text:
Former (but always a) Michigander, living in NYC.
I have experience with and enjoy: design, social media and experiential marketing, event planning and promotion, and community management and engagement.
Also love: traveling, going to new restaurants, caramel macchiatos, ice cream, smiling, and playing games with friends.
Let me get straight to the point with this blog post. Sunday marked my 1 year of living in New York City, and quite frankly, I would have never made it without a handful of people. I've 'lived' in Flatbush, the Upper West Side, Green Point, Bushwick, Soho, Maspeth, the Lower East Side, and soon to be Williamsburg. This has not been an easy road, trust me. I signed a lease on Monday night with two awesome people, and I'm ready for a more stable "year 2″.
I'm definitely not here for good, but I am here for a little while. I owe it all to a long list of friends, family, supporters and strangers, and I feel as though I should write a blog post to send my thanks. This is about to be super cheesy and you're probably going to think I'm crazy for getting this serious about the people I'm thanking, but whatever. Suck it. Also, there is an annoying amount of superlatives and adjectives below. Just try and ignore that.
First and most importantly, I want to thank my parents and family for making believe that I could do anything I wanted. I know moving to NYC isn't insane, but it's certainly never something I thought I was capable of. And I know you both miss(ed) me so much, it has been hard for you to be supportive. I appreciate everything you've done, all the money you've loaned me without question, and the hours of phone calls you've given me when I'm homesick. If it wasn't for your support, I would have never made this a reality, so thank you so so much. I cannot wait until you're finally able to come visit me!
Next, I want to thank Niki Rudolph, for being an absolutely amazing mentor, friend, and advisor throughout college. Without your help and advice, I would have never figured out my major, studied abroad, or moved to a city like NYC. Thanks for being a kickass advisor, and helping so many lost students through their toughest of times. You'll always be one of the most influential people I've ever met.
Laura Schmidt, you're the #1 reason I'm here. I was so lost post college, struggling to find a job, and with the idea of living back at home. It sound super lame, but literally, you're tweet is the only reason I've moved here, the reason I found a job I love, and the reason I was able to make the move to NYC. I know you didn't end up coming with me, but I think about you every week as the #1 reason I'm here. Thank you!
The number two most important reason I made it a whole year in this daunting city, is because I had one of my very best friends with me the first 6 months. Haylie, you're an amazing friend and I miss you every day. Listening to garbage music, going to brunch (or cooking our own), going to State games, and doing all kinds of random crazy things were some of the best times I've had in the city. I miss you every single day, and wish so badly you hadn't left!
Liz, thanks for letting us crash at your house for 4 days in the ghetto. Even though it was just about in the middle of nowhere, and probably the worst neighborhood to move to for two scared girls, it was the grounding we needed to get on track. And we ended up thinking it wasn't all that bad :).
Robert, I want to thank you everyday, because it was because of you we stayed in NYC. Literally, the only reason. Had you not let us pay you weekly (instead of the whole month up front), we would have been broke and jobless and moved home immediately. And then beyond that, when we were homeless for a day and you let us move all of our things into your new one bedroom apartment, you were a complete godsend. I hate that we haven't really spoken since we all moved back in November, but I am so thankful for your kindness and wish the best for you always.
Mark, thanks for giving Haylie and I our first city internship. I know I left so soon into working at CreativeWorx to start working at WeWork, but I am truly thankful that I got to work with you. The internship was a great stepping stone that gave me a chance to get to know the city, and go to and from work with my best friend daily. This was definitely a rare opportunity, and a blessing.
Valerie, thanks for liking my quirky email enough to get me an interview at WeWork. I look through the email chain every so often, and laugh about how it literally took me 5 interview set up and cancellations with Megan to get some time with Adam. I am eternally thankful that I was finally able to meet with him, and that you pushed them to give me a shot. Beyond that, thank you for always supporting me and pushing for me at work whenever I needed it. And even more importantly, thank you for being one of my closest friends. It's such a relief to know you're always there!
Chris, I have to thank you for (always) giving me an opportunity for growth in this company. Thanks for recognizing potential even I don't always see, and making me feel supported and appreciated as your employee.
Patrick and Becca, thank you for giving Haylie and I a place to stay with awesome roommates. We knew that your only goal was to show us a good time in the city and make us feel comfortable. You were both always so sweet, and I'm so lucky to have gotten such an excellent Brooklyn experience with you.
Joseph, thank you for being my very best friend and giving me a place to live (twice) when Haylie left and I felt totally alone. I know that things have not always been easy, and I'm sorry if I've ever made you feel unappreciated, but you're the only reason I was able to survive here without my closest friends and family. I know it has been a lot of pressure for an 18 year old dude, but having someone I could call my best friend, in a place I couldn't call home, made all the difference. With all of the different friendships I've had, I can honestly say that yours has been one of the truest and most fun. Thank you!
Stella and Jeremiah, thanks for absolutely everything. You're both wonderful and so amazing, and so incredibly fun. Stella, thanks for picking me up (literally and figuratively), reminding me to 'pretend' and getting endless dinners with me. Jeremiah, thanks for reppin' the mitten with me, making up ridiculous stories, and laughing until we cry. You guys are both awesome, and make my day-to-day life a thousand times better.
Alex and Lauren, I am so psyched to start my next chapter of NYC with you. Finally settling in to an apartment with friends is going to be the most gratifying experience yet. I've already had an amazing time with you guys, and feel like my life is more 'real' and that I'm more 'me' when I'm with you. I can already tell this is going to be such a great year, so thanks for being my future roommates! :D
Jeannine, Alex and Amanda, I cannot thank you enough for talking me through the hardest times, and listening to the best of times. Being away from you guys for this long has been frightening and terrible, and I wonder how I am still alive without my best friends. You guys are all awesome and wonderful and I'm so happy and proud of what you're doing, your relationships, your lives. I am eternally lucky and blessed to call you guys my best friends.
And last, I want to thank a handful of people who made this a reality for me, by offering their support, love, guidance, patience, or kindness: Paul Jaques, Doug Abeles, Nate Erickson, Sara Buys, Shane Schleger, Ashley Benson, Holly Eubanks, and My WeWork family, especially Matt and Jesse, Tracy, Megan, Suzanne, Fraser, Carlos, Jose, Avital, Jered, Ari and more.
I know I elaborated on and on about how I couldn't have made it without any of these people, but it's absolutely true. There are some people that dream of moving to a big city since they're little, and have no doubt that they'll make it. I was never one of those people. I had a hard time moving away to college, and I was positive that I'd NEVER study abroad. Somehow I did, and ended up being a nomad in East Lansing, Brighton, Texas, and Italy again. Pushing the limits led me to a weird state of "what else can I do…"
Without all the moving parts and support from everyone listed above, I can guarantee that I would not be in the same place today. I wonder literally weekly how I am still here, and what horrible situation is going to break me, or send me home. I know it's not luck. I genuinely have met (and already know) the kindest and most amazing people on earth, in this huge city. Thank you all.
After 4 months of living in New York City, I think I should write down a few of the things I've learned. Three months here doesn't feel like all that long, but now that I've reached four, it's pretty close to six, which is half of a year. Please don't judge my logic. Since I'm not an award winning blogger, I decided just to compile a list of the things I've learned since I arrived here. From the subtle differences from living at home with my parents in Michigan to the huge changes I've made now that I'm on my own. But, since I first wrote this entire post and realized I wrote nothing about what I've learned, I'll save that for another time.
First, I want to briefly tell you what I've done in the last 4 months. Usually, I'm not very good at brief, so here's to trying. When Haylie and I decided to come here, we didn't put a lot, if any, thought into planning. That was all a part of the experience. About 3 days before we decided to leave, we thought it was probably important that we book a rental car. It turned out to be expensive, but I wouldn't have done it any other way. We packed 2 suitcases each, and a giant bag of food and headed to NYC. I'm not embarrassed to admit (no, actually I'm totally embarrassed to admit) that we drove into the city with Empire State of Mind on repeat. Like, no joke. We did this. We probably listened to it for 25 minutes. Once we drove through manhattan, we headed to our friend Liz's place. This is where we intended to live (on an air mattress) until we found a real home.
After 4 days of sleeping on said air mattress in the ghetto that Liz called home, we found a place to stay. Robert 'The Austrian' from craigslist was our roommate, and our apartment was beautiful. Literally, the best NYC apartment we could have possibly had, or ever will have, on that budget in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Robert had given the room to another guy, but changed his mind because he genuinely wanted to help us have an awesome first experience in NYC. Haylie and I shared a bed, and we hung out with Robert almost every night. It was radical. When the month ended and we had to move out, we found ourselves homeless. So, we had no other choice but to beg Robert into letting us stay with him for a night or two at his new places. It was halloween, and instead of going out and partying, we organized forks and spoons in his new kitchen. I wore a cowboy hat and Haylie wore a pirate hat so we could be in the holiday spirit. The three of us decided to go to dinner in his new neighborhood, and while we were there, I got the message from Patrick.
Patrick is our current roommate. He told us we couldn't have the room in his apartment because a friend had taken it. At around midnight while fully invested in our mac and cheese, Patrick texted me to tell me that we could have his place. Praise the lord we weren't homeless anymore, or inconveniencing Robert. We moved out the next day, and started over in a new place. This apartment was on the East side of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, 4 subway stops from Manhattan. It was awesome inside, but the neighborhood wasn't the same. It was amazing 'downtown' but we live in a dirtier part of the neighborhood. Nothing against it, it's just not very nice. That being said, we've lived in the same place for the last 4 months and love it. We never feel unsafe, we have a backyard, and chickens. Patrick is certainly on the hipster side of the spectrum, as he collects his chickens' eggs and we eat them. He brings Baby Girl, his favorite chicken, into the house sometimes. We don't have a microwave because he doesn't really believe in them. It's an interesting way of life. Patrick started calling us Trailey, apparently short for Trista and Haylie. It turned into Hail-Dog and Trail-Cat, so, that has been interesting. And as soon as I started wearing a cleansing mask, I was skeletor and soon Skelsta.
After Christmas 'break', Haylie decided she was ready to go back home. I don't blame her, it's hard living here without your parents and friends and for her, without her boyfriend. So, as of Today, February 25th, I'm on my own own. No more sharing a bedroom and a bed. No more weekend cooking, and watching TV together. No more having a best friend with me at all times. It's not going to be easy. I've gotten used to having someone with me, no matter what. When someone to hang out with, someone to party with, and someone to keep me from being sad and lonely. None the less, it's an exciting time and living here will be more real than ever. Her family came for the night, and they took her away in the morning. I was really determined not to cry but instead we sobbed our eyes out. I think it was probably better that way. Hail-Dog Trail Cat.
Now, I'm moving into an apartment with Joseph. He's one of my coworkers, and one of the closest friends I have here. He's the head of IT for my company, and we've spent a lot of time together, in a platonic way, because he's 18 and that'd be kind of weird. None the less, I mostly don't care about age, because he's fun and we will probably be stellar roommates. Our apartment is across the street from where we work, and that's going to be the best commute in the history of life. I'm certain of it. I've got about 10 minutes before I pack my things into a cab and move in, so let's hope it goes well.
I don't really know how to end this post, so I'm just going to go ahead and post it. But sometime I'd like to write about the things I've learned, maybe about my job, maybe something else. We'll see. For now, you at least know where I lived and how it went. Is that boring? Maybe. Guess I just wrote this post for myself.
So long, Brooklyn.
"Choose the experiences in life that offer the most anecdotal value — that is, look for the opportunities that have the most likelihood of producing a cool story." – Peter Sagal at the Chicago Moth Grand Slam
Though I'm sure he wasn't referring to foul situations, it's important to always remember that during even the ugliest of times, there's something beautiful to pull from it. Only the optimist can find the good, but I think at the very least, a story can be taken from a rough time in your life. It may be painful and sad, but it might teach a lesson.
So, there are great tweeters, and there are awful tweeters, and there are people in between. As you may know, I'm a huge fan of Twitter due to the fact that it's changed my life in so many ways. I've met tons of talented people, seen the best of the internet (aside from stumbleupon), embraced others opinions and changed my perspective on life all together. However, twitter is not for everyone. That being said, here is a list of things I hate about twitter. Or rather, a list of things I wish that you wouldn't do. I'm guilty of at least half of these, so don't worry, I hate these things about myself too.
1. Auto-posting your horoscope
As far as I'm concerned, horoscopes are a joke. And that aside, they are really for your eyes. I am a Sagittarius, therefore I do not care what a Cancer (worst sign ever, by the way) should do about their boy problems tomorrow. Basically, if you want to read your horoscope, f-ing read it. You don't need to tweet it.
2. Auto-posting that the "Tristajaye Daily is out!"
If you know what this is, then you'll understand how its annoying. It takes all the important links that your friends posted in the last 24 hours, and puts them into this handy-dandy newspaper-looking site, that showcases them. Basically, it takes everything on your twitterfeed and puts it onto a site to read, instead of reading your stream. Not only does this sound like a waste, when you can read your stream instead, but it's also dumb. Why? Because I have my own twitterfeed. I do not care whats popular on your twitterfeed, because I may not care about Cattle, Los Angeles, and Baby Animals like you do! I'll stick to my interests, you stick to yours.
3. Retweeting too frequently
If someone said "I had a blast last night with @john, so crunk, i'm still drunk this morning! OMGZZZZ," you don't need to RT it just to brag about how f-ing awesome your evening was. Alternately, if you retweet 20 things in a row that nobody cares about except you, quit wasting my time and cloggin' up my stream. This one sometimes really does call for an unfollow.
4. Excessive tweeting about a specific topic
So you're attending a conference, and want to tweet 60% of what the speakers say. I get that. I've excessively tweeted during more than one TEDx, and during programs like SNL and the superbowl. However, you must realize that not everyone that follows you gives a shit about what conference your at. There's no real good way to join a discussion without using #TEDxDetroit to see the stream, but there's also no real way to hide it. It's one of those things I can't live with, and can't live without. I hate seeing your dumb conferences pop up on my stream, but I bet you hate it even more when I tweet about every commercial that played during the superbowl. Twitter should make starting a tweet with a hashtag private. It'd do us all a favor, I think.
5. Syncing Twitter and Facebook
There's a serious different between FB and Twtr, and not everyone realizes that. If you sync the two, your facebook friends are going to see the techie nerd that you really are (which might be fine) but they're also going to see unclickable hashtags and @mentions. By now, you should have realized that your FB friends are vastly different than your Twtr friends, and the same message does not mean the same thing. Give FB a break, and unsync them. You're doing yourself and your farmville-playin' friends a favor.
6. Extending tweets over 140 characters with a link
If it's that important, write a blog about it, and link the the blog. Don't use a url-service to allow yourself a longer tweet. It's like a to-be-continued but nobody really cares to click it. Honestly, if you looked at the statistics of who looked at the 2nd half of your tweet, you'd be embarrassed. Why? Because it'd be nobody. Quit it.
7. Automated thanks-for-the-follow DMs
Don't send me a direct message after I follow you, thanking me for the follow. I know you didn't send me that message, I know you had a dumb automated service do it for you, with the same message for everyone. Not only does it make your company look stupid, but it takes you backwards in the process of getting to know your consumers. Now I know that you're going to try and pretend to care that I followed you, so what else would you pretend to care about, and what else are you going to automate? Are your tweets automated? Do you not actually have a human running your social media? Are you the worst social media marketers ever? Yes!
8. Expect a follow if you have an egg as your avatar
Now, I have a few friends that have never changed their profile pictures. This doesn't make it okay, but at least I know their names, their usernames, and who they are. However, if your picture is the classic egg, you don't have a bio, and you follow 15,000 people with 400 followers, there's something up. Some people view twitter (and I'm not sure why or how they could) as a social competition. The goal is to get more followers, win the competition, be popular. It's quality over quantity, as usual, in the case of twitter. Don't follow for the sake of following, and don't expect a follow back.
