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Category Archives: book review
Book Review – I Kill Giants
I've been having issues lately when trying to read Young Adult books. I don't love teenage protagonist, in books or movies. I find the range teenage characters have for drama, when written for a young adult audience, to be limiting or, more often than not, dull. It's very relationship based, which I don't mind a sampling of, but, when it's the main course, I'd rather skip it all together. And the teenage introspection! The narration! I can't do it! Not anymore! Adults writing teenagers think they're so darn clever and relevant because they mention last years movies or say "legit" or something like that, I can't do it anymore and I won't!
This has been a quick review for John Green's Turtles All the Way Down.
Here's the twist, though. Graphic novels fix this for me. There's less inner monologues and more visual cues. Blankets or This One Summer nail the melancholy existentialism because they create mood in the art, not just through dated dialog. When we see how young a character is, they feel more real as a teenager because we're not being told by a thirty-five year old how "legit" young they are. Also, I'm not sure if "legit" is something I've read people writing or just a new thing I'm doing now?
Also, I should stop judging, because the book I wrote has teenage protagonist and they're mopey and monologuey and now I'm legit worried I can't stop saying legit…
I Kill Giants is written by Joe Kelly, whose always been one of the better writers in the world of Marvel comics. It tells the story of a girl who doesn't fit in at school, who's going through some heavy stuff in her family life and who might also fight giants. The giants thing is up in the air, but there's a good chance it's real. Or maybe it's all in her head. Or real.
This self-contained graphic novel is sneaky. You go in expecting a certain type of story, maybe similar to Anya's Ghost or In Real Life and, while there's fantastical elements, you get something more akin to This One Summer. I Kill Giants is lighter on it's feet than Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki's novel, all while dealing with loneliness and loss without bringing down the party. J. M. Ken Niimura's art could be described as big, similar to Ed Mcguinness' style of comic art, but the black and white illustrations stand without the need of bold colors. The lack of color even makes the beach seem more lonesome and magical. There's a pacing in this book, with the writing and art, that matches superhero comics, but this is completely accessible to people who dislike capes and masks.
It's hard to talk about I Kill Giants without giving away important moments. The ending is reliant on the book's whole concept of truth vs. fiction, of dealing with problems or ignoring them. I could tell you about the book's bullying or the friendship that forms, or the only guidance concealer that I've ever wished was real, but there's too much that should be read without knowing the truth out the gate. I will say this book made me cry, and it might have been a while since a young adult title had that effect on me.
This seems to me like it's been a badly written review. Take it as more of a recommendation wrapped in some rants. This book is great and should be considered essential reading for the young adult graphic medium. With a movie coming out this year, hopefully more will discover this book, because it shouldn't be missed.
Book Review – Annihilation
I had my wife read Jeff VanderMeer's Annihilation and report back to me if it was worth reading before the movie is released. She loved the book and suggested I pick it up, as it would be a quick read. This was a fortunate turn of events, because had I read the book first, I would have told her that she wouldn't enjoy it and to just wait for the movie.
The book tells the story of the twelfth expedition into Area X, a weird part of the country that's been abandoned by civilization and taken over by plant life and bizarre new species of animals. The narrator, referred to only as the Biologist or Ghost Bird, records her findings and past experiences into her journal, which makes up the book.
Before the Biologist began her journey, her husband had been part of the previous expedition and he may or may not have returned. The Biologist is travelling, not just for scientific understanding of Area X, but to also discover the fate of her husband.
For a short read, this book took me a long time to finish after I started it. It was dense with descriptions of the bizarre Area X, in an almost Lovecraftian level of detail. There wasn't much of a narrative push to keep me reading, as the story is moved along by one strange finding after the other. However, the odd environment is never explained, nor are many of the findings put into context, which means much of this book is the narrator saying, "Isn't this weird" and me just nodding my head.
The book is written in a dreamy sort of way and none of the characters act like people. Everyone seems out to kill everyone, right from the beginning and we're never allowed to grow attached to anyone. The dialog doesn't read like real human speech but aggressive robots. The narrator freely admits to being aloof and preferring to be alone. However, in the context of the other members of the expedition, this doesn't pack any punch as all the characters are eerie non-humans.
I think this is why I preferred the flashback scenes between the narrator and her husband. There was no science fiction in these chapters, but against an actual human, the narrator becomes more interesting. Her husband is more outgoing and a people-person and this shines a light on the narrator. She's frustrating but not a cold monster, she's solitary but has heart for nature. Watching her marriage strain against the clashing personalities, alongside the husband's departure to Area X, makes for an interesting read that the science fiction parts of the book fail to replicate.
I think, when it comes to science fiction, I either need believable science or interesting characters. Annihilation had neither. VanderMeer's writing is too abstract while also being too detail oriented, with descriptions down to the measurements but with zero context. The characters are like ghosts of people and maybe there's artistic merit to that style that I'm missing. I'm sure I've read books with characters like this before that I enjoyed, but it wasn't the case with Annihilation. I'm still excited for the movie, but that's more to do with Alex Garland directing it, as Ex Machina was great. My wife will continue this trilogy of novels and, maybe, she might convince me to keep reading as well. But, unless such prompting happens, I personally have no interest left.
Book Review – Blood of Elves
I skipped reviewing Sword of Destiny for a few reasons. First, it's similar to The Last Wish and everything I said about that book still stands for the sequel. It's still a collection of short stories that are a bit more structured than the first book, in that each short story revolves around Yennifer in some way or another. The second reason I didn't give that book a full review is because I went straight into the Blood of Elves. It was late and I finished Sword of Destiny and, without sleeping or taking a break, I opened the first chapter of the next book.
Besides the fact that the previous books were great reads, I was also curious as to how Andrzej Sapkowski would do writing The Witcher books in novel form. The character of Geralt works well in short form, with his different adventures and meeting new people around Sapkowski's well-thought out world.
What I found is that Sapkowski didn't change format entirely. Blood of Elves is a novel, yes, but the chapters are written akin to his short stories, with time gaps between them and not much thematically shared. Doing so allows for longer, more intimate looks into the world and Geralt, but it doesn't create a strong continuing narrative or sense of plot. In fact, having read it all, I'm still not entirely sure where it was all going other than some people are after Geralt's adopted daughter, Ciri.
In some ways, tries to be both a collection and a novel and both formats suffer for it. Without the connective tissue between chapters, it comes across as if the reader has missed key information between them. Without the varying adventures, the single plot thread shows it's weakness. While I was hooked at the opening chapter with Dandelion and the training of Ciri, the book lost me quickly after that.
The previous books were interesting because of their world building, yes, but it was also how Sapkowski took classic fairy tales and myths and played around with them. The world is interesting and well-realized, but switching gears to focus on the political side of things doesn't make for the most entertaining read.
The time we spend with Ciri and her training is great, but that's because it's focused and dabbles in that monster hunter lore. I wanted to see more of Geralt and Ciri together, training and going on adventures. That's not what I got and I wasn't convinced that what I was reading was necessarily better than that, either. I'm glad I read the previous books, because Blood of Elves relies heavily on the character connections that were introduced and explored beforehand. Alone, I don't know if I would have liked the book much at all.
I will be reading the rest of these books, but the steam I had has been lost for the moment.
Book Review – Maul: Lockdown
Maul: Lockdown, by Joe Schreiber, had me excited for a long time. I thought, originally, the concept was great. However, while reading the book, I realized I had misunderstood the summaries and dust jackets. I had thought the book was about Darth Maul trying to escape from the most dangerous prison in the galaxy. A Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay, if you will. It's not that at all.
Darth Maul is sent, by Darth Sidious, to Cog Hive Seven to find an elusive arms dealer. Maul must remain undercover, so he's forbidden to use his lightsaber or force powers. The book follows Maul exploring the layout of the prison, participating in televised death matches and surviving gang politics.
Maul: Lockdown is entertaining…to a point. The death matches are well done with visceral action, some of the new characters are interesting and there's general mystery to the identity of the arms dealer. It also helps that, like some of favorite Star Wars books, this is a standalone one-shot. However, the book has a few faults that kept it from being the thrilling and dark adventure it could have been.
For one, taking away Maul's force powers and lightsaber, while an interesting challenge, means the book denies the reader what they might have come for in the first place. Taking away his weapons for a few chapters might have been exciting, but when it's the whole book there's a certain element of false advertisement. Maul, the character, still has that tiger-like cool, but is less interesting than your classic Darth Vader. Maul is all rage and hate and, after a while, that stops being interesting. He comes across as one note in this book and it doesn't help that we learn nothing new about the character.
The book is dense, which isn't always a problem, but I was coming in for something more akin to a thriller. The chapters are short and you can clear through pages easily, but it goes on for longer than necessary, reaching a climax weighed down by cameos and dull exposition. Near the end, I was trying to get to the finish line quickly not because I was interested, but because I was ready to be done. There's not enough story, character or intrigue to carry this book.
I'm surprised by how critical I am of this book, because the concept seemed like a slam dunk. But, when compared to other Star Wars villain books, such as Darth Plagueis, Darth Bane, Dark Disciple and Lords of the Sith, it falls short. Maybe Darth Maul isn't that intriguing of a character, or at least, not during this part of life. I still haven't finished the Clone Wars show, so I haven't seen the character resurrected and given robotic legs. Maybe then he has more depth, but here, there's not enough.
Now, someone, please go write that Star Wars prison break I wanted.
Book Review – The Last Wish
I had planned on playing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt without going through the first two games. That proved to be too much for my completist heart, so I grabbed those games cheap on Steam. But, then, surprising myself, I found I couldn't even start the games until I read the books. I don't know why, this would have never happened when I was younger.
Here I am, then, reviewing The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski. A collection of short stories that was originally published in 1993, the book tells of the many adventures of Geralt, a Witcher. Witchers are hired to deal with monsters, though the public doesn't love them. They're a necessary evil and that makes someone like Geralt an outsider.
Each story tells of a different experience Geralt has dealing with either monster or man. Some of the stories are dark twists on classic fairy tales, such as The Beauty and the Beast. While that might cause eye rolling normally, as the "fairy tale but…" genre is running on fumes, it actually comes across fresh in this collection, even while being twenty years old.
What makes this book so readable is that Geralt is a fascinating character. Yes, there's that classic lone wolf element about him, but he has more depth than just being gruff. In the few stories that make up The Last Wish, we see the Witcher as pragmatic, selfish, angry, compassionate, melancholy and vicious. He's not a closed off tough guy, even though he has a thick skin. His friendship with Dandelion is actually rather touching, as it doesn't appear Geralt gets anything out of it other than companionship.
The style of short story works well for The Witcher, as he goes from job to job. In a collection, we get to see the different types of monsters Geralt deals with, as well as the different lands he travels across. I'm interested to see how the style changes when I get to the full novels. It also makes sense that the Witcher was turned into a video game, as it seems ripe for side-quests.
The translation of these stories does a great job. The writing comes across relatively modern and I'm not sure how much of that is the original text. I never found the book to be dense, though sometimes the action could go on for a little too long. Maybe that's why some people like reading these books, but I tend to find sword and magic combat to be a dull read. I was much more interested in the stories surrounding the world or the lives of the monsters Geralt is sent to hunt. Even the politics are interesting, mainly because each region and member of royalty acts different and unique.
I think, even if you had no interest in reading a new series, or playing the video games, that The Last Wish is easily recommendable. The frame story is self-contained, the tales throughout are quick reads and entertaining. On my own end, I've already bought the second anthology and plan on reading the main series. After reading this book, I think you might follow suit.
Book Review – Lovecraft Country
Lovecraft Country, by Matt Ruff, is an interesting book, both in concept and execution. Taking place in America, 1954, we follow the Turner family as they deal with racism and the supernatural threats that plague them. Throughout the book, we start realizing that one of those is much easier to deal with than the other.
We start with Atticus Turner, a young, black man simply trying to drive up North. Along the way, he's pulled over for driving while black and there's always the looming sense of dread just from the embedded racism that he's trying to avoid. Eventually, he heads to Massachusetts to find his missing father and things start getting more eerie.
Now, I thought about saying, "Things start getting more Lovecraftian" but that wouldn't be acute. See, all the racism that Atticus deals with while driving is already Lovecraftian, as the influential author was quite a bigot. When a white police officer threatens to shoot a black man if he doesn't get out of town by sundown, that's Lovecraft, even if he never wrote such scenes. When monsters and ghosts start showing up, they seem rather mundane to all the racial tension and, sometimes, almost act as a relief.
