text:
You are currently browsing the tag archive for the 'past' tag.
You always remember a first. The first kiss. The first "I love you". The first time you get stuck in a window trying to sneak out to meet someone. Ian was my first, not that first, but a lot of others. We met fresh off my high from my encounter in Nashville, and while I felt invincible I felt utterly unworthy.
A friend and I had tickets to Warped Tour, and we planned a weekend adventure around it with a group of other friends. I hadn't planned on boys, but there they were, my friend's boyfriend and his roommate freshly arrived from Los Angeles. Whether it was just because he was the only available male in a sea of females, because it was clear I was to keep his distracted in order to give my friend and her boy some alone time, or because there was genuine chemistry, I was drawn to him immediately. It took me a full day to get up the nerve to look directly into his lapis blue eyes, but as soon as I did I felt the urge to retreat, sure he'd reject me outright.
Unfortunately, that feeling was mutual, and we each spent an entire party pretending it was no big deal being ignored by the other. Finally, possessed by the spirit of panic and desperation in a room full of strangers, I touched him. It was some lame remark about how the lines of this shirt travelled in different directions, but I traced my fingers along the lines on his shoulders, and it worked. His lips were on mine, and I was stunned! We started making out, committing the grievous error of being the first couple to do so at a party, but by the time we came up for air everyone was doing it. At the end of the night, we would be caught with our pants off in the backseat of my friend's boyfriend's Honda Civic.
The night before their return to Los Angeles we were locked safely in my friend's overprotective mom's clutches while the boys slept up the driveway in the guesthouse. My spirit was crushed, and my awakened teen libido sensed it was losing precious time. At 17, I had never had to hide or sneak around anything, but here I was, concocting a plan to get us in to that guesthouse. Unfortunately, even at 17 I was not a slender girl, and while my friend shimmied gracefully through the living room window, I dangled helplessly while she tried not to wake her parents by laughing at the fat girl stuck in their window. I still have bruises of embarrassment on my ego for having to wiggle my way into a bush, but mortification is an excellent motivator.
My true test came that night. We were nestled in the bathroom of the guesthouse after being driven from the living room by what would scar our memories as a swarm of bees. Would he be that first? I could see no reason why not, except for the fact that I couldn't bring myself to tell him he would be. Thinking back, almost anything would have been better than my actual first time, but at that moment I was terrified to tell this boy I had never as much as seen a man naked in real life. As we parted ways the next day I kicked myself for cock blocking myself, fairly sure I'd never speak to him again.
To my surprise, I did, and I got to add a few more firsts to my list. He was the first person I'd voluntarily talk on the phone with after my mother's death, the first person to call me his girlfriend, and the first AOL screen name to ever set off butterflies inside me. He also got to be the first guy my dad ever pursued down our driveway as he tried to sneak out one morning after he'd driven 300 miles just to sleep next to me. I had made him sleep in the living room, because I still hadn't told him I was a virgin. It was that event that caused him to rethink our relationship. To this day he has no idea why I was as skittish as I was around him. I simply had no experience or understanding.
The lessons from my relationship with Ian were numerous. It taught me to go for something I want and to enjoy the moments that are made available to me. It taught me how to silently dislodge myself from a window. It taught me to be ok with an ending, as it was my first real heartbreak. It set a precedent of forming a friendship with exes, but it also taught me to let it go if that's clearly not what's happening. You see, while he was friendly when I made the gesture, there was no friend in him. I wasted a lot of time trying to hold on to a friend I didn't have. The biggest lesson this relationship taught me was to be honest with the people I'm dating. If his reaction to me being so inexperienced had been bad he still would have left me. At least he might have understood my behaviour a little better. I had to learn over the years to be open and honest in relationships. I owe it to my partners and to myself, because if they can't accept me how I am it won't last anyway.
For the first, we will start with the one before the first. It's a story you've read before if you've been following long enough or been brave enough to go back far enough to find it.
He was a road warrior, early 20's, with a street name I refused to call him and a real name I had to sneak out of him like a pickpocket. I was 17, even less socially inept and more self-conscious than I am today, and either brazen or stupid depending on which side of a body bag this particular adventure landed me on. After graduation a friend and I took a trip to Nashville for the biggest Country Music Festival around at the time, and by the end of day one he had already upstaged Kenny Chesney in my mind.
I couldn't tell you now if he was as cute as my memories have made him since then or if my attraction was based on the fact that he looked at me like he adored me and spoke to me like no one ever had. You see, at 17 years old I had not had a guy as much as ask me for my number or a dance as I awkwardly tried to act as if it were no big deal to be ignored. But here I was, on my own in a strange city, and not just one, but a handful of guys were there bending over backwards to make me feel like the Gypsy queen of Nashville. We danced in the streets in the rain. We spent a night in the back of someone's pickup singing American Pie. He introduced me to one of my favourite drinks, SoCo and Diet Coke, and I saw my first insulin pump. We snuck him in to a concert or two, and he helped me gather the nerve to go in to a store that sold souvenirs, fudge, and bullwhips. I smuggled him into my hotel room where he was my first kiss, then I chickened out when he tried to do anything more than kiss me.
The experience in Nashville taught me a few things besides how to be thankful in retrospect that my body was never found floating in the river.
First, it taught me to come out of my shell and believe that I am a fun, interesting, attractive woman. I mean, if I could keep anyone's attention as a gothy, inexperienced, SAT obsessed teenager afraid to show the world anything about herself in fears of being rejected, imagine what I'm capable of now when I let down those same self-defense shields. Had I never had a chance to learn to disarm them before the decimating traumas I experienced in college, I may never have done so. Who would I have become?
Second, it taught me to live in the moment and not in the fear, to take chances and live life instead of just surviving it. I left Nashville knowing I'd never see him again, and it didn't make the experience any less valid or wonderful. It simply was what it was meant to be, and it shook me from that societal training that tells a girl that every man she feels anything for has to be there forever. My only regret from the trip was that I let fear hold me back from experiencing him in all the ways I'd wanted to.
I waited a long time to open up to the world and all it had to offer me. While I occasionally wonder what became of the first man to ever give me a chance and the others who each made me feel worthy in his own way, my experience in Nashville was just what I needed. I have no negative parting to soil the memory of my first kiss. Instead, I have a fantastic story and a bullwhip that came with a pound of fudge.
I found myself speaking with an old friend very early this morning whom I haven't seen on a regular basis since I was 21. At the time, in my mind, I was a struggling college dropout. I didn't know what I was doing with my life, I was working a frantic entry level job at the mall and trying to sell my art on the side, and I constantly wondered where my next meal was coming from. Basically, it was a less adult version of what I'm doing now. I was wildly taken aback when this friend told me that he still talks about me and who I was then, but in his version I'm a girl with a passion doing what I love and making it happen. His words to me?
Experience is what it is, and its powerful. Don't let anyone put it down. You've done the hard work before. Now this stuff is just how you present most of it
I begin to wonder now if that's the key. With the matured focus and extra information and resources I have now, is that the missing piece, and I've had it all along? It seems so simple, yet I've overlooked it because somewhere since then I lost sight of the dream to focus on the "methods" and "plans". Sure there's merit to all that, but none of it means anything if the passion for that work doesn't show when I give myself to the world.
Somewhere towards the end of that line of conversation he gave me this:
Don't throw yourself into what needs to be. Throw yourself into what can be
Suddenly it all made sense. I finished my NaNoWriMo project because it was something I was capable of doing every single day. If I approach these other goals with that same concept and add in the passion I once had for life and creativity I could be unstoppable.
I remember why I kept myself around this friend so much at a time in my life when I was depressed, suicidal, mostly friendless, and ready to give up my dreams for a bucket of bad decisions. Not only was he always there to make me smile and feel like I had some fight left in me, but he reminded me why I fought to begin with. That power makes me who I am. The good, the bad, the frustrating, it's all a part of who I am, and it makes me one hell of a fighter.
I remember very little about her aside from the fact that she was not the sister I had asked Santa for. I was an only child, but not in the "only child syndrome way. I was quiet, self-entertaining, and very protective of my privacy. Still, I had always wanted a sister to share my life with. Then my mom started dating Russ, who just happened to have a daughter my age. I was ecstatic. Finally, I would have a sister! Unfortunately, what I got was Chassey.
In addition to the fact that she came as part of a package with her father, who was loud, rude, verbally abusive, and constantly trying to intimidate me behind my mother's back, Chassey had all the grace of a llama with a bag over its head. She was bratty and had absolutely no respect for me or my things. At seven this bothered me extremely, because I was a very reserved child who took very good care of things I knew we couldn't easily replace.
Every time Chassey spent the night she had to sleep in my bed. I'd lay there all night unable to sleep through her snoring and farting in my bed, that's right, farting in my bed! When she was awake it was worse. Because she wouldn't do her homework on her own I was forced out of my quiet room and my brand new desk to sit with her at the kitchen table while she whined and kicked me under the table. I quickly learned to hide anything important to me because she dumped a whole cup of water all over my coveted Disney Princess watercolor book. That was the final straw. No one messed with my Disney Princesses!
I can't say I was sad when my mom broke up with Russ. I also can't say that I ever wished for a sister again. Instead I learned to love the fact that I could choose my family and surround myself with sisters, brothers, and all kinds of others. It is this change of perspective that has directed me to treat my close friends like family, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
In the past few weeks there have been more suicides in the young LGBT community than I can count on one hand. As a teacher, a mother, a member of the queer community, and a citizen of the country that is doing nothing to protect these young people from harassment, abuse, and humiliation, I find this trend unacceptable on a violently angry level. We're talking the type of anger that makes my pupils twitch and my hands shake. These kids, like many in our community, were treated in ways that would make anyone feel helpless and hopeless, especially at a point in their lives where they are vividly aware of their differences and want nothing more than to be accepted.
All across the country gay adolescents are told they're just confused, that they're broken or sick, and that they should be ashamed of how they feel, think, and love. At best they are ignored by their parents, but often they are punished, chastised, or beaten. They are cast away, kicked out of their homes, and shunned by their families. Their spiritual leaders tell t hem they're damned, their peers ostracize or bully them, and there is generally little to no support or protection from schools or the community.
But what about those of us who could help them? What about those of us who have been in their shoes and could guide them through one of the most trying and confusing points in their lives? We're kept away from them in hopes they'll grow out of it and in fear that we'll encourage them to be themselves. Instead of being seen as a support system or valuable resource, queer adults are considered a detriment in a youth's life. Why is this ok? At what point do we stop telling our children they can be anything they want to be when they grow up and giving them the mentors and environment to nurture whatever that might entail? When do we instead start limiting and judging them? More importantly, why is any of this treatment allowed to happen? Why were these young people pushed to a point at such a young age that they felt it would never get better?
In his September 22 article Dan Savage speaks of how the first of the recently publicized suicides touched him. Like many of us he was heartbroken. Like many of us he has been where these kids were and are today. Like many of us he knows that something needs to be done. It's time the people who can give these young people a little hope stopped being stuck in a closet and spoke out to them.
"Why are we waiting for permission to talk to these kids?", he says. "We have the ability to talk directly to them right now. We don't have to wait for permission to let them know that it gets better. We can reach these kids."
So, Dan and his partner made a video. Then they made a channel on YouTube and encouraged members of the community to make and post their own videos to encourage these kids and share our stories to show that it does get better. To find the instructions and post your own video, you can go to youtube.com/itgetsbetterproject . As soon as I figure out how to use the camcorder function on my new smartphone I'll be posting my own. If I can get over my technophobia and do this, you should all be making videos!
My life as a bisexual teen (and at the time there was only gay or bisexual in my world…no pansexuals, homoflexibles, heteroflexibles or otherwise) was fairly quiet. I kept it that way purposefully. It had its rough moments, but for the most part I've forgotten the trappings. Yes, I was in the San Francisco Bay Area, but that's not always as free-thinking and forward as it sounds. I went to an all girls catholic school, and had several strikes against me already. I had friends who knew I was pagan, but it wasn't until I was extremely close that I admitted to my sexuality.
I knew at a very early age I loved everyone equally, but never expressed any of it. I was told it was a phase, that I just didn't know how to express my feelings towards friends, and that I'd get over it someday. My mother passed before I could try to talk to her about it, and the rest of my family was all about not making waves. My confusion and fear caused me to withdraw completely. I didn't go on dates. I didn't socialize much. I didn't have my first kiss until I was almost eighteen, and that one defining moment started a revolution inside me. I could no longer be quiet.
I can't imagine my life being any different. It took moving to Philadelphia, a place most consider a lot more conservative that Berkeley, CA, to find "my people". I am never ashamed to talk about my husband and my girlfriend. I am never ashamed to be poly, pagan, or pansexual. I wish nothing more for these young people than to know how good life can be when you find where you belong. We owe them that optimism as people who have laid the path.
Today begins LGBT History Month, and what better way to start than with each of our own personal histories. Those who came before us gave us a wonderful foundation, and we have built the beginnings of a wonderful world, but these kids are the ones who will be in charge of finishing the job. We need to invest in them the pride and freedom we know is possible. Our goal isn't just for them to survive, but to live. Like a good bra, we must not just support but uplift.
This is my promise to the queer youth of America…You can always come to me. You can share with me. You can talk to me. You can be safe with me. You have all my love, support, and optimism. You have my arms for hugging and my shoulder for crying. I will help in whatever ways I can, and I will never abandon you. I will never stop trying to show you that it does get better if you can promise me that you'll never give up being you.
Yours, Autumn.
Fourteen years ago I lost my best friend, my mother. I immediately felt guilty for all the things I had not done. I was sure I missed an "I love you" somewhere, sure she was mad at me for not visiting her in the hospital, sure I could have somehow been a better child. I went through all the stages of grief at once. I was angry with her for leaving me, but I was sure at times she wasn't dead and that she'd come back to get me at any minute. I kept a packed bag just in case we had to run. I avoided all memories of her as sick or weak, and instead envisioned her as a secret agent forced to fake her own death. When I wasn't blaming myself I blamed my stepfather, who was on a different drug every week and stealing from her on a regular basis. I tried to bargain with every deity I could think of. I promised to be a better daughter. I wanted to make sure I had done everything I could to make her come back. I was sure that if she were alive my room had been bugged by whatever government entity had taken her from me.
I went through all the stages established by the Kubler-Ross model, and I acknowledged in my logical brain that they were all happening in my psyche. I knew she was dead. I knew she wasn't coming back. I knew it was silly, but I was a child. I was a child who had made most of the decisions for her own mother's funeral because no one else seemed capable. I was a child who had not cried at that funeral, and refused to let anyone see me cry at all, because I didn't want to seem fragile. I didn't want anyone to worry about me.
Some people simply believed I was not allowing myself to grieve, but children process things differently than adults do. I had a lot of adjusting to do. Not only had I lost my mother right before my thirteenth birthday, but I had lost my home, my spiritual guidance, and anything familiar in my life. I moved in with my father and his parents, who did everything they could to make the transition smooth, but it was still a drastic change. To top it all off I hit puberty that summer. I had hit the time in my life when a girl needs her mother the most, and for the first time in my life I didn't have one.
Children not only process things differently, but they develop their own way of coping with and understanding tragedy or loss. I did what I had always done. I made myself busy. I dug myself into school and extracurricular activities. I got a job. I made it impossible to have any alone time in my head. Unfortunately, my thoughts are a force to be reckoned with. Eventually all the feelings and thoughts I was trying to avoid caught up with me. It was the day I found out one of my best friends had killed himself. A week later a friend of mine's mother lost her battle with cancer. A week after that I lost my mind in the midst of a computer malfunction that resulted in writing the same paper five times and having it rejected because I could not get it to print properly.
It is during these times when we develop the skills that will carry us through life in one piece. After a full day of wandering around in a cloud, I cleared my head and began to put the pieces back together. I started writing, something that has gotten me through every time I think I just can't go any further. I also pulled my friends around me, and even though the years have parted us they were my strongest asset at the time. I taught myself to actually deal with loss instead of running from it with fantasies or aversion. I learned to face my emotions head on, to embrace them, and to let them happen.
Sometimes I still have moments of survivor guilt. My mother sacrificed her health and her very being for me. She gave me everything she could, and I can only hope I was worth it. I'm learning to accept that this life was her gift to me. Who I am was her gift to me. Her faith in me and her encouragement to believe in myself are things that will never die. This year I'm having a rougher time than I have in the last several years. There's a lot of stress in my life, and there have been a lot of close calls and personal losses in the past year. I have been planning a wedding, a time generally spent with excitement between a bride and her mother. There have been times when I have simply wanted my mommy. I know it won't defeat me. It might not make me the most pleasant person to be around for a few days, but I know the people who matter most to me won't judge or mock me for it. They know the storm will pass, and the old sunny Autumn will be back soon.
And I will be back….soon.
I was G-chatting with a friend from elementary school today, and he mentioned that he had no idea who any of us was at that age since no one has reached who they are now that young. He's right and he's wrong. In some ways, we are never "who we are". We are constantly evolving, learning, and growing into ourselves. It is true that we start to develop personality traits that we carry throughout our lives, but when? Are we born with some of these thing? Are they learned and encouraged by our environment and the people in our lives? Do they come from experiences and life lessons? The simple answer is yes. All these elements add to who we are in some way, but if some of them didn't exist would we really be any different at our cores? At what age do these things really start to shape who we are?
