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About the Law
How Can Businesses Comply
How Should Caption Viewers Approach Businesses
News & Resources
Contact Us
How Should Caption Viewers Approach Businesses
On November 18, 2015, a new law was passed that mandates that all televisions for viewing by the public in businesses within the city limits of Portland must have the Captioning feature activated. This law goes into effect 30 days after the date of passage (December 18th).
Here are some suggestions for how patrons of a business should approach that business:
A. It is suggested that a polite request (as opposed to a demand) should always be the first approach. Our goal is educate and seek cooperation rather than a confrontational approach.
B. Be aware that this law pertains only to businesses falling within the city limits of Portland. Therefore, make sure this business is covered by the law. Businesses may have a Portland mailing address, but still be outside the city limits. (NOTE: But even if a business is outside this jurisdiction, it would not hurt to mention the new Portland legislation and ask if the Captions can be turned ON).
C. If the Captions are ON, take a minute to thank the business employee with whom you are interacting and tell him/her how much you appreciate the Captions - and that you will be spreading the word to your family/friends about this great business (restaurant, bar, bakery, or whatever) who provides this valuable accommodation.
D. If the Captions are not on, it is suggested that the following be done:
Ask to speak to the manager or person in charge.
Ask if this person is aware of the ordinance that was passed by the city of Portland.
If the answer is "Yes", ask why the Captions are not ON.
If the answer is "No", if the manager knew about the ordinance but has not complied, "Ask them to turn on the captions." Then that puts the ball in that manager's court to say why not.
Then we can ask, "Do you need more information about how to do it?" Tell them about this website at
. It might be helpful to have a copy of this ordinance which can be downloaded from:
You may want to hand them our flyer that guides the manager on how to turn on the captions. Download and print the
How to Comply
flyer from
If the Captions are then turned ON, see and do C above.
Check back with the business in one or two weeks.
If the business still refuses to turn the Captions ON, then request that person's name, informing him/her that you will need it for when you file your complaint with the city. Document the encounter by writing down the business name, date and time of occurrence(s), who you spoke with at the first and any subsequent meetings, phone calls, emails, etc.
E. If you believe a violation has occurred, you can contact Kim Sneath at:
Portland City Attorney's Office
1221 SW 4th Ave, Room 430
Portland, OR 97204
Phone: 503.823.3085
Fax: 503.823.3089
If the City Attorney reasonably believes a violation has occurred, the City Attorney may issue a written determination addressing the violation. The addressee must provide a written response within 10 business days either disputing the occurrence of the violation or describing how the violation has been abated and how such violations will be prevented from reoccurring.
If the addressee fails to provide a written response, or the City Attorney is not reasonably satisfying with the response, the City Attorney may file a complaint with the Code Hearings Officer, as provided in PCC 22.03.020. The City Attorney may request that the Code Hearings Officer impose civil penalties not to exceed $500 for each day the violation is committed.
How to Comply
For more questions, help with advocacy in your hometown, and more!
Contact us!


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Practical and Helpful Tips: Videos
The Different Kinds of Online Games in Our Time Today
There are a lot of people who plays online games in order to get entertained and we should know that these games have been around for long periods of time because there are new games that are being developed every year. Online games are much different than ordinary games that we play on our computers as they would have the feature where we are able to connect to the internet and play with different kinds of people all over the world. About gaming online, we should make sure that we are able to properly understand the rules and how we are able to play that game that we are playing so that we could have the best results. There are instructions that are given during tutorial sessions of a game that is why it is important that we are able to read more about them as it can help us improve our game and be able to compete against other people properly. There are a lot of people who would want to know more about gaming as they would want to improve their skill that is why they would spend a lot of time playing the games that they are interested in so that they could become much better. There are game related articles that we can find online that would also be able to help us improve our skills in online games as there would be tricks and techniques that would surely be able to help us perform much better.
There are a lot of websites nowadays that are all about gaming as it is something that could get the interest of a lot of people and it is also something that could help a lot of people improve their skill. There are popular websites nowadays that would contain information like gaming 101 because it would be able to get them a lot of attention from people who would want to learn more about online games. There are a lot of gaming companies nowadays that are able to generate a lot of income from their games that is why they are able to conduct global competitions that would involve several millions of dollars in cash prices. There are a lot of companies who would train online gaming teams in order for them to be able to represent their company as it is also something that they can use in order to market themselves. There are online gaming teams nowadays that would receive sponsorships for huge corporations in order for them to be able to have some form of marketing tool and these teams are paid to play and to be trained so that they could perform a lot better. We should know that it is also important that we should enjoy playing our games and take care of ourselves properly even if the competition is tough.
Source: read more

subset: commoncrawl


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Oct 31
Oct 17
My featured designer for this week is Ivan Bobrov. His logo work is awesome. He's created his own signature style using powerful (but simple) curves, and really tasteful color gradients. I highly recommend you check out his work!
Oct 17
Oct 10
Oct 9
I just wanted to give a quick shout-out today to Mike from Creative Mints. He's a prolific designer from Prague, and the art he churns out never ceases to amaze me. It seems like every time I browse Dribbble for inspiration, he's posted something beautiful and new. If you haven't seen any of his work, I highly recommend checking it out.
Oct 4