It's relieving to deal with the supernatural because it's not real. I know, for the most part, that I don't have to worry about ghosts and inter-dimensional beings. I know that. But, in the real world, racism and bigotry are very much alive. As a country, we used to worry about witches and now's it's part of our history, but the hate and ignorance that permeates Lovecraft Country is part of our present. Ruff uses the supernatural as a hook to get readers who might not want to confront these issues.
In the book, ghosts can be reasoned with, monsters are indifferent. These scary, immortal threats might not be rational, as Lovecraft often had characters go insane when confronted with them, but in way, they act rational. Some feed, some kill, some of them are just lonely. But, they're beyond petty things like hatred for different races. Racism, when compared to the threats beyond our own world, becomes the irrational.
Now, I had trouble getting into this book for two reasons. First, the stress of reading about a black family in the 50s was enough to make for slow, uneasy reading. Second, the book is told in parts. I couldn't find a pace while reading because the first chapter is actually the first short story. Eventually, when I started realizing how the book was laid out, I found my rhythm and was able to cruise through the novel. Considering that Lovecraft mostly wrote short stories himself, you'd think I would have figured that out sooner.
In the process, the book became less creepy and more of an interesting cross between Lovecraft and The Twilight Zone. I didn't find the overarching plot that connected the chapters to be that compelling, though the resolution is fun and brings all the different elements together. The individual stories, however, are memorable. Each follows a different member of the Turner family and shows a different aspect of 50s America and the supernatural elements of Ruff's world. There's talk of Lovecraft Country becoming a movie, but it could make for a great HBO or Netflix anthology series.
I had started this for Halloween and it wasn't a bad choice for the holiday, but it might let some people down if they're looking for straight horror. Really, it's more acute to call it urban fantasy, as nothing in it is much scarier than what you would find in a Jim Butcher book. But, for a great example of how fantasy and science fiction can be a mirror into our world, how it can be a commentary on prejudices and our own faults, Lovecraft Country is easily recommendable.
Book Review – Killers of the Flower Moon
The concept of Killers of the Flower Moon, by David Grann, was almost too depressing for me to start. Telling the history of the systematic murders of the Osage Indian Nation, a story that is promised to have little closure or justice, I had to force myself through the first twenty pages.
I'm glad I continued on, however, as the book became a compelling read, spanning multiple subjects while never losing focus on it's depressing main topic. The Osage Indian Nation, through the government's orders, are moved to a desolated land in Oklahoma. To everyone's surprise, their new home is one of the richest deposits of oil and the Osage become wealthier than White America is comfortable with. In fact, the government tries to control the flow of money that each Osage receives, appointing them "guardians" who give them their allowances, fractions of their millions. It should be no surprise, that when the murders begin, little is done about them.
At first, it seems like every Osage murder is going unsolved and unpunished. Local authorities are either incompetent or apathetic to what's happening around them. But, eventually, the news of what is happening starts to spread across the country. White men start getting murdered from trying to help. The Osage murders get more brutal and public, as well as obvious in their intent. Once the young FBI gets involved, it becomes obvious that someone is trying to steal the Osage wealth.
Killers of the Flower Moon is half the history of Osage and half the story of the FBI. Reading this after watching Netflix's Mindhunter had me amazed by how we take for granted simple terms and methods in law enforcement. While Mindhunter showed us how new the understanding of criminal profiling was, this book goes even further back and shows us simple detective skills still being born. Mug shots, fingerprints and keeping the crime scene from becoming contaminated were either just starting to be used or unheard of altogether.
It doesn't help that the FBI and many branches of law are filled with corrupt employees. Crimes are being covered up or ignored by bribes and threats. Judges are on the take and prisons are a mess. J. Edgar Hoover is out to make a name for himself by cleaning up the FBI and solving the cases of the Osage murders. He sets Tom White out to form a team and take care of business and from there we learn the twists and turns of this dark history.
It was fascinating to me how well Grann kept this moving and held my attention. The subject matter is morbid and new to many readers but it's still non-fiction and could have come across as a text book. Yet, Grann writes it like a thriller and even had my jaw drop after a revelation midway through the book. We get looks into everyone's past, from the Osage whose grim fates are only the newest forms of abuse to White's childhood and sense of honor. Every topic gets explored and explained in a digestible manner.
After reading this, I definitely want to pick up Grann's other book, The Lost City of Z. I tend not to read many history books, but Grann does a great job at holding interest and moving the story forward. With Killers of the Flower Moon, you know things won't be solved in a satisfying manner and that people will go unpunished. That's not to mention how hindsight kept me from feeling any sense of victory even when things start to turn around for the Osage. You don't have to be well-versed in history to know this will only be another stepping stone in the injustice Native Americans will go through, even in the 1900s.
Killers of the Flower Moon isn't for everyone, some might not have the stomach for the hopelessness of it all. But, it's a story every American should be familiar with, despite how little has been told about the subject. With talks of a movie being made, hopefully more will have to reckon with this dark past. If you can handle the darkness, pick up the book beforehand.
Book Review – Console Wars
Books on the history of gaming are culturally important to my own life. Genealogically, I'm a mutt with little foundation. My family and myself have no real traditions or history we share beyond our own generation or two. I'm Italian but I don't have a a deep identity in it. But, as a gamer, I have a history, music, traditions and my own self-perception is very much rooted in tabletop and video games.
When I read a book like Console Wars, it's partly me accepting that this culture is bigger than myself and there's elements to learn about. I felt that connection when reading Empire of Imagination or Masters of Doom, that this part of my life has been going on for longer than I've been around and there's names and history that are important to it all.
Blake J. Harris' Console Wars taps into that, except this was a history I experienced. Harris follows the war between Nintendo and Sega; how Sega fought for and won it's place in the market and how Nintendo fought back. Both companies make mistakes along the way, sealing certain fates for themselves.
One factor that makes this book fascinating is it's focus on the differences between the Japanese and American sides of each company. While Nintendo was more focused on having like-minds, Sega was much more divided. Sega of Japan rarely agreed with SOA and these arguments and differences would prove to be the companies downfall. Even with Sega earning it's place in the market, it's lack of strong leadership would have it go on to follow the success of the Genesis with multiple consoles with little individual identity.
Nintendo, on the other hand, had a direct and strong hand when it came to it's leadership. So much so that some employees began to chafe against the lack of freedom. Whereas Sega of America was throwing everything against the wall to see what stuck, Nintendo was nailing their decisions to the plaster, even as the wall was crumbling to the floor. The desire to avoid direct competition due to tradition and lack of respect for it's rivals led Nintendo to lose a few loyal employees, but also to the creation of Donkey Kong Country and Rare's rise as a second party. It also was responsible for the Super Mario Bros. movie and stabbing Sony in the back when it came to CD technology, so not all good things.
The book is written in prose, using the facts and history to tell more of story than real life might have been. The dialog is where this technique is a hit-or-miss, but the rest of the book is a compelling read, with great insights into the two companies and their respective employees. This style might not be for everyone, but if you've read the aforementioned Empire of Imagination or Masters of Doom, you'll be right at home. This isn't the text book tome that was David Sheff's excellent Game Over, it's edutainment and a turn pager.
Reading about Sega's marketing plans, Nintendo's resistance to fire back, Sony's frustrations with entering the market and the whole industries growth is highly entertaining. There's a lot of egos on display and hindsight gives the reader a one-up on the players in this book. The most frustrating part of this book, for myself, is that it ends just as things are getting really juicy. The Sony Playstation has just entered the market, Nintendo is about to release their 64-bit console and we all know what happened to Sega soon after. I wanted an account of the next war, of the Sega Dreamcast and Microsoft getting ready to enter the fray.
But Console Wars is a dense book as it is and I'm sure someone is preparing a book on the stage that followed. If you're interested in the history of video games, Japanese business practices, the thought process of marketing, 90s culture and the whole Sega vs. Nintendo fight, I highly recommend this book. You might have to get past any hangups over the style of writing, but, once you do, you'll find this to be a great resource.
Book Review – The Book of Joe
The Book of Joe, by author Jonathan Tropper, has killer premise that should make all inspiring writers jealous. Joe, an author made famous by writing a book that tears apart his hometown, must return to be with his sick father. He must now contend with the truths he wrote about head on. What a hook!
This is where the jealousy ends. The Book of Joe is letdown by Tropper's amateurish writing, careless pacing and unlikable characters. What was a concept that might have rivaled The Silver Linings Playbook is, quiet frankly, a mess.
The idea of this story is that Joe was wrong to write about his town the way he did, exaggerating the truth and making people look bad. Except, when we meet the people in his town, they all come across as jerks and losers. That makes sense in terms of how they would act to Joe but there's never the other side of the coin. Everyone comes across as very one dimensional and I never believed they had much cause to be offended by how they were portrayed in Joe's novel. Maybe that's my natural disdain for small town drama, but I couldn't care for any of these people, and I was never given reason to otherwise.
Joe's realization of his wrong doing, the wrong doing I wasn't invested in, comes way to quickly for a book like this. He states how much he hates the town and never looked back for the first couple of chapters but as soon as he enters city limits, his whole character changes. Suddenly, without much prodding or reason, Joe is navel gazing about how important his time here actually was, leaving very little room for growth.
There's quite a bit of flashbacks, showing us the one summer that changed everything for Joe. The problem with these is that they actually revolve around Joe's friends and the main character becomes a spectator. When Joe goes on and on about how that summer effected him, it's weakened by the events we're presented with. In fact, very little in the book actually needs Joe around. He's a witness to important events but not a key component to them. Yes, he has girlfriend in his teen years, but I never understood what she saw in Joe.
Joe's whinny, navel gazing attitude is rewarded with wisdom, closure and sex by those he left behind all those years ago. Everyone, including Joe's ex-girlfriend Carly, gives this unlikable character the attention he craves but doesn't deserve. There's no challenges Joe has to overcome to grow and become a better person, everyone does it for him. Joe's brother concedes, the high school coach apologizes, Carly kisses him, all of these things fix Joe but he doesn't have to put in any of the work.
Every character, especially Joe, has an in-depth and analytical view of their psychological well-being and can express it at the drop of a hat. Subtlety is a non-resident of this town. Joe's emotional journeys last all of a page and he moves quickly onto the next. In the end, very little closure is given. Joe's book isn't forgiven, Carly is willing to give him another shot, his family might be falling apart, but it doesn't matter because he's writing again. And the view on writing is the most flowery kind. It's the type where everything simply "flows" and characters are "discovered" along the way. How books are written this way is beyond me, but maybe that's how we end up with something like The Book of Joe.
It fails at being poetic, at being deep, it's not funny or insightful and has nothing to say about small town living or guilt from past mistakes. What a waste of a great idea.
Book Review – Carrie
Is Stephen King's Carrie a horror story? Did I make the right choice, picking it as a Halloween read? Was it once a scary book that's been tamed by time?
Carrie is well known enough now that talking about the plot seems silly, but let's get through it anyway. Carrie is a girl with a crazy mom. Carrie has psychic powers. Kids at school are super mean to Carrie. The kids cover Carrie in pig blood. Carrie loses it. Bad times are had by all.
So, is the book scary? Not really. It reads more like a super hero book, like a dark comic book in novel form. Psychic abilities aren't very frightening, even when used by someone losing their mind. Like super heroes in general, Carrie almost reads like a power fantasy. Yes, when she lashes out on her fellow students and her home town, she takes it too far and kills a lot of innocent people. But, it doesn't come across as horror, more like a disaster movie. Carrie, near the end of the book, is more of a force of nature, even though she's able to target a few people specifically. A storm with a vengeance, but still a storm.
The idea of her being a natural disaster is backed up by the way the story is told through police reports, through interviews and headlines. Carrie is mentioned and talked about like she was a hurricane that passed through town. Dangerous, but not human. It's an interesting way to tell this kind of story, it just doesn't scream horror.
Carrie's mother might scare some, but I find fundamental religious zealots to be the least effective way to make someone scary or interesting. The mother is a cartoon villain, a person beyond reason or relatability. She's not real, in or out of the book. And, again, that type of insanity is at the bottom of the interesting-barrel for me as a reader. It always strikes me as lazy, as a quick wave as to why someone would act a certain way. Carrie is least interesting when dealing with that part of the story.
Not to say Carrie isn't entertaining. It is, in both its destruction and seventies' aesthetics. But, it's more thriller than chiller. It reads like a super villain origin, which is fun, but I'm not sure how this has become a horror classic. I'm not even sure how it became a hugely popular book, as it doesn't strike me as particularly earth-shattering in it's plot or style. But, maybe I'm in the wrong place and time. Maybe, back in the late seventies, this would have scared the heck out of me. Or, maybe, I would have treated it like a Doctor Doom comic book and wondered what I'd do with some nasty telekinesis powers of my own.