9. Tweeting about dumb things
Any of the following can be classified as 'dumb things': I just finished studying for my exam, it's in 20 minutes! Just got to the mall, it's cold in here bRrRrR. Today sux. And so on. Everyone has their 'dumb tweet' day, and say things that are blatantly irrelevant to everyone in the universe. However, it doesn't need to be every tweet. If you don't say something at least halfway interesting at least once every 5 tweets, your tweets are worthless and call for an unfollow. I'm especially guilty of this, because in my self-absorbed state of mind, I somehow think that whatever my thoughts and feelings are, you will care about them. I understand later, that you do not. It's too late, the damage is done. It's hard not to do sometimes, but it's annoying when it happens every time. The few exceptions to tweeting your thoughts are: if you think you're being funny, you thought of something profound, you are pondering something and want advice, etc.
10. Syncing your Twitter and Foursquare
I cared about Foursquare for like 2 months. Then I realized, this takes up WAY too much time, and I only care about getting points on the leaderboard. So, I quit. Foursquare is cool (I guess) if you care where your friends are at all times, you want to find a new place to eat, or you want to see special in your area. It is not cool, however, to auto-tweet your exact location. And by exact location, I literally mean your dumb tweets say "I'm at Blockbuster (5234 West Grand River., East Lansing) w/ 6 others 4sq.com/WTFEVER" This is what percentage I care: 0. The only way this is in any way relevant to me, is if I'm with a friend and he or she says that we are there together. Then, it's still not useful, its just not as annoying. If I want to see where you are, I will have my push notifications on on the Foursquare app. BAM!
Now that I wrote for a solid hour about what I hate about twitter, I will let you know that I am incredibuly guilty of numbers: 3, 4, and 9, some of the most annoying ones. Not everyones perfect on twitter, and if you aren't guilty of any of them, you're basically a robot and no fun anyway. It's okay to commit some of these twitter crimes, as long as it's not all that often ;).
I'm kind of a cheapskate, and I've only purchased two apps in my lifetime. Or rather, in my iPhones 3 month lifetime. Unless it's a real phenomenal winner, I'm not going to buy it. I'll deal with ads, if I must. So, that being said, here's a list of my favorite free apps (in no specific order):
1. Maps
Yes, it's pre loaded, and yes, it's an obvious choice, but it's really f-ing amazing. Not only can you simple type "CVS" then hit the compass arrow to find the nearest CVS, but you can also get directions, from your current location, their phone number, and website, all from Maps. More importantly, is the fact that you can click that compass arrow and see exactly where you are, how fast your moving, and how far away you are EXACTLY from everything. It's amazing. So, the directions might not be turn by turn, but they're still great too. When you want to type in your starting address, all you have to do is type C and "current location" will pop up. Even better. Address-less. Your british accented Garmin can't do that. Actually I don't really know, because I don't have one, but SERIOUSLY. So cool. Lastly, you can see all directions from a satellite perspective, AND in a list form. So important.
2. Echofon
I love twitter, and Echofon is my favorite. I don't really know why I like it better than the twitter app; I just do. I'd rather use the app than twitter.com any day. It makes tweetin' easy, and favoriting a breeze. I'm big on favoriting things and then never going back to them. It's a horrible habit. Let me tell you about the best part of this app. It's the RT function. You can RT the twitter way, or you can RT the comment way. There's no easy way for me to explain that in writing, so hopefully you get what I'm saying. It's called RT with comment. Whatev. Also, if you're reading this and are thinking "omfg twitter is so dumb, I don't care when you are going to the bathroom or eating or watching tv whatevaaaaarrrrr!!!" STFU and GTFO. Twitter is amazing and life changing and fantastical and the best thing to happen to the internet since… Facebook. But really, it's amazing.
3. MyRadar
This app is pretty rad. It's simple, but it shows you a weather map of the country. So, if a storm is a brewin' you can see that doppler (or wtf ever it's called) cloud floating around on your state. And yeah, it works in the whole US of A. You can see where it's storming all over the place and be happy that it's not only raining in your town. BOOM.
4. Remote
This one's pretty simple. If you play music in your bedroom from your mac, Remote is for you. Take your iPhone with you everywhere, and you can play, pause, next, and change the volume of the songs playing on your computer. It's pretty amazing, and useful. Especially when you're having a party. I have these real kick-ass wireless speakers that can play from anywhere in the house, so I like to plug my computer in to the main console, take the wireless speakers else where in the house, and use Remote to change songs during the party. That way, some asshole can't grab your shit and turn on the new shitty Drake song he found on newhiphopbeatz.com before 'anyone else has ever heard it.' Sorry, we don't give an F. Now, go away and let me jam to Dirty Pop if I wanna.
5. AroundMe
This one's sweet, because it literally tells you what's around you. I mean, it lists Banks, Bars, Coffee, Gas stations, Hotels, Theaters, Parking (and so much more!) So, if you're driving around some unknown city, and you're like "damn, I want Jimmy Johns," Pull up around me, and click restaurants. Better yet, just hit the little search arrow (it looks just like a Mac's 'spotlight' so it's extra awesome) and type in JJs! BOOM. Directions, pulls it up on maps, phone number, etc. all available. It's a real gem. And let me tell you, this is based on a true story so AroundMe satisfied my JJ hunger needs, WHILE I was still driving. So timely.
6. LinkedIn
I like social media, so I like adding connections on linkedin. Also, I think the .com's interface totally blows. It's like, myspace compared to facebook. Get with it, it's 2011. Anyways, I have a tiny obsession with adding new connections from "people you may know." Sometimes I just browse through pages and pages of these folks, hoping to find 1 or 2 I can add. When I do, it's such an easy add, and looking at their profile is a breeze. I'm going to need to start linkedin stalking people soon, for my pending NYC job search, so the app is definitely going to come in handy.
7. Fancy
I am obsessed with TheFancy.com. Like, seriously obsessed. I constantly like things, and save them to my unnecessary wish list of things I'll never get. But moving on, the Fancy app makes liking things on-the-go a breeze. There's no real way to make this into a large paragraph and describe it to you, but if you like 'things' and want to save them, check out the Fancy. It's my obsession.
8. Dragon Dictation
Dude, this app is seriously amazing. You don't even have to speak slowly or perfectly and this sucker types up everything your saying. So, if you've had the iPhone for 3 months like me and still totally suck at typing on it, FRET NO MORE! Dictation types up the long email you have to write, while you say it outloud. Even better than that, if texting and driving is illegal in your state like it is in michigan, you can turn it into a texting platform. Why would I have a reader from a different state. Honestly. 3 people are going to read this total. Anyways… Check it.
9. Instagram
I was hesitant at first, but once I got started, boy did I ever! It's basically twitter but with photos. You upload a photo and basically manipulate it with all these filters. It even has a tilt-shift option. My dream app! My biggest problem is that I never really see anything good, and end up posting dumb pictures far too often. If you are around a bunch of cool shit, and you want to show it off, it's a great app. Also, if you suck at taking pictures and want to jazz them up, this app works wonders. It' really has some of the coolest filters I've ever seen. Except, you'll probably only use like 4 of them over and over. Admit it Instagram users. You're never going to use Lord Kelvin or Gotham. Those ones blow. But really Nashville, 1977, Brennan and Earlybird RULE. Oh, and one last thing, you can have it auto-post to your twitter AND fb for the poor souls who don't have iPhones to see! Great!
10. Rotate and Crop
This app rules, simply because you can crop your shit. Sometimes you take a screen shot of this funny convo, and you want to show another friend what you both said. Except there's one problem. You don't want them to see the embarrassing shit you just wrote 2 seconds before. So, crop that shit up! I'm talking like those Billy Mayes spoof videos, my apologies. So, you can crop any picture to any size/shape (that's obviously a rectangle of sorts) and fit the image exactly how you'd like it! And, if your iPhone wasn't registering that you flipped your camera, you can rotate a pic before sending it. Sometimes, it's just necessary…
11. SoundHound
There are a ton of apps to 'find the song on the radio' for you, but this one is the icing on the cake. Not only is a free, but its really useful, and really amazing. When you open the app it immediately lets you search the song playing. It doesn't matter if your in a mall or a Starbucks or your car. Even if you think it's going to be too quiet, it still probably works. And, if for some reason it didnt, you can sing it yourself. And it will recognize it. What? WHAT?!?!?!? I know this, because my friend got the app, and said "sing a song into this riiiiiiiight NOW!" and after I had a glass or two of wine, the first song I could come up with was the little mermaid. So I began with "look at this stuff…. Isn't it neat?! Wouldn't you think myyyyyyy collllleeeecttion's complete!?" and BAM that shit was recognized. I'm not an amazing singer (unless I'm in my car, alone, listening to Adele or Paramore or Taylor Swift or Rihanna…the list goes on), but it's just that fantastic of an app. And lastly, the important part is that you want to remember to download that song you just heard, so you can email it to yourself to remember later. You can do other stuff too, but I never really looked into it. Email worked just find for me.
I'm tired of writing for now, so I'll list some honorable mentions which are really just as good as the last 11, I just don't want to write about them anymore.
ExFM, TuneIn Radio, Crackle, RMaker, PicFrame (1 dollar), Camera+ (1 dollar), Hulu Plus, and Pulse News.
Damn, I love the iPhone.
Let me know what your favorite iPhone app is, so I can add it to my wonderful collection (if it's missing!)
It was a regular afternoon, and I was browsing my twitterfeed. For those of you who don't really know what that means, it's like checking your facebook news feed. I saw that a friend of mine was asking about place to live in NYC. I was extremely excited for her, because she was in the same boat as me. On the hunt for jobs. I thought this meant maybe she had found something, in which I was prepared to be extremely jealous! I asked her and what she said not only inspired me, but changed how I felt about where I was going with my life.
She said there was no better time to make a change. She's young, she has a bachelors, she's single, and nothing's holding her back. Why wasn't I looking at my life this way? I thought I was… When you live at home for the last year (aside from being in TX for 2 months, and then Italy for 1.5), you start to get set in your ways. You start to think that living at home and saving money is the right choice, and that working nearby might be the best option. When you search for jobs for an entire year, only to get a handful of unpaid internships, you start to lose hope in yourself, and think you must not be a good enough candidate for an entry-level position, well, anywhere.
Well, thank god I talked to her that day, because she boldly said, "come with me." I laughed for a second, and realized… yes, I want to go. I'm coming. I told her that I would look into it, and I couldn't stop thinking about it. I told my mom of my NYC plans, and headed to work, bar-tending at the local movie theater. I know she probably didn't take me seriously, because how many times have I said I was going to do something and then didn't? More than once. This time, I was serious. I talked to a few people at work, and gradually told more and more. After a week or so had passed, I was getting really serious about it. I told one of my best friends, who was also a recent advertising graduate. I asked her to join me, and she also started considering it.
So, the next step was to look into the logistics. After talking with literally 50 or so people about my plans, I decided to really look into it. I talked to 4 friends who currently live there about whether or not they think I'd like it. They all said yes. I talked to a few acquaintances who said the same. Most importantly, however, was a conversation with a guy I've never met via facebook message. Nate is an MSU alum with a great network of people behind him. He's talented, creative, fun, and inspiring. He and I have several mutual friends, so I figured I'd send him a message asking about NYC. To sum up our conversation, I went from a 50% chance of moving to 100%. His outlook on moving was simple, and his advice was straight to the point.
The bottom line is, I'm only 23 once. I'm only guaranteed this opportunity once in my entire life, and that time is right now. I have no idea what will happen in the next few months or years, but I do know that if I don't move (somewhere), then I'll likely regret it for the rest of my life. I live a life of so much potential and I encourage myself everyday to keep searching. I'm beyond driven to find a job in advertising, and ultimately hope to make a name for myself in the industry, doing what if it is I'll be best at. I won't have a job when I move, but I can't waste another day sitting around applying for useless jobs.
I'll figure it out eventually, but I know that right now, the best option is making this move. I'm terrified, more than you could ever imagine, but pushing the limits has only made me stronger and tougher in the past. I hope to come back to Michigan, because it's where I belong. Detroit is amazing and I'd love to be a part of the rebuild, but it's not my calling yet. Don't worry mom and dad, I won't leave you forever!
Can't wait to start the next chapter of my life, and hopefully I'll be able to share my experiences here. I intend to leave mid September (returning mid October, to get more things/come home if I can't find a job.)
Wish me luck!
While in Cannes, France for the advertising festival, I got the privilege of hearing Sir Ken Robinson speak about creativity. Not only was it amazing, but also very inspiring. One important take-away from the presentation was a quote, not from the man himself, but instead a quote from Benjamin Franklin. The quote is as follows:
"All mankind is divided into three classes: those that are immovable, those that are movable, and those that move." – Benjamin Franklin
There are those who are immovable: the ones who can't seem to get out of high school, that don't have the inspiration to move away or move on, the drive to follow their dreams, the inability to find a dream, or the lack of a college education or finances that prevents them from moving forward.
There are those that are movable: the ones who seek a passion but can't seem to pinpoint it, who want to be successful, who want to be the best at what they do, who didn't pick the right major in college, or are busy saving money, waiting for their big chance.
Then, there are those that move: the ones doing it, making it, and being it, the ones who you look up to, your mentors, educators and role models, the CEOs and founders, the executives and producers, the mothers and the teachers.
I'd like to say that there's nothing wrong with the first two types of classes. If you're immovable, or movable and don't want to move, power to you. I, however, want to move. Not literally, out of Michigan, but mentally, forward. I want to constantly educate and push myself to another level. I'm movable, and I want to move.
The quote describes a process that I didn't realize existed. There was a time when I was 17 years old, livin' the good life in high school. I didn't think about the future, because today was amazing. I was on student council, I had a great, fun, group of friends, and to be honest, I didn't give a shit about going to college. I was always a home-body and the thought of 'moving out' was terrifying. My parents forced me to apply to Michigan State and I got accepted. I coasted through my senior year not looking forward to college one bit. I just, didn't really care. Once I got there, I had a blast. I met new friends and took amazing classes. For two years, however, I was still coasting. I hadn't found a passion or a drive to pick a major, learn new talents, dive into anything. At the mark of my sophomore year's end, I had to pick. My advisor, Niki Rudolph (A god to Michigan State advising, I swear!) suggested I look into advertising. I couldn't have made a better choice. She geared me in the right direction, helping me get into the right classes with the right professors that inspired me to learn, learn, and learn.
By the closing of my senior year, I still hadn't managed to do anything significant. I loved advertising, but soon I was out of college and not in the safety of the classroom. I enrolled in a study abroad, also by suggestion of Niki, and got to attend the Cannes Advertising Festival. Seeing amazing work from agencies all over the world absolutely confirmed that I was born to do this. I'm passionate about advertising in every way, and I can't wait to be inspired in the work-place every single day. I've worked and worked incredibly hard to get to where I'm at mentally, and I'm so very pleased and proud of where I am at. However, I'm still only movable. I'm on the right track to being one that moves, but if I don't keep working, learning, challenging myself to take the next step, I'll never get there.
Similarly, I challenge you to be movable and to find your inspiration. It will be a process we go through together. There's nothing I fear more than not following my dreams. I would hate to wake up someday and realize I didn't make the right decision, I was unhappy, or I settled for something less.
I'm so happy to have attended that seminar by Sir Ken Robinson, and hope that your equally as inspired by the opportunity to become someone who moves.
"Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself." – George Bernard Shaw
Today, I'd like to discuss an important topic: shaking someone's hand when you meet them. Don't be an idiot about it. That's one great thing I learned from observing people. If you're the awkward girl or guy who either shakes hands like you're going to get aids, or else you wave awkwardly like you don't know how to meet someone, grow up. We're not 14 and you're going to look just like the big boy or girl that you are if you can shake someone's hand right away! Wonderful. I decided to announce that because I was thinking of my friend Megan, and some of the cool things I've learned from friends. She doesn't know I learned that from her because she never told me to do it, but I always think it's really cool how nice and friendly, as well as professional she is when she first meets someone. I almost just spelled meet with an 'a'. Whoops. I watched "Wheel of Fortune" today for the first time since I watched it with my grandma. I miss my grandma, she was awesome. That's it for now, I guess.