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We had an announcement to make and could not decide with which picture to go with. In the end we went with the second picture with the shoes and dates.
I love the way these bars turned out. They are dry and crispy in a good way and not overly sweet. They do crumble easily but that's because there is not a lot of honey/sugar in it to 'glue' the nuts together. Less sugar or sticky-hold-perfectly-together bars. I think I will pick the less sugar ones.
1/2 cup roughly chopped almonds
1/2 cup sunflower and or pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup cherries
1 Tbls almond butter
1 Tbls water
1/4 tsp Vitamin C powder (ascorbic acid)
1 tsp honey
Pre-heat oven to 250F. In a bowl, mix the nuts and cherries together. In a separate bowl dissolve 1/4tsp V. C in 1 tbsp water. Then add the honey and stir until dissolved. Mix the almond butter with the nuts, seeds and cherries. Add the honey and vitamin C to the mix and stir, stir, stir! Stir everything to coat with the sticky honey and almond butter. Dump everything on a lined cookie sheet with parchment paper and pack tightly down with a stiff spatula knife or you can try rolling it with a rolling pin. Either way, you want everything packed tightly together. This recipe is kind of small for a medium cookie sheet, but you can easily double it for a full 14"x10" sheet. Mine was only half full. Put in the oven for 25-30 minutes. When done let cool. With a sharp big knife, cut into bars and wrap into parchment paper for easy to-go snacks.
Our radishes have come and gone but this is an amazing salad that you should try! Growing radishes just for this salad is justifiable because it tastes so fresh.
2 Bunches of Radishes
3 Persian Cucumbers (or any home grown ones)
Green Onions (or half of a small sweet onion)
Small Bunch of Dill (not pictured)
2 Tbsp Sunflower seeds
Unrefined Sunflower oil
Sea Salt and Pepper
Slice radishes and cucumbers into slices. Mince the green onion and dill and add to the salad. Throw in the sunflower seeds. Pour sunflower oil to coat veggies. Add sea salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Today is my last day of a two week juice fast. Two weeks not eating anything but just drinking water, herbal tea, and veggie juices (OK I will admit I did do some fruit juices) oh and coconut water from fresh young coconuts! It was an interesting experience. Totally different from the first time I did a juice fast. But the first time it was more of a juice feast than fast. I am thankful that I had this opportunity to do a juice fast for two weeks. If it were not for Sashenka then I would have never completed it successfully. He encouraged and motivated me (also worried for me, made juices, took care of our toddler, gave me a massage, etc…!!!) A huge thank you!!! I'm not going to say that it was supper easy. But I'm not going to moan and groan about how horrible it was either. I'm just going to talk about some things that were different from what I expected when compared to the first time I did this. And of course a juice recipe at the end.
And speaking of tasty juice recipes…
…. The star that is pictured consists of…
1 Sweet Potato
1 Beet
2-3 Carrots
Juice root veggies with skins on and enjoy!
This juice is very filling, sweet, and beautiful!
This is our fourth Christmas together and our first real Christmas tree. Our last year's 'tree' and the year before that were far from ordinary. But this year we went with a real tree, surprisingly! We still could not get away from making something; therefore we made all of the ornaments and the star topper (using this tutorial for the star). The stars are made from salt dough and a cookie cutter while the other ornaments are made from a combination of balloons, papier-mâché, and drywall mud. We thought about making the garlands of beads but could not come up with what to make them with so that they would be cost efficient as well. In the end we just bought four strands from the craft store.
A lot of people who have tried my borscht have asked for a recipe and I never seem to write it down when I am making it. So finally I did and here it is. Sashenka and I absolutely love it and easily eat an 8 Qt. pot in three days. It is vegan, light, and packed with vitamins and nutrients! Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
2.5 lb red young potatoes with skins on washed and cubed
1 large onion diced
3 carrots diced
4-5 celery stickes diced
2 green bell peppers diced
3 medium beets grated on the larger size grate.
1/2 head of small cabbage shredded
5 bay leaves
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp vitamin c powder (ascorbic acid Do not use a crushed vitamin tablet. Can substitute 1 Tbsp ketchup)
2 vegetable bullion cubes (vegan, organic)
Salt and pepper
Wash and cut the potatoes. Fill a pot 3/4 with water and add salt and potatoes to it. Set on stove on high. Dice onion and sauté in a skillet on medium on grape-seed oil till golden. Dice carrots, celery, and peppers , after the potatoes returned to a boil, throw them into the pot. Wash, peel, and grate beets and add to skillet with onions. Throw bay leaves and bullion cubes into pot. Add Vitamin C or ketchup to skillet. I add vitamin C for extra vitamin and it adds a nice sourness that a lot of people achieve with tomato past or ketchup. Slightly sauté the beets till just barely cooked and add everything from the skillet into pot. Add shredded cabbage. Throw in parsley and pepper and add more salt if need be. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 5-10 min or until cabbage is cooked. If the borscht is to thick for you and you have room in the pot you can add some more water and season accordingly. Приятного Аппетита!
I enjoy my subscription to vegetarian times and this is another recipe that I have attempted at making. I made only two minor adjustments from the original recipe. One the red quinoa is switched to white quinoa (red would have looked great, I just did not have any on hand). The other one is I used more garlic then the recipe notes (as usual). We love garlic and the Chimichurri defiantly needed the extra garlic in my opinion. Without it would have been bland. This is a very healthy dish packed with nutrients and is definitely guilt free!
Sweet Potatoes and Quinoa
2 large sweet potatoes, skin-on, finely diced (1 ½–2 lb.)
1 tsp. olive oil
1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 small, ripe yet firm avocados, peeled and sliced
¼ cup olive oil
3 cups loosely packed Italian parsley leaves, roughly chopped
3 Tbs. lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp. sweet paprika
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
Preheat oven to 425°F. Wash potatoes and dice them into cubes. On a baking sheet spread them in a single layer and season with salt pepper and olive oil. Cook quinoa as directed on package. Usually 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa. Season with salt if desired. While the potatoes and quinoa are cooking make the Chimichurri. Blend parsley, lemon juice, garlic, paprika, and red pepper flakes in food processor until coarsely chopped. Pour in warm oil, and pulse quickly until blended. Serve sweet potatoes and quinoa in a bowl topped with sliced avocados and Chimichurri. And wedges of home grown tomatoes are a refreshing on the side. Enjoy!
With all of these sprouts growing and eating 1-2 jars a day, we try to come up with interesting ways to incorporate them into tasty recipes. Here is one recipe that we made together, and if I may say so, is by far the best original recipe that we have ever created! We have made it more than 5 times and absolutely love it! You guys should try this! It is very flavorful but not overpowering, perfect for a side salad but great on its own as well.
1 Quart Broccoli sprouts (radish sprouts would work too)
2 Roasted red pepper
1 Avocado
1/2 medium Onion
3-4 TBSP Roasted walnut oil (I used La Tourangellen oil but any roasted walnut oil will work.)
Salt pepper to taste
Dice the red pepper, avocado, and onion. Combine everything in a salad bowl and drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Enjoy!
I have not cooked creatively for the past month (as you can tell from the lack of recipe posts) and need to start back up again. But I have been engaged in creative 'other' things so I can't say I have been slaking off. Therefore here are some insights into what we have been up to…
Running: I started running back up in April and have been at it religiously since. I run 2-5 times a week 2.3 miles each run with an average pace 9:50-10:20. I would like to run a longer distance at a time but for some reason seam stuck at my currant distance. I am running with a baby and stroller and it has been very humid/hot lately (my excuses for not reaching my goal of 5 miles). But does anyone have any tips of what I can do to improve and reach my goal? What time of day is best for a run; morning afternoon or evening? I usually run in the morning before 9am but occasionally in the afternoon around 2-3 pm. I have noticed that I have more endurance later on in the day verses in the morning and it is less humid in the afternoon. But morning runs help me start out my day. To eat or not to eat before/after run, how much and what? With music or not? I use an app called Podrunner and its just beats that help me stay motivated and I have noticed that the faster the beat the faster I run. But sometimes I also enjoy running without anything and just listen o the birds and my baby. Any other helpful tips?
Sprouts: We are growing our own sprouts! I have wanted to do this for some time and finally Sashenka urged me to start after reading this article of how sprouts improve eye sight.
My eye sight has been failing and Sashenka is on the verge of forbidding me to use my smart phone because I read only from my phone. I blame it on pregnancy, he says it's from me reading in the dark off my phone. I read everything off my phone from Bible reading to recipes to health articles. A solution would be is to get a reader. But that is not appealing to me because it means I will not be able to buy physical books and I have an attachment to physical books. Nor is it practical buying two copies, one digital and one physical. Anyways, back to sprouts. They are loaded with vitamins and minerals and are super tasty. In general I love sprouts but from the grocery store you are very limited between alfalfa, broccoli, maybe mung bean and pea shoots plus they can get pricey. We bought seeds from Mountain Rose Herbs for Radish, Crimson Clover, Buckwheat, Brown Mustard, Broccoli, and Alfalfa. We are growing them in mason jars with a screen on top. We start a jar a day to have a continual supply (but I think we will need to start three jars every two days). To grow them you just soak the seeds in water for 4-8 hrs to germinate them and then drain on the first day. Then rinse twice a day with fresh water to water them. Make sure they get air circulation so they don't get moldy but do not blow on them because that introduces bacteria from your mouth into the jar. They do not need a lot of sun so a kitchen counter is more than enough. If they are on the paler side, I would put them on the window sill for couple of hours after they are done growing but before I eat them. You can store them in the refrigerator for one maybe two weeks but our sprouts never make it to the fridge; we eat them before they do. If you Google 'sprouts' you will get a ton of info but if you have any questions I would be glad to answer from our experience and research.
Personal care products: Here is a quick story: "They were in the local Wal-Mart and she reluctantly found the sunscreen shelf. It was the second day they were at the beach and they had a whole week ahead of them. She was seven weeks pregnant and feeling great! The only problem was that everyone was pressuring for her to use sunscreen and stating she was going to burn up and feel miserable. Part of her knew they were right but the other part could not agree to put toxic chemicals on her body that she knew would absorb into her skin and be passed to her baby. Her husband and best friend, supported her but did not know how to help her. So there she stood trying to pick the lesser evil of the many choices. She knew how bad they all were even the ones labeled 'natural'. This was before she read this and this article. All she had back at the hotel was coconut oil that she had planned on using as sunscreen but was afraid it would not be enough. She did not want to be the 'natural miserable one who burned up'…" That was me last summer at the beach with a group of friends. So this year I found this article and made my own sunscreen. And while I was at it I made my own bug repellent, toothpaste, eye cream, magnesium body butter, magnesium oil, and solid perfume. Whew! Told you I was busy! I'm excited because my eye cream turned out great! I used lanolin, wheat germ oil, natural vitamin E, and bees wax. Bug repellent smells so superior then store bought and is not toxic at all with 20 drops EO Lavender, 20 drops EO peppermint, 20 drops EO Rosemary, and 1 TBSP Coconut oil. The toothpaste I was not thrilled about and will try to improve it to share a recipe in a different post. The sunscreen is amazing, it works, and I absolutely love it so follow the link to make your own! Also magnesium on skin to help you sleep better – works! I put some magnesium butter on mine and Sashenka's feet and we slept like the dead. The solid perfume …um so-so. I like the idea of a solid perfume but after spending money on the essential oils I was not thrilled with the aroma. Maybe it would be great just with a different combination of oils. But this is something that I am not going to venture into for now because the art of perfume making is so extensive and expensive that (for now at least) I'm not going to dive into it. I still want a perfume that I love and does not smell like you local health and herb store. Also that it would naturally be made from essential oils and not chemicals, so hopefully I will be able to find something soon. And will tell you about it.
Elimination Communication: While I'm at 'updates' I might as well write about how EC is coming along. AMAZING! I am extremely glad that we started and did EC with our first baby and now we will defiantly do it with every single baby following, God willing. Aurelius is 9 months and asks to go to the bathroom every time. He sleeps threw the night dry with waking up to go to the bathroom once. We do not have poppy diapers. Sometimes we will have a wet diaper but 98% of the time it will be our fault because he would ask and we either are too busy or just didn't pay attention. I would recommend that everyone should at least give EC a try. It is not as hard as it seems!
A dairy free dessert for my creamy cravings. I actually feel a lot better without any dairy and have noticed that if I have any dairy I immediately suffer from a stuffy nose and a whole lot of mucus. Not very pleasant. I'm not a big tofu fan but this cream turned out surprisingly fresh and nutty. Sashenka even gave this a tiny taste and pronounced it edible but would not consume it himself. He eats tofu only in Miso soup. This cream could be used in different combinations with the help of some imagination. This was the simplest and quickest way that I chose to enjoy it.
I adapted this recipe from vegetarian times.
– ½ tsp. sea salt
– 2 Tbs. lemon juice
– 1 Tbs. vanilla extract
– 2 Tbs. maple syrup
– 2 Tbs. coconut oil
– 16 oz. firm tofu
Mix all ingredients together in a food processor until smooth and creamy like. Top with fruits and nuts or refrigerate and use in desserts.


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Last Wednesday on May 8th, 2013 I logged into my Google+ business page and found a message…"Your Google+ page is suspended". WHAT? I read further. "The text, images, or other content on your Google+ page was flagged for violating the Google+ User Content and Conduct Policy." I couldn't imagine what on my page would be violating their policy. Here is an image of the message.
View my video below to get details of the process to get your Google+ page reactivated and other interesting information.
I read over the User Content and Conduct Policy several times and I don't see how my cover image is a violation. I went down the list.
I took the image myself so that isn't an issue.
Not illegal activities.
Not malicious products
Not hate speech.
Not personal info.
Not account hijacking
Nothing to do with child safety.
Not spamming
Not using ranking manipulation
Not sexually explicit
Not harassing or bullying
Not violence
Not impersonation or deceptive behavior
Not profile name issue
Not regulated goods or services
Not contests or promotions
This is where you go to submit to their support. It is in group format. The people are volunteers and it does take time and patience and time and more time. https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!forum/google-plus-discuss
I have been doing a lot of research on Google+ page suspension. There is a lot of information out there on the real name issue, but nothing on cover image suspensions. I am still in the middle of this process and am still finding out why (or trying to find out) they didn't like my image. I will be posting updates as I get more information.
If you enjoyed this, please comment and share.
Helping You Live Your Dreams!
Marlo Fullerton
Share and Enjoy


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When gambling online safety and your own protection should be a number one priority. This means ensuring that all your personal data is secure, your financial transactions are only visible to you and is a company you are sending them to and most importantly fax if you make withdrawals from a online casino they get processed quickly and efficiently back to your payment method.
In order to help expedite withdrawal processes many sites require that you fill out some verification forms in Europe this is known as KYC or know your customer. This basically means you will have to send a casino a copy of your passport as well as copy of a recent utility bill. Some casinos nowadays may also require you to take a picture of yourself holding the passport or utility bill to ensure that it is you. This may seem excessive to some people especially if you're only questing the small ritual but from the casino pointedly it is imperative that they verify your identity to make sure you are a old enough and you say you were. This helps prevent money laundering as well as those under 18 gambling online.
You should ideally keep a copy of these documents on a encrypted USB pen drive ready to send when a casino prize. A lot of casinos in the UK will verify your identity using the electoral register and may not ask you please documents. If you are from outside the country then expects to have to send in these documents. Any legitimate casino processes documents within a day or two if they take longer than it means they are trying to delay your payment and you should be cautious when depositing further money at this casino.
When registering for a site ensure that they have a valid SSL or security certificate. Casinos which do not encrypt your data are to be avoided at all costs. Some casinos even send out your password unencrypted to your email. This is a massive red flag as it means they are storing your password unencrypted in their database. This means anyone with access the database can view your password and if Hackers steal the database then they have a list of usernames and usable passwords which can be used to hack similar websites. This is also why you should use a different password for every website you join. Use a password manager like roboform to keep track of all your passwords and logins.