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Photo: I4U Gadget Model Gallery
The San Francisco Chronicle published a story about the Asian US gadget gap and why all the cool stuff come out in Asia first.
I4U, quote from the article: "the global gadget e-zine", and myself are mentioned in the article, which is very nice of course. The article is a nice read so check it out. The story even got posted on Slashdot.
As you know I4U is the site to find the latest gadget and technoloyg news from Asia but also from the rest of the world.
I also want to use this to say a big thank you to all the loyal I4U visitors out there! I hope you find I4U News a useful, interesting and entertaining site.

subset: commoncrawl


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Pastor Molly comes to Church of the Good Shepherd in her fifth year of full-time ministry bringing with her experience as a large church associate and a pediatric hospital chaplain. Molly's ministry is helping people experience the love of Jesus Christ so all can work to transform the world around us. Molly has a heart for mission and outreach. She serves as the Central Texas Conference Secretary for Global Ministries, helping local churches connect with the missionaries and ministries around the globe. She also is a co-founder of Water to Life, a non-profit that provides access to clean water as a way of inviting people to the transformational power of Christ's love in their life.
Molly grew up in Fort Worth, TX as a lifelong United Methodist. She studied Social Work at the University of Oklahoma and received her Master's of Divinity from Boston University School of Theology with an emphasis in Global and Community Engagement.
Molly is married to Chris who serves as lead pastor at Keller UMC. Aside from juggling two churches, the two spend their time with their family of three boys Ben, Aaron, and Reid. Some of their favorite pass times include: their two dogs Sophie and Sammie, traveling, grilling out, and family game nights.


