text:
Transit advocate coalition to release report on how to improve Mass. transportation
Coaltion to release report called "Route to Our Future: Transit Solutions for Equity, Sustainability, and Economic Growth in the Commonwealth"
Community groups, labor unions and civic leaders are expected to head to Beacon Hill today to meet with state legislators and to advocate for their ideas on how to better fund and improve the debt-ridden public transportation system across Massachusetts.
"Rider groups from across the state are starting to come together around these [transportation] issues, and transit workers are also getting behind it because they see that the system is way under funded, and that our transportation is not working," said Lee Matsueda, a spokesman for the T Riders Union.
"We want [Gov. Deval Patrick] and the legislature to hear us loud and clear," he said.
The centerpiece of the gathering will be a report released by Public Transit-Public Good, a campaign of the Green Justice Coalition, that will focus on transit funding and reform solutions that the advocates believe will grow the state's economy, cut carbon emissions, ensure accessibility, and increase racial, economic, and regional equity across the state.
"Public transit is a lifeline for our communities. People who cannot drive depend on transit to get the to work, doctors' appointments, shopping, and social engagements. Others turn to transit to help them protect the environment or avoid traffic-induced stress," said Richard Rogers, chair of Community Labor United, one of the groups in the coalition. "Public transit can bring people together or keep us apart. We offer proposals that will help it bring us together, so that it can drive our state's economy and help us meet our environmental goals."


text:
I have written hundreds of posts in my career.
Many of them (over half) have been removed or consolidated with other posts.
I "wasted" a lot of time initially blogging. I hate to call it a waste though because writing so much and learning from my mistakes was training that money couldn't possibly buy.
I want to save you the time and energy though so I've put together a blog post here that you should read BEFORE you start a new blog.
If I had this post when I started, it would have saved/made me thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours.
1. Spend Time on Your Niche Selection and Domain Name
I will be the first to admit, EntreResource.com is a terrible domain name.
It isn't memorable, it is hard to spell and it just isn't very good.
The success of this blog is totally in spite of the crappy domain choice.
Even if you already have a domain name in mind and purchased, spend a little bit of time pondering the question, "is this a domain name that I could see scaling with my business?"
Here are some quick tips for choosing a good domain name.
- Make it easy to spell. Now, people don't do nearly as much "direct domain searching" as they did in the early 2000s, but you should still have a domain that someone could type into their browser bar without having issues.
- Make it easy to remember. Whatever niche you're in you will face constantly growing competition. The easier that your domain is to remember, the more traffic you will get. Personally, I use Expedia.com for my travel bookings. I really don't know if they are better than the competitors (there are a LOT of competitors) but for some reason, it is first to mind and memorable to me.
- Make it short if possible but focus on clarity first. I say "if possible," because you shouldn't sacrifice clarity for brevity. Yes, having a domain under 10 letters is really cool but not if it doesn't convey the purpose of the blog clearly to the reader. A great example of a long domain that still does well is SmartPassiveIncome.com. Yes, it is wordy BUT it is very easy to remember.
If you have the budget to do it, don't be afraid of purchasing a premium domain name.
Investing a few hundred dollars up to several thousands of dollars could prove to be one of the best decisions you have ever made.
If you need help finding inspiration for blog names, check out leandomainsearch.com. Start with basic words and see what combinations are available.
Oh look, catorganizer.com is available!
As far as choosing your niche goes, check out my article on niche brainstorming for more details on that.
Basically, you just want to make sure that the niche is big enough, not overly saturated, in a topic you're interested in and has people that are willing and able to buy.
2. Decide on Basic Fixed Style Elements and Stick with Them
When analyzing my productivity and where I was spending most of my time, one thing really stuck out to me.
I was spending hours in Canva.com crafting images for my blog posts.
Most of these images were for featured blog images. These are the images that you see as thumbnails and at the top of each post.
I find them to be important BUT I shouldn't have been spending so much of my own time creating them.
Also, you might notice this blog has a lot of different styled elements throughout. When I transitioned to Thrive Themes (more on that next) I started getting fancy with call out boxes, quotes and other customizable elements.
These are great BUT I was making the mistake of not keeping a constant style. This meant two things.
- My blog didn't have a uniform look and feel.
- I was spending too much time on each element's design.
I am NOT a designer so why should I keep spending my time trying to be?
What I am doing now is much better.
Now, I save templates for elements that I use over and over.
This allows me to easily paste them into my posts and edit the content within them while maintaining a consistent styling.
Thrive Themes is fantastic at this.
This will save you an insane amount of time and make your content look more consistent.
As for featured images, I have three recommendations.
Design Tip #1 Unless you absolutely love creating your own graphics, are good at it and have the time to spend, don't make new custom graphics from scratch each time you write a post.
You could easily find yourself spending more time designing than writing! People read your blog for your words, not the fancy designs.
Ironically, doing them yourself can end up hurting your bounce rates and overall perceived blog quality.
I found that many of the featured images I made over the past two years look much worse in hindsight and are impossible to read when in thumbnail form. .
Design Tip #2 You don't actually need more than stock photos as featured images
I fell in love with text overlays on my featured images.
I spent time messing with typography (font pairings, spacing, line heights etc.) and lacked consistency while wasting time.
You can absolutely use stock photos as featured images and ignore writing the title of the post over the image if you'd like.
Consistency is key here.
Some of my favorite blogs have ridiculously simplistic featured images but they have consistency and serious style.
One blogger who does this very well is Neville Medhora of KopywritingKourse.com.
This is what his most recent post looked like. It's just a crudely drawn stick figure .GIF file (which is clever, I have never tried using .GIFs as featured images before!)
The title sits above the image and is in the same default text every time although it's not shown in the image above, I wanted to keep the awesome GIF to show you 🙂
Design Tip #3 If you want text, create a template in Canva and stick with it
I get it, text overlays look great. I love them too.
Now, you can get that cool text overlay look AND avoid wasting so much time by simply creating a template that you can reuse over and over again.
Here is how.
How to Create a Featured Image Template in Canva
STEP #1 Create an account at Canva.com (you should already have one!)
This is free and easy. I pay for a premium plan but you don't have to.
STEP #2 Create a new design and choose "Blog Title"
If your blog requires a larger or smaller featured image, you can adjust the size accordingly. I find the default blog title fits nicely on my Thrive Theme (the one I use is called Performag by the way).
STEP #3 For each new post, change the text and the images
You can do this yourself OR simply hire a professional designer to make one of these for you so you have the best foundation possible.
Make sure that they make it in Canva or something similar so you can easily edit it.
Once you have the template in place, you have little you can mess up.
You can still have that personal feel and add relevant stock images or your own photos but you don't have to start from scratch each time!
This brings me to point 3...
3. Start with the Best WordPress Theme You Can Afford
My goal is to help internet entrepreneurs of all income levels make money online, so I do try and push free options as often as possible to newbies BUT I am done recommending free WordPress themes for two reasons.
- Putting some "skin" in the game and dropping some cash for a premium theme that you can use forever is a great investment.
- Transitioning into a new theme is messy, inevitable and costly. I don't know many bloggers who started with free themes and never upgraded to something paid. The time and energy they spend getting their new theme transitioned costs them so much more than just getting something good right out of the gate.
- Thrive Themes isn't that expensive. As I mentioned earlier, the new theme suite I recommend is called Thrive Themes. It has made my blogging process so much easier, customizable and systematic. It includes a bunch of additional tools as well as just blog themes (lead collecting plugins and more) but the themes alone are worth every bit of the $19/month (paid annually) that it costs.
Digital marketers are spoiled. We don't have the massive costs that entrepreneurs who sell more tangible products do.
These small investments will go a very, very long way.
4. If It's Not Great, Don't Write It
Did you read the part about how I've written over 250 blog posts?
The truth, most of those were garbage.
They were just "ok," but most didn't drive traffic, build my brand or make sales.
Don't just spray and pray. So many bloggers just barf out as much content as they can and hope something sticks.
I highly recommend that you craft each post with purpose and have a repeatable process for choosing topics and crafting the blog posts themselves.
I have outlined this entire process in my free ebook "The Perfect Blog Post." I highly recommend that you grab a copy and read it before you start writing anything!
Get a FREE copy of the perfect blog post
Learn How to Make Serious Money Blogging WITHOUT Writing Hundreds of Posts
Ok, that is all, now, get going!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Good leaders seem to find a way to reflect upon their experiences, positive and negative, and learn important lessons along the way. After all, history tends to repeat itself when the past is not remembered! Great leaders take this one step further by sharing these valuable lessons with others. In a business environment that encourages collaboration, this kind of mentorship can be indispensable. Through shared knowledge, anyone can feel empowered to lead when the opportunity arises!
With that in mind, let's take a look at three important business lessons as explained by influential leaders. These lessons come from three different environments – press, advertising and entertainment – but their messages should resonate across all areas of focus:
"We think, mistakenly, that success is the result of the amount of time we put in at work, instead of the quality of time we put in."
Arianna Huffington, Co-Founder, The Huffington Post
Have you met the chronic oversharer in the office who always seems to talk about how busy they are? Or, on the other end of the spectrum, the slow moving office sloth who appears to take as much time as possible when completing an assignment? When it comes to getting the job done, who's right?
The short answer is: both! Whether a project takes you an afternoon or an entire month, it's important to remember that time alone does not necessarily translate to the quality of your work.
"When the ideas are coming, I don't stop until the ideas stop because that train doesn't come along all the time."
Dr. Dre, Founder, Aftermath Entertainment & Beats
Speaking of time, inspiration doesn't necessarily clock in at 9 and punch out at 5. While it is important to maintain a reasonable work-life balance, allowing all of your influences to charge your career can invigorate your creative process. Education, hobbies, family and friends – any interaction or interest might be a starting point for the next big idea along your career path. When inspiration hits, grab a pen, settle in and let it flow!
"Hire people that are better than you and then leave them to get on with it."
David Ogilvy, Founder, Ogilvy and Mather
Control is an interesting thing. It can take a long time to feel as though you're in control of your professional position; mastering the skills needed to succeed in any role takes a whole lot of trial and error! Yet, once we achieve a level of comfort in what we do, it usually means it's time to move forward, keep challenging yourself and to empower those around you. Nothing shows better leadership than acknowledging the skills of those around you and allowing them to thrive.
Great leaders not only learn lessons, they share them with others! If you have a favorite quote or a comment to add, please join the conversation below.