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I work for a company that is family oriented. I take advantage of that fact once and a while and let my son come to work with me.
What I demand is that he dresses appropriately, and treats people with respect. It also helps if he doesn't talk to me while I am on the phone, but I can't have everything.
What he does on his own is the awesome part. He helps, he will tell you where the ice machine is, how to get to the pool, and he wants to make our guests comfortable. He has asked already if I will train him on the front desk software, since he plans to work here in the future. He is 9 years old! It cracks me up and makes me so proud all at the same time.
When he goes to other hotels, he reports back to me and tells me they were nice: they have cards to get in every room and mirrored elevators, but that Brook Pointe Inn is his favorite hotel. I don't even ask why, I already know. It's because he is comfortable here.
Don't take my word for it, but you can always trust a 9 year old though … they don't know about promoting places, they just know what they like. Collin recommends you stay at Brook Pointe Inn.


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Adding custom page error to you blog is nothing to be worry about, creating an error page for your blog will really assist you from loosing visitors, it will navigate your readers who may have enter a wrong url, the page error will navigate them back to your site by displaying the page error.
To apply this to your blog simply follow the few steps below
> Login to your blogger dashboard
> Go to Settings > Search preferences
> Custom Page not found > Edit
Type the text you will like to appear on your page error, then click Save changes.
To confirm this, type your blog url and type any error text after it. you should see your page error.
In my future post i will be dropping a lot of tutorials/tricks/tips, so for you not to miss any this, subscribe to my blog and receive my latest update directly into you email address. If you need any help, use the comment box below.
*Please confirm the email sent to your inbox after clicking "Sign Up!".


text: If you are looking to count a large volume of identical parts then Counting Scales are the scales for you! By providing a reference sample to the scale it will be able to instantly tell you to quantity of any sample supplied thereafter. Featuring a tare function to cancel out the additional weight of containers it makes inaccurate hand-counting of parts a thing of the past. Can't find the weighing scales you require? Call us on 01527 585777 or contact us on Live Chat.


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We've all had a moment where something horrible happened, but in the end, we looked back on it and realized it had taught us some important things. I had just such an experience last month and I want to share my takeaways with you — maybe you can learn them without going through all the frustrations!
The unthinkable happened to me just a couple of weeks ago. As I was happily typing away on my beloved MacBook, working on this blog in fact, I turned to say something to my fiancé, and knocked my mug of tea across the keyboard. This was not a normal mug, but more of a bucket really, holding at least 16 ounces of liquid, and it was half full, so that's about 8 more ounces of liquid than should ever spill through a computer. The screen blacked out immediately and I almost did as well, but Vincent had the presence of mind to flip the computer over to hopefully save the motherboard and Google next steps. We tried everything we could find online, but no cigar, and both the Genius Bar guy (I hate that name, don't you?), the IT manager at work, and my techie brother told me I was out of luck.
I cried in frustration over this a couple of times, to be honest with you. Not only was I out $1,000 for a new computer, I had lost work files and personal files, since I hadn't backed up a lot of things that I should have. I was in a bad way, but I actually had a couple of what I call "heart realizations." You know how often, you know something intellectually but not emotionally? That's exactly what happened for me here.
All you can do is all you can do.
I don't know about you, but I'm a worrier. No matter how many times I read the words of Jesus, " Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" (Matthew 6:34) I seem to think that I can fix things by obsessing over them. I've actually wasted quite a few hours of my life lying sleepless in bed trying to solve a problem that I have no control over. And that's what I had to stop doing here. Maybe this is silly, but after I had my laptop set on a ventilated box over a towel with a fan blowing on it, as per the wisdom of the Internet, I could not.stop.thinking about it, and it did me zero good! After a couple of days I realized I needed to stop being ridiculous, shop for a new laptop, and wait and see what would happen.
The same is true in pretty much any situation in life. Did you hurt a friend? Apologize, make amends as best you can, and don't lie awake stressing over it (this is definitely something I've been learning to do the hard way). Are you underprepared for a test? Study as much as you can, get some sleep, take said test, and don't worry about your score! God is keeping an eye on us and he won't let anything too crazy for us to handle land in our laps.
Don't beat yourself up over an honest mistake.
At first I was hysterically upset. It was such as stupid mistake to make and I had a hard time forgiving myself for a simple moment of absentminded clumsiness. But then, everyone makes a mistake like that at some point in their lives! When you've messed up on something that would have been easy to avoid, remember that you're in great company with 100% of the human race. I had to remind myself that my little sister has broken 3 cell phones in the time that I've had my current one, and I actually felt a lot better when I saw a poor guy on a help forum who said he had ruined 5 Macs in 5 years by spilling a drink on them. (Hopefully I won't be following his lead, I can't afford 5 more computers!)
It's like that with anything. Everybody screws up at work and school or with their family sometimes, and you really can't emotionally abuse yourself. I'm sure you wouldn't constantly berate your mom or your boyfriend for an hour for an honest mistake, so don't do the same thing to yourself!
Things are not as bad as they look.
Initially, I was completely freaked out over my broken computer. I just bought a car, and the community journalism/college combo isn't exactly a get rich quick scheme. Plus, I lost a bunch of photos that I really, really wanted back. But after awhile, I realized that between an Apple student discount and the free Beats that came with the computer, which I could sell on OfferUp or something, I wasn't paying full price for the new computer, and none of the files I lost were essential. I definitely prayed for my computer to come back online, but when it wasn't working 3, 4, 5 days after the spill, I gave up on it, and ordered a new one with only a little whining. I felt a lot better just having things handled. And then, this is the kicker, an entire week after the accident, the day my replacement arrived, I figured I'd try to turn the thing on again. If I didn't get any results, I'd sell the parts online to recoup a couple hundred bucks. I plugged it on and hit the power button, and it worked! It opened Photoshop and my browser tabs from the previous week and everything! I was over the moon. I straightaway transferred my files to an external hard drive and my new laptop. The old one works, so long as it's connected to power, and a replacement battery isn't too expensive, so my parents are going to replace the battery and give it to my little sister, and give me a couple hundred bucks to offset what I could sell it to someone else for if I fixed it myself. Fingers crossed it keeps working, but either way, I got my data back, and learned that the experts aren't always right!
Answered prayers aren't always answered with an immediate 'yes.'
Honestly, it was a really great lesson on the workings of prayer, too. I prayed like every day for several days that my laptop would start working again, and every morning, the answer was no. Once I said, "OK, God, I can see you want me to learn a lesson about responsibility and taking care of the things that You have blessed me with, and also to be patient when things don't go my way," my laptop was back up and running. I'm not saying it was a direct reward or anything, but it's quite a coincidence, if you ask me, and I've had similar experiences in the past. This is just the most expensive one so far, and hopefully for a while, knock on wood!
A computer should not be taken for granted.
Also, as I went for a few days without a laptop, and went through the process of replacing one, I was really humbled by the material blessings that we enjoy in America. My family wouldn't be considered rich by American standards, but by global standards, we have so much. Not only did I have a computer in the first place, I was able to replace it within a few days, for more money than people in developing countries might ever see in their lives.
I don't think we always appreciate our material blessings the way we should. Sure, we thank God all the time for our families, our educations, our friends, nature, vacation, a good night's sleep, but I can't remember if I ever said, "God, thank You for this machine that lets me learn so much, create so much, and connect with people on the other side of the world" before last month. Maybe a computer isn't the kind of thing that we get a warm fuzzy feeling about, but it's an amazing tool that God has given us! I look at technology a little differently after spending some time realizing what a profound effect it has on me, day to day.
So all things considered, although I'd love to have the money and time I spent on my broken laptop back, I think I learned enough from the experience to make it pretty worthwhile, and a lot of the best lessons we learn are the most painful to go through. What's your latest technology snafu or life frustration that turned out to be God speaking to you?
Photos by Dai KE and Andrew Neel on Unsplash


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Education, fun and Indian Tacos!
Los Coyotes Earth Day May 14th 2016
Perfect weather, Indian tacos and Environmental Education sums up the success of this year's annual Earth Day at the Los Coyotes Campgrounds. Our theme was Recycle, Reduce, Reuse and we showcased this throughout the day.
This event was our first attempt at zero waste. This means we aim to send 0% of residual waste to the landfill by composting the leftover food, collecting recyclables and implementing reusable items. Our food plates and utensils are compostable, which means they can be shredded and broken down to add to a pile of food scraps and dirt to ultimately create a rich soil for gardening.
Los Coyotes Youth Coordinator, Lisset Valencia-Pittman, hosted a scavenger hunt for the young ones that taught them what items to recycle, compost or send to the landfill.
PJ Stoneburner and Jarrod Chapparosa highlighted reusing natural resources in our dining areas. The Ramada was built using willow, the ground was covered in woodchips, and several benches were cut from pine.
Los Coyotes Earth Day grows bigger every year, so if you would like to contribute ideas, we will have or first planning meeting in November 2016.
Thank you to everyone who helped make this event a beautiful moment in time!
$6,055 raised by donations for the event
241 people signed in
119 passports were filled
27 volunteers
17 educational Booths
5 Native vendors
2 engaging activities
Andrew James Pittman
Los Coyotes Environmental Outreach Coordinator


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After AMZN's report last night and surprisingly positive stock reaction, I decided to turn to the annual report for some perspective. I was stunned by how little information the company actually provides to its shareholders.
The entire description of AMZN's business is only 1000 words--3 pages. Amazon web services is described in one sentence: "We serve developers and enterprises of all sizes through Amazon Web Services ("AWS"), which provides access to technology infrastructure that enables virtually any type of business." Rackspace takes 3700 words to describe a similar business line.
For a sense of how out of the ordinary AMZN's bare bones description is, below is a list of the number of words it takes other large tech, internet and retail companies to describe their business lines. Most are about 4x as long. Length does not necessarily equal strength, but does imply some extra information.
Certainly, AMZN isn't just a company of few words either. Where there's legal liability involved the company is plenty verbose. The risk factors section is 5826 words and the legal proceedings section is 3812 words.