text:
The effort to pin numbers on the mind as if taking the temperature of water — as the DSM does with its checklists of symptoms — has always been a risky project
A look at the most likely threats facing big business in the coming year.
Powered by WordPress.com VIP
© 2013 National Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication strictly prohibited.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
CSI: Miami, the greatest/worst show on TV, is no more. CBS decided to amputate the show like you might a gangrenous limb. But don't worry, CBS has 15 other CSI's. "But aren't all the CSI's basically the same?" If I could reach through my computer, I'd slap you in the teeth. That's like saying that the Mona Lisa and an airbrushed t-shirt image of J-Woww are the same because they are both paintings of Italian chicks that look like guys.
CSI: Miami was a masterpiece of bad TV. It was a perfect storm of bad writing, bad directing, bad editing, bad acting, and bad lighting. Lighting, you say? Yes. Take a look at this picture. Now, forget for a second that this is a police lab and would probably be lit by green fluorescent lights. Where are those lights coming from? Why are those jars underlit that way? What's with the weird blue wash in the background? Why does it look like a sleazy club full of guys with silk shirts and over-tweezed eyebrows? Screw you, that's why.
But without a doubt, the greatest thing about CSI: Miami is the apocalyptically bad lead performance by David Caruso. In every episode he chewed the scenery like Rosie O'Donnell in a beef jerky factory. The iconic moment in every episode came right before the opening credits. Caruso would look over the grisly murder scene and callously use a human tragedy in order to make a stupid pun while putting on his sunglasses. The writers must have come up with the pun and then written the show around it. That's like building a house starting with the septic tank. Luckily, they will still be playing CSI: Miami in syndication long after civilization has crumbled and the roaches rule the Earth.
Article By Jack Tomas
http://www.jacktomas.com >