text:
Why Creating Graphic Organizers is Easier with Creately
Graphic organizers come in various forms and our powerful productivity features will cut down the time spent on drawing them. Our 1-click create and connect feature lets you create and connect the next object in 1 single click. With most other graphic organizer creators you need at least 3 clicks to drag the object, create the connector and connect it with the object.
Our smart objects and connectors automatically adjust according to the diagram so you don't have to manually rearrange things as soon as you change a position of one object. This alone will save you plenty of time when working on large graphic organizers that require dragging and moving objects.
The integrated Google image search and Iconfinder search make it very easy to add images to your graphic organizers. No more searching, saving and importing. Use the built-in search box and just drag the image to the graphic organizer you're creating. With Creately's graphic organizer maker, creating graphic organizers is a piece of cake, because the software is designed specifically for a drawing experience that is simply effortless.
Many Presentation and Exporting Options
We provide you with multiple ways to present and export your diagrams. Not only can you export the diagram but you can also preserve the various links in the diagram if you export it as a PDF or an SVG. This brings additional value to your exported diagrams and makes them more data-rich as well.
With SVG export you can draw using our software and add design elements to it using other SVG editors like Adobe Illustrator. This comes in handy when you have to add professional design elements to your graphic organizer.
Having trouble displaying a large graphic organizer design in a website or a blog? Our specially designed viewer helps you to embed any large graphic organizer in small spaces and view it using zooming functions. You can zoom in, zoom out, move the image by dragging and do a whole lot more. Viewing large diagrams in a web page couldn't get any easier.
There are many other exporting and presentation features for you to play around with. Our graphic organizer maker removes limitations and help you to be imaginative and creative. Just give it a try and feel the difference.
Create Graphic Organizers Together with Real-Time Collaboration
Graphic organizers are great for collaborative diagramming. While students can work as groups on the same diagram, teachers can collaborate and share comments or make changes. Our real-time collaboration features make this process very simple and easy. Everyone working on the diagram can see each other's changes in real-time, contributing to a fun learning experience.
Every change is preserved in the revision history so you can easily analyze the changes and reverse them if necessary. This is great if a teacher wants to look at the changes made and make any correction if necessary.


text:
A number of shots were fired at a family home in the outskirts of Limerick city this morning.
Gardai responded to a call to a house in Glenbrook, Old Singland Road at around 12.10 AM after shots were discharged through the front sitting room window and front door of the house.
It has been confirmed that the family who were at home at the time of the shooting have not been injured.
The house and surrounding area have been forensically examined by members of the Divisional Scenes of Crime Unit and Gardai are appealing to anybody who was in the area between 11 PM and 1 AM to contact them.
Gardai are particularly appealing to anybody who was travelling at Bloodmill Road, Childers Road or Groody Road and who may have seen anything unusual to come forward.
Henry Street Garda station can be contacted at (061) 212400.


text:
In response to growing requests to resume mailing individual Social Security Statements, Carolyn W. Colvin, the Acting Commissioner of Social Security announced that the Social Security Administration will resume mailing individual Statements ("Statements") to some, but not all, eligible workers. The Statements will not be mailed annually. Instead, workers will receive their individual Statement every five years, from age 25 to 60. At age 60 and beyond, workers will receive their individual Statement annually.
"We have listened to our customers, advocates, and Congress; and renewing the mailing of the Statement reinforces our commitment to provide the public with an easy, efficient way to obtain an estimate of their future Social Security benefits," said Acting Commissioner Colvin. Acting Commissioner also added that "I encourage everyone to create their own secure my Social Security account to obtain immediate access to their Statement online, anytime."
Beginning in September, individuals aged 25 to 60, who are not receiving Social Security benefits and who are not registered for a My Social Security account will receive their statement in the mail approximately three months before their birthday. After age 60, individuals will receive their Statement annually. The Social Security Administration anticipates mailing nearly 48 million Statements annually. The Social Security Administration estimates that more than 14 million people have established their online My Social Security account by visiting the Social Security Administration website. By using the My Social Security account, workers may access their Statement at their convenience. The individual account may also be used to request an instant benefit verification letter, change their address and phone number, and set-up direct deposit for their benefit payment. Acting Commissioner Colvin also noted that "whether conducting business with Social Security via the Internet, mail, telephone or face-to-face, we will continue to provide convenient, cost-effective, secure and quality customer service to meet the needs of the public we serve."


text:
All posts in Cliff May
In-Depth: 3252 Stevely – The Ranchos
And all of the sudden, there are a bunch of Cliff Mays for sale across Southern California…and we decided to take a look at a few. Here's our in-depth take on this turn-key property….
Top 6 Restaurants to Try Out in Tustin
The city of Tustin is known for its rich history, community-centered culture and great restaurants. Here's our top 6 list of restaurants to stop by while visiting Tustin.
Hunting for the Perfect MCM Bar Stool
Many mid-century homes include an eat-in kitchen with a bar-height counter, often alongside the cooktop. Our newly purchased home, built in the 1950s, boasts this feature. I have been looking for the perfect pair of modern bar stools for my mid-century home for what feels like months now. My budget is solidly set at $300 total for the two stools. After visiting a number of local furniture dealers and antique stores I came up empty handed. I formed the conclusion that searching online was the best bet for my mid-century modern bar stool hunt. I found a lot of great options across various sites.
SOLD! 13061 Wreath Place, Tustin Cliff May
This Cliff May-designed ranch home is in a class of one. Situated on nearly 10,000 square feet of land, you can enjoy the spacious grounds the way Cliff May intended. Immaculately maintained, it offers just under 1400 square feet of living area.
A Stylish Foundation: The Best Flooring for your MCM Home
While a fully remodeled Mid-Century Modern home is the ideal, the reality of things is that you'll probably have to renovate part or all of a MCM home if you want to restore it to its original beauty. This is a tremendously enriching and fun experience.
Container Gardening Under the SoCal Sun Cliff May style
Container gardening is a fun and fresh way to grow your own vegetables, flowers, and herbs. The moveable containers used for this method of gardening grants you the flexibility of making the growing spaces work for your lifestyle.
Cliff May OPEN House!
We will be hosting not one BUT TWO Cliff May Open Houses this weekend. 7210 Rosebay, Long Beach Sunday June 8th – 12pm-4pm This home has some amazing upgrades and […]
Winners of our Cliff May SoCal In Spring Pinterest Contest!
We were so inspired by all of the fantastic pinning our fans did as part of our Cliff May SoCal In Spring Pinterest Contest! Landscaping ideas, outdoor furniture, lighting, grills, […]
NEW LISTING: Long Beach Ranchos < $600k
On-Market Review: 3209 Ave – Long Beach, CA Cliff May homes in the Long Beach Ranchos are are a lot like classic cars. If you have ever bought a classic […]
Book Review: Living the Dream in a Cliff May
Prospective buyers of Cliff May homes are sure to be interested in two relatively new books, both of which are readily available in libraries or through Amazon. Taken together, they provide different perspectives on these extraordinary homes.


text:
For DS's 4th birthday, we went to Great Wolf Lodge in the Pocono's again. It's basically an indoor water park, with a lodge-themed hotel. So fun for the kids. Last month, I won Bo Bunny's card challenge, so they sent me their awesome new birthday-themed line, "Surprise". The colors and various elements were perfect for this mini album. The mini itself is Kaisercraft MDF Wood.
The cover. I cut the "4" out of one of the sheets of paper, backed it on more paper, and then covered it with glossy accents to make an embellishments out of it. I also popped it up with foam adhesive:
A close-up of the cover. I put an October Afternoon metal flair in the star, and then covered around it with glossy accents... I love how it came out:
This mini was so perfect with all the star and arrow-shaped pages:
LOL..."The Claw"! I always think of Toy Story now, when I hear that:
Dexter was such a pro at this lily-pad jumping by the end... he was totally fearless (and it's not an easy challenge, trust me!):
I made a pocket to store their "Paw Passes", and here is a close-up of one of the passes pulled out:
The kids got to go play bowling, and they also got these books made for each. They got their pictures taken in various poses, and then they were inserted into the story and the story illustrations as one of the characters... how cool is that?!
The stuffed animals the kids got to make (they were soooo excited!):
And the back:
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Birthday mini album!
Posted by Ilene at 9:43 AM
5 comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
These are the top 5 sure fire tips on how to know if rice is bad.
Rice Is No Good If It's Bad!
When it comes to food, you need to make sure you are eating fresh, clean ingredients. Eating stale rice that's gone bad is a recipe for ill health and digestive problems.
Rice is a hardy grain that can last for 2 to 5 years when stored properly. Most people consume their rice pretty fast, without having to store it for years and years.
But even then, rice (we're talking about uncooked rice here) can still go bad in certain situations.
How to Know If Rice Is Bad
Here are the sure-fire signs that can help you know if your rice has gone bad:
1. Worms, Maggots and Other Critters
If your rice has worms, maggots or even tiny beetles crawling around in it, then it's gone bad!
2. Funky Smells
Rice usually has no smell, or has a milk grain-like smell/aroma. So if your rice is giving off any moldy, rotten or stinky smells, then you'll have to get rid of it.
3.Change in Texture
If your rice has broken down or has become slimy or soft to the touch, then it isn't safe to use.
4. Change in Color
White rice grains should stay white if they are fresh. When the rice grains turn off-white or cream colored, then it's gone bad.
5. Contact with Water
Rice should be kept completely dry, without any contact with water. If you happen to get any water into your rice container, it will most surely go bad. To remedy this, you can immediately spread out the rice on a tray and sun-dry it.
What Should You Do With Rice That's Bad?
I'm afraid there's no other way around this one. If your rice grains have gone bad, you'll have to toss it all out. It's a matter of health.
How to Keep Your Rice Fresher for Longer
There are many ways to keep your rice grains fresher for longer. Here are some helpful tips:
- Store your rice in a dry air tight container.
- Do not use wet hands or wet utensils when handling the rice.
- Avoid keeping your rice in humid areas. Store it in a dry, cool place.