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- Home
- About
- Calendar
- Celebration Services
- Ministries
- Prayer
- Giving
Star Hill is located at 1400 North Foster Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70806.
• Travel Northeast on Airline
• Turn slight right to ramp
• Merge onto Florida Blvd./US-190 BR W
• Travel approximately 2.5 miles
• Turn right onto North Foster Dr.
• Travel approximately 0.7 miles
• Star Hill will be on your right
Please join our LIVE video stream broadcast each Sunday at 10:47AM for F.O.C.U.S. Celebration Service and Wednesday at 6:30PM for Bible Study.
E-couragement is a weekly electronic communication from Pastor Jetson intended to be thought-provoking, challenging, supportive and above all, encouraging.
Click Here


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If you've not seen this movie before...BUY OR RENT IT NOW...it's GENIUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Many Chapters of Morleysaurus...
Tuesday, 25 January 2011
Monday, 24 January 2011
My So-Called Life - Jordan's Brain Clicks!!!
Super squeee'age...when Jordan Catalano realises he loves Angela in My So-Called Life. <3 Hearts a flutter!!! And just out of curiosity, would you have went for Brian Krakow in the end or stuck it out with bad boy Jordan Catalano?
Posted by Unknown at 22:47
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Labels: angela chase, brian krakow, jordan catalano, my so called life
One of the Greatest Scenes in TV History - My So-Called Life - Hallway Scene
This is without a doubt one of the single greatest scenes in TV history. I <3 it so much!!!!! My So-Called Life geeks know this as "the boiler room episode", lol. And I have just found out this evening that Jordan Catalano's friend is Jared Leto's brother Shannon!!!!!! How did I not know this till now!?!!!!!! And OMG, I still super squeee over Jordan walking down the hallway, haha. Dork.
Posted by Unknown at 22:29
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Labels: best scene ever, buffalo tom, jare, jordan catalano, my so called life
Sunday, 23 January 2011
Jennifer's Bodies - A Women in Horror Recognition Month Event in Arbroath, Scotland
Hey guys, just to let you know I have created a separate Blog page for Women in Horror Month event. Go check out the page for Jennifer's Bodies here. Working on getting a poster for the event sorted out, just looking for someone who wants to be my photographer. :)
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Friday, 21 January 2011
Women in Horror Month - Arbroath/Angus Event
Hey guys, okay, so if you've been following my video Blog then you will know that I have decided to go ahead with putting together an event in Arbroath for Women in Horror Recognition Month. I could have done it in one of the bigger cities but you know what, even just with people that I know here, there is a lot of you whom I know LOVE horror so I figured why the hell not host it here!?!
It's the kind of thing you don't get here, I mean hell we don't even have a cinema...or do we!?!?!!!! It turns out that The Webster Theatre have been hiding a rather nifty little cinema area upstairs, this is ever since the refurbishment and I have to say, it looks fab. This could be a good way of showing that people want something like this more often. If you go to the Webster Theatre site and click on the little rotate sign, you can totally check it out. I love the fact that it's all white and red as well...how bloodtastic!!! <3 At the moment, The Webster Theatre is seriously looking like the best option and I shall let you all know as soon as this has been confirmed.
At the moment I am thinking the 28th February for this event, just looking at costing and what not. I shall be announcing the full line up on the 1st February but just to give you a teaser, I shall be hosting the Scottish premier of my gore-geous Canadian twinlings Jen and Sylvia Soska's acclaimed debut feature, Dead Hooker in a Trunk. I saw this film last year at Ghouls on Film (this was the UK premier) and it is just so downright awesome and I've been going on about it ever since that I thought argggh, this has never been shown in Scotland...I shall take away its Scottish virginity, mwahahaha.
It's the kind of thing you don't get here, I mean hell we don't even have a cinema...or do we!?!?!!!! It turns out that The Webster Theatre have been hiding a rather nifty little cinema area upstairs, this is ever since the refurbishment and I have to say, it looks fab. This could be a good way of showing that people want something like this more often. If you go to the Webster Theatre site and click on the little rotate sign, you can totally check it out. I love the fact that it's all white and red as well...how bloodtastic!!! <3 At the moment, The Webster Theatre is seriously looking like the best option and I shall let you all know as soon as this has been confirmed.
At the moment I am thinking the 28th February for this event, just looking at costing and what not. I shall be announcing the full line up on the 1st February but just to give you a teaser, I shall be hosting the Scottish premier of my gore-geous Canadian twinlings Jen and Sylvia Soska's acclaimed debut feature, Dead Hooker in a Trunk. I saw this film last year at Ghouls on Film (this was the UK premier) and it is just so downright awesome and I've been going on about it ever since that I thought argggh, this has never been shown in Scotland...I shall take away its Scottish virginity, mwahahaha.
I want to donate as much of the ticket money to the Raynaud's and Scleroderma Association as possible and so if you have a business/website and would like to sponsor this event to help cover basic costs then please do get in touch. As you may have read in my Blog earlier this week, Scleroderma is the condition that killed our Women in Horror Month founder, Hannah's father a year ago and it is one that not enough people know about and with your help, I'd like to help change that. I am away to start up a Blog for the actual event and so I shall post more information there as soon as I do. :D
Oh, and last but not least...I have decided a name for this festival...with lots of thumbs up and giggles from all my horrorific geeks in crime...
Posted by Unknown at 16:40
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Labels: arbroath, dead hooker in a trunk, ghouls on film, hannah neurotica, jen and sylvia soska, jennifer's bodies, raynaud's, scleroderma, the webster theatre, women in horror month
How Much is My Cadaver Worth? :D
This is going on my new healthier lifestyle where I've cut out all the bad stuff or reduced it by shockingly large amounts, haha....yeah that'll be alcohol, lol. My biggest problemo is painkillers and anti-psychotics...I really need to find a new way to get to sleep at night!!!
Posted by Unknown at 10:04
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Thursday, 20 January 2011
Women in Horror Month - Bloggage Part 3...OMG, I Have a Bloody Head!!!
Yello, okay so super awesomeness to my fab new hair colour. I love it!!! <3 Anyhoo, check out video bloggage numero three and join me in having super cool hair!!! :D Even if it's just a wee bit. :p
Posted by Unknown at 16:31
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Wednesday, 19 January 2011
A Great Week for Serial Killers
WOW!!! Ok, so the past week has been a super massive geekgasm for serial killer movies. First the stupidly awesome James Franco takes on the role of not only playing Richard Ramirez, it is also going to be his directorial debut. Ooh and to add to the awesomenss, Chris Cornell is producing!!! How awesome is that!?!!!! *insert super rad picture of James Franco playing Dungeons and Dragons as Daniel Desario <3 in Freaks and Geeks. *
Anyhoo, after that awesomeness I didn't in a million years think that I would get even more totally radder than rad awesome serial killer movie news and then I get told that Dominic West is playing Fred West!!!!!!!!!!! I mean, guh yuh!!! It's like my sick twisted McNulty fantasies from The Wire Season 5 are coming to fruition. *insert McNulty pic just for fun ;) *
So yay, lots of super squeeeee'ing and thinking that this is going to be a very good year for zee serial killer movie!!!! <3
Posted by Unknown at 21:55
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Labels: daniel desario, dominic west, freaks and geeks, fred west, james franco, mcnulty, richard ramirez, serial killers, the wire
Tuesday, 18 January 2011
R.I.P. Hannah's Dad
Tomorrow, January 19th sees the first anniversary of the death of our Women in Horror Recognition Month founder, Hannah Neurotica's beloved Dad. Hannah does so much to raise awareness about women working in the horror industry and today I ask you to take a moment to find out more about the horrible condition her Dad had, Scleroderma. Scleroderma is a horrible auto immune connective tissue disease that affects the blood vessels and collagen production in the body.
There are two kinds of scleroderma: systemic sclerosis which affects the internal organs as well as the skin, and localised scleroderma which affects a specific area of skin but not the organs. Scleroderma Society UKFebruary is not only Women in Horror Recognition Month though, here in the UK it is also Raynaud's and Scleroderma Awareness Month too.
Raynaud's is a common condition in which blood is prevented from reaching the extremities of the body, mainly the fingers and toes, on exposure to the cold or any slight change in temperature. A small number of people who have Raynaud's also develop scleroderma, a disease which affects the connective tissue.Scleroderma means hard skin but the hardness is not limited to the skin - the internal organs and their blood supply may become damaged. Scleroderma can be devastating not only for the person who has the condition but also for the families concerned. Raynaud's and Scleroderma Association UK
Posted by Unknown at 17:59
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Saturday, 15 January 2011
Women in Horror Month - Bloggage Part 2...BLOOD RED!!!!!!!!!!
Come on peeps of the Jeniverse, get those locks all nice and bloody...mwahahahahaha!!!!!! <3
Posted by Unknown at 02:04
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Labels: blood red, hair dye, hannah neurotica, morley, women in horror month
Thursday, 13 January 2011
Women in Horror Month - First Video Bloggage...Mwahahaha...
First video bloggage ramblings, getting set for some Twisted Twins singing and dancing to get your blood kind of fun!!! <3 Apologies about the darkness, my flat sucks balls for lighting. This is my first attempt, experimenting to get the best videoage. Keep your peepers peeped. :)
Posted by Unknown at 23:32
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Wednesday, 12 January 2011
Women in Horror Awareness Month 2011...Arbroath/Angus Local Event!?!
So as you might be aware of by now, February is Women in Horror Month. A month to rasise awareness to the amazing talent of females in the horror industry. Be it directors, producers, writers, bloggers, zinesters and fans. As well as those kick ass girls in front of the camera, you know, that ones who are more than just a pair of adipose tissues.
So anyhoo, I've been thinking of something I can do locally within the Arbroath/Angus area. I mean, I know enough of you love horror to get something going, and that's just my friends. I want to do a local blood drive, I'm also considering maybe getting together a couple of films or something, I'm not sure. Last years Ghouls on Film event in Birmingham was awesome. I'll keep you posted on my thoughts. Just want to know how many of your would be interested in this if I was to do something.
If you get in touch with me either via email, Facebook, or Twitter. You can also post a comment on here, just whatever is easiest. Let me know as soon as possible. :)
Posted by Unknown at 15:21
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Friday, 7 January 2011
Plastic Fanspastic - A Rant
So last year I watched this god awful show and it instigated this rant. When going through stuff on my computer I figured it still relevant, and with everything that I'm doing Women in Horror based, promoting women as being more than just pieces of meat, I thought I'd share.
A couple of months ago whilst round at my parents this programme called The Swan came on. It actually made me feel quite physically sick that someone even came devised this concept in the first place. Basically each week you get two completely insecure women, they meet up with a team of "specialists" who basically decide all the work that they need done on them to make them look better, and therefore happy!!! They even supply them with a "psychiatrist" who will help them with any feelings of depression or mental health issues that they may suffer from. So anyway, seriously plasticated and unlike themselves after, it is a contest between the two women as to who is to be put forward to a BEAUTY PAGEANT comprising of the weekly winners. There is so many things wrong with this I don't know where to start!!!! Maybe it's just me, but the way I see it, if you're depressed and miserable, turning yourself into some fake plastic chipmunk is really not going to help.
A few days beforehand I had watched Jennifer's Body, which by the way is tremendous amounts of fun…if you're a girl, haha. Maybe I just get Diablo Cody's twisted girl relationship, I'm not sure.
Anyway, Megan Fox was awesome in the title role (yes I know this creates somewhat, umm...discussion between peeps...a.k.a. Nia, haha). As someone who frequently gets nominated "Sexiest Woman on the Planet" and all that gunf by men's mags, it was great to see her looking crap, or as her best friend Needy says, "like shit, well for her anyway!" And you know something…she has freckles. A lot of them. And funnily enough, when I look at pictures of her in magazines and what not, she's not freckly; I guess what I'm saying is that NO-ONE looks the way they are perceived in magazines and movies, pretty much ever. We live in a society where not just women but everyone is objectified. Why is this?
Mental health problems frequently breed weight issues, be it under or over. Both of which can be extremely dangerous. Medication plays a big part in this as well. One of the main culprits that I know of is Lithium. I first heard of this through one of my favourite books, Prozac Nation by Elizabeth Wurtzel, (pretty much a statement as to how everyone's living in Prozac Nation) who was a skinny young thing and then when she started taking lithium that all changed. After speaking to people who take this medication, I have heard of similar experiences, predominantly in females.
Fluoxetine (or Prozac) can be known to work the other way round and is often prescribed in the States for weight loss. Now obviously this isn't always the case and is dependent on how the individual reacts, we're all different and I do realise that but it is a well known fact that some medications ARE responsible for weight gain, or loss. Now the thing is, at the end of the day, we're all responsible for what we eat and obviously eating lots of junk, isn't gonna agree with us or help said problem. Now we all know, from numerous chick flics and Ally McBeal, haha…that when women are depressed, they like ice cream and chocolate. This is okay if it's every now and again, but what if it's a long standing condition? It's like knowing that you drink too much alcohol, you know it's bad for you but how do you stop?
Firstly having a secure support system around you is essential. You not only have to WANT to change yourself, you also have to have people around you to help you. It's all too easy to remain isolated and keep on telling yourself that you'll do it tomorrow but we all know that without the proper support, the chances of that happening are a hell of a lot slimmer, if not impossible!!!!
