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- With Mayo Clinic health education outreach coordinator
Angela Lunde
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Angela Lunde
Angela LundeAngela Lunde is a dementia education specialist in the education core of Mayo Clinic's Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at the Abigail Van Buren Alzheimer's Disease Research Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
The transfer of information about dementias, as well as understanding the need for participation in clinical trials, is an essential component of the education core.
Angela is a member of the Alzheimer's Association board of directors and co-chair of the annual Minnesota Dementia Conference. She is a member of the Dementia Behavior Assessment and Response Team (D-BART), a multidisciplinary outreach service assisting professional and family caregivers in understanding and managing difficult behaviors often present in dementia. She facilitates several support groups, including Memory Club, an early-stage education and support series, and more recently, helped to develop and now deliver Healthy Action to Benefit Independence and Thinking (HABIT), a 10-day cognitive rehab and wellness program for people with mild cognitive impairment.
Angela takes a personal interest in understanding the complex changes that take place within relationships and among families when dementia is present. She is particularly interested in providing innovative and accessible ways for people with dementia and their families to receive information and participate in valuable programs that promote well-being.
"Amid a devastating disease, there are tools, therapies, programs and ways to cope, and it is vital that families are connected to these resources," she says.
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Alzheimer's blog
Aug. 31, 2012
Antipsychotics overused in people with Alzheimer's
By Angela Lunde
51 comments posted
Dear Readers,
I'd like to conclude this series of postings around the unmet needs of persons with dementia by sharing with you a blog written by Dr. Cheryl Phillips. Dr. Phillips is a geriatrician I met in Washington, D.C., a short while back at a gathering to discuss non-pharmacological interventions in caring for persons with dementia. She writes about an all too common way that behaviors in dementia have been addressed — drugs.
Federal officials are working to place compassion at the center of how our nation aims to treat elderly patients suffering from dementia.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that they'll coordinate an effort to dramatically reduce the use of antipsychotic drugs among dementia patients in nursing homes.
The agency's plan acknowledges that these powerful pharmaceuticals are often overused — and represents a valuable first step toward improving the way we treat people with this condition.
But government alone shouldn't dictate how we deal with dementia. Families and caregivers must also recognize when medication is appropriate — and when it's not.
More than five million Americans are afflicted with Alzheimer's and related dementias. Coping with a loved one suffering from the disease is an immensely trying experience — one that can leave even the most stoic among us desperate to try anything to alleviate a family member's suffering.
It's no surprise, then, that nearly 40 percent of dementia patients living in nursing homes receive antipsychotic drugs. Overall, some 14 percent of nursing home patients are on antipsychotics. These are alarmingly high numbers, given how ineffective — or even dangerous — the drugs can be.
For starters, antipsychotics have not been approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration to treat dementia. No drugs have. Only about 20 to 30 percent of elderly dementia patients who take an antipsychotic drug show even marginal improvement.
For such unimpressive results, the potential harms are significant. For every 53 patients treated with such a pharmaceutical, one will die. And for every nine to 25 patients that benefit from an antipsychotic, one will die.
As a result, the FDA has issued a rare "Black Box Warning" stating that patients administered the drugs face a risk of death 1.6 to 1.7 times greater than those who take a placebo.
And yet, a blind faith in the effectiveness of antipsychotics that's not borne out by the science remains. Abandoning this belief is a necessary first step toward improving the way we treat dementia — and saving lives. To do so, we must first change the way we think about the illness.
Many view dementia as the cause of a number of behaviors that need to be corrected or controlled. This misconception fits our cultural penchant for pills quite nicely. For instance, Grandpa George's loud incoherence or Aunt Esther's refusal to calm down are symptoms that need to be alleviated through medicine — or so the thinking goes.
But folks displaying the disruptive behaviors associated with dementia are more often trying to communicate with those around them. Their "acting out" signifies their frustration at their inability to do so.
Consequently, people interacting with them — whether family members or professional caretakers — ought to try first to understand what the patient is trying to convey. Then, they can take appropriate action.
For instance, yelling, wandering, or resisting care are not symptoms of psychosis and will not be resolved through the use of antipsychotics or other medications.
But if a drug is judged necessary, keeping close tabs on it is imperative. A checklist can be helpful. Is the person showing signs of improvement? Are they better able to engage with others and with their surrounding? Can that individual get by on a lower dose? Is the medication even working at all?
All too often, families and caregivers fail to ask these questions. That's a mistake. Given the risks associated with antipsychotics, determining how to address dementia-fueled behaviors without drugs is vital.
Fortunately, there's a growing body of evidence that supports the effectiveness of behavioral modifications and non-pharmacological interventions to treat dementia.
This new approach isn't just something for nursing home staffers or professional caregivers to consider — it's important for us all. Odds are that we all know someone who suffers from the condition — or someday will. Decisions about their potential paths of treatment may fall to us.
CMS is right to try to reduce the use of dangerous antipsychotics in dementia patients. But it will not succeed without a shift in the way we all think about this debilitating condition.
(Dr. Cheryl Phillips is a geriatrician and senior vice president of LeadingAge. See www.leadingage.org.)
51 comments posted
September 7, 2012 2:50 a.m.
I am 73 yrs old , attending regularly office &having daily interaction with persons, find lapses in memory. I find difficulty in recalling past events. Of late I find difficulty in recalling even recent happenings. Can anybody incate causes & treatments etc.
September 7, 2012 2:40 a.m.
Jenna, you made some good points about the long term/nursing home staff's issues. As a caregiver who was hospitalized for an emergency medical problem, my wife was put in a nursing home by the hospice service. After 4 days of their lack of attentive care I was able to leave the hospital and take her back home. She was dehydrated, and starving for food because the aid's did not have time to feed her with their other patients - after all she was dying so they thought. She wouldn't voluntarily open her mouth or swallow over a tablespoon of water - AD symptomes I have dealt with for 11 months. The aid said that was how they were trained to tell if someone was shutting down to die, so they had other people to feed and my little lady was being left to die like a POW in a concentration camp. Now, this facility has very good reports however left me wondering how many loved ones are over medicated or starved to death when the cause of death is listed as the disease? Lessons learned - LTC facilities staff can not be expected to take much time feeding patients that are helpless to speak or feed themselves. Hospice PT's well they are dying so no big deal. CNA's and aids may have 8 to 15 patients to oversee, and it is impossible for them to feed a pt that takes an hour to eat/drink each meal. Hire or get volunteers to feed your loved one that is virtually helpless.
- Gary
September 6, 2012 7:47 p.m.
I'm 100% in agreement with Sandy. My husband passed away from Alzheimer's 4 mo. ago. He had been diagnosed 4 years previously, and I cared for him up until he ran off. By then, he was entering the final stages of Alzheimer's, and I could no longer control him, so I placed him in a memory care facility. He was, at that time, taken off Aricept and Namenda, and placed on Haldol, a antipsychotic. He in no way improved, being non-verbal, incontinent, aggressive. However, due to the Haldol, he was incapacitated enough to be able to stay in the facility without causing injury to someone else. He died 3 mo. later. We must remember that Alzheimer's is a terminal illness. There is no improvement, only decline. The late stages are a nightmare for both patient and caregiver. My husband would have hated living as he was, and it was a blessing to both of us that he passed away. If Haldol hastened that, then hooray for Haldol. We had 42 good years of marriage, and, thankfully, there were only a couple of bad years, not 10 or more, as can happen. If you haven't cared for a late stage Alzheimer's patient, then, please, learn more about it.