I like to think of the personality traits we posses as children as words. When toddlers first learn words, that's all they are. They have a meaning, but they stand alone. As we grow older we start to string these words together to make phrases, and eventually sentences. This is much like how we start to build ourselves into the people we will become. We collect bits and pieces of ourselves as we grown, and eventually we can fit them together like a puzzle to make a complete picture. I was the same person I am today when I was in elementary school. I just didn't know how to express it without being told I was wrong or different.
This is where the second half of our conversation comes into play.
In the 80's there were two kinds of children. Normal, healthy children, and broken children. In my schools the only kids anybody bothered to worry about were children of divorced parents. They were considered the highest risk children in our community. It wasn't that abused, neglected, molested, or troubled children didn't exist, because we did. We were simply not acknowledged because no one wanted to admit we existed in our community. Instead we were convinced there was something wrong with us. We were taught we were wrong and bad. We were hushed, and we stayed hushed because we believed it was our fault. We were bad children. We were separated from the other kids and sent to institutions for cases when we really just needed a mentor or a support system.
It is in how we managed to deal with our issues ourselves that we began to become who we are today. Some of us simply stopped growing and have either become co-dependent or misanthropic as adults, not knowing how to cope with real life. Some pulled together and created their own support systems and families, encouraging each other to strive and grow. Me? I got dark, but I never completely let the shadows consume me. I buried myself in school and let a few close friends enter my life.
I was lucky early on in the aspect that for the formative years I had my mother to guide and encourage me. She knew I was different. She knew I knew things kids weren't supposed to know at my age. She also knew that none of this had to be a bad thing. I still had trouble, but she kept me from shutting down completely. Then she died. I was 12 years old. Being a teenage girl trying to figure herself out is hard enough without having just lost the only resource she ever had.
I had no idea who I was when I went into the eighth grade. I was one of a handful of pagans I knew, I was a diabetic, I was bisexual, and I was "that weird girl". I was dark, sarcastic, morbid, and a little too honest with people. I had all of three friends, but I never felt alone.
In high school I saw a few of those children I had grown up with lose their fights with themselves. I still had no idea how to adequately express who I felt I was inside, but I was learning. I was still being told over and over again by adults around me that I needed to "be myself", but none of them really knew what that meant any more than I did. Then I graduated and had the summer that really solidified the woman I was becoming. I had new experiences I would have never dreamed I could have. For once in my life I was calling the shots in my life, and it felt good. It felt right.
When I moved to Philadelphia I met a group of people who would, over the years, become my family. They are my brothers and my sisters, and sometimes my conscience and my foundation. They have gotten me through more hard times than I care to admit, and without them I'm not sure I would have made it through the past nine years. They have never judged me or told me I was broken. Instead, they have seen the potential I have to be who I want to be instead of what the negative experiences in my life had the opportunity to make me. They have seen the person I am when you strip all those things away and look at my core.
When I left Drexel I knew it would change me. I was no longer "the student". I was now a real adult. I needed a job. I need a place to live. I needed to be able to take care of myself. I was also pregnant, which meant I no longer had time to worry about who I was or what I wanted. I needed to be "the responsible adult" and "the single mother" all while dealing with what ultimately constituted date rape, a mental collapse, and the fact that I had just walked away from the only future I had ever known. I was this woman for three months. Then I miscarried, and I was no longer even that. I felt like no one. I felt empty. I felt more than alone. I had no idea who I was.
It was then that I started to become the person I am when I cease to be myself. I went through a few renditions. I went through a slut phase, a tortured artist phase, a lonely wanderer phase. I was a girlfriend, a fiance, a mistress. At many of these turns I was told I was wrong. I was still being told, after all those years, that I was broken and inadequate. Still, in the end of all these things, I was me, and it dawned on me I didn't have to worry anymore about it being wrong. I was who I was, and no thing, no one, and no moment was going to change that. It was then that I started living my life to my standards. I had jobs I loved. I met people I could not live without. I loved indiscriminately.
Not long after that I met Hubby, who not only encouraged me to express every aspect of myself but loved me for it. For years I was convinced I was broken, but the last three with him have shown me that there was never anything wrong with me. My mom had it right all along. She's been gone for fourteen years, but her lessons are still coming thorough loud and clear. I will never again let society tell me who to be, who to love, or who my family can be. I will not let the world tell me I'm stupid, ugly, or unlovable. I will not let them tell me the way I think, act, or express myself is obscene or unacceptable. I will never again feel like an abomination.
Do I still have broken moments? Of course I do. Will I let them run my life? Never again.
So, my question for you, my friends, is this: Who are you when you cease to be you? Think about it.
My sister-in-law just got a new job in New York City and has been going through all the emotions that come with relocating. When you're in college it seems that even if you leave home it isn't a permanent arrangement. Your home, your room, all the things that make you feel comfortable and secure stay pretty much the same. When you leave school for a weekend or a vacation you're going Home. When you move for a job or a spouse it's a big step. For the first time you are leaving Home to make a new place for yourself. It's scary. It's unpredictable. It's a change you can't take back.
I left home just a week after the attacks on September 11, 2001 on one of the first days of normal operation at SFO. I had no idea at the time what to expect. I had been to Philadelphia twice. I was scared, excited, and nervous, but I was ready for the new start I thought I was getting. I was moving 3,000 miles away from home.
At that time they took everything you had packed out of your suitcase, plugged in all the electronics, and opened all your toiletries. Since I had packed most of my worldly belongings in two slightly overweight suitcases, this took more time that anyone leaves themselves at the airport these days. I had also puzzle packed very carefully, and anything returned to the wrong spot in the suitcase would inevitably upset the entire system. I was also not allowed to touch anything, which meant I couldn't help the poor agent staring at my bag like a disassembled jet engine trying to figure out how it went back together. She eventually got it all repacked as best she could and sent me on my way.
I grew more and more anxious as we approached security. This was it. They couldn't go to the gate with me. I was on my own. I wanted to cry, I wanted to scream, I wanted to jump up and down until the feelings inside me abated, but I did none of these things. I hugged my family and prepared to leave them behind, but just before I did my father squeezed me tight and said, "remember, you can always come back". I have seen tears in my father's eyes twice in my life, and that moment was one of them.
My gate was full of eerie silence where I was used to families getting their last moments in with departing loved ones. For the first time since deciding to move so far for college I second guessed myself. What was I doing? In all honesty I knew exactly what I was doing. I was doing what I've done my entire life. I was taking a big jump just to see how it felt. Inside I was terrified and exhilarated and hoping to all that's sacred I didn't fall. For a few moments though, as my jump reached that point where everything pauses for a second and becomes clear, I thought about everything I was leaving behind and everything I was headed towards in Philadelphia. I knew I was making the right decision for me, but it didn't make it any less terrifying.
Landing in Philadelphia brought me new hurdles. The friend I had arranged to pick me up never showed, and I didn't have any idea where to tell the taxi to take me. He followed the line of cars and parents helping their sons and daughters get settled into their dorms, and eventually we found where I was supposed to go to register. I was on my own from there, quite literally, with two fifty-something pound bags, a guitar, and a full framed backpack. I must have looked ridiculous. After much dragging, kicking, and pulling I found my room, which was of course on the top floor of a building with no elevators, and set out to explore.
At some point I found the one friend I had made at orientation, and immediately everything seemed better. I was once again confident that I had made the right choice. While my college experience may not have reached its full potential or been everything I had hoped it would be I have never regretted having it. The friends I met and the bonds I forged that still hold strong today are worth far more than any of the negative memories I have of the six months I was in college. Would I rather have finished or had the opportunity to make better decisions? Of course, but this is my path. There's no turning back now.
This very topic came up discussing our wedding guest list with Hubby's parents. His stepfather doesn't understand why we would invite so many more friends than extended family. How do you explain to someone who has never left home that these people are family. These are the people who have supported me and cared for me. They've laughed and celebrated with me. They've comforted me and given me advice. This is what makes this Home no matter where I go in life. I will always have a family and a home in California. My family will always love me, and I know I always have a place with them. That's where my roots start, but they bloom in Pennsylvania. I will always be a California girl, but this is my home, too.
Thomas Wolfe was right. You can't go home again. The secret is that you never really leave it in the first place.
Many great stories start with, "So, there's this guy" or, "You see there's this girl". A few start with "there's this guy and this girl" but that's a whole different blog article. If I have one piece of advice for my daughters someday it will be the same advice my 90-something year old grandmother gave me when I left for college. "Be safe, but have fun."It seems a lot of emphasis is put on life-long commitment. One has to accept that not every relationship will flourish and last forever. Does that mean we should avoid them altogether and miss what could be a wonderful experience while it lasts? Absolutely not. Some of my most life altering experiences have lasted a week, a night, or a few days, and I have no regrets other than occasionally worrying too much about seeming inexperienced to fully enjoy the moment.
One such story happened the summer I graduated from high school. I tell this story in three parts, and I tell it to honor the coming season. I also tell it because I believe everyone should have a story about "that summer". Mine starts with, "So, there's this guy…"
I was on a trip to Nashville with a friend for a country music festival. We'd planned for months, and a few days after graduation we boarded a plane from SFO towards what we were sure would be the trip of a lifetime. The first day there we eventually split up for some solo exploration, and I turned my mission towards the acquisition of a cowboy hat. You wouldn't think that would take you longer than a quick breath in the Country Music Capital of the world, but you don't know my head. It happens to be freakishly small. I exhausted the salespeople at three different stores before they referred me to a children's rodeo store nearby.
Deflated and defeated I wandered through downtown Nashville until I found a hot dog vendor selling cold soda from a cooler in a parking lot. After a quick lecture about soda and wearing black in the heat and humidity he smiled at me and struck up a conversation. I was dumbfounded. Until that moment no guy had ever voluntarily talked to me. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but at seventeen years old I had never even given a guy my phone number. No dates, no kisses. My own prom date was a friend and never even danced with me. Who was this stranger and why would he be interested in my in a city full of summering cowgirls? We talked until I had to meet my friend and our chaperone for dinner and met that night after he had packed away his cart.
He called himself Fiend, but I heard him once refer to himself as John on a call home. He was 25, had wondered from Virginia to Alaska and back, and had wound up in Nashville just prior to my arrival. There he had met Russ, the guy who ran the valet lot where the cart was parked, and Jason, who gave temporary tattoos to drunk people all night. He was sleeping in the key shed in the parking lot and used what little money he had to enjoy the world around him. He also had a tattoo and the most captivating eyes and smile I had ever seen. What more could teenage me ask for? I knew right away that these guys were the reason I was in Nashville.
That night he showed me the building in which the hot dog cart lived. It was full of random country music paraphernalia, cardboard stand-ups, and neon signs well past their time. Then took me to a bar where I saw the first insulin pump I had ever seen. I don't remember his name, but he was another street kid spending his summer in downtown Nashville. I was driven to my hotel that night in the back of a pick-up truck with a bunch of extremely comfortable people singing "Hotel California". I was hooked. In the next several days I would meet a wonderful group of guys who would not only change my opinion of myself but my view of the world, none of which would I see or hear from after that week but none of whom will I ever forget.
Hardly did I pay for my own meals or drinks, and I saw more of Nashville than I would have crammed in a convention hall with a horde of autograph crazed country music fans. One day Fiend and I went to a hole-in-the-wall jazz club and danced for hours. Another day Jason and I danced in the street newly deserted by the falling rain. Once the rain had cleared we walked, dripping wet, into an Italian restaurant for lunch where they tried to dry us with table napkins. As a group we played pool and enjoyed the summer sun together. One-on-one Fiend and I had a chance to walk the trip between downtown, the stadium where the nightly concerts were held, and my hotel just talking and exploring one another.
My last day in Nashville he accompanied me to my room where we cuddled and watched TV. Then he kissed me, and there it was. My first kiss. We stayed there for a while, and I never went further. He wanted to, but I was scared he'd know I had never even been kissed before that day, so I backed off. Had I been less afraid of my chaperone's return to pack up ship for the next day's departure maybe I would have told him everything and let him make the call. This would be a running theme permeating my entire summer. My inexperience, my resistance to admit I was so out of the loop, and my eagerness to learn. That night I had a second chance, but I let an of-handed remark set off the explosion already brewing inside me. I didn't want to leave, but I couldn't stay. I was out of money, out of time, and he needed to take care of himself. He had an actual place to stay, and I couldn't ask him to turn that down. He had decided to settle in Nashville for a while and was starting the next day as a line cook at Hooters. I wanted to stay, but I couldn't. It was time to say goodbye.
The next morning I made one last pilgrimage downtown for a final hug. I knew I'd never see him again, but I gave him my email address anyway. We hugged and went our separate ways. I got one email from he and Russ that summer, just after my birthday, but never heard from any of them again. In a way, maybe that's the better option. This way he can be immortalized as who he was to me that summer. He will always be my first kiss untainted by heartbreak or a falling out. He will always have a place very close to my heart, not just because he was the first to touch and accept it for what it was but how he changed the way I lived my life from then on. I was no longer afraid of new adventures. I was no longer afraid to live my life instead of constantly questioning how I was living it. That handful of summer is channeled still today. If you're still out there, Fiend, thank you.
When I was young I was a dancer. One of the several forms I studied was Tahitian. I donned a grass skirt, coconut bra, and just in case there was someone who couldn't see me, a tall straw headpiece adorned with feathers and shells. Just the ensemble for young girls with constantly fluctuating body weight, size, and self-confidence. Yes, I still dress like this on a regular basis today.
During one particular performance it was just me and one other girl. I should have seen the train coming when someone nonchalantly told the headlining talent, a Chinese vocalist showcasing her heavenly voice at a small community theatre in Pinole, CA who unfortunately had no pre-knowledge of American idioms, to break a leg. She thought this person was insulting her and spent quite some time crying hysterically in her dressing room.
When my fellow dancer and I took the stage we had only slight recognition of what we were suppose to be doing. As the drums started we watched each other in our peripheral vision for clues to the next move. All was well, albeit slightly awkward, until the only other person with me on the stage lost her skirt. As she grabbed it and ran from the stage in horrified tears I was left alone with no clue what to do next. All knowledge of how to move, let alone dance, fled from my mind as quickly as she had fled from my side, and I found myself stiff as a statue in the middle of the stage, the cassette recorded drums still pounding away eerily to a stage holding nothing but a frozen ten-year old and a politely quiet audience. A second later I, too, ran from the stage, certain my life was over. I would surely be hung and quartered for my offense. In the end my father, who had never seen me Tahitian dance before and felt terrible for the crying pile of a daughter he finally found in a dressing room that felt a mile's run from the doomed stage, took me to get ice cream and assured me no one would ever remember that day. Well, I did.
Fast forward to 2010. Around Imbolc I had expressed an interest in casting the circle for Ostara. Having never done this for an even for my coven, and knowing it to be a pre-requisite for putting in my letter of intent to start my first degree work, I thought it would be perfect for the second anniversary of my first ever Assembly event. Unfortunately, no one ever confirmed my role and, frankly, I forgot I had even offered. In my defense, when I asked later what roles needed to be filled so Hubby and I could volunteer for something no one reminded me of my previous interest. Thanks for the heads up guys!
The night before the ritual I had a dream in which I was thrust into the role of cast and call and had to improvise the entire thing. I should have known then that this would be my role in the actual ritual, but I was sleepy and not quite as observant as I should have been. As I gathered our tools and ritual robes I considered packing my wand, which is unusual for me as I have nowhere to hold it during ritual and would not consider taking it unless I was circle casting. Again I was not quite as aware of the signals as I should have been.
Five minute before we left for Philly I checked my email to see that someone had remembered my past expression of interest and seen to it that it be my role for Ostara. Now, any one who knows me for more than a day knows how much I like time to prepare myself and my words or actions before I do anything important, especially with an audience. I am not the best improviser either, so this was really dragging me out of my comfort zone and putting me on the spot.
The entire drive I obsessed over not being prepared and tried to gather my thoughts and remember my correspondences to the best of my ability. Hubby, bless his heart, tried to quell my nervousness with conversation about his latest project, but it only caused more panic. I could feel my focus unraveling like an improperly tied corset. At any minute I was going to lose the ability to contain any composure I had left.
When we arrived in Philly I did my best to feign confidence even though I was sure I would be kicked out of the club if I failed. Hadn't my high priest said they wouldn't let us cast in a ritual until we had first done it informally for one of them? Obviously I was going against some rule of conduct by just jumping into an unguided casting! I forced myself to quiet the urges to take the easy way out by telling someone how I'd foolishly forgotten my previous offer and that I was shamefully unprepared. I knew I would not get out of such a thing by just asking to be set free.
Like the stubborn one that I am, I refused to quit. I was sure I was shaking severely enough to knock down the joined circle of people like a set of dominoes, but I cast an acceptable circle without incorrectly naming any directions or finding myself speechless or bawling. I didn't run or commit any serious faux pas, and I managed to repeat the performance to open the circle at the end of the ritual.
It is times like my cast and call that force us beyond our comfort zones. Too often we confuse stagnation for mastery, never pushing ourselves to grow or learn. Mistakes are the best teachers in the world, and there is no greater power or confidence than that which comes from achieving something one knows will be difficult. There is no value in doing something one has been doing on the same level for years. This only leads to false confidence and pretension, and I have been guilty of this in the past. Taking this step opened my eyes to a world of places in which I have allowed myself to be complacent. I realize now how unhappy I am with this lack of progress, and I am renewed in my desire to grow and learn as a witch and in other areas of my life. I now feel I am truly ready to step forward and claim the potential I possess. Comfort zones are no longer acceptable, for they no longer serve a purpose in my life.
Go now, do something that terrifies you.


