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Well, it didn't last long, but I did get out to the universe some things that really bothered me. I find I just do not have the patience or the time–or the inclination–to keep up a blog, so it is now officially closed. Thanks to those who followed this very short journey.
Blog Closed Leave a comment
The Put-Down as Art Form Leave a comment
I wonder what ever happened to good, old-fashioned manners and civility. With the advent of global communication and "social networks", it seems both those qualities have gone the way of the dinosaur. Perhaps because those who are normally nasty to others, anyway, can now "hide" behind a computer identity, real or false. Safety in distance. Easier to "tweet", comment, or post a first response. Letters take time to both write and mail. Emotions cool. Eye contact is uncomfortable, so just don't make it a person to person thing until one gets the hang of nastiness. Or, as these people so like to put it, "honesty".
Perhaps we have applauded for too long the insipid, catty, and trite put-downs brought to us by the media, both news and entertainment, and the ability to broadcast to the masses the nastiness people spew at others who do not think as they do. Maybe insipidity, cattiness, and triteness are now "smart" and "edgy". Real 21st century. The "put-down" as art form. Perhaps it has just become the norm with "instant" messaging and open comments, and carries over into physical reality.
Whatever is going on, snide commentators have huge followings. People get a lot of entertainment out of the "witty "and nasty repartee between characters. Disrespect and nastiness prevails whether in the workplace, the town-hall meeting, the family, the educational institution, the church, or the social gathering. Even in Congress. And , among those of all ages. Practice of the art form of the put-down and name calling is especially available on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, or any of the social networks and comment sections that connect people without them having to make eye contact with another human. Instant retaliation to something with which they disagree. Instant gratification in the lowest form of communication. Perhaps the inclination has always been there—indeed, history shows that it has—but, it is more difficult to look another person in the face and call him/her a hodgepodge of names from a to z. Or write a letter. Not an e-mail, but a letter. So , when global communication came about, perhaps it became just OK to be nasty. Practice, after all, does make perfect. Sharpens the barbs. Becomes a habit. Dehumanizes the target. Whether that person is a friend, acquaintance, or stranger. So, it became easier to do it in person. Perhaps those who deliver such diatribes really ARE, as they put it, just being "honest". With everyone but themselves, that is. Honest? Maybe. Hurtful and inflammatory? Certainly.
Of course, nasty people have always existed. In politics. In entertainment. In life. In "friendships". In families. But, should I applaud their "coming out" and saying what comes to mind, regardless of whether it is hurtful to another, while they hide behind a telephone line or a computer screen? Or thank them to their face because the habit of "honesty" has developed and grown into the ability to be nasty person-to-person in a physical reality? Should I applaud their sense of "honesty"?
Perhaps I'm old-fashioned. Perhaps I'm out of touch. But, to me, kindness overrides. A "white lie" is one that saves feelings. "Speak softly and carry a big stick, you will go far" carries more weight with me than some misplaced idea of "honesty". Even as a non-Christian, Proverbs 15:1 makes perfect sense. Behind every computer screen is a human being. Behind every cynical face is a human being. Behind every thought, right or wrong (and that is certainly relative), there is a human being. I just don't think hurting someone's feelings in the quest for honesty is the right thing to do. I believe politeness and civility go further to help a confrontational situation than a nasty put-down or snide remark. But, perhaps I just don't get it.
Solitary in Preparation Leave a comment
I made a decision early this week to close out my Facebook site—actually, the decision was made during my therapy, which just so happened to be on 1/11/11. I don't mind social networking, but it is really, really distracting and addictive. There were several reasons for this decision: first, I find myself finally in a position where I can think about going back to work (the drug combination the doctors have me on is working wonders) and secondly, I really need to distance myself from other people for awhile. When, and if, I return, I will—more than likely—"friend" most of the same people over again, because I've enjoyed getting to know them or renewing old friendships. But, for right now, I need to be solitary. And very, very quiet. And reflective. Most of the people on my friend list, I will keep in contact with through e-mail. I'll miss a lot of news, but for me, going "cold turkey" is the best way to deactivate a habit.