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Look at Dan Donegan Signature Schecter Guitar from Disturbed
February 26, 2014 by Charlie · Leave a Comment
Schecter Guitar Research have officially joined forces with Disturbed guitarist, Dan Donegan. Dan first debuted his signature guitar at the 2009 winter NAMM show. While I'm not a huge fan of Schecter, I was excited to see how this ax turned out. Fast forward 4 years… Read more
Schecter Seven String Guitar Series – Schecter C-7
October 14, 2013 by G-v Rover · 3 Comments
Baggy pants? Check. Pimpin' Adidas? Check. Natty dreads? Check. Turntable-thrashin' DJ? Check. Seven String? Hello? Seven String?
Even if you've got all of the other required accouterments, you'll be hard-pressed to make it big with that psychotically low, funky, hard-music grind that's all the rage these days if you're not packing a seven string. In the past, chugging on the low E string used to be enough to make you a contender. But now, with bands like Limp Bizkit mining sinister new veins of metal and settings a new standard for heaviness, you're likely to be written off as a lightweight if you can't summon up that deep, spongy rumble. Until recently Ibanez has been the only mass manufacturer of seven-string solidbodies, but the Schecter Diamond and Hellraiser Series offers a new, affordable contender for players who want to hit below the belt. Read more
Schecter Gary Holt Signature V-1 Guitar
December 3, 2010 by G-v Rover · Leave a Comment
Schecter Guitars has announced the release of the Gary Holt Signature V-1 at Winter NAMM.
Gary Holt is arguably one of the most influential metal guitarists and is credited as the founder of the "Bay area trash metal" sound. His band Exodus was formed in 1980 with Metallica's Kirk Hammett. Read more
History of Schecter Guitars
July 24, 2010 by Charlie · 3 Comments
Schechter began as a mere guitar repair shop back in 1976 when it was founded. The name comes from David Schecter, one of the founders of Schecter Guitar Research. Read more
Schecter C-1 FR Guitar Review
June 9, 2010 by G-v Rover · 2 Comments
The legacy of the Super Strat lives on with the Schecter C-1 FR, a dual-humbucker-equipped ax with Floyd Rose licensed tremolo and a familiar double-cutaway shape. With its Duncan Designed HB-105 active humbuckers, 25 ½-inch scale and 24-fret fingerboard, this is a great guitar to check out first if you're looking for a high-octane shred machine.
Unlike most shred axes in this price range, the C-1 FR's body is crafted from genuine mahogany instead of some bizarre mystery wood. The bolt-on neck is maple with a rosewood fingerboard decorated with subtle dot inlays. The C-1 FR is one of only a few Super Strats with a three-on-each-side tuner configuration rather than the more common six-on-a-side arrangement–a definite plus for players weaned on Gibsons.
My review guitar came with a delicious whiter-than-white finish that made me want to join an Angel cover band, and the contrasting black binding, black chrome hardware and jet black pickup covers gave the guitar irresistible two-tone ebony-and-ivory appeal. The C-1 FR's fit and finish is so immaculate that's its difficult to believe this guitar lists for well under $1,000. Read more
Schecter Guitars Adds Single Cut to ATX Lineup
March 2, 2010 by G-v Rover · Leave a Comment
Schecter Guitars adds a Single Cut to the minimalists metal machine line of Blackjack ATX series. For no-frills, reckless abandon, Schecter's Blackjack ATX Solo-6 addition rounds out an already small grouping of reclusive siblings packing serious aggression.
The heavy metal purist will find the pair of Seymour Duncan Active Blackouts as the prominent standout on this heavily subdued Mahogany body at 25.5″ scale. A 3-piece Mahogany neck is set in with Schecter's Ultra Access for nailing the 24X jumbo frets on ebony. Read more
Schecter Guitars Unveil Diamond P Custom Bass
More breaking pre-NAMM news coming from Schecter Guitar Research. Schecter Guitars is pleased to announce the Diamond P Custom Bass. Read the press release below…
Schecter Guitars is pleased to unveil the Diamond-P Custom Bass. The touring/recording professional bassist will find the classic 34° scale double-cutaway silhouette in Alder, perfect for classic tones to aggressive modern sounds.
Completely retooled, the Diamond-P Custom with Schecter's proprietary Super Rock humbucker (bridge) and Monster Tone II (neck) pickups allow for full control over tonal approaches. Tapping the Super Rock extends the range of this bass and paired with a Schecter custom Top Load/String Thru high mass bridge will allow for tensioned dropped tunings many players utilize today. Grover tuners keep it all in precise tune. Read more
Schecter Guitars Reveal C-1 / C-7 Standard & Custom Guitars
December 18, 2009 by Charlie · Leave a Comment
Schecter Guitar Research leaked some more information about the C-1 and C-7 Standard and Custom Series guitars before NAMM show. The company extends one of its most popular guitar, the C-1 and C-7 Series. The C-1 boasts many great options from Seymour Duncan pickups, Floyd Rose floating tremolo systems or string-thru , to various choices of colors and finishes. Read Schecter Guitar's official press release…
Schecter Guitars continues the lead in high-quality affordable guitars with the C-1 collection, Schecter's most popular body style available in a 6- or 7-string.
The 24.75″ scale C-1 features a double-cut Mahogany body with flame Maple top, 3-piece Ultra Access set neck, rosewood 24x medium fretboard, and is available with an optional Floyd Rose tremolo or a string-thru body bridge by TonePros. Read more
7 Schecter Hellraiser Guitars That Raise Lots of Hell!
December 10, 2009 by Mike O'Cull · Leave a Comment
Schecter Hellraiser Solo 6
Like some people, some guitars are just born to rock. It's just part of their DNA, their reason to be on the planet. If you are reading this, you probably are that person on your circle of friends, but are you playing an instrument that is your rock and roll equal? Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with a jack-of-all-trades guitar, but sometimes one just needs to call in a specialist. The Schecter Hellraiser Solo 6 just might be the thing that you need if your jones is for all things hard and heavy.
One quick spin around the test track will prove that this is a guitar that is made for getting loud and cranking some metal. It is built around a mahogany body, which is the perfect wood to produce dark and ominous tones, and the neck is made of mahogany, as well. This insures that the 6 will always be warm, punchy, and in your face. Speaking of the neck, it features 24 extra jumbo frets and gothic cross inlays and connects to the body with Schecter's Ultra Access neck joint, which gives easy reach to the highest notes for all the soloists out there. Read more
Schecter Tempest Guitar Vintage Custom White
November 12, 2009 by Charlie · 3 Comments
Most guitarist have G.A.S (Gear – Acquisition – Syndrome) and love buying new musical gear for their gigs and rock 'n roll addictions. But when it comes to purchasing the right guitar for your taste, it might become a bit overwhelming; there are just so many varieties of instruments to choose from. To make things easier for you, Gear Vault is here to help!
Have you been looking around for a well-toned, well-styled and well-priced electric guitar? Let me introduce you to one of the sexiest axes I've had the honor to play this week, the Schecter Tempest in Vintage White. The body of this guitar is made out of mahogany with a maple top for a more resonant and richer tone, though a bit on the bright side, which will helps it cut through the mix really well. Read more


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Single touch payroll (STP) will your business be ready on 1 July 2018?
Many busy owners and managers of medium sized businesses have missed this important change to the way you MUST communicate with the ATO. Single Touch Payroll is the next step in ATO payroll reporting. The way you report your employees' payroll information to the ATO...read more
Investing in Property using Self-Managed Super Fund
Consider using your Self-Managed Super Fund (SMSF) for Investing in Property We get approached by many clients looking to invest in property to grow their wealth for their retirement. In Australia, property is one of the safest investment assets and many people have...read more
Xero Accountants
Are you looking for XERO Accountants? At Key Business Accountants all our accountants specialise in XERO accounting systems. As XERO accountants we can help set the system up to suit your business needs. XERO will allow you to perform most of your processes at a...read more
Property Advice
We love property and have a wide range of clients in the property and real estate industry, from developers to real estate agents and everything in between. We do a lot of work with a range of businesses servicing the property industry including: Real Estate Agents...read more
Accountant For Dentists
We are specialist advisers to Dentists, particularly Dentists working as subcontractors and those wanting to establish their own business for the first time. We have assisted Sub contract dentists cut thousands from their tax bill, set up record keeping systems that...read more
Accountant for Import and Wholesale
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Accountant for Consultants
Are you an IT consultant? Management Consultant? Most "consultants" or contractors face similar issues, PSI, keeping your records in as simple a method as possible, etc. We have a large number of clients who fall in the general classification of consultant and can...read more
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We are specialist Accountants and Advisers to the Veterinary Industry, our services go well beyond the normal once a year returns and meeting. We can assist you in a wide range of areas from expanding your current operations, opening a second clinic or increasing your...read more
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At Key Business Accountant we have a range of services tailored specifically for tradespeople; we can take care of your books, do your BAS, your Invoicing or handle POs, COCs and other paperwork. Over half our clients are tradespeople ranging from developers with...read more
Family Day Care Accountant
Family Day Care Advice from your friendly local Family Day Care Accountant Family daycare business is as challenging as any other business. FDC makes it even harder when you are trying to look after kids and managing books for the business without professional...read more
SMSF Parramatta
Self managed super funds give you better control over organising your retirement funds to yield maximum benefit. They are managed by you as the trustee allowing you to control where you invest your retirement funds. Benefits of SMSF The main advantage of owning a...read more
New Business Advice Parramatta
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Family Day Care Tax
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Accountants for New Franchise
Are you looking for Accountants for your new Franchise? We love franchises and are often Accountants for new franchise, we actually love all new businesses to tell you the truth but some of the best business models out there are franchised – but so are some of the...read more
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Understanding Super Stream
How to effectively use SuperStream Providing a range of Tax and Accounting services to the Parramatta and surrounding areas, let the professionals at Key Business Accountants help you to keep your business running smoothly. At Key Business Accountants Parramatta, our...read more


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Is that this an funding in your business or just a short term expense that must be dealt with. This text is not doom and gloom though-it'll assist firms understand what they need to do with the intention to improve their office and create happier, more fulfilled workers (who also work better). The article options recommendation and insight from 18 small business house owners who won the Small Business Person of the 12 months award for his or her state as part of 2013's National Small Business Week. After reading all these articles, you ought to be more ready than ever to take your small business to the following degree. Defining a solid business technique begins by analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the group. At the end of the article the details and opinions could also be summarised, detailing the issue or occasion. I like to sew and I am more than pleased to help anyone begin a house stitching business.
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Goodbody Baked Goods
by Diane Lindquist on 10/25/2013 | 2 Minute Read
TOAST Marketing & Design created the packaging for Goodbody Baked Goods, a baked goods company that wants people to believe that healthy and delicious can coexist.
The Boulder, Colorado based baked goods company has a line of bite-sized treats that covers the spectrum of baked delights. From cookie bites to bite-sized macaroons, Goodbody Baked Goods has something for the pickiest eater. Something that the brand has emphasized is that their product is not only tasty, but healthy as well. There lies the challenge of translating Goodbody's message into a readable package design. "It was critical to reinforce the fact that with Goodbody, you don't give up on taste just because the bites are good for you."
The packaging is bright and eye popping. The colors are fun and inviting, drawing the customer to the product and only upon closer inspection does the reader realize that those brownies are actually "healthy." I think the packaging is successful in relaying the message of "healthy" by placing emphasis on the brand's "Goodbody" name, "boldly [capturing] the friendly spirit and wholesome goodness of the brand while reinforcing good-for-you communication."
Designed by TOAST Marketing & Design, New York City
Creative Director: Victoria Arzano Graphic Designers: Jason Lombardo, Rachel Michaud