- Pat
September 6, 2012 6:58 p.m.
To Nick regarding Namenda. My 74 yr old wife has Alzheimers and is also roux-en-y gastric bypass. In our recent experience the titration starter was in the third week when she experienced uncontrollable diarrhea. It turns out that the drug does not completely metabolize in 24 hours and subsequent doses accumulate to an unsafe level in addition to an increase in dosage strength. The Doctor that prescribed the Namenda did not return my calls. The pharmacodynamics of Namenda was researched by a Pharmacy student and provided reprints of the search. My wife is off the drug and will not be subjected to this again. Every patient reacts to drugs in their own way. As others have learned it is wise to research every drug on your own. Doctors are still "practicing" medicine.
- Don
September 6, 2012 6:33 p.m.
My husband has been "sort of" diagnosed with the possibility of having the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease in 2009. A year previous to these medical tests, my husband displayed alarming states of forgetfulness, necessitating seeking professional advice, thus the tests and the results. We were counseled to try one of the current medications for Alz Dx, which would delay the progress for a few months, but not stop it. I opted not to try the medications,and have been trying to keep my husband busy most days.But because he forgets, I have to be with him 24/7. Acupuncture treatments help a lot in maintaining his general well-being. We walk at least four times a week.I try to cook most days, to ensure that what we are eating are nutritious. For 18 hours everyday, our conversation is mostly his repetitive questions and my repetiive answers for matters of the past that he only remembers, and the emotional outburts that he displays. Hopefully I can continue doing what I am doing now in managing my husband's health situation. But there are times, though, that caring for a loved with this problem is so exhausting to one's spirits, as there appears to be no light at the end of the tunnel.
- paola
September 6, 2012 5:15 p.m.
I must agree with all those who have commented who are working very hard in this field to address an overwhelming number of needs with never enough available staff. One cause of this shortage does seem to be the lack of caregivers who want to work with dementia patients or who have the talent and expertise to do even an adequate job. However, the other cause for this poor staffing ratio is corporate owners who are using the profits from your loved one's estate to build more facilities than they can adequately attend to. My mother is currently in a healthcare facility owned by Trilogy Health Services. They currently own over 70 facilities and are building 6 more as I write this, yet the dementia unit is always understaffed. Trilogy continuously advertises activity programs that do not happen. Their 'art program' for example is scheduled for 3 months of the year in spite of all the current research that states how important art is for reaching alzheimer's residents. Often when I visit my mother the lights in the activity room are not even turned on. In 14 months I have seen my mother participate in one activity that was actually in progress when I arrived: a word search puzzle printed so small that she developed a headache and started to cry because she thought she had to finish it. Not one staff member was available to help her: they were collecting residents and seating them for noon lunch at 10:30 in the morning!
- Lynn
September 6, 2012 4:54 p.m.
They may not be right for everyone, but antipsychotics really helped my mother-in-law (who has early-onset Alzheimers) feel safer. She was having hallucinations and scared all the time. She would hide under/behind things. She is much more relaxed now.
September 6, 2012 4:08 p.m.
Thank you for this research. My Dad just died two weeks and this is still very fresh in our families mind. During the last few months of his dementia his daily care grew too much for home care and we reluctantly placed him in nursing home care. He was prescribed anti psychotics to help the staff. We couldn't get them to stop and moved him to another nursing unit in another state (with another sister). Same thing occurred then. We had no trust in the medical community prescribing medicine to help him when he was scared, anxious, etc. I was outraged at his treatment. I expect in 10 years this time will be looked at as the dark ages of dementia care and drug constraints will be looked at as barbarically as physical constraints are viewed now.
- Laurie
September 6, 2012 3:35 p.m.
Kimberly, I know where you are coming from, alzheimer's is ONE of the dementia's..my wife had Pick's, like lewy Bodies, it is a much more rare form of the dementia's, as soon as we discovered that she had Pick's instead of alzheimer's, the Dr. took her off of Aricept, and didn't even say why, I pursued it and did not get a satisfactory answer, instead he put her on a drug, that when I got it filled...I read the warnings,(I do that with all Med) and I also go on line and get all the info I can get (which by the way...we absolutely should get to read THE BLACK BOX WARNINGS) but this certain drug said do not give to people with dementia..it will shorten their lives..I couldn't believe that a neroligest,that I regarded highly, would do that... listen folks...no matter what dementia your loved one has...RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH....don't take everything for thr gospel that tour Dr says..a lot of them don't know what they are talking about...and when they whip out their little blackberry and start researching, DUH, find a Dr. that know's...and has compassion, fire your other one, and get one that cares, and will be very up front and honest with you to the best of their ability..but make sure that ability is in the dementis area your loved one is in....I did not give my precious lady that drug. I admire each of you that are taking care 24/7..every 5 minutes...also take a break, it is so important...hard to do, but very important.
- Dave
September 6, 2012 3:20 p.m.
My wife takes Namenda. Helpful or not? Thank you
- nick
September 6, 2012 3:00 p.m.
I agree with Sandy. After we gave our mother help with a medicine, her life improved so much because of less anxiety. Put your self in that person's shoes - would you want to be scared all the time? Over-medication is not the answer. But it is silly to think a nursing home cannot use any medicatons to help their residents who have that extreme anxiety or extreme behavior. Live with it 24/7 and you may change your mind.
- Martha
September 6, 2012 2:38 p.m.
It is important to recognize that certain behaviors will not change with use of anti-psychotics. Yelling, wandering, and resisting are not psychotic behaviors. It would be helpful to point out what are such behaviors that might warrant consideration of those drugs.
- Beth
September 6, 2012 2:29 p.m.
What a load of horse hocky. Just what we need, the government to tell us how to care for our loved ones because they have so much experience. Come and live with me for a month or two, caring for my wife who is slowly dying of Alzheimer's disease. We are not statistics to be manipulated to promote an agenda. I hate this disease but I hate those who have studied it but have no real exparience to enhance their opinions.
- Larry
September 6, 2012 2:09 p.m.
Thanks for sharing Dr. Phillips' comments with us. My dad has a wonderful psychiatrist who has patiently explained to us throughout this dementia process--that my father's behavior can be managed most of the time through controlling his environment. Sometimes that means providing reassurance, agreement, silence, change of scenery, or just listening to him. For those times when the behavior is spiraling and unmanageable for whatever reason, we have a low dose medication that we can give to calm him. So far that medication has been used only about once a month. Thank God for doctors who take the time to educate caregivers.
- Karen
September 6, 2012 2:08 p.m.
I work in a dementia facility and have a mother in the early stages of Alzheimers. I typically care for over two and a half to three dozen patients during my nursing shifts. I am well trained in dementia care and have the deepest regard for our residents and their families. Antipsychotics are used for a reason. Its almost always about the safety of both the staff and other residents. My staff, nursing assistants, each care for seven or eight patients at a time. Unless you have some magical box from which this nation can pull more money to increase our staffing ratios towards that one on one (or even one on three!) individualized 24/7 compassionate care you advocate, the dream is unrealistic. We do a fantastic job and our training has improved dramatically over the last decade. We are successfully managing many patients with caring interventions! Still, when staff are being hit, even bitten, I have no problem with a physician's choice to quell the behaviors via prescriptions. Dr. Phillip's, come join our floor and put in a few dozen 8 or 12 hour day dressing, toileting, feeding and redirecting. Then you may agree that a compromise is knowing being chosen. My staff's safety matters. I will always advocate for anticipating needs and managing our patients in ways that support their emotional security and full comfort. Recognize that sometimes antipsychotics and anxiolytics are the only affordable tools for care providers. Where do you suggest we get the funding to do otherwise?
