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Saturday, December 4, 2010
Old lady in Delhi
This old lady went to Delhi for 11 days in November. I attended the 12th Annual Conference of the Society for Technical Communication India Chapter, went to Pune for one day on business, and to Agra as a tourist.
Oh dear. I feel a niggling urge to defend myself against my own inner critic.
Rachel critic: You didn't have a Delhi experience. You had a conference-in-the-Sheraton experience.
Rachel defendant: It was excellent, and an ideal plan for a business trip, my first in India.
Rachel critic: You spent a lot of money for the privilege, didn't you?
Rachel defendant: Oh get over it. Staying in the Sheraton sure made my professional activities run smoothly, and that's what I was there for.
Rachel critic: You only saw five beggars the whole time you were there! Don't tell me you saw the Real Delhi.
Rachel defendant: So at least part of Delhi had been upgraded and sterilized for the Commonwealth Games and the Obamas' visit. Is that my fault? Anyway I didn't go there to see Delhi. I went to introduce our wonderful Contented online courses to India and to explore the potential of this fascinating new market.
Rachel critic: OK I give up. Tell it your way.
My way: I enjoyed the conference, the people, the presentations. It was very well run and I learned heaps about the technical communication industry in India. Doors opened a chink. Contented.com has already benefited.
I also learned a personal lesson: one inspiring presentation is worth 21 educational or marketing presentations. Wow! That was such a surprise. Because I had to give two presentations, I quite frivolously called one Knowledge, Wisdom, and the Joy of Writing. It was such fun to express my feelings on this topic, and I spoke with joy and saw joy reflected in delegates' faces.
What a lesson for me: be less earnest, join the dance, let yourself go, and enjoy the consequences.
Posted by Rachel McAlpine at 11:59 AM No comments:
Labels: delhi, india, joy of writing, knowledge, STC, technical communication, wisdom
The annual holiday letter: prickles and problems
2010 is far from over—27 precious days remain—but I've already received one Happy holidays! letter. Email makes it so easy to review the year for friends.
Or is it for ourselves? I feel ambivalent about these annual letters. I enjoy receiving them but have usually refrained from sending them. Why? Well, my writerly professionalism kicks in with editorial challenges. I find it's very hard to get the tone "right". I don't even know what tone I should attempt to strike.
Purpose paralysis: Seems simple enough at first sight: to review the year as lived by me. Or is it the year as lived by my family?
Audience ambiguities: This is a chance to maintain contact with friends and family that I don't keep in touch with during the year. So, first problem, would I send also this letter to close friends and family, who know perfectly well what I've been doing all year?
And those not-so-close friends: what would interest them, honestly?
The holiday letter audience is an unusual audience, non-specific yet personally known to me: a bunch of friends, family and acquaintances. They're special to me in their individual ways.
No wonder the holiday letter is difficult to write. It's not a personal letter. It's not an open letter. It's not an article. It's not a blog post like this, which is primarily for me, but which anyone can read. Maybe it's more like giving a speech at your own party.
Content quandaries: what to say, how much to say, how little to say? Are big adventures more interesting than little everyday realities? To whom? Should social events figure more than my professional interests? Does what interests me interest my correspondees?
Tone torture: How to prevent my letter from seeming like one big boast. You know what I mean.
I am so happy that my children, grandchildren and sisters are all living their own lovely, healthy lives. All grandparents ooze with excitement about the triumphs of their grandchildren. But if I write about that to a non-specific but known audience, how does that affect a friend whose beloved grandson died this year, or all those friends with tiny disfunctional families?
I'm tickled pink by my own adventures in developing the business of Contented.com and this has dominated my year. But to most of my friends and family, that's either a big yawn or yet another irritating boast.
This year, 2010, has indeed been truly wonderful for me. My main discovery is that for me personally, 70 is a marvellous age. Everything is ticking over nicely right now and I expect that to continue for another 10 years at least. And all the fun has an extra veneer of glee, just because I'm 70.
Maybe this is a cop-out, maybe a wise editorial decision: I'm thinking I shall just email everyone (well, not everyone) a link to this blog. The entries are pretty random but they mention at least some of the highlights of the year, and are more like a conversation than an executive summary. They don't mention my family much if at all. Yes. That's what I'll do.
To all my friends and acquaintances, and anyone else who happens to read this blog:
Happy holidays!
Posted by Rachel McAlpine at 11:33 AM No comments:
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Colin O'Sullivan wins the "Prix Mystère de la critique" in France for "Killarney Blues"
March 26, 2018
Congratulations to Colin O'Sullivan, Winner of a prestigious crime fiction award in France: the Prix Mystère de la critique!
Previous winners include:
Don Winslow, Daniel Woodrell, Dennis Lehane, Boris Akunin, Donald E. Westlake, Henning Mankell, James Ellroy, Michael Connelly, Thomas Harris, and many other fabulous writers from around the world.
Filed under Awards and Accolades, News.
Tags: award winner, award-winning novel, éditions Rivages, Colin O'Sullivan, contemporary fiction, crime noir, French translation, Irish author, Irish literature, irish novel, Killarney Blues, Prix Mystère de la critique, writing life
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Mumbai: Three owners of '1 Above' pub who were arrested by the Mumbai Police in connection with the devastating fire at the Kamala Mills Compound on December 29 were on Thursday remanded to police custody till January 17.
The three pub owners - Jigar Sanghvi, Kripesh Sanghvi and Abhijeet Mankar – were produced before the Bhoiwada Court today.
The Sanghvis and their partner Abhijeet Mankar were absconding till they were arrested by the Mumbai Police on Wednesday.
They had gone underground after they were charged with culpable homicide in connection with the Kamala Mills Compound fire mishap that left 14 people dead and several injured.
Earlier on Saturday, the Mumbai Police had arrested Yug K Pathak, the son of a retired DGP-rank IPS officer and the co-owner of The Mojo's Bistro, one of the two restro-bars where the massive blaze took place on December 29.
Prior to Pathak's arrest, two managers of '1 Above' pub Kevin Bawa and Lisbon Lopez were also arrested in connection with the fire tragedy.
An offence of culpable homicide not amounting to murder under sections 304, 337, 338, 34 of the Indian Penal Code was registered against the three owners of '1 Above' at the NM Joshi Marg Police Station following the incident.
Earlier on December 31, the police arrested two relatives of the absconding Sanghavi duo - uncle Rakesh Sanghavi and cousin Aditya Sanghavi - for giving shelter to the co-owners of 1Above pub, Kripesh Sanghavi and Jigar Sanghavi, against whom a reward was announced.
The uncle-cousin (Rakesh Sanghavi and Aditya Sanghavi) were produced before the Bhoiwada Court and released on a bail of Rs 25,000.
Mumbai's fire department, in its report, said that a lit charcoal used in a hookah at Mojo's Bistro Restaurant caused the blaze, which then spread to '1 Above' pub.
The department further claimed that Mojo's Bistro pub could not produce the required documents required to run a pub.
Juhu-based hotelier Vishal Kariya was arrested for sheltering three owners of 1 Above pub.
(With Agency inputs)


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All this week Marvel has been revealing the covers to upcoming tie-ins for the Avengers Vs. X-Men crossover event. We've been seeing that if a book features the X-Men or the Avengers, chances are there will be a tie-in issue.
Today, Marvel has unveiled the cover to UNCANNY X-MEN #11.
As the Phoenix Force continues its bee-line towards Earth, Cyclops leads the X-Men into their toughest battle yet! Also, fans can't miss two mammoth titans, Colossus and Red Hulk, square off in a bare knuckle brawl across Utopia with an outcome that may sway the tide of the war! Can the X-Men keep the Avengers out of their nation? Find out in Uncanny X-Men #11 from the blockbuster creative team of Kieron Gillen & Greg Land, available in comic shops worldwide and on the Marvel Comics app this April!
Which team will reign supreme? Join the conversation on Twitter with #AvX!
For more on Avengers VS X-Men, please visit http://avx.marvel.com
Written by KIERON GILLEN
Art & Cover by GREG LAND
Have you placed your (pretend) bets yet on this match up? Colossus with the power of Juggernaut vs. Red Hulk?


