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Preparing For Bariatric Surgery
Our goal is to provide patients with the highest quality care. In order to ensure optimal results in terms of safety, weight loss, and weight loss maintenance, we follow a standard pre- and post-operative program.
After you've had your initial consultation to meet with one of our bariatric surgeons and support team, you'll begin the second step in our 4 step process: preparation for your surgery.
Patients who plan to undergo surgery are enrolled in our pre-operative, multi-disciplinary preparatory program. This includes a series of medical clearances as well as a program of nutritional counseling.
Our dedicated bariatric coordinator is invaluable in guiding patients through this process.
You'll receive your scheduled date of surgery after your insurance company grants your approval, but we'll be here to assist you throughout the approval process as well.
You'll begin preparing for your bariatric surgery about three weeks before the big day. To ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible, follow the guidelines below.
2 - 3 Weeks Before Surgery
- You'll report to the hospital for pre-admission testing as an outpatient. You'll undergo specific blood tests, a chest x-ray, and an electrocardiogram (EKG). Your bariatric surgeon will answer any questions you have about these tests.
1 - 2 Weeks Before Surgery
- You'll begin a pre-operative liquid protein diet (varies from surgeon to surgeon)
1 Week Before Surgery
- Do not take aspirin, ibuprofen (e.g., Advil, Motrin), Coumadin and Plavix. All of these drugs tend to cause increased bleeding during surgery. If you are taking any of these drugs, please notify your surgeon.
1 Day Before Surgery
- The admitting office will contact you with the scheduled time you should arrive at the hospital. Usually this will be 2-3 hours prior to surgery.
- Drink only liquids (no solid food).
- Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before your surgery.
- Take a bath or shower using antibacterial soap the night before surgery or the morning of your operation.
Packing for Your Hospital VisitHere are a few things we suggest bringing with you for your comfort:
- Bathrobe
- Slippers
- Shampoo
- Body lotion or hand cream
- Scented soap
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Lip balm
- Hairbrush or comb
- A comfortable, loose-fitting outfit
- Magazines
- A good book
- Crossword puzzles
The Day of Surgery
- The doctor will meet with you before you are anesthetized.
- You will remain under the effects of general anesthesia during the entire procedure.
- Your family and friends are welcome to wait in the surgical waiting room of the hospital during the operation. They'll be able to speak with the surgeon shortly after the operation is completed.
How long does the operation take?
Gastric banding (LAP-BAND) and sleeve gastrectomy can be performed in 1-2 hours while gastric bypass is generally performed in 2-3 hours.
Admission to the Hospital
You're likely to be admitted to the hospital on the same day as your operation. Your admission is contingent upon the pre-admission testing performed 2-3 weeks before your date of surgery.
You may be examined before the operation by medical specialists who may assist in your care following the procedure.
Most patients spend 1-2 hours in the recovery room before returning to their room on the surgical floor.
What's Next?
So you're surgery was a success and you're eager to recover. Aftercare will pave the way toward your future weight loss success.


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Jonathan Bernstein shows what Obama REALLY said in his speech in Philadelphia yesterday.
I didn't get to see the president yesterday, mostly because I was standing in exactly the wrong place when he was both coming and going, although I did see his motorcade go by. A pretty excited audience out there but no protesters; 17th and Spring Garden in Philly isn't exactly a teabagger stronghold.

subset: commoncrawl


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This March I'm "slicing" a piece of my day every day in chronological order, sequentially. You have to know these words when you are ten.
After PE, my fifth graders line up on the playground to go to class. Glitter falls from the Besty Johnson backpack. Pokemon cards are collected and stashed. The Cavaliers baseball cap is positioned. Girls cluster in the front. Boys at the back sharing Takis.
I walk the line herding stragglers.
The line next to us, the other classroom, takes off. Shoulder to shoulder, two paces apart. A well-oiled machine. Straight, tight and silent.
My line starts out with good intentions. The first partnerships take-off side by side.
I watch them pass.
Two by two
a group of three,
a group of five, and another group of four,
BIG gap,
The singles
a lunch bag in one hand,
a water bottle in the other,
sweatshirts dragging.
Another gap,
then two dreamers who run to catch up.
Backpacks ground them
so they don't float away.
Corralled in the hallway they stop.
The classroom that will contain them awaits.
When all have arrived, the jellyfish surges forward (or is it backward), stingers trailing.
Fifth graders strain at control and resist containment until they get worried then their younger selves appear. Being with ten is about living on unsteady ground. One never knows. Exciting and painful.
Billy Collins' poem On Turning Ten captures the age. It's a must-read for all who care for and about ten-year-olds. I offer this for the Poetry Friday celebration of Collins' March birthday. Find more posts celebrating Collins here at Heidi Mordhorst's blog, My Juicy Little Universe.
On Turning Ten
By Billy Collins
The whole idea of it makes me feel
like I'm coming down with something,
something worse than any stomach ache
or the headaches I get from reading in bad light–
a kind of measles of the spirit,
a mumps of the psyche,
a disfiguring chicken pox of the soul.
You tell me it is too early to be looking back,
but that is because you have forgotten
the perfect simplicity of being one
and the beautiful complexity introduced by two.
But I can lie on my bed and remember every digit.
At four I was an Arabian wizard.
I could make myself invisible
by drinking a glass of milk a certain way.
At seven I was a soldier, at nine a prince.
But now I am mostly at the window
watching the late afternoon light.
Back then it never fell so solemnly
against the side of my tree house,
and my bicycle never leaned against the garage
as it does today,
all the dark blue speed drained out of it.
This is the beginning of sadness, I say to myself,
as I walk through the universe in my sneakers.
It is time to say good-bye to my imaginary friends,
time to turn the first big number.
It seems only yesterday I used to believe
there was nothing under my skin but light.
If you cut me I could shine.
But now when I fall upon the sidewalks of life,
I skin my knees. I bleed.


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New article I've written on the movie Insidious...
Synopsis: A family looks to prevent evil spirits from trapping their comatose child in a realm called The Further.
(Normally a more detailed synopsis is posted, but to be honest, the above one-liner really sums it up perfectly. Nothing further needed.)
PG-13, 102 min, Fantasy | Horror | Thriller - April 1, 2011 (USA) in theaters.
Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com) rated Insidious a 7.0 out of a 10 with 582 votes, at the time of this posting.
To read full article, go here:


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Given that we refer to many bees as drones, we probably imagine bees as studious little workers that do what their instincts drive them to do and little else.
We may not be giving them enough credit.
A study published in PLOS Biology this week found that bees are not only quick to learn new skills but that they'll teach other bees, too. Bumblebees were tasked with getting at small discs filled with sugar water that were covered by a sheet of transparent material. Some bees figured out on their own that pulling a string would get them the reward, but many needed to be trained step-by-step by scientists.
After training one set of bees, scientists allowed a different set of bees to observe the string-pulling exercises, and 60 percent of the new bees picked up on the string skills. These bees then become "demonstrators" and new bees learned how to pull the string to get the reward. This passing down of the skill through observation would allow the skill to survive within a colony well beyond the lifespan of the original, scientist-trained group.
As the researchers point out, this is a sizable step forward in terms of how we conceptualize learning. Humans, obviously, pass along all kinds of knowledge, and other animals have been shown to learn how to use tools from other members of their species. That said, learning is still regarded as a high-cognition process. However, as the authors of the study suggest, "so long as animals have a basic toolkit of associative and motor learning processes, the key ingredients for the cultural spread of unusual skills are already in place and do not require sophisticated cognition."
So the next time you hear Ella Fitzgerald singing about how bees do it and birds do it, you'll know it's not just falling in love; it's also learning from one another.


text: The Ironwood White babybed (70x140cm) is a modern, white babybed with a soft touch. The metal frame gives the bed a unique look. The bed comes with slatted base that is adjustable to 3 different heights (28-46-62 cm). Maximum weight: 30kg. DIMENSIONS: 144 x 75 x 95 cm EN-NORM : EN 716 COMPOSITION : Metal and particle board MAINTENANCE : Maintenance: use a damp cloth and dry immediately.


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What you needGreen 1/2 Inch Ribbon
Resin Making Supplies
altered art rectangle frame
This beautiful resin altered art pendant is made using the floral print provided below.
Simply print off the floral image below and cut it to suit your pendant size. Glue the paper onto the pendant using a white craft glue, make sure you squeeze out any air bubbles from underneath the paper. Apply a thin layer of glue onto the printed side (the top) of the paper image to seal the ink.
Allow the glue to dry completely before pouring a thin layer of resin over the top to seal the project and give it a glass like finish.
Once it is dried attach a green silk ribbon or add some beads for a stunning original pendant.
For complete instructions on casting with resin read these Basic resin casting techniques
Jewelry supplies for this project can be purchased from Photojewelrymaking.com