text:
Latest News
Silverbrook returns Kaiser hardball play
Australian company, Silverbrook Research, has responded angrily to a lawsuit lodged last week by US non-profit, George Kaiser Family Foundation, accusing the Memjet founder, Kia Silverbrook and his company of false representations and false promises.
The lawsuit papers, which were unexpectedly released last week, accuse Silverbrook, his partner Jannette Faye Lee and their company, Silverbrook Research, of omissions, false representations and false promises made during the multi-million dollar investment period, of which the US-based foundation invested US$50 million (A$47.2m) in 2004 to help develop and commercialise the groundbreaking inkjet technology.
According to the documents, which were lodged in a US District Court in Tulsa, Oklahoma, when Memjet had not made it to market by 2009 following the charity's initial investment, it invested a further $US150 million (A$141.5m) on the requested condition that Silverbrook and Lee step down from their leadership positions within the company.
The Australian research and development company says the Kaiser lawsuit allegations are "entirely baseless and inaccurate, and will be defended vigorously by Silverbrook."
The company issued a release through its PR company on 22 March, indicating that the lawsuit is merely an attempt by the Kaiser foundation to wrest control over the Memjet technology by playing 'hardball'.
The release says that:
"The lawsuit is part of a hardball commercial negotiation by GKFF over the ownership and control of the intellectual property surrounding the groundbreaking Memjet printing technology, which has been invented and patented by Silverbrook over the last decade.
Silverbrook strongly rejects GKFF's aggressive and misjudged tactics as being inappropriate and unnecessary, especially as GKFF is the major and controlling shareholder in Memjet…
Over the last eight years Mr Kaiser and various entities under his control have continuously funded and supported the Silverbrook's development of Memjet – a revolutionary printing technology which can be used to replace the existing technologies used in a wide range of applications in the $300 billion worldwide printing market.
It is a mystery to Silverbrook – apart from being a negotiating tactic for control of the Memjet technology – why GKFF would make wildly inaccurate claims at this time."
The lawsuit has been filed as more and more Memjet licences in markets around the world have been sold to printer developers and manufacturers. Nick Mansell, the CEO of Sydney-based Memjet press manufacturer, Rapid Label Systems, says the Memjet technology has met with enormous success in the marketplace.
In fact, he says that one US-based printer he knows of is putting through over 100,000 feet (30,480 metres) of printed media per week through its Memjet press, an impressive rate for an inkjet-based system.


text:
My Nonprofit Reviews
77 profile views
1 reviews
Review for Baabun Nasr Inc, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Baabun Nasr is a wonderful program that helps families in need almost everyday. From house supplies, food, clothing, shoes to even resources Baabun Nasr Helps our tremendously. I am very thankful to have something like this in our community.
More Feedback
Would you volunteer for this group again?
For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?
Did the organization use your time wisely?
Very Well
Would you recommend this group to a friend?
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
Role: Volunteer