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Anyway....the challenge at Creative Craft Challenges this week is "Stitch In Time". I did get the chance to make this card with a couple of cute images from our sponsor
They were generous enough to give us a few digi stamps to work with and I combined 2 of them.
I freely admit that my faux stitching by hand is just as straight and even as my machine stitching in real life! :)
Come on over and join us with some stitching! See you there!
Crafts 4 Eternity - spots and stripes
Catch the Bug Challenge - photo inspiration
Pause, Dream, enjoy - anything goes


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Struggling to pay huge medical bills, a group of breast cancer patients and their supporters appealed to the Control Yuan yesterday to look into the National Health Insurance (NHI) system not covering the cost of treatments that fight the disease with drugs that are taken orally.
The group chanted slogans such as "I want to live," "Give back my rights to be treated," while holding posters that read: "How much does a life cost?"
Hsieh Ruey- kuen (謝瑞坤), director of Makay Memorial Hospital's Cancer Center, who accompanied the patients to present their petition to the Control Yuan, said the Bureau of National Health Insurance (BNHI) was delinquent in its duty to ensure "fairness" and "transparency" in the NHI reimbursement system.
"I have made repeated suggestions to the bureau about the problems, but to no avail. That's why we took this case to the Control Yuan," said Hsieh, who previously served as a member of the bureau's Drug Benefit Committee, which is responsible for making recommendations to the bureau regarding reimbursement for new drugs.
In view of the fact that NHI coverage is a matter of life and death for patients, the Control Yuan should urge the bureau to be more accountable to the public regarding its decisions to cover certain drugs and not others, Hsieh said.
"The bureau has to disclose all the minutes of its meeting when deciding NHI reimbursement coverage and establish rules to follow when deciding about coverage," Hsieh said.
The protesters asked that the drug Tykerb — which costs a patient NT$75,740 a month and can extend a patient's life by four months on average — be included as breast cancer treatment covered by the NHI system.
The NHI does cover the drug Herceptin, which costs NT$77,881 a month before coverage and can prolong life by a patients life by an additional 3.7 months on average.
The bureau owes the public an explanation about why it refuses to cover Tykerb, Hsieh said.
Taiwan Breast Cancer Alliance founder Gloria Lin (林葳婕) said the exclusion of Tykerb placed an unbearable financial burden on people with breast cancer.
"The policy is unfair to the patients. They pay insurance premiums every month as ordinary people, but they are been deprived of chances to be treated," Lin said.


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There is no denying it, but computers are making their presence known in the modern Ag industry. Sure there are groups which won't use technology for their farms, but most of the larger ranches and farms as well as some of the newer up and coming smaller operations are using computers to track their boundaries, soil samples, map where they plant, what they feed their stock and more. It is no wonder that companies such as Titan, Decisive farming corp. and Case IH are leaders in the development and use of the programs which help the farmer/rancher with their equipment, networking and running of their operations. What I do not understand is why those who are meant to encourage those who wish to enter into this growing field actually try and dissuade us instead. Sure, there are many who are not interested because they want to be in larger cities, but age or gender is no excuse to keep those of us who really want to be a part of this from learning or keeping us out of the loop.
Feeling disconnected …
I know that this comes and goes, especially for those of us who have dealt with depression and the like. This is one of those times for me. The weather is finally changing to warm (though I have heard it might get cold with possible snow showers later this week), and I have gone outside and soaked up the sun's warmth. I feel though that I am walking in a fog, like I really am looking into a fishbowl which is my life.
I think that it may be that things are still up in the air for me and it seems that a lot of my so called friends and family are hoping it will fall through. (My mother made it slip that they blame me for loosing the house and not the circumstances surrounding it. Go figure. They won't tell me to my face, they will just dis me and not listen to what really happened. Just like my cousin who ruined our car because he said I lied about sending my uncle the titles to the trailer and car. He never apologized when my uncle said he got them.) What they don't realize is that I NEED this. The schooling, being away from home and family, being in another world that is not the norm for here or me. Yes, I have my uppers now, though until I get the partials in the next couple of months, I will be having a balance problem with them. I start back to work at the city museum and gift shop at the end of May, (though again I enjoy the work, I have problems with being around people) and I have still to hear about the schooling and apartment. It is a lot to think about and have hanging over head. I plan to take the math accuplacer test at the end of this month and I get my last MMR shot in a couple of weeks. I want this all to fall into place but know that it may not. If I don't do this I feel that I will never get to know what I could have done or been.
When did this become a board to air hatred?
I was so happy that the election was over. No more hatred spewed on the hearsay of others … NOT ! There is a line to be drawn in the sand, do it another way! Yes, I rant, but it is to get something off my chest, not to do a long standing grudge against a man who knows more about foreign policy and business than carrier politicians! He is enforcing laws already on the books, not sending everyone back who has stayed within the letter of the law. Those who are here illegally should either do the right thing and go through the process of becoming legal, not just saying because I am a poor little refugee that I have a right to come here without going through the proper channels. The LAWS are clear. Those who blame him for enforcing those laws and say they want to leave because he got elected and is doing the enforcing should not let the door hit them on the way out. I am sorry for this outburst, but I am getting tired of all the rhetoric which should be over and done with. Yes, you have a right to YOUR opinion but it should be an INFORMED opinion, not just spreading stuff that is what a preschooler would spread!
Here we go again~
It seems that the men of this town are at it again. One has left his so called friends in a lurch by taking a job without discussing it first and so abandoning a steady business he was suppose to be building. And I just found out that I may have a partner I neither wanted nor needed who is going to help "keep me in my place" by dictating to me how and what I am to put in my "shop" to sell! (no "pagan" items which to them include jewelry, candles, herbs, incense etc.).
It is funny how the people I had hoped would stand by me and stand up for my rights have turned on me and are now siding with those I told I wanted nothing to do with! These self same people pulled this back around 1992-95 when the got involved with people I said I wanted nothing to do with, and they basically took our inventory, sold it all and vanished leaving us with tons of bills that they, not we, ran up! Funny how after they said they would listen and trust me, they are pulling us back into the same situation as back then, and they still won't heed my warnings! I am wondering if they will ever learn!
Nothing in particular, yet everything
It seems as this year has flown by I become more thoughtful. Though I am not sure that is the correct word at this point in time. It could be, but not sure. With all the ads on TV, internet and the like it sort of drags me down. Yes, I know there are kids in other countries who are starving, but shouldn't we take care of our own first before sending ad to other countries. The US has sent so much money to places like Somalia, India, Africa etc. to rebuild those places three times over. But does it ever get to where it is meant to go? We now have threats of disease from the immigrants who come to our country illegally or people who visit 3 world countries and then come here. How do we stop it? Why weren't those kids being shipped to us from Mexico either sent back or quarantined until they were proven healthy. Many of those who came over from Europe during the wars in the early 1800's were kept on Ellis Island and checked for disease before being allowed in. THEY followed the rules yet now our LIBERAL MINORITY are allowing people in, demanding they be allowed to just be brought into this country and dumped on those who really can't afford this influx of new people. YES, I agree they need help, but we have our own problems and those diseases which we had eradicated, are now coming back with a vengeance! Are we to pay the price for those who do not follow the rules? We need to close our boarders and make sure those coming in have a clean bill of health AND are coming in LEGALLY. I heard a priest once applaud an illegal for coming into our country underneath the frame of a truck, saying this kid had a right to be here. I do not agree. If he did it legally instead of cutting the line, the job he took would have gone to someone HERE who needed the work. People keep telling me that Americans are lazy bums and don't want to work. I beg to differ. I am an American. I WANT to work yet every place I have applied over my life has been taken from me by OUR system and been given to those who are migrant workers, and illegals. I am told I can not do the work on a farm because I am not Mexican, male nor a teenager. YET, I am able (at age 55) to climb up on a roof, tear off the old roofing and paper in two days and replace it in two. With one person helping. ANOTHER WOMAN! And NEITHER of us are immigrants, Mexicans nor male. So tell me. What is it with the noisy idiots who scream we need illegals to work because Americans won't? Open your eyes people! You are being fed crap and you are believing it, and because of it our country and the people here are having our lives put in danger. DO THE RESEARCH instead of believing those who say what I say is wrong. I WANT you to find the truth and start thinking for yourselves and being led to destruction by lies from the moral MINORITY!
Labor Day … 2014
Not sure why they call it such. They call it a holiday when people take a vacation before school starts, but it isn't. There are many of us who work year round such as farmers and ranchers. If you gave gardens, trees, plants and animals you can't just drop everything and leave for the day. These need 24/7 care. Those of us who do not or rather can not take the day off work on this day so those who run "Brick and Mortar" businesses such as the GOVERNMENT and BANKS, POST OFFICES and more CAN take the day off. So in the evening I will drink a toast to all of us who actually do work now and anymore. May we truly understand that it the labor of folks who could care less about "holidays" and continue to watch over this country and keep trying to keep America what it was meant to be … FREE.
Why do Liberals ASSUME that if you don't agree that you are a FOX watcher?
I asked a question on Y/A this last week, (And commented on several articles things that I have read which leaned heavily towards liberal ideals) and immediately got lambasted and told I was a follower of Rush and Fox News. Problem is, they are listening to people who presume everyone watches TV or gets the Rush show on Radio. I have not had TV since 2005 and where I have been living (since 2007) The only RADIO stations I get are PBS (VERY LIBERAL) and Country western! Neither of which I turn on until between 6PM and 8AM when it is Jazz, 70's music and BBC). The thing is I use my eyes, ears and brain to process my experiences and research THEN I decide what I believe or not, I do not rely on media of ANY kind to decide what I believe in. I would hope those who tell me off for my beliefs would do the same, but it seems that their answers are fabricated by what media is telling them rather than thinking for themselves.