- Jenna
September 6, 2012 2:06 p.m.
I remember how mothers were blamed for the behavior of their children afflicted with schizophrenia in the 1950's. The National Institute of Health did research on schizophrenia by recruiting several families to live in their hospital and be observed over one year. Thanks to the NIH doing research on schizophrenia it was proved the mother was not to blame! The medications haldol and thorazine emerged as first line of treatment and were given to patients in mental institutions. As a result of those drugs; institutions were emptied. Whatever happened to the ex-residents! Did they all die due to the meds? The realistic view would seem to be that co-morbidity of other medical conditions in the older patients is what brings death. In such situations there is need to treat physical and mental pain. It is time for well designed research on the medicines we have …not what we hope to discover. Who knows maybe simple pain meds would be the best calmer? What is the optimal dosage and regimen of thorazine for dementia? Then and only then, CMS can appropriately remove psychotropic drugs from their prescription list for dementia.
- Marie
September 6, 2012 1:33 p.m.
A close relative had delusions that someone was trying to kill or harm him or our family. He did not get any sleep checking to see if the doors were locked & that no one was outside. After trying several different medications, the doctor prescribed a very low dose of abilify to try. Abilify is a drug that is not approved for dementia! It was a miracle - he had no more fears of being harmed! I feel that all medications given to dementia patients have to be monitored closely by loved ones/caregivers until one is found to alleviate or stop the symptoms which are troublesome/disturbing.
- Carla
September 6, 2012 1:18 p.m.
My Aunt had LBD LEWY BODY DEMENTIA" this dementia is fatal and Antipsychotics actually were found to make her symptoms much much worse and unbearable for her to live with. Please, please, please educate yourselfs on this very dibilitating fatal Dementia and what these drugs can do for the people who suffer from this horrible disease. Most Docs and Nurses dont know about Lewy body Dementia so please share this info. For more info about LBD please go to LBDA.ORG and learn. Thank you soooooo much as this disease needs global awareness!!
- Kimberly
September 6, 2012 12:53 p.m.
My husband has Alzheimer's and the doctor calls it mild but from what I experince I wonder just what mild means. From the report by Angela Lundi I am thankful for the information and the comments posted. Only the caregivers know. God bless us all.
- Shirley
September 6, 2012 12:40 p.m.
I agree with both sides. My husband has dementia and has for 14 years, and thank goodness for the drugs that have helped him and myself as the caregiver to continue to take care of him at home in the evenings and on weekends. We also need to be the advocate and make sure we understand the drug and know and be aware of the side affects. I have learned thru this process to be far more involved and comfortable with challenging the doctor on some of these prescribed drugs. The dr. really doesn't see the patient 24/7 as the caregiver does. I'm amazed at how some of the specialists seem to think they know my husband's behavior and really aren't that open to listening what really takes place on a day to day basis. It takes a lot of research and being on top of things in an already difficult situation, but in the long run it's best for all.
- Judy
September 6, 2012 12:32 p.m.
I agree with you Sandy 100% they have no idea what it is like to deal with someone with dementia 24/7. My mom needed those medications for my dad to stay sane.
- Diane
September 6, 2012 12:26 p.m.
I must say "amen" to Sandy and Steve. And I also second the observation that those who dispense advice most likely do not act as caregivers 24/7....or they would not have time for such careers.
- Carolyn
September 5, 2012 10:19 p.m.
Just a "soft"comment to Sandy, and other caregivers... As Dr John Richard Taylor PHD , a "student of memory loss"as "myself",he states... "We are not 1/2 empty"..."We are not 1/2 full" "We are Whole people" We will end up a shell of our former selves. We need "enabling" "not disabling". I believe Angela and Dr Phillips may be trying to help people with this devestating disease to keep the "faculties that are still available" to us, and not have them end our lives earlier than they should....because of medication. These medications "alter moods" and have extreme side affects. They can inhibit the small amount of "cognitive thinking" there may be left. My family personally experienced it with my father,when his"Haldol" was discontinued.... This was over 25 years ago...when doctors didn't know what they were dealing with, but it's not the dark ages anymore. I am stating, and have documented already,I am not to be given drugs of that sort....because I want to and have a right to die of natural causes and not medication side affects.Persons with cognitive loss, and early dementia, and their families need to sit down and plan these things, there is no guilt then...on anyone. Angela is an extrodinary person, we have had the privilage of meeting her and spending time with her, she is a wonderful advocate for persons with cognitive loss and dementia.As I have becom
- Catherine
September 4, 2012 10:13 a.m.
Angela: Normally I agree with you, but I think Steve is right. Most care facilities and families try to meet the unmet needs of the patient, but sometimes they just can't due to the progression...and you should know that. And yes, families who have their loved ones facilities will come in and demand, but caregiver's who are with their spouses 24/7 will understand the need for drugs to help alleivate some of their anger or the anxiousness. Your comments that for every 53 patients, one will die..for every 25 patients that benefit from antipsychotic drugs, one will die. They all will die of this disease it's just a matter of when, and to be frank, caregivers who have been living this illness for many years...this is a blessing both for the patient and the caregiver. Medical experts can say all they want about they think we should do, but when you are living with someone day in and day out, trying to meet their every "need", as your blog suggests, but fail time and time again, drugs may be necessary. It's obvious you have not lived with someone 24/7 trying to meet their needs! Sandy
- Sandy
September 1, 2012 9:46 a.m.
I sent the FDA a complaint about this after my father died. The Dr's administered Risperdol over 7 years to my father and he died because his muscles became stiff and he couldn't swallow any longer. Muscle stiffness is a side effect for this group of drugs. It is an anti-psychotic and shouldn't be used for over 2 or 3 months. I asked many times if we could take him off and they always told me no. I later found out that it was an off label use.
- Kim
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Summer of the Monkeys
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Michael Anderson directed this Canadian coming-of-age adventure that generates nostalgia for rural America at the turn of the century. Farmer John Lee (Michael Ontkean) and wife Sarah (Leslie Hope) have two children, Jay Berry (Corey Sevier) and crippled Daisy (Katie Stuart). Hoping to buy a pony, Jay Berry works during the summer at the town's general store, run by Gramps (Wilford Bramley). After a train wreck, circus monkeys escape. Jay Berry spots them and sees an opportunity to earn extra money by collecting the reward. But how can he catch them? Shown at the 1998 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
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- December 26, 2012
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bandog writes:
The Bush name will get a special place in the Hall of Shame.......Due mainly to the inept administration of DWI Bush............The apple didn't fall too far from the tree...............
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Remember: You Are Not Alone
If you are struggling this week, remember that you are not alone. There are hundreds, probably even thousands, of writers who are several thousand words behind in their Nanovels. Everyone struggles at some point during the month. Even in my biggest year, when I wrote 300K, I still struggled. I didn't write 10K every day. I couldn't write every day. There were several days during the month when I felt uninspired and my head hurt too much to figure out where to take my novel next. The reason I got my extreme word count was because on the days when I did write, I wrote 20K or more.