text:
Crash & Burn Floral Wings Top
SALE $28.05 was $66.00 Item #23375C449FGD16- Lace sleeve burnout stripe top
- Floral graphic and rhinestone accents
Sorry, this product is currently not available on buckle.com.
Crash &Burn Floral Wings Top 1 1
cute and unique I get compliments on this shirt every time I wear it! It is fitted and I think fits true to size. The material is super stretchy and comfortable. You can't go wrong with this shirt! January 12, 2012
1-1 of 1


text:
Escort vacations are offered from the untapped paradise of the Dominican Republic, the perfect setting for our adult travel fantasy resort on an exotic island. Erotic female escorts await you at Viking's Exotic Resort. This Caribbean vacation includes meals and lavishly decorated suites in luxury Oceanside villas, as well as adult entertainment. Viking's all-inclusive vacations will make you feel like a King, no work - no worry, just pure bodily pleasure. Boasting an array of sexy and beautiful international women, you can be assured that your experience at Viking's Villa will be unparalleled.
Our female escorts are young, sexy, and sensuously beautiful women and are all great fun to be with on your adult holiday. They are informative and will escort you on your adult holiday effortlessly through your stay. Your time will be filled with our beautiful exotic girls, relaxing, dancing, swimming, partying and having a wonderful time in our tropical adult paradise. So go on, treat yourself to these sexy companions! All of our girls are in terrific shape and a blast to be with! Our beautiful women are exotic, exciting, very open minded, and work hard at making all things a pleasurable experience. Imagine surrounding yourself with single Russian women, Latin women, and Brazilian women, many of them glamour models. They are extremely intelligent and can discuss any topic with extreme interest. They love good food, wine, great atmosphere, and men!
home • make a reservation • brochure • packages • press room • news & events • members • faq's • links • privacy • contact Copyright © Viking Entertainment Group all rights reserved Site Map
Take a peek at some of our girls ~ Viking's all inclusive vacation packages


text:
See more great cricket-related images on PhotoBlog.
Farooq Khan / EPA
At a base camp in Srinagar, Kashmir on April 3, Indian paramilitary soldiers dance to celebrate India's win over Sri Lanka in the World Cup cricket final that took place in Mumbai the previous day. India beat Sri Lanka by 6 wickets.


text:
Union Station = public benefit The City Council expects redevelopment to create good jobs and affordable housing. The Denver Post Christopher N. Osher June 24, 2008
The Denver City Council on Monday warned that it wants any public subsidies extended to redevelop the historic Union Station to go toward creating good-paying jobs, affordable housing and other benefits pushed by labor-backed groups. The council took the action as it set up a nonprofit to coordinate and oversee any proposed deal that may develop on the Union Station project.
Councilwoman Judy Montero had pushed for an amendment of "commitment from the city to pursue in every way financially feasible the achievement of additional community benefits from the project, including mobility and access to quality employment, health care, environmental sustainability, affordable housing and business opportunities on every scale."
Her push provoked a spirited discussion among council members Monday night, with Councilman Charlie Brown strongly opposed.
He said Montero's amendment was a "feel-good measure" that would end up complicating efforts to redevelop Union Station. The $476 million project would be the centerpiece of the $6.1 billion FasTracks, the nation's largest tax-funded transit expansion.
Brown warned that the economy was turning sour, and the city has little wiggle room as it strives to strike a deal with developers to spark redevelopment of Union Station. But Montero and other council members said they want city officials to take seriously their desire to maximize any public subsidies extended to the project.
The Campaign for Responsible Development, a labor-backed organization, has argued that any Union Station redevelopment should include green construction, affordable housing and community-based jobs.
City officials are negotiating with lawyers representing the developers as they try to reach a way to finance the deal.
Councilwoman Jeanne Faatz warned that she doubts the city has sufficient money to finance any Union Station redevelopment.
On another issue, the council declined to slow down an effort by the city's forestry division to impose fines on those who neglect to care for trees in the public right of way.
Councilwoman Marcia Johnson had wanted the forestry division to hold public hearings and come before the council in October to seek the authority to impose the fines, which sparked concerns among advocates for the poor and elderly.
Christopher N. Osher: 303-954-1747 or firstname.lastname@example.com


text: Local Businesses Give Back to Community ATHENS, OH For the second consecutive year, the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce has made a $1000 donation to the Athens area chapter of Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (FHFH). The donation will receive a one hundred percent match in funds from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife to provide $2,000 of aid to local food banks. We know that hunters are committed not only to their sport, but to the concept of giving back to those less fortunate stated Wendy Jakmas, President of the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce. On behalf of our members, we are pleased to donate to Farmers and Hunters Feed the Hungry and to show our support for the sportsmen and women who live in and travel to Athens County. It is our hope that in turn these hunters will look for the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce logo and support the businesses that so generously support the well being of Athens County families in need and this commendable initiative. Monies donated to the FHFH program assist with the processing costs associated with donating venison to a food bank. Local FHFH coordinator Barbara Rountree has seen a definite difference that monetary and deer donations have made in the local community. Last year, 209 deer were donated to the Southeast Ohio chapter of Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry. Athens County food pantries and soup kitchens received 87 of those deer, totaling 4,350 pounds of ground venison. Rountree stated, This program is only successful because of the support and the partnerships in our community. Without any one of the hunters, food banks, food pantry volunteers, local deer processors and financial donors such as the Athens Chamber of Commerce and their members, none of this important work would be possible. Pictured in the photo (left to right):Betsy Baringer Ohio University Inn and Conference Center), Gloria Hooper The Hampton Inn and Suites), Barbara Six Wood Spirit Cabins), Guy Philips AthensNEWS), Barbara Rountree Chapter Coordinator for SE OH FHFH), Thomas Donnelly Law Enforcement Supervisor OH Division of Wildlife), Wendy Jakmas President Athens Area Chamber of Commerce, and Susie Vance Wildlife Communications Specialist OH Division of Wildlife).photo: www.danielleanthony.com


text:
You're running your own business – of course you're busy. There simply aren't enough hours in the day to do everything. Isn't it time you worked smarter, not harder?
Using In a Pickle even for a just few hours a week allows you to concentrate on your High Pay Activities! Time to spend growing your business, meeting with new clients or indeed just taking some well deserved time out to spend time with your family.
You need some support, but don't need the related overheads or a full blown Marketing Team. We offer the most cost-effective solution for your business. The beauty is that you only pay for the hours we spend working for you!
Whether you want to use us on a 'PAYG' basis or on a regular monthly retainer - we can offer the flexible solution to suit you. We'll soon become a true asset to your business!
You know you need an extra pair of hands, whether you're looking for help with getting a marketing plan in place and training to get you on your merry way. Or if you want our support implementing your day-to-day marketing so you can focus on doing what you're good at - we are here to help you grow your business!
Whether it be 2 hours per month or 20 hours per month - your Pickle Marketing Army is here to lend a hand!