text:
Interview with Frank Spotnitz
Conducted by Matt Allair 07/19/05.
There's a truism in life, opportunities often develop when you have no expectations, and this was especially true in this situation. While pursuing other related business concerning The X-Files Lexicon, I found myself having to get in contact with the staff at Mr. Spotnitz's production company, Big Light Productions. Frank's assistant, Jana Fain, was quite helpful, professional, kind and approachable. As an afterthought, with little expectation that my proposal to Interview Mr. Spotnitz would come to fruition, I made a general suggestion and received a very surprising answer. The phrase has been used so often that it's clichéd, but it's still true, 'be very careful what you wish for.'
A special thank you must go out to Jana for her tireless effort to make the following phone interview happen. Of course, there's a debt of gratitude to Mr. Spotnitz for making the time to do this interview, especially considering that he was in the middle of starting up his new show for ABC, The Night Stalker. Mr. Spotnitz almost needs no introduction to long time fans of The X-Files. He started during the series second season, as a writer and producer, and moved forward to become the second most pivotal creative figure throughout the show's history. Eventually, for a time, Mr. Spotnitz was the vice-president of Ten Thirteen Productions. During our conversation, I found Mr. Spotnitz to be approachable, gracious, good humored, confident yet humble and endlessly patient. The interview progressed as followed...
Matt Allair: Mr. Spotnitz, how are you?
Frank Spotnitz: I'm good thank you.
Matt: Let me start by asking you about the show you're working on for ABC, a re-imaging of Kolchak; The Night Stalker.
Frank: Yes
Matt: I know that the pilot was shot, and I enjoyed your blog page.
Frank: Oh Thanks.
Matt: I noticed that Daniel Sackheim is involved, is Dan Curtis involved as an executive producer?
Frank: He's a consulting producer on the show, so that's been a great thrill for me because I grew up watching, you know, so much of his work. Not only Night Stalker, Night Strangler, but Dark Shadows and Winds of War and so many things. The Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde he did with Jack Palance, it just..., really, he influenced my whole perception of television which was so important to me as a child, so it's been a real thrill for me to get to know him.
Matt: Great, Is the new characterization of Kolchak, played by Stuart Townsend, very different from Darrin McGavin's interpretation?
Frank: It really is very different, which is why I really call it, like you said, it's a re-imagining. It's not a re-make because, I spent, I don't know, close to six months (nervous laughter), working on this before I even wrote the script. I loved Darrin McGavin and loved the original T.V. movies and T.V. series. But I just couldn't figure out a way to do that character and do it better than Darrin McGavin did it. And I came to the conclusion that no matter how fine an actor you cast in the role, if it was the same guy that Darrin McGavin played, you were going to fail. He was such a unique personality and did it so beautifully, that I thought that the smartest thing to do is to take the shackles off my imagination and really be free to make this a different character entirely. So that was one reason why I ended up casting somebody who was, you know, twenty years younger than Darrin McGavin was when he played the part. But there were a number of other reasons too, I think the two TV movies were terrific and really hold up.
Matt: I agree.
Frank: But the TV series, as much as I loved it as a kid, had a lot of problems and was not a success, commercially or critically, as much as I enjoyed it. I don't know if you know, but Darrin McGavin himself was so unhappy with the TV show, that he begged the network to cancel it.
Matt: I heard about that.
Frank: So, I really had to think about why didn't it work when they turned it into a TV series because I don't want to make the same mistakes, and I came up with a few answers which, you know, (laughter) I hope they're right. I think one of the reasons that it's a difficult movie to make into a series, is that in the movies, you know Darrin McGavin was a guy in his fifties whose best days as a reporter were behind him. He'd been bounced to a second or third tier market as a Newspaperman, and he was looking for the big story that was going to put him back in the major leagues. He saw these supernatural stories as a way to get back there. Well, that works great if it's a one off, if it's a movie, but if you can imagine doing a TV series where that's the motivation every week, it seems very thin, it's like a one note idea. So I really felt like the smarter thing to do was to make him a guy whose career is ahead of him, not behind him. Who is pursing these stories not because he's looking at them as a way to get back into the big time, but because they have a personal meaning to him, and he's sacrificing his ambition, he's sacrificing what could be a very bright future to pursue these things.
That also helped me with another problem, a sort of reality problem I had, which was that again in a movie you could buy that it doesn't make it into the newspaper. But week in and week out, that it would never make it into the newspaper is more challenging. Honestly it's still a challenge in this series, but I think it's helped by the fact that in my incarnation, Kolchak isn't really doing this to get into the newspaper; he's really using his press pass as an excuse to ask people questions about the things that interest him. He wants to know these things for himself and so if it ends up in the paper, that's fine so long as it serves his interests, but it's really about his own personal mission.
Matt: So, Kolchak won't be necessarily stumbling into the situations, monsters and unexplained phenomenon he encounters, he will be seeking them out?
Frank: That's exactly right, because that was the other issue I had with the reality thing, like, how does somebody find these things, you know, just by happenstance every week? You know that does not happen in the real world. I think so much has happened in this genre for the past thirty some odd years, since the original Night Stalker, thirty three years, and people's sophistication level is such now, that they wouldn't buy that. You know, that you just happen upon these things, you really got to be looking for them to make it believable, so that's also why I created the other new characters because they stand in conflict to Kolchak and help drive the series. You know, it's one thing to have him as a lone wolf in a TV movie, but in a series you need other characters who are going to create conflict and drive the story telling.
Matt: Let's talk about Perri Reed, I noticed she's new character played by Gabrielle Union.
Frank: Right
Matt: Is the Kolchak and Reed characters modeled after Mulder and Scully?
Frank: No, I mean there's certainly are parallels you could draw because he is obviously a believer like Mulder was, and she is a skeptic. But that's only one component of their relationship, I have to say for a long time I resisted it, just because; 'Oh, people are going to compare it to The X-Files and there going to think it's just like it.' But then I realized, you know, the believer / skeptic dynamic is present in dozens and dozens and dozens of works of fiction, in movies and television shows in this genre, it's what you do when your trying to make something far out seem believable. Weather its Dracula, The Omen, Jaws, you know, The Exorcist, There are skeptic characters in all of these things because they play the role of the audience. They demand that the believer make this credible to the audience, and that's one part of the dynamic between Reed and Kolchak, and between McManus and Kolchak, and Vincenzo and Kolchak for that matter, there's really three skeptics in this configuration.
But there's so much more to it, she's an idealist, he's a cynic, she's honest and straight forward, he's manipulative (laughter) and a little more devious. She wants the story in the newspaper, he doesn't. Only if it serves his interests does he want it in the newspaper. And there's a lot of Woodward and Bernstein, honestly, in that relationship as well. If you remember the movie with Redford and Dustin Hoffman, you know Redford was pretty straight with people, pretty workman like prose, good solid reporter. Whereas Bernstein was much more reckless, you know, took a lot of leaps, it wasn't necessarily fact checked very carefully, and so there's a lot of Woodward in Reed and a lot of Bernstein in Kolchak.
Matt: I remember there was a lot of manipulation between of the two of them.
Frank: Yeah, which is really fun to watch, you know? That's the other thing that I'm really excited about doing the show is that I started out as a reporter, I actually wrote for the wire services and for magazines for something like seven years before I came to Hollywood. It's not something that's been dramatized a lot in movies or in television, and you know, most TV shows tend to be doctors, lawyers, or cops. And I'm really excited about all the dramatic possibilities of showing reporters at work.
Matt: Great. this next question is inevitable but depending on if the Night Stalker pilot does well and if the series is picked up, is it possible that Chris Carter might write an episode?
Frank: Oh, I would love to have him write an episode. I think I'd have to twist his arm pretty hard to get him to do it (laughter), because he's enjoying his life immensely now. I still talk to him just about every week, we're very good friends and he's traveling the world, surfing and skiing and ice climbing and really enjoying things. We are writing a movie together right now, but I'd be surprised if he'd be interested in writing an episode of television, but I'd be thrilled if he would.
Matt: Any further updates on shows produced by Big Light Productions? The Star Chamber, A Philosophical Investigation or John Fante?
Frank: Well, Star Chamber we're trying to get set up as a feature right now, there's a terrific script I wrote with a writer named Jan Oxenberg, and that's in the development process. Philosophical Investigation is the screenplay I'm writing with Chris Carter for Paramount that he will direct, and we're writing that currently. And John Fante, I (sigh) I actually began that documentary before I did The X-Files back in 1992, and I have been unable to find the backers, the financial backers to get it completed and I am eager to do so. I expect that if I never get the money from someone else that I will end up paying for it myself, because it's very much a passion project.
Matt: Well, I wish you luck with John Fante.
Frank: Thank you.
Matt: Let's talk a little bit about your process as a writer. I know that in series television, time is limited, how many re-writes do you personally do for an episode? And have you ever written on spec*?
Frank: Well, it varies wildly how many re-writes I do, some writers write their own scripts and I don't touch them. It's more common, especially when you're doing a new show however, that I will do some kind of re-writing on all the other writers, or most of the other writers' scripts. But honestly, we're so early in the game here, nobody's turned in a script yet, except for me, (laughs) because I wrote the pilot and I wrote the first episode. So, I'll find out, but the truth is in television, the time frame is so condensed that you just keep re-writing and re-writing until you're out of time. Things always get better by re-writing, you know, I think, there's a cliché, 'writing is ten percent writing and ninety percent re-writing', it's really true, and everything gets better by refining it and I never want to give up on the script until I have to let it go, and finally let it go before the camera, I just work as hard as I can on every one. You can look at the number of production drafts on the cover of a script to see how many pages were issued, or how many different drafts were issued, if it's anywhere between five and ten typically.
Matt: I'm always fascinated by the process of inspiration. I noticed that some artists can have trouble articulating or explaining the origin of an idea, the germ of it, and the moment it came. For example, did the idea come in a burst, or did the idea arrive due to isolated, unrelated experiences that connected together somehow, unexpectedly. What are your thoughts?
Frank: Yes, I have a hard time articulating it too. I think for me that's the most mysterious part of the whole process. I don't really know why it is sometimes, I'll wake up or I'll be driving, and something will hit me that I want to do or say. Very rarely does it come to me wholesale, I very rarely get an idea where I see the whole shape of an episode instantly, usually I start with something I really like, weather it's an image or a character or a scene or simply an idea. Then I have to do just work to develop it and find out what I really think about that idea. That's the hard part, but it's also the really satisfying part because I end up learning things about myself, about what I think about the world, what I think is true, which sounds funny when you're working in this genre because everything is so fantastic. But I think especially where you're doing something fantastic like this, there's got to be some true idea that you're trying to express, otherwise the whole thing just seems silly and like a waste of time.
I think things that are about monsters or supernatural events tend to be much more idea driven. I think that's why they inspire such incredible loyalty and devotion from so many fans, it's because people are hungry for those ideas and they get excited by them, there's something to think about after the show is over. Also that's why I love this genre and why (the reason) I wanted to do this show after having done The X-Files for so many years is because these stories work on two levels. They work on the very superficial, manipulative, 'just turn out the lights, eat some pop corn and it's fun to be scared' level, which is great, but they inevitably end up being about something deeper that you can think about long after the show's over.
Matt: Can you give me an example from the show you're working on, or from past shows for Ten-Thirteen, where a personal experience influenced the writing of an episode?
Frank: Wow, I think I have to say that everything you do as a writer, if you're really trying hard, is shaped by personal experience and by what your perception of the world is. Every character you write, you try and make it true and reflect you're understanding of how people behave. The most obvious example to me was something that was a personal experience was an episode that I co-wrote with Chris Carter and John Shiban of The X-Files in season seven**. It was called Milagro?
Matt: I remember that.
Frank: It was about a writer who lived in Mulder's building who became obsessed with Scully? It was very autobiographical because by that point I had spent six years doing nothing but thinking about The X-Files (Laughter), and it was very much, not so much, me staring at Gillian Anderson as me staring at Scully. Obsessing about her, what she thought and what she liked. You know that writer in his apartment; he had index cards on his wall that was supposed to be plot points of the novel he was writing. That's really the way that I write the stories for television, and those index cards were written by me, they were in my handwriting (Laughter), in that episode. So that was very much autobiographical and very close to home.
Matt: Let's switch gears and talk about Millennium, my impressions of the second season of Millennium; it reminded me of the third season of The X-Files, very expansive and experimental in a sense. Do you think Frank Black and Catherine's character arc should have progressed more naturally? For example, some Millennium fans tend to feel that Catherine's emotional turn seemed too abrupt.
Frank: You know, maybe. What happened was, season two, Chris and I really backed away from Millennium and it became Glen Morgan and Jim Wong's responsibility. They agreed to come on and run the show, we had, Chris and I had double duty on X-Files and Millennium in its first year as well as, you know, making the first X-Files feature film. It was just too much and we needed somebody else to help carry the weight. So Glen and Jim stepped in, and they had a lot of really great, creative, original ideas what to do with the show, but it was a very different show than what it was in season one, and it was a very different show than it was in season three. I think some of the best episodes of the whole series were done in season two, but it clearly was a sea change for the show and experimental in many ways.
Matt: From my understanding, The X-Files didn't use a back story bible early in its progression. In the history of the shows produced by Ten-Thirteen, was a back story bible ever developed for Millennium, The Lone Gunmen or Harsh Realm?
Frank: Never. Because Chris Carter didn't believe in show bibles, he thought that they were...., well I don't want to put words in his mouth, but my understanding was that he felt that they became crutches for people and that they constrain your imagination. So it was kept in our heads and if we needed to reference a specific thing, a biographical detail about Mulder or Scully or Frank Black or one of the Lone Gunmen, we'd have to go back and literary re-read the scripts that concerned that aspect of their lives. Every once in a while we made a little continuity error, but he just didn't think it was the right thing to do.
Matt: In Hindsight, during the eight seasons you worked on The X-Files, are there any guest stars or actor's you worked with you now look back on fondly?
Frank: Oh gosh, So many, so many fantastic actor's, I mean not just actor's who went on to do great things, like Giovanni Ribisi and Jack Black, You know, Peter Boyle, who had already done so many great things, but many wonderful, lesser known actor's too. Too numerous to mention honestly, I think one of the great things about The X-Files is that we were never interested in casting pretty people, that was the rare day in The X-Files casting office when we were looking for good looking people (Laughs). We really wanted people to look like people you'd see on the street, I think that opened up just huge avenues of casting for us that a lot of other shows didn't get a chance to access.
Also honestly, being in Vancouver those first five seasons, when, you know, X-Files really blazed a trail for filming in Vancouver. A lot of those actor's were relatively unknown to American TV audiences and I think we found a lot of great talent there. One of the other great things about doing The X-Files was that we had a plan, how we were going to do the show, what the mythology was going to be, but we were always smart enough to recognize a piece of talent when we came across it. That's why Cigarette Smoking Man grew into the part that it grew into. He was originally an extra in the pilot and then lo' and behold an episode was written where he had a line of dialogue and he really could act, then he became one of the greatest assets the show had. The same with Mitch Pileggi, the same with the Lone Gunmen, the same with X, and so many other characters who are really memorable parts of the series history.
Frank: Are you willing to divulge any progress on the second X-Files movie? Are you past the script outline stage, have any drafts been written yet?
Frank: Unfortunately the answer to all those things...I mean I'll divulge this, the answer is no. There's no script. Believe it or not the deal is still not done, my component of it has been done for, and this is not an exaggeration, a year and a half. But there are other players in this, you know who they are (laughs), and for some reason it's been very difficult to make this happen. I'm as disappointed as anybody and I'm still optimistic that this will happen.
Matt: When you look back on the overall arc of The X-Files, are you satisfied with how the show progressed?
Frank: You know, I have to say I am satisfied. If I could go back and you could tell me that The X-Files was going to run for nine years, here you get these actors for seven years and here's the actor's you have for the last two years. There are things I would do differently, if I could go back looking at it as a whole. Unfortunately when you're in television and moving forward, you don't have the benefit of that foreknowledge and you have to make the best possible decisions you can at the time. I can honestly say, I think we worked very, very hard to make the best possible decisions we could at each juncture. It's not one of those things were you have the benefit of knowing where you're going, you don't know for instance weather there's going to be a season seven or a season eight or nine. So you're trying to make the mythology of the show this beautiful, organic, novelistic thing, it becomes very difficult because you keep having to add chapters that weren't anticipated. When you're doing mythology, as many other series have found out since, as Chris has said, 'when you stumble, you fall'. It's a very narrow tightrope; I think we managed to stay standing much more often than we stumbled.
Matt: Thank you for doing this.
Frank: My pleasure. Thank you.
Neither of us realized it during our interview, but Mr. Spotnitz helped to indirectly answer my question about the process of how inspiration works, through his breakdown and pitch of his new show, The Night Stalker. If anything I think he helped to validate my suspicion that the spark of an idea, develops out of a collection of isolated, unrelated experiences that subconsciously connect. Thus ideas, especially great creative ideas, arrive from refinement and working them out. They often arrive slowly and when the artist is the most receptive to them. I suppose that the term 'genius' could apply to anyone who has been able to consistently come up with great ideas. Mr. Spotnitz's candor should be comforting to any aspiring artist or writer, it's never an easy road to write original material, most creative people are, usually, good at what they do, sometimes great, and on a very rare occasion, brilliant. In many respects, writing is guesswork, you have to listen to your instincts, usually a story will tell you what it needs, if you are honest with your creative instincts, you will arrive at the correct direction to go in the telling of the tale. In this respect, Mr. Spotnitz's work demonstrates this creative ethic, which is all that a writer can hope for.
Additional thanks must go out to Alec Rosenberg for technical advice.
Editor's notes:
* Spec: An industry term meaning that if a writer finishes his own screenplay outside the studio system, and if it isn't assigned by the studio, then sends it to the studios for consideration, that is considered a 'spec script'.
** Milagro (6x18) was an episode that appeared in the sixth season. In defense of Mr. Spotnitz, it's quite easy for series writers, who have worked on long running shows, to lose track of the chronology of episodes written.
Interview with Kristen Cloke and Shannon Hamblin
Interview with Gabe Rotter (2018)
Interview with the Deep State creators
Interview with Darin Morgan (2018) Interview with Frank Spotnitz (2016) Interview with Darin Morgan about 'MASMTWM'
Interview with James Wong
Interview with John Kenneth Muir, pt. 1
Interview with John Kenneth Muir, pt. 2 Interview with Garfield Whitman
The X-Files series premiere report
Recap of Exclusive 'My Struggle' Screening Event
Interview with Jerry Hardin
Report from Dragon Con 2015 X-Files Anthology Panel
Interview with Mike Joffe
Interview with Thierry J. Couturier
Interview with Vince Gilligan
Chris Carter talks about 'The After'
Interview with Sarah Stegall
Interview with Jeff Charbonneau
Interview with William B. Davis
Interview with Alex Gansa
Interview with Glen Morgan
Interview with Mark Snow
Interview with Amy Donaldson
Report from LAX-Files book signing
Interview with Erica Fraga
Interview with Howard Gordon (2011)
Report from Vancouver TV Forum
Interview with Gabe Rotter
Interview with Robert Shearman
Report from 'Believe Again' event
Report from X-Con 2009
Interview with Jana Fain
Interview with R.W. Goodwin
In Tribute to Kim Manners
Interview with Matt Hurwitz
Pemberton Set Report
Paley Festival Interviews
Interview with John S. Bartley
Report from Wondercon 2008
Interview with Howard Gordon
Q&A with Chris Carter
Interview with Doug Hutchison
Interview with Frank Spotnitz