Women have this image that men want them to be this cetain way, like freakishly skinny, but it's just not like that. My boyfriend would always moan about me being too skinny. I always thought being skinny was a good thing…apparently, not inordinantly. Boys like women who have more flesh on them…and even women voted my beloved Kate Winslet, as most desired female body. And when it comes to the ANTI-Hollywood airbrushing issue, The Winslet is greatly at the forefront. As someone who supports Eating Disorder Campaigns in the UK and who publicly sued a major men's magazine for airbrushing and making her look completely unlike herself, she is an inspiration not only to myself as the greatest actress of our generation but as someone who stands out for women's rights with her fist firmly in the air!!! She's gorgeous, opinionated AND ridiculously talented. Surely an icon of all women!!! I know I'd sure as hell like to be more like her. I mean, there are things I don't like about me. I wouldn't plasticate them out of me though. That's just me though. Hell I'd totally freak out if I was plastic!!!!! Why would I want to be that way!?! I want people to believe that they can be themselves without being some fake plastic ideal because at the end of the day, real people, they ain't that into that!!!
Posted by Unknown at 21:01
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Labels: depression, diablo cody, jennifer's body, kate winslet, megan fox, prozac nation, the swan, weight, women in horror month
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
Women in Horror Month - Adam Green Quote :)
Director/Producer/Sometime Actor Adam Green knows just how important women are in the horror industry. Here's what he had to say to me last year about his thoughts on the women who make up such a huge part of the genre he loves so dearly.
"While women have always been a crucial ingredient to the slasher film formula with their blood curdling screams, sex appeal, and brief flashes of bare skin, what many who don't "get" the sub-genre fail to realize is the fact that it is more often than not a woman who stands up to the villain and saves the day at the end of the slasher film. Women may make up some of our favorite victims in horror films but they also make up some of our greatest and most powerful heroes. Let's not forget that it was a woman who took down Michael Myers, a woman who handed Jason Voorhees' ass to him, a woman who defied Freddy Krueger's existence, and a woman who bravely ventured into the haunted swamp to face off with Victor Crowley. Quite simply, women rule in horror films. Period." Adam Green
"While women have always been a crucial ingredient to the slasher film formula with their blood curdling screams, sex appeal, and brief flashes of bare skin, what many who don't "get" the sub-genre fail to realize is the fact that it is more often than not a woman who stands up to the villain and saves the day at the end of the slasher film. Women may make up some of our favorite victims in horror films but they also make up some of our greatest and most powerful heroes. Let's not forget that it was a woman who took down Michael Myers, a woman who handed Jason Voorhees' ass to him, a woman who defied Freddy Krueger's existence, and a woman who bravely ventured into the haunted swamp to face off with Victor Crowley. Quite simply, women rule in horror films. Period." Adam Green
Posted by Unknown at 16:52
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Labels: adam green, frozen, grace, hatchet, victor crowley, women in horror month
Tuesday, 4 January 2011
Women in Horror Awareness Month 2011...So It Begins, mwahahaha.
Last February saw the start of something ever so slightly special, the first annual Women in Horror Awareness Month. The brainchild of the wonderfully demented and perfectly peculiar, Hannah Neurotica, Women in Horror month is our way, collectively working together to let the world know that there's more to women in horror than just tits and scream queens. And that, SHOCK HORROR…this isn't a new thing!!! The only difference is that now we're standing up and letting everyone know that we're here, and in all capacities.
Numerous events were held around the world including the UK event Ghouls on Film. Hosted in Birmingham, England by one of my bestest friends in the universe, Nia Edwards-Behi, Ghouls on Film was the chance for me not only to catch up with one of my favourite girlfriends, it was the chance to witness some brilliant shorts and two movies with women at the helm. It also gave me the chance to spend a little bit of time with Horror Channel darling Emily Booth as well as other kick ass gals in horror.
One of my favourite things about Ghouls on Film was having the chance to see the almighty awesomeness of Dead Hooker in a Trunk!!! This underground tribute to the good old grindhouse days is one of the most fun movies I've seen in the past few years. Directed by and starring the gore-geous sick and brilliant Soska sisters, DHIAT is a wonderful example of girl power in the industry.
Jen and Sylvia Soska have fully embraced this awesome month, setting up a blood drive and encouraging everyone to Bleed for Women in Horror, how morbidly delicious right!?!. This is something that the girls will be doing again this year I'm rather excited to have been asked to be part of their video to advertise this bloody mission. Mwah!
Another wonderful lady who I've had the priveledge of net meeting is Dai Green, managing editor of Horror News.net and the most totally PC woman on the face of the planet. Who LOVES clothes and is never naked, HA! Yes, delightful Dai was a naughty girl and got herself kicked off Facebook for a picture that caused offense to some prudish people. We all campaigned to get her original profile reinstated but the gods of Facebook were dicks and she had to start all over again. That's a whole lotta friends to recollect. She's all back now though and makes sure she behaves and is always wearing as much clothes as possible.
Now this is just a few of the beautiful, sick and twisted, gore loving ghouls that I befriended last year. In fact, it was this time last year that I was on my wee mission to raise awareness of Women in Horror Month, getting quotes and doing interviews with not only girls in the industry but the guys as well. Directors such as Adam Green and Joe Lynch know just how important the girls are too and have utmost respect for them. Eli Roth in particular has a fondness and respect for Hannah and her Zine, Ax Wound, as does Frank Hennenlotter and Herschell Gordon Lewis.
Last year was ace in the fact that I got to speak to one of my favourite horror chicks of all time, Amy Steel (now Pulitzer). Amy was of course the first girl to ever take on Jason Voorhees; this was back in 1981's Friday the 13th Part 2. 20 years later and she still stands out as one of horror's most awesome, kick ass females. You can read my interview with her here.
I'm really looking forward to getting into all the goodness that this year is going to bring and I can't wait to work with all these amazing women again and to do my thing. I'm even going to give blooooood myself. I'm not promising that I won't pass out though, haha. My other statement for the month, one that Hannah and I would love it if you joined us in doing so is dyeing our hair BLOOD RED for the month of February!!! Mwahahahaha.
Posted by Unknown at 18:00
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Labels: amy steel, axe wound, dai green, dead hooker in a trunk, dhiat, emily booth, ghouls on film, girl power, hannah neurotica, horror channel, jen and sylvia soska, soska sisters, women in horror month
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A blog about self acceptance, embracing creativity and discovering happiness along the way.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Day 1 Of Getting Back On Track
So in a healthy celebration, my gurl Adrienne and I are going out for sushi. Good for you sushi....okay, maybe 1 shrimp tempura roll but everything else will be divine.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
What's the point of this post you may be asking yourself? The point is that I am starting fresh and new this minute. The one common fact about most weight loss success stories is that they would often lose focus in the beginning but that the point was to never give up. Just start again that very minute. Which is what I have decided to do....right now. I have put the ice cream away, am drinking a large glass of water and getting my game plan straight in my head.
Tomorrow I am starting my day by having a positivity meeting with two of the most amazing women I know while eating healthy and delicious food that is good for my body. Then I will head off to work to be a care provider for my clients. After that I will tra-la-la off to the gym to provide some much needed care for me. I may even get up the courage to get on the scale to see where I stand. Once I hit the grocery store I will start my next 21 day challenge of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables.
I just need to remember to stay focused and never give up. Because I am worth it. :)
Friday, July 25, 2008
Reaching My Final Goal
If, no, WHEN I reach my final goal I want the reward to be something so spectacular, so amazing, so unbelievably outrageous that I become addicted to the idea of actually achieving it. It has to be something that I already obsess about, dream about, ache for. So here is what I came up with:
When I reach my goal of 170 pounds I am going on a two week hiking trip through the Scottish Highlands! Now the question is: WHO'S COMIN' WITH ME?! :) Check out this site and this site to get an idea of what I am talking about.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Guess What UPS Just Dropped Off?!
I had decided about a week ago that I would make this my reward for the 21 Day Challenge.
I am so in love with this bathing suit that I am wearing it right now while I type this post.
" All right, Mr DeMille, I'm ready for my close up. "
Sunday, July 20, 2008
This Book Is A Must Read......
Friday, July 18, 2008
Third And Final Effing Week Of The Challenge:
7/13/08gym: 30 min elliptical, 2o min upper body weights, 10 min cool down and stretch
7/14/08gym: 30 min elliptical, 20 min core ball exercises, 10 min cool down and stretch
7/15/08gym: 30 min elliptical, 10 min cool down and stretch
7/16/08gym: 30 min elliptical, 10 min cool down and stretch ( I know it seems repetitive but that is all I have had time for the past week)
7/17/08gym: 30 min elliptical, 10 min cool down and stretch
7/18/08gym: 30 min elliptical, 10 min cool down and stretch DONE!!!!
I did it! I actually freakin did it! In fact I am a wee bit surprised that I didn't make an excuse to not go. I mean there were times when I desperately wanted to, when I had no time for anything else and all I wanted to do was take a nap I still went. I am really proud of myself. And yes I am actually a little teary eyed typing this.
I foresee my next challenge being a bit more "challenging" because it involves food. I have decided to do the 5 servings of fruits and veggies daily 21 day challenge. It is the perfect time of year to do it since the farmer's market is in full swing. I haven't decided on a day to start the challenge yet but I will definitely let you all know. I will also be doing a weigh in sometime next week on the day I feel the lightest. ;)
Thank you all so much for your incredible support and love. I think I would have given up on myself a few times if it hadn't been for you. I love you all!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
I Got My Hair Did.......
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
The End Is Nigh!
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Reasons Why I Want To Lose Weight
- To feel the kind of sexy that healthy and fit people seem to just radiate
- To be able to walk into any clothing store and make cute and sassy apparel purchases
- So that my lower back doesn't constantly hurt
- To do any adventure sport without being completely out of breath
- To feel confident in dating again
- So I can enjoy sex without being self conscious
- To attract an amazing man
- To fit comfortably in an airplane seat
- To look beautiful and graceful dancing
- To feel small and feminine (as much as I can at 5'10)
- So I can comfortably do Yoga
These are just a few I came up with and the closer I get to my goal, the more I hope to come up with so that I can continue to give myself that little extra push.
How about you?
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Okay Kiddies, Here Is Week Two Of The Challenge:
7/06/08gym: 30 min. elliptical, 20 min lower body strength training, 10 min cool down and stretch
7/07/08gym: 45 min elliptical, 20 min upper body strength training, 10 min core/ball training, 10 min cool down and stretch
7/08/08gym: 1 hour hip hop dance class
7/09/08gym: 30 min elliptical, 10 minute cool down and stretch
7/10/08gym: hour long hip hop dance class
7/11/08gym: 30 min elliptical, 30 min core ball exercises, 10 min cool down and stretch
This was an incredibly hard week to get through. I have heard that the second week of breaking or forming a habit is hardest but I had no idea how hard. Jeesh! So today officially starts my third and final week of the work out challenge and I am approaching it with mixed emotions. Equal parts excitement and dread.
My dear friend Elisa brought up a very interesting point the other day and suggested that I pick a special reward ( not one I already have listed for lbs lost) for the completion of this challenge. I told her I thought it was a great idea and then proceeded to go completely blank with what that prize should be.
So my questions for you dear readers are:
1.) What should my reward be for the completion of this challenge?
2.) What should my next challenge be?
I am trying to keep momentum and would like to continue challenging myself until my goal is reached. Maybe this one could be a food challenge. Like..... making sure I get 5 fruits and veggies every single day. Especially since this is the season of plenty.
Toodle-loo my little chick-a-dees!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Where the Hell is Matt? (2008)
I love this!
Still Pluggin' Along
I have really started feeling the aches and pains in my body as well. My left knee constantly twinges so I think I need a brace for workouts until I can get the majority of my weight off. Even though I am stretching like a crazy person my calves are on fire. In fact two nights ago I got a charlie horse in the right one. I haven't had one of those in years. Maybe my electrolytes are off or I need more potassium.....I don't know. If you all have any suggestions I would love to hear them.
Now, it's not all been bad. I have started to notice a difference in my clothes. My body seems toner, my skin looks much better... in fact sometimes it looks down right glowy! Plus my exercise high seems to last longer after each workout. Maybe I am starting to develop a habit. Hmmmmm.
How are the rest of you doing out there with your own challenges?
Saturday, July 5, 2008
First 7 Days Of The 21 Day Challenge
I would like to point out that even though I had the hangoverest of hangovers today, I still managed to drag my sorry butt to the gym at 9pm tonight to do 30 min. of elliptical and 10 min. cool down and stretch. I AM WOMAN. HEAR ME ROAR!
6/28/08 gym: 30 minutes Elliptical, and 20 min lower body weights, 10 min cool down and stretch
6/29/08 gym: 30 min. Elliptical, 30 min. water weights
6/30/08 gym: 30 min. Elliptical, 40 min weights, crunches, push ups and cool down stretch
7/01/08 gym: hour long Hip Hop dance class
7/02/08 Gym: 30 min Elliptical, 10 min stretch and cool down
7/03/08 gym: hour long Hip Hop dance class
7/04/08 gym: 30 min elliptical, 15 min core workout, 10 min cool down and stretch
EEK!! It's Swimsuit Season
So in my desperation to try my darnedest to at least look stylish next to them I began BIG GIRL SWIMSUIT HUNT 2008. And this is what I found:
Isn't it just stunning?! It reminds me of a time when sirens of the silver screen came equipped with curves for days and those curves were celebrated if not coveted. So I am saving up my pennies so that I can, at least for one day, feel like Marilyn Monroe.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Thursday, July 3, 2008
The 21 Day Challenge
Tonight I have my hour long hip hop class. Tomorrow the gym is open until 2pm so I can get my workout done in the morning and still have time to party. Saturday there is a new dance class I want to take called Zumba and Sunday can be whatever I want. So that will put me at day 9 and then I'll only have 12 days left!
*weeps quietly to herself*
Pray for me.
Any takers out there to doing their own 21 day challenge?
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Reward For Reaching Goal # 1
and I couldn't resist picking up OPI's newest editions the Nic's Sticks paint-n-go nail lacquer in I'm Outta Here!
So, you like?