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A bit about me
Whether I'm developing websites, solving physics problem sets, gazing through my microscope, or running through the woods, I like to jump right in to new experiences and constantly work at bettering myself. I am an IT consultant, software developer, and web developer at Planet Access. I also work on many technical freelancing projects on the side. As a Dallas-Fort Worth freelance web developer, I am always looking for new projects. I attend the University of Texas at Arlington with a major in Biomedical Engineering. In addition to my work and schooling, I try to find the time to tutor peers, keep a blog, and run distance races. Thanks for visiting!
Featured blog posts
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This post is useful for busy students, busy adults, or anyone who wishes to train for the marathon in a very time-efficient manner.
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Benefits of a Portfolio Website and How to Create One
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Simply put any one have suggestions on alternative games to play? Im about ready to delete my patron and move on.
Simply put any one have suggestions on alternative games to play? Im about ready to delete my patron and move on.
Nothing yet, maybe bless soon if they don't mess it up too horribly.
Epic Erenor Scepter - 856 Magic Att, 733 gimped DPS.
Epic Erenor Katana - 815.3 DPS.
Epic Erenor Bow - 693 DPS... worse than the gimped weapon even though it's a primary weapon.
"Balance" . . . This doesn't even take in to account the 978.4 epic erenor nodachi, or 978 mAtt staff.
I think crowfall shows some promise if PvP and crafting is all you care about. If you're looking for a game that has quests and a storyline I wouldn't bother with crowfall as the PvP is the content.
Final fantasy xiv is great, very polished and in depth.
For 2018, Bless Online will come soon in May which is very promising that it is combination of Archeage and Black Desert Online which thy will add sea content, naval battles etc after the release this year which you should try it. In 2019, AIR named mmorpg will come too then you can try it too. Again probably in 2019, there are two more new sandbox mmorpgs will be released: " Dual Universe " and "Ashes of Creation".
Bless is the MOST UNSUCCESFULL (!) AAA budget game of all times(!!!). It had 2 launches for past few years and 2 fails due to online went to 0, its really incredible.
Yea, I know devs promising a "remaster" this time, but if you have played Bless before (and so are aware why people abandoned it back then), AND have read the patch notes on the remaster, you will see that you have been swindled blind. They are completely clueless about why people abandoned Bless back then, so they will just do a cash grab on a hopeful snoflakes and disappear again.
Bless RU closing down in few days due to online which dropped to null game is utter ♥♥♥♥ nowhere comparable with AA (which is also crap in current state).
PANTHEON ! although it won't be out til next year. If you EQ'd you'll love it...
NoGo: It is pure subscription and only 14 days f2p
NoGo: In Raids they can see your dmg output/gear. If you do to less dmg the group kicks you
NoGo: Absolutely worst ever Housing areas. No free spots availabel. Free spots are camped
NoGo: To much kids with PS2. To much drama, crying and whining
NoGo: Their forum is toxic, because of the kids
Go: PvP is only in a PvP zone. No OpenWorld PvP
Alternative: I play AA and Black Desert Online. Graphics in BDO (Black Desert Online) is the best I have ever seen. Disadvantage of BDO: VERY expensive cash shop. Subscription is one time $9.something and never again. All is free for live.
I'm still playing FFXIV & spending more time there than in AA. (& a new update will come out today /o/)


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Membership: We incorporate God's family into our Fellowship.
Maturity: We educate God's people through Discipleship.
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It is the vision of growing: Warmer through fellowship; Deeper through discipleship; Stronger through worship; Broader through ministry; Larger through evangelism.


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This applications market sizing report examines the 2009 performance of the top 10 applications vendors in the education vertical dissecting their strengths and challenges using the SCORES methodology. Even though many education institutions have been facing financial shortfall because of the recession, the report explains some of the bright spots in the vertical as vendors have benefited from upgrade and replacement opportunities among schools eager to become more efficient and accommodating to the needs of their key constituents.
Top Line and Bottom Line
On the top line, the business of selling applications to the education vertical is expected to grow faster than the overall apps market in 2010 because of the following reasons:
Pent-up demand from users that are planning to replace or upgrade their legacy systems that are either outdated or could not keep up with their changing requirements in areas such as financial accounting, student information management and eLearning.
Expansion of the education market is evident in many developing countries as government-funded initiatives are spreading in the Middle East, Latin America and Asia Pacific to raise the quality of their higher education institutions to Western standards. Such programs call for the building of state-of-the-art facilities that sport the latest teaching and administrative tools to deliver world-class education to their students.
Schools in North America and Western Europe are relying heavily on new applications for eLearning and constituent relationship management to enhance education experience, while cultivating stronger ties with students, alumni, donors and benefactors to win their financial backing in the future.
The bottom line is that the education vertical remains an attractive market for applications vendors as growth-oriented schools are aiming to use the latest software tools to help them improve their existing facilities, while laying the foundation to expand their continuous education divisions and satellite campuses around the world.
Market Overview
The market for applications for education vertical edged up 5.7% in 2009 as schools around the world continued to invest in new software products to help them automate increasingly diverse and complex business processes due to the proliferation of distance learning as well as the coming onslaught of learning via mobile devices, not to mention government mandates to boost the quality of teachers and schools.
Major applications vendors specializing in the education vertical have benefited from the trend as they ramped up their global expansion plans through alliances, acquisitions and product extensions. For example, after buying Talisma in 2008, Campus Management started selling Talisma CRM applications to higher education customers in the United Kingdom.
Similarly, Constellation Software bought SDS Software, which offers ERP systems for K-12 schools in Canada, in January 2010, following a series of acquisitions of education applications vendors in the United States. It has also announced plans to gain the full ownership of Gladstone, a UK software vendor specializing in education and leisure verticals.
The increased consolidation marks a new era for the education applications market as customers become more global and sophisticated in nature demanding scalable and integrated solutions to handle an array of tasks from centralized reporting to full visibility into student and constituent information.
Implications Of The Great Recession of 2008-2009
The recession has not hit the education market evenly around the world. Some countries, especially those in Asia Pacific and the Middle East, proceeded with their plans to establish digital campuses for their schools and universities as their long-term strategies to use education as a weapon to boost their competitiveness on the global stage. As a result, applications and the associated technologies from eLearning to portals have become their power accessories.
Some schools in the United Kingdom, on the other hand, reported substantial surpluses – ranging anywhere from 5% to 8% of their budget that amounts to more than £1 million in some cases – after years of prudent financial management. Many are expected to use such surpluses for facility improvement and IT projects, or risk forfeiting them to the authority.
The U.S. K-12 school systems fared much worse during the recession because much of their funding came from property-tax receipts, which dropped precipitously with plummeting housing prices.
The higher education segment was a mixed bag. While state colleges experienced revenue shortfall during the recession because of depleted government funding, the sluggish economy prompted many to go back to schools and that in turn boosted enrollment. Other colleges resorted to tuition hikes or expanded their distance learning programs.
As housing prices began to pick up, school revenues could rise accordingly. The same applies to the steady college tuition increases, a rate that for many years has outpaced inflation, which is at an all-time low. Finally the rising popularity of for-profit colleges has also given the market a big boost. Vendors such as Blackboard have already been successful in selling elearning applications to such institutions as Capella University and KC Distance Learning. All of which meant that the overall IT spending environment in the education vertical was bleak, but not dire.
On the regional front, schools in Asia Pacific and the Middle East will remain the fast-growing region for education applications vendors. SunGard High Education, for example, has reaped the benefits by chalking up numerous wins at UAE Ministry of Education, UAE University, Zayed University, and the Higher Colleges of Technology in UAE, all of which have been running their campuses with SunGard Higher Education applications.
Oracle, on the other hand, has built a strong presence in some of the well-established higher education institutions such as Hong Kong University, which helps serve as the IT model for schools in other Asian countries, a common practice among educators and administrators.
In terms of the customer size segmentation, smaller colleges and universities are likely to outspend the bigger ones because of years of underinvestment. That comes at a time when survival of these schools is at stake, which has prompted many to join consortiums to seek better pricing and support from vendors. For example, the Boston Consortium for Higher Education has seen its membership grow, while the nonprofit IMS Global Learning Consortium and European Schoolnet, which is supported by 31 Ministries of Education in Europe, have begun working together in a formal program to improve the adoption of learning technology standards and specifications in Europe.
Such collaboration could spur the standardization of school technologies for a large segment of the education market, something that until recently was done at the local or regional level.
Top 10 Applications Vendors In Vertical
The following table lists the 2009 shares of the top 10 applications vendors in the education vertical and their 2008 to 2009 applications revenues(license, maintenance and subscription) from the vertical.
|2009 Share(%)
|2009 Applications Revenues From Education ($M)
|2008 Applications Revenues From Education ($M)
|Pearson Education
|Campus Management
|Infinite Campus
|Constellation Software
|Tyler Technologies
Vendors To Watch
One of the trends that applications vendors are heeding is the ubiquity of mobile devices, which could become instrumental in helping spread education to developing countries where basic school infrastructure and services have been lacking.
The same applies to the onslaught of social media tools that can be harnessed to reshape curriculum development, raising the question whether Web 2.0 technologies can be incorporated into a new, and perhaps a more effective way, to deliver education to a bigger set of students.
Desire2Learn, Moodlerooms, Inc., and RenWeb are among the vendors to watch in this space, leveraging the Web as the global platform for easy distribution of content, learning management systems and school management systems.
On the upside, the education vertical appears to be holding up well despite the lingering effects of the recession. Developing countries are forging ahead with their plans to place education on top of their domestic agenda, while industrialized nations are aiming to use their precious dollars to rebuild their school systems through private and public sector collaboration and a healthy dose of technology overhaul in order to support one of the major planks of their communities.
On the downside the slumping housing market in the US could curtail applications investment in the K-12 market extending the already elongated upgrade and replacement cycle. Because of customer inertia and lackluster growth in their installed base, major education vendors appear to show little interest in ramping up their research and development efforts for their campus solutions.
Download the whole Market Report for free:
Education Market Report 2009-2014


