We're always at the park and the local playcentres, but I needed something for our own garden at home for when it's just not feasible for us to go very far. We only have a small garden so have to be careful with what we buy to put out there. I walked past him at nursery a while ago and saw him bouncing madly on a small trampoline so that pretty much made my mind up for me - a trampoline it would be. I had a look around at various toy shops at prices and the best value seemed to be the Argos Kid Active Junior Trampoline.
As I mentioned, this trampoline is available in-store and online from shopping giant Argos, and comes as a flat-pack item so you can easily fit it in the car on the way home. It's only about 6kg so isn't too heavy to carry either which is good for me, as I'm not that big and strong! The website tells me that the trampoline is suitable for children from 3 to 8 years, although I can imagine a 2 year old would be able to use this properly if they were supervised by an adult. As it's flat pack, you have put the thing together by yourself, and I wasn't quite prepared for the struggle in doing so!
When I got it home, I opened the box and each of the metal pieces was wrapped in bubble wrap to make sure nothing was bashed together or scratched, and I was pleased to see none of the items were damaged at all. The elastic string and mat were just put in the box, and there was a bag with instructions and screws and things so everything was nice and neat. I laid it all out on the floor, read the instructions and began. Putting the frame together was fairly simple - they nested well together and the nuts and bolts went on simply, and fastened with the provided spanner. To be honest, when it was complete it looked totally wonky but I had done it right so I don't quite know whats gone wrong there!
It was when I put the mat onto the frame that the problems came. The mat is quite small compared to the size of the frame, but stretches when you put it together with the elastic around the frame. You just cannot do this by yourself, I think it's impossible. You have to follow a specific pattern for threading the elastic through the mat and frame, pull it taught enough to be safe and bouncy, and be able to fasten neatly with enough string to spare. Well I gave up halway round and waited for my other half to come home. It still took us together a few go'es to get it right and we only just had enough elastic at the end to fasten it properly. Our hands and arms were really aching afterwards, so this isn't one for your granny and grandad to do for your toddler! I really didn't expect it to be this hard to do, and was a tad disappointed by this actually!
The trampoline itself is very good, and Harry seems to love playing on it in the garden. The handle is nicely cushioned with a lime green padding, although there is a gap in the middle where the two halves meet that looks a bit strange. The frame is well construced - albeit wonky - and is a nice vivid blue colour that little boys will love. The green mat is nicely in contrast to the frame and is suitable for Harry's weight and size, and gives him plenty of bounce. I do find it a little lightweight at times as the back end does lift up when Harry bounces vigorously and I'm worried its going to topple over and send him flying onto his face.
Aside from these problems, we are pleased with the overall product. Despite my fears, he hasn't toppled over yet, and is content to bounce away for a long time on it. It has withstood the weather well, both sunshine and rain and doesn't show any signs of damage either which is great. I paid £15 for this on offer and while it's gone up by £5 since then, it's still a great product that I would recommend for your garden. It is small enough to bring indoors for the winter months as well if you so wish, and I think we'll be putting it in Harry's room so he can get his money's worth out of it! A very good value trampoline for children.
Price: £19.59
Item Number: 366/2490
Size (Height to handle)86, (W)89, (D)89cm.
Thank you for reading!
For ages 3 to 8 years. Strong steel frame with protective finish. Durable elastic cord and bounce mat.


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Had a breakthrough a few weeks ago that jumped me from 330 to the 400 range. The last week or so I seem to be back to the 330 range again. Judging by the video I shot tonight here is what I see. Im open to all criticism so dont be shy. All shots were thrown straight line with no flex etc.
Note:This was after 27 holes in 90 degree heat so I was a little tired.
Disc 1: 168 Tbird. 325 feet
Disc2: 168 Tbird. 340 feet
Disc3: 150 Bliz Destroyer 330 nose up stall out
Disc4: 175 Pro Destroyer 355
I see that I seem to start opening my hips at the left pec instead of the right. I also need to get more weight forward. Still working on my nose down also.

subset: commoncrawl


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Please specify priority express shipping and allow 5 weeks for printing and shipping. These prints will be shipped in a tube.
With Puzzler, Zuzana Licko revisits and expands upon some of her earlier forays into decoration and geometric constructions of abstract elements.
Licko created the Puzzler elements in digital font format, which she then used for composing these images.
Prints are numbered, signed and dated by the artist on a sticker which is attached to back of print. Additional sticker is supplied which can be attached to back after framing.
Actual size detail from print.


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LAKE FOREST – A young boy strolling along the crowded sidewalk sauntered over to an eye-catching display of ancient fossils and rocks, pausing to look over the historic treasures neatly laid out across the table. He carefully pondered his choices before handing Mike Anglin a few crumpled bills in exchange for a white shark's tooth.
"Be careful with that. It's sharp," Anglin warned, as he placed the tooth in a clear plastic bag.
Mike and Bonnie Anglin of Mission Viejo have been collecting fossils and rocks for 25 years, and like many of the individuals present at Lake Forest's annual Sunwood Street Faire, they set up a table on the front lawn of a close friend's home to share their findings with the community.
In addition to a display of treasures collected over the years at gem and mineral shows, Bonnie had fastened findings to polished rocks to create jewelry that she sold, noting that their primary aim is to sell just enough to finance their searches for fossils to add to their personal collection.
"Our predominant theme is we try to sell at low prices because it is important to sell to children to promote the hobby of fossil and mineral collecting," Mike Anglin said.
The weekend marked the 35th year of the Lake Forest community hosting the annual neighborhood garage sale, attracting thousands of visitors from all over Orange County and the surrounding area. Traditionally, about 200 homeowners participate. Although the event officially begins at 7 a.m., participants set up as early as 5 a.m., with determined buyers arriving well before the event start time, rendering parking scarce.
"People are really willing to negotiate better than if they didn't have the competition," said Jill Silvey of Tustin, who attended the event for the fifth time, with her brother, Robert Niell of Murrieta, arriving at 6:30 a.m.
In addition to the objects conventionally found at garage sales, food was omnipresent, with residents selling everything from tamales to cake pops alongside their home goods. However, no culinary creation has quite gained the reputation of Janice Huynh's famous egg rolls, a regular presence at the garage sale for 23 years.
Huynh, 50, first began to sell her egg rolls following a recommendation made at a neighborhood potluck. Since then, the number of egg rolls sold has grown considerably – from 200 to more than 4,000 for Saturday's event. Nonetheless, Huynh has kept her price constant at 50 cents each throughout the years, explaining that although she devotes an entire week to preparing for the Street Faire, her intent is not to make profit but rather to work with her family to bring joy to her community.
"It's great to see that they like the egg rolls so much," Huynh said. "All of these are repeat customers."
A large banner hanging from the garage door of one home indicated that the proceeds of their sale were to benefit Boy Scouts of America Troop 604 out of Lake Forest, which has been fundraising since last year's garage sale to buy a new gear trailer and is just shy of its goal of $5,000. Several troop members contributed items to the sale and intended to donate unsold items to Goodwill.
"I would encourage everyone to do this sort of thing because it's a really good way to fundraise," said Alejandro Valdez, 15.