I don't know why this feeling comes over me, this need to be alone, but I know I need to follow where it leads. That it happens in cycles probably seems odd to some, but I'm also sure some will understand. In any case, I am certainly not surrounded by people. My son spends the vast majority of his time reading, writing, and studying. Plus, he is the quiet sort. My husband is at the lab from 8:30 A.M. through oftentimes 7:30 P.M. and sometimes beyond. When he is not there, he is studying for his final classes and comprehensive examinations due to be taken at the end of summer—as well as doing the normal repair, maintenance, etc. work that is a part of having vehicles, homes, and so forth. I do not socialize up here in the tundra (I've never been, nor will I ever be, the "let's do lunch" sort) nor do I spend much time on the phone. But, still, there it is—people. Who are, by the very nature of being people, distracting., especially to an empath like myself. And whose problems and bits and pieces of everyday life find their way into my consciousness, prompting me to respond, worry, or stew. I'll still talk to my closest friends, and my family, as well as follow the blogs of those who have them, but that is not the distraction having a certain number of friends online at my fingertips entails.
I am going to spend this time in further reflection, in meditation, in research, in writing. My guess is that it has a lot to do with the close of year seven for me, which will come in the spring. A seven year, as I have mentioned, is a year of introspection. For some, the New Year brings the beginning of a personal year. For me, it seems to always be my birth month. Whichever way one looks at it, the seventh year in the nine year cycle is a year to reflect on the past and plan for the future. This year, which in its countdown months, is presenting itself as a time in which I am clear-headed for the first time in a long time (also due to the medications) and can actively write and research to my heart's (and mind's) content. For those who dismiss numerology as hogwash, so be it. But, my life does have a series of patterns, based upon the nine year time cycle. And, I'm not going to argue with my intuition to go with that flow.
In a year or so, hopefully less time than we think, our lives will again be turned upside down, and we will be making a decision as to whether we stay or leave the area. This excursion up here in the frozen tundra of upstate New York has been a rough one, for both my husband and for myself. And, out of all of the six years up here, this year has by far been the most troubling—almost as bad as my two year. For the first ten months, debilitating and persistent pain, as well as other troubling symptoms, kept me pretty much housebound, taking medical tests, or going to many, many specialists. My thoughts were mostly in dealing with pain, from which I know I learned some very valuable lessons, among them the acceptance of myself as I am. As far as my husband goes, skilled and dedicated scientists are usually in demand, although it took him almost a year—his three year–to be in the position he currently holds when the one for which we came up here was like fitting a round peg in a square hole. But, for me, the recession that started in the 1970's and has pretty much continued in this area, effectively killed most new opportunities in the field of education. I do not know the "right people", nor have I been physically able to make the contacts I needed, or scour around for the sources I could use. The university cut-backs have meant the positions are already filled when they are advertised by those already within the system, and the classes I was assured would be picked up were lost in the bureaucracy of a pretty much bankrupt state. The same goes for the public and private schools. And, getting NYS certification really was just not worth my time, as the cost was prohibitive without at least a remote prospect of a teaching position. All this was as the universe dictated. Each and every time I tried, my illness would return full force. Or, the position would not be funded. Or, it would not materialize in a number of ways. Or, I just didn't get it. Now, as we face a major decision, I want to be prepared, emotionally, physically, and academically, for what lies ahead, whether it be in volunteerism or teaching. In short, I am compelled right now to FOCUS. I'll let my instinct lead to the specificity of that focus. But focus I must. Because I feel a change coming, and the time will be right.
My blog posts will, more than likely, represent that focus. I have a lot of unanswered questions, and several avenues from which to choose. Like Frost, I will probably choose the road less traveled—just as I have always done. That rarely traveled road has put me in some tough positions, and has certainly seen its share of obstacles, but following my heart has always meant I would not be bored. And I will listen closely to what the universe is saying. I will be quiet so I can hear it.
So, Friday my Facebook site will be discontinued, at least for a time. And the work begins as I listen to the universe and lay the groundwork for my personal future.