This year I've been struggling a lot to stay on top of my Nanowrimo. I spent the last week of October and the first week of November extremely sick and recovering from dental surgery, and I'm still behind where I should be in order to reach my goal of 100K for the year. While my word count seems impressive to some, I am disappointed with myself this Nanowrimo. Still, I'm reasonable to understand that a combination of being sick, busy and dealing with my tendonitis–which I'm now being told might not be tendonitis at all, and in fact that they might not know or have ever known what it actually is–has held me back and, frankly, would hold anyone back.
Staying active in the Nanowrimo community has helped me keep this in perspective. Through the Toronto Nanowrimo chat and the wider forums, I've reminded myself that I am not alone. I have read several threads and spoken to several chatters who are also behind on their novels. Some are reaching for 50K and are struggling to get past 10K. Others, like me, are reaching for the stars beyond 100K and are flailing, but are still in good standing to officially 'win' Nanowrimo.
Wherever you are in your novel, be it 5K, 10K, 20K, or 40K, know that you are not alone. Somewhere out there in the vast Nanowrimo community, there is at least one person–probably a few people, maybe even a few dozen–sitting at the same word count as you, shaking their heads and wondering how they got there. Remember too that every year only a small percentage of Nanowrimo participants win. Most are already behind and will stay there for the whole month. 50, 000 words in one month truly is an accomplishment, something to be proud of.
So remember that you are not alone, but choose to distinguish yourself from the crowd: choose to put your whole self into it, to write furiously and to win. And remember, it doesn't matter who you are, where you live, or how many words you have now. We might be almost halfway through the month, but you can still win. I believe in you, even if you don't believe in yourself. Just keep your eyes on the prize and you'll be amazed at what you can accomplish.
The Week Two Writing Challenge
We're entering the second full week of November, and with any luck, you're almost halfway through your novel. Of course, not everyone is lucky. If you're one of the unlucky ones, you might be sitting three, five, even ten thousand words behind. You might not even have started, or you might be considering throwing your novel away and trying for a completely new one. No matter what the case is, don't despair. Remember that even if you don't reach 50, 000 words, you're still a winner for trying and you've still written more than you would have otherwise. Also keep in mind that it depends more on your dedication than the number of days you have left–I've hit 50, 000 words in three days before and I've met people who have done it in one.
No matter what your word count is, you're probably going to face some difficulties this week. At the beginning, your novel was fresh, new and exciting. By now there's a good chance you're sick of your story and either want to give up completely or start over.
Don't give up. You have no idea what you're capable of until you do it. Every entrepreneur I've ever met has been amazed by what they could accomplish. Success is found by pushing yourself beyond what you think is capable. If you have to, start your story over or start a new one, but don't give up. Keep your old novel in a back up file in case you need it for some extra word count or if you decide to go back to it. Then forge ahead and create something new.
For all those who are already discouraged, and all those who will get discouraged this week–week two is always a rough time for many Nanoers–I've decided to host a challenge this weekend. It's a challenge which was originally run on the Nanowrimo forums a few years ago and which I have done myself several times and hosted in my local forum and chatroom.
So what's the challenge? Your goal is to take four hours out of this weekend and dedicate them purely to writing, attempting to write 10K in those four hours. This is challenging both to newbies and to overachievers and forces you to focus on your writing for a solid chunk of time. While it's a difficult pace for some, anyone who ordinarily types quickly should be able to achieve this goal. And even if you don't manage to reach 10K before your time is up, you'll still have written more that day than you would have otherwise and gotten a nice chunk of word count.
To combat my lethargy last week and this weekend, I'll be doing this challenge Saturday from 12-4. If you're unable to participate at that time due to other obligations, that's all right. You can pick any four hour chunk of this weekend to focus on writing. Just leave a comment letting me know who you are and which hours you've chosen for your writing spree. If you're feeling brave and you want to create a new word count goal for yourself, you can leave that information in your comment too.
So what do you get out of this? Well, you get a few thousand–right up to ten thousand–words for your novel and an idea of how much you really can write in just a few hours. Even better, next Wednesday I'll be writing a post listing all the Nanoers who successfully complete this challenge over the weekend. Simply let me know when you did your 10K, what your final word count was in the four hours, and include your Nanowrimo name and a link to whatever website you have. Then on Wednesday, you'll get to see your name and link go up on my blog, forever honoring you as an incredibly quick fingered writer.
So, are you in?
Peppy McTalk
Today's guest poster is Dylan Madeley, a freelance writer, editing professional and several time Nanowrimo winner. I hope his words will inspire you to greatness!
* * * *
Hello, NaNoer.
It's been a week and two days since we started this thing, you and me.
Chances are, your novel is comparable to mine and many of the others:
it's a caterpillar.
How you view this caterpillar means a fair deal. You might perceive a
big ugly worm-like thing in front of you every time that you open the
notepad or file. You might feel frustrated that there isn't a
wonderful, colourful creature instead.
Or you might be more protective. You might say: "This is not just any
caterpillar, but my caterpillar, who is cute and fuzzy and look I have
given him a purple mohawk and/or a bowler hat." Given that this part
of the novel writing process is absolutely necessary, more power to
you if you've found the fun in it. Otherwise, if you find things
dragging already, there's not yet any need to worry.
Whether you're one type of person or the other, or a degree in
between, the fact is that you probably have a caterpillar. And how you
feel about this creature going forward matters far more than what it
presently is. You could have the germ of a brilliant concept, a
detailed outline and character profiles at the ready, or you could be
pantsing like me.
I want you to think about how you feel. Disagree if you want, but I
believe that the feeling is where it starts. It's not that I don't
wish I had an outline right-frigging-now, but if this doesn't feel
right, the outline is not going to amount to much.
If you don't know that feeling, I have all faith that you will find
it. If you've felt it before, you're slightly ahead: you need only
find a way to remember it. What readily accessible thing do you
associate with it? A song, a book, a movie, a conversation with
someone special to you? Some perfectly reasonable thing that hasn't
occurred to me just now?
This might not be a new idea for you. Many people seem to have an
intuition toward this, even if they never read it anywhere. I log in
to chat and read about an acquaintance who put Hans Zimmer soundtracks
on for inspiration; hopefully that works for them.
Turn that key. Open that door. Before you know it, you'll find it's a
beautiful day and you're riding a unicorn next to the constant tides
of a glittering ocean, rainbows springing toward the sky out of every
hoof-print before the sand has any chance to settle back down. Unless
that isn't an accurate description of your feeling, of course, in
which case, insert accurate description here.
And don't worry about how things are now, because it's not the time
for that. Today's caterpillars can be tomorrow's butterflies.
Dylan Madeley
How to Use Nanowrimo to Change Your Life
You might think that the only thing you're going to get from writing a novel this month is a horrible first draft, some pretty web graphics, a cramp in your neck and a high caffeine tolerance. Of course, taken at face value and used in the most basic way, this might be all you get from Nanowrimo. But used properly, Nanowrimo can change your whole life in ways you might never have imagined.
So how can you use Nanowrimo to change your life? Well, for starters now you can call yourself a novelist, which should give your ego a nice boost. But the changes I'm talking about here are deeper changes. Nanowrimo, used properly, can be a tool to teach yourself discipline, discover what you really want in life, and create a happier future for yourself. Today I'm going to show you how.