text:
Creating Opportunities. Together.
Management Opportunities
Shift Manager
Hours: All Shifts Available
Pay: Competitive Wage
Description: More experience. More opportunity. More success. It's all in a day's work when you're running your own multi-million dollar restaurant as a McDonald's Manager. Start today. You'll manage people. Streamline processes. And even provide front-line for managers who have the energy to lead the charge. If you're an energetic and driven individual with supervisory or management experience in a restaurant, retail or hospitality environment, we want to meet you! Apply online and see what your future can hold.
Benefits: Got what it takes? Then join the team! We offer a long list of good things like: Flexible schedules, training and development programs, advancement opportunities, uniforms, and much more! See Restaurant Manager for details.
Restaurant #11015
This restaurant is owned and operated by an independent franchisee.
Algonac MI 48001
Phone: 810-794-0890
Manager: Debbie Ameel
Send Comments
- If coffee is Joe, consider this Joseph.


text:
Wilson County News 1012 C St Floresville TX 78114 Ph: 830-216-4519 Fax: 830-393-3219 Email:
Wednesday, Dec 11, 2013
Not a subscriber? Click here.
Are you a WCN subscriber?
Set up your password.
Remember me
Forgot password?
Weekly News Stories
Weekly News Stories
• Section A: General News
• Eagle Ford News
• Obituaries
• South Texas Living
• Occasions
• Sports
• Agriculture Today
• The 411: Youth
• Special Section
• Wilson's AUTO Chooser
• Wilson's List/Classifieds
BURN BAN: Lifted
BURN BAN: Lifted
• Burn Ban: Lifted
Special Features
Special Features
• Calendar Events
• Daily Updates via E-Mail
• Make Us Your Home Page
• Military Subscriptions
• Newspapers In Education
• Trial Subscription
• Links
• Weekly Headlines in Print
• Consumer Updates
• Funeral Notices
• National News
• Meeting Agendas
• Breaking News
• Election Coverage
• Scam Central
Living Blogs
Living Blogs
• A Salute to Our Military
• Calendar Events
• Church Directory
• Everyday Journeys
• Gardening Q&A
• Keeping the Faith
• On The Road To Forever
• Reunions
• Rose Petals
• Savvy Senior
• Tips from the Coupon Queen
• Wilson County Garden Day
• Wilson County History
Fun Stuff
Fun Stuff
• Facebook
• Movie Reviews
• Twitter
• Video Vault
• YouTube
Opinion Blogs
Opinion Blogs
• Commentaries
• Headlines & Between the Lines
• One Opinion
• Political Soaps
• Time Warp
Sports & Outdoors
Sports & Outdoors
• Fishing Report
• NASCAR News
• Reb's Race Report
• Sports Scores, Playoffs, Updates
• Wilson's List/Classifieds
• Wilson's AUTO Chooser
• COUPONS: Print & Save!
• Showcase of Homes
• Yellow Pages
Photo Galleries
Photo Galleries
• Weekly Photo Albums
• 2010 Post-Groundhog Day Snow
• 2009 Deer Blind Contest
• 2007 Ice Photos
• Extreme Home Make Over-Harris
• Floresville Opry � Aug. 2012
• Floresville Opry � Nov. 2012
• Floresville Opry � Feb. 2013
• Floresville Opry � Aug. 2013
• Floresville Opry � Nov. 2013
• Severe Weather 5/10/12
• Springtime Photo Contest
• Thank you, Wounded Warriors
• Wedding Photo Contest
• Wilson's Christmas Kids Contest
Special Publications
Special Publications
• Eagle Ford Directory
• Floresville Visitors Guide
• La Vernia Chamber Directory
• Medical Directory Guide
• Real Estate Guide
• Business Review Submission
• Calendar Event Submission
• Classified Ad Submission
• FREE Yellow Page Submission
• Gift of Self Submission
• Letters to the Editor Submission
• Obituary Submission
• Reunion Submission
• Engagement Announcement
• Wedding Announcement
• Ad Rates, Display
• Ad Rates, Classified
• Ad Rates, Internet
• Distribution, Coverage Area
• Photo Reprint Pricing
• Upcoming Promotions
• Take a Closer Look at WCN
• Showcase of Homes-Rates
• Terms of Use
• Your Eagle Ford Source
Contact Us
Contact Us
• Contact/Email Us
• Daily Email Updates
• Find us on the Newsstands
• Meet the Staff/History
• News Tip Line
• Subscribe Today!
Preview the Paper
Report Comment
Please complete the form below in order to alert us to the following comment. If you have questions about our policy regarding comments please
reference our Terms of Use page
Daniel Tejada
Floresville, TX
September 9, 2012 8:28pm
Dear Residents of Floresville,
I am deeply concerned about the inabilty to muster a qurom to conduct official City of Floresville business. Each one of us as eleced leaders swore to an oath to abide by the United States Constitution, the laws of the State of Texas, and the City Charter. Regardless of political views, we must faithfully execute our duties.
For 5 meetings, including special meetings, public hearing,and regular meetings, The City has not been able to conduct business.
The consequences of not doing our job by October 1 is extremely important for our financial future. The City must ratify the tax rate or it will be in breach of state law and will be unable to collect any tax revenue. The City of Floresville will then operate without any property tax. This would severely impact our budget,and thus police, fire, water, waste water , streets , and all other municipal services will be impacted.
It is IMPERATIVE that we can gather as a CTY COUNCIL to conduct business. I urge all concerned citizens to reach out to your City Council,and voice your concerns.
Daniel M Tejada
City of Floresville
Your Full Name:
We will not publish your name or e-mail address as a result of reporting this comment. We request this information in the event that we need to contact you with follow-up questions. You will not receive any unsolicited e-mail by using this form.
Your E–Mail:
< Select One >
Invasion of Privacy
Personal Attack
Your Comments:
Copyright © 2013 Wilson County News. All rights reserved.
Web development by Drewa Designs


text:
a place for zinesters - writers and readers
Sort by:
Discussions | Replies | Latest Activity |
Pseudonyms/non de plumes/fake namesHow many of you guys use fake names? Why do you or why don't you use them? How did you choose yours? In general, what's up with your alias?… Started by Becky the Evil Flower |
45 |
Apr 13 Reply by Chrysothème A. |
115 members
460 members
114 members
433 members
29 members
Ist preference given to distros and zines. Rates and details are here. Limited space. Very Low Cost!
© 2013 Created by Krissy PonyBoy Press. Powered by


text:
A collection of news and information related to Gator Bowl published by this site and its partners.
Top Gator Bowl Articles
Displaying items 23-33
Orlando among 10 cities asked to bid on Champions Bowl
Story | Aug 6, 2012 | 9:39 PMOrlando among 10 cities asked to bid on Champions Bowl... -
More on Florida State RB Chris Thompson's return from injury
Story | Aug 10, 2012 | 4:38 AMGood Friday morning to you. As this is hitting the Internet, Florida State is back out on the practice fields on campus, going through its third consecutive 5:30 a.m. practice of this preseason that is still in its infancy. The Seminoles have woken up... -
BREAKDOWN: Weather stars in FSU's romp over Savannah State
Story | Sep 8, 2012 | 9:36 PMOK, we're a little bit later on posting this than normal (if you followed the blog last season, you know that we like to have these Breakdown blogs posted as soon after the final whistle as possible. Unfortunately, the final whistle on this night... -
Oh, what could have been … No. 9 West Virginia vs. No. 6 FSU
Story | Sep 5, 2012 | 4:37 PMConsider this an ode to West Virginia and Florida State. Oh, what could have been. Oh, what could have been if only the rulers of college football conference realignment and nine-game conference schedule configurations didn't have to have their way? Oh,... -
UF coach Will Muschamp favors four-team playoff within bowl system
Story | Apr 25, 2012 | 4:41 PMDAYTONA BEACH – As the 11 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick were preparing to meet to discuss the future of college football's postseason, UF coach Will Muschamp offered his opinion on what he'd like to see happen.... -
QB controversy brewing at Florida State? Not at all | VIDEO
Story | Apr 17, 2012 | 4:35 PMOK, now that a couple of days have passed since Florida State's spring game, and we've all had a chance to digest everything that happened in it, this appears to be as good a time as any to go back and analyze some of what we saw. Over the course of the... -
UF reserve linebacker Graham Stewart leaving team
Story | May 4, 2012 | 4:40 PMFlorida released a statement on Friday announcing that reserve linebacker Graham Stewart is leaving the football team so that he can be closer to his Connecticut home. Stewart is from Middletown, Conn. He played mostly on special teams last season and... -
Former Nittany Lion elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame
Story | Feb 3, 2013 | 4:25 PMAlmost 40 years after retiring from the NFL, Dave Robinson is in the Hall of Fame. Robinson, the former Penn State two-way player, was elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday. Robinson, who played for the Green Bay...... -
Nine Gators to miss spring practice because of injury
Story | Mar 13, 2012 | 9:40 PMFlorida heads into spring practice on Wednesday with nine players injured or rehabbing from previous injuries. The Gators improved their depth with this signing class and aren't facing the same numbers issue they were last season, meaning the absence of... -
Florida football position analysis: Receivers
Story | May 11, 2012 | 4:41 PMAfter reviewing the quarterback and running back positions, we move our spring analysis to one of Florida's biggest problem areas on offense – the receivers. Top players: Andre Debose (RJr., 5-11, 186), Frankie Hammond Jr. (RSr., 6-1, 185),... -
Florida football position analysis: Special teams
Story | May 25, 2012 | 4:40 PMOur football position analysis concludes today with the Florida specialists. You can check the previous breakdowns of the quarterbacks, running backs, receivers , tight ends/fullbacks, the offensive and defensive lines, linebackers and the secondary....