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Lint Center for National Security Studies
Assignment: Weekly research and posting of various volunteer opportunities and scholarship submission dates on the Social Media.
Sponsoring Organization: The Lint Center for National Security Studies Virtual Volunteering Project, Lint Center for National Security Studies
Description The Lint Center for National Security Studies, is seeking the support of volunteers to assist with the development as well as expansion of the Center's MySpace account. Specifically, the Lint Center is hoping to find a motivated individual to assist in monitoring, identifying, and relaying opportunities within the Social Media community to attract additional volunteer support for enhanced community engagement. The emphasis of the effort is to connect and retain a base of virtual volunteer supporters to facilitate and improve the work of the Lint Center. Specific areas of interest, in addition to the above mentioned areas of responsibility, include posting news, information, and details' regarding the Lint Center's various scholarships. Additionally, a weekly 'coverage report' or summary of MySpace comments pertaining to the Lint Center will be required.
Does this assignment involve direct interaction with clients?
No. Even so, it does provide participant with direct interaction with senior and executive level members of the Lint Center.
Benefits : Presidential Service Award Nomination. Hours spent on this project may be added toward a nomination for the Presidential Service Award. If nominees receive a service award, volunteers will receive 1) An official President's Volunteer Service Award lapel pin; 2) A personalized certificate of achievement; 3) A congratulatory letter from the President of the United States; 4) A letter from the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, 5) A personal letter of recommendation from the Lint Center for future employers.
Our Mission: "Empower, Enhance, Enable"
The mission of the Lint Center for National Security Studies is to foster and further the educational development and opportunities for the next generation of America's Counterintelligence and National Security Workers. The Center focuses on empowering individuals, enhancing the study of national security issues, and enabling emerging leaders to be mentored by established current-and-former industry experts.
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The Lint Center for National Security Studies, Inc., founded in 2007, is a private non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization created to award merit-based scholarships for Counterintelligence and National Security Workers, their children and scholars, and to advance the study of National Security, cross-cultural studies, and global understanding.
The Center aims to: 1. Identify promising individuals and assist in educational pursuits through scholarship initiatives 2. Provide talented individuals with a meaningful leadership development mentoring program by current-and-former Counterintelligence and National Security Workers 3. Create a forum for the dissemination and discussion of National Security Studies through the Center's online Web-portal All donations and contributions to the Lint Center are allocated solely to the Center's scholarship funds. All actions and activities by the Lint Center are conducted by unpaid staff and volunteers. The Center is Veteran and minority operated and managed.
Please provide your comments, suggestions, and ideas by using the Feedback form at http://www.lintcenter.org/feedback.htm. This form may also be used to start the volunteer application process or initiate a dialogue with the Center, should you require clarification. Our aim is to provide motivated individuals with a rewarding, enriching experience and to provide Lint Center volunteers with the basic skill set and practitioner oriented knowledge needed to reach the next step. Please do not hesitate to contact us directly with any questions. We welcome your interest and look forward to hearing from you.
We'll work with your schedule.
This is a Virtual Opportunity, with no fixed address.


text: I've got this little program I wrote to test something, and it keeps giving the wrong result. I'm not inexperienced in C, but I can't believe strtof (et al) are broken, so I must be doing something wrong. However, I've spent hours looking at this and comparing it to the man pages and don't see what I'm doing wrong. strtod() and strtold() also give equally wrong results. (the example program given on the strotd man page works fine, BTW.) Can someone wield a clue-bat please? :) Here's the program: #include <stdio.h> #include <math.h> #include <stdlib.h> #include <errno.h> int main (int argc, char ** argv) { float ldbl = 0.0; char * endp; printf ("%s\n", argv[1]); errno = 0; ldbl = strtof (argv[1], &endp); if (errno != 0) printf ("strtof failed! errno=%d\n", errno); printf ("%f\n", (double) ldbl); printf ("%f\n", (double) strtof (argv[1], (char **)NULL)); printf ("%f\n", (double) atof (argv[1])); return 0; } Compile it with: cc -O0 -g -o x4 x4.c then run it like this: ./x4 2.5 and I'd EXPECT it to produce this output: 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 but it actually produces this: 2.5 1075838976.000000 1075838976.000000 2.500000 the typecase of the arg in the 3 printf calls makes no difference. Remove it and the results are the same. Using an input of something other than 2.5 changes the middle two lines in some way in which I haven't yet discerned a pattern, but the result is still highly bogus. Thanks! -- ---- Fred Smith -- fredex at fcshome.stoneham.ma.us ----------------------------- "And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever." ------------------------------- Isaiah 9:7 (niv) ------------------------------ -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: application/pgp-signature Size: 189 bytes Desc: not available URL: <http://lists.centos.org/pipermail/centos/attachments/20070714/40dd6cc0/attachment.sig>


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Seat / post combos are the new low top tube.
These CAD drawings of the next version of Eclat's Complex seat/post combo have been floating around.
They're planning to add an internal aluminium sleeve to the post section of the molding.
For you technically ingtrigued people: it looks like they'll mold an extruded aluminium section with some ribbing on it into the PVC molding. To do this the extrusion is first placed in the injection tooling and the plastic gets squirted around it. So it's locked in there and, according to Eclat, you have a "one piece seat and post" - one piece with another piece molded into it.
I guess they were having the same problems as Fly were having with the plastic post getting crushed when the seat post clamp was tightened and they've come up with a similar solution.
In fact all these seat and post combos are starting to look pretty similar - mind you the Eclat one does have a 3 degree or so difference in angle when compared to the KHE Exhibit seat below. And it looks a little more like a mushroom...
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an online photo book.
I like the church shot, (taken "from the hip" as we were driving to meet a friend for dinner). Keep up the good work!
Thanks, J.
Happy belated Easter!Isn't it beastly cold still.Hope to see you very soon.ox
Your comments are treasured, Thank you for posting !


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The HEAL Foundation is a local nonprofit organization in Northeast Florida. HEAL
supports organizations, programs, camps, and schools which serve those with Autism
Spectrum Disorders in Northeast Florida.
Since 2007, HEAL is proud to have awarded nearly $2 million dollars in grants providing:
Autism Spectrum Disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and repetitive behaviors. The CDC reports 1 in 59 school aged individuals are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Since the 1980's, the sharp rise in numbers diagnosed with autism has been described as an epidemic among children. Many with autism also suffer from a constellation of illnesses, intestinal disorders and autoimmune diseases. The cause of autism is a heavily debated subject; scientific researchers are looking into genetics and environmental causes.
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The inaugural International Cup was played on Saturday night in front of a packed crowd at Ross Gregory oval, the conditions were a little windy and chilly but the game was a great spectacle and enjoyed by all.
The PHAFC boys actually started pretty well and took the game on, Ireland then came back and took a handy quarter time lead thanks to an after the siren goal which found the back of the net. As the game went on the Irish started to dominate with their round ball skills, led by their guest coach Steve Webb they continued to pile on the scoring in the 2nd and 3rd quarter. The PHAFC Irish lads played very well, Aidan Reynolds, Neil Todd, Traolach O'Sullivan, Anthony Brogan and the Cox boys showed great skill and run during the game, even old timer Michael Lynch was putting in the hard yards and was at his niggling best!
For the PHAFC Boys Adam Collett tried hard all night and played well, his recent experience in Ireland with the VAFA held him in good stead, Luke Stubbs also played very well up forward and scored the PHAFC boys only 6-pointer.
The end result was a 40 odd point win to the Irish boys, the Barrett Medal for best on ground went to Andy McDonnell, his pace and skill execution was second to none – we'd love to get him to the House for a kick next season! The post-match festivities were fantastic with a live band, drinking games and awards – both Captains got up and said a few words which were well received by the crowd.
All in all this was a fantastic concept and enjoyed by all. Much thanks have to go to the organisers of this event – Marty, Brogs, Aido, The Cox Family, Bucks and all the other helpers on the night! We hope to make this an annual event and will possibly look into a pre-season event also.
Thanks to all who supported the night, see you this week for our home game against Aquinas!


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Monday, 27 May 2013
Witchstruck on £1.99 promo
This is award-winning paranormal fiction, named YA Romance of the Year 2013, first in the Tudor Witch series, now at a staggeringly low price for a limited period only.
"Not just for teens!"
Find Witchstruck on UK Amazon.
2 comments:
That promo'snot on on Amazon.com. In India the price comes out at Indian Rupees 622.00. Just thought you might like to know...ReplyDelete
Yes, thanks Maria, sadly that's true. But I do mention in the post above 'Amazon UK' specifically, not the US.ReplyDelete
Witchstruck is published by someone different in the US - Harlequin Teen - and isn't out there until September. I'm afraid I have no say over pricing, this not being a self-published book.
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The cafe was nearly deserted. The chilly autumn breeze lent a quiet charm to the fading twilight. Only one table stood occupied.
"Another cup sir?" the waiter addressed a gentleman in a black overcoat.
"No.", he replied." We will be leaving soon", he spoke to the two women sitting with him.
They nodded.
"And for the ladies?" the waiter pressed on. He was determined to be of service.
Must be a new fellow on the job, mused the overcoat. Hell I was optimistic too, once. That was a long time ago.
As if on cue, one of the girls said, "yes, bring me a cappuccino."
The overcoat gave her a disdainful look. She was always contradicting him.
"I'll finish quickly. Then we will be off. Happy?"
"No. You fuelled the waiter's optimism. That's criminal."
"Oh hell. Stop being miserable. And try a bit of optimism for a chance, you godless heathen", she spoke sarcastically.
The overcoat looked away. All his movements were gentle, like everything had been planned and yet was effortless. He was a poet. He was also dying. Cancer.
She was young, with dark eyes that shone prettily when the dimming sun caught her features. The other lady looked thoughtful, she stared at the overcoat frequently, waiting for him to speak.
Finally, he broke the stubborn silence.
"Are you done with your novel?"
He addressed the younger girl, the one with the dark eyes.
"No, It's getting on slowly. That's another way of saying it's getting on horribly." She spoke in an upset voice.
"And you? she inquired.
"Sporadically. The perils of being a poet and not a writer, I suppose."
"I wish I had been a poet, she sighed. She eyed him thoughtfully. "A successful poet at that."
"You'd never make a good poet Rita. You are way too cynical. Stick to writing.
She looked clearly affronted.
"I will, she said haughtily. But I still say I'd have made a damn good poet if I wanted to.
"So be it." The overcoat pulled out a writing pad and tore of a page. He tore it in two and handed one half to Rita.
"You write down the most beautiful thing you can think of. I'll do the same. Then 'she'…he nodded in the direction of the lady sitting alongside them, "can judge the more beautiful work."
"My name is Beatrice" she said a bit rustily.
"I couldn't care less "replied the overcoat sullenly.
"You are a miserable egoist and I think it is a stupid idea. I refuse." said Rita with a dismissive air about her.
"Rita, I'm sick and I'm dying. I insist."
She was furious. She shrugged, "okay, have it your own way then," she said reluctantly. "You always have it your way" she added in an undertone.
And in a few moment two strips of parchment rested in front of Miss. Beatrice, who looked on disdainfully.
And now Madame, shall we?" the Overcoat seemed anxious for the result.
Beatrice took a look at the works. Her brooding face relaxed and for the first time that evening, or perhaps that year, or perhaps that decade, she smiled- a sad smile. A smile nevertheless. A smile that came without her knowing it.
"She glanced at dark eyes and said," I'm afraid you've lost Rita."
Rita stretched out a hand, "Okay, let's have a look."
She was too late. The poet had snatched it out of Bea's hand. He shredded it with all the malice that had characterized his works. He scattered the pieces into the wind.
"What was that for?" Rita demanded.
"I'm sorry Rita" he said simply. "Some things we just have to keep to ourselves right? I should go."
"Will you travel alone? How will you manage?
The poet smiled. "I will". They did not know. He had been travelling alone for a long time.
When he had left, Rita turned to Bea.
"What did he write?"
"Your name."
Rita looked away. She left hurriedly.
The other remained sitting, watching her fade into the gathering darkness.