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qTest Tips for June Release
We used to have short release cycles in the past but haven't published anything out since April 26th. I hope this version is worth the waiting especially for the wonderful users that asked for these features.
One of the common inquiry for Support team was "How can I arrange my Test cases / Requirement structure?" By default, you will see objects' arranged ascending by created date on your navigation tree. With the new Re-ordering feature, you can drag & drop objects to re-arrange your test cases or requirements structure.
The major update that goes along with this is Customizable ID setting, you can define objects' prefix and qTest will append the ID for the new created ones. The convention allows user to copy & paste objects with the same name, you will no longer see "Test case A" > "Test case A (1)" but the new ID and same name. We applied the following rules to retain your projects' data:
- Current Projects: ID will contains new prefix with number's generated consecutively, continuing at existing ID number in qTest system regardless of object type.
- New projects: ID number's generated per project, counting from 1 for each object type, eg. RL-01, TC-01, or DF-01.
Have you been naming your objects with ID eg: 001 – Test case A, 002 – Test case B, we will provide a ID display toggle option in the next release to let you hide / show qTest ID if you prefer to use your convention. However we suggest qTest users to rename the objects and remove the "manual" ID and have qTest to handle the ID part.
The most anticipated feature that also based on the system ID is Tagging. Let say you want to mention the dependent requirements in your requirement, related defects on your defect description…etc., you can point to these objects by tagging the ID in the rich text field as following syntax:
- Use "@ + object ID", eg. @TC-622
- Click to select the object ID in the dropdown list
- The tagged ID will be shown as a hyperlink that leads you to tagged object
You will also find some minor improvements as the new Rich text editor in many places, we hope this function enhances users experience with requirement creating. Moving objects and table row in qTest's now is flexible and "universal": navigation tree, test steps, test runs table in test suite, field settings…
The last major upgrade is the Test case import wizard, it's more a wizard now J. qTest will analyze your excel file:
- Using the column of the first sheet as fields for mapping with Test case object's properties.
- Each sheet of the file will be imported as a Module in qTest. (*Microsoft Excel has 31 characters limitation for the sheet name, this will also limit the module name length when importing)
- Test case ID will be populated by qTest at importing. If you map test case ID (in case you are importing a file exported from qTest), the system will update the online test cases that have the same ID with the local ones.
Simply drag and drop your available fields into qTest properties table below to complete the mapping wizard. (*if you have custom fields on your Excel file, please create the same fields on qTest prior to the import). Once the importing's completed, qTest will present the result. You can review and made necessary editing in case the system finds conflict data.
Be patient if you have a large file, it may take up to 3 minutes for 300 test cases with around 20 steps per test case.
I want to thank you all, the users that give us valuable feedbacks. We are continuously fixing bugs and working on new features to make testing's cooler and better. Please reach me at firstname.lastname@example.com if you have feedback or questions.


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The simple answer is no. For the most part, credit card debt is generally subject to discharge, but in some instances it may not be. For example, credit that was issued based on fraudulent information by the debtor will not be discharged. Other debt, such as child support, spousal maintenance, and outstanding taxes will likewise not be discharged. The only way to know about your personal situation is to discuss your case with a bankruptcy attorney. In Utah you can find a consumer bankruptcy attorney on the web at www.utahchapter13.com .
Month: November 2014
How Do I Get Personalized Bankruptcy Service?
I was recently asked this question by a lady who called my office. She had been getting the run around from a Bankruptcy Mill. These are places that try and do as many bankruptcy cases as they can to turn a profit – some of these places are not even lawyers they are paperwork prepares.
You Deserve Personalized Bankruptcy Service!
It is important to realize that filing Bankruptcy is a lot like a dating, if you do not choose the right person it is destined for failure. That is not to say that you won't get your Bankruptcy discharge if you use a Bankruptcy Mill, but rather that the Bankruptcy Process will be a lot more stressful than it should be. If you work with a bankruptcy attorney that you trust and that you know is there with you every step of the way, the Bankruptcy Process is a lot less stressful! If you are filing for Bankruptcy, you already have enough stress in your life, why add to it? You deserve personalized service during this stressful time! You deserve a Bankruptcy Attorney who limits the number of clients taken on each month so that you can be provided with personalized service!
Schedule Your Free Personalized Bankruptcy Strategy Session Today!
If you are ready to file for Bankruptcy and want the personalized service that you deserve, contact me today for your FREE Bankruptcy Strategy Session, by calling me at (801) 221-9911. I limit the number of clients I take on each month so that I can give each of them the personalized service you deserve.
You Can You Declare Bankruptcy by Saying It in Public?
In an episode of The Office, when Michael Scott's finances are tight, he screams, "I declare bankruptcy!" His accountant Oscar says, "Hey, I just want you to know that you can't just say the word bankruptcy and expect anything to happen." Michael replies, "I didn't say it, I Declared It." Of course, Oscar is right. Filing for bankruptcy requires preparing numerous documents, taking classes and paying a filing fee. Sometime I wonder if congress purposefully created so many requirements just to limit the number of bankruptcies that are filed. I know there are a lot of people who should file a bankruptcy but do not choose to do so because it seems overwhelming. It does not need to be that way – a competent bankruptcy attorney can help you make the process doable and the right step for you. In Utah visit us on the web at www.dlblaw.com


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Review by Siofra McSherry
In 1956 the Whitechapel Gallery hosted the seminal exhibition This is Tomorrow, featuring members of the Independent Group of artists and critics. Remarkable for its collaborative process, the exhibition pre-empted the emergence of Pop Art in Britain by nearly a decade. The organisers allotted gallery space to twelve groups of three to four creative practitioners, asking each group to produce work on the theme of modern life. Architects, artists, designers and critics took part in a project designed to challenge perceived boundaries between the visual arts and promote dialogue between practitioners.
For the current retrospective, the Whitechapel is presenting material from its archive, enabling the viewer to reconstruct the exhibition as it appeared in 1956, and the processes of negotiation and collaboration that brought it about. Letters from the organisers to Whitechapel director Bryan Robertson demonstrate how the concept was developed. Through the attempt to express intentions and concerns a common vision was initiated. Theo Cosby writes on the 8th June, 1955 that 'the discussions…are really the point of the collaboration…the exhibition will not be a collection of miscellaneous art works.' In a letter of 30th March, the critic Reyner Banham reveals that 'as you can imagine, the labour involved in getting any kind of agreement out of forty highly independent and free-standing geniuses has been quite something.'
In highlights from a 1979 documentary by Banham, artists and architects who were involved recall the sense of excitement they felt over the collaborations, the constraints of cost - only £50 was assigned to each group for materials - and their sense of the importance of the show within the context of the establishment they opposed. Blueprints and floor-plans show the movement of the public through the gallery and demonstrate how innovative that layout was. According to the documentary, 'viewers are invited to enter strange houses, corridors, and mazes. This is modern art to entertain people, modern art as a game people will want to play.' The sense of involvement and fun carries through in the press clippings; journalists were most taken by the fact that the show was opened by Robby the Robot, star of the sci-fi movie Forbidden Planet and 'easier to book than Marilyn Monroe'.
One engaging display dissects the iconic collage by Richard Henderson, Just What Is It that Makes Today's Homes So Different, So Appealing' The source material for each part of the collage has been located in the original magazines and advertisements and displayed together. It clarifies the artist's procedure and places the collage in the context of its visual culture, helping the viewer overcome the distance from the visual world of the 50s. It is also an extraordinary demonstration of the potential of archive material to increase our understanding of the works of the past, and it is here that the Whitechapel's retrospective is most successful. With the twelve original posters providing a visual core, the retrospective invites the viewer explore the possibilities of the archive. Led by curiosity, we are invited to reconstruct that most ephemeral of experiences, an exhibition of modern art that took place here in 1956.
Whitechapel Gallery, 77-82 Whitechapel High Street, London, E1 7QX
Whitechapel Gallery retrospective of its exhibition 'This is Tomorrow'
Title : Image 3
Title : Image 6
Title : Image 9
Review by Siofra McSherry


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Woman Jumps Barrier and Knocks Down Pope Benedict - Video 12/24/09
Here is video showing a woman jumping a barrier and knocking down Pope Benedict at Christmas mass.
BBC News: The woman, said to be mentally unstable, managed to grab him by his vestments near the neck area as a security guard tried to overwhelm her.
The Vatican said she had made a similar bid to jump at the Pope last year.
French Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, 87, was standing a few metres away and fell and broke his leg during the incident.
Proceeding with the Mass, Benedict looked shaken and stumbled over some words...More