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New York City's Subway Series between the New York Yankees and New York Mets didn't play in Peoria after all. It was the lowest-rated World Series ever, with the five games on FOX averaging a 12.4 rating/21 share in Nielsen national ratings, a 22% drop from the 16.0/26 for last year's four-game sweep when the Yankees beat the Atlanta Braves (on NBC).
The Yankees' sweep of the San Diego Padres in 1998, also carried by FOX, hit the previous all-time low: a 14.1/24. Thursday night's Yanks-Mets finale hit a 13.1/21, drawing an estimated 45 million viewers.
FOX estimates the entire series drew 209 million viewers to all or part of the five games. New Yorkers did tune in: WNYW-TV scored an average 41.9 rating with a whopping 59 share for the series.


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"I was drawn to CHKD because of its commitment to providing the most up-to-date health education to the population it serves as well as other health care professionals."
College: Old Dominion University
Graduate school: Eastern Virginia Medical School
Adams comes from a CHKD family. Both of her parents were CHKD employees.
She is an avid reader and enjoys grafting during her down time. She is presently remodeling her first home.


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Previous Posts: The End: Creativity, Cancer, and Caretaking (part 1) The Beginning: Grief Comes in Waves (part 2) Part 3: Recognizing the vicious cycles… for nearly 2 years I held it together. I didn't break down. I hardened. I hollowed out. I built walls. I was… Continue Reading »
A.J. Bryce
Musician, Performer, Visual Artist
A.J. Bryce is
an in the moment 1 line poet
whose "Affix Label Here" sign
winds around his female lines…
and curves, before you know it you're inside,
he's sold it he's still broke, but he owns it'
… kind of guy.
He's a 1 man Rock band with fans across the land
jammin to the 1 fan in the stands
like a wanna-be
FTM Rock God Legend.
Actor, Artist, and most importantly 'Queer FTM Rocker'
A.J. Bryce is armed and ready to enlighten the world on what it's like to be a Man who is Trans wielding a guitar in his hands.
Currently Performing under the Title "Modern Day Pinnochio" A.J. is gearing up to spearhead revolutions in Trans-Awareness by fusing his mad guitar skillz with his charming demeanor.
He has performed at Such venues as Camp Trans, Bushstock08′, the Hillsborough Road Coop's "FreakShow" , as well as performed across the country with the Tranny Roadshow 06-08.
A.J. Bryce currently resides in the St. Louis, Mo area where he spends his days living as a single parent, artist, and organizer for Trans empowerment through the creative arts.


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Mike Dillon
Autumn Ehinger
Matthew Park
Photographer - Soleil Konkel
Album Art - Kelsey Melville
Beneficiary - Trosa
Ivan Howard
Heather McEntire
Photographer - Ashlie White
Album Art - Nicole Welch
Beneficiary - Girls Rock NC
Joe Hall
Matt McCaughan
Phil Moore
Photographer - Ned Phillips
Album Art - Steve Oliva
Beneficiary - Duke Sarcoma Research Fund-Team Ostiguy
Django Haskins
James Phillips
Christy Smith
Photographer - Tim Lytvinenko
Album Art - Will Goodyear
Beneficiary - KidZNotes
Phil Cook
Jenks Miller
Kane Smego
Photographer - Tim Kiernan
Album Art - Nick Sanborn
Beneficiary - Sacrificial Poets
Stuart McLamb
Ari Picker
Nathan Toben
Photographer - Jason Arthurs
Album Art - Annalee Harkins
Beneficiary - Farmer Foodshare
Maria Albani
Robert Biggers
Duncan Webster
Photographer - Ben Spiker
Album Art - Lincoln Hancock
Beneficiary - Goathouse Refuge
Leah Gibson
Cheetie Kumar
Missy Thangs
Photographer - Jacki Huntington
Album Art - Beth Tacular
Beneficiary - InterAct
Christopher Hutcherson-Riddle
Nikhil Shah
Ginger Wagg
Photographer - Ashley Melzer
Album Art - David Eichenberger
Beneficiary - Planned Parenthood Action Fund
Brad Cook
Jeff Stickley
M.C. Taylor
Photographer - Eric Waters
Album Art - Shaun Sundholm
Beneficiary - Frankie Lemmon School
Bon Iver, The Rosebuds, The Love Language, Bowerbirds, Mount Moriah, Megafaun, Lost in the Trees, Hammer No More the Fingers, Horseback, Birds of Avalon, Gross Ghost, Bombadil, Toddlers, Hiss Golden Messenger, The Shouting Matches, Motor Skills, The Old Ceremony, Airstrip, Organos, Locus Recordings, The Tender Fruit, Cassis Orange, Prypyat, DJ JYU, Blanko Basnet, Le Weekend, Sacrificial Poets.
The goal of this project was to create something unlike any record previously released in the Triangle by introducing a creative dynamic in which the musicians had never worked together or, at least, never written music together. The musicians were given several months to create and demo a song. Each group was given one day in the studio to record the final version. The groups chose a photographer to document the studio experience, a visual artist to create album art for the song and a community organization to benefit from record sales.
One dollar from every sale is directly donated to one of the 10 community beneficiaries. "Sales" include vinyl packages, digital album downloads, digital single downloads, teeshirts, posters, stickers and any other item that might be sold in support of this project.
Pet-Tich-Eye is the nickname of a historical character from the Triangle area. We liked his name and thought it would be cool to name the project something that, when searched for on the internet, would only populate results related to our project and results about the history of our area. You can read about Pet-Tich-Eye in Durham: A Bull City Story by Jim Wise and Durham County: A History of Durham County, North Carolina by Jean Bradley Anderson.
Sustainable design: The release of this record is the hopeful beginning of a constant creative collaboration in the Triangle. This website will function as a destination for musicians to partner with community organizations to create and release original music in a way that benefits both the artists as well as the organizations. We encourage all the musicians in our community to pitch their ideas about collaborations for future releases.
"Working on this project was both inspiring, informative and liberating. It was an honor to throw ideas around with other musicians that I hold in such high esteem. I hope this is a catalyst for further cross-pollination of our ever fertile arts scene." -Stuart McLamb, The Love Language


text:
Police continue to seek suspect
Wednesday, October 10, 2018 by The Press in Police Log
Whitehall Township Police Department continues to investigate a shooting Oct. 5 in the 900 block of Third Street.
According to the report, the incident occurred just after 8 p.m. inside Goodfellas barber shop, 927 Third St. One victim was transported to the hospital with nonlife-threatening injuries, police said.
The suspect is described as a male, possibly in his 20s, standing about 5 feet, 8 inches to 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighing 180 to 200 pounds. He was wearing dark clothes with a hood.
Police said after the shooting, he fled on foot toward Grape Street.
Anyone who may have witnessed anything suspicious around that time and location is asked to contact Det. Reszek at 610-437-3042, ext. 216, or via Lehigh County Dispatch at 610-437-5524.


text:
In the third period of a tie hockey game, the Devils got shafted on a boarding call. At 28 seconds, veteran Karl Stollery boarded Canadiens defenseman Nathan Beaulieu down to the ice into the boards.
Some boarding penalties can be called a major. This wasn't one of them. But that didn't stop refs (both Canadian) Frederick L'Ecuyer and Dean Morton from sending Stollery off for five minutes. Here it is:
That simply isn't a five-minute boarding major. At worst, it should've been two. When Montreal forward Torrey Mitchell came in and got two for roughing, it probably should've resulted in a four-on-four for two minutes and then back to even strength. With coach John Hynes fuming on the Devils bench, instead Montreal got a three-minute power play out of it.
They proceeded to score two power play goals with Shea Weber blasting a one-timer past Keith Kinkaid followed by Max Pacioretty scoring 1:22 later. That was the difference in the game. One in which the Devils felt wronged. However, the penalty kill wasn't good enough in that spot. Simply put, you can't allow the Canadiens to take advantage scoring twice in such a short span.
Montreal scored all three of their goals on the man-advantage including a power play tally from Alex Galchenyuk back in the first following New Jersey rookie Steven Santini's second NHL goal. He's been a good player for the Devils since being recalled going plus-six so far.
The loss snapped a three-game winning streak. The Devils had been playing their best hockey lately winning three consecutive one-goal games on a successful road swing that included a huge 4-3 win over the first place Wild on a late goal from unlikely source Beau Bennett.
With the Bruins getting shutout again on home ice in what probably spells the end for poor coach Claude Julien and the Hurricanes getting hammered by the Pens, the Devils remain three points out of the final wildcard spot held by the Leafs. New Jersey visits the Flyers on Saturday. Cory Schneider will be back in net.
While they are justified in being upset over the major on Stollery, the Devils can't expect to win with only 17 shots. Especially against vet backup Al Montoya, who hardly broke a sweat making 16 saves for the win.
Having played 47 games, the Devils still have 35 left to chase that second wildcard. Every game matters. No one is out of it. Not even Buffalo following an emotional 3-2 overtime home win with Kyle Okposo playing the hero to give them 45 points. The Islanders have won two straight and three of four to reach 44 with still 39 to go.
It's anyone's race for that final spot. Even if the Habs benefited from a questionable call. Good teams find a way to kill it off and pick up their teammate. The Devils didn't. It's back to the drawing board with a big game tomorrow against those Flyers.