text: AAFP Family Medicine Experience Meeting Sep 24-28, 2019 | Philadelphia, PA Advocacy Day | May 9, 2019 | Renaissance Providence RSVP to Marc Bialek at firstname.lastname@example.com by May 3, 2019. Thank you to Drs. Elisabeth Farnum, Keith Callahan and Philip Salko for representing the Rhode Island Academy of Family Physicians at the AAFP Congress of Delegates in New Orleans over the weekend. The immunization program from RI has been granted access to Puerto Rico immunization registry to assist with displaced families and children entering school. Please contact Kathy Marceau at 401‑222‑4624 for more information if needed. Why is family medicine so important in Rhode Island? Download this PDF to learn more. 2018 RIAFP Advocacy Day at the Rhode Island State House Dr. Keith Callahan and Dr. David Ashley with Senator Sheldon Whitehouse Dr. Keith Callahan with Congressman Langevin Medical providers Participate in a study about HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis use in Rhode Island. Access the secure, anonymous survey.


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Karolina Danko
Mechanical Engineer
As a mechanical engineer, Karolina Danko focuses her work on a vast amount of industrial projects, assuring the best possible production conditions in the largest and most advanced factories in the world.
During her time in CH2M, Karolina has had the opportunity to work on projects from all over the world. Multiple assignments in Asia and North America and engagement in projects for top brands let her learn from high-end specialists and gain priceless professional experience. It also gave Karolina a chance to work in multicultural environments and make international friends. As a part of CH2M's team, Karolina became a LEED Green Associate and has worked on many environment-focused projects ever since.
But what Karolina values the most are the people she works with, especially colleagues in her office in Krakow, Poland:
Every day, I'm excited on the thought of meeting again my colleagues who create that unique, almost family-like atmosphere. We all work hard and face new challenges on a daily basis but when you're surrounded with people who you know you can always count on, not only their professionalism, knowledge and extensive experience, but also their support, a good word and a joke that lightens the atmosphere, everything becomes easier and more enjoyable.


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William Paul Rainwater, 71, of Fort Smith passed away Sunday, July 8, 2018. He was born Oct. 25, 1946, in Fort Smith to the late Paul L. and Hazel Russell Rainwater.
Paul is survived by his wife, Cindy Rainwater; daughters, Kimberly Daws of Fort Smith and Traci McHugh of Little Rock; granddaughters, McKenzie Harris and Sydney Harris; and grandson, Will Daws.
Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Lewis-Roberts Funeral Chapel, 4817 Kelley Highway, Fort Smith, with burial to follow at Oak Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesday at Lewis-Roberts Funeral Chapel.
Pallbearers will be Jim Russell, Phillip Russell, Bill Russell, John Grounds, Raymond Ridge and David Lively.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent in Paul's memory to Mercy Hospice, 3300 S. 70th St., Fort Smith, AR 72903; or Good Samaritan Clinic, 615 N. B St., Fort Smith, AR 72901.
To place an online tribute, go to www.lewisfuneralchapel.net.


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What are the benefits of using party tableware?
Your attempt to decorate the party will be met with a lot of cynicism in case you do not decorate your party in the best manner possible. After all, there are going to be a lot of people that would make their way into your party. The last thing that you would want on their minds is to go to a party that does not have any kind of decoration. So, with that taken into account, it is definitely very important for you to realize the precious features that you have at your disposal when it comes to proper party decorations.
If you look into the proper decorations scenario, party tableware plays a very important part. Not only is it responsible for providing the kind of ambience necessary to host the party, but it also enables people to go about enjoying themselves in the confines of the party and not having to worry about any problems whatsoever. Proper party tableware is pretty cheap, and should not cost you a lot of money. However, there are also going to be a lot of people that would simply exclaim that quality party decoration does not require a lot of money, and it can be simply procured from the Internet.


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House Call: Common Cancer Terms
Clearly understanding medical terms helps patients, caregivers
Many cancer terms are used casually in the media or by doctors and nurses, but patients don't always know exactly what the words mean. And some words have different meanings when used to describe cancer than they do in everyday use. You've probably heard most of the cancer-related terms below, but the precise meanings of some may surprise you.
Abnormal growths
Benign means not cancerous. Benign tumors have abnormal cells that cause the tumors to grow locally without spreading to other parts of the body. However, benign tumors are not always harmless; some can grow quickly and damage nearby tissue.
Malignant means cancerous. Malignant cells (cancer cells) are abnormal cells that can invade nearby tissue and spread throughout the body.
Neoplasm is another word for tumor. It refers to any new, abnormal tissue with uncontrolled growth. Neoplasms can be benign or malignant.
Major types of cancer
Carcinoma is any cancer that begins in the epithelial cells, which make up the outer layer of skin and the lining of organs and blood vessels. Carcinomas are the most common types of cancer, accounting for most breast, lung, kidney, thyroid, colon, prostate, stomach, and skin cancers. The risk of carcinoma increases with age, so these cancers mostly affect people 50 years and older.
Sarcoma is any cancer of the bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue. The two main types are soft tissue sarcomas and bone sarcomas. According to the Sarcoma Foundation of America, sarcomas represent only 1% of cancers in adults but 15% of cancers in children. Sarcomas can originate anywhere in the body, and they often grow deep within the tissues of the arms, legs, or torso.
Melanoma is a cancer that develops in melanocytes, which are pigment-producing cells in the skin and other organs. Although melanoma can occur in the eyes or mouth, most melanomas develop on the skin as a result of overexposure to sunlight. Melanoma is the most common type of cancer in people 25–29 years old.
Lymphoma is a group of blood cancers that begin in the lymphatic system, which is the network of vessels, organs, and tissues that filter the blood and produce many of the white blood cells (lymphocytes) that fight infection. Lymphomas may be described as B cell or T cell lymphomas, according to the type of blood cell that is affected; or as Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin lymphomas, according to the genetic mutation found in the lymphoma cells. Lymphomas can occur at any age and account for about 8% of childhood cancers.
Leukemia is a group of cancers that begin in the bone marrow tissues that produce blood; these cancers cause the production of abnormal blood cells that crowd out healthy blood cells. Leukemias are classified as acute or chronic and lymphoblastic or myelogenous. In acute leukemias, a large number of immature blood cells (blasts) are produced quickly; these leukemias progress rapidly. In chronic leukemias, most of the abnormal cells are more mature and are not produced as quickly. Lymphoblastic (also called lymphocytic) leukemias affect white blood cells (usually B cells), whereas myelogenous (also called myeloid) leukemias mainly affect red blood cells. Leukemias can occur at any age and account for about 30% of childhood cancers. In fact, acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the most common type of cancer in children.
Myeloma (also called multiple myeloma) is a rare cancer of the plasma cells in the bone marrow that impairs the plasma cells' ability to produce antibodies, which fight infection. Myeloma weakens the immune system, can damage the bone structure itself, and can interfere with the production of normal blood cells. Myeloma usually affects people 60 years or older.
Terms related to cancer stage
Stage refers to the extent of a patient's cancer. Different staging systems are used for different cancer types, but generally cancer stage depends on the tumor's size and whether the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes or to distant parts of the body. A small cancer caught before it has spread is often classified as stage I; a cancer that has spread from its initial site to other parts of the body is usually stage IV.
In situ describes early-stage cancer that has not spread to adjacent tissues.
Invasive refers to cancer that has spread from its original location to adjacent tissues.
Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells from the original tumor to other parts of the body, where the cancer cells form new tumors (metastases).
Knowing these and other cancer-related terms can give cancer patients—and their family members and friends—a better understanding of the disease. Definitions of other words related to cancer and its treatment are provided by the National Cancer Institute at www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms.
– C. Graber
For more information, ask your doctor, call askMD Anderson at 877-632-6789, or visit mdanderson.org.
OncoLog, February 2016, Volume 61, Issue 2