text:
UK consultants back staying in the EU
The UK's top business advisers believe that it's better for UK business to remain in the UK. In a survey carried out by the Management Consultancies Association, over 90% of the UK's leading consulting firms said that the UK should remain in the EU, and that leaving would damage their client's growth prospects. The effects…Details


text:
You know the drill, you're running late getting out the door for work, the gym, to get your kids to school so you give your teeth a quick 20 second brush (let's face it, mainly to get rid of the wonderful morning breath you woke up with) and tell yourself that you'll do a better job later... but do you?
Did you know that is recommended to spend at least, not limited to, 2 MINUTES brushing your teeth? At least 2 minutes actually focused on what you are doing and cleaning ALL of your teeth. Don't let yourself cave to the pressure of the morning clock, try these tips to help get out the door on time with a clean mouth:
- Wake up 5 minutes earlier
- Place your toothbrush on the counter the night before to immediately give yourself a reminder in the am
- Multi task! What is something in your routine you can you be doing while brushing your teeth and keep focus on both?
- Move brushing up a few slots in your routine
- Have kids? Make it a fun part of your routine you can do together.
Next time you are faced with this dilemma, ask yourself am I taking care of the my teeth as if I want them to stick around for the rest of my life?


text:
An Online Series By Daniel Mitchell
News and Updates
4/23/03 - The site is officially up, but episode 1 is not ready yet! I'm working on it! This is an online series of fantasy short stories that follow the path of a tormented young Wandermage in a world that hates him. In the world of Terra, spellcasters are either Guildmages, free to practice "the Art", or Wandermages, unsanctioned and unruly outlaws. Some Wandermages fall into their line by choice, others by misfortune. Either way, their lives are plagued with angst and loneliness. Drawn to the legend of "The Reaper", a powerful Wandermage who seeks out vengeance upon mages who have used their power for evil, a young bardess named Dyna unwillingly stumbles into a world she could never have imagined. Please enjoy, and I would appreciate your feedback!


text:
Introduction:Turkish delight is an amazingly good confection that is technically challenging to make. There are several recipes on the web describing how to do it; most of them miss important points or are flat-out wrong. To produce this recipe, I did a lot of trial-and-error and some experiments – all in all I invested a total of nearly 13 hours and 20 lbs of sugar over the course of a several months. If you follow these directions you'll find it's relatively simple to make, but I cannot emphasize strongly enough that you should avoid altering the recipe until you've made it at least once and gotten a feel for the various states that the candy goes through as you're making it.
Briefly, turkish delight is a combination of two really cool materials: polymerized cornstarch and carmelized sugar. Producing either one of those is pretty easy, by itself, but to make turkish delight you're producing them together, so that they are mixed into a silky, sweet, moist but chewy goo. I'd love to find a materials scientist who can tell me more about what's going on in this mixture, because it's clearly some interesting stuff. But if you're not into material science, you can just eat it.
When you caramelize sugar, you melt it in water and then drive the water out by heating it so that the sugar undergoes all kinds of crazy chemical changes that result in formation of unsaturated polymers. With the corn starch, you're melting it in water and heating it so that the molecule chains unravel and form a mesh that captures water molecules. To make turkish delight you partially caramelize/polymerize sugar then mix the wet corn starch matrix in, and boil it down until you drive enough moisture out that the whole mass locks together. The tricky parts of the process are mostly in keeping it from getting lumpy, keeping it from turning into a solid block of goo, keeping it from liquifying into a mass of runny syrup, or making a trip to the emergency room because you burned yourself with gooey syrup. Sugar syrup and corn starch polymer both hold heat pretty well – if you get this stuff on your hand it will stick and sit there while it transfers 200-degree heat to your skin. Avoid that.
Things you will need:An assistant helps a great deal:
OK, I confess, I thought it'd be a bit easier to get people to read this recipe if I included some illustrations of the process. And Sarah looks better than I do; that way I was able to work the camera while she worked the recipe.
Making this recipe will consume between 1 and 1 ½ hours.
This is all the stuff laid out ready to go. The first time I make anything, I always lay everything out so I don't have to fumble around as I try to find it.
Greasing the PansDon't try to make this without silicone baking pans. I have personally thrown away 4 batches of turkish delight that stuck to my pans; it's like gooey epoxy. The only thing I have found it won't stick to is lightly oiled silicone baking pans. It'll even stick to dry silicone! It'll stick to wax paper! It'll stick to parchment paper!
I use square baking pans that are 9"x9" bought on amazon.com for $6 apiece. Wipe them with a very very light coat of vegetable oil. All you're trying to do is fill the microscopic pores in the silicone, you hardly need any oil at all. But you sure do need a bit.
Put the pans on the stove out of the way but in reach. When you're ready to pour your goop out it'll be hot and you won't want to carry it around the kitchen. Make sure the pans are on a flat surface or you'll get uneven-shaped turkish delight.
In this example we are going to make a 2-flavored batch. Normally, I make just one flavor and it's a lot easier. But it's nice to have lemon/clove and rose/pomegranate or something like that – different flavors make your end product more interesting.
Pans on stove with silicone pans and little bowls with flavoring mixes. Since we are making a 2-flavor batch, I have one flavoring mix near each of the silicone pans, to keep things organized.
Obviously, you can have fun with your flavorings. I've found that more than 2 tablespoons of water is a bad idea – you're mixing it into the caramel/goo at the end and if you add too much water it'll separate out and you'll have sticky goo instead of turkish delight. If you're making a 2-flavor batch, halve the quantities of flavorings that you'll put in each half-batch.
I don't think that oil-based flavorings work as well as sugary/extract/watery ones. I've used pure clove oil and it tended to promote clumps. Instead I prefer to make flavored tea(s) by just boiling herbs or spices in the microwave in a small bowl and draining off the results. You can buy flavoring extracts on amazon.com – make sure you get food flavor not massage oil. There are lots of products that contain "rose petal" and you want the food flavoring not the skin cream. Trust me.
Sugary Syrup:
Juice the lemon, then mix the lemon, the 4 cups of sugar, and 1 ½ cups of water in a saucepan. Turn on the heat and put the candy thermometer in. Stir it occasionally as it comes to a boil. Keep stirring and watch the temperature; when it reaches 230F (soft ball) you'll be ready to go to the next step.
(Syrup in pan coming to heat while cornstarch mixture sits)
While the sugar is boiling on its way to 230 degrees F, put the 1 cup of cornstarch and 3 cups of water in the other saucepan. Add the cream of tartar. Stir it gently. Initially, when mixed, the cornstarch will clump up into a weird goo. Be gentle when you stir it; cornstarch in water is a non-newtonian fluid and resists being stirred proportionally to how hard you stir it. It'll take a bit of gentle work but you can turn the cornstarch/water mixture into an evenly-mixed milky liquid. There should be no clumps in it.
Caramel and CornstarchThis is the trickiest part of the whole process. Once the sugar hits 230 degrees F, turn it off, and turn your attention to the corn starch/water mix. Turn on medium heat and stir it constantly while you bring it up to a simmer. When the cornstarch starts to boil it will very quickly convert into a thick paste. You need to catch it right before it does that; pay attention to nothing else and stir the cornstarch while it heats. As soon as you feel it starting to get a bit sticky/thick on the bottom of the pan, lift up your spatula or spoon and if there's goopy-looking gluey stuff on the bottom, you're just about ready to take it off the heat. I usually turn the heat off and stir a bit more and suddenly it'll begin to thicken into a creamy glue. Do not let it overdevelop – as soon as it turns creamy, pour it into the sugar syrup and stir it in. If it turns into hard rubbery stuff your best bet is to dump it and make another batch of cornstarch really quickly.
(Creamy-looking cornstarch; the stuff keeps thickening as you scoop it out of the pan)
The cornstarch/syrup mix will initially be a bit white but as you blend them it should turn clear. Put the heat on and start to bring it back to a boil. Stir constantly and squish any blobs of cornstarch to get them completely mixed with the sugar syrup. If the cornstarch is too tough to mix in, you let it go too far and your turkish delight will be granular and have hard plastic-tasting bits in it.
(mixing the syrup and cornstarch over heat)
Boiling Down the Turkish DelightOnce the cornstarch/syrup mix have started to boil, keep stirring them. You'll need to use a spatula periodically to keep it from collecting and hardening on the edge of the pan.
(Wait. This is a totally unnecessary picture. But, you get the point)
(Stir periodically)
After a while the syrup/goo will start to clear and get gooeyer. If you stir it vigorously, it may separate from the edge of the pan. You're going to stir the goo for about 40 minutes more or less, and the goo will begin to get slightly yellowish and thicker. You can test how thick it's getting by taking the spoon out and letting it cool a bit – it should solidify and get gooey.
(turning yellow)
FinishingIf you're making a single-flavor batch, simply turn off the heat, stir in the flavor ingredient thoroughly, and pour it in the silicone pan. You're done!
If you're making a two-flavor batch, take another saucepan (or the cornstarch pan, rinsed) and put it on medium heat so the pan will get warm. If you pour the hot goop into a cold pan it'll congeal! Pour half of the mix into the pre-warmed pan, then add the flavoring and stir thoroughly. Pour off into the pans.
(mixing the pomegranate flavor in ½ of the goop)
(Mmmm! Goo!)
Let the goo cool overnight. Do not cover. If you're a perfectionist (like I am!) you can dust the top of the pan-fuls of goo with powder mix while it's still damp – that way it'll stick. See the next step...
Cutting and Powdering
To finish the turkish delight the next day, you're going to cut it up and put it in powdered sugar and cornstarch.
Take cornstarch (about 1 cup) and confectioner's powdered sugar (about 1 cup) and mix them together in a container. You're going to use this powder to keep the turkish delight from sticking to itself, the floor, your clothes, etc.
Make a flat surface of powder on a cutting board, then pull the goop out of the silicone tray and put it down on the powder. Flip it over as necessary and get both sides covered so they aren't sticky.
Get a flat-bladed knife like a cleaver or the insanely expensive sushi knife shown above, and powder its edges, then quickly press it through the turkish delight to cut it into strips. Cut fast with a pressure downward; don't try to draw-cut or it'll curl and stick to itself. Put the cut strips into the powder container so that the exposed fresh edges get powdered. Then line them up on the cutting board again and cross-cut them.
A small strainer is a good way to distribute powder without rubbing it; simply put some in the strainer and shake it gently over the turkish delight.
Then you're done!
Storage and PackagingDo not ever put turkish delight in an airtight container. It'll release moisture and get sticky. My favorite way of storing it is in a little paper bag that I can shake periodically.
You can box it as long as you don't use an airtight box. This little box of turkish delight was filled with several layers, separated with sheets of parchment paper and powder. It was then wrapped and sealed with wax pressed with the butt end of a live .50 BMG SLAP round. Don't put live rounds into 400 degree wax!I survived but you might not!