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State senators from central Nebraska say that while things like Medicaid expansion and state aid for schools are likely to be issues they tackle this session, they'll only be a part of the Legislature's main priority.
"Even though there may be specific issues, whether it has to do with Health and Human Services or roads or senior buses - ultimately all those issues come down to do we have the dollars there to be able to do it?" says Senator Mike Gloor, District 35.
2013 is a budget year for Nebraska, but senators say the state isn't perched on a fiscal cliff like other parts of the country.
"We head into the session in better fiscal shape than what we were in two years ago," says Senator Greg Adams, District 24. "We're looking at about a $185-200 million anticipated shortfall."
Adams says $200 million is still a lot, but pales compared to the $1 billion shortfall the state faced two years ago.
"It may build some extra shoulder room in for different kinds of programs and things but we need to be very careful of that," Adams says.
Senators say they'll have to look at tax proposals and ways to keep money in the state's cash reserve while giving out funding because a balanced budget is a must.
"Most Nebraskans don't know that our state uniquely isn't allowed to run a deficit," says Gloor. "We can't go into debt to pay the bills."
Gloor says that's not the only unique thing about Nebraska's one-house non-partisan system, and District 37 Senator Galen Hadley says that's why Nebraska won't have the budget problems plaguing the federal government.
"I think we need to continue to have the openness that we have in our system and the fact that people know what's going on, we have hearings on all the bills, people can come down and testify, we have to balance the budget, [and] all of our votes are open," says Hadley.
When the Legislature convenes on Wednesday committee appointments will be made and committee chairs elected.
Adams says he's pursuing the nomination for Speaker of the Legislature, Gloor says he's running for chairmanship of the Banking, Commerce, and Insurance Committee, and Hadley says he's running for chair of the Revenue Committee.
Be sure to watch Nebraska Central News on Wednesday for more on a topic likely to appear this session: the state's inheritance tax.


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March 27, 2013
Western Front
The Reluctant Optimism of Spring
It's a spring training game. Some guys are fighting for jobs, others are just getting their work in before the grueling regular season begins.
Michael Kirkman starts for Texas against Seattle at Peoria. He will work three perfect innings, which isn't important. What's important is this changeup he threw on July 18, 2012:
At spring training, you can hang out at the backfields and watch pitchers do this drill all morning long. They are instructed to point and yell "Up! Up! Up!" on any ball that might be caught by an infielder.
If the pitcher doesn't yell loud enough, the coaches will make him do it again. They will remind him that although there are only 30 people watching practice this afternoon, there could be 30,000 people watching when it happens during a game.
In this photo, A's shortstop Brandon Hicks is the batter. As we noted at the time, he was a career .100/.156/.150 hitter in 64 big-league plate appearances before this swing. Kirkman's gesture is understandable and probably even appropriate given the caliber of hitter he was facing.
One problem:
Hicks' drive landed 420 feet from home plate beyond the right-center-field fence and resulted in an Oakland victory. Still, as a reluctant optimist, I love Kirkman for pointing skyward on the pitch because you gotta believe. How did he know second baseman Ian Kinsler would give up on the play?
* * *
Jim Adduci is manning first base for the Rangers. This surprises me because it seems like he has been around forever. Then I realize I'm confusing him with Jim Bonnici, a first baseman in the Mariners system in the early '90s. Adduci has knocked 24 homers in 3,000 minor-league plate appearances, while Bonnici hit 26 in 1996 alone, so it's a stupid mistake to make.
The names are similar in my mind. And when I think of Bonnici, I think of former Mariners outfielder Barry Bonnell, whom I used to confuse with former Blue Jays outfielder Rick Bosetti. (It didn't help that they were teammates in Toronto in 1980 and 1981.)
I had the same problem with one of Bonnell's teammates in Atlanta, pitcher Tony Brizzolara. I used to confuse him with Steve Bedrosian. Somehow, Rick Behenna never entered into the equation, although he probably should have.
The way to differentiate Brizzolara and Bedrosian is simple. Brizzolara didn't have much of a career, while Bedrosian did. But hindsight is 20/20.
* * *
Kirkland is replaced by Texas closer Joe Nathan, who retires Franklin Gutiérrez on two pitches. The next batter is Kyle Seager, who draws a walk. The 2-2 and 3-2 pitches are both sliders that miss. It's the sort of sequence that suggests Nathan is getting his reps in. Maybe there will be occasion for him to bust out sliders in that situation at some point, but probably not against a hitter like Seager and not with nobody on and one out in the fourth.
You know the last time Nathan pitched the fourth inning of a regular-season big-league game? August 29, 2000. He relieved Liván Hernández, who got beat senseless by Enrique Wilson, Warren Morris, Jason Kendall, Brian Giles, and John Vander Wal on a Tuesday evening in Pittsburgh.
Nathan entered with nobody out in the third and pitched four innings. He also batted twice, striking out both times against Kris Benson, who worked eight scoreless. So yeah, if you're worried about Nathan throwing sliders to Seager in the fourth inning of a spring training game, you can stop.
Nathan gets Kendrys Morales to chase that same slider for the second out, bringing up Raúl Ibañez. After missing with the first pitch, Nathan leaves a two-seamer up and out over the plate. Ibañez hammers it to right for a two-run homer.
These guys have been around a while and made a lot of adjustments in their careers. Nathan was drafted in the sixth round as a shortstop, Ibañez in the 36th as a catcher. They have never been teammates but have faced each other eight times during the regular season. Ibañez is 0-for-8 with three strikeouts and one GIDP. But he'll always have St. Patrick's Day 2013.
* * *
I'm preaching to the choir here, and it's only spring training, but can you guess who "earned" the win in this game?
Yep, Loe coughed up a late lead but vultured the victory when Texas right-hander Wilmer Font coughed it back in the form of a Morales homer. The pitcher who contributed the least to his team's success got the most credit for it, which is totally fair.
There have been worse examples in the regular season. Take the September 27, 2011, contest between the Dodgers and the Diamondbacks in Phoenix. One of these pitchers improved his record to 8-0 on the season with this performance (hint, he's currently an outfielder in the Nationals organization):
None of this is a knock on Loe, whose inning hinged on a borderline 0-2 changeup to Greg Miclat that was called a ball. Miclat ended up drawing a walk, and the situation deteriorated from there. The larger point is that a system set up to reward the worst performer is a broken system. Based on the numbers, you could make a case for three of the four Seattle pitchers to notch the win, the lone exception being the one who actually got credit for it.
Do I beat a dead horse? Very well, I beat a dead horse.
* * *
Beavan works with ruthless efficiency, if not fear and surprise. He needs eight pitches to navigate the first inning and eight more for the second, finishing with 61 in six innings. Of those, 45 are strikes, which comes out to 74 percent.
This is obsessive even by Beavan's standards. Last year, 67 percent of his pitches were strikes, placing him second in the American League (minimum 501 plate appearances against) behind Oakland's Bartolo Colón.
Still, this afternoon's total falls short of Beavan's high-water mark in 2012. In an August 1 contest against the Blue Jays, he threw 64 of 82 pitches (78 percent) for strikes. That wasn't the highest total last year, but it ranks among the top 10 for games in which the starting pitcher lasted at least five innings:
What does this tell us? Well, among other things, it reminds us that baseball is full of surprises. Because nobody expects to see Morales here.
The rest of these guys make sense. So do the pitchers that follow Beavan and Arroyo: Chris Capuano, Wade Miley, Colby Lewis, Anibal Sánchez, Johan Santana (that would be the perfecto), and encores from Colón and Lee (the two strike-throwingest pitchers in baseball last year).
Beavan puts the ball past hitters slightly more often than Aaron Cook, which is where Cook's being an extreme ground-ball pitcher comes in handy. Beavan throws strikes, pitches to contact, and allows a ton of fly balls. And the Mariners have moved in the outfield fences for 2013.
This paragraph is where I would offer the fact that Arroyo allowed 46 homers in 2011 as evidence of something if I could. Because it would make the previous table meaningful and not just kind of cool. I'll get back to you on that after the season.
* * *
On second thought, Beavan may not be good enough to allow 46 homers in a season. He is fighting for a spot at the back of the Mariners rotation. Jeremy Bonderman, who hasn't pitched in the majors or minors since 2010, is in the mix.
Another then-possibility, Jon Garland, last pitched in June 2011. Seattle releases him shortly after this game despite Garland's 2.25 ERA in the Cactus League. The Rockies will sign him days later, hopeful that his ground-ball tendencies will outweigh his lack-of-strikeout tendencies and make him useful at Coors Field.
Beavan, Bonderman, and Garland also demonstrate how difficult it is to succeed in baseball. All were former first-round picks who made it.
So is Scott Kazmir, who faces Beavan in his next start. Kazmir had a 5.34 ERA in the independent Atlantic League in 2012. One of that league's best pitchers last season was 40-year-old John Halama. Other familiar names who pitched well there include Dan Serafini, Randy Keisler, Dan Reichert, and former big-league outfielder Jason Lane.
Kazmir did not pitch well there, and yet here he is in camp with the Indians. Beavan, meanwhile, allows nine runs on 16 hits in his start against Kazmir. In the third, he surrenders back-to-back home runs to minor-league vet Cord Phelps and former Rockies managerial candidate Jason Giambi.
A study in restraint, Seattle skipper Eric Wedge says of Beavan's performance, "He was up a little bit. We got him up to 100 pitches, which we needed to do." It is worth noting that 71 of those pitches were strikes, illustrating the inherent risks in working around the plate without overpowering stuff.
* * *
In a way, spring training is like falling in love. It is intoxicating, a hint at the best of what we have to offer each other, baseball and its fans. It blinds us to reality, if only for a while.
As of this writing, the Mariners lead MLB with 48 home runs. That is the same number as the Rays, Yankees, and Red Sox have hit combined. Perpetual tease Justin Smoak, who came to Seattle with Beavan in the Cliff Lee trade, has a .386/.417/.773 line that makes us wonder if this is the year he fulfills the expectations that accompany a first-round pick.
We try not to think about the fact that Smoak's career has already been a success as compared to the careers of most first-round picks. We want more. We want a .773 SLG but would settle for .400.
The team home-run leaderboard offers similar hope, much of which will prove to be false. This spring, the Mariners are followed by the Cubs, Braves, Astros, and Indians. Three of those teams have top-five picks in the upcoming June draft, and only Atlanta had a winning record in 2012.
Last spring's top home-run teams were the Tigers, Padres, Cubs, Brewers, and Angels. San Diego finished 28th in homers during the regular season. Jesús Guzmán and Andy Parrino combined for 11 Cactus League bombs and then hit 10 in games that counted.
We know this about spring. We fall for it every time. Because we want to.
* * *
It is late March. Nobody has been eliminated from playoff contention yet. There is plenty of time to bemoan whatever fates might await our favorite teams, why rush?
Why Kirkman and Hicks? Why Bonnell and Bosetti? Why Nathan in the fourth inning? Why Owings and his vultured win? Why Morales' unexpected efficiency?
Questions are easy, answers are hard. Still, it doesn't hurt to ask.
2 comments have been left for this article.
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I never did figure out which Brian Hunter or Alex Gonzalez was which.
Mar 27, 2013 10:34 AM
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A GROUP of 16 acrobatic gymnasts from Cwmcarn Gymnastics Club attended and took part in a recent training day with Bulgarian national coach Dragomir Dragonov and David Thomas from Wales. It was an amazing experience for the athletes and coaches that attended.
Those who took part were Paige Nicholls, Keely Hayes-Davies, Cerys Spencer, Kira Sparkes, Anais Walsh, Ffion Spencer, Kirsty Evans, Jessica Boner, Emily Millard, Olivia Hillman, Lucy Bonner, Allana Sparkes, Ebbony Sparkes, Amy Hobbs, Evan Phillips and Evie Chillcott.
The gymnasts were given an opportunity to improve their individual gymnastic skills, which involved a portion of conditioning, flexibility and body preparation as well as individual elements.
Importantly the group practices not only working in partnerships – balancing, throwing and catching but learning to work with different ages, team building, co-operation and trust.
Acrobatic gymnastics is a beautiful and dynamic sport for both men and women.
Acrobats require courage, strength and stamina but also grace, flexibility and synchronisation.
The combined poise and power create a spectacular sport for both the performer and spectator.
Both the gymnasts and the coaches enhanced their current skills and, most importantly, enjoyed the day.