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Keywords: phosphorus solubilising bacteria, phosphate cycling, water eutrophication, water–sediment interface, environmental pollution, water pollution, biogeochemical function, simulation, water reservoirs, biofilm, metal ions, calcium, magnesium, iron
Biogeochemical function of phosphorus–solubilising bacteria on cycling of phosphorus at the water–sediment interface under laboratorial simulated conditions
With an efficient phosphorus–solubilising bacterium (PSB) Paenibacillus sp. isolated from sediment of a eutrophic water reservoir, the biogeochemical function of bacteria on the P–cycling at water–sediment interface was studied using simulated columns at laboratorial scale. Results showed that, when PSB formed biofilm at water–sediment interface, the P content showed a largest reduction of 56 mg/L in the water phase and of about 40–50 mg/L in the pore water of the sediment comparing to blank columns without PSB. The activity of alkaline phosphatase in the water phase increased as the bacterial biomass increasing when the P content is low. Great changes of Mg2+, Ca2+ and Fe2+ contents in the upper water phase and the pore water of sediment was observed when pH value increased from 7.5 to 8.5 at the interface mediated by the PSB, and had the similar trend of that of the P content. Results suggested that PSB could accelerate release of P from sediment, and the biogeochemical function of PSB on P–cycling between water phase and sediment relied on pH conditions of the upper water phase and the interfacial pore water, and influenced the concentration of metal ions, mainly as Mg2+ and Ca2+.
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Good Webcomics
This page contains links to webcomics that Spriteclad themselves approves of. Give them your attention, if you will.
Jump to: Story-based comics | Joke-based / slice of life comics | MS Paint Fan Adventues
Story-based Comics
All Night Laundry
You are at a laundromat in the middle of the night. Shenanigans ensue. (Updates daily!)
Angel's Advocate
Since the dawn of human civilization, the metaphor of a angel and a devil appearing on your shoulders when you're about to make a moral choice has been relatable to a lot of people. ...but what if the angel and devil didn't have the moral stances that one would expect?
Argon Zark!
Really old comic about the internet. Works best in Internet Explorer 5.0.
A western fantasy comic about the end of the world. Shenanigans ensue, and lots of interesting characters are met along the way.
When a college girl moves into a new house, she actually gets into much more than she bargained for...
A human wakes up in a world filled with non-human entities. It's up to them to figure out how to survive in this world that treats humans like dirt.
When Riley Russell manages to take on an alternate super-powered identity by accidentally getting eletricuted by some rogue fruit punch, things start to get more complicated from that point forward.
Crossed Wires
It's Hackers meets Second Life. What more can you possibly want? (And yes, there are furries. Lots of them.)
Dreamspace /
Drugs and Wires
two comics (one being a successor to the other) that are VERY cyberpunk and i love their aesthetic. (i based my first two splash screens off of it!) though if you're new to the series, i highly recommend reading the first three dreamspace comics first.
When Luna Lumiere ends up in an academy for dream psychiatrists, she learns that there's more to dreams than she might think.
Two girls plan to commit suicide by diving into the Grand Canyon. They soon that the trip might be harder than they thought. (WARNING: Contains heavy stuff that might not be suitable for younger viewers. Obviously.)
Fisheye Placebo
What good is privacy if it doesn't exist?
A queer space fantasy webcomic about Farah escaping her old job by stowing away on an unknown ship. Fantastic space adventures ensue!
Harlowe Vanished
When Harlow decides to seemingly off herself by jumping into water, she ends up not being in the place she was thinking she would be...
There's a spirit in the woods, and it's looking for someone to be friends with.
Honey Crab
Has the best presentation out of any webcomic I've ever seen (you can name the main character, for Pete's sake). Basically, it's about a girl who ends up getting magical crab powers.
One of my favorite webcomics. But be wary, because it is LOOOOONG. (Longer than the entire Harry Potter series.) But I've been reading since 2009 and I've been hooked ever since. Hard to explain. Get ready to read for a week if you take the plunge.
Hopping Gills
"Hopping Gills follows Kip, a young wannabe hero, trying to make it into the industry. However, his pursue takes an unexpected turn when he meets up with Priscilla, a confident self-proclaimed adventurer who shares the same dreams as him, but appears to have some different methods on how to achieve them."
How I Loathe Being A Magical Girl
Someone who doesn't want to be a magical girl ends up being one anyway. Oh joy.
In this world, many people end up getting superpowers at a young age, and are therefore required to go to academies to hone their skills and learn how to make use of them. However, there is one person who is still there that should have graduated long ago...
Kid Radd
A video game character ends up escaping his game and entering many others. Adventures, drama, and twists ensue!
BUNCHA great comics made by one girl. I highly recommend checking out crow cillers first.
Meta & Nilla
A cute pixel-based comic (in a similar style to Kid Radd) that involes a cute couple and the lives that revolve around them.
Space girl goes on space adventures... right?
Night Physics
Abstract furry webcomics that are a treat to read.
Oddity Woods
Two kids and a ghost dog solving mysteries in a haunted forest. Has sort of a Gravity Falls-esque vibe to it.
Ozzie the Vampire
A vampire and their friends fight hard to protect the most sacred of lands (New Jersey) from demons and other such nonsense.
When a teacher at a young boy's high school gives them a device that changes their life forever, can said boy figure out how to balance school and saving the world?
Two kids go on a fantasy adventure and that's all I can remember. Just read it.
Pencil Pup
A girl ends up getting stuck in a cute four-panel comic with a dog with pencils for hands. Shenanigans ensue.
You are just another ordinary Khajit living in Oblivion. Can you not mess things up enough in order to finish your journey? (Is mostly viewer-suggested.)
Sammie Squirrel
A tale following the daily life of Sammie, an unemployed cartoon actor looking for a golden opportunity to get himself back into the world of show business.
Soil That Binds Us
Sometimes, but not often, kids are born that have the ability to see and talk to the dead. They are highly desirable and dangerous, so for most of their lives they are raised in a special facility. In this comic, we take a look at a couple mediums who just want to be free and want to stop the world from becoming undone by the undead.
Starward Lovers
A girl falls in love with another girl, which turns out to be the captain of a secret space protectorate. Long story short, said girl ends up being in the force and gay space shenanigans ensue.
Star Warriors
When you die, you turn into a star. (okay that's not what happens in the comic but i'm too lazy to explain it right now okay JUST READ IT)
A comic about a kid who moves into a new town, and soon enough figures out that superheroes are real.
Total Party Kiss!
The most queer (and inclusive!) game of D&D happens and it's very very good.
Warm Blood
"Warm Blood is an ongoing high school mystery comic following our hero Penny as she navigates her first year at Greenwood High." (Also, it's illustrated by a jillion artists.)
Wilde Life
A man moves into a new house and a new city aaaaaand the house is haunted by a 50s housewife ghost. And trust me, that is the least weird thing you will see in this comic.
The Rock Cocks (18+ NSFW)
DON'T CLICK UNLESS YOU'RE OVER 18. A band comprised of a dating duo gets people at the local music venue to... well, I won't put it here because children could be on this site.
Joke-based / slice of life comics
Brawl in the Family
A bunch of Nintendo characters get into silly situations! (And there are arcs as well!!)
Postcards in Braille
A blind man and his girlfriend and several other friends all have fun times together. Also cameos the worst band I have ever heard.
Square Root of Minus Garfield
Community-contributed daily comic that parodies Garfield. I've even made a strip or two on the site. Also a good supplier of pudding pops.
It's XKCD. Do I need to say anything else?
MS Paint Fan Adventures
Forests, monsters, and spears, oh my!
Go back to the directory
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Little Caesars is going to start selling a bacon crust pizza.
The "Bacon Wrapped Crust Deep! Deep! Dish" pizza will be available starting Feb. 23, the company said in a news release.
The company uses 3.5 feet of bacon to construct the crust.
The deep dish pizza is wrapped in bacon, then topped with pepperoni, cheese, and more bacon.
It costs just $12.
"We are the only national pizza chain to make our dough fresh each day in-store. That gives us a unique opportunity to try new ideas," Little Caesars Pizza CEO David Scrivano said in the news release.
One slice of the pizza has 450 calories.
The pizza is already a hit on social media.
just when i thought pizza couldn't get any better, Little Caesar's makes a deep dish where the crust is literally bacon. #gains— Akshay Naik (@akshaynanak) February 18, 2015
Lil cesears is coming out with a bacon wrapped crust pizza, i might actually eat there now — Inquisitor (@kay_ay_zee) February 18, 2015
BACON WRAPPED CRUST ON LITTLE CAESARS DEEP DISH PIZZA - I AM READY FOR THIS http://t.co/Qv4T4FxtTp— Charlie (@CharlieM_19) February 18, 2015
The new menu item could be a bid to win over millennials, who are increasingly seeking out fast casual options like Chipotle.