Thoughts on the Giffords Shooting Leave a comment
In the wake of the Giffords tragedy, I've been trying to put my thoughts in order. The young man who was the shooter is still, in many ways, a mystery. He is non-cooperative with the police, no one knows really what his true motives were, and most agree that he was seriously mentally disturbed. That he had no known connection with Sarah Palin and her "cross-fire" website, no known connection with the rabid right wing, has not stopped speculation. Political motivation, not surprisingly, was the first place the authorities looked when creating a profile. So, even though there are no obvious connections, that was the can of worms that was opened. And, now that it is opened, there is no stopping it. It has been too long in the coming.
The left wing is pushing. For too long, the left has been the target of the virulent ranting of Palin, Beck, Limbaugh, et al. The right wing is pushing back. There is, after all, absolutely no connection between the shooters and the Tea Party radicals that has been found. Both sides, as well as those in the middle of both sides, are frantically attempting to defend themselves or blame others through all forms of media. Reports of violence on both ends are being dug up and dragged into the discussions over and over again. Who is right? Who is wrong? Why, when at most the shooter is simply a seriously troubled young man who snapped, is the focus on the idea that violent rhetoric is the public danger at this time?
It won't be long until someone on one side or the other will cry, "CONSPIRACY!". What drew us together as a nation in the wakes of tragedies such as 9/11, the Oklahoma bombing, this event, and other national tragedies, will be poked at and prodded until it becomes a galvanizing symbol for one politician or the other. The battle cry will ring, and off we will go again. Palin will once again have people in her "cross-hairs". The rumors will fly that Homeland Security suspects right-wing involvement. The right wing will rant. The left wing will rave. The nuts of either side will get nuttier. And things will stay, well, pretty much the same, except now there will be yet another poster for the insanity. Another example through which to inflame the public. The media will cater to the lowest common denominator– an angry, exhausted, and suspicious public– to further their personal goals, issues, and popularity. And the amount in their bank accounts. Or the votes. And, as happens most of the time, a gullible public will fall in line. On both sides.
I can see both sides. I do feel that a good point is that the violent rhetoric must stop and civility must be restored, as the nastiness has just gone too far. Friends are divided. Families are divided. Anger is, once again, threatening to cloud the issue, as long-held animosities are brought into the fray. Yet, I do agree that there was no obvious involvement of the young shooter with the right wing fringe. There is even speculation about the involvement of the young man with the occult. Will that lead to persecution of innocent Wiccans and Pagans? Much as the controversial mosque plans close to Ground 0 led to the persecution against Muslims? Was Laughner anti-Semitic, which has also been suggested? Will the truth, when it comes out, just lead to more division, as one side or the other gains the upper hand on issues that have little or nothing to do with the actual crime?
The issue of violent rhetoric has little or nothing to do with the actual shooting. But, the issue is now on the table, largely because of the state we are in as a nation, and there can really be no going back, as both sides now have to save face. So, what do we do? Where do we go from here? Will we allow yet another polarizing event to further our antagonism towards one another? Or will we take the issue that has arisen out of this senseless tragedy and realize it was articulated for a reason—the reason being that the anger and violent attitudes people have towards one another because of differences in opinion is so close to the surface that the first thoughts in peoples' minds in the face of a national tragedy is that of a conspiracy on the part of one side or the other. That people, the backbone of this country, are being USED by unscrupulous talking heads and politicians to further polarize the nation through vicious rhetoric.
Giffords has been threatened before because of her stand on various issues. So have members of her family. Politicians on both sides have faced the possibility, and the actuality, of threats of bodily harm to themselves or to their loved ones. That this issue is uppermost on the consciousness of the nation has been proven, once again, by the way the chips fly when a tragedy occurs. That the useability of this tragedy is uppermost on the minds of those who are either on the defense or the offense, and have something to gain, is tragic, in and of itself. That the whole mess of violent rhetoric has just gone too far is the most tragic aspect of all, because it reflects the attitudes of an entire nation. Violent rhetoric does inspire violence in people who are on the knife-edge of despair, or mental illness, or discouragement, or anger, and it is no surprise that this rhetoric was the first thing people looked at when the details of the shooting hit the airwaves. I've had it directed at me, personally. It is frightening. It needs to be calmed, to become rational discourse between those who disagree, not inflammatory efforts to inspire fear in an already frightened public. Yet, the pointing of fingers before the facts are out must be stopped, as well. We are either going to draw together as a country or we will fall apart.