text:
Friday, April 29, 2011
Want to see what I'm knitting?
Right now I'm working on a little red cardigan for a friend's baby. I'm making it in a one-year size, even though the baby hasn't arrived yet. In the picture below, you can see the hood (the rectangle at the top) and one arm hole (we're looking at the side view here... the arm stitches are temporarily being held by orange yarn). I'm going to try a little pocket on this project, for collecting goodies or pacifiers or favorite toys.
I recently attended a day-long seminar that involved sitting in a chair for eight hours. I got several inches of this sweater done that day. The seminar was on global economics, so maybe when this baby grows up, she or he will be an economist!
Here's a knitting tip for all of you knitters out there. I keep my center-pull balls of yarn from falling apart by wrapping them in those nylon footies from shoe stores. Clean footies. Never used.
I recently attended a day-long seminar that involved sitting in a chair for eight hours. I got several inches of this sweater done that day. The seminar was on global economics, so maybe when this baby grows up, she or he will be an economist!
Here's a knitting tip for all of you knitters out there. I keep my center-pull balls of yarn from falling apart by wrapping them in those nylon footies from shoe stores. Clean footies. Never used.
Posted by Amanda at 12:15 PM 2 comments:
Labels: knitting
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Pins and Needles
Earlier this week, I went to a sewing program at a nearby library. Check out the fruit (or vegetable, as it may be) of my labor:
A plump little pincushion! I'm basically the world's worst seamstress, so this was a huge accomplishment for me. It was nice to be on the "audience" side of a library program for a change, too.
I'm in love. Expect many pincushions for future birthday and Christmas gifts!
A plump little pincushion! I'm basically the world's worst seamstress, so this was a huge accomplishment for me. It was nice to be on the "audience" side of a library program for a change, too.
I'm in love. Expect many pincushions for future birthday and Christmas gifts!
Posted by Amanda at 11:43 AM 1 comment:
Labels: Crafting
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Spinach, please!
Over the weekend, I made palak paneer (Indian curried spinach) in the slow cooker using a recipe from this cookbook. It was amazing. Possibly the best food our kitchen has ever produced. Delicious, yes, but not cheap, because it called for two pounds of spinach. Organic spinach runs $7.00 a pound right now. But after one taste of the dish, I knew it was worth every penny. Because it was so so so delicious, and because I'm cheap, and because I like digging in dirt, I planted one of our garden boxes on Sunday.
There it is! It's a combination of spinach, lettuce, and three herbs. I'm mainly excited for the spinach so I can make palak paneer again.
The other garden box will be getting tomato plants and possibly some other surprises. I don't have much of a green thumb, so we're starting small and hoping for better results than last year.
There it is! It's a combination of spinach, lettuce, and three herbs. I'm mainly excited for the spinach so I can make palak paneer again.
The other garden box will be getting tomato plants and possibly some other surprises. I don't have much of a green thumb, so we're starting small and hoping for better results than last year.
Posted by Amanda at 11:25 AM 2 comments:
Labels: garden
Monday, April 18, 2011
Pa rum pa pum pum
You might not know that I love drummerboy quarters. Every time I find one, I put it in a special box. Well, the box itself isn't that special; it's an old shoebox-sized plastic number that I probably got to hold toiletries in college or something. But now it collects my drummerboy quarters. I don't know why I like them; I just do. I don't name them or set up dioramas with them or stare at them for hours or have conversations with them. I just like to keep them when I find them, that's all. A few months back, something mildly tragic happened that reminded me to always check every single quarter (because clearly I'm not obsessive enough). I was at the car wash, and I had paid in cash. The cashier handed me my change in bills and coins, and I automatically put all of the coins into the tip box. The clear acrylic tip box. Of course I looked in too late and saw that one of the coins I had deposited was a drummerboy quarter! Lesson learned.
Posted by Amanda at 5:55 PM 2 comments:
Labels: In All Honesty
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Oh actually I meant Etsy. I have it in my head to set up an Etsy shop. I've managed to accumulate approximately 57,000 totally awesome vintage books. And honestly, I don't need all of them... just maybe 570 of them. So I can get rid of 99 percent of my collection, right? Here are a couple of super-sweet examples that are going to be listed:
Seriously, how could you not want to read this? The drama... the leotards (or whatever she's wearing)... It just calls to me.
Recognize the pictures? If so, you may have been a fan of some of Barbara Bottner's other books as a child... like Myra, for example (my personal favorite).
How about this beaut?
It's even signed by the author! You can't see that in this picture, though, because, uh, I forgot to take a picture of the page with the signature on it... oops.
As long as I'm setting up a shop, I may as well throw in a few vintage toys. I scored these Playskool puzzles at a recent church rummage sale. I thought I needed them. But I don't have kids; I don't need them. Someone in etsyville does, though... I'm sure of it.
I'll let you know how shop set-up goes! I better take some more pictures and invest in some padded envelopes to mail all of the books I'm going to sell!
Note to family members: Please calm down. Everything going in my etsy shop is from book sales, yard sales, and thrift stores, not from Mom's house.
Posted by Amanda at 2:39 PM 3 comments:
Labels: Books
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Ten on Ten: April
Mimosa with brunch :: Toes make their escape :: Cookies for our neighbors, who are having a baby soon :: Starting a knitting project :: It's normal to paint little animals on your kitchen cupboard knobs, right? :: Hello, spring :: A special little something for a special little someone :: Arranging some pots from the pottery class I just took (my favorite is the green bowl on the left) :: Out of hibernation
For more on Ten on Ten, see here!
Posted by Amanda at 5:51 PM 7 comments:
Labels: Ten on Ten
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Five Years Ago Today...
I was getting dressed (as a Cuban tree frog) and cooking up a pot of Brazilian Black Bean Stew for my first date with Karl! He came over for dinner- he even brought flowers!- and we went to my friend Molly's Cuban-themed birthday party. I can't believe it's been five years. It seems like yesterday I was answering the door at my little apartment, wondering what this guy would be like. Turns out he's pretty great, for a lot of reasons. For example:
He thinks up the cutest surprises.
He didn't complain at all when our entire apartment was taken over by Newbery books.
He's a world-class shoveler.
He loves his family (that's his grandma Jeanette at an outdoor fish fry).
He likes my friends. Or at least he pretends to!
He's a great cook... especially over the campfire.
He puts up with my ridiculous hobbies (like making mattresses for Fisher Price Little People).
He picks berries with me in the fall.
He makes garage sale signs for me, even when he would rather be sleeping.
He appreciates my knitting projects.
I'm so glad we met!
Posted by Amanda at 2:18 PM 3 comments:
Labels: Karl
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Ready for photo overload? After our week of gelato-eating in Italy, Karl went home (he was on spring break) and I flew to Athens, where I met my friend Laura, who flew over from Madison, and my college friend Carrie, who is teaching math in Athens this year. Laura and I spent a few days in Athens, then we took a trip to Thessaloniki and Thassos, an island near the Bulgarian border where my Swedish friend Lena lives. Then we went back to Athens for a few more days of fun with Carrie before heading home. Many thanks to Laura for sharing her photos with me! I won't tell you which photos are whose; let's just say that if it's a well-composed picture, or if it includes a person's entire face, it's probably Laura's. I'll be honest. I didn't know if I was going to like Greece. But I loved it! It's so beautiful, and it's easy to get around. The water is clear and turquoise, and the fresh produce is unbeatable. Carrie gets hers at the neighborhood outdoor market, where you can also find olives, nuts, honey, and fish. On the ferry to Thassos: It was Greece's Independence Day while we were there! The kids were super cute in their traditional Greek outfits. The high school band played, and there was a parade featuring all of the children. Lena has an art workshop, and we made lots of crafts there. Laura taught us how to make fish out of plastic string. Mine is red and black, which were my high school colors. Don't tell anyone, but it's not a fish. It's a Sauk-Prairie High School graduate awareness ribbon. Class of 1995, you don't have to suffer in silence any longer! One day we went hiking in the mountains. There was a little village there. We parked the car in the village and roamed around the paths in the woods. In every flowering tree, you could hear bees buzzing, and across the mountain, you could hear the sound of goats' bells ringing. I wouldn't have known what the bell sound was if Lena hadn't told us. I really felt like we were in Europe at that moment. Here is the guest room, where Laura and I stayed at Lena and her husband Kenneth's. It was like summer camp! Only more fun because our hosts were Swedish. I love all things Swedish. Laura and I spent a few hours in Thessaloniki, the second largest city in Greece. We went to Greece's largest church: And saw the remains of an ancient market: Back in Athens, we took a bus down to Sounion, home of the Temple of Poseidon. The bus drove all along the coast, and we got to the temple around sunset, which was perfect. We also took a day trip to the Peloponnese. We stopped at a huge amphitheater, built around 300BC. Carrie and I climbed all the way to the top. The acoustics were amazing. A man stood in the center of the stage crumpling a piece of paper, and we could hear it clearly, even from our top-row seats! We climbed up 999 steps to a fortress. The views from the top were worth the climb! Peeking through a rock window at the top of the steps: See that little island in the photo above? This is what's on it: Laura and I had some time to explore Athens on our own. We visited the Acropolis and saw the Parthenon.
We could see the entire city of Athens below us.
We also found the grounds from the 2004 Olympics. We got off the subway and walked right in. There were no doors or anything! It was pretty much deserted, except for a few swimmers and tennis players.
We made ourselves right at home. This is the real athletes' locker room!
We're still not sure if we were really supposed to be there. In the end, we couldn't find the spot where we entered (the place is huge!), so we had to resort to escape art.
Posted by Amanda at 6:00 AM 5 comments:
Labels: vacation
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