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White Picket Fences
Every year we tried to make it work, and every year we got approximately the same fabulous success story. Somehow, my family consistently managed to make Thanksgiving the most interesting holiday of the year it always held a different surprise. And it was that time of year again; this year we had decided to drive around. It was only a two hour drive (or a forty minute ferry ride across the Puget Sound) from Seattle to Bremerton just a hop and skip out of Seattle. But it always amazed me that such a short distance could make such a difference in values. In the way people live. I think my family shares the same basic values at the very least place importance on love; they just have an incredibly awkward way of showing it. Though sometimes it seems that everything beyond the basics were items up for contestation.
Everyones family is dysfunctional (maybe not as outwardly so as mine), but some work better with what theyre given. I call them artists, though not all artists are necessarily honest. Norman Rockwell was a phony. He might as well have painted unicorns its just as realistic. True, authentic, bona fide families just arent that picturesque. Ive been a guest at a perfect Thanksgiving. It was scary. Because I knew I probably had a closet drug addict sitting to my left, and a pedophiliac sitting across from me. Id rather celebrate Thanksgiving with a movie and a HungryMan TV dinner. Id even rather challenge myself with the company of my own family; at least theyre obvious about their problems. Even the neighbors know about their issues no secrets here. But then, this kind of silver lining shines about as proudly as dull pewter.
I sat in the back seat, my sunglasses reflecting the glare coming off I-5. Ive found that if you look directly at the glare, it hurts less than if you catch it sideways. But then, maybe its just because I cant feel when my retinas are burning. Not having nerve endings is pretty cool. Sometimes its really nice to not have to feel the world around me. And being somewhat deaf can have its benefits as well. Up front, my Dad and Uncle Marc were having a lively conversation about how the world as we know it is going to end. The blame game was up and rolling up for discussion were the very important matters of exactly How Bush Fucked It All Up, and who helped him do it. Apparently my family was going to buy property in the boondocks and start a commune. I wondered whether this was how all leftist hippies dealt with the politics of today? Bitch a lot and run away to start communes in the mountains. Mission accomplished all the hippies have headed for the hills.
I suppose its possible, its been done before but by my family? Theyre much more the Young Urban Professionals yuppies, as it were. They can lay an even heavier claim on yippies than yuppies or hippies. Ah, yippies, my very own, very technical re-definition for a very special kind of people:
yip°pie² n. : A hypocritical combination of [the social classes of] hippies and yuppies.
They can be defined as a breed of people that might eat organic foods and practice yoga, but drive an SUV in the city. They would recycle every last toilet paper roll, but dont have time to help feed the homeless. A breed of people that will join the Sierra Club, but never actively participate in the cause. My grandpa would call them dewey-eyed, bleeding-heart liberals. I wouldnt, but thats only because I see myself heading in that general direction. Sadly. I dont know what else Id do; Im certainly not cut out for mountain living. Neither roughing it nor patchouli hold any interest for me. Im just a typical, apathetic, mid-twenties urbanite.
Survival of the fittest, they told me over the drone of the highway, better wise up quick, or youre gonna get left behind. I dont know whether I believed them or not. I could imagine it, but their vision still seemed a little extreme. Im not sure I had evolved enough, politically speaking, to fit into their vision of the new world order. I only cared enough about politics to figure out which was the lesser evil of the two, and vote for them. Typically it was the politician less connected to oil to the war machines. As a general rule, if I just voted for the opposite of whomever my Grandpa supported, I was headed in a politically progressive direction.
I thought it was funny that all the descendents of my grandparents took an anti-war stance: None of us would have existed without it my grandma was a souvenir from the Korean War. And yet I still vote against running off and starting wars. I take pity on the possibility of other families cropping up like ours did taking a stand against war is just a form of preventative medicine. Like birth control. My family was a great reminder why I took birth control religiously. I figured I was safe with my somewhat apathetic views. But how safe? According to Uncle Marc, not very safe at all.
I dont remember exactly how my uncle phrased his version of the American apocalypse, but I remembered it carrying a very God-like, condescending tone. The kind of tone that would reverberate like the passing of a commandment through a megaphone on a soapbox. Maybe it was the subject matter. Or maybe it was just that I was way too stoned to be hearing anything so deep. Some people like thinking a lot when theyre stoned they like analyzing and picking things apart. I smoke to forget my problems, or to cope with my family. But sometimes it doesnt help.
From Bush-isms to the same repeated conversation loops about Team America, I had their conversation more memorized with each successive trip to Bremerton. Between the two of them, I had already heard all the jokes so many times that I had forgotten I hadnt seen the movie. By the time we reached the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, my buzz had long since dissipated into a dull headache that I knew would only get worse. When my Uncle put on his bluegrass CD and pulled out his banjo, I was relieved, if only momentarily. This is not to say that I dont like bluegrass, but the sound of a banjo plucking away inside a car is a little more tinny and twangy than you might imagine.
I was tired of being in the car, and tired of listening to their banter. I think at some point they got tired of listening to each other, too. And it was about there that Dad started swerving a little bit. All that conversation must have exhausted him I know it exhausted me. The usual crossover (between siblings it happens effortlessly) from conversation to argument began.
Youre tired.
No, Im not.
Yes, you are. Youre gonna get us killed.
Im fine. Its only a little bit further.
Let me drive.
Im fine, Dad reiterated, rolling down the window. After a moments quiet, the car swerved again, and the conversation repeated. And repeated. This was like some sad combination between a knock-knock joke and one of those songs that you learned as a kid that went on forever and ever. After it lost its novelty, all you could do was pray that it got old for everyone else soon, too. I twisted under the constraints of the seatbelt (which I had no desire to loosen), glancing to the sides and to the rear of the car, while I picked at the cracked, peeling pleather siding of the door. If we were going to keep swerving and playing the Im not too tired to drive game (which, by the way, has been proven to be just as dangerous as the Im not too drunk to drive game), I wanted to at least double check that while we were at it, we werent going to kill anyone outside of our gene pool. Unless maybe they had a W04 sticker on their car. With the size of the headache I had, I could see myself owning up to a death wish. It would seem appropriately ironic to tie it all back to their earlier political conversations. A nice, well-rounded, conversationally pre-packaged drive to Bremerton. At least we would arrive with a bang.
But then, it doesnt take an accident to arrive with a bang at my grandparents house. Its always one heck of an adventure. I finally let go of the breath I had been holding, just in case; it could have been my last. The car had miraculously made it, and pulled into the driveway. There we were greeted by a 2 x 3 sticker on the back windshield of Grandpas car that advertised how he felt about the war:
I had to admire my familys patriotism, no matter which side of ignorance they fell on. At least they believed in something. My legs seemed to creak as I stepped out of the car I could feel my tendons stretching out of their tightly wound positions. Grandpas bumper sticker ignited a short burst of griping before the topic was officially dropped and we headed inside. The tension had migrated from my tendons to my neck. There was a military-style Fourth of July crackling behind my eyelids, an explosive celebration in migraines. I dont know whether family gatherings for other people caused the hypochondriac to come out as much as my family gatherings did, but if so, Thanksgiving must be a very profitable time for doctors.
Ah, Bremerton: Scent of the Navy. I could almost taste the sweat, machinery and Old Spice that hung thick on the breeze. I gulped down one last whiff of semi-fresh air before entering the house, where the same air has been recirculating for the last 15 years. I took my shoes off at the door, scrunching my toes into the carpet. Best to get my footing early. I was in a Navy town and I didnt bring my sea-legs. Grandma scuttled over and gave me a soft, wrinkled hug. Her skin felt like a shaved puppy. I felt like Id been left on the doorstep when she shuffled back to her chair.
Every time I saw her she got a little shorter; I think her rapid shrinkage was from all the TV she watched. Its all she ever did anymore, slouching into that chair of hers. She was the best thing ever imported from Korea fell for a dashing American Naval Officer and took up the role of the good submissive housewife. She wouldnt want to ruin her image by piping up. After all he did for her bringing her from a life of hard work and poverty to a comfortable lifestyle in America where she can slowly die by the light of the TV. To disrespect that gift would be a travesty. I guess. I missed her spunk. My grandma has been dissolving for years, though you wouldnt know it by looking at her. But you can see it in the way she moves, and you can smell the death on her. She certainly didnt have a fresh puppy scent.
Of course, if I had to live with my Grandpa, Id happily succumb to boredom for the sake of self preservation. I would turn on the TV, too. This said a lot, seeing as the TV I owned had a Legalize Free Thought sticker across the top, no buttons and no remote. Every time I turned it on, I risked electrocution. But with Grandpa around, Id be more than happy to stick my fingers into whatever holes and sockets were available. Whatever would keep him quiet; its hard to be doing anything wrong when youre doing absolutely nothing. Even so, it was possible to find something wrong with the way youre doing nothing, if you really dig. And Grandpa was good at finding those flaws the military had trained him well.
Shoulders back, Grandpa gave Dad and Marc a very straight hug the handshake that pulls into a hug / backpat thing. Its really almost a homophobic hug. No one in my immediate family is gay, and its no wonder as to why. I was next in the hug chain, and I got a real hug. And a poke in the belly.
Getting kinda chubby, arent you?
I guess he hadnt noticed that I had lost thirty pounds. I wanted to pull his beer belly up into his face and ask him the same.
Getting chubby, arent you, Grandpa, Id deliver with a poke and a smile, seen your feet lately? If only. Instead I just laughed. It was as good a way as any to cope. Laugh or cry pick one, kid, were out of smoke. And only pansies cry. I slid across the linoleum to safety on the other side of the kitchens island. I typically feel safer in the kitchen; I get it from my Grandma she taught me to cook.
From my safe zone, I poured myself a glass of water from the tap and brought one out to Dad, who had laid down on the living room floor for a quick nap. The kitchen was warm I had to wonder how long the oven had been preheating. It was all warmed up and ready for Marc to start on the turkey. Grandma had been too ill to cook in these last few years, and Grandpa couldnt cook a lick. His idea of good food was spam and eggs with toast, if youre lucky. Thank God for uncles that cook. Marc began working on the turkey while I watched, imagining a fully feathered turkey dancing around on the islands counter. Once the turkey was set up and tossed into the oven, Marc started in on the fridge. It was the usual sequence of events.
"Ugh. What's this? How long has this been in here?" He picked up a slimy grocery produce bag. Whatever it had been, it was now reduced to a cake-like blob that appeared to be bleeding milk. I hoped it wasnt alive. Marc cringed and gave it its long overdue burial in the trash can. I sat down under the dim lighting of dirty skylights, and started meticulously drawing concentric circles on a notepad. It read "Zoloft" in great, purple, italicized letters across the top. Freebies from the doctor visits; Im glad there were some fringe benefits to getting old and being sick all the time.
"Oh man! Mom, isnt this that soup I made for you two weeks ago? Why havent you eaten it? Dad, did you not let her eat it? You know this was organic."
"Marc, weve been eating non-organic for years and were fine."
"Yeah, and look how sick mom is!" He pointed to Grandma, who was trying to stay out of it by ignoring the both of them. Marc continued waging war on their decomposing, non-organic foodstuffs. He was turning my safe haven a place where I could pretend to hide from the rest of the familys madness into another battleground, and I resented him for it.
"Jesus! Whats this? Isnt this that chicken from last week?"
"That was from last night, Marc."
"No its not! This is from
"MARC. That was from last night."
I could see their inner dogs growling. The hair on my arms stood on end. I felt like a magnet being pulled all at once into every direction possible any direction which wasnt in this room. I looked to the crudely carved, apple shaped bowl on the counter and stuffed some dusty almonds in my mouth. I had no idea how many weeks or months they had been sitting there. At least if someone asked my opinion, I would have an excuse to opt out; it would be rude to speak with my mouth full. I didnt care how old they were they made me feel better. An amendment to my prior statement, then: Laugh, cry, or eat. Whatever it all works for me.