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No baking and no cooking means a neglected blog . . I keep meaning to come back here and at least write about my holiday but I've been immensely busy. Too busy to write & too busy to keep up with all the blogs that I follow. Has it really been a whole month since I got back? But that's another blog post . . and I promise to get to it this week.
For now, I bring you crumbly, buttery, melt-in-the-mouth, lime-scented shortbread cookies with a surprising crunchiness.


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Parents Of Slain Ohio Student Forgive Suspected Shooter TJ Lane
Each time I see a headline like this I wonder how can a family forgive someone who has taken your child from you.
The parents of Ohio shooting victim Demetrius Hewlin said they forgive the suspected gunman for shooting their son. The family, shared that Demetrius was often late for school, at Chardon High School, but on that fateful day he just wasn't late enough.


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Topic: hair loss....gemzar cisplatin
Ok, so I read that cisplatin can make one lose their hair. It said it can, not that it always will. What does that mean? How many of you lost your hair?
The problem is,in Sweden we can ask for a cold cap that basically freezes your scalp so you dont loose your hair. My husband's collegue used it and she said it was so painful that it was worse than the chemo but she was glad she did it. I know losing my hair will upset me, yet I dont know if I can do something to me which is painful just for vanity. I am torn. I am really dreading the day I look like I cancer patient. I am scared of how people will treat me differently.
Does anyone know what percent of people loose their hair? If it isnt that high, I will definately skip the cold cap. If most people loose their hair, then it becomes more confusing....
Any advice?
36 year old patient with buckets of hope