text:
Glenn Animal Care Hospital welcomes you to our website!
We understand the special role your pet plays in your family and are dedicated to becoming your partner in your pet's health care. We treat your pet as we would our own. Our goal is to practice the highest quality medicine and surgery with compassion and an emphasis on client education. Our entire healthcare team is committed to providing personal attention to the unique concerns of each individual pet owner. Dr. Umstead and Dr. Prejs have been practicing veterinary medicine in Glendale and the surrounding communities of Peoria, Surprise, Avondale and Phoenix for twenty-five years.


text:
Laminating Adhesive accelerates fill of food packages.
Press Release Summary:
With Flextra Fast™ SF8700/XR1000, flexible packaging converters can laminate barrier films together faster than with conventional solventless adhesive systems. Product accommodates line speeds up to 1,200 fpm with 800 fpm on barrier-to-barrier laminations, slits in as few as 6 hours, and PAA decay and pouching in as little as one day. Flextra Fast SF8700/XR1000 system is suitable for PET/PE (EVOH), OPA/PE (EVOH), OPA/Alu high barrier systems.
Original Press Release:
H.B. Fuller Laminating Adhesive Allows for Faster Fill of Food Packages
ST. PAUL, Minn., -- H.B. Fuller Company (NYSE: FUL)announces Flextra Fast(TM) SF8700/XR1000, the latest addition to its family of Flextra Fast laminating adhesives for flexible packaging converting. This new entry offers ultra-fast cure time and ultra-fast time to fill safely with food, even for difficult applications, such as barrier-to-barrier laminating. With H.B. Fuller's new Flextra Fast(TM) SF8700/XR1000 system, flexible packaging converters can laminate barrier films together faster than with conventional solventless adhesive systems and without sacrificing appearance.
"Speed, safety and performance have become our mantra for the flexible packaging industry," said Joe Tuso, H.B. Fuller North America sales director, converting. "With the unmatched speed of our new Flextra Fast system, we are bringing new opportunities to converters for faster delivery times and, even more importantly, a critical benefit for their customers to more quickly fill flexible packages safely."
Outperforming conventional systems in speed of cure, this new Flextra Fast product accommodates line speeds up to 1200 feet per minute (fpm) with 800 fpm on barrier-to-barrier laminations, slits in as few as six hours and offers PAA decay and pouching in as little as one day. With film and pouch at full performance in one day, packaging is safe for filling with foodstuffs 24 hours after laminating. The Flextra Fast SF8700/XR1000 system is suitable for PET/PE(EVOH), OPA/PE(EVOH), OPA/Alu high barrier systems.
Along with the complete line of Flextra(TM) formulations, Flextra Fast adhesives can be put to the test on H.B. Fuller's production-scale Nordmeccanica(TM) Super Combi 3000 laminator at its St. Paul, Minn., facility. The Nordmeccanica laminator can run trials of solvent-based, solvent-free and water-based laminating adhesives, offers primary and secondary in-line corona treatment and produces cure-laminated rolls as wide as 52 inches.
For more information about Flextra Fast(TM) SF8700/XR1000, visit hbfuller.com/flextra-fast.
About H.B. Fuller Company:
For over 125 years, H.B. Fuller has been a leading global adhesives provider focusing on perfecting adhesives, sealants and other specialty chemical products to improve products and lives. Recognized for unmatched technical support and innovation, H.B. Fuller brings knowledge and expertise to help its customers find precisely the right formulation for the right performance. With fiscal 2012 net revenue of $1.9 billion, H.B. Fuller serves customers in packaging, hygiene, general assembly, electronic and assembly materials, paper converting, woodworking, construction, automotive and consumer businesses. For more information, visit us at www.hbfuller.com and subscribe to our blog.
H. B. Fuller Company's common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol FUL.
The Flextra Fast trademark is owned by H.B. Fuller Company.
The Flextra trademark is owned by H.B. Fuller Company and registered in the US and other countries.
The Nordmeccanica trademark is owned by Nordmeccanica S.P.A.
CONTACT: Kimberlee Sinclair, Corporate Relations, +1-651-236-5823, firstname.lastname@example.com
Web Site: http://www.hbfuller.com


text:
Caption This: Groupie Thirst Is Real
- By Bossip Staff
When you start making it rain, the hoes shall come.
The Jeremy Lin phenomenon is full steam ahead. And you know what that means: groupies!
There have been rumors of rendezvous with Kimmy Cakes and Youtube videos, but this lady might take the cake.
Sigh…the thirst shant die.
Pic via Twitter
More On Bossip!
Breezy And His Boo Thang Hit The Beach… Do You Believe She's Not Threatened By His RihRih Reunion?
Happy Birthday, MJ! A Gallery Of Iconic Michael Jordan Images Through The Years From Baller To Hole-y Jeans Lover
You're Fired!: Check Out The Wild Card Stars On This Season's "Celebrity Apprentice"
We Saw The Signs: Couples We Knew Were Doomed To Fail Before Even They Did
More Stories From Bossip
Bossip Comment Policy
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.


text:
It has been a while since I posted about the renovation. We might not yet have had a huge snowstorm this season, but we have had a lot of winter weather. We've had snow, ice and it's been cold! Which means we have worn mittens, scarves, boots, hats, and snowsuits. I've been so thankful we included a mud room as part of the kitchen renovation.
This little room was part of the house before the renovation, but it had narrow kitchen cabinets lining the lower walls and was basically unusable for anything but a bit of limited storage. (Oddly, the listing for this house named this room the "eat-in kitchen!") The bathroom door was also not in this room, it was off the kitchen. I've been really happy with the brick tiles that we put down for the floor; they don't show dirt and can really take a beating.
We had the bench and cabinets built-in on the back wall. We each have a basket for all of our stuff and after the season is over I store the items for next season in the baskets above the bench. During the winter, we have hats, scarves and mittens where we need them. In the summer, we have towels, sunscreen and insect repellant at the ready. You can't see the other wall of the mudroom in the pictures but he also have a window which lets in nice light and we have just enough room for an umbrella stand and a key holder. All in all, it's really nice to have a place for everything as soon as we walk in, or on our way out the door.
P.S. I love the fabric on the cushion that my Mom made...it's frogs.