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One of the most beautiful experiences I have every time I go to Assumption Grotto is the sweetness of the silence inside the parish church. It is more than sweet; this silence is a necessary part of the spiritual life. It is also hard to find in many parishes today, and even entire dioceses can be devoid of such opportunities in churches.
Our fast-paced, news-now, instant-message-filled world has led us to find silence difficult to bear. We avoid it at all costs. Life has become an endless chat session, if not with others in social media, then with ourselves as we look for ways to not be in silence. Many of us can't even fall asleep without a TV running. We not only cheat others of our time; we cheat God, and we owe every breath we take to Him.
Multi-media enables us to watch sports, movies, and listen to music and discussions, and to interact on topics of interest, including Catholicism. I think it would be hard to argue against the thought that noise - both audible and non-audible has risen in the information and technology age.
Noise isn't just what we hear; it's what has our attention. Workers have the necessary noise that goes with concentrating on the job; and parents with watching over children. Many today are tending to an aging or sickly parent. Students must read and write what is required of them. These are necessary noises in life that we must put up with. Some tasks are mundane enough that they allow us to connect with God silently, but it is not always the case. Peeling potatoes or fixing something in a tool shop might lend itself well to giving God our ear, unless we turn on one of the many gadgets to kill the quiet.
Silence, the language of God
If our work, school, caregiving - and the like - all require mental attention, then how do we give to God our attention? There's no doubt when we are doing those things required of our state in life, we give glory to God. However, we still need to provide opportunities to hear Him if we are to grow spiritually. St. John of the Cross says, "God works His Divine operations in silence."
Luke 17:21 tells us that the Kingdom of God is within.
St. Augustine, in his Confessions wrote:
Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you.
If God is within, then finding Him involves making time for silence in our lives. Some are blessed with the ability to go to an Adoration chapel weekly, or even, daily. We can choose to ride to work without any music or radio; or do the laundry and cut the grass, likewise, in silence. This is all good. But many are missing something very precious - that silent time before and after Mass.
Looking for silence in church…
I never experienced silence before and after Mass until I got to Assumption Grotto in Detroit. The silence was deafening. It shocks the casual visitor who comes, leaving them with the mistaken impression that people there are anti-social, unfriendly, and downright cold. I somewhat felt that when I got there in 2005, but something inside peacefully nudged me to suspend judgment and just observe for a time. I'm glad I did because God taught me something: When in God's house, give Him an ear.
People coming to any weekday or weekend Mass at Assumption Grotto can come an hour early and right up until Mass starts, might hear a cough, or footsteps, or a kneeler folding down, or a confessional door opening an closing. What they won't hear, in most cases, is casual conversations. (Weddings, baptisms, and funerals are usually the exception, but often involve people who are not regulars, and some who are not even Catholic, so I am talking mainly of regular Masses).
I often take for granted this precious nugget we have there, and I am reminded of it any time I go to Mass outside of Grotto, with the exception of a select few other parishes in the area. The noise levels in some places before and after Mass can rival that of a mall on Saturday morning, measured in decibels.
But, it's uncharitable not to socialize in church...
This is a common argument against silence before and after Mass. People have not seen one another in a week and it is charitable to let them catch up with one another, especially the poor elderly person who lives alone and is finally able to connect with others at Mass.
My response to this is quite simple. If we really cared that much about our neighbor - the one for whom church has become their primary social outlet - we wouldn't wait for Sunday to socialize with them. We would pick up the phone during the week and call them. We would visit them or invite them out to dinner. We might even ask them to join us for a meal after Mass. Now that's charity in action. That is how we go forth into the world and put on Christ!
But, most churches don't have a place to socialize after Mass…
This is another common argument - that there is no place but in church for people to greet and meet.
Well, my thinking changed on this after spending time at Assumption Grotto, which is a commuter parish. There are very few Catholics left in the neighborhood (but the Legion of Mary is working on that). It's an old church building so there is no parish center connected to it. This is not uncommon for older parishes, and even newer ones. It has a small vestibule in the back with two restrooms - hardly a place for conversations. There are two smaller vestibules at the side doors, also unsuitable talking.
Bottom line: We don't socialize in the church because that is where we pray. It is also where we let others pray, by taking our conversations elsewhere. People visiting may think it is one of the most anti-social churches, yet what I learned there is that people don't socialize with one another in church because they are busy socializing with God. Charity means enabling one another to have that conversation with Him.
Those who want to defend the practice of the pre-Mass social in the church could perhaps do a real service in getting others together and finding a way to help people connect around weekend Masses. What works at Grotto won't work in other places, but there are lots of solutions.
Unintended consequences of chit-chat in church...
Band-aids aren't cures; they cover wounds. The real problem is people not seeing to one another's social needs outside of our Sunday obligations. When we make people who socialize with others in church the sole object of our charitable thinking, who gets cheated?
GodWhen we get into church 15-30 minutes early and use the time to chat with our neighbor, we have lost an opportunity to give to God that precious time. Maybe we have nothing to say to Him; but he might have something to say to us. The greatest hindrance is not giving Him our ear in silence. Sometimes all that God wants is for us to rest quietly in Him as a small child rests under the arm of a loving parent. We deny God that when we won't sit quietly with Him. We are always asking something of him in prayers of petition, but how often do we spend time thanking him? There is so much sin in the world, we could use the time to make acts of reparation (an that probably requires catechesis for people to understand).
Our fellow parishionersFor some people, that 15 or 30 minutes before Mass might be the only opportunity they have to be silent so they can hear God's voice above all others. Among those looking for silence might be a mother with a terminally ill child who knows no human touch or words can help her the way God's love can. Perhaps it is a man who has just lost his wife of several decades and who is reconciling with his loss; or the family breadwinner dealing with the inability to find employment; or a couple having marital problems. There are those who are discerning a vocation and those who are in secular orders fulfilling their obligations for mental prayer. The list could go on. Each time we talk in Church we hinder people like these in the only place they may have for a moment of silence.
OurselvesYes. We cheat ourselves when we socialize with others in church. Being still and silent is one of the greatest ways to predispose ourselves to worship and prayer. It is the most efficacious way to enter holy Mass. It's not a celebration; it's a Sacrifice. It's only fitting that we make a small sacrifice of fixing our eyes entirely on Christ so that when we leave, we can be authentic witnesses to the Gospel.
I should mention that in some places, including Assumption Grotto, there is a public Rosary recited after the Mass. In our case, it is led by the priest after he removes his chasuble. People are free to stay or leave. Most remain. But, it's over in 15 minutes. From there, some continue with other prayers. The 9:30 a.m. Mass, and Rosary, are done about 10:50 and until the Noon Mass begins, it's the kind of silence I described earlier. People truly cherish and respect that holy silence. Where I struggle with public prayers in church is when they are before AND after Mass, leaving no opportunity for silent prayer.
How do we fix it?
Let's start by addressing how we can't fix it. I've witnessed, over the years, many frustrated priests trying to correct a congregation from talking in church, to no avail, then giving up and literally joining them. We can't fix the problem of chit-chat in church by telling people to knock if off, telling them off, or simply telling them it's inappropriate to talk in church. That is because people, including priests and bishops, have been conditioned for decades to accept this as being "charitable." I hope I've provided enough considerations in this post to show that this is false charity. I've summed things up below.
It's not just a behavior we need to change, it's a mind-set. In other words, we need to make use of reason and not make demands. I'm convinced it's the only way it will ever change, but it has to start with the parish priest praying about these things. If the parish priest understands it, and prays to God for assistance, he will be blessed with the necessary words of reason. God will then grace his people with understanding.
Here are some main points summed up:
- Parishioners should desire to be silent before God, whether they have anything to say to Him or not; He might have something to say to them.
- Parishioners need help in empathizing with the kinds of situations people might be in where silence might help them (parents dealing with terminally ill child; unemployed; those with marital issues, people discerning vocations, etc). They can't get silence at home, school, or work and there is no better place than near the Blessed Sacrament. Not everyone has access to an Adoration chapel, or the time to be there even if that access is there.
- Parishioners need help seeing how holy silence should be part of their spiritual development. What do we learn from the Church, from Mary, the angels, and saints about silence and the spiritual life?
- Help parishioners to see that real charity for lonely people comes not in defending their right to chat in church; it comes from giving them time outside of church: Ite Missa est! Invite them out to dinner; call them during the week to see how they are doing and catch up on what is happening in their life. What kind of charity waits for 15 minutes before Mass on Sunday, and limits it to that?
Te Deum Laudamus! Home
The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church;
it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!
- Diane M. Korzeniewski
it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!
- Diane M. Korzeniewski
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How To Cross-Stitch: Beginner's Guide
Great Cross-Stitch
Easy Instructions for the Beginning Cross Stitcher
Cross-stitching can be a very relaxing and rewarding hobby. I have been cross-stitching for over 15 years and I want to help more people enjoy this creative pastime. The following is a beginner's guide to cross-stitching.
A New Start
When starting a new design, it is very important to know your skill level. If this is your first time experimenting with cross-stitching you should choose a smaller design. The picture should be fairly simple with no more than 6 or 7 colors. Choose a print that really stands out to you or means something to you. By doing this you really look forward to the end product, and it will keep you from stopping halfway through and never picking it up again.
Picking A Canvas
The Canvas that you choose should be light colored (white, cream, etc.). It is much harder to use a dark colored canvas because the holes in the fabric are harder to see. The best type of cloth to use would be "Aida" with the lowest count they have. The best canvas for a beginner would be white 8 count Aida cloth. The count of a cloth is determined by inches. For example, a 14 count cloth has 14 stitches per inch. The higher the count, the smaller the needle holes will be. Again, beginners should use a canvas with large holes.
The type of thread used for cross-stitching is embroidery. It comes with 6 single thread wrapped into one. The floss should be colorfast so that when you wash the final picture, the thread doesn't fade. When you cut the thread, you should cut no more than 12-inch lengths. If the string is too long, it will have a tendency to tangle quite frequently.
Find needles that have eyes large enough to fit 2-3 lengths at a time. The instructions will tell you how many lengths to use.
Embroidery Hoop at Work
Embroidery Hoop
While stitching you need to make sure the fabric stays stretched and taut. You can accomplish this by using an embroidery hoop. Make sure that you remove the hoop after every time you're finished stitching. If you keep it on at all times then it will leave marks and indentions on the fabric.
Each pattern will have symbols for each color stitch. For example, the symbol for red may be a heart. Every time you see the symbol of a heart you know that the stitch in that square will be red. Each square on the pattern is a stitch. The symbol on the instructions will also tell you how many lengths to use of that color. Make sure you pay close attention to these instructions or your picture will not come o
ut correct.
Get Ready
To keep the fabric from fraying at the edges you should put tape all the way around the fabric. Now, you need to find the middle of the cloth. You do this by folding it in half from top to bottom. Fold again from right to left (side to side). Mark the point with a washable pen and unfold the fabric. The pen mark will be in the center of the fabric.
1 Row of Cross-Stitch, 5 Rows of Half-Stitch
Types of Stitches
The main stitches a beginner will use will be cross-stitch, half-stitch, and backstitch.
- Half-stitch: When you find where you want to start pull the needle up from underneath first. The needle will be coming from the bottom left corner of the square. Make sure you leave at least an inch of thread in the bottom of the fabric. You will use this to hold on to when you're making sure the thread stays in the cloth. DO NOT tie a knot in the thread. It is unnecessary and will leave the back of your pattern way too bulky. Holding on to the thread at the back of the fabric, put your needle through the hole at the top right of that same square. You have just created a half-stitch. Make sure when you start to make the next half stitch to anchor the inch of thread in the back by stitching over it. That way it will be forced to stay and you will not be able to pull the thread back out unless you need to.
- Cross-stitch: Cross-stitching is just putting a second half to the half stitch by making an X. After you come up through the bottom left corner and back down through the top right corner, like the half stitch, you continue by coming back up through the bottom right corner and down through the top left corner.
- Backstitch: Sometime you are required to do a backstitch and sometimes not. It is represented on the pattern by a dark line outlining the picture. You will usually only use one thread but your instructions will tell you what you exactly what to do. Come up through the bottom left corner and down through the bottom right. Continue this following the pattern.
Finishing a Color
When you are ready to change to a different color just turn the fabric over to the back and slide the needle under the stitches you made and pull the thread through. Cut the floss but make sure you leave about a half inch of thread incase you need to come back and tighten it later.
I tried to cover all of the basic information for beginning to cross-stitch but, if I left anything out feel free to ask me any questions and I'll try my best to answer them. I also have no objections to people posting their own advice. Happy stitching!
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Although I know the proper way to cross stitch is to stitch a row left to right; then go back and cross it, I have found that doing the whole X each time is easier. Also, it rips out easier...only have one stitch at a time to remove rather than a whole row.
I have been cross stitching for many years always using stamped Aida and have wanted to learn counted cross but no one in my living area does cross stitching; basically everyone does quilting, knitting, crocheting, and bobbin lace all of which I do but quilting. Finding your post is very explanatory and so helpful. You simplified it so much I almost wish you made a video too. I would very much appreciate somehow of getting acquainted with you so I can proceed with success. You are truly unremarkable and so valued by all who are in my position. Thank you so very much.
Hey, I just came across this and wanted to thank you for making it sound so simple! Your instructions were wonderful and clear.