The turkey was a little over half done when Aunt Diane showed up. She flew up from Florida for this lovely occasion. More hugs are shared, all around. My dad got up to give her a hug before laying back down, his eyes drowsily following the greetings and small-talk. Its egotistical, I know, but Im disappointed that she doesnt notice that Ive halved in size. I surveyed the growing situation and got up to get myself another glass of water. While I was up, I grabbed a couple pens to color in my doodle of what looked like a cross-section of a tree. I ended up with red and blue. A Great American Waste of Time that blessedly allowed me to avoid making much eye contact. I kept pretending to look busy.
Marc threw sidelong gossip at me, "If she really cared, shed help your Grandma out more." I blinked back an empty response, watching Diane hug Grandma. Diane was the kid who made out the best, I suppose. After working real-estate and owning fishing boats, Diane and her husband Ron were multi-millionaires. They had more money than I could ever picture. And they didnt help out with Grandmas medical bills or help pay for the stay-at-home nurse. They had retired recently, with all the money in the world. So much money I wouldnt know what to do with it; I suppose I would spend it with family and friends. But she just cant find the time to get up here and help out. They are addicted to having money, making money, and keeping money. Ill never understand it. Neither will Marc, but hes the only one that makes a point of not understanding it.
"Hey Diane, wheres Ron?"
Touchy subject, and Marc knew it. Ron is the son-in-law / brother-in-law that nobody liked. Apparently hes a superficial prick. Ive only met him once, when I was eleven, so I dont really know him. The first time he met my Grandma, he didnt really meet her or so the story goes. Its a little weird, almost creepy, really. He was dropping Diane off, and wanted to see Grandma. When she walked out of the house, and Ron saw that she looked good for her age, he sped off. That was enough for him; he knew Diane would age well and he would reap the benefits of having someone that was easy on the eyes, if he stuck around. And he did. Who wouldnt want a Hot Wife? So hes definitely superficial, but I didnt know whether he was a prick or not.
"He had to take the boat back to the island to pick up the other car. He said hes sorry he couldnt make it."
Diane and Ron were moving back up here, supposedly, to help care for Grandma. Its been a work in progress for over three years now. I doubted Grandma had more than another year, two at best. Really, Diane just popped in to make appearances. Maybe wants to make sure shes in the will. I would like to think better of her than that, but I havent been given much else to go on.
"Other car?" Marc snickered. His truck was so covered in anti-war stickers and posters that it barely ran; I think the weight of the world was killing his truck. "How many cars do you have?"
"Three up here. Two on the island, one in Anacortes."
"Why on Earth do you need three?"
"To get from here to our boat, and from our boat to home," Diane responded, unruffled. She sat down on the arm of the couch. I was baffled at their conversation, none of it made much sense to me it was a weird language of judgments and jealousies that were being played out in a very sibling-like manner. Diane seemed puzzled that Marc didnt understand why she would need all fifty million vehicles. She delivered Marc her real-estate agent smile. Charmed, Im sure.
"Ah, Marc… Hows your dog? Your girl treating you right?"
It was another touchy subject. No one in my immediate family was gay, as far as we knew. But Marc really loved his dogs. His girlfriends never stuck around very long. I watched their interactions from my safe haven, now reduced to the length of one cupboard. My fingernails scraped the bottom of the wooden bowl, and I was keenly aware of the silence that has dropped into the room, and even more aware that I was out of almonds. When youre chewing crunchy foods, its hard to understand exactly what is being said its a little like Mystery Science Theater; they can be saying anything you want them to:
"So nice to see you!"
"God, you look great. How on Earth have you been? Wheres Ron he really ought to come next time. Ah, I missed you."
"I missed you, too."
"The turkey looks great! Anything I can do to help?"
"No, no. But wheres my hug?"
Yeah, that would be nice. My moms favorite saying rattled around in my head, "If you cant make it, fake it." Somehow it seemed appropriate, but I couldnt pin it down. At times, I wished dad and mom still got along; then I remembered that they never did. She got out of her Thanksgiving responsibilities smart woman.
I was knee deep in a foggy silence that was broken only by the banter of the impeccably perky Rachael Ray and her cooking show. I wished I could walk through the TV into the land of good times. This kitchen was too hot for me. The TV suspended words in the air like garlands of commercialized happiness, hanging meaningless words between us. Im just grateful something filled the space. My dad, forever the Understanding Son, stroked my Grandmas hand as her head dropped off into slumber.
Less than an hour until the turkey was done, and I was looking forward to a table full of mouths too full to talk – at least, that was the hope. I started working on the rest of the dishes for dinner. Reclaiming my territory in the kitchen, I came up with: a vat of mashed potatoes and gravy, sautéed greens over a mushroom-rice pilaf, beets, sweet creamed corn, fruit salad, a delicious cranberry-horseradish chutney, and sliced persimmons. Simple, but effective; my time had disappeared into the vortex of cooking, while around me, the uncomfortable world that is my family continued to do a brilliant job of being itself. Everything looked perfect, and the turkey was almost done. I finally looked up from my now-fragrant safe zone to see my family still fighting like cats in a duffel bag. It was almost impressive, the way they twisted words into weapons. Im glad theyre all on my team – I refuse to take staunch sides with any of them when they argue.
Marc and Grandpa were having a jolly time discussing Grandma. A regular party. I never understood why they had to have these conversations every time they got together, and always in front of her. Way to put a Granny in the middle. I suppose shed learned just to tune them out – I hope she had, at least. I think for Christmas, Santa is going to bring her a set of high-quality earplugs. Things had escalated, and I retreated to the kitchen yet again, primping and garnishing the dished I had prepared.
God Bless the inventor of the fingernail, and bless infomercials, too – vendors of the crappiest knives around (I think these were made by Ronco). Only this precious combination prevented me from cutting my index finger off. Marc had stormed outside, followed close at heel by grandpa. Not even the all-consuming kitchen could keep my attention so wholly as to miss them lurching off. And they had almost taken a chunk of my finger outside with them. Marcs dog, Pepper, was barking wildly from the garage. I set down the knife and crept into the dining room. Diane and Dad had watched the scene unfold in a disturbingly disconnected way. Grandma, as per usual, pretended to ignore the entire thing. Their expressions were blank; I couldnt tell whether they were taken aback, or whether this was as common as doing laundry. Its strange, but even though I was surprised, I really wasnt – nothing my family does to each other surprises me anymore.
I leaned over the back of their beautiful, uncomfortable, very Oriental sofa, and peeked through the blinds. There, for the whole world to see, was my grandfather and uncle, fist fighting in the front yard. In broad daylight. I wondered how many other families aired out their dirty laundry on Thanksgiving. Grandpas fist made solid contact with Marcs ribs, and Marc countered with quicker, though lighter body shots. Grandpa may have been retired from the Navy for over ten years, but being in three wars does wear off on you – being impossibly tough is not a skill you easily forget, even at seventy-six.
I felt bad for Marc – he was going against the Behemoth that was his Dad. I wondered how long this fight had been coming – probably Marcs whole lifetime. He was always trying to be the perfect son, and suffered nothing but rejection by Grandpa. They were too similar to get along. And too different. Mostly, just too damned stubborn.
Grandpa caught Marc with a clean left hook in the shoulder; the blinds slipped out between my fingers. I was hesitant to watch anymore – this scene was not something I was meant to be privy to. But I couldnt help myself. I pried my little spying slot back open and watched Marc swing for Grandpas face. I was going to have to look pretty hard for my jaw when this was all done. I think it had dropped straight to the floor and right through their very Oriental rug. That was something I never thought I would see in my lifetime. Not even in my family.
Grandpa dodged the jab to the chin (he was fast, for an ogre-ish Navy retiree), and barreled into Marc. He grappled Marc into a headlock and subdued him. They both seemed to calm down. I wouldnt have put it beyond Marc to go for one last sucker-punch, but when Grandpa let go, he didnt. Instead, Marc stalked away, got in his truck and drove off. Grandpa stood and watched him leave; I closed the blinds. I hustled back into the kitchen, where Diane gave me the most tired smile Id ever seen her wear. I didnt know whether or not it was all the Florida sun she was getting, but right at that moment she looked older to me than she ever had before. The timer went off, and I pulled the turkey out of the oven.
I heard Grandpas car pull out of the driveway, and immediately started gathering plates and silverware. This might be the first quiet Thanksgiving meal we ever had. I suppose it would have been polite for me to wait until they got back, but knowing them, I didnt really think that either of them would be back any time remotely soon. Marc was a headstrong son whose feelings (among other things) had been badly bruised. And Grandpa was simply prone to driving off at odd times. Its a good thing he had a Hybrid. He used his car as his escape from the family – he much preferred being by himself, or with his old Navy buddies. There, he had respect. With Diane, Marc, and Dad, respect was exacted, but it wasnt as genuine, and it was given less willingly.
No one asked what had happened, and I was fine with that, because I didnt know how to tell them. No amount of laughing or crying would appropriately express what I had seen. So I set the table instead, and I think they understood. From the kitchen, I brought out the platters of food, and Dad carved the turkey (with extra dark meat for the two of us) – an awkward task with Ronco knives. Diane helped Grandma into her chair, scooting her in so that she wouldnt fall.
I made one last sweep of the kitchen to make sure we had everything we needed and beamed, somewhat artificially, at Dad – I had almonds stuck in my teeth, and I knew it. Hey, its laugh or cry, right? Some of the tension slipped off his face, replaced by a smile. He put down the plate of turkey and gave me a hug. A real hug. This was family.
Like the best of American families, my family was duking it out over the little things. It was just a whole lot of little things that, eventually, turned into an issue. Dad and I had our problems, too. We didnt talk to each other for over ten years before we finally reconnected. I cant remember who made first contact. It took a lot of time and a lot of talking. But we were doing our best not to pass on what we grew up in – the environment he was raised in, and the environment he had raised me in. Family is supposed to be about love. It didnt matter which way you cut it – so long as you didnt cut each other. But our family get-togethers had become all about who could get the deepest dig – who could cause the biggest hurt.
Its no wonder I hid in the kitchen. And no big surprise my Grandma was always sleeping, or pretending to. And a real shock that Dad stayed out of it as much as possible. Hed been working on his anger management problems for years (one guess where he got them). The little stuff just wasnt a good enough reason anymore to let his temper bare its teeth. Because when it did, it was a regular shitstorm – I didnt see how it could possibly help smooth the situation, and I suppose neither did he. Let the big dogs run on their own.
We brought the platter of turkey into the dining room and sat around the table, a formidable mix of personalities just between the four of us. I started serving Grandma, filling her plate from edge to edge. She didnt eat much when Grandpa cooked for her, but if Marc or I cooked, she ate everything put in front of her. She needed the food for energy, for life – but it was only when she was surrounded by family that she really wanted to live. I still couldnt quite figure out why. Family is family, I guess. You have to love what you get.
I chose a nice piece of dark meat, and drowned it in cranberry chutney. Grandma was already well on her way, troweling food into her mouth faster than she could chew. Sometimes I wondered if Grandpa fed her at all when we werent there. She looked happy. I guess if you didnt know her, you wouldnt think so – she was crying while she ate. These days, every good meal was something really special to her. She couldnt walk anymore, couldnt read and didnt listen to music – all that was left for her was family and food. It was the two things she had left in life that she could appreciate. I guess thats what everything boiled down to in the end. Eating, shitting, sleeping, and love. We all have to make the best of what we have.
Theres only one chance to do things right, so might as well. I watched my grandma as she wiped the tears off her cheeks and stuffed forkfuls of food into her mouth simultaneously. I was happy to see her happy. I took a bite of turkey – it was perfect; I would have to remember to save some of the dark meat for Marc.
Diane smiled at me, tapping her fork on a beet, "why dont you have another piece? We all know how you love to eat."
It was going to take more than that to get me to parry back. I gladly let it slide on by, and gave her my best impression of her very own, trademarked, real-estate smile. While Grandmas plate of food disappeared exponentially, I put another piece of turkey in my mouth and swished as much cranberry onto and between my teeth as I could. I grinned at my Dad. He laughed and sucked a piece of food down his windpipe. Never in his life had he looked so happy to choke. Now thats family. My family.
© 2006 by Michelle Ferris