So, while I do feel that the issue of violent rhetoric should be addressed in the wake of this tragedy, both sides, from the politicians down to the very backbones of this country, the people, should take this as a wake-up call and stop acting like children. The right wing isn't evil. The left wing isn't evil. Democracy isn't perfect. Communism isn't of the devil. People do as people will do. Difference is not deficit. We are not all zombies on the same path. Nor do we have to be. Yet. The point is, will we learn from the tragedies we face as a nation? Will we take the issues as they arise, relevant or not, but there, close enough to the surface so that they boil over and spew out in fresh waves each and every time a tragedy occurs, and address them in a civil and coherent manner? Or will we let the talking heads, the rabble rousers, the violent rhetoric by politicians on either side or in the middle, continue to lead us down a path from which there is no return?
To Be Or Not to Be: That is the question. Leave a comment
Blogging has never come easy for me. I've started and stopped a half-dozen times. This is largely because, I am sure, of recurring bouts with depression, and during these bouts, it is hard enough to even get out of bed, let alone write. So, what am I depressed about? I have an adoring, brilliant, and much younger husband whom I love more every day. I have three children who, while they struggle, are fairly healthy, not into drugs or crime, and who all finished college. I have a roof over my head, food on the table, and a warm house in which to live. So, I shouldn't have these horrible bouts with depression, which can last as long as three or four months. Depression which I could put down to a lot of things. About being stuck up here in the middle of the northern version of the backwoods of Appalachia. About having listened to the wrong people and getting two and almost three pretty much useless degrees, About having a chronic illness for which there is no cure. About being 55 and pretty much too old for anyone to even consider me for an academic position, especially since we moved to this backwater area of New York State. About being 55 and being told I am "over-qualified" for any position outside of academia. About dashed dreams. About just not being good enough. For anyone or anything. But, especially, not being good enough for myself. How everything I've attempted to do to raise myself up, has instead, many times, seen me dashed to smithereens upon the sacrificial rock of society—adding up to just one word: Failure. In my own eyes.
I think that a lot of us face disappointment in ourselves to one degree or the other, quite possibly more than we face disappointment in the eyes of others. For me, attaining for and reaching my goals– for which I put my so-so life at great risk—were to be a means to an end: get the hell out of a life where I was spiritually and emotionally suffocated. Or take the risks that would bring me to the disappointment I am forced to deal with today. Because life after the risks hasn't been a piece of cake; I haven't been able to taste that pie in the sky. But, really, is that the point of taking risks? So much of what we do to better ourselves, to change our lives, to follow a different path, to shake us out of inertia, comes with the warning: proceed at your own risk.
Because this is the thing. This is what keeps me plowing through depression, as hard as it may be. Although I still wonder how to get myself to the point where I am good enough for ME, I know one thing that makes even the periodic and troubling depression worth it. And that one thing is I took the risks. I didn't settle for mediocrity. I didn't settle for emotional abuse. I didn't settle for making the best of a bad situation. I didn't settle for so-so. I didn't settle for staying safe. I set goals and some of those goals I did not meet. Some did not work out. Some did. Some knocked me flat on my face. So, while, yes, I am disappointed in myself, I am angry at ME, I have to struggle with periodic depression about certain circumstances being what they are, I am still better off than I was before risking everything. When I traded security for reaching for something better. When I realized that I could be depressed AND suffocated, or I could do something about it. So, now, when I suffer through these bouts, I know they will be self-limiting. I took those "leaps of faith" and jumped off the cliff with no safety net. I was bruised and battered when I reached the bottom of that cliff, but I was ALIVE. Some things were better. A few were worse. But, I experienced life rather than just allowing it to proceed while it numbed me into acceptance. I chose to BE, not just to be.