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Blueberry markets should hold steady through August as Michigan supplies wind down earlier than normal.
Thanks to an early start to the season — about two weeks — late-summer volumes of Michigan blueberries will be lighter than normal, said Brian Bocock, vice president of product management in the Grand Junction, Mich., office of Naples, Fla.-based Naturipe Farms LLC.
"We'll have good volume for the next week or two, then it will really fall off by Aug. 27," Bocock said Aug. 6.
The week of Aug. 6, Coral Springs, Fla.-based Dave's Specialty Imports Inc. was sourcing mainly from Oregon and British Columbia, supplemented by "very light" supplies from Michigan and occasional imports from Mexico, said Dave Bowe, owner.
"Michigan is down, which is not helping things," Bowe said.
Through Aug. 4, U.S. growers had shipped about 201 million pounds of blueberries, up from 194 million pounds last year at the same time.
Imports through early August are down, however, falling from 168 million pounds last year to 150 million pounds in 2012.
On Aug. 7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported prices of $19-21 for flats of 12 one-pint cups from Michigan, comparable to last year at the same time.
In early August blueberry volumes were lower than is typical for that time of year, Bocock said. Early September volumes would likely be similar to historical averages, and late September volumes lower than usual.
Because of lower volumes, Naturipe would likely switch from pints to 6-ounce containers about Aug. 24, Bocock said.
August can be a comparatively sluggish month for blueberry markets, Bowe said. But because of the low Michigan volumes, he expected prices to hold firm.
Early August prices were higher than normal because of the dwindling Michigan supplies, Bocock said.
Between fresh and controlled-atmosphere product from Michigan, Oregon and British Columbia, Naturipe should, however, have domestic and Canadian blueberries in the pipeline through September.
As of Aug. 7, no significant weather problems had reported in Argentinian growing regions, Bocock said. Bowe also hadn't heard of problems.
By the week of Aug. 6, British Columbia had just passed its peak production, but the region was still running two to three weeks later than Michigan. August will likely see a gap between British Columbia's duke and elliot variety crops, Bocock said.
Rains in British Columbia could affect quality from that region, Bowe said.
Fruit in early August was firm and peaking on mediums, with very good color and "pretty decent" eating quality, Bocock said.


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Guest Program Apprenticeship Program
Choose from the following available dates (Tuesday to Tuesday):
October 17, 2017 – January 28, 2018 (includes the Kitchen Intensive)
January 31 – June 19, 2017
June 19 – October 15, 2017
October 15, 2017 – January 28, 2018 (includes the Kitchen Intensive)
Please read the background information on this page and on the Guest Program Apprenticeship Application Process page, where an application is available. Questions may be addressed to the apprentice coordinator at firstname.lastname@example.com.
About the Guest Program at Green Gulch Farm
Green Dragon Temple, Green Gulch Farm Zen Center, was established in 1972 by the San Francisco Zen Center, a nonprofit religious organization dedicated to the practice and study of Zen Buddhism in the Soto Zen lineage as conveyed by its founding teacher, Shunryu Suzuki Roshi. It is a residential Zen training temple dedicated to the practices of farming, hosting guests, and offering the Dharma to the wider world.
Located in a beautiful coastal valley just a short drive north of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Green Gulch Farm Conference and Retreat Center provides a serene environment for personal retreats, meetings, conferences, seminars and workshops of up to 30 people. The intent of the Guest Program is to provide attentive care both to the guests of the temple and to the facilities in which they stay.
Overnight facilities include the Lindisfarne Guest House, a distinctive octagonal building constructed in a traditional Japanese style and heated with a central wood-burning stove and passive solar system; the Wheelwright Center, with rooms suitable for families and those in need of special accommodation; a single guest room with a separate bathroom in Still Water Hall; and Hope Cottage, a unique retreat cabin with views of the Green Gulch Valley and the Pacific Ocean to the southeast, and Mt. Tamalpais to the north.
Conference facilities include the new retreat hall, Still Water Hall, particularly suited for yoga events; the upstairs room of the Wheelwright Center, a meeting room with large windows surrounded by redwood trees; and the Yurt, a round multipurpose room. Still Water Hall has built-in floor heating, useful for yogam, and the Wheelwright Center and Yurt are both heated with wood-burning stoves.
In addition to welcoming guests to these facilities, the Guest Program supports the temple kitchen to offer vegetarian meals to temple guests and residents.
The Guest Program Apprenticeship is one of several entry-level work practice apprenticeship (WPA) programs available within the two-year program of study that is a prerequisite for applying for a residential staff position at San Francisco Zen Center. Upon successful completion of the apprenticeship, a student becomes eligible to receive a scholarship for a practice period at either Green Gulch Farm Zen Center or City Center; if the student has previously completed an SFZC practice period, the scholarship may be applied to a practice period at Tassajara.
Elements of the Guest Program Apprenticeship
Formal Zen meditation and training is the foundation of community life at Green Gulch and is an integral part of the Guest Program Apprenticeship. The daily temple schedule includes sitting meditation, walking meditation, services and temple cleaning. All residents, including Guest Program apprentices, follow this daily temple schedule, meet regularly with teachers, attend temple events—including classes on Buddhism, dharma lectures, and special ceremonies—and participate in the monthly full-day meditation retreats during the apprenticeship, by either joining the formal meditation practice or working to support the retreat.
In their daily work practice, the apprentices will join the Guest Program crew in welcoming and caring for the many guests who visit Green Dragon Temple for individual and group retreats, workshops and conferences. The daily work practice of the Guest Program crew emphasizes attention to guests, guest house care, and conference preparation, through activities such as making beds, cleaning, preparing meeting rooms and working in the front office.
Personal and study time are also part of the apprentices' weekly schedule.
In January, Green Dragon Temple welcomes guests to join residents in an intensive three-week period of meditation practice and dharma study. During the January Intensive, apprentices in the fall/winter program will work with the temple kitchen crew, training in the Zen practice of preparing, cooking and serving meals for the community. The Green Dragon temple kitchen emphasizes organic ingredients and locally grown produce and features seasonal produce organically grown at Green Gulch Farm.
Study and the Spirit of Practice during the Apprenticeship
Zen training, with its emphasis on the awareness of body, feeling and thought is the basis of our effort to interact gently and harmoniously with one another and in our role as hosts in the temple. Apprentices are encouraged to explore the dynamic relationships of guest and host through the traditional Buddhist practices of generosity, patience, diligence, enthusiasm and awareness.
The curriculum of the apprenticeship includes both traditional and contemporary instruction in how to host guests in a temple environment. This may include individual study, yoga and other body practices, and traditional Japanese tea ceremony. As part of the study of hosting guests and making temple food offerings, apprentices will participate in a field trip to Greens Restaurant in San Francisco.
Please see Guest Program Apprenticeship Application Process for an application and a detailed explanation of the process.


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UPTON Rugby Club were beaten 23-6 in Midlands Three West (South) by Pinley on a boggy pitch in Coventry.
The match was one of the few games of the weekend to survive the weather, but the strong winds and muddy playing surface meant both sides took most of the game to find any rhythm.
Stand-in Upton skipper Max Macfarlane won the toss and, with coach Stu Brooks, decided to play into the wind.
This required a real defensive effort from the visitors as kicking for territory was almost impossible.
Upton played with real guts in the first-half with veteran Oli Jones impressing in the back row, taking the ball on and putting his body on the line at most breakdowns.
With regular fly-half Dan Keyte out injured, centre Alex Pimlow was drafted in to play 10 and back-rower Chris O'Neil moved to full-back.
Upton's gusto seemed to unsettle the feisty Pinley side and many skirmishes broke out across the park with the referee beginning to lose control.
However, Macfarlane calmed his troops and Upton got to half-time with an O'Neil penalty against two Pinley efforts to make it 6-3.
Upton turned to play with the wind and almost took the lead when centre Will Miekle kicked through but, as it seemed he would score, the ball got stuck in the mud and Pinley scrambled to clear.
After making their way to just outside Upton's 22, Pinley were awarded a penalty and the home scrum-half took a quick tap-penalty and scooted through to score in the corner, making it 11-3.
O'Neil reduced the gap to 11-6 with a penalty but then came the turning point when Rob Heeley was sent to the bin for a dangerous tackle with players from all sides looking bemused after the veteran hooker had dived at the feet of the Pinley attacker.
With Heeley off the pitch, Pinley took advantage in the scrum and scored their second try, before adding a third from the final play of the game.