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Topical motoring blog with news, reviews and comment
No, I did not crash the Pagani Zonda
25/03/10 16:37 Filed in:
It was not me! I did not crash the Pagani Zonda. Yes, I know it crashed very near to where I live. Yes, I have been known to write road tests for magazines.
A Pagani Zonda, like the one crashed in Aberdeenshire
But, no, I am not a race or rally champion. (I did once set a new class record on a hill climb and had minor success on a couple of club rallies, but that hardly counts as being a "champion driver"!)
There are probably more exotic motor cars in this area than anywhere else in the UK, thanks to Aberdeen being an oil centre second only to Houston. When the Jaguar XK220 came out, within days one was parked casually outside the local pub. More recently, shopping at Sainsbury's, we parked in the bay next to a Ferrari F50. Just this week, at the first glimpse of sunshine, a brace of Lambo convertibles wafted past.
It is, however, quite amazing how this story has grown arms and legs. I now find it coming up on the internet with newspapers and blogs in the USA reporting the story.
I suppose the fact that it is Aviva's biggest ever payout for a crash repair at a reported £300,000 has fired people's imaginations.
Poor Sir Jackie Stewart got sucked into the story today, with
The Press and Journal
newspaper running a story naming the former world champion as the "professional driver" who was behind the wheel when the Zonda spun into an Aberdeenshire telephone pole. His office, however, pointed out that he wasn't even in the country last September when the accident happened!
Who was at the wheel? Well, I am not going to speculate. I had my share of notoriety some years ago, when I, too, crashed a road test car.
At that time I was presenting a motoring programme on the radio and my producer at the time spotted one of the Cadbury's Creme Egg promotional vehicles parked at a hotel just doors from the radio station. He secured a drive for the programme.
At the appointed time I turned up for the 'whacky' road test.
A Cadbury's Creme Egg promotional vehicle © Suitov
At this point I will present the excuses and mitigating factors. The egg was created from a Suzuki (if I remember rightly) Rascal chassis. But, in order to get the round front, some of the controls and pedals had to be moved around.
I completed my high-speed test driving round the building at a dizzy 30 mph and was in the process of trying to park when my foot got jammed against the steering column. I was not able to extricate it in time when we rolled gently forwards into the back of what was instantly renamed as a Ford Eggscort.
The story was splashed across The Sun – slightly embellished to make it sound as though we were actually broadcasting on the air at the fateful moment.
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31 January 2014
Swatches & Review - My 3 picks from the China Glaze Crinkle Chrome collection!
16 comments :
These sure are... interesting. I'm not a big fan of texture on my own nails so I don't think I'll be going for these. It's too bad they don't come as regular polishes like you said because they would be awesome for stamping!ReplyDelete
- Erin Ortiz31 January, 2014 15:44
I think if I had to choose, Don't Be Foiled would be my pick.ReplyDelete
I just don't like the look of this collection because, to me, it just seems messy looking, but I have to say your swatches of it are the best I've seen. Maybe that's because you stuck to 1 coat? Don't Be Foiled is a fun color, but I don't think I'll be picking this one up.ReplyDelete
Your pictures are abselutely gorgeous!ReplyDelete
But this collection is just horrible :( these look like the polish went bad :(
- Nina Vasilevich31 January, 2014 19:23
This collection is horrible for me!ReplyDelete
If you don't like texture, please stay away from these indeed! You wouldn't love them at all I think.ReplyDelete
Thanks for your comment Erin :) but it sounds like you don't want pick one at all ;).ReplyDelete
Thanks so much Natalie! Glad you still "like" the swatches even if you don't have a thing for this collection :).ReplyDelete
Thanks my love! And yeah, they are something else hahaReplyDelete
:( I sure hope the rest from CG is going to be better this year!ReplyDelete
Sadly, I just don't like this collection. Thank you for swatches though.ReplyDelete
wow they all are gorgeous! but my fave one has to be the 1st and 3rd one! nice post :)ReplyDelete
Thank you Melissa, your wallet will be happy haha!ReplyDelete
Thank you! Glad you like them!ReplyDelete
- Eleobel01 February, 2014 23:39
I'm weirdly attracted to these polishes! You make them look amazing :)ReplyDelete
- Hannah/Polly Polish02 February, 2014 20:57
I think your swatches are some of the most flattering I've seen of this bizarre release. They're just too odd for me though I think. I stand by my comments about CG and OPI failing to impress me for over a year now.ReplyDelete
Hi loves! If you are seeing this message, it means Disqus has not loaded yet. Please wait a second, as soon as this message disappears Disqus will load and I will see your comment properly :). Thanks ♥.