text:
It pierces the night. A sharp whistle and then a woolly hoot.
First thought: train. But how come a train is running through downtown Tijuana late at night? It's not far. I can see the puffs of steam.
Of course I have to follow, see what up. Besides, think I know that street they're coming from. It's Guillermo Prieto, not far from the bullring. The one with that row of taquerias on it, Las Ahumaderas. That's what the whole bunch are collectively called, maybe half a dozen under the same sidewalk-covering canopy. "The Smokehouses," you might say.
After the steam, wafts of smoke belch out from there. Meat hitting hot griddles. And, oh man, the sabor. Swear I can pick up the beautiful odor of pineapple-sweetened adobada pork. For sure, it's dripping flaming drops of marinated pork fat from the trompo, the meat revolving on a vertical spit. (Trompo is the Spanish word for a spinning top.)
On Guillermo Prieto, it's so crowded, even at this time of night, I can't see what's happening in the street. And the noise? Man. It's coming from the competing taco barkers yelling "Pasale, pasale!" and touting everything from chorizo to "vampire tacos." And on top of them, two guitarists are belting out "Cielito Lindo" at the top of their lungs. But then, in the background, there it is again: that steam-engine-type "Tweep! Tweep!"
Wow. Quite a scene.
Far as I can work out, they have at least five places competing here, side by side: Tacos El Paisa, Tacos Los Paisas, Tacos El Paisano, Las Quince Letras, and Las Tres Letras — but not a lot of space. All the sidewalk counter stools are full.
Ah. Guy's leaving. I slip in. Right next to a glistening trompo of pork meat al pastor.
"Yes?" says the guy with the long knife, Claudio.
Can't resist, even though where I'm at, Tacos El Paisano, has its own list of all the usual taco suspects, plus tortas, burritos, and… vampiros?
But, no time. They're not screwing around here.
"How much?" I say.
"Fifteen pesos," says Claudio.
That's maybe $1.10 right now.
"Deal," I say. 'Course, now I see El Paisano has a glowing charcoal grill right in front of me, too. It's loaded with all kinds of animal intestines, organs, and, ooh: large golden brown sausages.
"Chorizo," says Carmelo, who's running the joint. Busy.
I ask the guy next to me: "What's the vampiro'?"
"It's a kind of taco," he says. Luis. "They throw the tortilla on the griddle and then leave it on till it's almost crackling dry. It curls. It starts to look like a bat's wing. That's why they call it vampiro. Then they fill it with cheese and carne asada, usually."
He says he's been coming at least once a week since he was eight years old.
"My dad always brought me on Mondays because they've had a two-for-one deal on Mondays. See? They still do."
Sure enough, on the wall's another sign. "Todo los lunes, tacos 2x1. Adobada, cabeza, chorizo."
"These guys have been here since 1960," he says. "That's, what, 55 years?"
Claudio turns up with my adobada. And what I like is he goes and brings back a big plate filled with grilled green onions from the fire, plus cucumbers and sliced radishes. And glad to see he's pretty much drowned the taco's pork with a thick green topping of guacamole.
I scrape some hot salsa from a big black volcanic molcajete that looks like it was dug out of Tenochtitlan itself and get chowing. Not bad for a buck-ten.
"So, what-all's whistling away like a steam train out there?" I ask Luis.
"Oh, the camoteras. They sell steamed camotes — yams — and plantain. One of the oldest desserts in Mexico. You haven't tried them?"
So, now I've really got to get off the sidewalk and go see. I elbow my way through. The racket's coming from a couple of little tin carts on bicycle wheels. They have chimneys. And as you get up close, you see that down below, they're burning wood fires. And every now and then Carlos, the guy at the first one, suit of lights, pulls a little string and "Wheee-yup!" that sound again. And then calls, "Camotes camotes!"
Huh. These things are like little steam engines. Well, I guess they are steam engines.
"But why the steam?" I ask Carlos.
"It's always been," he says. He's just a kid, but he knows a lot. "In Puebla, other states down south, they're everywhere. Traditional. Camotes — yams — and platanos. Plantains, the big bananas. The fire is to keep them warm — we cook them beforehand — and the fire makes the steam so we can keep them moist. Would you like some?"
He says the best is the combination yam and plantain, 45 pesos (say, $3.50). I go for it. He leans in to the little kinda cupboard where the goodies are and cobbles together darker-skinned yams, looks like, and golden slices of large-looking bananas, all covered in a beautiful white gloop, all in a bowl.
"It's made up of piloncillo, condensed milk, orange juice, and guava," he says. "And the plantain is enmielado, soaked in honey."
Oh, yes. Piloncillo. Those brown cones of unrefined cane sugar you see in street stalls everywhere. Man, oh man, what a taste. The honey, the guava thing, and on this cool night, the great gut and hand warmer.
I leave the whole scene with one regret: I forgot to ask Carlos if I could pull the string and make that thing go "Fweeeet!" And watch other people freak out.
Last thing I hear? Carlos: "Camotes camotes!"
The Place: Las Ahumaderas taco vendors, Avenida Guillermo Prieto 2640 (near Agua Caliente Boulevard), Colonia América, half block south of Agua Caliente, Tijuana
Prices: Most tacos around $1.25; burritos, about $3.50; campechanas, $1.25; combo sweet potato and plantain, with honey (from the camotero), $3.50
Hours: 11:00 a.m.–11:00 p.m. daily; camotero, 4:00–11:00 p.m.
Buses: Taxis de Ruta, from 4th and Constitución, or taxi libre
More from SDReader
- More stories by Ed Bedford
- Vampire tacos and more at Border X Brewing — Oct. 18, 2017
- Pupusa ceremony — June 22, 2016
- Ghost stories and slurpy food in Old Town — Dec. 19, 2012
- Cow Foot Friday — Aug. 8, 2012
- New Latino Squared — Dec. 30, 2008


text:
My city is a fickle mistress, one
whose kisses drip with history
from chapped lips, coarse and
warm. When she wails, her rough
winds break through skin, and her
icy knuckles crack against my
cheeks. Flushed red from the
impact's heat, her rage strikes
hard 'til nostrils bleed and fingers
plea for numbness over pain.
But then she radiates with yellow
eyes and smiles through a silver
sky and whispers softly, sweetly
through the breeze. She drapes
on me a blanket made of balmy
love and memories, convincing
me to never want to leave.


text:
While the Codility library offers a great range of tasks and questions ready for you to use, sometimes, you need something custom. We have an easy way to create these custom tasks right into your account.
There are four types of custom tasks you can create within your Codility account:
- Coding Tasks - automatic grading, plagiarism detection
- Multiple Choice Tasks - automatic grading
- Upload Tasks - manual grading
- Essay Tasks - manual grading
A coding task creation requires a name and synopsis to start off with. You are required to set the time limit of the task. Then you have to choose a function signature, this will give the option to choose what the return type as well as how many parameters the function takes. A reference solution is required with the question, preferably in all the languages that you want the candidate to be able to code in.
We recommend giving a couple of example test cases as well as correctness test cases. The example test cases are not graded but they are good for candidate reference. After this go ahead and click "Save draft". We run quality checks on the task submitted, we reach out to you once it is approved and uploaded to the library.
Click here to read a more detailed guide to creating your custom coding tasks.
If you find that you are unable to make the task you want using the Custom Task suite in the Codility app, contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com and we will be happy to help. If you'd like to use our Partnered Task process you can find more information here.
A Multiple choice questions requires a name and synopsis to start of with. Then you go ahead and write the question along with the choices that you give the candidate taking the test. To add another multiple choice question go ahead and click on "Question". Once you have the test created, go ahead and publish it.
This is great way to give candidates a chance to compile a bigger project and send it via Codility as a document, Image, archive or a binary file. You would have to provide the description of the task as well as specify the time limit of the task. One last thing needed is specifying the file size that can be uploaded, the maximum file size is 60Mb.
These tasks are a really good way to gather feedback, see what candidate is thinking while solving a problem. All you have to do is give the test a name, synopsis, and write the question.


text:
We are in a state of war. If you can, try to imagine for one moment what it feels like to know that there is an enemy who wants nothing less than to eradicate each and every one of us from the face of the earth, for no reason other than our existence. This is how it plays out in our lives.
Things I am not doing:
- relaxing
- letting my mind wander
- getting rid of my headache
- staying away from my Facebook newsfeed for very long
- posting pictures of cakes and cookies on my Facebook page
- appreciating any light and fluffy posts or pictures, from either side of the ocean
- taking long, luxurious showers
- driving without paying 1000% attention to where it might be safe to pull over in case of a siren
- playing music loudly in the car
- walking into a store without checking where the safe area is
- wearing clothes that would look terrible afterwards if I had to lie down at the side of the road
- sleeping soundly
- letting my phone battery run down
- forgetting about the hideous, painful loss of our three boys
- caring what left leaning politicians and bigmouths have to say
Things I am doing:
- loving my family, my community, my nation for how amazing, thoughtful, caring you all are
- appreciating the hard work everyone is doing to take care of one another and keep spirits up
- finding extra meaning in every prayer
- mourning our lost soldiers, Hashem yikom damam
- feeling horrified at the level and intensity of anti-Semitism around the globe, and wondering why more Jews are not coming home
- welling up with pride at the 228 North American Olim who came home today, part of 1300 Olim in the last week
- continuing to help families celebrate their milestones with cakes and cookies, including marking the induction of their sons into the army, may Hashem protect them all and bring them home safely
- sharing whatever news I can with my friends and family
- feeling responsible to make sure the truth of what is taking place here gets out into the world
- using my words to challenge bias
- working to keep our family's life as normal as possible
- being grateful that despite it all, there is nowhere in the world I would rather be
Am Yisrael Chai!