Thoughts Leave a comment
I've been very edgy this week. In a sense, because I've spent the week apart from my husband, who has been in Ohio helping my oldest son move. This is the first time we have been separated for this long since we married. So, I've been listlessly poking around on Facebook—with which I have a "like-dislike" relationship—in between baking and cleaning sprees. Facebook, of course, is the ultimate narcissistic tool. Some of my "friends" are conservative evangelical Christians, or just conservatives, or just evangelicals, or just Christians. Or any combination of the three. So are most of my family members, some of whom I have on "hide" because their posts are the ultimate in self-righteous narcissism, some of them so phony and sugary that they literally trigger a gag reflex. If you are reading this, I seriously doubt you are one of them. I think that is what I dislike the most about Facebook. What is posted by so many just comes across as phony. Religiousy, self-righteously, arrogantly phony. But, I have enough friends and family on there –and they are in the majority–with whom I want to stay in contact and share photos and updates with, as well as some friends and family members who post some really great stuff, that I keep my account open. And the vast majority of those on my friend list, even among the right-wing evangelical Christians, are just fine. I don't know how long my relationship with Facebook will last, but it is as it is at this time. In response to some of the more galling posts, or just to get under the skin of some people, I will normally post an article, a status, or a quotation that is decidedly left-wing, anti-religion. Of course, I rarely get a response. I have a feeling I am on "hide posts" by some of my "friends". Anyway. So many of these people are just so damn sure they are RIGHT all of the time, so convinced that they are the center of the universe, or that they have the ear of God in their pockets as they rattle off scripture and the "praise God" tripe that makes them sound like bloomin' idjits, that I started thinking—would they keep me on their "friend" list if they really knew who I was and what I believe? Have they just ignored the hints? Or am I just one of the collectables? Whatever the case, I'm going to use this blog as a disclaimer for any more people who I want to "friend" or who might want to "friend" me. I totally get it if they decide I'm not the person they want me to be.
First off, I'm a liberal. A card-carrying member of the left wing. Some would call me a socialist, and they would be correct. Non-partisan, I will support the candidate who is the most left-wing and upholds left-wing ideals. I support a woman's right to choose; the right of all religions or non-religions to exist in this country as long as what they do harms no one physically (because there are sure a hell of a lot of religions out there that are permitted legally to harm people mentally, and, IMO, they are usually peopled by right-wingers); the rights of immigrants to full access to citizenship without being hounded or deported—as long as they are law-abiding—which I believe is the vast majority; social programs; universal health care; environmental protection policies; animal rights; civil rights; and most every other liberal cause one can throw out there on the boards for my consideration. I fall somewhat to the left of center on a liberal scale, mostly because I do believe in the death penalty in some cases. I can't tolerate braggarts. Or showboaters. Or arrogance. Or social climbing. I don't care how much money a person has, or how big their house is, or where they live, or what their sexual preference or gender identification is. I am, however, a bit of a snob when it comes to intelligence, because I cannot tolerate empty headed plastic people whose lives center around what they want others to think about them.
On religion: I do not believe the Bible is the inspired word of a god. I do not believe that the historical Jesus was the only divine being to ever come to earth. I do believe in a Divine Power, but not that described in the Christian Bible. Or the Qur'an. Or the Jewish texts. I tend more towards the belief that God is everywhere, in everything, and has many avatars—male, female, etc., as well as more than one being within "God". For me, God is most often in female form, or a female member of "God". I believe that God may very well be a family of Divine Beings, with perhaps a hierarchy. So, I am "pyramid" pan-theistic. But, I believe that God as a whole cannot be anthropomorphized. Sort of like a family. There is a family. There are members of the family. And, I believe that these divine beings send messages down here to earth through various channels. But, I do not believe those channels are those that encase the human soul within the bounds of a man-made, or woman-made, religion. Because, to me, religion is hogwash. At least the Abrahamic, patriarchal religions that dominate most of the Western World.
I don't believe in heaven as it is portrayed in either Christianity or Islam. As far as Judaism goes, I don't know enough about the various beliefs in the afterlife within the forms of Judaism to say whether I believe or do not believe those versions. Yet, I do believe there is an afterlife. I also believe in reincarnation of the soul—sort of like being sent back by the Divine until I learn lessons that will finally lead to me joining the Divine in another State of Being. And, I think that takes many lifetimes. I also am not arrogant enough to believe that humans are the only worthy life-forms in the entire universe. I believe in past life regression. I believe in spirit guides and angels. I believe we, as the human race, do NOT know a hell of a lot more than we think we DO know in matters dealing with the unknown.