text:
Nature's Miracle Dander Remover & Coat Deodorizer Spray, 16-oz bottle
|List Price:
|You Save:
|$1.35 (27%)
In Stock
Nature's Miracle Dander Remover & Coat Deodorizer Spray, 16-oz bottle
There's just too much puppy love and kitty love to go around for a little thing like allergies to get in the way of! Nature's Miracle Dander Remover & Coat Deodorizer Spray removes allergy-causing dirt and dander from your pet's coat and keeps them smelling fresh between baths. Use it as often as you like on your furry friend's coat.
Key Benefits
- Removes dirt and dander
- Fresh, clean scent
- Reduces allergies
- Suitable for cats and dogs
|Item Number
Directions: Spray onto a cloth or paper towel and wipe onto pet, rubbing back and forth. Alternatively, spray directly onto pet's coat and rub back and forth with cloth or paper towel. Odor Elimination: Eliminate odors by lightly spraying pet's coat, being careful not to get into eyes, nose, mouth, or ears. Let dry. Mixing 50/50 with rinse water allows pet to be odor-free longer. Can also be used as a detangler.
Pet lovers who bought this item also bought...
Nature's Miracle Dander Remover & Coat Deodorizer Spray Customer Reviews
Nature's Miracle Dander Remover & Coat Deodorizer Spray 5 5
Great for dander allergies . I have tried many different items shampoos, sprays,wipes.nothing works like this to keep the dander from bothering my allergies . Love it as much as my Jack Russell's . Thanks Natures Miracle. December 27, 2013
I've used on both cat and dog with success. My black-haired Rottie sheds a lot and has dandruff. I'm also caring for an elderly cat who makes me sneeze much worse than my other cats. They have both benefited a lot from using this spray. It's softened my dog's coat and eases the dander, and has helped the sneeze effect with the cat. It smells clean and fresh and is not heavy. I definitely recommend it. July 17, 2014
SMELLS GOOD SMELLS GOOD BUT WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN A BETTER SPRAY BOTTLE March 19, 2014
This product works great. If you have allergies to dogs spray them down. This works. March 11, 2014
Great product removes dander My cat had dander after using this product twice a week for several weeks it's gone and he's back to gorgeous June 8, 2014
1-5 of 5