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If you are reading this blog chances are you know me but if you don't, I have just turned 30 am now in my 30's and moved to London England from Canada over 4 years ago. I mainly write about life in the UK and how it differs from Canada however I have a tendency to ramble about just about anything from food (a lot about food) to TV to gadgets…so, enjoy!
Any questions or comments feel free to contact me below, all queries will be sent to me via email and will not be made public. If you prefer to make a public comment on a post, go ahead, it's always nice to know people (other than my Mom) are reading.
You can also subscribe to the blog so you can get posts sent to you via email as soon as they are posted, just enter your email in the box up in the right. Don't worry I don't get to see who subscribes or your email address so I won't be sending you any emails asking for money or trying to sell you Canadian prescription drugs.
Adrienne H


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Archive for the '44109' Category
Ward 14 Town Hall Meeting
Last night I had the pleasure of attending the first town hall meeting hosted by Councilwoman Jasmin Santana, her assistant, Maranyeliz Miranda, and her volunteers. It was an enjoyable, informative meeting. I hope,as Ms. Santana said,it will be the first of many.
This town hall was a community forum with many city officials as well as non-profit advocates discussing housing issues and solutions with the audience. This first forum's participants included:
Special Guest: MetroHealth
Chief of Staff. Jane Platten. Walter Jones, Senior Vice President in charge of campus transformation accompanied her.
Ayonna Donald, Interim director Cleveland Director B & H.
Housing Partnership Network, FKA Cleveland Housing Network
Kate Monter Durban, Assistant Director
Mahria Harris, Director of Homeowner Services
Christina Keegan, Land Trust Program Manager
Heather Meljkovic, Magistrate
Peter Hotchkiss, Housing Court Specialist
Community Development Organizations.
Metro West Development Organization
Keisha Gonzalez, Managing Director
Tremont West Development Corporation
Cory Riordan, Executive Director
Pastor Gordon Martin, Prince of Peace Outreach presided as facilitator and fielded the written questions from the audience. Since the topic was housing, he informed us that all the other questions would be handled on-line since people had failed to add contact info to the questions.
As always, there were a few in the audience who refused to believe that the rules applied to them and they shouted their questions from the floor. When Pastor Martin was unable to get them to understand that the written questions served two purposes-the question topic would be housing and that all others would be handled in writing on- line, the councilwoman and he handled the impromptu questions quickly and efficiently so that the discussion on housing issues could continue.
There was a lot of useful information exchanged. The housing court personnel handled eviction questions as well as what the procedure is if you end up in court.
"Who is the code enforcer?" was handled by Metro West's managing director, Keisha Gonzalez and Ms. Arnold of Building and Housing who has over 20 years experience both in the field and in management.
Ms. Gonzalez shared that Metro West conducts four Code Enforcement Area (CEA) studies a year. When an area is chosen for closer scrutiny a house to house outside inspection is conducted. These inspections are to identify potential Building and Housing violations before they become a problem for the homeowner when code enforcement kicks in.
If you receive a letter, call Metro West. There are resources that can help home owners. any people accomplished home repairs which alleviates anxiety and enhances their own quality of life as well as their neighbors'.
Ms. Arnold made everyone understand Metro West, Tremont West or any other CDC does NOT have enforcement authority.
Many questions centered around affordable housing and what programs are available to residents as well as the deposition of the YMCA building on Pearl. An added plus was Jane Platten from MetroHospitals who addressed the new transformation plan for the hospital and how those plans do not call for the displacement of current residents near the hospital. Ms. Platten was glad to be able to dispel the rumors at a public forum.
Rebecca Kempton and I recorded the meeting on Facebook live. It is available in two sections. If you are interested please take the time to watch it. There are two sections I and II. Click on Gloria Ferris. Scroll down.
Again, I would like to thank everyone who participated in last night's meeting, but most of all, to thank Councilwoman Santana for using the calls to her office as her basis for the Town Hall topic.
I look forward to the next one.
If You Have a Question about What and How to Recycle in Cleveland?
One Simple Act Cast Sheet explains what is and what isn't acceptable.
Reading the cover page tells you no need to bag your recyclables, just use the blue container.
Click on How to recycle correctly and there are the do's and don'ts.
A few months ago we were told "no plastic bags" and many neighbors including my husband thought that meant not to "bag" the recyclables in plastic. I told them "no" plastic bags are not acceptable. We still need to take them to the grocery store. Now many grocery stores will not accept them. We are trying to shift our thinking to toting organic and reusable bags back and forth to the market. When we shop a the West Side Market, this is not a problem since we having bringing our own bags for 30+ years.
For some reason, we constantly walk out without them when going to Heinen's. Now, we are being overrun by the many options of "what to buy" when we forget. I am hoping that soon, very soon we can remember them. The other option is to keep them in the car, but then the car will be overrun with "totes.
Again, here it is in black and white. Plastic bags & wrap, plastic toys outdoor furniture and PVC piping a re on the "don't list.
The Whys and Wherefores of "I Will Buy Your Insulin Test Strips"
For months,maybe years, my husband Tim and I have been seeing signs plastered on utility poles that say "I will buy your Insulin Test Strips" around the neighborhood with a proliferation of them around the MetroHealth Campus.
Today, I finally thought to ask my Facebook friends to help me out with the reason why. Thanks to those friends and others I now know a bit more of the story behind the signs. It appears there is a black market for insulin test strips. Some diabetics may need to test 5 to 10 times a day to help them control the disease. It would be my supposition that some one needing to test that frequently may be what is called a "brittle" diabetic but may be not. According to my sources, it is not uncommon for these test strips to bring $1.00 a piece on the black market.
So, who sells these test strips on the black market? Apparently, many people do-relatives of people who have died, criminals who steal them from friends, neighbors and relatives who need them, and others who should use the test strips themselves but find the reselling of them too lucrative to pass up. Imagine my surprise to find out that this black market item is as lucrative as prescription pain medications.
There is a bit of misinformation out there that I believe needs to be cleared up-"Medicare and Medicaid patients can get all they can use for free". I have a friend on Medicaid whose doctor requested that she get the number of test strips needed to enable her to test twice a day. Medicaid denied the request allowing her one a day. Now, Medicaid usually follows the lead of Medicare guidelines so although I do not KNOW what medicare allows or does not allow, I do know that not every Medicaid patient gets whatever amount they need and if I were a betting person I would probably bet that Medicare probably has strict guidelines as well.
I understand that Medical Mutual is a company that will ship strips, glucose tabs, and other testing stuff quarterly if you sign up for one of their programs and you dot the i's and cross the t's just so. I am sure other insurance companies have similar plans, but many of them, as some of my sources say, are very expensive. There is also the option of going to the company involved directly. Pharmaceutical Company Foundations will often supply prescriptions and supplies to people who do not qualify for other help in getting the medications they need.
But back to the issue at hand, the unsuitability of these signs on utility poles in my neighborhood. Kate Dupuis, an employee of the Stockyard, Clark-Fulton and Brooklyn Centre Community Development Office has declared war against the unsightliness of these signs as well as "Free Roofs","We Buy Houses Cash", "Poor Credit, No Credit We Have Cars". Take a photo of the sign, its location, the utility pole number if possible, and email it to Kate at email@example.com. She is compiling a list to bring to the City so that action can be taken against the parties responsible. There is a fine for each sign posted. If we can multiplying the number to make the fine significant, action can and will be taken.
Somehow, a black market for test strips seems so wrong given the recent event of a 36 year old man dying because he was unable to buy insulin when needed because his prescription expired. http://www.wkyc.com/story/news/health/2015/02/11/emergency-insulin/23276399/ We live in a messed-up world, and it is up to us to change it.
Overused, but no less true . "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.
–Margaret Mead
PUBLIC MEETING: Aragon Ballroom
Aragon Ballroom
3179 West 25th Street
Thursday, January 22nd at 6:00 pm
At Lincoln West High School 3202 West 30th Street
Park and enter from the NORTH parking lot
The owner of Aragon Ballroom (Ali Faraj) would like to renovate the historic building as an event/conference center. The use will be allowed if it doesn't negatively impact the neighborhood.
I would suggest anyone living near the West 25th corridor, whether it is close to the Aragon Ballroom or not, should attend this IMPORTANT meeting. Since this will be the FIRST MAJOR renovation along a street where MANY upgrades and changes are planned, we need to do this right and the COMMUNITY should be included.
Among other things to be considered is a PARKING variance. Rumor has it that already an agreement with Cleveland Metropolitan School District and the owners has already been struck. My question why isn't the vacant lot on West 25th Street very close to the venue considered for parking? When the corridor booms a well placed parking lot should be in the mix, correct? The area surrounding the ARAGON is VERY residential and how will on street parking be handled?
If the seminars and business activities do not meet expectations, what type of "entertainment" will the venue book? What type of liquor permits will be requested? A lot of questions need to be asked and answered. Solutions need to be found for the community's concerns.
An historic preservation of a building is only ONE of things to be considered here and should not be used as a smoke screen for the very real impact on the surrounding community.
Please consider taking the time out of your very busy lives to attend.
Second District Commander Sulzer Steps Down WHY???
To Mayor Jackson, Safety Director McGrath, Flask and Chief of Police Williams:
If your intent was to make the citizens of the Second Police District feel unsafe you achieved your goal.
Last night, I went to bed uneasy knowing that now when the drug dealing on both sides of my home becomes intolerable I no longer have Commander Sulzer to email to let him know about the increased activity both day and night. I am sure that replacement Tom Stancho is a fine and capable person, but you see it takes years to gain the trust of a community. We had a Commander who had the trust and confidence of his community built on years and years of serving us well. You don't simply interchange that kind of person with another cog in the wheel.
Knowing that Commander Sulzer would use the information that I forwarded to him from myself and others so that we would again have a quieter, more peaceful existence was a constant reminder that we were safer and more secure with him at the helm. He used the information we gave him to deploy his officers effectively and efficiently
This morning, I woke up before dawn realizing that I wasn't as safe as I was yesterday because Commander Sulzer no longer leads our team of police officers who protect and serve my community.
You have taken from us a man who was a true leader. He knew that being a policeman was much, much more than commanding his troops. He knew that enlisting the help of the community to be his eyes and ears was essential to our well-being as a community. He knew that working together was how we would all be safe and secure. He made sure by being visible in the community and being part of our social fabric that we would continue our daily lives with a surer step- a little bit more confident that our decision to make Cleveland our community of choice was a good one because hw was a member of the team..
Yesterday, I had hope in achieving our community's goals because we had a very sturdy rudder to guide us through some, at times, pretty heavy seas. Today, my councilman Brian Cummins along with other leaders in my community are demanding some answers on why such a devastating decision was made that will harm our community. And, I no longer have the optimism and confidence I once had.