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Neighborhood Archaeologist Spies Possible Acequia Remnant
The Pajalache or Concepcion acequia path is under S. St Mary's Street, according to research and a map created by the late Waynne Cox. It began at the San Antonio River's bend at La Villita and extended past Mission Concepcion.
SAWS excavated a utility trench across S. St. Mary's that may have exposed a remnant of the acequia. SAWS normally schedules such work with the City's Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) so that OHP can monitor the excavations to record any historic features that might be encountered, but emergency work often does not get listed with OHP.
The trench provided an opportunity to see if any trace of the acequia was present. Noticing that the street had been blocked off and a trench dug across the street, I stopped to take a look. Several utility lines are beneath the street, but in an undisturbed segment a remnant limestone wall lining the ditch appeared in the trench profile. I called City Archaeologist Kay Hindes, who came immediately and confirmed my suspicion that the trench had indeed exposed a possible remnant of the acequia. The evidence was photographed and recorded.
Twelve thousand years of prehistory and history lie beneath San Antonio's infrastructure, and any excavation is liable to encounter some evidence of American Indian or Spanish Colonial history. OHP staff does not always get notified when utility work is done, so everyone needs to be on the look out for opportunities to record San Antonio's rich past.
- Harry Shafer
City Archaeologist Kay Hindes and neighborhood
archaeologist Harry Shafer alert SAWS employees that
they may have exposed an historic acequia.
The wall of the acequia can be seen on the left, under the backhoe.