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Question & Answers #2
Michael Horton, Stephen Meyer, R.C. Sproul, R.C. Sproul Jr. and Del Tackett answer questions regarding the Christian mind, science, old and new earth, and more. Video Outline: 0:00-04:32 Does teaching a variety of scientific theories hinder …
When Worlds Collide
Truth is coherent, and we weaken our defense of it when we deal with issues in an atomistic manner. In order to regain our Christian mind, we have to have a coherent, fully-orbed Christian worldview. In this message, Dr. Del …
Del Tackett
Del Tackett is an author and speaker, and most notably the architect, teacher and chief spokesman for The Truth Project—a nationwide initiative designed to bring the Christian worldview to the body of Christ.


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Coral Princess
4 out of 5 stars
Download the FREE app and meet your ship mates!
Read the best port reviews and tips for this cruise itinerary.
|Day 1
|San Pedro (Los Angeles), California
|Day 2
|At Sea
|Day 3
|At Sea
|Day 4
|Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
|Day 5
|At Sea
|Day 6
|Huatulco, Mexico
|Day 7
|At Sea
|Day 8
|San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua
|Day 9
|Puntarenas, Costa Rica
|Day 10
|At Sea
|Day 11
|Panama Canal Transit
|Day 12
|Cartagena, Colombia
|Day 13
|Oranjestad, Aruba
|Day 14
|At Sea
|Day 15
|At Sea
|Day 16
|Ft. Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida
A roll call is a space for members who are signed up for the same cruise (same ship & departure date) to connect.
Make friends BEFORE you sail, exchange tips on what to do onboard and in the ports and maybe even organize a shore excursion with your ship mates.


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Ever wanted something specific from the Google Play store but didn't want to fork over the cash for it? Well, maybe this is the week to do it.
Google announced today that in honor of Google Play's first birthday, it was offering a week of deals and discounts in its media and app store.
"It was just a year ago today that we launched this amazing shop on the interwebs to offer the best in digital content," the company wrote on its Google Play Web site. "Since the best parties are the ones that send you home with a present, today we celebrate our birthday with a festive goodie bag full of gifts."
The Web giant is giving special deals on music, movies, books, magazines, TV shows, and games. Among the offers are a 10 percent discount with Hotels.com, a $15 gift card from the Google+ Sign-In partner Fancy, 99-cent movie rentals, free song tracks from The Velvet Underground and LCD Soundsystem, and more.
Google re-launched its Android Market under the moniker of Google Play last March. Looking to create a more comprehensive source for movies, apps, music, and e-books, the Internet giant decided to fold Google Music and Google eBookstore into one store.
The company has a tradition of celebrating its achievements with gift giving. When the Google Play store hit 25 billion downloads in September, Google launched discounts on a variety of popular apps. The company also promoted collections like 25 must-own movies, 25 banned books, and the "25 albums that changed the world."
As far as celebrating its birthday today, Google wrote, "It's been an incredible first year and we look forward to sharing the gift of digital diversions for many more to come."


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StartUpHire is the place to find jobs at Amsterdam startups. Review the list of Amsterdam career opportunities to the left. These Amsterdam, OH jobs at startups represent some of the most rewarding careers available.
You can refine your job search for Amsterdam career opportunities by adding a job title, company name, or keyword to the search box above … or click the "Advanced Search" link for more options.
Don't see the employment opportunity you're looking for? Check back soon for more startup jobs in Amsterdam, or sign up for an email alert (link below) to receive periodic updates on new start up jobs in Amsterdam, OH.
Demand for Startup Professionals in Amsterdam, OH
Startup Jobs in Minneapolis, MN
Startup Jobs in Research Triangle
Try fewer or different keywords.


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My Colitis Blog – one year later
This week is a year since I started writing this blog and the launch of the HealthTalk Colitis Community. As I look back on the year nearly everything in my life has changed: I've finished school, have a new job, live in a new city, and more importantly, my friends and I raised nearly $10,000 for CCFA.
Among the challenges I face is what to write about during Year Two of this blog. I have been surprised (and sometimes overwhelmed!) by the response I have gotten from you over the last year. A few weeks ago, I wrote about the side effects of IBD, never expecting the flood of shared experiences that I received. I fell into writing this blog by sheer accident, but I always wanted the opportunity to be involved in IBD education and advocacy.
With that being said, I need your help. I get a lot of my blog ideas from reading your comments, so please keep commenting. Over the next few weeks I plan on writing about how cholesterol drugs are being used in IBD treatment, new research concerning how bacteria might prevent IBD, and the benefits of chewing gum (no, I'm not making this up).
Now I need suggestions from you. If you have questions, this is your chance to get a whole week devoted to exactly what you want to know. Thank you so much for a great first year, and I look forward to reading all of your ideas!