Unfortunately, in my heart I believe I know the answer to this devastating turn of events-politics. I have heard that the decision to demote a commander lies with the police chief. I have no reason to believe that this decision was made any differently. We will be given a rash of statistics and reasons as to why this demotion and disgrace of the best police commander I have ever known was a needed outcome of events in our community. But, I say to you that Commander Sulzer is the best commander to ever serve in the City of Cleveland because former Second District Commander Greg Baeppler ,who has always been my comparison when sizing up our police force, told me so. I have always believed that Commander Baeppler speaks the truth, and through the years, I have learned for myself that his statement is true.
I am saddened to think that this decision was probably made for a much more personal reason than "the good of the community" although I am sure that crime statistics will be the official reason. Looking at statistics can be misleading and are not a good way to evaluate the strength of a police force and its commander. Recently, I have seen reports of crime being "up" in the second district. Subtle hints in the media to show that we are not as "safe and secure" as we perceived, targeted specifically for us to doubt ourselves. Has anyone ever reasoned why this may be? Could it be that more people report crimes because they are confident that something will be done, that their complaints are taken seriously, that the new way to deploy officers is to strategically place them in areas with more reports of incidents of crime works but only because people report crime? Did the very rules devised to make us "safe" cause the one thing that will make us "unsafe"?
Reasoned decision making and good judgment are traits that any good leader should have but are especially crucial for a police chief or those who choose that leader. On the surface, the decision to force Commander Sulzer to resign and accept a demotion appears not to be seasoned, reasoned or based on sound judgment, so why was it made? Tell us.
The Second District community deserves answers and not only should one of our elected representatives ask, but all of our councilmembers should be asking this question in unison. If it is one thing I know about my friends and neighbors, we will write letters, we will make phone calls, we will stage protests until we get the answers we deserve regarding the untimely and ill- conceived demotion of Commander Keith Sulzer. We will demand answers.
I will not go so far as to suggest that this decision should be reversed because heaven knows that takes a true leader who knows it is better to reverse a decision than to ride it down to the end. Of course, when decisions are made by a "lame duck" administration it isn't that administration that lives with them but the community that will be left to pick up the pieces.
Council leaders should certainly question why the Police Chief made this decision and demand concrete evidence to show why it was made. It is time for council to show true leadership and not allow a lame duck administration to continue to make decisions that will affect our lives long after it is gone.
Friends living in the 2nd District or anyone else who lives in Cleveland and cares about our relationship with our police force should call and express our thoughts about Commander Sulzer to the following people and numbers: Police Chief Calvin Williams 216-623-5005; Safety Director Michael McGrath 216-3716; and the Mayor's Office 216-664-3990.
How strange that a few short months ago I worried that Commander Sulzer would be promoted to police chief and we would lose this fine man to the greater good. Never did I dream that we would lose him for reasons that are so very wrong.
Proud of Ward 14 Voters for Supporting Their Candidates
After an Election Day there is always a lot of "armchair" quarterbacking, and I have to say that in our ward it is no different. Many are saying that 68% of voters voted against our sitting councilman. I disagree. The dedicated voters of Ward 14 chose the candidates they believe should make it to the general election.
We exercised our "right to vote" and now we have the two candidates who will face each other in November. This is the American way. There is a reason for the primary system. I am proud of the candidates and the voters in the wards in our city where there were more than two candidates, and therefore, those voters had a "choice" to make.
I strongly believe that the voters who cast a ballot on Tuesday or before did so not to vote AGAINST someone but FOR someone. We need to remember why we have primaries and what they are meant to do. They are meant to give us a choice of who we think will be the BEST candidate to represent us in a general election.
In this day and age of where we talk more about what we DON'T want rather than what we DO want, it is hard to focus on why primaries are a necessary and required part of our voting process. How else will we choose the two best candidates to represent us in the fall? In fact, I am appalled at the two major parties who choose an incumbent or one challenger while trying to discourage any other person from running because contested primaries are "costly". In my opinion, this control by the party system is killing our democracy.
It becomes ever harder to find young people who want to enter politics when all they see is the bickering and gridlock at the federal level in the august bodies of Congress. With partisan politics overshadowing the good work that happens daily, it is hard to get young people to vote let a lone run for office. At the state level, governance is hardly the profession young people would aspire to be part of when the news stories continue to show that corporate and special interests are pulling the strings. At the local level, news media continue to choose those candidates they find newsworthy and the stories usually have a taint of "scandal" to them. Analysis pieces in the newspaper choose frontrunners early for what may be good reason, but how discouraging for voters to be told their vote means little if anything. I wish journalists would stick with more reporting and less analyzing.
I said this a few weeks ago and I will say it again, Ward 14 had four candidates who showed an eagerness to learn, an enthusiasm to run, and a passion to serve. I only wish that more voters had turned out to choose. The sad reality is if we do not "get out to the vote" and we do not exercise our right to vote then, some day we will look around and find we have lost that right.
I know in Ward 14 with candidates like Nelson Cintron, Jr., Brian Cummins, Janet Garcia, and Brian Kazy we will continue to move forward. In this mix, we have two strong Latino voices as well as two other voices experienced in community organizing and development. Together, these leaders can unite our community to be a force of transformation.
We have a community that wants leaders who move us forward and put the "old ways" behind us. We have one thousand voters who made sure their voices were heard on Election Day. Do we need more voters? Absolutely. Did we go out and vote against someone?. Absolutely not. We went out and voted because we believed in our candidate. Many of us had a candidate who didn't make it to the finals, but we should be proud of ourselves because we know what having "a right to vote" means.
HERE WE GO AGAIN: EPA Public Hearing to Permit Incinerator
I just received this notice from Nathan Rutz of Ohio Citizen Action informing me that we are again being forced to defend ourselves against this abomination that Cleveland Public Power and the City of Cleveland promote.
Dear Gloria —
In 2012, after facing widespread public opposition to their plans for a new garbage incinerator on Ridge Road, the City of Cleveland fired project developer Peter Tien for incompetence and claimed they were going back to the drawing board.
However, the City has continued to pursue this project behind the scenes, even thoughsome new consultants (Gershman, Brickner and Bratton) just told Cleveland City Council last week that a new "gasification" plant would be far more expensive than other options.
The city has now asked Ohio EPA to issue an air pollution permit for the proposed garbage incinerator on Ridge Road. The draft permit, which was issued on May 10, 2013, is very similar to the one proposed last year, and can be found on the Ohio EPA's website at:http://wwwapp.epa.ohio.gov/dapc/permits_issued/1010783.pdf
The Ohio EPA and City of Cleveland Division of Air Quality have just announced that they will hold a public hearing on this permit on Wednesday, June 12th, at 6:00 p.m. at the Estabrook Recreation Center, 4125 Fulton Road.
Loud and clear, the citizens of Cleveland told Mayor Frank Jackson and city officials that we want a strong recycling and composting program, not a highly polluting and unnecessary garbage incinerator. Apparently they didn't get the message.
Please plan to come to this hearing, bring your "No Cleveland Incinerator" signs if you can, and be prepared to testify against this proposal. We will be preparing some additional information for you to use, but wanted to get the word out about the date right away.
Also, please call Mayor Frank Jackson's office, 216-664-3990, and tell the mayor that the city should withdraw this permit and go back to the drawing board.
With thanks,
Cleveland Campaign Organizer
Ohio Citizen Action · 614 W Superior Ave, 1200, Cleveland, OH 44113, United States
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Cleveland's Hispanic Enclave Density & Country of Origin by Census Tract
***The white areas on this map have fewer than 1000 Hispanic people per Square mile.***
Given the recent events of Ward Redistricting I thought it was a good time to pull it out and see where the concentration of Hispanic people lived.
Seems to me that it should be relatively easy to create a ward that has a 41% density of Hispanics without causing major disruption. Then again, maybe not.
February 1 Go Red For Women
Go Red for Women
Tomorrow February 1 is designated "Go Red for Women". Heart disease is the number one killer of women. One in every three deaths of women in 2013 will be caused by heart disease. It is said that this is approximately one woman every minute.
Those of you who know me well are aware that on November 17, 2008 I suffered a massive heart attack. Within the next week, I also suffered three strokes caused by complications from the heart attack. I thank God that my husband over my protests called EMS immediately so that I received the care I needed quickly and efficiently. At first, the first time responders thought I had the worst case of flu they had seen so far, it became apparent to them when they took the EKG in the ambulance that I needed to get to MetroHealth ASAP.
I suffered the heart attack and the strokes in the hospital, and therefore, received the care I needed immediately. Even though this was the case, I lost 21 days of my life due to the severity of my condition. My family and friends were told that there was little if any chance for survival. Almost sixty days later, I walked out of MetroHealth on my own two feet. There had been some doubt as to whether I would ever have the use of my legs or my left hand again.
Today, I am grateful to say that I am still getting stronger every day. Because of my own heart journey and for those who have lost their struggle with heart disease I am asking my friends and loved ones to PLEASE WEAR RED on February 1.
Please help raise the awareness of the severity of heart disease in women. Make sure the women you love get regular checkups and know the warning signs of a heart attack. Please understand that women often do not get the classic heart attack symptoms. For instance, the classic "it feels like an elephant on my chest" may be a nagging back ache that just won't go away. Many women experience EXTREME fatigue for as much as two weeks before a heart attack or flulike symptoms that instead of getting better get worse.
My Christmas Wish For You
The other day I created a Rhapsody playlist of my favorite Christmas songs. It wasn't long before I realized that some of my favorites came to me through my mom and dad. Dad's favorite was "I'll Be Home For Christmas". When the strains of that song were hummed and sung each day, I knew that Christmas was right around the corner.
Today, my mother's favorite "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" by Kate Smith is my topic. I knew the song was based on a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow what I didn't know was that the poem was written during the Civil War. The popular song was based on five stanzas of the poem, not the original seven with two that refer specifically to The Civil War.
What a coincidence that both songs were penned during wars. War is war whether it happened in the 1860's on our own soil or today in a land faraway that makes it surreal rather than the harsh reality it is. War is violent, and lately, we have experienced an act of unspeakable horror in a town in Connecticut that turned violence on 10 small children and six of their teachers who will never sit down to Christmas dinner again with their loved ones.
Today, the SEVEN stanzas of this poem seem appropriate. Against the harsh reality of war, we again hear God's promise of "Peace on Earth Good will To Men" Here is the original poem with all seven stanzas.
"Christmas Bells"
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Till, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Then from each black accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!"
My Christmas wish to all of you:
the faith to know that some day this will be.