text:
31 July 2014
In honor of my nephew's 18th birthday last week, and leaving for college in a month, here's one of him and me when he was just a wee little gummy guy.
Posted by Angela at 7/31/2014 No comments:
30 July 2014
The Beach
Twice a week, H&C play tennis out by my parents. Afterwards, we hang out, grab some lunch and hit the beach. It hasn't been particularly warm this summer, so there hasn't been too many people at the beach whenever we are there. Heck, I've only been in the water once myself, and it's one of my favorite places to be! Today when they finished practice, they still needed some lake time even though it was only in the upper 60s. We had the entire place to ourselves. Nice!
Posted by Angela at 7/30/2014 No comments:
27 July 2014
My nephew turned 18 today. That's insane. He's such a nice guy, with an awesome sense of humor. I'm so excited for the year ahead of him. Happy birthday J!
Posted by Angela at 7/27/2014 No comments:
Labels: family
Day Tripping
We were supposed to go out of town this weekend. However, due to some scheduling conflicts, we ended up having our Saturday free. We loaded up the car with the kids and the dogs, and headed northwest for a little road trip. Brian was mentioning our plans to a coworker, who told us about a route to take through Amish country. I have to be honest -- I had no idea this even existed here! And only a couple hours away from our house. Our first stop was the Salemville Cheese Factory, where we picked up some delicious cheese curds and award-winning gorgonzola. Their smoked blue cheese was pretty amazing too. Next time. From there, we went to the Pleasant View Bakery. We may have gone a little overboard on our purchases, but honestly, everything we've tried has been amazing. My favorite thing so far is probably the pretzel we ate as soon as we got into the car. Finally, we went to the Mischler's County Store. I can't wait tour around this area again. It's beautiful. After leaving Amish country, we continued west to visit our lake lot, which was only another hour away. Our neighbor let us borrow his pier so H&C and the dogs could go swimming. Gretel is absolutely hilarious. She was in the water as soon as she could reach it. And didn't stop the entire time. After riding in the crate for most of the day, she sure deserved it. Finally, we drove out to my sister's house to celebrate my nephew's 18th birthday. How crazy is that? I can't believe it's only a few weeks until he heads off to college. We all were exhausted when we finally got home again. But it was such a great day.
Posted by Angela at 7/27/2014 No comments:
Labels: travel
24 July 2014
Double Date
One of the great things during the summer, is that once a week, my parents take the kids overnight. It is such a treat -- for all of us, I think. Once school/soccer/etc is on, we really don't have a lot of free time. So Brian and I try to make a point of going out a bit while we have chance. Tonight, we went out with Scott & Ali. I seriously cannot remember the last time this happened. We stopped by to check out their new house, then went to Cempazuchi for dinner. Delicious. And so much fun. It was a great night.
Posted by Angela at 7/24/2014 No comments:
Labels: food, friends, restaurants
This photo was taken in the spring of 1988. It must have been at the final get together of my AFS Hamburg group. My besties that year were Cece, who's standing next to me in the purple, and Diana from Scotland -- second from the left in the back. We were kind of inseparable. Cece and I got to see each other in NYC a couple years back, which was awesome. Diana, however, now lives in Australia, making the journey a little bit harder. Before she moved to Australia, she visited me during her travels. Once when I was living in Milwaukee (we actually took the train to see Cece, who was living in Chicago), and once when I was living in Chicago. We may not keep in touch as much, but I love that we do. I made some amazing friends that year, for sure.
Posted by Angela at 7/24/2014 No comments:
21 July 2014
16 Weeks
We've officially had Gretel for half her of life. This 4-month old is currently 34 pounds, and looks like a fawn when she walks. Her paws are larger than Storm's and so is the bottom part of her legs. I think she's going to be a tall one. Speaking of Storm ... he's her favorite. She wants to be where ever he is. He's really great about it, and even lets her nap with him from time to time. We finished puppy class this week. I'm not going to say she passed with flying colors, but we all learned from it. She's really a very good dog. I guess we'll keep her ...
20 July 2014
You might remember our epic day in Chicago last summer when we took M and the Elsmo's French student around town. Well, Leif & Melissa, and Chris & Penny are hosting students again this summer, and invited us to join them. We had planned on coming down for the day, but with the funeral yesterday, decided to spend the night in Chicago. Lora & Bill booked their hotel through hotwire and ended up at the same place. How great is that? Unfortunately, we were not able to check in until really late, and when we showed up, they informed me that there were not any more two bed rooms available ... so they had to upgrade us to a penthouse suite. Shut the front door! That stuff never happens to me. Brian didn't hear what was going on when I checked in, so I surprised him and the boys. They almost fell over when they walked in. It was insane in the best way possible. In fact, we ended up picking up food, and Bill & Lora joined us at our dining room table. I had reserved the room with a breakfast option (which was no extra cost), so the boys even got to experience room service. Not a bad place to do it. We were very comfortable there, and really, could have stayed all day. But we had other places to be -- namely, Navy Pier to meet up with our crew. Bill & Lora joined us, along with Amy, Graham and their girls. There were 21 of us total. It was so much fun and absolutely fantastic. We rode the ferris wheel. Took in the sites a little bit. Then hightailed it to the water taxi which took us to Chinatown, where we enjoyed a fantastic (slightly excessive -- thanks to us eating a good amount of the kid's food, which somehow came to our table instead of theirs) dim sum lunch. Unfortunately, we had to head back to pick up the dogs right after. We were sad to have to part ways. It was a great day.
Posted by Angela at 7/20/2014 1 comment:
Last week, our friend Scott's father passed away. Brian grew up around Scott and his family and they really hold a special place in our hearts. Dick had health issues for a number of years. He fought, and won the battle many times, but finally had enough. Ali wrote a lovely post about him. He really was a kind and amazing man. On Saturday, we drove down to Peoria to celebrate Dad Schwebel. After a very nice service, we went over to Scott's parents house. It was under unfortunate circumstances, but sure was great seeing this group of guys together.
Posted by Angela at 7/20/2014 No comments:
Labels: friends
17 July 2014
Tennis, Anyone?
Back in high school, tennis was my thing. I played a lot, and loved it. I'm not sure why, but along the way I kind of stopped, and I really haven't played much over the years. My mom invited me to guest day at her club, and my first question was, "Are you sure about that?" I think I freaked the pros out when I mentioned I haven't played an actual game of tennis in probably 10 years. Maybe more! I mean, I've hit the ball around, but haven't served or kept score in forever. We ended up having a fantastic time. And even won two matches, tied one, and lost one. I may have forgotten where to stand, struggled with my serves, and been told my style of doubles play was old-fashioned, but we had a great time. Thanks for the perfect day, Mom! (P.S. My mom has quite the reputation of being a total jock at the club. She is, but it was still pretty funny.)
Posted by Angela at 7/17/2014 No comments:
Back in the day when I could actually get up on a wake board. Or should I say, back in the day when I would actually attempt to get up on wake board? This was 17 years ago during a stay on Little Spider Lake with Brian's family. Brian grew up going to this same lake, to the same house we stayed in. The last time were were there was five years ago -- and despite the cold weather, we still talk about it as one of the great vacations.
Posted by Angela at 7/17/2014 No comments:
14 July 2014
Water Dog
We've been meaning to buy a little plastic pool for Gretel, but just haven't been able to find one. I decided to fill up our metal drink bucket and see what would happen. A few ice cubes and toys, and our water dog Gretel was in heaven. Storm even got in the mix a little bit. Check out how big she is getting!
Posted by Angela at 7/14/2014 No comments:
Labels: dog
13 July 2014
World Cup - Yay Germany!
While catching frogs, my friend texted me and said she was bringing her son down to Three Lions to watch the Germany vs. Argentina World Cup game today. I would have loved to go to the Nomad block party, but knew it would be way too crazy. This was a really great -- more family friendly -- option for sure. It was a perfect idea. The boys ran into past and soon-to-be soccer coaches, and even got to play a little futsal and street soccer. Even better -- they met up with friends who took them home after the game. It was a fun day. And Germany ended up winning in overtime 1-0. So exciting.
Labels: soccer
Catching Frogs
I asked H&C if they wanted to take the dogs on a hike to Lion's Den Gorge this morning, but didn't have any takers. They said we could leave Gretel at home and go to the nature center to catch frogs though! Better than nothing. We hiked around the lake, spotted a momma duck with her babies, a bunch of turtles, and even caught a couple frogs. Success.
15 weeks
Gretel has always been an active puppy, but this week, she seemed to hit a new kind of crazy. Wow. We switched over to a harness for her, so walking has been going a bit better. I've been taking her out a lot, which seems to tire her out. At least for a little bit. She was making me crazy the other night. I found her ON TOP of the kitchen table. But she slept from 10:30 pm to 7:30 am, and by the time she woke up, I'm happy to report, I was excited to see her. She's added a new bit of chaos into our world, but we really do love her. One thing that makes Gretel happy is water. We were hanging out on the beach after tennis this week. She was going nuts -- until I let her climb down the rocks and just sit on an algae covered rock. I also took her swimming a little bit, which was pretty adorable. And, it totally wore her out. Sweet.
Posted by Angela at 7/13/2014 1 comment:
12 July 2014
Bastille Days
Despite the fact that there was chance of rain and it was gloomy all day, we decided to go to Bastille Days. It has always been one of my favorite festivals. Of course, back in the day I would have stayed to watch Vic + Gab at 10pm tonight. But instead, we went at 10:30 am before the crowds came. And we were home by 1:00 pm. That's ok -- it was fun. The boys got to eat their way through the festival, which made them happy. Beignets and crepes. Lemonade. And frog legs -- which C had been talking about before we even got in the car. He loved them. H thought they were fishy. Funny.
Posted by Angela at 7/12/2014 1 comment:
10 July 2014
The summer after my freshman year in college, my host-family from Germany came for a visit. During that time, they rented an RV for three weeks and the five of us toured the USA. Milwaukee, Wisconsin all the way to Los Angeles, California. It was really quite amazing. (1989 -- 19-year-old me at the Grand Canyon).
Posted by Angela at 7/10/2014 No comments:
08 July 2014
Inspiration Files :: Railway Cottage
This former railway house was built in 1867 and is located in The Netherlands. Lovely.
Before & After Photos :: Architects ZW6 Interiors :: via Desire to Inspire
Posted by Angela at 7/08/2014 No comments:
Labels: architecture, inspiration file
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