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Workplace productivity in Ohio, no doubt, is sure to hit an all-time low this week.
How can anybody get anything done with all the basketball chatter? Ohio State meets Cincinnati on Thursday. Double-digit seeds Xavier and Ohio take on Baylor and North Carolina, respectively, on Friday.
That means the break room will be scrunched into a real-life M&M's bag of scarlet, red (there is a difference), green and navy blue T-shirts and hoodies. Same goes the arenas. Good luck drowning out an Ohio fanbase of any size.
"I'll give you an example," Ohio coach John Groce told Sporting News this week. "We sold more tickets than any of the other teams we played in Nashville, and there was a point in the second half when we made our run (against South Florida) that I thought we were playing a home game. There was certainly a buzz in the building for the green-and-white."
That buzz morphed into all-for-one state pride after Ohio became the only state to put four teams in the Sweet 16 last weekend. Kentucky (Kentucky, Louisville), North Carolina (North Carolina, N.C. State) and Wisconsin (Wisconsin, Marquette) are the only other states to place more than one school into the Sweet 16.
— Play Bracket Insanity with your friends on Facebook
— Success helps Xavier, Cincinnati move on from brawl
Once the Buckeyes and Bearcats tip off on Thursday at 9:45 p.m. ET, however, those in-state rivalries will return to personal and sometimes nasty levels.
Groce knows the terrain. He served as an assistant coach under Thad Matta at Xavier from 2001-04 and at Ohio State from 2004-08.
"It's a little different for me because Thad was my former boss and I wouldn't be in this situation without him," he said. "My brother — Travis Steele — is an assistant coach at Xavier. I always root for them unless they are playing us."
Cincinnati and Xavier fans don't follow that model in their blood-and-dunks rivalry. The game-ending brawl on Dec. 10, 2011 is just another chapter. That won't change under coaches Chris Mack, a Xavier graduate; and Mick Cronin, a Cincinnati graduate.
Ohio State and Ohio, meanwhile, have a standard Big Ten-Mid-American Conference relationship. The Buckeyes toasted the Bobcats' win against Michigan in the second round last Friday, mainly as a self-serving punchline after the Wolverines started referring to Ohio State as "Ohio." There are moments when the little brother picks a fight, however, like when Rufus — Ohio's mascot — tackled Brutus Buckeye at Ohio Stadum in '10.
Punches aren't limited to players and mascots. Fans might take a few swings in the stands when two Ohio schools meet.
Groce was courtside for the best drama of late, including when the unranked Musketeers upset No. 10 Cincinnati, 71-69, in '04 and when the No. 4 Buckeyes beat down the Bearcats, 72-50, on a neutral court in Indianapolis in '06. Later that season, Groce watched Ron Lewis hit a 3-pointer to force overtime in Ohio State's 78-71 win against Xavier in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, Matta's first game against his former team.
"Obviously, the Crosstown Shootout was a unique beast because the campuses were just five miles apart," Groce said. "But there's certainly a familiarity with one another and a little bit of an edge that goes with both teams."
And there's also a reason the '80s sitcom "Family Ties" was set in Columbus.
"That one against Xavier was hard because I'm good friends with (former Xavier coach) Sean Miller," Groce said. "I don't necessarily like playing against friends."
Don't expect Ohio State and Cincinnati to hold hands, however. This could-be next-generation rivalry is still fueled by Baby Boomer resentment. Ohio State holds a 5-4 advantage in the all-time series, but the Bearcats beat the defending champion Buckeyes in the NCAA title game in '61 and did it again in '62.
The schools didn't play after that until '06. Grandsons became grandpas waiting for revenge. Ohio State had super freshmen Greg Oden and Mike Conley in that blowout, but Cincinnati fans are quick to point out that was one year removed from the Bob Huggins era.
Now the Bearcats, winners of six of their last seven games, could prove they are back on that level by advancing to the Elite Eight for the first time since '96. Ohio State, in turn, is looking to cash in on a third consecutive Sweet 16 appearance.
Though Groce said he won't be able to watch closely because of game preparation the Bobcats' Friday game, he rattled off the Cincinnati-Ohio State history without missing a stat. In his words, he "always has a pulse for how Ohio State and Xavier are doing."
The Musketeers are an underappreciated bracket buster. Xavier is making its sixth Sweet 16 appearance since '90 and fourth in the last five years. Remember that when filling out brackets next March.
A breakthrough to a first Final Four is the next step for the Musketeers. That eluded Matta in '04 and Miller in '08. Mack's team is a six-point underdog against No. 3 seed Baylor, but that shouldn't surprise anybody. Ditto for another Xavier upset.
The Bobcats are double-digit underdogs against North Carolina. Ohio's banner season includes a school-record 29 wins and first trip to the Sweet 16 since '64. The Bobcats also are the lowest-seeded team to reach the Sweet 16 since Bradley in '06.
It's fair to say anybody not wearing Carolina blue will be in Ohio's corner Friday in St. Louis. It doesn't hurt that N.C. State and Kansas will be on hand to help root on the Bobcats. That's the kind of out-of-state attention Groce doesn't mind.
"The more supporters we have, that's great," Groce said. "But it comes down to us preparing like we always prepare to give ourselves a chance to win. We have to help our players avoid distractions, and we have some experience with that."
Staying in the gym and out of the workplace might be a good start.


text:
Treat Street 2012 to take place on Halloween
October 26, 2012
Treat Street 2012 will take place Wednesday, Oct. 31, at Pine Cone Acre Motel.
This year's event is hosted by KRLT-FM and KOWL-AM and will feature a haunted house, a bounce house, mini golf and a pie-eating contest. The event is free and candy, hot chocolate and s'mores will be available.
During the event, a hot dog fundraiser will also be held for Tahoe Area Coordinating Council for the Disabled.
The event will take place from 5-8 p.m. at Pine Cone Acre Motel, 735 Emerald Bay Road in South Lake Tahoe.
For more information, call Gia Richards at 916-704-6900.