I do believe in the "light", as well as the existence of destructive dark forces, although I do not believe in a literal devil. I do not believe the name for God is all that important. I do not believe that bible study is important in and of itself as a way to find God. At least not for me. Although the bible is full of wisdom, it is a historical text written by men. The same with all holy books. They were written by men. The same with religion: rules set down by men to control the masses. Not my thing. Not my cup of tea.
I tend to have conversations with the Divine rather than formal on-my-knees-eyes-closed prayer. Public prayer from self-righteous people really gets on my nerves, as do people who want to pray for my unsaved soul. Or talk about how they are saved. Or talk about "the lord". Or quote scripture at the drop of a hat. Or…well, I digress again. There are a few exceptions to this, however. When I hear someone talk about scripture in a logical, sensible, scholastic sense, I appreciate it. Because there is wisdom in the ages, in the collection of holy books that contain the stories of how humans came to grips and dealt with the unknown. Anyway, when I meditate and "pray", I just talk or think to the Divine in my mind, and listen for answers. No, I do not hear voices. To me, it is more a message that I just feel. But, nothing formal. I pay close attention to my dreams. I believe in ley lines and energy fields and auras. I believe that there is something to astrology—although not the simplistic astrology of which most people are aware. I believe in soul mates, although I feel they can be multiple and not always those whom we marry or with whom we have romantic relationships, as is expressed in pop culture. However, I am thankful I am married to one of my soul mates. Who accepts me for who I am, not for who he expects or wants me to be. Because, most of all, he wants me to be me and loves me for that. As I love him. Our fourteen year age difference makes not one whit of a difference. Oh, and I believe in science. And evolution. And reason.
I have been called names. I have been derided. I have been hurt terribly. Emotionally hurt. I've been told that I'm not really a liberal, but I just think I am. People have tried to convert me to their way of thinking. People have thought this was just a "phase" I was going through, or am going through. The right to believe as I have come, after many years, to believe has been trampled upon, dismissed, laughed at, scorned, or received with shock by some of my right wing Christian acquaintances. I've been accused of pretty much everything one can be accused of when one believes as I believe, both politically and religiously. I've had people consider me to be "flighty", or "over-emotional" or "dramatic" or just plain "out there".
And, that's ok. Because the more I am derided, the more I am scorned, the more I am the target of people attempting to "save" me, the more I believe what I believe, the more I separate myself from these people and their narrow minded beliefs and actions. And, in their refusal to accept that not everyone believes as they believe. Surprise, Surprise.
I've spent years of frustration, anxiety, and fear coming to terms with the way I now believe. With my new-found spirituality. For years, I was—as my last post presented—a sinner in the hands of an angry god. I developed my way of belief through the friendship of those I consider my soul-sisters and soul-brothers. They know who they are. I carry them in my heart at all times.
I can count the number of close friends I have, soulmates, fellow seekers, or otherwise, on one hand. I am very, very choosy about whom I call "friend". I've been torn apart by those I thought I loved, and put back together by those who I love and who love me in return. I do not throw the word or concept of "love" around helter- skelter. Those whom I say I love, I love. But, the word "love" loses its meaning –loses all its meanings–when used indiscriminately. I do not trust easily, but when I trust, it is wholeheartedly. That has brought a lot of pain, and a lot of lessons. Perhaps that is THE lesson I am here to learn, among others.
So, in keeping with the whole narcissistic Facebook theme, this is me. This is my status. I would like, however, for the reader to take more away than just a rundown on what I believe, because what I believe is just that: what I believe. How I feel. What makes me unique. I would like the reader to take away a re-affirmation that the individual mind is what makes each of us unique. Each of us comes to different conclusions, different stages, at different times. One stage is no more valid than another stage. I don't need a "spiritual leader" to tell me where I am or where I need to go. I am where I am NOW. My personal journey is just that: my personal journey. Spiritually. Physically. Mentally. I don't have to believe something because the majority of my friends, family, and acquaintances believe it, or because I am supposed to fear NOT believing it, or because others have conditioned or programmed me to believe it. Or someone else thinks it is the "right" way to believe because others do so. Or because I want to be accepted. Or to not make waves. I don't have to fit in a box. I don't have be anything other than what and who I am. I shouldn't have to pretend. I shouldn't have to make excuses. And neither should anyone else. Because life isn't a popularity contest. It's a journey. And sometimes, it is a lonely one.