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As a globally recognized futurist and expert on innovation, Lisa Bodell ignites new thinking at every event with high energy, humor, and audience engagement.
Lisa Bodell is an award-winning author and CEO of futurethink, an innovation-training firm that helps businesses embrace change and become world-class innovators. As a globally recognized futurist and expert on the topic of driving change, her mission is to provoke fresh thinking around what's possible, and help people better solve problems with intentionally simple, easy-to-use tools.She has helped thousands of senior leaders ignite innovation at the New York Stock Exchange, Pfizer, Google, Lockheed Martin, and many others.
Lisa is an inspired speaker who has brought her message to over 30 countries and nearly 100,000 people each year, and she was recently awarded the Top 5 Speaker Award by Speaking.com. She is also the author of the best-selling book Kill the Company: End the Status Quo, Start an Innovation Revolution,which won the 2014 Axiom Best Business Book Award and was voted Best Business Book by USA Book News and Booz & Co. A respected thought-leader on innovation, Lisa has appeared on NPR, FOX News, and in publications such as Fast Company, The New York Times, and WIRED. She is a monthly columnist for strategy + business, and frequent contributor to Forbes and Harvard Business Review.
Lisa serves as a member of the Global Agenda Council for the World Economic Forum; an adviser on the boards of the Association of Professional Futurists; and Novartis' Diversity and Inclusion Board in Basel, Switzerland. Among her many academic activities, Lisa has taught innovation and creativity at both American and Fordham Universities.
For more innovation news and ideas, follow Lisa on Twitter at: twitter.com/LisaBodell
To view sample presentations, visit: youtube.com/futurethink
Kill the Company: End the Status Quo, Start an Innovation Revolution
Winning innovators embrace change - do you? What holds you back from better innovating, every day?
In too many organizations, we're stuck in the land of status quo. We've forgotten how to think differently, and lack the simple tools to solve problems creatively. The very structures put in place to help organizations grow are now holding us back. So, it's time to Kill the Company! This keynote is an inspirational call to arms: to start a revolution in how we think and how we work.
The key lesson of this Keynote: if we want people to approach change differently, we have to change our approach. You will learn how simplification lets us achieve more and better innovate. This can reignite critical aptitudes such as curiosity, inquiry, creative problem solving, and more.
The Keynote will bring to life the concepts presented in Bodell's latest book, Kill the Company:
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2. Change involves a toolkit, not a process.
3. Little changes can create big impact.
Bodell will introduce tangible ways to ignite innovation through the dynamic yet simple exercises in the Kill the Company Toolkit, including Kill a Stupid Rule, Killer Queries, Impossible to Possible, and many more. You will leave this Keynote with ways to eliminate needless complexity with simple, inspiring ways to make innovation happen now!
Little BIGS®: How Small Changes Create BIG Impact
Dismiss the notion that innovation requires large corporate overhauls and change initiatives. Extensive and expensive initiatives rarely work and tend to exhaust-not inspire-employees. To get people to approach change differently, we must change our approach. Instead of top-down mandates, it's the small things-the "Little BIGS"-that ignite powerful behavior change.
The Chocolate-on-the-Pillow approach-"Little BIGS"-uses action-based tactics. When individuals and teams start leading by example, they create opportunities for people to witness and embrace positive behaviors and change firsthand. Using examples of small changes with huge ripple effects, this keynote walks participants through the bite-sized approach to revolution.
Bodell inspires audiences through real-life examples, such as the large financial services organization that created a new breed of employee and helped reset the corporate culture. Little BIGS will come to life through concepts like Kill a Stupid Rule; Outside In; Do the Unexpected; Empowerment Rules; and Get Out.
Participants will take away tangible and actionable steps to shake up their organization's standard practices-from unproductive meetings to go-nowhere strategic planning-and result in a powerful boost to innovation. They will gain understanding of the Little BIGS that will reinvent their own organization; awaken their ability to think; and ultimately, to reinvent the future.
Creating the Leaders of Tomorrow: Five Skills to Ensure Success
According to IBM's recent CEO Survey, business leaders today value collaboration, communication, creativity, and flexibility above the hard skills of analysis and technical knowledge. Increasing business complexity and competition requires today's companies to demonstrate more than knowledge or technical expertise: they must cultivate skill sets that embrace and thrive on change.
This forward-looking session explores the five critical skills that all employees will need to continuously innovate and succeed in this new era. Participants learn how strategic imagination, provocative inquiry, creative problem-solving, agility, and resilience can prepare your organization-and its human capital-for long-term success.
Bodell reveals simple and actionable tools and techniques that help build these essential skills, and help participants realize the real-world impact that small changes can have on organizations. Equip your team with the skills needed to thrive in the business world of tomorrow by providing the techniques to take action today.


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And as such, the Belle Isle Bella and I return from the hometown of rock. It was good to go back for a bit and (of course) to see my Tribe succeed against the Tigers once again (though that was much to the dismay of Belle Isle Bella). Father says that I need to find a way to be at every one of their games for the rest of the season. I think that would make a fun new baseball movie: Random girl is struggling team's good luck charm. Oh, how I love sports movies. They're a class all their own. So awkward in their cliched inspiration and yet...still delicious.
Speaking of which, Ninja football? Who's in? The thing practically writes itself.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
There's a red moon rising on the Cuyahoga River
Posted by BuckeyeBlossom at 8:53 PM 0 comments
Labels: awkward cliched inspiration, Baseball, Cleveland
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Well I must say that as we approached the beginning of September, we really felt that we had managed to escape the cold of winter here in Tassie. The weather had been so mild and the lack of rain quite good.
However the more we venture away from what is technically 'Winter' and move on over into 'Spring' the more we seem to experience colder, wetter weather and snow on the mountain!
Today there is Snow on the mountain! but we are all set with jobs related to our move, so have no time to enjoy the snow today.
However, A few weeks ago, we did venture up to the top of MT Wellington, as the snow was covering it quite well. The girls had been bugging us all winter to visit so that they could play in the snow – as they remembered how much fun it had been the year before. However with our milder winter this year, we really thought our opportunities to 'freeze' atop the snow capped Mountain, where all but a dream.
That was until Spring arrived and the snow started to fall.
Here are some pictures of the girls enjoying the snow and of their wonderful snow man as we headed into spring!