text:
BP Comment Quick Links
|Strength of Schedule Report
December 3, 2008
GM for a Day
Wow. There are a lot of opinions about which teams should be covered as we lead up to the Winter Meetings. I doubt I'll be able to get to them all by next Monday, or even next Tuesday, but I'll do my best. I'm still sifting through the feedback, but the Mets, Tigers, Cardinals, and Reds all had significant support. No one seems to want me to write about the Nationals or Royals.
Today, I want to take a run at the Mariners, a somewhat more difficult project than the Dodgers. A year ago, the Mariners built up their 2008 roster at the expense of future seasons, and over the objections of performance analysts. The Mariners were fooled by their 2007 success, when a strong won-lost record had been built on a bullpen whose run prevention didn't quite match the underlying skill sets, and which got a bit lucky beyond even that. In the same way that the 2008 Mariners weren't as good as the 2007 ones would have led you to believe, the 2009 Mariners are better than the '08 version indicates. The '08 Mariners lost a ton of value to the DL, as J.J. Putz and Erik Bedard, good for 17.0 WARP in 2007, produced 6.7. Those two guys repeating their 2007 seasons still wouldn't have put the team in contention, but it would have lessened the perception that it was a disaster going nowhere.
Even so, I am much more optimistic about next year's Mariners, in the short term, than I was about last year's. Last year's Mariners were going to be terrible offensively, and not have nearly enough pitching or defense to make up for it. The '09 version is going to have good, and possibly excellent, run prevention, and has enough time and money to possibly put a representative offense on the field. The AL West could very well be won with 87 games next season, and I'm not convinced that the 2009 Mariners couldn't get there, and without making the kind of decisions they did a year ago.
The Mariners have Felix Hernandez, Erik Bedard, Brandon Morrow, Ryan Rowland-Smith, Carlos Silva, and Jarrod Washburn. Forget that the last two are overpaid fodder; how many AL rotations would you trade, straight up, for the top four guys? Eleven? Twelve? I'd certainly take the Red Sox, and probably the Rays just because of David Price. The Twins? It's close; they don't have anyone with the upside of Hernandez or Morrow. I'd take the Mariners' rotation over the Angels, the Yankees, the Blue Jays, the White Sox... this has the potential to be a fantastic set of pitchers. Bedard has to return from his shoulder issues, of course, and both Rowland-Smith and Morrow have to continue their transition back to starting, which is where the innings-eating qualities of Silva and Washburn may actually be a benefit. Hernandez, Bedard, and Morrow all had Stuff scores of at least 19 last year. Rowland-Smith's mark was -1, and he wasn't great as a starter (35/23 K/BB in 63
The 2009 Seattle Mariners will have one of the five best rotations in the American League, and if you start there, you can get to a lot of places. So if this were my team, I would do everything I could to back up that rotation, with a couple of developing arms and a couple of ball-in-play guys, and with the best defense possible. This is where the Mariners have been going backwards; their defense, as measured by Park-Adjusted Defensive Efficiency, slipped to 26th in MLB last year, 27th the year prior, and has been going backwards since the early years of the decade, when they had some of the best defensive teams in franchise history in 2001 and 2003.
As much as Raul Ibanez is praised as a clutch player, his diminished range is a big part of the declining defensive performance of late. Yuniesky Betancourt hasn't followed up on his excellent rookie season, and Jose Lopez has struggled. Ichiro Suzuki, in terrific shape, is nevertheless 34, and 34-year-olds need to move from center field to a corner spot just as he did at midseason. To help the Mariners, I would try to have as many above-average defensive players on the field-no, more specifically, in the outfield-as is reasonable. Fixing the offense will have to happen, but with enough run prevention-generally cheaper to purchase or acquire-you can get away with an average or slightly-below offense, and there are a lot of cheap bats out there this year.
Ibanez was simply terrible, with a -18 in John Dewan's Plus/Minus system last year, and -25 in 2007. That's plays, which for outfielders translates to singles, as well as doubles and some triples. Upgrade from that to an average left fielder, and you save 10 to 15 runs. Upgrade to a plus outfielder and save 20 to 30 runs. Two candidates are Eric Byrnes, who does play very good defense and who may be available cheaply from the Diamondbacks, and the Nationals' Willie Harris, who will be hard-pressed to play in 140 games again with Josh Willingham added to the fold in Washington. Harris was in the Plus/Minus top ten for left fielders in both '07 and '08, while Byrnes was the best in the game in '07 before missing much of '08 to injury.
In center field, the Mariners could try to acquire a glove man without a role such as the Braves' Josh Anderson or the Pirates' Nyjer Morgan. They could also run Jeremy Reed out there for one last time; Reed is average to average-plus defensively, and is the rare internal solution who might provide their lineup some OBP. Put the emphasis on "might" here; Reed has simply never built on the promise of 2003 and 2004, and in an extended trial last season, he posted a .314 OBP with 18 walks in 312 PA. Something else to watch is that the Mariners have added two minor league free agents, Steve Moss and Mel Stocker, neither of whom is a prospect, but both of whom are defense and speed players. Given how open this situation is, either could win the job. Kevin Goldstein suggests Clay Timpner and Drew Macias as possibilities, if the Mariners want to maximize run prevention in a center fielder.
The answer is similar in the infield, where Adrian Beltre is excellent defensively, and entering the final year of his contract. You can look to trade him at midseason, but unless someone overwhelms you, there's not much need to do so this winter. Again, the AL West simply isn't going to be that great next year, the last year of the pre-Rangers Era. Give yourself a chance to win the game's smallest division by keeping one of your best players. Young veterans Betancourt and Lopez have been a huge part of the team's problem with OBP, walking a combined 39 times on their own power last year in more than 1,200 plate appearances. Both have raw skills that have not translated to performance; at 27 and 25, respectively, it's time for the Mariners to find out if this is a middle infield you can win a championship with, or not. At the least, you want to ramp up their trade value as the Carlos Truinfel Era approaches.
Where the Mariners have to get better production is at first base and DH, which were disasters of biblical proportions last season thanks to the career-ending collapses of Richie Sexson and Jose Vidro, and before that, the organization's inability to identify either as a potential problem. Both of these spots should be much, much better in '08. At DH, the Mariners have to slot Jeff Clement 120 times, giving him 40 other opportunities to catch, in order to find out if his bat will play in the majors. Even a repeat of his .227/.295/.360 line would be an upgrade, and he will hit better than that. At first base... pick a body. I like the idea of bringing in Adam Dunn on a three-year deal. He can play first base, some left field, some DH, and he would immediately become the best hitter on the team. Safeco isn't that bad a park for left-handed power hitters, and the effect of a hitter like Dunn on the lineup would be similar to the bounce the Angels got from Mark Teixeira, where the effect of adding a high-OBP/SLG guy to a team with none of them is non-linear.
Got all that? Here's the final plan:
It may seem insane to project that the Mariners, 61-101 in 2008, could bounce back to contend for a post-season berth in '09. When you consider the competition-a transitional Angels team, an A's squad that could do almost anything, a Rangers team maybe a year early-punting the year doesn't make sense. You can't pare enough payroll to make a difference, and you can't turn your current assets into future ones in a way that will change the long-term prognosis. Don't underrate the immediate potential of the roster, because that could as be damaging, if not by quite so much, as overrating it was a year ago.
With that in mind, take a somewhat short-term view. Take the easy upgrades in left field and at DH that will not only make the '09 team better, but help develop the core strength, the three young starters. Use '09 to evaluate the young veterans and emerging prospects to figure out who gets to go forward with the team, who gets cut loose or traded, and what needs to be acquired next winter.
Joe Sheehan is an author of Baseball Prospectus.
31 comments have been left for this article.
BP Comment Quick Links
Did you check with Will re Bedard? I thought I recall hearing that he won't be ready Opening Day, will be nowhere near 100% Opening Day, or that Will considers him an injury risk akin to a dimwitted version of Evel Knievel. Something along those lines, I'm pretty certain.
Dec 03, 2008 10:23 AM
Nice article overall, but you're missing out on problem #1: Betancourt's defense, which was supposed to be his calling card, is awful. Dewan had him as the worst defensive SS in baseball last year. When a premium position player can neither hit nor field, that's a really big deal.
Dec 03, 2008 10:24 AM
The Mariners could really benefit from trading both of their middle infielders. Betancourt's really not good, but he still has a good reputation, so trading him is probably a great idea.
Dec 03, 2008 11:27 AM
Good read, and good reads are few and far between these days.
Dec 03, 2008 10:28 AM
A big question with Dunn has to be whether or not you think he's going to age well. Because if you think he'll be an albatross in 2-3 years (a la Richie Sexson), this team would be better off taking a 1-year flyer on Jason Giambi.
Dec 03, 2008 10:41 AM
Jim Ferguson
"... a dimwitted version of Evel Knievel." Why can't I think of analogies like that?
Dec 03, 2008 10:42 AM
Thanks for picking the Mariners for your GM series. I have to agree with jhelfgott, though. You make a lot of good points, but landing a quality shortstop in the near future (like this offseason) should be a high priority for this team. From what I hear Triunfel isn't likely to stick at short, and it doesn't seem likely that both Yuni's offense and defense will ever cone around enough to add up to an above average player. I'd be curious to know if you can think of any other team(s) that have an abudance of talent at short and might be willing to deal with the M's.