A Sinner in the Hands of an Angry God: Revised Leave a comment
When I was a very little girl, before my parents were introduced and inducted into an apocalyptic millennialist cult, I had a child's assumptions about God. I didn't consider God to be scary. He was more like a large, grandfatherly "person" who would watch over me, but who also saw when I did anything bad and was mildly upset about it. Santa Claus was scarier than God—especially since if one was naughty, one was excluded from the Christmas bounty; which, to a kid, is THE thing about Christmas that stands out. God was, well, GOD. When I was told that "God loves" me, I didn't see the avenging God of Jonathan Edwards. "God is watching" didn't cause me to feel fearful. I felt protected. It was, as much as I remember, a sort of cozy feeling. But, then, I was only six, and children look at most things through a trusting lens. I regarded angels the same way. Demons and Satan I only stereotyped in my child mind. I didn't really fear the dark forces. I was a child. I thought as a child. I had not yet been introduced to the God of Specific Doctrine. The God of Fear.
When we started going to this church, switching to it from a weak version of Methodism, I began to hear about a God of punishing anger. A God who would allow—no, MAKE SURE–those who hadn't heard of the "truth" (i.e. their version of the truth) to suffer through the coming "great tribulation". To the ministers of that church—who loved to expostulate on the subject in sermons that would last for two or more hours—that punishment from God for non-conformance meant famine, pestilence, torture, and death. Most of this was to occur at the hands of Germans, who allegedly were the Aryans of the Bible, and who, in the views of the elite of this organization, would rise again and attack the United States. I remember having horrible nightmares. Nightmares in which Germans would invade my house and tear up my "stuff" (I was only six, remember). And then would take us away to a horrible fate. Nightmares in which my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and beloved cousins would die horribly because they were non-believers. I had nightmares of demon possession, another favorite subject of those who "ministered" to the congregations of this cult. These nightmares I remember 49 years later. Nightmares largely due to my introduction to a God of Fear.
Of course, fear of this God kept me pretty much on the straight and narrow through my pre-teen years. When I would slip, I would feel terribly guilty and fearful; after all, this slip of mine could very well cause the horrifying deaths of all of my immediate family. If I was bad, God would no longer afford me or those I loved his protection. But, being on the straight and narrow meant more than just following what the Bible teaches. It meant conforming to a certain interpretation of those scriptures. Which I felt guilty about, as well. Because I just could not get my mind to wrap around and embrace what I was taught to believe. It just did not make sense. But, after the normal period of teen-age and early adulthood rebellion (about which I also felt extreme guilt), I settled into a life which centered on these beliefs. I gave in. I conformed. Outwardly. Inwardly, all I felt was guilt, confusion, and anxiety. As well as resentment and fear.
Eventually, my parents began to seriously consider leaving this organization. I was also ready to leave—what my parents did and said had great influence over me, even after my first marriage, because I felt that to displease them was to displease the God I feared. Although I was an adult, and had been baptized into this religious organization (albeit with multiple misgivings), I still feared that, due to my inward rebellion, bad things would be heaped upon my head, and the heads of my parents, of my then- husband, of my children, by God. So, I lived with the guilt of not believing. And the fear that terrible things would happen because God knew everything I doubted, everything I resented.
My then-husband took great pleasure—especially after the consumption of quite a bit of alcohol– in describing to me, with great detail, what was going to happen to my parents because they were questioning the higher authorities of "the church". I was torn now in three ways: go with my husband, go with my parents, or follow my own way. To follow my own way was unthinkable. I was too weak, both in mind and body (I had one small child at the time and a complicated pregnancy was followed by the birth of premature twins) and too beat down emotionally. I now had three small children to think about, and out and out rebellion during these transition years would have been disastrous to my marriage. Although I was very good at putting up a strong false front, I was torn apart inside. And, I really didn't have a spiritual "plan". All I had was what I had been taught. And that included letting others who were more spiritually "mature" guide me. Within a few months, however–and during my pregnancy with the twins– my then-husband and I mutually decided for us to leave the mother organization, and we–or, mostly, he–started going to the services of the main offshoot of this organization. This turned into attending church with multiple splinter groups of several connected organizations as—I realize now– he was looking for a religious "home". Each with their own version of God.