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Nickelodeon is looking to bring one of YouTube's largest franchises to the small screen, ordering ReactToThat a series from YouTube stars The Fine Bros.
ReactToThat will follow the same format as The Fine Bros' YouTube franchise, showing kids' reactions to viral internet videos.
Fine Bros' Benny and Rafi Fine are bring the series to Nickelodeon with the assistance of comedian, actor Nick Cannon. The television adaptation, will hail from Ncredible Entertainment, Cannon's production company.
The Fine Bros and Cannon are also currently in the process of writing an adaptation for the Sundance Channel that will be a "pop culture riff off the React format."
The Fine Bros are affiliated with YouTube's multichannel network, Fullscreen. Together the duo runs one of YouTube's largest and most successful networks. Their channel has 8.1 million subscribers and a whopping 1.58 billion video views!
This is not the first time Nickelodeon has adapted a popular YouTube franchise into a series on the network. The children's network teamed with Lucas Cruikshack to produce a series of television movies and a short lived series based off Cruikshack's Fred franchise.
The 13 episode season of ReactToThat is set to premiere sometime later this year.
Will you watch The Fine Bros' ReactToThat on Nickelodeon? What YouTube franchise would you like to see make it's way to the small screen next?
Tags: Nickelodeon The Fine Bros YouTube