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This is the Life
I've got to say I've got it made. I've got a great life. Two great kids (at least today I think they're great), a wonderful life partner who is also my wife and best friend, and I pretty much get to do what I've always loved doing: observing, talking, getting to know people. Of course there is a lot of self-interest behind the motivation of what I love to do; it's not purely altruistic. As one of my closest friends ribs me, "everyone loves Arj." Yeah, I'm a sucker for affirmations that I'm OK, and that people like me.


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I am not perfect, on the contrary. Of course, considering the fact that we in our western world tend to crave perfection in all its natural and unnatural forms you might think that my statement may not make sense. It is however a statement which is deeply true and for that I am very grateful. You see, my imperfections and perfections – the divine essence of whom I really am – are the results of a passionate fascinating interesting life lived. A life that has taught me so much and made me experience even more…but most of all it have made me grow as a person – and as a spiritual being. My journey has taught me who I am rather than the one I, or anyone else for that matter, thought I was. And the best part is that even after 18 years of "awareness" and "lessons learned" I am still learning wonderful things about myself and of what our spiritual paths has to offer. It's fantastic and I am so very very thankful!♥
In her book "Radical Self-Acceptance" buddhist teacher and author Tara Brach talks about the importance of acceptance of who you are – who you truly are. A part of this is to recognize all our feelings, each and every one of our thoughts and analyze our actions – all in order to truthfully know ourselves. This means that those feelings of unworthiness, shame, feeling unloved…all of them can teach you something about yourself without victimizing you. If you are willing to pay attention to them – acknowledge them as being part of who you are – they can tell you about yourself and your spiritual lessons in a truthful divine manner.
For people of our times – individuals who are working on their self-improvement, in a spiritual sense – these feelings are signals of something that we fear (although it may take some really honest inner dialogue to see what it is) and therefore need to work with. We are not to reject them or deny them but to embrace them as what they are. It is not until we do this as we truly can heal and become whole. It is everything about you – perfections and imperfections – that contribute to your uniqueness and it is all the events in your life – the good experiences and the ones that left a wound in your heart – that create the mix that defines the fascinating spiritual being that is YOU.
It is also by accepting our own imperfections just as much as our perfections that we can get to experience the love of others despite their "imperfections" – the experience of a true soulful spiritual loverelationship – as we recognize the reality of the spiritual being they are. Remember the greater picture – the Divine Purpose – "rather than a journey of perfection our journey is towards wholeness" as stated by Tara Brach. Spiritual worthiness. 🙂
"Until you see the necessity of owning all of who are, you can't extract the jewels from every experience of your life and your story will continue to use you. It will continue to clobber you over the head and make you act as though you're small. But the moment you see the value in the parts you hate as well as those you feel good about, the moment you recognize that painful event as the perfect ingredient to make your recipe complete, you will witness the magic of transformation. You will bless what you formerly saw as a curse. You will watch as the horrid becomes holy." – Debbie Ford


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M2Tech Evo power options
andrewwai18 posted a topic in DAC - Digital to Analog ConversionHello All, My first post here so firstly want to say thanks to all the members as I have learnt alot from you all. I am a novice in the area of computer audio so have spent some time going through the DAC and Disk Storage sections and find that my situation sits somewhere in between. I currently have a Synology 214Play NAS that I use to store my music which is connected directly via usb to my M51 DAC. The NAS come with a very good audio app that I use to play music directly without the addition of a computer. After reading many threads I find the general concensus is that a good USB to spdif converter will help to improve the sound of my current setup over direct usb. I have limit choices from where I am and want to have compatibility with my NAS. This narrows me down to the M2Tech HiFace EVO. Thanks to Elberoth for your review. My choice for the Evo is a combination of availability and compatibility. Finally to my questions as I have not found much discussion relating to this. How is the EVO's performance partnered with the accompanying Evo Supply in comparison to the power supply from Teddy Pardo? Are they the same thing or would Evo's own supply provide the better sound? Lastly as my DAC can automatically switch between my 44.1k and higher quality files, will adding the EVO between the NAS and DAC still provide the automatic detection? Thanks in advance for any advice or any alternatives. Andrew
Evo PhonoDAC Two Phono Preamp + DXD-DSD A/D-D/A Converter ($1600) The new M2Tech Evo PhonoDAC Two combines a high-quality phono preamp, DXD A/D conversion, DXD and DSD D/A conversion that allows you to connect a turntable or digital sources (computer, streamer, CD player) to your stereo system to not only listen, but create digital recordings and vinyl rips at a very high level. It features 32 bits resolution, coaxial S/PDIF inputs, single-ended analog inputs and outputs on gold-plated RCA females, IR remote control with HID capability, external clock input with clock info output, phono EQ in digital domain, input gain 0dB to 62dB, input impedance continuously settable 10 Ohms to 50k Ohms, same form factor of all Evo Two products. It can also be powered by any 7.5V to 15V power supply, as well as achieve even better performance by using it with the Evo Clock Twoand/or Evo Supply Two. So if you're looking for a one-box solution to handle your turntable and digital playback needs, as well as give you the ability to create high-quality digital recordings of your vinyl collection, then this might be exactly what you're looking for. It even has the ability to connect to a word and master clock generator, which is almost unheard of at this price. Summary of Features The Evo PhonoDAC Two is a very high value-for-money digital/analog combo capable of converting analog to digital up to DXD and DXD and DSD to analog. Bi-directional USB 2.0 Audio Class compliant port is natively supported (no driver needed) by OSX and Linux. ASIO-compliant driver for Windows is provided. High precision, low-jitter clocks allow for exceptional detail resolution, maximizing the 32-bit capability of the ESS Sabre ES9018K2M (D/A) and ES9102S (A/D)conversion IC's. Versatile analog input stage allows for setting it's gain from 0dB to 62dB, allowing for any low-output cartridge to be directly coupled to it, as well as line-level sources like CD players, tuners, tape decks, etc. Input impedance may be set to any value between 10 Ohms and 50,000 Ohms, accommodating all kind of cources. Capable of performing real-time, digital domain phono equalization, using any of the 26 EQ curves provided with it. Offers ancillary filters like anti-rumble, anti-hiss and MPX allow for best playback and ripping from warped, scratched or worned records, as well as from cassette tapes or FM and AM broadcast. De-jitter feature allows for exceptionally good performance from coaxial and connection. High quality polypropylene capacitors and a low-noise opamp in the analog sections (input and output) for best sonic results. IR remote control allows for accessing all Evo PhonoDAC Two features (volume, balance, muting, input selection and many other menu settings), as well as taking advantage of the HID protocol to control the player on the computer without manually accessing the keyboard. Improved performance when used with the Evo Clock Two and/or Evo Supply Two. High End Audio Store NYC - Experience Ciamara1.844.CIAMARA (1.844.242.6272)
I have for sale a wonderful pairing of items which I will only sell together. M2Tech Hi-Face Evo & Bolder Deluxe Linear Power Supply (with upgraded DC output cable option). This is a set which give you a State of the Art USB>S/PDIF Output Interface. You probably know exactly what this is if you are here in the first place - but for more information: http://www.m2tech.biz/evo.html Retail on the M2Tech is $500, the power supply $800; total for the pair is therefore $1300, my asking price is $600 Adult home, no smoking/pets, cared for and appreciated equipment - sad to let it go. Paypal and shipping are for the buyer.....


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If there's one physical feature that I can say that I really like about myself, it has to be my hair! I've been blessed with luscious silky dark hair and I love it. I'm lucky that my hair is naturally straight as well so it takes minimal effort to make it look presentable. I'm not someone who really uses hair products, maybe because I haven't found anything worth using.
This 6 Effects Serum comes in a slim 100ml bottle and is very easy to hold in your hand. It doesn't come with a lid, but the pump has a twist and lock system to ensure that you don't accidentally dispense any of the product. It probably isn't the most eye-catching bottle around but it has a clean design which wouldn't look out of place in a salon.
My hair also felt silkier than usual, something that I didn't think was even possible with my already silky locks. Plus, it made my hair smell divine. I got a nice whiff on the vanilla scent every time I swished my hair.


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It's A Wrap
The 27th Saturday Night Alive, starring the Neville Brothers, raised $600,000 to fund the arts-in-education programs that the Denver Center for the Performing Arts offers to some 75,000 children statewide each year.
Sandee and Aaron LaPedis, owners of Fascination Street Fine Art, were the chairmen, with three men active in Colorado's energy industry — Roger Hutson, Jack Overstreet and Mark Sexton — leading the corporate effort.
Restaurateur Ed Novak and his wife, Gayle, coordinated the silent auction and Surprise Box sale that preceded dinner and will chair SNA in 2008. Always one of the fund-raiser's most popular segment, the Surprise Boxes contained merchandise donated by DCPA supporters and local business owners including Deborah and Dr. Stan Loftness; Trice, Jay Feder and John Atencio jewelers; Saks Fifth Avenue; Neiman Marcus; Pentax; and International Villa.
A 2007 Lincoln MKZ was the centerpiece item, and was purchased for $30,000 by Sharon Whiton Gelt as a gift for her husband, Ted. "He has needed a new car for quite awhile," she said, "and when he saw it at the patron party, he said we should bid on it." Ted was unable to attend Saturday Night Alive (Sharon came with former Denver Center Alliance President Deb Smith) and when she called to tell him the good news, he confessed he thought she'd get cold feet once the bidding reached a certain point.
She came close to missing out, though, when a woman bidding on behalf of Richmond Homes President David Mandarich tried to post a $35,00 bid but punched the computer keys mere seconds after bidding closed and the machines were inactivated.
In tribute to the Neville Brothers' New Orleans roots, Epicurean Catering's corporate chef, the Wolfgang Puck-trained Bob Gitre, prepared dinner with a Southern Flair: beef short ribs with roasted red pepper polenta and sauteed spinach. For the dessert buffet after the show, there was bourbon-pecan bread pudding, bananas Foster and bite-sized pecan pies.
Society editor Joanne Davidson can be reached at 303-809-1314 or email@example.com. She was thrilled when three of the Neville Brothers — Art, Aaron and Charles — autographed the CD that she and other guests received as a party favor.