Discipline. Nanowrimo is all about meeting goals. For the next 30 days you plan to force yourself to write 1, 667 words per day or whatever is required to meet your goal. Even if you're more like me and you plan bigger writing days specifically so you can take days off, you're still focused on meeting goals. For me, daily goals fluctuate due to scheduling and tendonitis, but my weekly goals don't change. And every week–even if it means staying up until three in the morning on the last day of the week–I meet that goal.
The discipline it takes to write a novel in a month can be carried over to your life in December. Let's see how this works with the most obvious example, your non-Nanowrimo writing and editing goals. If you know you normally don't spend enough time writing, but during Nanowrimo you spend so much time writing you alienate friends and family, your goal for December should be to find a happy medium. Say regularly you spend only a half hour writing every day, but during Nanowrimo you spend three hours writing every day. That's still enough time to get a fair bit of work done, and it shouldn't cut into your other duties so much.
Why does Nanowrimo help with this? First off, it gives you an idea of what you can accomplish in three hours. Second, it gives you the momentum you'll need to continue writing every day. Third, your family's grown accustomed to losing three hours, so an hour and a half won't seem like such a big deal. And it doesn't have to be writing–you can allocate the now freed Nanowrimo time to anything you've been neglecting, like art projects or exercise. After all, you've already started forcing yourself to be productive every day, so why not keep going?
Discovering Priorities. If you pay attention to how you feel throughout the month of November, you'll learn a lot about what really matters to you. You'll discover whether or not you care enough to maintain a strict writing routine every day. You'll also discover which things you missed when you sacrificed them to devote yourself to Nanowrimo, and which you didn't. I bet, if you're really paying attention, there's at least one TV show you never really loved that much–which gives you at least half an hour of free time.
As you sit and reflect on what you do miss and what you don't miss about regular life, you can figure out what things were missing from your regular life. If you've decided to give up that one TV show for good, what will you do with the time you gain? Maybe you want to read more. Maybe you want to keep that as writing time. Maybe there's another long lost passion that you want to explore again, like sewing or running.
As the month wears on, seriously consider your new schedule. What about it do you like? What about it don't you like? How could you adjust your post-Nano days so you get the most out of each one? Your intense focus on writing during the month should help clarify what you really want out of life.
A happier future. Over the course of this month you've given yourself a strict routine and become more disciplined. You've also written a novel–no small feat–and discovered what truly makes you happy–or at least what doesn't. The important thing now is to take your new found knowledge and discipline and put them towards creating a better life for yourself.
What does that look like? Well, it's different for everyone. For me, it looks like re-evaluating my writing goals and deciding how much time I can really afford to give each project. For some, it looks like taking a class in something like yoga or dance. For others, it means returning to their passion for art. December first might even be when some people realize that they're dissatisfied with their life as a whole and decide to tear up their roots and start over someplace else.
Creating a better life looks different for everyone, because everyone has a different idea of what that better life will look like. But no matter what your better life looks like, you'll never get there if you aren't disciplined and constantly re-assessing what you truly want and how to get it.
If you take anything other than tendonitis and a horrible novel away from this experience, I hope you'll walk away knowing that anything is possible if you try hard enough, and that there's never a better moment than now to get disciplined and create a better life for yourself.
Nanowrimo Survival Tips
Can you believe we're already at day five of Nano? It's amazing how quickly the days pass sometimes, but don't start fretting over how many we have left. You've still got lots of time–including four full weekends–to write your novel. The luckiest people spent their whole weekend at the keyboard, words falling from their finger tips, and now have a nice word count cushion in case they miss a few days. Worst case scenario is that you haven't started your novel yet, but that's still not an awful scenario–people have started with as little as one week left and still smashed their goal.
Whether you're one of the lucky ones or you're at a loss for where to start–or you're in the middle, right on your daily target–I've got some tips to help you get ahead and put yourself in a nice position at the start of week one.
1. Get competitive. Whether you're ahead or drowning, getting competitive is a good way to get–and stay–on top of your word count. Find someone whose word count is close to yours and send them a Nanomail challenging them to some friendly competition: who will reach 50, 000 words first? Who can get more words by the end of the month? Competition isn't the only reason why I have such high word counts, but believe you me, it helps.
2. Get silly. Stuck? Hop on over to the Dares thread on the Nanowrimo forums. There you'll be challenged to incorporate all kinds of things in your novel, from witty one liners to odd characters to entire subplots. Some dares may even inspire a WHOLE NOVEL, such as my dare to write "The novel to end the world", in which someone's Nanowrimo novel brings about the apocalypse.
3. Get ahead. The best favor you can do yourself is to get ahead. You can do this a couple ways. If your goal for the month is just the basic 50, 000, you can write 2,000 words a day instead of 1,667. If you write that much every day successfully, you'll have 60, 000 words. If not, you should still hit 50K. The numbers can be adjusted to suit your goal. Of course, the other way is to dedicate a day–say this Saturday–completely to writing so you can get an extra few thousand words. This creates a buffer for when you're feeling uninspired.
This week is all about getting into the flow of fast paced novel writing. Train yourself to stay focused and get ahead, because next week's probably going to be rough. Keep your eyes on the prize and your mind on your novel–to ease into the flow of writing, try thinking through plot points on your way home. And if you're feeling uninspired, take a look through the forums–you're certainly not alone, and you can also adopt plots there and discover exercises that will get you right back to work.
But most importantly–have fun! And if you're not having fun, find a new novel to write.
Don't Worry, Just Write
Today's post is the first in a series of pep talks written by Nanowrimo veterans. I'm pleased to welcome Rose Johnson, known as SerpentRose on the Nanowrimo forums, 10 year Nano participant and, coincidentally, my mother, who originally introduced me to Nano. Please give her a warm welcome.
* * * *
Another year, another novel. This is my tenth time doing NaNo and I wish I could tell you I've won every time. Fortunately I've learned from both successes and failures, and one of the main things I've learned is that when I worry too much about what I'm writing it's harder to actually sit down and write.
It's far better, especially for NaNoWriMo, to have an idea that excites you than to have an idea other people think is "good". NaNoWriMo isn't for writing well, it's for writing prolifically. I like to think of it as a "Spew Draft", because I just spew the words on to the page.
There will be good bits in there, ideas that make you go wow, scenes that amaze you. There will be bad bits in there, wooden dialogue and plot holes big enough to fly a jumbo jet through. Now is not the time to worry about that.
You may have a wonderful outline and know exactly what you're going to write each day this month, you may be a pantser and have little or no idea what your novel is actually going to be about. Or, as happened to me one year, you may have had an idea and are now discovering it's not something you can write.
That's not important, if you dislike what you have and another idea seems more appealing it's still early enough in the month that changing plans is no big deal. What is important is that you are committed to sitting down to write.
You need to make writing a higher priority than that TV show or video game you love. They'll still be around next month.
The one thing, the only thing, that everyone who has successfully completed NaNoWriMo has done is sit down and write. If you put butt in chair and write, even if what you write isn't good enough to show anyone, even if it's so bad you want to pretend you didn't write it, it doesn't matter.
So as soon as you're done reading this open up that word processor and write. If you don't know what to write just ask yourself "What could possibly go wrong" and then write out how your characters deal with the situation. That's all there is to it, butt in chair, fingers on keyboard and one word after another.
Happy Halloween!
Tonight, millions of kids all over the world will be dressing up in bizarre costumes and knocking on door after door to fill their pillow cases with candy. Many children on the eastern coast of the US will be staying in due to hurricane Sandy, whose winds have brought days of rain as far north as Toronto. Many adults will be dressing up and going to Halloween dinner parties.