text: So i started taking 1 scoop of whey post workout around a year ago (100% gold standard stuff). As i got into last summer i started with 1 scoop of whey each day just for some extra cals, even on days i wasn't working out. From september - dec i switched to nitrean and was just doing 2 scoops post workout and 2 scoops on off days, just to increase protein intake. Also in there i went through a bucket of opticen PWO and didnt see much improvement in gains. Now i'm back to the whey 100% gold standard 2 scoops post workout and 2 scoops on off days. I'm 6', 180 lbs, but im looking to improve my gains since i've really only put on 10 lbs of lean muscle, and im looking to just slowly put on lean muscle rather than bulk and cut. Would it be better if i stuck to 2 scoops of whey PWO, and got a casien protein for off days. What do you guys think? Thank you.


text:
upside down house gif by nankliang
Impossible Bottles by Rafael Varona
Impossible Bottles - new gifs by Rafael Varona
Eleanor Davis [gif] (for the previous post) - in case you wondered.
christmas season gif
(via csabaklement)
(via paplanalatt)
Source: elmesza
nice anim gif from freshly graduated Robert Marshall.
More works here: http://www.behance.net/robertmarshall
As I wrote earlier, I'm not in London this year, so I'm just picking up bits and pieces about graduation shows.
An entire cartoon made of gifs: Thunderpaw / In the Ashes of Fire Mountain
Everything is a Mess by Marcelo Ardón


text:
Get 4 FREE Issues of PEOPLE
You don't have to break the (piggy) bank to find eco-friendly versions of classic toys. We found 12 affordable updates of our favorites! By Danielle Friedland
Updated: Friday Apr 10, 2009 | 06:00 AM EDT
More from PEOPLE
See More News
6 of 13
We know babies love tags (and Taggies) and now they can love organic Taggies! The new Taggies Organic line includes a pony and a puppy, but the 5-in. rattles are our favorite! The bunny, dog and bear are made of 100 percent certified-organic cotton, pure silk and eco-friendly safe dyes.
Copyright © 2014 Time Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.


text:
Some of my earliest public service was serving on the board of the Greenville County Mental Health Center – including as its chairman – in the early 90s. I later served on the S.C. Mental Health Commission.
I have been absent of late, in case anyone happened to notice, and although it was for only a short time, just a few days, it seems as if it has been forever since I sat and penned a column for you, but I did have a good reason.
To the editor:
To the editor:
In 1876, at the U.S. Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, a pretty, leafy vine that had originated in Japan and parts of China was introduced to Americans for the first time.
The voters of the Central and Six Mile areas will go to the polls and choose their representative for the School District of Pickens County board and while the qualifications of any of the four candidates are more than stellar, those qualifications...
The other day I was baking cookies, and I realized I was an egg short. It was raining out, my 2-year-old was napping, and I was dressed in flannel pajama pants and one of my husband's old Star Wars T-shirts. Driving to the grocery store for eggs...
Football players have donned pink socks, referees are signaling penalties with pick whistles, pink ribbons are wrapped around wrists and attached to lapels because October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
I know there may be some side of you who wish I would let the election go, and in time, when the votes are counted and I regain my composure from laughter at the same repeated mistakes at the polls and gird my loins for the next two years' worth...
Thesaurus: A word you hear rarely but when you do, it's in the form of a joke about a dinosaur … or something along those lines.
Last weekend was my husband's and my fifth year wedding anniversary and we had planned to either go to Savannah, or rent a cabin up in the woods somewhere in North Carolina.
One of the keys to quality government is the ability of citizens to see how decisions are made and how tax dollars are spent.
For quite some time South Carolina's Department of Social Services has been under fire, as has Gov. Nikki Haley, due to the many glaring issues associated with the department.
The Easley Progress, The Pickens Sentinel and Powdersville Post presented a column written by staff writer Kasie Strickland on gun control and the resulting reaction was somewhat disturbing. As a result, this editorial is being presented to explain...
Last month, Americans sent 171.3 billion text messages and anywhere from 19 to 28 percent of those texts were sent or read from behind the wheel of a moving vehicle. The average amount of time your eyes are off the road when reading and responding to...
Things have been far too serious in my columns as of late so I thought I would lighten things up a little and hopefully share a laugh with you.
Location, ST | website.com
|Easley Gas Prices provided by GasBuddy.com


text:
With the holiday this week, garbage pickup days will be a little different for some people in the City of Washington.
Funeral arrangements are pending for 52 year old Pamela Smith of Keota. The Powell Funeral Home and Cremation Service is in charge of the arrangements.
No Birthday winner
Anniversary Winners – Melvin and Beva Hershberger
Title: K of C Roast Beef Dinner
Description: The Knights of Columbus will hold a Roast Beef Dinner at St Mary's Church in Riverside on Saturday, January 12th from 6 to 7:30pm. Carryout will be available. Proceeds benefit youth activities.
Date: 2013-01-12
Title: Christmas Eve Service
Description: Kalona United Christian and Baptist Church is holding a Christmas Eve Service at 7:00 pm. The Christmas Story with Scripture, Carols and Communion are planned.
Date: 2012-12-24
Title: Candlelight Christmas Eve Service
Description: Wayland Mennonite Church is holding a Candlelight Christmas Eve Service. This year, the service will begin at 11:30pm instead of 11:00pm.
Date: 2012-12-24
Initial appointments have been made to the proposed Housing Improvement Task Force. During Wednesday's Washington City Council meeting, Mayor Sandra Johnson shared the list of 8 people she would like on the task force. It was mentioned at the meeting that suggestions are still being taken from council members. Additional appointments will be shared at their next meeting in early January.
Mayoral Appointments
Craig Davis
Richard Gilmore
Tom Wide
Trent Whisler
Connie Larson
Sandra Johnson
Ed Lins
Kathy Henry


text: Forwarded, as an FYI to the heraldic community :) Andrewe Bordure ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Joseph Percer <jpercer at gmail.com> Date: Fri, May 6, 2011 at 1:02 PM Subject: Heraldic Submissions in Ansteorra To: "Kingdom of Ansteorra - SCA, Inc." <ansteorra at lists.ansteorra.org> Greetings Ansteorra, A fair number of our populace has name, device, or badge submissions in our pipeline at any given time. With the internet playing as bold a role in this process as it does today, we can now involve the submitter more than ever in the process. This has led to a marked decrease in items being returned by the kingdom, as we are able to communicate with submitters during commentary. Given that, if you have a heraldic submission, I encourage you to follow it's progress with two tools available to you. The first tool is the Ansteorran Heraldic Submissions Tracker (HST), which can be found on the web at http://heraldry.ansteorra.org/hst/ . This tool will allow you to look up any submission made through Ansteorra since 1993. The second, and newer tool available is the Ansteorran Commentary Exchange (ACE), which can be found on the web at http://ace.heraldry.ansteorra.org/ . When you submit your name/device/badge it must go through a period of internal commentary where the heralds of the kingdom will consider your submission and whether there are any errors in the documentation, flaws in the artwork, or any conflicts with previously registered items. This step must be completed before we can send your name on to Laurel for final consideration. I call your attention to this, because we often find that an item is not drawn in an identifiable fashion, or that there is a conflict which was missed during consultation. With names, we might have a problem with a certain spelling not being documented, or we find better,more period documentation and would like to present it to you. When the submitter is watching the commentary, we are often able to solve some of these simple problems without a return of the item, thus saving the extra time it would take to resubmit. While this is never a guarantee that returns will be prevented or avoided, it has resulted in a decrease of the amount of returns we make in kingdom allowing us to send your submissions on to Laurel for that final consideration. The catch is that I cannot contact every submitter every time there is a problem with a submission, there are simply too many submissions to do this. Where you, the submitter, come in is in being proactive. Please read the commentary on your items. If you notice that there are problems being cited, feel free to contact your consulting herald, your branch herald, your regional herald, or the Bordure Herald. Both your regional and the Bordure Herald have their contact information published in the Black Star. I would like to point out that we ask that you do not take offense to anything cited in commentary. The heralds commenting are in no way attacking submitters or their submissions, but do sometimes use strong imagery or humor to get their points across. Most are very helpful and will often offer suggestions on how problems can be fixed if you contact them. In short, if you've got a heraldic submission in process, please take the time to follow it, and we'll do our best to keep it on a straight and true path to registration! To recap, those links are: (ACE) http://ace.heraldry.ansteorra.org/ (HST) http://heraldry.ansteorra.org/hst For a brief overview of the submissions process, check out: http://heraldry.ansteorra.org/docs/whathappens.php Yours in Service, Andrewe Bawldwyn Bordure Herald -- Joseph M. Percer, AAS, LP -- Joseph M. Percer, AAS, LP


text:
You must earn 10,000 points to post other members' whiteboard
Happy Birthday Gas Buddy! :) Ann
Hey Good Buddy, Have a safe Holiday season, Merry Christmas and Happy New year. keep up the good work. It good to have long time friends
Hi. Your comment was so sweet on my photo. Thank you so much. :) Ann
Nice to meet you.
Thanks for the Buddy request!
Thanks bthor for the buddy add. Just curios as to what your truck is for...thought it was welding rig but now not sure. have great weekend!!
Congratulations on reaching 10,000 points and being able to message. Not sure you got my email from a few days ago. Btw, why does everyone say that something "popped out" in my photo?? Nothing popped out. Maybe my knee looks like something you think popped out. This means you too ItisAJeepThing! LOL. Have a GREAT day! :) Ann
Little by little, you are becoming a full fledged GasBuddy. Just keep posting, opening news items and posting comments or in the forums. Earning 975 points per day will rack them up quickly and doesn't take much time. Isn't Ann a cutie? I noticed that you noticed her popout in the new picture. Maybe that is why the Beach Boys were always "California Dreamin". Hope that it is a great week there in Norlans, Warren {:-)
Thanks for becoming my newest buddy. Hope that you have a great spring week coming up. Your new buddy, Warren :o)
Hi bthor76, I'm a buddy of "annettemendieta" and noticed your avatar picture at her site today. You are spilling expensive gasoline, or do you have a secret source? Want to become buddies??? Warren :-)


text:
Join Website or existing users Login
Welcome to the Swansea Magpies ARFC website! Here you will find all the info you need about the Magpies.
- Earn 5% commission for your club
Club news, fixtures and results, match reports and team selection now available through the Pitchero iPhone app. View News Item »
Internal game to try out the sport and practice what you've learned in training. View News Item »
Training times for this season: Tue & Thu, 5pm, Swansea Uni Rugby Pitch. View News Item »
Magpies Head Coach selected for Great Britain Bulldogs squad that heads to the International Cup in Australia. View News Item »
The full fixture list for the 2011 season has been released by WARFL. View News Item »
The end of the pre-season is finally over for Australia's elite. View News Item »
Europe faces the ultimate test against the Australian Institute of Sport/AFL Academy team. View News Item »