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This soft and striking living room is anchored in neutral tan shades, but the peach lampshades, yellow accents, and blue end tables add modern pop to the space.
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Three shades of green mingle by a window, showing how well superneutrals get along.
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Bathed in soft gray and enlivened with peach, what's normally a utilitarian space becomes warm and welcoming.
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Among the easiest colors to add to a room, grayish blue greens are layered here to create a calming effect in a home office.
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Lavender brushed on the bases of tabletop domes adds dimension to the earthy gray-green palette of this dining room.
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A collection of Delft tiles and transferware plates brings together a range of blues and patterns.
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To a passionate collector, the more objects, the merrier. The rug has an easy, neutral pattern of blue and white stripes.
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To compensate for the greenish cast of the glass and the shadowiness of these kitchen cabinets, the back of the cabinets are painted a warmer, clearer sky blue.
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BlueThis bedroom illustrates how blue can be used in a fresh, clean, American way, mixed with white linens and light woods to evoke breeze-blown New England seaside cottages. An antique spool bed painted white and laid with a pure white spread has blue floral pillow shams. Behind the bed, a blue botanical cyanotype is framed in white, suspended on a medium blue ribbon. The ceiling is painted sky blue for a feeling of being up in the clouds.
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PastelsVividly shaded eggs from Martha Stewart's Araucana and Ameraucana chickens inspired a palette of paint colors that make as dramatic a display in rooms as eggs arranged in an antique compote.
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PastelsAraucana Turquoise was used for a living-room color, Ameraucana Buff for a hallway, and Araucana Sage in a dining room.
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PastelsAraucana Sage makes a stylish understatement on living-room walls; the ceiling is Araucana Blue.
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PastelsMartha's Westport dressing room has Crevecoeur walls, framed by Golden Campine cabinets; the ceiling is a surprising Pale Araucana Green.
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PastelsA mudroom wall has matte Araucana Olive above, satin Ameraucana Moss below; the floor is Araucana Teal.
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PastelsAn Ameraucana Buff hall has Pinfeather steps.
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PastelsMartha's Westport, Connecticut, dining room employs rare color to showcase well-chosen treasures, such as a gilt mirror, which in turn accent the room color. The Porcelain Green walls and Coral Blue Guinea ceiling were inspired by an antique bowl and a length of silk ribbon.
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The high-seas blue of a 1940s school map charted the start of the bedroom palette seen on the next slide.
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Map blue became Oceana on the walls. The Pale Araucana Green ceiling is complemented by Araucana Olive in gloss on the floor.
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PastelsDrabware walls warm a room at night, in lamplight. The Araucana Turquoise ceiling keeps the space open and airy, while a rich cream, Silkie White, extends the walls' warmth into trim work. The floor, in Crevecoeur, has the fine gloss of dinnerware. Hallway walls beyond are Araucana Green.
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PastelsA range of neutrals from seashells and stones inspired the choice of restful colors for this living room.
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PastelsMartha's New York apartment's living-room walls are finished in a pigment-colored Swedish putty used as a paint but applied like plaster.
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GreenGreen can be as captivating indoors as it is in the garden. In this sleek, contemporary setting, vibrant linen slipcovers on a tuxedo sofa and throw pillow are used as an assertive accent. The color appears even more prominent against gray walls and neutral furniture; a pair of leather boxes is the only reiteration of the bright green.
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GreenIn a traditional setting, green is part of a palette that also includes yellow (in the warm golden tones of the rug and window shades, and in the brass accents) and blue (in the robin's-egg base of the rug, and the turquoise chair and pillow coverings). These two primaries combine to make green, which is why the three colors are so compatible, and the results so restful. The curtains pair a plaid with a toile; the shade of green on each is strong, but it's used like line work on a cream ground, softening the effect. A pale mint coats the walls, and a darker hue appears on the tole lampshade and hollyhocks on the coffee table. Among these greens, the pillows and chair stand out like blossoms against leaves, and the golds glow. Bamboo shades and the botanical prints subtly extend the room's natural inspiration.
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GreenA great unifier, green can be used to bring together different decorative elements. In this family room, all of the details are painted the same shamrock green. Green molding wraps around the room like a bright ribbon; the same color emphasizes the lines of the table and chairs. A graphic check fabric plus paint in matte and glossy finishes keep the overall look from becoming monotonous. A felt table mat in a deeper olive provides the final punctuation.
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GreenThe intense green of these platters and seat cushions would overpower most other colors. But the rich brown of this furniture more than holds its own. Together, the two hues enhance each other, evoking the beauty of a forest. A bowl overflowing with ferns is a fitting woodland touch.
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GreenIn an entry hall, green becomes a link between outside and in. Three different tones accentuate the paneling; the console is painted to match. The hanging lamp, glass vessels, and sconce's mirror are also in varying shades of green. Even in such abundance, this color is calming.
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Deep HuesThis room in Martha's home at Lily Pond Lane was inspired by the colors of her collection of stuffed tarpon fish.
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Deep HuesButtery-hued walls and woodwork give this space a rich, warm glow. The ceiling is painted in a complementary shade of deep beige.
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Deep HuesThe soft brown of these walls and lighter, more golden color of the ceiling unifies a kitchen that is accented in green.
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Deep HuesThese shelves are painted the same color as the kitchen ceiling.
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Deep HuesThis chair, found by Martha at an antiques show, was covered in leather in the same shade as the ceiling of the room.
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Deep Hues
These garden books in deep hues are organized in a beige bookcase.
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Deep HuesIn this library, a white Jacobean-style table is painted black, making an elegant, functional library table.
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Deep HuesA guest bedroom, painted in a soothing gray-brown, is supremely simple in its decor.
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Deep HuesIn this guest bath, a collection of opaline green glass shimmers against the black-painted wood.
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Deep HuesThese walls and ceiling were painted in beige-pink tones. A large, pinkish mercury-glass ball catches the light.
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Deep HuesThe woodwork and vanity table in this bathroom have been painted beige.
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Deep HuesThis bed frame is encased in thick bump padding, then in fine-linen slipcovers that are stitched together into a simple dressmaker shape that gracefully envelops the frame of the bed. Pink linens accentuate the pink in the wall color.
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A 1930s Chinese Chippendale-style fish tank showcases a red mini-orchid in Martha's Bedford home. Even the covers of the books on the shelves -- a collection of Loeb classics, a series of works in Latin translated into English -- contribute to the color scheme.
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RedIn Martha's formal dining room, a black lacquered Chinese screen, an Indian carved-teakwood table, and a pair of modest beige armchairs counterpoint the red-hued walls, upholstery, and carpet. The fireplace-wall paneling and the curtains are embellished with reddish faux-bois effects: The pine paneling was coated with a deep-red glaze and then grained with a reddish-black paint to mimic a luxurious, dark wood; the curtain fabric was silk-screened. Antique red Turkish Oushak carpets, such as this one, are rare. The arrangement of snapdragons incorporates the spectrum of reds used in the house.
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RedA Chinese-style red painted bureau has a faux-marble top. Black tole candlestick lamps, a set of lacquered stacking boxes, and a grouping of 18th-century English prints depicting Asian-inspired scenes continue the chinoiserie theme.
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RedTo create a softer, more restful mood in a bedroom, Martha painted these walls a pale khaki and red was restricted to accent pieces, such as the quilt and the japanned (varnished and gilded) secretary.
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RedOrange Fitzhugh-pattern Chinese-export porcelain inspired the dining-room color scheme. The painted walls match the deepest tone on the china. A quince-colored velvet tablecloth and sunset-hued fabric on the folding screen highlight the richness and depth of gold-tinged reds.
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RedA coppery-red arrangement of astilbe and celosia warms a cool-gray hallway. Above the flowers, a Directoire-style girandole holds a white porcelain model of a mandarin figure. A Chinese ceramic garden seat in a deep sang de boeuf red stands under the table.
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PinkAt Martha's guest cottage in Maine, an array of blush-colored tones creates a welcoming atmosphere. Martha chose a large-scale painting of a Venetian lagoon, by her friend Kevin Burger, to hang in the dining room, which is also home to a gray terrazzo dining table and a set of Italian ring-back chairs.
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PinkUnder Martha's direction, pink seems to have found its decorative footing. One of her design tactics was to create a continuous wash of ambient color throughout the guesthouse. The mirror frame above the fireplace, for example, was painted the same pink as the cottage's walls and trims.
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PinkMartha found the pink porcelain teacups in the South of France; some of the Venetian glassware came with the house.
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PinkAmber-and-gold Venetian glass candlesticks stand on the Victorian flip-top desk.
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PinkIn the bedroom, Martha had a lampshade made to match the Italian alabaster reading lamp; the ruffled edge echoes the fluted top of the lamp base. The sconce is one of a set of Italian lyre-backed pieces in the room that belonged to Martha's grandmother.
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PinkThe bed expands the range of pinks with its French sheets and pillowcases and mohair throw.
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PinkThe bedroom desk, which faces the water, is the spot for writing letters or just gazing out the window.
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PinkThe once-mismatched wicker pieces, including a chaise and a star-shape table, are now unified, thanks to a coat of gray paint. The enormous mirror on the right reflects a view of the harbor.
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PinkMartha unearthed the pink Venetian mirror at a consignment store. The pink glazed tiles were made in the 1920s at Pewabic Pottery, one of Detroit's renowned potters.
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PinkAdditional pinks are worked into the decorative scheme in the bathroom with a few embroidered towels and some soaps.
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OrangeThis traditional English-style foyer, painted pumpkin-orange, offers a warm welcome to all who enter. Paired with plenty of whites -- the wainscoting, ceiling, risers, trim, and balusters -- the walls feel crisp, particularly when outlined with brown grosgrain ribbon (which is adhered with craft glue). The warm browns of the wood harmonize well with orange, animating and restraining it.
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OrangeAn iron garden table is painted an irrepressible orange -- perfect for waking up at the breakfast table with orange juice, cantaloupe, and marmalade. Window seats are made cozy with cushions covered in mocha-colored canvas and piping in another fresh orange.
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OrangeA hot orange in carefully modulated doses visually organizes disparate elements in this formal living room. A pillow, a console, a coffee table, and picture mats all wear the same vivid hue. Chinese porcelain -- the lamp and two lidded jars -- adds accents in a similarly intense shade. The sofa sports stripes of peach and orange; the Sultanabad carpet with strong orange elements is handwoven.
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OrangeThe dove gray of a bookcase tames the vibrant orange shelves and interior; the armchair's dusty-orange velvet upholstery is toned down by a cream-and-pale-green side table. It's easy to add orange shades with a flower arrangement like this clutch of coral roses.
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OrangeYou can start off on a small scale by customizing a neutral room with a few coordinated accessories: a spicy-orange bedspread, terra-cotta Roman shades, and a curry-colored lampshade.
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BrownRed browns have a warm, rosy glow. Salvaged doors inspired this Vermeer-like setting: Fabrics were selected for reddish tones that complement the wood. Texture and luster are important here, too: Daylight brings out the sheen of the velvet comforter and satin pillow, lending life to the room.
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BrownIn a luminous white setting, dark brown has the impact of black, without the harshness. This sofa is upholstered with velvet the color of bittersweet chocolate; white piping makes the fabric look even darker. A varied collection of smoky-glass bottles and vases lightens the mood.
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BrownDon't be afraid to mix light and dark woods. Against a cumin-colored wall, this walnut writing desk mingles with a fruitwood chair; maple, birch, and cherry boxes; and a mahogany-framed sepia photograph.
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BrownTrue khaki, like these walls, veers toward the green. It looks its best in the warm light of a sunny room, its greenness tempered by potted ferns, a papyrus plant, and a myrtle topiary.
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BrownIn this very Parisian breakfast room, there is as much cream as there is coffee: An eggshell-colored cupboard, curtains of pale chiffon, light woods, tan piping on the seat cushions, and snowy wainscoting all help to enrich the cafe au lait brown of the walls. The anchor for this dreamy setting is the much darker maple floors.
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BrownA Victorian etched mirror, and an intriguing collection of flea-market finds.
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BrownIf you have ever wondered what taupe looks like, these dusky walls are your guide, with lustrous fabrics chosen to enhance and uplift its distinctive character. The daybed is the focus of an audacious assortment of mauves, lavenders, and lilac touches.
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GrayWhen he renovated his new apartment, Eric Pike chose soothing shades of gray, and made a decorative fireplace a focal point in the living room.
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GrayShades are partially drawn in this gray sitting room.
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GrayGroupings of furniture provide for conversation spaces. Here, the settee, chest, and rounded-back chair are Swedish antiques.
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GrayThese cabinets were designed to conceal appliances while keeping them handy; electrical outlets are hidden under the upper cabinets.
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GrayPerhaps the most contemporary room in this apartment, the bathroom is luxurious yet basic, with clean lines and an abundance of natural light provided by a skylight.
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GrayWith its coffered ceiling, which conceals support beams, this room lacks the height of the rest of the apartment; the skylight, however, opens up the space.
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GrayA cupboard in the dining room organizes Wedgwood and French creamware.
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GrayIn deep doorways at the ends of the entry hall, there are four shallow closets.
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GrayBetween the dining and living rooms, deep doorways allow for closets behind panels; these hold books, electronics, and kitchen supplies.
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A television is over the living room mantel; an antiqued mirror lifts to reveal it.
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GrayThis low bed doesn't block the light from the windows.
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GrayAbove the bedroom's fireplace hangs a painting of Daniel Webster, a Massachusetts senator in the mid-1800s.
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GrayThis custom L-shaped desk was created to hide equipment while affording a view.
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GrayAn antique Swedish desk occupies a front corner of the bedroom; its many drawers keep mail out of sight. The desktop displays some favorite possessions.
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BlackWhen redecorating the guest apartment at Turkey Hill, her Connecticut home, Martha gave it several coats of black paint. The rooms, though bright and cheerful, were cluttered with a jumble of furniture, some of which had been painted white over the years. "It was the popular thing to do -- dressing up shabby furniture with a coat of paint," says Martha." And I thought, if it works with white, why not try it with black?"
Shown here is Martha's collection of Aesthetic Movement hardware, which was ideal for this project: Drawer handles made sleek shade pulls, and hooks replaced Shakerstyle wooden pegs along the horizontal wall trim.
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BlackThe unique proportions of the dining room allow for this oversize table, a great place for spreading out work after guests have left. Complementing the galvanized-steel tabletop are black-painted grange chairs and horsehair table mats in lieu of a conventional cloth. "Black" foods, including blueberries, black raspberries, grapes, and cherries, are set out on black-patterned English china. Bundles of black scabious complete the table setting. The large cupboard was unremarkable when Martha found it, but when painted in two similar dusky shades -- inside, an almost-aubergine stone brown, and outside, a slightly darker deep caviar -- and filled with clear glassware, it became a handsome and useful focal point. Black window shades help keep the glaring afternoon sunlight in check.
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BlackIts wooden frame revitalized with a finish of deep, caviar-gray paint, this worn marble-top table desk occupies a corner of the living room. The wooden chair is painted in a paler, stone-brown shade; the bottom few inches of the chair legs are a darker, true black. A cushion upholstered in glazed black linen and edged in brown satin ribbon makes for a luxurious chair seat. The lamp is topped with a black-silk shade lined with metallic gauze fabric. Even small details -- the cast-bronze chow chow and the black-patterned English china meant to catch keys and loose change, for example -- continue the color scheme.
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BlackThis lead-colored wire work stand holds a collection of pewter, tin, and steel cooking molds. Lounging on the tile floor, Martha's black chow ZuZu coordinates beautifully with the decor.
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BlackBlack soapstone countertops replaced white Corian in Martha's kitchen; black glass drawer pulls replaced wood.
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BlackA flea-market wire rack, updated with a new coat of paint, keeps kitchen staples at hand.
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BlackIn a bathroom with bright-white tile and porcelain fixtures, few accessories are required. The carved wooden wall mirror was painted a dark gray-black; the standing adjustable mirror and the wire wastebasket did not need painting. Neither did the tall, wirework towel stand, one of a pair that Martha found at an antiques show.
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BlackAn embroidered chocolate-brown silk-velvet tapestry hangs between living-room windows; its lively pattern sets off the graceful lines of an eighteenth-century camelback sofa. The black-horsehair fabric on the sofa, though a splurge, was a good investment -- it is virtually indestructible. The coffee table, originally a galvanized freezer rack, is the ultimate in functionality.
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BlackIn the bedroom, a trim bedside table (found at auction) has the same rich, true-black ebonized finish as the bed. The reading lamp was painted a stone brown.
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BlackAlso painted in stone brown, this newly refinished plant stand sits demurely in the corner of the living room, a base for a towering topiary.
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An inexpensive mirror, framed in whimsical fretwork, became a glamorous accent for the bedroom when its old varnish was replaced with a deep, charcoal-gray paint. The mirror's bracketed shelves hold a collection of black basalt Wedgwood. The bureau, a solidly constructed but plain wooden piece, was transformed by a few coats of true-black paint. Original plain wooden drawer pulls were replaced by decorative Aesthetic Movement hardware to complete the refinishing.
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To play up her home's "warm, sunshiny spirit," this homeowner had the staid gray-green living and dining rooms painted a glossy white, which helps sunlight "hit the walls like a mirror." In the living room, she brightened a potentially drab brown couch with a playful litter of pillows in relaxing shades she calls sorbets. The sisal rug and palm plant underline "the islandy vibe we love." The family's don't-worry-be-happy philosophy is proven again with the coffee table: a rare mid-century piece with slide-out trays.
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Maritime objects fill every nook and cranny in the circular Shell Museum. This collection was built over a lifetime of winter travels to warm climates.
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Combining multiple striped patterns in the same palette of yellow and ice blue gives this living room a cohesive feel.
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This staircase was completed with a railing, the Biedermeier chair is covered in horsehair velvet, and the stool is Chinese. The drawings include several that the homeowners collected, and the wooden animal beneath the console table is one of dozens the homeowner picked up while on foreign assignment. Decorator Kevin Sharkey installed an 8-foot-tall mirror to create the impression of a grand double staircase. Staircases are usually great places for mirrors," he says, "as they tend to be dark, awkward spaces."
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American Empire mirrors take on new purpose when their battered veneer frames are patched and unified with oil paint, letting the colors and shadows of the old mirrors themselves become the center of attention.
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Remnants of four graphic fabrics add drama when placed in metal frames and hung in a grid. When choosing fabrics, stick to bold, overscale patterns, since small florals will lose presence when viewed from afar.
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By itself, the citron yellow on this Victorian chest seemed pallid. But a rich, honeyed drawer trim -- not an obvious choice -- galvanized it. "The greater the chance you take with yellows," says Stephen Earle, "the greater the reward."