I'm sure some of you will be taking the kids out or going to a dinner party. I, on the other hand, with probably a few thousand other writers, will be staying in frantically trying to finish the six pages of editing I have left in MG so I can start Nanowrimo at midnight without too many worries. Of course, I planned to finish this edit during the summer, but due to tendonitis and more recently getting a tooth pulled AND a bad cold in the same weekend, that didn't happen.
The important thing is that I don't beat myself up about it. Instead, I must forge ahead, finish that edit and dive right into Nanowrimo. Of course, I'm much less prepared for Nanowrimo than I usually am by now due to the aforementioned edits and health problems, but that's all in the spirit of Nano anyway–besides, who's ever really prepared for something this epic?
For those of you who will be staying up with me, counting down the hours, I have a couple things to say. The first is that staying up all night writing is probably a bad idea. You don't want to compromise your school or your job, so do yourself a favor and limit yourself to an hour of writing.
My second note is that the few hours you have left are a good time to spend with your family or on other menial tasks which have nothing to do with Nano. Part of being prepared for Nanowrimo is to have eliminated as many other tasks from your to-do list as possible, so you'll have more time to write during November. Spend your last few hours doing this, and you'll be amazed at how much easier it is to find writing time.
Finally, if you're stuck, try one of these first sentences on for size:
I often wished I'd been born someplace else, with parents who didn't hate each other.
The weather was wet and gloomy, and had been for days.
She truly loved books: poetry, history, biography, even trashy fiction from time to time.
He had always wanted a pony.
Take any one of these first sentences and make it your own. Note that most of these sentences are longer than necessary–that's all part of buffing your word count to ensure that you hit 50, 000 words. So don't be ashamed of your run on sentences, and don't try to fix your mistakes. Just plow forward and before you know it you'll have your first 1, 667 words.
Now go out into the world, finish your pre-Nano tasks and ready yourself for the crazy novel writing month ahead!
Your Nanowrimo Survival Kit
The best way to win Nanowrimo is by maximizing inspiration and minimalizing distractions. A Nanowrimo survival kit helps you do just that. It ensures that you have everything you need nearby and keeps you from running off on lengthy store trips. The ideal Nanowrimo survival kit contains something to meet all your needs, preferably things that can easily be kept in a box beside your desk.
Some of the things you'll need to survive this novel writing madness are better off in places like the fridge, but try to keep as many of the essentials by your desk as necessary so you don't have to get up as often. Butt in chair is the most important part of any writing challenge, and by keeping all the essentials within arm's reach, you eliminate excuses to remove your butt from its chair.
So what should you put in your Nanowrimo survival kit? Here's what I try to keep in mine:
1. Snacks/Refreshments. Nanowrimo's extraordinarily well timed for snacks. Halloween candy is on sale and there's pumpkin flavored stuff everywhere. If you're like me, that means you're in snacker's heaven. Buy a big box of Halloween chocolates, get some pumpkin spice tea and fill your fridge with pies. It's also a good idea to get a case of your favourite pop so you don't have to go thirsty. These things will help you stay happy and inspired–or at least will keep you from being miserable and dehydrated.
2. Paper/pens. It's always good to have a variety of notebooks, pens and sticky notes in easy reach during November. This way you can take note of turns of phrase you're especially proud of, jot down new facts about your world and characters, and write down important tasks that you can't do now but must do later. It also helps to have these things on hand in case you get stuck, so you can brainstorm or free write until the words flow again.
3. Stickers! Stickers are great. They should be kept on hand any time you're working on a big writing project, and they make a perfect reward during Nanowrimo. Buy yourself some stars, skulls or whatever your favorite kind of sticker is. You might even want to buy different stickers for different goals, say stars for every thousand words and kitten stickers for every ten thousand words, and something completely different for when you finish. Put them on your calendar or somewhere where you'll see them every day to keep you inspired. Last year, I put a kitten sticker on my laptop for every 5, 000 words. Every time I see my laptop, I'm flooded with happy memories, and that's just how it should be.
While there are dozens of other things you might include in your Nanowrimo survival kit–effigies of your characters, sculptures representing your personal writing demons, mindless distractions to keep your brain working–the three things I've listed here are the essentials. Without these things, you're likely to spend much of your time uninspired and on unnecessary trips to the store. So get out there today and stock up.
Getting into the Writing Zone
Since you're planning to write a 50, 000 word novel next month–dividing into 1,667 words per day–it's a good idea to get warmed up by doing some writing exercises over the next few days. A good goal would be to write at least 400-500 words every day until Nanowrimo starts, so you're already in the writing groove on November first. This warms up your writing muscles without leading to burn out before Nanowrimo begins.
Today I'd like to share three exercises designed to help you do just that. These exercises can be done with your Nanowrimo characters or completely different characters. I usually use them to flesh out the characters and world I've already started creating for my novel, because I find that you discover many things while writing that you never will in a thousand brainstorms. Often these are crucial details, such as character names and important moments in their history.
While these exercises are aimed at both warming up the writing muscles and fleshing out your characters and your world, you can find dozens of more basic prompts both here and on many sites across the web. There are even entire books filled with prompts to help you get going, ranging from picture prompts to detailed scenarios for you to throw your character into. These exercises are my attempt at finding a proper middle ground.
Without further ado:
1. Write about a large social gathering in the place where your story is set. This can be from the main character of your novel's point of view, in third or first person, in the point of view of your villain or whoever you want it to be. The important thing is that you focus on what the occasion is, what people are wearing, how people act and mention any unusual customs. I can't begin to explain how many times I've discovered really important things by writing scenes like this, especially about cultural expectations and traditions. Often the details you need come more easily when you're just writing, not trying to rip them out of a blank page.
2. Write a scene in which someone dies. You can learn a lot from someone's death, both in real life and in fiction. In fiction, it can teach you how your characters react to death, what common dangers are in that world and how death is treated in your world. Death scenes can be incredibly powerful, and you can make them as long or as short as you want. For this exercise I'd suggest writing first person in the PoV of one of your Nano characters and making the dying person someone close to them. Of course, you don't have to do that–the important thing is just to get yourself writing, not what you write.
3. Write something about pets. Everyone loves pets. Nowadays we have micro pigs, cats, all manners of dogs, birds and lizards. In ancient times, pets weren't usually kept unless they served a purpose, and often weren't even called pets: dogs for hunting, horses for riding, goats for milk. Where does your world stand on the issue? Are live animals rare and most pets robotic, as in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Or are your people so poor they can't keep useless mouths, restricting them to dogs and horses? Or do they sit somewhere in the middle, where anything can be a pet and everyone has one? You can learn a lot about your world by considering what pets they keep–and more about your characters by how they treat their pets.
Of course, when doing these exercises you don't have to use your characters and setting for your Nanovel, but if you're still trying to flesh out your world and your characters, these exercises will add an extra level of depth to your novel. And for those of you who are just chomping at the bit to get started, writing these back story scenes is a great way to get some writing done and give your characters some loving without cheating and starting your novel early.
What is your favourite kind of writing exercise?
One Cannot Be Ready for Everything by Allison Cosgrove
Today's author is Allison Cosgrove, several time Nanowrimo winner, former word war captain, mother of three, hard worker and recently published author. I've already interviewed her here and am currently reading her mystery novel, Sacrifice of Innocence, which I'll be reviewing sometime in the upcoming months. Today she's decided to do us all the honour of sharing her realization that none of us are ever truly ready for Nanowrimo.