text: New Zealand cricketing royalty A few families have contributed their fair share to cricket in New Zealand. The Hadlee family Hadlee - it is a name synonymous with New Zealand cricket. The Hadlee family has had more members play cricket for New Zealand than any other. The late Walter Hadlee, and his three sons Barry, Dale and Richard have all played for New Zealand at an international level. Walter Hadlee played for the national team from 1937 - 1949, captaining the team on the legendary tour to England in 1949. Following his retirement from first class cricket in 1952, he went on to become a selector, team manager and eventually President of New Zealand Cricket. Eldest brother Barry and middle son Dale Hadlee also represented New Zealand at an international level. Dale moved into coaching and is now the national side's bowling coach. Youngest sibling Sir Richard Hadlee is celebrated as the finest cricketer New Zealand has ever produced, and is regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. A deceptively fast bowler, Hadlee struck fear into opposition batsman around the world. It is no coincidence his tenure in the side coincided with the most successful era New Zealand cricket has ever had. For a long time Sir Richard Hadlee held the world record for most test wickets with 431. Later in his career his batting flourished and he became known as a genuine world class all-rounder. After retiring in 1990, Richard Hadlee was knighted for services to cricket. After a period commentating, Sir Richard moved into a position as selector of the national side. He is currently chairman of the New Zealand board of selectors. The Crowe Family Brothers Jeff and Martin Crowe have the distinct honour of being the only brothers to captain New Zealand at an international level. Strangely younger brother Martin joined the national side in the season of 1980-81, a year before elder brother Jeff. The brothers looked very similar, and used to delight in swapping helmets to confuse commentators. Jeff showed promise, but it was Martin who was the genuine world class batsman. Retiring with a World Cup average of 55, Martin Crowe's most memorable innings would be his unbeaten century which lead New Zealand to victory over Australia in the opening match of the 1992 Cricket World Cup. Among his achievements was a jointly held record for world's longest test partnership of 471 which he held with Andrew Jones. Crowe ended up being caught out for 299, painstakingly close to being the first New Zealander to score a triple century at international level. Older brother Jeff went on to manage the Black Caps, and is now an International Cricket Council match referee. The Crowes are cousins of Hollywood A-lister Russell Crowe, and are often seen in his box watching his rugby league team, the South Sydney Rabbitohs. The Cairns family New Zealand's cricket history would be much more ordinary without the Cairns family. Both Lance and Chris Cairns were swashbuckling players who achieved cult hero status amongst cricketing crowds. In the 1983 World Series final against Australia, New Zealand was losing badly. Enter Lance Cairns. Wielding a heavy bat known as the "excalibur", the hefty Cairns smashed the Aussie bowlers all around the MCG, hitting a record six sixes (including one using one hand) in just 10 balls. New Zealand didn't win the match but Cairn's batting was immortalized as one of New Zealand's favorite sporting moments. Under a decade later son Chris made the team at just 19. He went on to become one of the greatest all-rounders New Zealand has ever produced, delighting crowds with his belligerent hitting and fast bowling. Cairns junior went on to set a new record for the highest number of sixes in test matches - hitting 87 in just 62 matches. In the mid '90s Chris and Lance went into the confectionery business with Cairns fudge. In 2007 the Chris Cairns foundation was launched with the aim of increasing rail safety awareness. Chris' sister Louise tragically died after a truck slammed into the train she was travelling in in 1993.


text:
Where to stay around New Orleans
Houmas House Plantation & Gardens6 Reviews
Darrow, LA | 225-424-1344
Sara and Russell's review: Miss Cecily and Miss Caity were so amazing and helpful. They truly went out of their way to help make our special day... (more)
Check Rates Contact Us
You've chosen the maximum (5) items in this category. Compare your items or remove and replace with another.Compare Now
0 Vendors Selected. Select up to 5 vendors to compare in one of the following categories: Venues, Bands, Catering, Photography or Videographers.COMPARE
Nottoway Plantation4 Reviews
"Last minute availability for weddings in October & November! Contact our wedding department today!"
White Castle, LA | 225-545-2730
Haley's review: Nottoway is perfect if you are looking for a charm, Southern hospitality and a romantic and laid-back setting. Misty... (more)
Courtyard on the Ridge20 Reviews
Why Be One In a Million When You Can Be One Of A Kind... at the Courtyard on the Ridge
New Orleans, LA | 504-737-6660
A New Orleans French Quarter themed facility that provides the finest cuisine made from scratch. All of our Hors d' oeuvres are hand made no...(more)
InterContinental New Orleans
New Orleans, LA | 504-585-4346
Shaw Center for the Arts6 Reviews
Baton Rouge, LA | 225-389-7171
From modern simplicity to exquisite elegance, the River Terrace at Shaw Center for the Arts provides a space that can be tailored to your creative...(more)
The Gatehouse39 Reviews
Baton Rouge, LA | 225-752-2803
Who would think that amid the bustle of Baton Rouge you would find an oasis of tranquility conveniently located off of S Harrell's Ferry Rd and...(more)
The Jaxson1 Review
New Orleans, LA | 504-586-1309
An exclusive wedding and corporate party venue is landing on the New Orleans river front, just across from Jackson Square, in the historic French...(more)
Louisiana Castle10 Reviews
"Where dreams do come true"
Louisiana Castle, a replica of an English Norman Keep Castle, is a romantic venue for wedding ceremonies, receptions or any special event. Whether...(more)
Forrest Grove Plantation14 Reviews
We're Making Every Moment Count
Denham Springs, LA | 225-665-4080
Forrest Grove Plantation is a premier full-service catering firm and are renowned for food and drink, service of substance, detail, design and...(more)
Pat O'Briens7 Reviews
New Orleans, LA | 504-561-1200
Casey's review: The staff was wonderful and accommodating. We worked with Libby and she made sure our event was everything we... (more)
Sheraton New Orleans Hotel2 Reviews
Views of the French Quarter and Mississippi River
New Orleans, LA | 504-525-2500
This is a city that loves a party, and the Sheraton New Orleans does it right. With a range of elegant ballrooms, a talented culinary team, a...(more)
Check Rates Contact Us
Expires: Dec 31, 2014
Earn Starpoints® when your wedding guests stay with us. Your guests can earn standard Starpoints reward on eligible nights, while you earn 5,000 Starpoints for every 10 rooms consumed. Contact a Wedding Specialist at (504) 525-2500 for complete details.
Elegant Memories10 Reviews
Let us make your special event an Elegant Memory!
Central, LA | 225-615-8092
Do you desire an Elegant Facility with Delicous Catering, Gorgeous Decor, Scrumptious Cake selections & Exceptional Hospitality for your Baton...(more)
Presidential Palace19 Reviews
Where your ever after begins!
Kenner, LA | 504-467-3500
The Presidential Palace, leading provider of all-inclusive wedding receptions in the greater New Orleans area would love to host your wedding...(more)
Sheraton Metairie
Metairie, LA | 504-837-6707
Thank you for your interest in the Sheraton Metairie – what an exciting time you have ahead of you! Remember that we are conveniently located just...(more)
Maison Dupuy Hotel5 Reviews
New Orleans, LA | 504-586-8000
Set in the heart of the historic French Quarter, this exquisite New Orleans hotel offers charm and magnificence like no other venue. Let our...(more)
Hyatt French Quarter
New Orleans, LA | 504-565-4566
The Hyatt French Quarter offers a garden courtyard for your reception & ceremony along with beautiful indoor space featuring a private Canal Street...(more)
The Riverview Room25 Reviews
New Orleans, LA
The Riverview Room occupies the entire fourth level of the Jackson Brewery Millhouse in the heart of the French Quarter. It's open spaces and...(more)
Renaissance New Orleans Arts Hotel
New Orleans, LA | 504-613-2344
An exceptional New Orleans boutique hotel with artistic flair, Renaissance New Orleans Arts Hotel is located in a historic warehouse, circa 1910. ...(more)
Magnolia Plantation13 Reviews
"an Affair to Remember!"
Harahan, LA | 504-733-5020
for "an Affair to Remember" Magnolia Plantation has been the preferred choice of Brides and their families for decades. Our beautifully...(more)
Fleur De Lis Event Center30 Reviews
Bringing the evening New Orleans experience inside!
Mandeville, LA | 985-626-9118
The Fleur de Lis Event Center, with influences of New Orleans architecture and culture, was formally opened in 2009. The Interior portrays...(more)
Renaissance New Orleans Pere Marquette Hotel
New Orleans, LA | 504-525-1111
A historic hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana originally built in 1925, the Renaissance Pere Marquette is one of the most luxurious hotels in the New...(more)
Hotel New Orleans Downtown1 Review
New Orleans, LA | 504-207-5173
From the perfect proposal to the dreamiest honeymoon, W Hotels always provides a brilliant backdrop for a wedding or commitment ceremony that...(more)
Galvez Restaurant9 Reviews
French Quarter Along the River Front
New Orleans, LA | 504-595-3400
Moonlight along the Mississippi River... is this your idea of romance? Then Galvez Restaurant is the perfect venue for you. Located in the historic...(more)
Check Rates Contact Us
For our special Wedding Wire Brides, please mention our Wedding Wire ad and receive a complimentary LCD lights package addition to your event decor!
JW Marriott New Orleans21 Reviews
New Orleans, LA | 504-527-6752
Depart from ordinary French Quarter hotels and discover the epitome of district class and old-world charm at the JW Marriott New Orleans, a premier...(more)


text: "Not only did I get to keep the surfboard, I turned to [Zachary] Quinto and said 'come on mate you aren't going to need that in New York, hand it over'. And he did and so I brought two of them back. What an amazing gift. I love surfing. It's something that I am going to use. I'm just not quite sure about how I feel about the big Star Trek Into Darkness walking advertisement as I'm heading into the water. I can see a couple of guys going 'aw yeah, he's Hollywood'. That's actually my nickname. Some of the surfers refer to me as Hollywood. Like 'there goes Hollywood…'." [x]