text:
The Calm Before. Artesia – queen, warlord, and witch – has led her armies from their homes in the mountains down into the Middle Kingdoms to aid their erstwhile neighbors in a war against a common enemy: an ancient Empire returned to enforce its historic claim to the lowlands. Following up on the last Artesia book, Artesia Afire, and the release of the Artesia: Adventures in the Known World role-playing game, this series finds Artesia and her armies trapped in an odd stalemate at the city of Abenton, guests of the city's ruler, Elizabeta, a baroness with a dark secret. The imminent arrival of barbarian enemies at their gates is only the least of her problems, as recalcitrant allies, mutinous captains, angry ghosts and spirits, lurking assassins, and jealous lovers begin to spring their traps and plots….
By clicking on the image at left, you can download a pdf of the brief essay from Artesia Besieged #1.


text:
The photographs and news reminds of other events in my life and the memories seem to flow by with no stop. I remember the fall of Saigon in 1975 while I was stationed in Japan. The sight of the last helicopter lifting the last person was one I thought would never leave me. The Oaklahoma city bombings way after my tour of duty was over in the military left me feeling rather vulnerable. Now this. I was back in NY and went on a boat tour with a bunch of Linuxcare people in February; all 'round Manhattan. The weather was so crisp and cold. I dug the photos out I took. There it was; the twin tours of the WTC standing there. Not to stand any longer though. Surely, our beliefs, our philosophies, our goals and thoughts change too. Should we strike back? Should anyone be allowed to do this in the name of their belief system to us?
I just ask because I am asking the same questions today all through the day. My son asked me, "why would someone hurt us like this?" I looked at him and remembered the carnage that has been inflicted over the years and it seems a lot of it has been based on religion. What does one say to a 10-year old watching his very first catastrophe? There is no paradigm, no belief system to offer. Something went down today which we all will think about, wonder about, and deal with.
Even our 10 year olds.
Nothing more to report, I am sorry to say. As Paul Harvey was fond to remark, "now you know the rest of the story". I remember hearing the words that President Roosevelt uttered..." a day which shall live in infamy". This is surely one of those days. Now with the miracle of modern TV, we can see it instantly and our children can see what a wonderful, but dangerous world they shall inherit.


text:
"The Wolves of the Sea." Scientific name: Orcinus Orca |
The orca is mostly black with what is called a grey "saddle" behind its dorsal fin. It has white along the stomach and a distinct white patch behind the eye. The white on the stomach extends from the bottom jaw all the way down to the fluke (the tail). The white also comes up along the flanks. The shape is basically the same as the saddle only going in the opposite direction of the grey "saddle" (the white is going towards the fluke). Its build is small, stocky, and very powerful. This build enables the orca to swim swiftly through the water, making it a predator to be wary of. The male orca has a dorsal fin that can be up to 1.8 meters tall while the females' dorsal fin is about the same size and shape as a bottle nosed dolphins. |