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Banbridge's Irish champion Jill Connery is off to Los Angeles dreaming of another gold at the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games.
Having won the top prize in the Special Olympics All-Ireland Games last year, the 29 year-old Scarva girl was chosen in the Ireland squad to board the plane to America.
Along with her 71 year-old playing partner Ursula McDonnell, Jill goes off to compete fresh from receiving some top tips from Ireland's golfing greats.
At the recent Irish Open at Royal County Down, the Team Ireland golfers received some guidance from Special Olympics Global Ambassador and three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington.
As if that wasn't enough, 2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell also stopped by to give Jill some advice on her putting. In the end, she could have been the one doing the teaching as her straight putts were said to have made Graeme very jealous!
Now Jill will be hoping to put that advice to good use. The golf events began yesterday (Monday) and will culminate on Friday.
Jill and the rest of the 88 strong Ireland team - 12 from Ulster - jetted off across the pond last Tuesday from Dublin Airport.
A 40-strong coaching and management team will support the athletes in Los Angeles and 155 Irish volunteers and over 300 family members have also travelled to work at the Games.
Team Ireland athletes spent the first few days of their Los Angeles adventure in the city of Downey in southeast Los Angeles County as part of the Host Town programme.
On Saturday the Games were officially opened at a star-studded Opening Ceremony at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, site of the 1932 and 1984 Olympics.
It featured performances by Stevie Wonder, Avril Lavigne and Nicole Scherzinger, with appearances by First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, Jimmy Kimmel, actress Eva Longoria, and Olympic star Michael Phelps, amongst many others.
Team Ireland were led out by Irish Sports Council CEO John Treacy, who won a silver medal at the LA Olympics in 1984, actor Colin Farrell, and Claudine Keane, wife of football star Robbie Keane.
Shaun Cassidy, Regional Director, Special Olympics Ulster said: "It is a real honour for our local athletes to be selected to represent Team Ireland at the Special Olympics World Summer Games and we feel an immense sense of pride as they depart on this special journey to LA2015.
"We would encourage people across Ulster to join us and get behind our athletes and the whole of Team Ireland, sharing their well wishes and messages of support on social media."
As well as being a top golfer, Jill is also talented horse-rider, proven by her Riding for the Disabled (RDA) NI Rider of the Year award she picked up in 2013.