text:
Book Description:In recent years, mathematics has become valuable in many areas, including economics and management science as well as the physical sciences, engineering and computer science. Therefore, this book provides the fundamental concepts and techniques of real analysis for readers in all of these areas. It helps one develop the ability to think deductively, analyze mathematical situations and extend ideas to a new context. Like the first two editions, this edition maintains the same spirit and user-friendly approach with some streamlined arguments, a few new examples, rearranged topics, and a new chapter on the Generalized Riemann Integral.
Buyback (Sell directly to one of these merchants and get cash immediately)
One fine body…
Content Copyright © 1999-2014 Terms and Conditions of Use, Security and Privacy Policy | Resources: 1 2 3 | Site Map


text:
On a night that started with the Celtics making their first 12 out of 13 shots, yet only lead by 2, the C's stuck it out in the second half on defense to come out with a 116-103 victory. When the game started, it appeared as though the final score would be around 140-130 or such. The defense picked up continuously as the game continued, and the Celtics really picked it up in the third quarter.
The C's were down at the half by 1, but outscored the Raptors 33-17 in the 3rd. This was led by their ability to play help defense, something that has been missing in the previous few weeks. We have seen it in spurts, but the Celtics put it together for an entire quarter of play. The whole team pitched in on the effort in the 3rd on the scoring effort. Pierce got to the rim, Sheed his his threes, Rondo was doing his job, and even Perkins was working down in the paint.
Although the Celtics were outscored by 2 in the fourth (31-29) a large part of this was due to the starters sitting on the bench getting rest before the upcoming road games. Unlike we have grown to expect, the Celtics grabbed a big lead, and never let it slip. Once they began looking dominant, but were only up by 6, they continued the charge until we were up by 15.
As a whole, the performance tonight was impressive. Ray Allen regained his stroke and finished the game with 20 points and 3-4 shooting from behind the arc. Sheed as well had a great performance as he as well found it from 3 point territory, but mixed it up with some work in the post. KG played well, Rondo, Perk, Eddie, you name it. I, as well as every Celtics fan, should feel very confident with the team going into their 4 straight road games. The team proved tonight, that they have regained some of their long lost swagger. I am glad to see it back. It makes watching games much less painful.


text:
(via samthemantran)
My surgery is tomorrow at 0600AM.
See you when I wake up.
P.s. because my .gifs is too large, click here and here for original pictures~
(via kemichong)
(via masqueradedance-r)
(via ohsopictures)
Paint me Ignorant…
Blanket me with Bliss.
Paint me Ignorant…
Blanket me with Bliss.
I apologize for the depressing title. I blame family stuff…thank god, I have crappy art as an outlet =v=b I'm also sorry if the "veil" is too bright! My scanner eats colors and I tried to compensate with some digital manipulation but I'm a total noob at it. Also, let's just pretend the pattern in the dress are the "folds" (the colors were too dark and just blocked out all the real folds I had painstakenly drawn in OTL).
I've had this idea for a while now… I really wish I could do it too; for most of the time to just have a "rose-colored glasses" happy veil to just completely swallow me and my gloom and problems.
Last note, I really love water color as a medium. Hopefully more truely happy art to come soon :)
Neil Armstrong: A giant among men. (x)
Neil Armstrong: A giant among men. (x)
(via hvfflepvff)


text:
Provided information:
The Winton Woods Warriors will be a senior dominated team this year with little varsity experience but tons of athleticism.
Varsity players returning are Ronnie Rousseau, Tre'von Teague, Martin Jones, Devon Goodson and Stefaun Briggins. Rousseau has proven to be a true scoring threat and will draw the attention of opponents.
The defense will be the signature of the team's success with the depth and athletes that will be in rotation.
"Chemistry plays a big part in how we move through this challenging schedule, but the players willingness to except their roles will be key in our development," coach Donnie Gillespie said.
Transfer George Brown will give the team an inside presence. The Warriors begin their season Friday in the Walnut Hills Classic at 6 p.m. Friday against Hughes.
The Winton Woods Lady Warriors look to improve upon last year's record.
Seniors Imani Partlow (Xavier signee), and Tyra James (Kent State signee) will help anchor the team.
Senior Vanitra Primus and senior Mekai White will provide senior leadership and hope to balance the Warriors attack.
Juniors Lauren Harvey, Jakia Evans and Eyonni Thompkins have shown steady improvement to carry on the the winning tradition at Winton Woods. The Lady Warriors were district runners-up last season.
Posted in: Uncategorized


text:
Narrow results:
- Central and South Asia (1)
- East Asia (1)
- Europe (1)
- Middle East and North Africa (1)
- Science (2)
- Religion (1)
- History & geography (1)
Additional Subjects
- Arabic manuscripts (2)
- Astronomy, Arab (1)
- Bible (1)
- Bible. New Testament (1)
- Calendars (1)
- Codex (1)
- Diaries (1)
- Euclid (1)
- Foreign relations (1)
- Japanese literature (1)
- Lectionaries (1)
- Liturgies (1)
- Mansai, 1378-1435 (1)
- Monastic and religious life (1)
- Orthodox Eastern Church (1)
- Politics and government (1)
- Priests (1)
- Quadrants (Astronomical instruments) (1)
- Samarqandī, Muḥammad ibn Ashraf, 13th century (1)
- Arabic (2)
- Church Slavic (1)
- Japanese (1)
Kyiv Gospel
The Kyiv Gospel was created in 1411 by a monk called Makarii in the Pustynno-Mykolaivskyi Monastery in Kiev, by order of the monk Ionah Bolakyrev, as recorded in one of the historic inscriptions on the work. This copy is one of the few 15th-century manuscripts from Kiev that specifies where it was made. The Gospel is known as a paleographic specimen of the "younger" semi-uncial script in Ukraine. Two headpieces of simple composition, headings, and initials are executed in dark-brown ink and vermilion. The manuscript was restored and bound in ...
The Diary of Mansai
Mansai (1378−1435) was an abbot of the Daigo-ji Temple in the early Muromachi period (14th−15th centuries). Born into an aristocratic family, Mansai was adopted by Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu and ordained into the priesthood. He served three shoguns, not only as a priest but also as a political adviser and close associate. Mansai witnessed many important events in politics, foreign relations, literature, and society and was privy to the top secrets of the nation. Mansai jugō nikki (The diary of Mansai) is thus an important historical source. The National ...
The Removal of the Veil in the Description of the Quadrants
This manuscript in 12 folios is a mid-18th-century copy of Kašf al-Qinā' fī rasm al-arbā' (The removal of the veil in the description of the quadrants), a treatise devoted to the description of the astronomical instrument known as the quadrant. The treatise originally was compiled by Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad Ibn al-Aṭṭar in the first half of the 15th century on the basis of the teachings of his predecessors, al-Mājidī and Nūr al-Dīn al-Naqāš. The treatise is a precious source for understanding the degree of refinement reached by astronomical instrument making ...
Commentary on the Forms of Foundation
This work is a commentary on Ashkāl al-ta'sīs (Forms of foundation), a geometrical tract by Shams al-Dīn Muḥammad b. Ashraf al-Ḥusaynī al-Samarqandī. The author of the commentary, Qāḍīzāda al-Rūmī (Ṣalāh al-Din Mūsā ibn Muḥammad, 1364–1436) was one of the principal astronomers at the celebrated Samarkand observatory. He was a native of Bursa, where his father Maḥmūd served as a prominent judge (hence the appellation Qāḍīzāda, which means "born to a judge" in Persian). The commentary was completed in 1412 (814 AH) and, judging from the many surviving copies ...


text:
The Kentucky baseball team will open its 2014 home schedule with a pair of midweek games this week, starting with Wright State on Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET and Dayton on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. ET at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
Click here for the original story.
Welcome to SECTalk.com
|Welcome to SECTalk.com -- The Home of 6 Straight National Titles!
You are currently accessing our site as a guest which means you can't access all of our features such as social groups, sports betting, and many more. By joining our free community you will have access to all of these great features as well as to participating in our forums, contacting other members, and much more. Registration only takes a minute and SECTalk.com is absolutely free, so please join today!
If you have any problems registering or signing in, please contact us.
Latest Topics
Latest News
Top Bettors
Top High Fived
No. 25 Baseball Opens Home Schedule
Started by UKat, Feb 24 2014 04:05 PM
Posted 24 February 2014 - 04:05 PM
Posted 24 February 2014 - 04:19 PM
Nice shiny new ranking and AJ is SEC POTW. Nice start.
Similar Topics
|Started By
|Last Post Info
Vol Baseball Hosts Halloween Extravaganza
Started by SECTalk.com, Yesterday, 01:05 PM In: The East → Tennessee Sports → Tennessee News
- 0 replies
- 34 views
Baseball Notebook: Weekly Scrimmages, Cody Honored, Reed Tailgate Saturday
Started by UKat, Yesterday, 10:09 AM In: The East → Kentucky Sports → Kentucky News
- 0 replies
- 49 views
Alabama Baseball to Finish Fall Season with Crimson and Gray World Series
Started by Tider27, Yesterday, 09:55 AM In: The West → Alabama Sports → Alabama News
- 0 replies
- 30 views
Weekly Fall Practice Schedule (10/20-26)
Started by SECTalk.com, 20 Oct 2014 In: The East → Tennessee Sports → Tennessee News
- 0 replies
- 30 views
GameDay: Football Returns Home to Face Kentucky
Started by SECTalk.com, 17 Oct 2014 In: The West → LSU Sports → LSU News
- 0 replies
- 56 views
0 user(s) are reading this topic
0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users


text:
By Kim R. Manchester, Contributing author for Compliance Complete
NEW YORK, July 2 (Thomson Reuters Accelus) - Global correspondent banks have faced numerous challenges since the onset of the financial crisis in 2008, including heavy scrutiny by regulators on money-laundering and terrorism-financing defenses, shrinking transaction volumes, slashed profit margins and risk parameters that defy rational measurement. A Financial Times report on how global correspondent banks are clawing back the reach of their correspondent banking network operations and trimming respondent banks from their client lists comes as no surprise to the casual observer of international banking.
For the financial intelligence community, this retraction by global correspondent banks will blur their insight into international money laundering and terrorism financing networks and hamper efforts to disrupt organised crime and terrorist groups. For financial institutions, the retraction of networks will create new challenges in financial crime risk management, with painful and expensive consequences if compliance programs are not tailored to meet money laundering and terrorist financing threats within correspondent banking. (more…)