* * * *
One thing I have come to realize, as a long standing WriMo Veteran, is that in preparing for the wonderful thing that is NaNoWriMo is that we are never truly ready for it. I mean there are things we can prepare. We can plot and outline and make notes for just about everything, pre-cook and freeze meals, but in the end we can not be completely ready for everything.
The one and only year I have ever tried to plot out everything it turned out to be all for naught. I honestly had everything set out. I knew EXACTLY where I was going. I was so proud of myself. And then two days before NaNo I was hit by a monster of plot bunny and away I went on a completely different direction and everything I did was pushed to the side until later in the month.
That, to me, is the most amazing part about NaNoWriMo. We plan everything out. We get all of our emergency junk food kits ready. We set our coffee pots to constant brew. We make sure our loved ones know that if they don't hear from us for a month that everything is alright and that we are just knee deep in a whole other world. Then we set out and put pen to paper, fingers to keypads and the world around us disappears.
We don't always end up where we expected to and that's alright. We may eat more junk food, drink gallons more coffee, sleep less and we may even end up smelling like yesterdays socks. We may not finish at the amount we would like and we may not cross the 50,000 word finish line but that too is alright.
Because it is not where we end up that matters most. It is the journey that we take to get there that counts. We will learn and grow so much in 30 days. We will learn to stretch our wings and not worry about where the winds take us. We will take chances and risks we may never have taken with our creativity. We will forge long lasting friendships and find a new place to call our own.
Just remember that as you finish off your plot notes, your character sketches and pack your pre-made food for next month. You may not end up exactly where you think you will when you set out in a few days but enjoy the ride none the less.
It will be all worth it and besides you can always edit later.


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I think it would be well worth having the set-tru feature. There could be plenty of opportunity to turn a part end for end and try to make it run concentric in the second setup.
The set tru feature does not affect the accuracy of the scroll itself, so you should have a chuck at least as good as a plain one, if they take care in the manufacture of it. Examine and compare their accuracy specs just to be sure.


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( 1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)
The BestNail Polish with Least Chemical
By Spitfire
from Hamilton
I was lucky in that I got in on this line when they first presented the products.On the positive side is the minimal nasty ingredients that come with nail care. The nail polish lasts if you use the complimentary finishes.I love the nice colours in my kit but this brand has a long way to go to challenge the popular salon colours and finishes.Initially the nail polish didn't last but I experimented and used a base coat that was dried well before the two coats of polish. All this took considerable time and if you want to just polish and go this isn't the product for you.This isn't salon standard but don't forget that the sacrifice is about health issues down the line.
By Sandra
from East York, Ontario
I too got the pink nail polish in my beauty bag and like the other reviewer, after using the polish I had to check the brand. For the first time ever, my nail polish stayed on a full week without chipping at the ends. I also am waiting for more colours in the polish. I definitely will order this brand.
( 1 of 2 customers found this review helpful)
Not impressed
By Deb
from Regina
Nail polish started to wear off and chip in a couple of days. Very disappointed in this product.
( 2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)
I Am Impressed With The Result .
By Lover of jewellery!
from Toronto
I didn't know that ProStrong was supposed to strenghthen the nails when I decided to use the nail polish that I received in my Beauty Bag. I like the pink colour and I tried it. I didn't see it on TV before and didn't know the brand. I liked the colour but to my surprise after a week my nail polish was still good and I felt that my nails were stronger so I decided to see the name of the brand and in effect I find that it is supposed to do what it did to my nails.I wanted to buy a kit but the colours that I wanted are sold out.I am going to wait that it comes back and will stock more than one as I am extremely impressed with this line. Thanks TSC for getting us such a nice line.
( 1 of 3 customers found this review helpful)
Pro strong nail polish kit
By Jenn
from Steinbach, MB
The thing I liked was that it didn't have those nasty chemicals in it. It does smell very strong though. I've been using it for a month and it has not worked as well for me as they said it would. The polish only lasts a day or 2. Overall I was disappointed.
worst ever
By MICHEL
from LASALLE
I purchased this because I tried their pro advanced strengthener and moisturizer. I like them. But the nail polish is horrible. The worst I havetried to date.Would definitely not recommend this to anyone
( 8 of 8 customers found this review helpful)
Great Product
By Lori
from Oakville
The base/top coat and nail strengthener (3-in-1) works very well - after a week's use, I noticed a difference - nails felt stronger. I start with base/top coat, one coat of the polish, then one more coat of base/top coat - best of all, it lasts the week. Bring more colours of the polish please!!! Love it!
( 8 of 9 customers found this review helpful)
love it
By JOYCE
from SHELBURNE
Love the product. I haven't tried the nail polish but to get my nails growing and strong, the nail strengthener and moisturizer is absolutely wonderful. Thanks so much for the new products. I love trying them all.
( 6 of 12 customers found this review helpful)
ProStrong 4 piece Strengthen
By blondie 1
from Timmins,Ont,Canada
I found it left my nails very soft and they started breaking and peeling off. The prostrong also has a nasty smell to it that even after washing my hands many times the smell did not go away., Plus I followed the directions on how to use prostrong and it didn't even come close to lasting a week it was chipping and peeling after only 3 days. Save your money. I would not recommend this to a friend. Debbie


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Realized in Paper by Isabelle de Borchgrave in the context of the exhibition "FRIEDERISIKO. Frederick the Great" at the Neues Palais and Sanssouci Park, April 28 - October 28, 2012
‹Download Press Release› Press Images ››
Commissioned by the Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg (SPSG), the Belgian artist Isabelle de Borchgrave has designed figurines and accessories, which will be shown in "FRIEDERISIKO. Frederick the Great," in the section of the exhibition devoted to "The Fashion Monkey."
In 1742, the young Frederick wrote the farce "Le Singe de la Mode" (The Fashion Monkey) as a comment on everyday life at court and the vanities of society. The play premiered at Charlottenburg Palace to celebrate the wedding of Dietrich Caesarion Freiherr von Keyserlingk to Eleonore Luise Albertine Gräfin von Schlieben. Its assertions written between the lines, were intended less for the bride and groom than as a scathing message to the philosopher Jean Des Champs. As a result of an intrigue, Frederick the Great withdrew the favor he had shown towards Des Champs and publicly ridiculed him with this play, an act that was tantamount to one of the harshest punishments at court.
The Prinz-Heinrich-Wohnung (Apartments of Prince Henry) at the Neues Palais now creates the ideal "stage setting" for the adaptation of the play into sumptuous images. The luxurious palace interiors will be temporarily and vividly brought to life by Isabelle de Borchgrave's life-size paper figurines and numerous accessories, faithfully created from portraits of members of the Prussian court and true to detail.
The Players The Marquis de la Faridondière His Uncle His Uncle's Friend Comtesse de Belair, Confidante of the Marquis Adélaïde Her Aunt La Barberina, a Dancer Her Maid A Servant An Architect A Bookseller A Woman Painter
Synopsis At the center of attention is the Marquis de la Farindondière, whose efforts to follow the latest fashions threaten to fritter away the inheritance he is supposed to receive from his uncle. Consequently, the latter attempts to marry his nephew to an especially thrifty and well-behaved young woman so that the marquis might be torn away from his extravagant lifestyle. Throughout its scenes, the play also reflects and comments on those topics that preoccupied Frederick the Great: philosophy, architecture, painting, theater, etc. As a result of the irony used to present the narrative, a piece of the king's world view consistently gleams through to the surface.