text:
we ordered an fridge freezer, it arrived a day early than expected but the delivery men refused to bring it in the house because it was too heavy, even though we paid a premier delivery cost of £25. They left it outside in the pouring rain!. After 2 weeks of phone calls they agreed to refund the £25.
Reported them to Trading Standards but as they have now ceased trading nothing will be done.
I bet Mr <private data removed> will start up again under a different name.
In fact <private data removed> dissolved his previous company GRADED APPLIANCES LIMITED on the 15/03/12. then started Ultimate Appliances.
next time I will do a little homework just in case <private data removed> is the company director
Ordered an LG washing machine on 18th April, waited till 9th May and phoned to find out when it would be delivered. Pleasant young man said it would be delivered Sat 11th, but 4 hrs later got an email saying they were ceasing trading, and that refunds had been auctioned, and if not received in 5 days, raise dispute with card company. Unfortunately, I used a debit card so no protection !. I genuinely thought my money had gone, but to my surprise, it arrived in my account today, 13th May, so 2 stars for service, but a pat on the back for the refund.
Ordered Leisure range cooker mid- March no delivery as promised 3 times including a Saturday, I had to call UA customer service repeatedly with 15 minute wait to get an update, they never called me back or updated me. Told me they dont deliver on weekends to my area, nothing arranged and oven not in stock, then told oven they had received damaged had to be returned would have to reorder !! - i had enough cancelled then told 30 days from request in writing after 35 days and at least 15 helpdesk tickets, had to threaten legal action section 75 of cerdit card act watch dog tradiing standards citizen advice i have finally just got my refund back - after two months of the worst on line shopping experience i have ever had, i hope UA do go under as it looks if they are going into liquidation to save any one else going through all the crap customer service lies and empty promises i have ! UA Customer Services Stars of this terrible episode included Gary very polite but never called back and no deliveries kept Cher told me no oven in stock it was damaged so reorder required and Ranvir Rai i think was co owner very polite but promises not kept until day 35 - lesson it has teached me do not just go on company website reviews they are edited use a reputable company and independant reviews, buy using a credit card i did thank goodness if over £100 your covered by 45 day charge back and over this time section 75 refund from card provider by law ! A nightmare purchase finally over !
Ordered a Samsung fridge freezer sometime in April and like most of the customers on here the story is the same. They kept postponing delivery and kept on telling countless lies about it not being in stock and all. Called them again on Thursday the 9th of May and was told that they will call me on Friday to let me know when they can deliver on Saturday. To my dismay and utter shock I got an email on the same evening of Thursday saying they were closing down the business. Imagine my horror ! Reading most comments on here further troubled me because I paid with a debit card and I was worried my money was gone and I still do not have a fridge and freezer. They only chose the best comments to go on thier site and if I had researched further before buying I would have known better. I called them to no avail as all the lines have stopped working. However I prayed about it and declared that by the power of the Holy Spirit my case will be different. I waited the whole of today incase they'll turn up and deliver, No way! Last resort was to call my bank to see what could be done. Lo and behold I was advised that my money was refunded yesterday and when I checked my balance my £594 was in there . I cannot thank God enough for saving me from this ordeal. Next time I 'll pay the extra money and buy from a reputable company. Such a terrible shame they had to do this to customers. I advise you check your balance again incase they've paid back if not GoodLuck!
Paul Hobbins found this review useful
Ordered a range cooker, did not arrive, given new date again no cooker.... The out of stock, then on its way, then out of stock again....
Cancelled order on the 11th Feb... No refund within the 30 days as per the Distance Selling Regs and CCA. Endless emails, phone calls, letters still no refund...
£675 of my money being withheld by these people.
Finally got my money back on the 10th May...
It appears even with this, I might be one of the lucky ones. The only saving grace was that I paid on a credit card.....
Paul Hobbins found this review useful
We ordered a new Beko dishwasher from Ultimate Appliances in mid March. We were expecting delivery within 7 days but this did not happen. We received a number of excuses for the delay, the transport department are busy, Beko had recalled the dishwashers. We decided to cancel the order and ordered from someone else who delivered in two days. We are still waiting for a refund well over a month after we cancelled the order; we have reminded Ultimate and were given a date for the refund that didn't happen. We have started the chargeback process now through the credit card company but we shouldn't really have to.
Placed an order for a new dishwasher in January and then cancelled after a few days. Whilst waiting for our new dishwasher, we discovered a simple fault with our old one and were able to repair it. Despite cancelling in writing and telephoning to confirm that the cancellation had been received, we have still not got a refund! I have contacted UA on many occasions and have been told "your request is with the cancellations team". However, they appear to be blatantly ignoring their 30 day contractual obligation to provide a refund. It seems like there are many other people on Trustpilot with similar stories to tell of their experience with UA. Come on Ultimate Appliances, you can do better than this! Can't you?
Ordered a samsung american fridge freezer. Waited 3 weeks with no coms from them except from me chasing delivery. Gave up and cancelled. Told me 28 days before refund. Yesterday received an email telling me they are no longer trading and if I don't get a refund within 5 days to contact my card provider to make a claim.
Paul Hobbins found this review useful
Received one email to say company is no longer trading and that we will get our money back. However I dounbt this very much and trying in vain to contact our bank who says go to trading standards.
Its been a nightmare I am now short the money of a new fridge freezer and no fridge freezer in my home.
I ordered washing mashine 6th April and i am still waiting on delivery, many times called and nothing. Yesterday i received email that UA is close down from 9th May. Thank You UA for excellent service. Now I am waiting for my 415pound.
Their Website is still up and running but it would appear that they have gone down the pan.
Ordered and arrived within 2 days and old fridge taken away. In fact it arrived earlier than they forecast.
Cant really fault the service and the good were as ordered. The fridge itself could do with a clear set of fitting instructions though!! Took ages to work our how to fit the kitchen door to it as the instructions were useless. Not the vendors fault though!
I only read the good reviews before I placed my order and I learned my lesson the hard way!
The web site stated that stock was due in on 15th April and so I placed my order on the 9th, accepting this anticipated delay.
However, after phoning 3 times, each time with a lengthy delay on hold, I was constantly told that it was stock issue. I feel that this Co is in financial trouble and that is probably the reason why their suppliers are not delivering to them.
When my appliance did FINALLY turn up the delivery guys said that they had been working long hours for the Co and yet they were being made redundant at the end of the week ~ strange when I had constantly been told how busy they were!
When I asked for a refund, as they were unable to supply the goods, I was advised that they would hold onto MY MONEY for 30 days despite the fact that the only reason I wanted to cancel my order was due to their inability to deliver the 'paid for' goods!
I did receive my item, after a lot of chasing and complaint emails, but I WILL NEVER use this Co again and I strongly urge you to re-consider before you place an order with them.
Ordered and paid, told me they had stock on website then suddenly were out of stock messed around for three weeks with no washing machine got fedup so cancled and then was told up to 30days for refund! Still waiting for refund 50odd days later. DO NOT USE THESE JOKERS
Paul and Lindsey Bowers found this review useful
We ordered a Samsung American fridge freezer from this company on 18/4/13 and were given an estimated delivery of 30/4/13.
I contact Customer Services twice in 29/4/13 and first was told that their Transport Department had put all their vans in for service and that he would phone me back in twenty minutes. Needless to say no phone call and I phoned Customer Services again.
Another gent said that either he or their Transport Dept would phone me within the hour. Surprise, surprise no phone call. I phoned again at 1.45pm and was told that no vans were available for delivery tomorrow and that he was unable to give me a delivery date.
I then asked for a refund and was told that I had to send an E Mail to them and that a refund would be processed normally within 7 days.
I cannot believe a company could possibly trade like this. I don't even think they had the product in stock, despite their web site saying that it was in stock at the time of ordering. Cheap is not always the best. Be warned they couldn't care less about customers.
Lindsey Bowers found this review useful
DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY. I ordered a dishwasher as it was the lowest price on the Internet, despite paying three times due to the equipment they use taking DAYS to process. They refunded 2 payments quite quickly I then WAITED AND WAITED for my delivery and after two weeks I decided to ask for a refund. That was 28 march and I am STILL WAITING. I phoned them and AFTER A FEW DAYS OF TRYING I got through. To my astonishment they advised they hadn't refunded because they didn't have my account details. Have they not heard of using a telephone or email to contact me and ask for them?! Anyway details have now been provided but I am STILL WAITING.
Lindsey Bowers found this review useful
from start to what appliances i did manage to get- dreadful. No communication, long hold time on the 10 times i had to chase the status of my delivery, unhelpful staff and did not get the Range Cooker i had ordered, now 10 weeks on from my order i am still waiting for my Range Cooker refund i was told i would get 6 weeks ago. Barclaycard are now having to take the dispute up for me.
Very stressful all in all as this company help up my kitchen installation and cost me a lot of money in extra fitting costs.
Please think twice before using.
David Russell and Lindsey Bowers found this review useful
After looking on the internet for my chosen washer dryer I ordered from a competitor who phoned me later that day to tell me stock levels were incorrect and offered me a refund there and then.
I searched the internet again to find UA offering the washer dryer at the same price with stock arriving 3 days later and deliveries to my area listed frequently. I thought great! I ordered the item and received the email confirming the order.
Trusting the incoming stock, delivery schedule and a wait of 5-7 days I sat back and waited.
5 days after my order I received an email (from a gmail account?!) stating my order was still being processed and due to high demand my order may be a couple of days later than expected. I noted in the T&Cs "We will make every effort to delivery within 5 - 10 working days, but in any event we will deliver within 30 days of your order" and thought 10 days is a long wait but acceptable. I hope it doesn't come to 30 days....
It's now 10 days after the order without any other contact from UA so I thought I'd call them and find out the status of my order. The phone was promptly answered and I enquired about my order. I was put on hold before being to THE (one) machine had gone out to a customer and it was rolling stock and that more orders were coming in. I should expect to be contacted about delivery the following week.
It's now Thursday of the following week (15 days after ordering) and I Called UA again to be told that my machine was in stock (Yipeee!) but due to delivery schedules currently up north I may have to wait until they can put my machine on the van. At this point I must explain I live 5 minutes away from Jct 3 of the M6 which is a 45 minute drive from UA. Surely a van would pass that junction at some point? Apparently not...
22 days after ordering I called UA again. The phone was answered promptly again and I explained that I was told the machine was in stock a week ago and I still hadn't been contacted about the delivery. The operative put me on hold to check the delivery status. When she came back on the line she said I've got some bad news and she said she had to be honest with me, the washer dryer wasn't in stock it was due a few days previously but wasn't delivered. I couldn't believe my ears! I explained my experience from ordering until the present day and she was very apologetic and explained more are due in next week.
This is my experience of UA so far. I will update this review once the item is delivered.....or not.
32 Days later.....I called again I had to wait about 5 minutes before an answer to find that the machine was not in stock and that more deliveries were due next week. I asked to talk to a manager but none were available.
At this point I raised a ticket explaining the above. I pointed out that in 30+ days I had not received the machine - in the T&Cs it states I will be offered a refund if the item is not delivered in that time. I received an email the following day thanking me for my patience and confirmed I will be refunded within 7 days. I hope to see the refund soon...
I find it a shame that the company treats customers like this. It really needs realistic stock indicators on the website and an honest delivery estimate on items.
Trust Pilot and Google obviously allow retailers to pick and choose reviews that are displayed on webpages. This misrepresent actual opinions of the companies reviewed. If I'd have read the actual reviews (2 clicks away) I would've chosen a different retailer.
I hope people that use UA have a better experience than me
David Russell found this review useful
Never used this online retailer before, but will consider them for future purchases.
A little longer than expected for delivery but helpful and friendly on the phone when queried, delivery was within time slot arranged. No problems with this purchase of a Beko dishwasher, and the "Price was Right"! Old appliance collected free too.
I ordered a range cooker and a washing machine on the 11/04. One product was showing as in stock the other one stock would be arriving in a matter of days. I later received an email saying the cooker would not be available until after the 17th May. I need the cooker for the beginning of May for my new kitchen. I had no choice but to cancel the order and it will now take them 30 days to refund my money which is a tad rediculous if i am honest.
Just be careful when ordering and look for guarantees about delivery dates BEFORE placing any order. Personally in future i will pay a little bit more and go to Currys who i can trust. Its no good having the prices if you cannot come up with the goods and the service is poor.
David Russell found this review useful
finally received my washing machine after 4 weeks when ordering was told it was in stock and i would receive it in a week then told it was going to be the following week yet again no sign of appliance the customer service team seem to fob you off everytime with feeble excuses machine is now here and working fine but the overall service is pretty abysmal if ordering anything from ultimate appliances dont believe there delivery promises
David Russell found this review useful
Never order anything from these people - They appear to take your order then get the item in stock but clearly were not able to. I needed a cooker - urgently ! and as they couldn't deliver I cancelled 28 days ago. Since then I have had no refund and they have failed to answer my queries . Luckily I bought using a credit card but otherwise i would be £300 out of packet
David Russell found this review useful
Despite reading several strong critical reviews on the internet, I have had a very good experience. There was an initial delay after I had paid the bill and I had to make contact to ask when it would be delivered. Thereafter I got a friendly, prompt service, a date and time slot given and the delivery went without any hitch. Well done.
I ordered a washing machine & my wife took a day off work to stay in to accept it. They delivered the wrong machine & refused to return until the following week to replace it. In the meantime our mains water was switched off as my wife couldn't turn off the tap to isolate the water coming from the pipes. Each time I rang the company they would take a good 5-10 mins to answer, I would but put on hold fr an equivilant amount of time, cut off several times & never received a call back wen promised. This continued for the next couple of weeks. Furthermore I was offered a derogitory £10 compensation, which was extremely insulting. We had to get a plumber is & send the kids to grandparents. This company finally came back with a better £20 offer!!! This didn't get refunded as promised & again I had to make several long long calls. A terrible experience, too long to fit into this box
I ordered my tumble drier on Sunday evening. I received a confirmation email immediately. Then I got a phonecall on Monday morning telling me I would be getting my drier between 7am and 10am on Tuesday (the next day)! Then on Tuesday morning I had a call from the driver saying he would be with me in 15 minutes. Brilliant customer service!
Can't fault product, price, website, ease to order, contact availability or phone personal - all very decent. However I did experience problems with delivery. I purchased the smallest American style fridge freezer I could find so that it could fit through a single door. I measured up and although I knew it would be tight, the tape measure said it would fit with a couple of cm to spare.
On delivery attempt number 1. I was told that the measurements I had for the fridge were wrong and that it would not fit, so I agreed that the delivery men did not have to try it. My husband called the company to query measurements and was informed that what was stated on the website was correct. So redelivery was arranged. This time a different chap came to the door and told me (without opening his tape measure) that there was absolutely no way the fridge would go through the door. After much discussion the chaps finally agreed to try and it took them no more than a minute to get it through the door. They drove off hastily leaving me to run around outside, grabbing all the packaging on a very windy day, whilst my newborn baby was crying in the lounge and my toddler was trying to help in bare feet.
Shame we had issues with delivery as everything else was spot on and we absolutely love the fridge/freezer!
Placed/paid for my candy GOC59OC tumble drier on the 9th APRIL 2013, got the usual,, yr order is being processed E-mail on the 14th APRIL saying due to high demand it'll take a couple of extra days blah blah.......I phoned the help line on the 18th (as they are in my area on Thursday's ) to be informed it isn't even in stock but I'm 3rd on the list & they are expecting stock on the 19th APRIL.......so tomorrow being the 25th the date I was told on the phone to expect delivery, I've just phoned the help line and guess what.........IT'S STILL NOT IN STOCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! & I have to E-mail & wait 30 days for a refund!!!!!!! Time to contact the media I think & spread the warnings about this company!!!!!!
Ordered a washing machine, given a delivery date that was not honoured, we were then lied to as to the reason. Order has now been cancelled.
I wait for the dishwasher 4 weeks and still waiting, unbelieve!! never again!!
Best price I could find online helped in part by their model for delivery which means you're unlikely to get delivery in short order. The level of communication and service are exemplary.
Looking for a washer, and have purchased a LG washer from Ultimate Appliances was very impressed with the service, and they kept me informed with my order. The two young men who delivered it were nice. Only had the washer for nearly a fortnight but I am pleased with it.
Item arrived today - 3 weeks after purchase. Customer services could have kept me updated instead of me chasing. Overall happy as Wife is happy!!
Ordered a cooker online, didn't look at any reviews, ooops! was under the understanding it would probably be delivered in 5-7 days
called company to check all was well with order, spoke to a foreign lady, quite unhelpful, typical receptionist, told me they were not in stock and I had to wait a few weeks,(they had my money!) it said 8 were in stock on the order??? asked for a refund, that was going to take 30 days!!! what do you do???
looked at reviews..... awful, wished we'd never ordered !
Called back politely but firmly annoyed, mentioned the disappointing reviews, I was thinking Watchdog was the next step, may have mentioned that to them!
Asked to speak to Manager but not allowed to or even be told her name, I googled it , every time I called was put on hold for ages! Manager now is NOT Sarah Potter but a new guy called Rob apparently
was getting fed up and ended up speaking to a guy called Gary who was seemed very nice and couldnt do enough to help
All of a sudden my cooker was in stock and delivered the following Monday (yesterday)
two guys, not the chirpy friendly sort but they bought in it and put it in place and it works!
if you order ask to speak to Gary and check progress, I understand they get a build up of orders then get the appliances in and make you wait, I was lucky but I persevered!!!
Remember speak to GARY, nice guy!
Buying my new washing machine was made simple with your easy to use website. Good value compared with over priced competitors, with free delivery and collection thrown in. Hard to beat. Staff on the phones were very polite and helpful. Overall I am very happy with the whole experience. Will recommend to others without hesitation.
Needed a new dishwasher quickly when our old one packed up. Went with these guys due to the great reviews and best price. Checked stock was 'due in' on the day we ordered and possible delivery in our area was anything from the day after. Then it all went quiet.
After a chase email and threat to cancel, was advised it could be another 5 to 10 days. OK to cancel but refund payment could take up to 30 days! I love how these companies can take a payment instantly but the same machinery struggles to cope with a refund - which is of course complete b****cks!
Anyway rather than risk 30 days delay for a refund and after a fair bit of hassling (and ages spent waiting in a Q on the phone) got it delivered today - 12 days after ordering.
On a positive note delivery was exactly when advised it would be and delivery people were very good. Item looks fine.
Basically, although most of the reviews are all good, for us this was a less than perfect experience. If you don't have it in stock don't advertise it as being in stock.
Bit sceptical at first as I had not heard of this company before. When I checked to delivery in my area I was due to go on holiday. I was delighted to get an email saying they were delivering my washing machine a week early. Fab. Job done, they even took away my old washer, no extra charge, and no charge for delivery either.
As I had not dealt with ultimate appliances before so I did ring my order in. spoke to a young lady who was very nice to speak to. received both a email and phone call about delivery.
the delivery was spot on very helpful young men who took my old appliance away unpacked the new one and put situ, then they took away all the wrapping.
A very pleasant experience i will recommend them to people
I ordered a washing machine from this site as it was recommended to me by a friend. I was looking for something with quick delivery as my washing machine had completely broken. I searched online and found a few sites that would deliver within the week. As a friend had recommended this site I placed the order, the site showed a few in stock. 1 week goes by and there has been no contact, I ring ultimate appliances and after waiting 20 mins for someone to Answer they told me the machine was out of stock and they didn't know when the next batch was being delivered. Each week I called and they still knew no more. I must have wasted about 2 hrs on the phone and got no where. finally exactly 4 weeks later the machine was delivered. It's a brilliant machine but I will never be using this site again.
We cannot fault the service we received from Ultimate Applicances
Friendly helpful staff from begining to end
Well done
Would reccommend Ultimate Apppliances to all my friends and f