Dec 03, 2008 10:46 AM
Matthew Avery
I was going to request something on the Braves, who had a lot of options going into the off-season, but now that the first domino has fallen, I guess that wouldn't be too interesting. :-)
Dec 03, 2008 11:10 AM
As with the Dodgers, I still recommend the Indians' Franklin Gutierrez as a terrific defensive CF. People tend to think of him as an under-producing corner because that's how he's been used (hard to supplant Gold Golver Grady Sizemore from center, even if Gutierrez is actually a better defender), but the Tribe brass has consistently maintained that Goot plays at least as well there. Safeco would actually be a terrific place to showcase his skills ...
Dec 03, 2008 11:19 AM
I find it ironic that the team that once had the prototypical DH position hasn't been able to find one since he retired.
Dec 03, 2008 11:21 AM
Very good read! Very surprising recommendations but logically it can be made to work. Thanks.
Dec 03, 2008 11:23 AM
I want you to write about the Nationals. The team seemingly has no real plan (despite Bowden's promises), so it would be nice to see someone identify a credible strategy to compete, and I wonder how quickly you think you could get there.
Dec 03, 2008 11:32 AM
Let me be the reader who recommends that you write an article on the Royals. I'm a Yankees fan, and the Mets/Tigers/Cards/Reds have obvious issues anyone paying attention can understand. Plus, it would be a challenge, no? Looking at a team stuck in mediocrity... I'd love to see an article on the Kansas City Royals. Go Kevin Seitzer!!!!
Dec 03, 2008 12:19 PM
I love articles like this about fixing bad teams, but I think this one's a bit too optimistic.
Dec 03, 2008 12:26 PM
Good assessment, and I agree wholeheartedly about the AL West and the Mariners CF defense, but one nitpick:
Dec 03, 2008 13:08 PM
What about Baletien?
Dec 03, 2008 13:25 PM
Morris Greenberg
Great Article Joe. I think for the future continue to do teams like the Mariners instead of the Dodgers (aka teams that were bad but could rebound easily if they make the right moves).
Dec 03, 2008 13:31 PM
Good article.
Dec 03, 2008 14:14 PM
Meant to include Batista as another name coming off the books after 2009. Between Batista, Washburn, Bedard, and Beltre, the M's will have around $40 million coming off the books after 2009. Some of that will go to pay raises, but the M's should have lots of money available in the near future.
Dec 03, 2008 14:22 PM
If I say 'Do the Brewers next' 100 times in a row, will that increase the chances of that happening?
Dec 03, 2008 14:16 PM
why sign Dunn when you can have Milton Bradley at a similar price? Bradley's contact skills make him a better offensive player and has proven he can hit in the AL. Sign a ML free agent for 1B (Dallas McPherson). It is time to pull the plug on that awful Betancourt/Lopez combo. Upgrade now
Dec 03, 2008 15:11 PM
Old M's GM: Throw 4 years and $48 million at Adam Dunn who is several steps down the Richie Sexson career path.
Dec 03, 2008 16:01 PM
A nice easy read that made sense. Reload instead of rebuild, I like it.
Dec 03, 2008 18:53 PM
I would love (from both ends) a deal that sends Washburn to Toronto for Overbay and maybe a mid-range prospect. Maybe even Russ Adams. Overbay only has two years remaining on his deal, and the cost is reasonable. It would upgrade the Mariners lineup a little and Adams gives them a decent option who can backup at numerous spots - big upgrade over the Willie Bloomquists of the world. Washburn would give the Jays a bridge for Marcum's lost '09 and allow them to avoid rushing a Cecil, or overrelying on Romero/Purcey/Richmond/dreck. And it would ensure that neither Lind nor Snider waste any more time in the minors.
Dec 04, 2008 07:52 AM
I'm going to have to agree. Let's take as given that adding a real 1B and a real DH will net the Ms 3 wins at each position. Let's take as given that LF and CF defense can be worth an extra 3 and 2 wins over last year, respectively. That gets the Ms to... 72 wins. (Note the downslide offensively to Willie Harris needs to be accounted for, but doesn't seem to be. Is he really equivalent to Ibanez at the plate?)
Dec 04, 2008 08:59 AM
How about covering the Brewers - coming off their first playoff appearance in over 25 years, they now face one of their most challenging offseasons in team history having to replace two aces, almost their entire bullpen, while hiring a new coach and having to replace Zduriencik - They also have to figure out what to do with Rickie Weeks while possibily moving Hardy or Fielder to fill out the rotation - On top of it all, they have major league ready talent in Escobar, Salome and Gamel
Dec 04, 2008 12:41 PM
I'm curious about your thoughts on the Rangers being a year away from having an "era." I'm a Yankee fan, but I've lived near Dallas for 8 years now. So, Josh Lewin has managed to cajole me into caring about the Rangers!
Dec 04, 2008 21:25 PM
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With astonishing sensuality and immediacy, Lost in the Forest moves through the most intimate realms of domestic life, from grief and sex to adolescence and marriage. It is a stunning, kaleidoscopic evocation of a family in crisis, written with delicacy and masterful care. For her lifelong fans and those just discovering Sue Miller for the first time, here is a rich and gorgeously layered tale of a family breaking apart and coming back together again: Sue Miller at her inimitable best.
©2005 Sue Miller; (P)2005 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.
"Sue Miller has a uniquely American voice, and few women have ever written better about families." (Stephen King)
"In her riveting new novel, Miller once again demonstrates her singular gift for capturing the rhythms of daily family life with laserlike clarity while also summoning the turbulent emotions swirling just beneath the surface....Fluidly written, perfectly paced." (Booklist)
"Bestseller Miller examines love and betrayal in idyllic wine country in another minutely observed, finely paced exploration of domestic relationships....The backdrop of California vineyards is ideal for the growth and life-cycle themes that Miller so carefully cultivates." (Publishers Weekly)
"Engrossing characters and a plot that turns unexpected corners." (Kirkus Reviews)
"Captivating & Entertaining"
This is the first Sue Miller book I have listened too and I plan on listening to her others. "Lost in the Forest" was easy to listen too and really drew you into the lives of the characters. It was hard not to feel the pain of the loss of the childrens father/step-father and become involved in their worlds. I found myself hating Duncan for his role in Daisy's life and sincerely hoping for a reconciliation between Eva & Mark. I definitely recommend taking the time to listen to this book. It moves along quickly but not too quickly that you loose your way in the story. Millers writing style isn't overly wordy or descriptive so you don't get bored but you can visualize the tale she is telling.
"Fast moving, true to life"
This is a great book! I found it thoroughly engrossing. There is a great cast of characters: conflicted adults, teenagers, children, etc. The dialogue for each of these seemed very real to me. (In many ways, the writing reminded me of Anne Tyler, another author I very much enjoy.) This story is not told in a fully linear fashion. Each of the main characters has a subplot and separate point of view. The narration moves between these inter-related subplots. Sometimes, parts of the story are told in flashback. I knew it was all going to resolve in the end. However, I did not foresee the ending, which I found full of insight. Blair Brown does a fantastic job of narrating. She captures each character's voice with individuality. Highly recommended!
"No backbone"
I have long been a fan of Sue Miller's work but this latest novel lseems to lack the undercarriage of solid narrative conflict that usually serves as a stage upon which all the various family issues are enacted. What's this story all about? I kept reading and reading, waiting for something to happen and was left with what seemed like one of those (admitttedly well-written) holiday newsletters. The work compares unfavorably to "The Good Mother" and "While You Were Gone" where good solid moral dilemmas ignite the characters and power the narrrative. I have great faith in MIller's work, however, and I am sure she can and will do better.
"Just about flawless"
I really enjoyed this book, was sorry when it ended,and it is one of those that stay with you pensively.
Very insightful and sensitive portrayal of parenting and being parented. A wonderfully emotionally rounded out male figure in Mark, the father in this divorced family, and how he stays involved with his children in an increasing way as they grow up.
Well developed characters, an enjoyable and fascinating book to read.
"Just O.K."
I can't remember what made me chose this book. Perhaps I wanted to try out the author. Was just o.k. Seemed to jump around. Thought it was going to get to a point eventually so I read the whole thing but it just never seemed to get there.
"Good read but a bit unrealistic"
This is my first Sue Miller book and I did enjoy it but felt the whole family dynamic was a bit unrealistic. However I liked the way it was written, and the reader truly made it enjoyable.
"Great portrait of contemporary life in America"
Another great book by Sue Miller. I had read the paper version of this book a few years ago and by mistake I read it again in audio format.. but it was just as enjoyable the second time. Everything is not black or white in Sue Miller's view. This book eloquently portrays the trials and tribulations of modern family life where couples seldom last forever and how this affects the children when parents split or if a parent dies. This novel relates how the middle child in this family is affected by the loss of her stepfather and how she is running towards disaster as another man undertakes to do her sentimental education so to speak. The tone in Sue Miller is never moralizing and always the author examines situations in the most subtile way that makes you think and reflect at what is going on. Very interesting and thought provoking book - no clichés and no fairy tale!!
"Wouldn't recommend."
I was glad when this book ended, the story just didn't seem to go anywhere or have a point. It jumped around from different characters and didn't hold my interest much. The ending was really disjointed and unsatisfying. I enjoyed the narrator though, that and the fact that I paid for it were probably the only reasons I listened to the entire thing.
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