The Artist Isabelle de Borchgrave began her career by giving painting lessons to children in a small studio in Sablon (Belgium). She set up and registered the company "Tour de Bébelle" in the 1970s, offering textiles that she designed, such as tablecloths, blankets and fabrics. De Borchgrave experimented with these, allowing motifs that she collected on trips to flow into her work from the most diverse cultures. Her first major exhibition was held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. In 1994, she created lavishly designed costumes made of paper. Ornamented with trompe l'oeil paintings that evince a great attention to detail, she created a new look for historical fashion that spanned from Elizabeth I of England to Coco Chanel. This was followed by representations of the incomparable plissés (pleats) of Mariano Fortuny and an exhibition about Medici fashion depicted in precious gold and fur-trimmed Renaissance garments. As an artist, her name is connected worldwide with her extraordinary creations using paper. Nonetheless, she is also very active as a designer and works together with companies such as Villeroy & Boch, Caspari and Target. Moreover, one of her greatest loves is painting. In addition to her costume presentations, de Borchgrave regularly exhibits paintings, which are strongly influenced by the Nabi movement.
We sincerely thank our sponsors for their generous support, which is responsible for making the presentation of "The Fashion Monkey" possible: ›› Freunde der Preußischen Schlösser und Gärten e.V. ›› Wallonie-Bruxelles International, Vertretung der Deutschsprachigen Gemeinschaft, der Wallonie und der Föderation Wallonie-Brüssel in Deutschland (Berlin)
For further information about the exhibition and press photos, as well as to buy tickets online: www.friederisiko.de


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- April 5, 2010
- 9:04 a.m.
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Jesus_Christ writes:
I disagree with this giveaway because I didn't win a car.
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Print it out and take it! Answers at the bottom of the page!
1. What day was D-Day? (a) July 6, 1922 (b)June 6, 1944 (c) January 1, 1901
2. Were the Americans (a) Allies (b) Axis
3. Were the Germans (a) Allies (b) Axis
4. What of these guns were used on D-Day? (a) Machine gun (b) Laser beam (c) Plasma Rifle
5. What war was D-Day in? (a) World War I (b) World War II (c) Vietnam War
6. How many planes with paratroopers invaded Normandy? (a) 13,000 (b) 12,000 (c) 20,000
7. An Ally general was (a) Patton (b) Bush (c) Gorgonzola
8. Where was D-Day? (a) Georgia (b) Canada (c) Normandy
9. Were the Japanese (a) Allies (b) Axis
10. A pathfinder is a (a) Tank (b) Plane (c) Ship (d) Paratrooper
Answers: 1.b 2.a 3.b 4.a 5.b 6.a 7.a 8.c 9.b 10.d
Ratings: 1-2 correct: Duh! Read the site! 4-5 correct: Try reading more of the site! 6-7 correct: Good job, but pay attention to the text on the pages! 8-9 correct: Smart! You must pay attention in class! 10 correct: D-Day EXPERT!


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Served with dessert and beverage.
In the heart of what makes Manhattan tick, Ruby Foo's Times Square is creating a buzz of its own amid the glitz and glitter of Broadway's twinkling lights. Follow the neon light beaming from their fifty-foot "Ruby Foo's" sign. On 49th street, there is no mistaking: the revolving sign beckons passers-by to enter its Shanghai-style banquet setting for Ruby Foo's signature Pan-Asian cuisine.
Inside this 300-seat, multi-decked "Palace", bold colors, broad decorative strokes, mah-jongg tiled walls and colorful open lobby bar are the visual essence of the Ruby Foo's design. A huge lacquered "red gate" archway is the entrance to the Ruby Foo's experience, and is accented with the venue's dramatic lighting that includes lanterns replicated from China's "Forbidden City." At the north end, a gold-leafed Buddha keeps a watchful eye over the guests while they peruse Executive Chef Ricky Flores' vast menu, a collection of delicious dishes from every part of the Asian continent.
For a lighter bite and a piece of the action, score a front row seat at the 20-seat Sushi Bar where sushi chefs put on a show, producing fresh maki rolls and sushi from the daily arrivals of the sea.
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For a more well-rounded experience, score a Broadway window table and share Pan-Asian dishes on their Lazy Susans. Visit the Far East with traditional dishes like Steamed Gulf Shrimp Dumplings, the Snowball Roll with Tuna and Crab encased in Crisp Tempura and Stir Fried Filet Mignon with Chow Fun Noodles in a Black Bean Garlic Sauce. Drink up the latest Broadway buzz with seductive cocktail selections, including their version of a martini, the Lychee Mist, or choose from the award-winning, yet reasonably-priced, wine and sake list.
Fortunately, all this is open seven days a week for both pre- and post-theatre options. Join them for dinner before your curtain call, or stop by afterwards to get your late-night fix. Too busy to come to them? Let them bring the Foo to you with their delivery service - perfect for corporate meetings in the Times Square neighborhood.
9. Shrimp and Lobster Spring Rolls – Served with a trio of dipping sauces.
125. New Yorker Roll – Smoked salmon, lettuce, tomato and cream cheese.
11. Peking Duck Nachos – Served with wasabi crème fraiche.
14. Ruby's Chicken Lettuce Wraps – Served with hoisin sauce.
49. Wasabi Wonton Crusted Salmon – Served with forbidden black rice and a coconut sauce.
51. Filet Mignon Stir-fry Chow Fun Noodles – Served with a black bean garlic sauce.
I preface this by saying if I was rating the food on its own face, I would likely give a 4/5 star review. However, it is hard to only rate the food when delivery is a huge part of the seamless service. When it comes to Ruby Foos delivery service, I must give the restaurant a 1/2 star review. I regularly order from Ruby Foos because yes, I like the food. However, they really need to work on the delivery. Today, I ordered sushi that was delivered on its side. All the roe had falled out of my Ikura/Salmon Roe roll. If you don't mind me asking, what is the point of paying for a specific roll when the contents fall out? Also, because of how the sushi was packaged and delivered on its side, the wasabi was all over my entire order. That would be fine if I liked wasabi but I do not and it therefore ruined my rolls. It is also worth noting that I made a note with everything I ordered that I needed EXTRA soy sauce. What did I get: one small package. If this request had been overseen only once, I would have ignored it. However, I regularly make this request and it always is ignored. Ruby Foos -- Please work on your delivery service. Considering how expensive your restaurant is, one would expect decent service!
Posted 3 months ago by Cristina R.
Horrible and overpriced
Posted 5 months ago by Sophia K.
I've been waiting for my food for over an hour now, and it said between 15-30 minutes when I ordered. If I ever get said food, I'll review what it tastes like.
Posted 8 months ago by David T.
very overpriced. not worth the cost.
Posted 10 months ago by Sajan A.
Estimate was 20-35 minutes, took over an hour and a half in the middle of the day, no traffic excuses here. Food was ice cold and undercooked. Horrible Horrible place, NEVER ORDER FROM THEM!!!!
Posted a year ago by Joseph S.
LOVE THEIR FOOD!!!!!!! A little pricey, but SO tasty!!!!!
Posted 2 years ago by Sean-Patrick H.
I love the food, but the delivery takes longer than promised.
Posted 2 years ago by Charity C.
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