text:
November 18, 2013
The generosity of area businesses can help achieve our goal
Full story
It's all about making a difference…
November 09, 2013
Course offerings will provide a wide range of options for Albany County residents
November 07, 2013
The Albany County Department of Health offers seasonal influenza vaccine for County residents
October 25, 2013
On November 1, 1683, "An Act to divide this province & dependencys into shires and Countys" was passed by Royal Governor Thomas Dongan and the New York Colonial Assembly. This Act, Chapter 4 of the "Dongan laws" was responsible for creating Albany County, along with 11 other counties, in the Province of New York.
September 27, 2013
Insurance coverage can be purchased through NY State of Health beginning in October 1, 2013 and can be effective starting January 1, 2014.
September 18, 2013
Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy today joined members of his Safe Sleeping Task Force and health care providers to announce the accomplishments of the task force since its launch in March as well as to recognize National Baby Safety Month and to proclaim today Safe Sleep Day in Albany County.
Office of the Albany County Executive
September 11, 2013
As September 11th dawns, Albany County marks the National Day of Service and Remembrance in honor of the brave Americans who perished at the World Trade Center, at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania.
September 10, 2013
Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy will face off against Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple Sr. to create the most delicious and nutritious meal using only non-perishable food items from their emergency preparedness kits.


text: As soon as you mention the death of a groundsman it makes me wonder if it's the usual suspect. He grabs the butt of a pole without gloves and the top goes into live primary. I think that accounts for about 80% of fatalities in linework going by the accidents reported on this forum. It's also no great surprise that another (probably young) life has been taken by Pikes mill.


text:
The Christopher Radko Company: Christopher Radko | Part #: 1015524 | UPC: 645001431455
Whoa! Here's a Santa with an tall armload of presents and PLUS a bag full to overflowing with brightly wrapped gifts. This Christopher Radko Tip Top Claus mouth-blown glass Christmas ornament is a beautiful piece in deep and bright jewel ton colors. It is 6.5 inches of teetering Christmas fun. Created of hand carved, silver lined European glass this ornament is hand painted in Poland. Christopher Radko has been bringing us the very best in Christmas ornaments since 1985. Now, with the expansion of their wonderful Holiday Home collection, you will find even more great items: snowmen, snow globes, Santas galore, centerpieces for table and mantelpiece, even Christmas cookie jars. Choose from among our hundreds of fabulous pieces. |


text:
Copyright © 1998-2013 Statto Organisation Limited. All rights reserved.
Powered by Statto Server v2.0
ANTON RODGERS has an extra incentive to fire Oldham past Mansfield in their replay on Wednesday – a third-round date with his dad.
00:00 » Daily ExpressNational Crime Agency acts after press reports that player said he could rig Championship games in return for cash Police have arrested six people in connection with a second investigation into spot-fixing in English football after a former Premier League defender allegedly told an undercover…
08 Dec » GuardianAll the stats from Oldham (1) vs (1) Mansfield, Boundary Park, 7/12/13 Att: 3,429
07 Dec » Vital FootballLee Johnson is thankful for the universal backing he has got at Oldham as he continues to learn the trade of a football manager.
06 Dec » SkySports.comOldham's woes continue with boss Lee Johnson confirming striker Charlie MacDonald could miss up to six weeks with a thigh injury.
05 Dec » SkySports.comOldham Athletic striker Charlie MacDonald is ruled out for four to six weeks with a torn thigh muscle.
05 Dec » BBC SportMansfield assistant boss Adam Murray is to be recalled from his loan at Worksop and return for Saturday's game at Oldham.
04 Dec » BBC SportManager Lee Johnson has said that he was delighted to see Oldham respond to going behind in the way they did as we fought back to take a point in the game.
02 Dec » Vital FootballTeenage striker Jonson Clarke-Harris has the attributes to become a top striker for Oldham, says manager Lee Johnson.
02 Dec » BBC Sport


text:
Ginger is used in Dominican cooking in desserts and the ever-welcome ginger tea. It is not a traditional part of our savory cuisine. I've set out to change that.
OK, that would be a bit too ambitious. But in the meantime let me share with you the many ways in which we use ginger at home. Not having ginger for us would be as rare as not having oregano or garlic, and in contrast with the Dominican tradition, more often than not we use it in savory dishes.
The first celery root (or celeriac) recipe that we published was found by Aunt Ilana in the high mountains and colder climate of the Central Mountain Range (Cordillera Central), where the temperature allows for this crop. Going to the other extreme, Aunt Ilana brought us the news that "green" ginger was grown in Samana.
What a great way to combine the flavors of our cold(ish) mountains and our beautiful coast!
And to add a bit of my own culinary heritage I added thyme, an obligatory ingredient in soups and stews in the northwest of the Dominican Republic, where I hail from.
The result of all this mixing? A creamy soup, light but filling and with a very refreshing taste provided by the ginger, and the earthy tones of fresh thyme.
Hmm, that sounded too highfaluting. What I meant to say was "it was fantastic, and I ate two bowls". So, there.
Ingredients from our mountains to our coast combine in a delicious, refreshing and filling soup.
This is based on a similar recipe Aunt ilana makes, but I used celeriac (root of celery) instead of squash.
- 2 lb celeriac, peeled and cubed
- 1/2 cup of ginger, peeled and sliced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 large onion, cubed
- 3 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon of dry leaves
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- 6 cups of vegetable stock or 2 vegetable bouillon cubes dissolved in 6 cups of water
- Salt
- Pepper
- Heat the oil in a large pan over low heat.
- Add ginger and cook and stir for a minute.
- Add onion and thyme and cook and stir until onions becomes transparent.
- Add carrot and celeriac, cook over low heat for 5 minutes, stir often to prevent them from burning or sticking to the pan.
- Add vegetable stock, cook over low heat until the vegetables are tender.
- Remove from the heat and let it cool to room temperature.
- Remove the thyme sprigs and blend to desired smoothness (I prefer it not too "creamy").
- Reheat in a deep pot, adding more water if necessary.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.


text:
What the Afghan Plan Really Means
- by Jacob SiegelIf the new security agreement between Washington and Kabul is signed it will mark a major change from a broad counter-insurgency war to a limited counter-terrorist operation.
One way or the other most American troops will leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014 and the war as we know it will end. The question now being decided in fraught negotiations between Washington and Kabul is whether the U.S. can purchase the right to keep a military presence in Afghanistan after the main war effort is over that can protect national interests and launch targeted operations against terrorists. If the Afghan government agrees to the plan currently being discussed what remains after 2014 will be a much smaller more specialized force refocused from fighting the Taliban and maintaining security to hunting hardcore al Qaeda affiliates across the region.
Echoes of Iraq and the failed negotiations to keep a military force in that country have carried over into the debate about Afghanistan and obscured what is really at stake there. Here is what is really at stake: betting that a small footprint rented at extortionist costs from a corrupt and failing state can be used by U.S. special operations forces to fight jihadist networks and project power over neighboring Iran and Pakistan. It will take years or decades to know how the bet pays off but the immediate costs of an agreement will be another decade of low intensity conflict in south Asia for America's military and billions more dollars in aid from American taxpayers.