text:
I have reached an age where I see all of my friends working very hard, working overtime, spending lots of hours in front of the computer and complaining about being tired and needing a break.
Although they work very hard they still complain they still have things to get done, that they haven't finished the work and have to start over again the next day. Because they work so hard they have little spare time and little time to spend with their family and friends.
There is an idea circulating among the youth that you should start a family after accumulating everything you need, after you are professionally fulfilled. That means having a well paid job, a house and a car and only afterwards you may start thinking about starting a family.
This unofficial opinion makes many people sacrifice themselves by working, strive for job promotions, go from one company to another in pursuit of bigger salary, look up to 30 year old managers who own a car, a laptop and a phone and travel for work all around the world, but who don't even have the time to stop at home.
Obviously those who reach fulfillment and have everything they want before the age of 30 are few and who can afterwards seek to start a family, while most of them remain at an average standard of living due to which they live more or less hand-to-mouth.
Waht do you do if you reach 30 and you have no house, no car, not even a great salary and yet you have worked pretty hard? Most of the friends your age have settled down, you too must do something. Who can you marry? The girls (or boys) you used to meet through various friends a few years ago have vanished, your group of friends is getting smaller, the chances to meet someone are becoming smaller. You ran after two hares and caught neither, you wanted to get rich first and get married then, but not only you didn't get rich, but you also wasted the proper time for marriage.
There is a right time for everything in life, everything must be done at its own right time. To rejoice together with your friends and fall in love when you are young, to get married when you are still childlike. To start a family when you can adjust to them and they can adjust to you, when you have the strength to forgive them and they have the strength to understand you.
Get married young and rejoice together fighting for fulfillment. Search for happiness together, overcome obstacles together, taste everything life offers together. And even if you reach 30 without having too many possessions, still you will have each other, still you will (perhaps) have the little one. And what is the loss of not having lots of money if the two of you get along so well, what is the loss of not having fortunes if you have the little one, the most prized possession.
What is more valuable than love? What is more beautiful than a child?
(Claudiu Balan)
Translated by Claudia


text:
Improvement rate of Atopic Dermatitis: Research results!
Eight TSW doctors have released the new study paper on the progression and improvement rate of atopic dermatitis (AD) without steroids. It was conducted last year (here) and the results are finally in!
The improvement rate was shown in three age categories: under 2 yrs old (infants), 2 - 11 yrs old (children) and 12 yrs old + (adults). Each rate was compared to the study by Dr. Furue et al in 2003, which shows the improvement rate of atopic dermatitis with steroids.
It has to be taken into account the fact that two studies were conducted at a different time & place, by different raters. Yet, the data and what they indicate are very interesting.
Read the full study paper here.
If you just want to look at the numbers, Dr. Sato has shared us the power point document for that.
In a nutshell, the results look like this:
Just for your information, Dr. Furue (one of the authors of the study with steroids) is the main author of Japan's AD treatment guideline, which sets topical steroids as the first choice for AD treatments in the country.
TSW doctors have been requesting for ages to change this guideline to give patients a choice of non-steroids treatments. Unfortunately, the recent revision of the guideline did not acknowledge this (more details here) in spite of their clinical reasoning and 16,112 signatures from patients, doctors, parents and families, not to mention the growing TSW communities worldwide.
The study paper ends by referring to negligence. A mother was rejected for a consultation by a dermatologist because she refused to use topical steroids on her baby, and accused of negligence. The authors believe that it is such dermatologist's attitude which is negligence. Sadly, from my own experience this type of dermatologists is common in Japan. "No steroids, no medical help", how unprofessional.
I hope many people have a look at the study paper and learn that there are a number of cases where topical steroids are unnecessary to treat AD.
Last but not least, I thank the doctors who contributed their fund, time and efforts for this insightful study!


text:
Golden Chopsticks
Christ the King, Greenmeadows Ave., Quezon City, Metro Manila
- 5 Reviews
- 0 Recommend
- 5 Reviewers
Primary Details
- Category:
- Chinese
- Business Hours
- Open: 8:30a - 5:00p
- Phone
- +6329848133
More Info
- 8:30a - 7:00p
- Closed
- 8:30a - 5:00p
- 8:30a - 5:00p
- 8:30a - 5:00p
- 8:30a - 5:00p
- 8:30a - 5:00p
More Business Info
- Reservations:
- Yes
- Kids Menu:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Out:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Attire:
- Casual
Most Recent Reviews
I loved it.
- No. of Comments: 0
- No. of Likes: 2 Likes
This has got to be my ultimate favorite place to get my siomai and basil drink fix!!
An order of siomai (4pcs) costs P50. I just had to order 25pcs of it...all to myself, for the rest of the day!
Plus a large cup of their Basil drink! It basically tastes like Calamansi juice with these basil "seeds" you can chew on! They serve the Basil drink only in a large cup for P70.
Aside from those two I mentioned above, try also their Basil Milk Tea. Regular milk tea flavor with Basil seeds. A medium cup is sold for P50 and P70 for a large cup.
Golden Chopsticks is open from Tuesdays-Sundays.
- No. of Comments: 5
- No. of Likes: 2 Likes
It's really the best siomai in town! You can taste the fresh shrimp and pieces are huge. They also have an all shrimp wanton as well and Basil Calamansi drink is a must try indeed.
- No. of Comments: 2
- No. of Likes: 3 Likes
Golden Chopstick is a place worth going if one is looking for ample parking space (when there's no mass at the nearby church) and affordable snacks. In fact, the store offers Asian products for sale: spicy noodles, exotic sauces, DIY siomai kits, and many more!
Open from 8 am to 5 pm, Tuesday to Sunday. This little find is right beside the Christ the King church, and a small bazaar that sells a little bit of everything from maid's uniform to fruits and vegetables. Found at the upper left corner from the CTk parking entrance, GC is easily accessible to all with satisfying food guaranteed to keep you full.
Try their house milk tea (loaded with multiple sinker options to choose from) and siomai with free reign to it's spices: chili, chili-mansi & soy sauce, all available at reasonable prices.
- No. of Comments: 3
- No. of Likes: 5 Likes
One of the beat siomai in town. Siopao is also food. The calamansi basil tea is a must try.
- No. of Comments: 1
- No. of Likes: 4 Likes


text:
[Caml-list] IoXML - OCaml from/to XML
- Daniel de Rauglaudre
[ Home ] [ Index: by date | by threads ]
[ Message by date: previous | next ] [ Message in thread: previous | next ] [ Thread: previous | next ]
[ Message by date: previous | next ] [ Message in thread: previous | next ] [ Thread: previous | next ]
|2002-02-01 (18:26)
|Daniel de Rauglaudre <daniel.de_rauglaudre@i...>
|[Caml-list] IoXML - OCaml from/to XML
Hi, I have the pleasure to announce the first release of IoXML. IoXML is a syntax extension (using Camlp4) which automatically add XML parsers and printers to all types you define in your mli and ml files. It is like input_value/output_value for your data, but in XML instead of binary. The dumped data is tagged by the constructor names and the record and labels names. Main page and distribution here: http://cristal.inria.fr/~ddr/IoXML/ -- Daniel de RAUGLAUDRE email@example.com http://cristal.inria.fr/~ddr/ ------------------- Bug reports: http://caml.inria.fr/bin/caml-bugs FAQ: http://caml.inria.fr/FAQ/ To unsubscribe, mail firstname.lastname@example.com Archives: http://caml.inria.fr


text:
I am coming today from a little blog called Creating Sarah. I spend my time there trying to create and discover the me I always wanted to be as I am inspired and uplifted by people around me. I love to create, especially when I am creating things for my family and home. I get so excited (almost crazy--like crazy crazy--excited) when faced with the prospect of making new friends. I'd love to have you stop by and visit, be inspired, and inspire me. I'll try my best to not be creepy and scare you away. =)
But first, Jo asked if I would share a little bit of me with you.
I used to be a hiker. Well, actually, I still am a hiker, I just haven't gone hiking in a few years. Anyway, it was nothing serious, I just enjoy walking in the mountains. In particular, I love the foothills behind my mom's house where my mom and I used to hike often.
Generally, we had a trail that we would stick to and we didn't vary much from it. Our main objective was to get some exercise and, more importantly, spend some time together. My mom is my best friend and this time together was filled with joy. We talked about everything and I learned a lot about myself: Who I am, who I want to be, and how to do it.
Occasionally, we liked to veer off course a little bit and explore some of the other trails around the hills. On one such occasion, we found ourselves at the base of a very steep hill. As we made our way up, it wasn't long before we had to stop and rest. This hill was stinkin' hard! I mean, it was so steep that there were times it felt more like we were crawling than walking. And, when we turned to see how far we had come, it was only a few feet. It was going to take more work than we had initially expected.
Undaunted, we kept going, taking time to sit and rest when we needed to but always moving on as soon as we had caught our breath. The top wasn't always in sight, but we knew it was there and the only way to get there was to keep moving.
As we made our final push for the top, I was exhausted. Determined, but exhausted. I felt like I was moving at a snail's pace and that I may just roll back down the hill instead of making those last few feet. Quietly, my mom, who is a stronger hiker than me, reached out and took my hand in hers--not pulling or even really offering any extra support; just to walk with me. Slowly, she took each step by my side until we finally reached the top. That quiet moment with my mom taught me a lot about life.
Life is hard sometimes. There's no getting around it, it just is. Sometimes those hills in life get so steep that you kind of wonder if you are moving forward at all and sometimes you are so close to the ground that you can't tell if you are actually moving up or just laying down.
I know. My life has been filled with those steep hills and I have found myself sitting down many times to catch my breath and wonder if I'm really going to make it up to the top.
Heavenly Father knows too. Not only did He send me on this hike, but He is right by my side walking with me, showing me the higher ground. And, so many times, he has reached out and taken my hand in his, not to pull me but just to encourage me. He is there to tell me that I am going uphill and that the hike is worth it. I can do it and I will be stronger once I have.
He reaches out quietly and oftentimes through the people around me. Sometimes my husband gives me a hug. Sometimes my daughter tells me I'm beautiful (blootiful, but, that's close enough) or that she loves me and she is so happy I made her favorite meal for her. Sometimes my baby laughs when I look at him. Sometimes a friend calls me or e-mails me. Sometimes a stranger sees me with my three kids and stops to tell me what a good job I am doing.
He knows each of us. He loves us. We are his children. He wants us to reach the top and will find any way He can to encourage us and cheer us on. Oh, how I love Him and how grateful I am that he sends me up these steep hills so that I can strengthen myself and come closer to Him.
P.S. I made this sign a while ago as a reminder to myself. I shared my techniques on by blog here if you are interested in making one of your own.


text:
Hey everybody!
If you were listening last Friday, I did find my specs (at home where I had put them somewhere safe and in plain view, duh) and I will be heading into the station this evening to man the phones for
The Taylor Report.
The membership drive which happens twice a year is an important part of the funding model for this station. Community radio doesn't have the backing of big corporations. It depends on student support and listeners like YOU.
Please consider giving to this, the only community station on the dial in the GTA.
All donations ensure good karma and together we will remain strong and independent.
Together we are The Sound Of Your City.
Thanks for listening.
Much love
Carol B