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We appreciate your interest in our area and hope you enjoy visiting this venue on your upcoming trip to St. Charles.
323 Walnut Street
St. Charles, IL 60174
Real hometown full-service florist providing services, delivery for all occasions! Superbly-reviewed wedding florist known for unmatched design, personal service. Local family-owned, operated and loving what we do!


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Ed Gamble Nathaniel Metcalfe
Sunday 20th May 2018
@ Aces And Eights Bar
Doors: 06:30:00
Two work in progress Edinburgh previews from Ed Gamble & Nathaniel Metcalfe.
Ł5 in advance to guarantee a seat or Pay What You Want on the night.
Doors at 6.30, starts at 7pm
Ed Gamble »
Ed Gamble started his comedy career performing with the Durham Revue, and was a finalist in the 2007 Chortle Student Comedy Awards.
He co-presented The Peacock and Gamble Podcast with Ray Peacock, as well a radio series on FUBAR Radio and three Edinburgh Fringe Shows between 2011 and 2013.
He debuted his first solo show at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2014, and taken his two most recent shows on a nationwide tour.
Beginning in 2015, Ed starred in two series of Almost Royal which was shown in E4 in the UK and BBC America in the States. That same year he became a regular panellist on Mock the Week as well as performing twice on Conan in the USA.
Nathaniel Metcalfe »
Nathaniel Metcalfe has been doing stand-up since May 2007, and got through to the semi-finals of the So You Think You're Funny? competition after only five gigs.
In 2010 he got through to the semi-final of the Laughing Horse New Act of the Year and the final of the Hackney Empire New Act of the Year.
That summer he also appeared as one third of the sketch group The Brotherhood of the Leaky Boot in Edinburgh.
He was the resident act at Josie Long's Lost Treasures of the Black Heart club between 2009-2017.
In August 2013 Nathaniel took his first solo show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It received lots of good press and reviews and was nominated one of the top 10 shows at that years' Amused Moose Comedy Awards.
Nathaniel has been heard James Acaster's Findings on BBC Radio 4, Fresh From the Fringe on BBC Radio 4 Extra and was a regular on Josh Widdicombe's XFM Show.


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Faith, Love & Joy Gold, Crystals, Enamel Vatican Pill Box
Honoring your virtuous side, this pill box celebrates Peace, Hope, Faith and Love. The Vatican Library Collection makes a stunning addition to the collection with this hand enameled pill box adorned with such righteous symbols. Hope is represented by an anchor, Peace by a dove, Faith by the cross and love by an angel in a cross. Pill box measures approximately 1 1/2"L x 1 1/2"W x 1/2"D
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I recently posted this amazing zippered leather Alaia mini on Shrimpton Couture. It was a damn hard one to post and I have to admit I did seriously contemplate removing a butt cheek to fit into it but sadly even then I don't think it would be a go. Two or three days later I am cruising through my packed Pulse Ipad app that is chocked to the gills with all my fave blogs (more on that in a future post) and I spot the beautiful Nini in her leather Alaia skirt with a little how to on wearing it.
She pairs hers with a not-so-classic white bow detail shirt and one of the most amazing vintage necklaces I have ever seen
(Nini please hold up your right hand as you read this and repeat — "Cherie gets first dibs on my necklace should I grow tired of it")
Here are Nini's tips on how to wear a pencil skirt:
"If someone asked me to name one item that I could not live without, I would say it was this vintage python Azzedine Alaia high-waisted skirt that a dear friend got me from Paris. I love good quality seasonless skirts, new or vintage, in any type of exotic skin or a beautiful heavy crepe.
You don't have to live in the corporate world to own pencil skirts. They're just chic and elegant to wear. You can pair them with a simple, fitted, white button down tops and fabulous accessories for dinner or you can dress them down with a comfortable, loose T and low-cut booties to meet up with your girlfriends for coffee.
When you are trying to dress up your pencil skirts for a special event or formal dinner, I suggest that you wear heels that help elongate the legs. I also suggest that you try to stay away from mid-calf booties. Sexy pumps always look amazing with pencil skirts and they help bring out the best silhouette for every girl."
You can see more of Nini's blog -Nini's Style- here and you can grab the zippered version of the Alaia skirt and more Alaia pieces here.
Nini's photos & quote direct from her blog


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Speaking of Writing . . .
What started you writing fiction?
I've always been writing fiction. In grade school, I wrote these wild comic adventure stories. They amused my best friend's mother so much, I kept on writing them. I took it up more seriously in adulthood, joining critique groups and revising, revising. I was not in a position for some years to devote myself to writing that didn't pay promptly, but I continued to write fiction in my free time (usually the hours between midnight and 2:00 a.m.). I learned a lot about my strengths and weaknesses as a fiction writer, and doubled down on the latter. A theatrical producer once advised me, "Don't fall in love with your own words." It was great advice. I have learned to axe paragraphs, chapters, characters, and to turn a story on its side and view it from another angle. If you want to improve, you have to take your ego right out of it.
About five years ago, I found myself in a place where I could finally spend serious time on developing a book-length piece of fiction, and make fiction writing my ultimate career. I jumped at the opportunity. The result is The Sticking Place. The novel I am working on now is set in the 16th century, so the research is staggering (my desk is awash in post-its and dog-eared books) but engrossing.
Flaubert said, "Writing is a dog's life, but the only life worth living." I love that.
Why did you set The Sticking Place in World War II?
I think that we are still processing World War II. It was the event of the 20th century, and it gave us quite a shock. The rise of the Third Reich, the Nazi occupation of most of Europe, the death camps—all bore witness to the extreme brutality humans can commit. But that's only one side of the story. The response to the Nazis' barbarity also demonstrated our capacity for heroism and self-sacrifice. For many people it was, as Churchill said, their finest hour. That's the larger context of the war's allure as a setting.
The more specific appeal is the themes it opens up: The struggle to survive against all odds. Finding the strength to keep going—to trust, to hope, to love—in our flawed and frightened selves. What do you do when you feel you've reached the end of yourself and yet more is required? What personal code do you live by when the normal conventions no longer apply and the rulebook's been tossed out? The extreme stakes posed in World War II provide unparalleled fertile ground to explore these questions.
How did Catherine come to be your protagonist?
Women operated the "bombe" machines that broke each day's Enigma settings. Women worked as spies behind enemy lines. It was a woman, Constance Babington Smith, who spotted the V-1 flying bomb in a recon photo, thereby confirming its existence. That said, the authority belonged to the men in every branch of the military and intelligence services. So, at one level, Catherine has been marked as quite special. At another level, she is, by her gender, invisible. This makes her perfect for the covert work Menzies assigns her.
I also wanted her to be someone the reader could identify with—a newbie in this high-stakes world rather than a seasoned pro. Catherine may be a child of privilege, but she is far from home and nothing has prepared her for the decisions she must make or the risks she faces. She is dropped into the house of mirrors that is intelligence work and must figure it out as she goes. There is no way out but forward.
Did The Sticking Place begin as a romance or a thriller?
The two threads were never separate in my mind. There's a reason we say, "All's fair in love and war." They are both states of extreme risk. You may have your heart ripped out, figuratively or literally. When both those risks are present, they create a profound synergy. Can you imagine Casablanca, for example, without the war? Can you imagine it without Rick and Ilsa's love story? Each drives the other. War makes love logistically difficult but, at the same time, emotionally vital. And a love affair in war always carries a desperate, darker edge. I enjoy reading and writing books that are thick with life.
What do you find most challenging about writing a historical novel?
Getting inside the heads of my characters and seeing the world as they see it, not from my twenty-first century perspective, but from the prevailing attitudes, beliefs, uncertainties, fears, and hopes of their time.
Although the Allies had been victorious at El Alamein once Montgomery arrived on the scene, and "Operation Torch" (in French North Africa) was successful, the rumors of Hitler's "vengeance" weapons sparked real fear in the Allied High Command. They feared the total destruction of London and a preemptive strike that would prevent the Normandy Invasion. They also worried that the new V-weapons would carry either a biological or a nuclear threat. It seems clear to us now that the Allies were destined to win, but it often seemed far from certain then. The characters can only act from and within that uncertainty.
What books have you most admired/enjoyed?
Whew! The long answer is hundreds, but I'll keep it to a baker's dozen: The Shadow of the Wind (Carlos Ruiz Zafón), The Imperfectionists (Tom Rachman), Birdsong (Sebastian Faulks), The Book of Air and Shadows (Michael Gruber), Atonement (Ian McEwan), The History of Love (Nicole Krauss), Wolf Hall (Hilary Mantel), The Namesake (Jhumpa Lahiri), Middlesex (Jeffrey Eugenides), One Hundred Years of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Márquez), The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver), and for comic (but by no means fatuous) relief, Liane Moriarty's brilliant social satire Big Little Lies. My "deathless" authors' list includes Shakespeare, Chekhov, Faulkner, Edith Wharton, Henry James, John Steinbeck, George Eliot, and Thomas Hardy. For nonfiction, I will read anything by Peter Ackroyd and Bill Bryson; also, most anything on brain research—it's fascinating.