text:
MegaFroDayTuesday Jul 7 @ 07:40pm
Rapunzel, Rapunzel…Saturday Dec 12 @ 09:21pm
Wednes·day. noun \ˈwenz dā, -dē; British also ˈwe-dənz-. : the day of the week between Tuesday and Thursday. The fourth day of the week. #VocabularyParade #MyWordIsWednesday #WednesdayAddams #HappyHalloween 🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃Thursday Oct 10 @ 09:21am
Morning beautiful people 😊 #slightobsessionwithblackandwhiteWednesday Sep 9 @ 11:15pm
Lord, give me strength not slap this receptionist and alter my pinned scarf… 😑Wednesday Jul 7 @ 12:55pm
#ClicheBathroomPicFriday Jun 6 @ 12:33pm
Look who not only made it to Friday, but also through her first year of teaching!!! #LastDayOfSchool #PGCPS ☺☺✏🎨✏ Also, I thought I'd share this new lip cream! It's SMLC06 Instanbul by NYX. It's goes on really smooth and leaves a nice, soft matte. Plus! its only $5! #NYX #LipCreamFriday Jun 6 @ 10:30am
and the weather so breezy, man why can't life always be this easy?Sunday Mar 3 @ 07:36pm
Wednesday Mar 3 @ 09:52pm
Athletes vs. Educators in America
Finally wore my shades today. s/o to @ceebeatfaceMonday Mar 3 @ 04:31pm
Mornin! Happy Thursday people.Thursday Feb 2 @ 12:40pm
Morning IG'ers, I thought I'd share this. So, no. I do not receive CurlBox 'yet', but I am fortunate enough to see what they send out, what people think of the products and their photographed results. Gotta love Instagram! Anyway, I saw that a lot of people likes this Monty's products so I decided to try them. I bought the new Pantene Pro V Truly Natural collection. I spend no more than $4 on each product and my total was about $15! I then wet home and washed my hair, the shampoo was 'okay'. I did however fall in love with the conditioner. It's a little bit thicker than Pantene's natural and relaxed collection. After airdrying, I did a flatwist-out using Pantene Pro V Truly Natural Softening Curl Custard. And here are my results. It's really fluffy and I have a lot volume. The only disadvantage is that i wosh my hair kept more moisture 😔. But overall, I like the products. 7.5/10 #NaturalHairTuesday Feb 2 @ 06:26pm


text:
There are many great yoga poses, yoga sets, meditations etc that helps to strengthen your aura and today I want to share one of these yoga poses.
This yoga pose is good to do if you feel affected by other peoples negative energy, and also if you sit in front of the computer alot. It is believed that screens affect your aura in a negative way, so taking a break every now ...
Continue reading>>
In the yogic tradition being sensitive and overwhelmed by people or environment around you is connected to the aura. The aura is the electromagnetic field that all living has around its physical body. It can expand around your body all from 25 cm or more up to 2,5 m (1 inch to 8 ft) or even more.
Continue reading>>
This is a breathing meditation that helps you to relax, calm down and also give you energy. It´s an exercise to do if you are stressed or anxious. It´s also good if you are depressed.
It´s a great exercise to do if you find it difficult...
Continue reading>>
I´m standing in front of an audience. I´ve been asked to give a lecture about nutrition. I´m so nervous. This is the first time I´m giving a lecture about it. I´m so passionate about the subject and love helping people, but I was not prepared for this huge anxiety. I´m so hot, sweaty and shaky. I try to take a deep breath, the chest is tight. It´s time to start. I see the people in front of me, looking at me, waiting for me to begin.
Continue reading>>
I´ve had problems with headaches most of my life. I started having bad migraine at the age of 18, and since then I´ve suffered from different kind of headaches. For many years I´ve tried to figure out why I have them.
Continue Reading>>
Are you breathing the Long Deep Breathing technique? This is so helpful for your health and helps you to be calm and also to make your mind clear and centered. What I hear a lot from some of my yoga students, especially in the beginning, is that they find it difficult to come into the flow of the long deep breath.
Continue Reading>>
I hear all the time the struggles you have on a daily basis. With endometriosis, PCOS and other pelvic pain. Not only are you struggling with this, you also try to have a normal life with jobs, family, children and friends. Some of you have long working hours, hard jobs, giving all you can to your job and family. What is then left for you, I sometimes think.
Continue reading>>
Sometimes we can be very stressed. Me too. Things can be to overwhelming around you and you can feel that you are simply not enough. And when we are in this stress, the body activates the sympathetic nervous system (the fight and flight mode) and the muscles are tightening, the breathe becomes shallow and it feels like all the energy is up in the head.
Continue reading>>
Latest Blogs
A Yoga pose for sensitive people
How to get less affected by people
A Breathing exercise for anxiety & depression
Are you struggling with anxiety?
Five ways to get rid of your headcahe
One minute meditation
Yoga to start your day
A meditation if you are stressed like crazy
Whatever you do, detox first
4 Things to do if you are a Highly Sensitive Person
My top 5 books for health
Balance your hormones with this meditation
Use your feminine poser to live your life fully!
Three Yoga Poses for a better digestion
Four things you can do if you feel stuck
Get less neck pain with this yoga pose
5 ways to stop Procrastinating!
6 Tips how to start your yoga at home
3 Yoga Poses to Open up your Heart
Three Poses for Lower back pain
About chia seeds and a drink recipe
Do you need more energy Part 2
Do you need more energy Part 1
Why loving your pelvis matters
How to change a habit
Warm oil Self-massage
Video: Yoga pose for digestion
Are you compromising in life?
Three Yoga poses for a good night´s sleep
Trouble sleeping? 7 tips to change it!
5 tips if you think you´re too stiff for Yoga
3 Yoga Poses that reduce stress
Video: Squatting Pose - for pain
Video: Long Deep Breathing
4 Healthy Summer Tips
What is Yoga Therapy 1-on-1?
Just be yourself and everything will be ok
Are you tense without knowing?
Simlplify. The less is the new more
Quote: "I have a choice"
A Mini Yoga set for Headaches
Listen to your Inner voice - Quote
My top 5 Yoga Music
Is your body saying NO but your mouth saying YES?
Affirmations for Self Love
Can affirmations help you heal?
Eating Mindfully for your digestion
One thing for a better digestion
Can I do Yoga when I have pain?
Following your cycle
Blogs/Sites I like


text:
I wish someone would've told her that when she was alive. I wish someone could've saved her. I wish she was still alive to see how much we love her. I wish she was still alive to see how her messages, her wishes are spread. I wish more people could be saved from suicide, not only by her. But I know that she saved a lot of us, at least for tonight. - Rest in peace, Olivia <3
5:13 PM on Sunday 3rd June 2012 with 15,785 notes


text:
Related Photo Galleries
Norm Grabowski the introspective, woodworking artist, not Norm Grabowski the flamboyant, extroverted showman we've all come to know and love. Can both personalities share a home and shop in Lead Hill, AR? Here's photographic proof that they can, as Norm grinds away on a wooden skull shifter knob for some lucky rodder. (Photo by the author)


text:
Video: Clay Harbor tries to find niche
The Eagles fourth round draft pick, tight end Clay Harbor, has been impressing the coaches with his skills and work on the field. Brent Celek has been helping Harbor with his blocking to ease his transition into the NFL. Philly.com's Sheil Kapadia reports from training camp.
Video: Clay Harbor tries to find niche
Eagles fourth-round draft pick, tight end Clay Harbor, has been getting more reps with the first- and second-units the last couple of days. I caught up with him today to get his thoughts on training camp so far and how he sees himself fitting in.
Note: This video will come down in 24 hours, per league regulations.


text:
A frequent business type near Glenhaven Dental Surgery is Unisex Hairdressers.
A handful of schools are located nearby. The local Parking Garages offer a safe and secure place to leave your vehicle. For food stuffs and household goods there is a Grocery Store around to provide. Head down to the Drug Store for everything from prescriptions to cold and flu remedies and cosmetics.
If you are hungry there are a few restaurants serving the area. Need a room for the night in Taffs Well, South Glamorgan? There is a local hotel. Conduct research and borrow literature from the Local library. There is at least one attorney nearby.


text:
LAFAYETTE — Friday is the deadline for students who became 10th-graders before 1999-2000 and have not received a high school diploma to take the "Old Graduation Exit Examination."
The group of students are the last students who must pass all five parts of the "Old GEE" to earn a high school diploma.
The test will be given March 11 through March 15 at the Lafayette Parish School Board. The exam includes five tests: written composition, English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies.
Retest students are required to take only those parts of the "Old GEE" in which they did not previously attain the required performance standard.
To register, contact Susan Kahn, district test coordinator, at (337) 521-7029 by Friday.
LAFAYETTE — Applications for state standardized testing are available for students interested in enrolling in Lafayette Parish public schools next year.
Students in the fourth and eighth grades are required to take the Louisiana Educational Assessment Program or LEAP test.
The iLEAP tests, given to students in third, fifth, sixth and seventh grades, also will be given to students in home school or in-home private programs. Students in nonpublic schools are ineligible for iLEAP testing.
The registration deadline for both tests is Friday.
The first phase of the LEAP exam will be March 19, with make-up dates March 21-22 and the second phase will be April 8-11 with make-up dates on April 12-17. For the iLEAP, testing dates are April 8-11 with the make-up dates on April 12-17.
Registration forms are available at all public elementary and middle schools, the School Board office and online at http://www.lpssonline.com.
Compiled by the
Acadiana bureau
Copyright © 2014, Capital City Press LLC • 7290 Bluebonnet Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70810 • All Rights Reserved
Print article