Basically, I followed where I was led. In spurts of rebellion, I would balk or even outright refute what was still considered to be the "truth". But, due to religious imprinting, fear, insecurity, guilt, or whatever, my rebellion stopped when fear took over. I was spiritually trapped—and, because leaving the organization did not, in most ways, affect the doctrinal beliefs, it was the same trap as that which had imprisoned me since I was a child. It was merely the matter of changing the face of the organization. While a few "doctrines" shifted, the main reason for the split and splinters was, and IS, due to power struggles within the top echelon. So, nothing much changed, in terms of the "big" doctrines (i.e. holydays, a coming tribulation, the seventh-day Sabbath, et cetera). Nor did God seem to be any more loving to me in these groups, even though most of the participants talked about a loving God. But, this loving God had certain people he had chosen to know the "truth". And that "truth" certainly did not set me free. Because I kept thinking something was wrong with me that I could not accept this God. Yet, I feared this God.
I struggled on for years, alternating between spurts of rebellion against the God of Fear and earnestly seeking a God of Love. I tried several different paths. Ultimately, I realized I would never be free unless I left, not only the religious belief system in which I was brought up, but those who tied me to it. I had a circle of close friends, as well as my mother, for support. But, leaving was the only choice. And, I was not just leaving behind home and family, but I was leaving behind a God that I feared. I hoped. While there were other reasons for dissolving my 25+ year marriage, one of the main reasons was that I quite simply just could no longer tolerate being torn, feeling guilty, feeling stupid, or fearing that maybe…just MAYBE…I was wrong. That I would, inevitably, be punished. I, quite literally, ran away from, not only a religion, but from the God of that religion.
But, running away doesn't solve anything. I still felt that everything that went wrong in my life was punishment from God. I thought finding another spiritual "home" would solve things. Maybe another expression of God, another religion, another perspective, was what I needed. I converted to Roman Catholicism during this time, largely because the first homily I heard was about God's love and forgiveness. My new husband was, at the time, basically a non-practicing Catholic and we both felt this was a spiritual path with which we would both be happy–even though we both disagreed with many Catholic doctrines. The formal conversion process took a little over a year. The RCIA program solidified my resolve to give this a chance. I really thought my journey was complete. For a long while I was quite happy—even though I did not agree with many of the doctrines, with many of the "rules" one had to follow to be a good Catholic. I thought that as long as I kept my mouth shut, I could feel comfortable and safe in my new spiritual "home". Until I started feeling the same way I had as a child. That, as long as I kept my mouth shut about not believing in the "rules", I was left alone. That, even here, where the concept of a God of Love was taught, that same God was going to punish me for not believing. I'm not talking about moral rules, ethical rules, or just the rules for being a good person. Rules that tell me that I am wrong because I support a woman's right to choose. Because I do not believe in the virgin birth of a savior only one time in the history of the universe. Because I do not believe that the historical figure of Jesus was the only begotten son of God. Rules that both my husband and I questioned. I could not swallow the myth, even in this form. A completely different religion—in fact, the religion which the old church considered to be the epitome of the false church of the book of Revelation—a completely different set of doctrines, and the God of Fear was still there, just expressed with a different message. Coated with love this time, but watch for his wrath if you don't conform to the rules. And, if not wrath, then a nice vacation in Purgatory.
Of course, the story of my religious journey is much more complicated than I could ever put in a post. And, much more private. But, over the years, I have come to realize that, while some people are happy with the Christian version of God, I am not. Some people do not see a God of Fear underneath their version of a God of Love. For some, the God promoted by various organizations, denominational or non-denominational, and by various spiritual gurus, is a God of Love. That's fine for them. I don't see it. I see, underneath, a vengeful God, the God of Jonathan Edwards. A God created by Man. A God made in the image of those who profess to serve him. A God so concerned about specific doctrines that he would condemn all who don't conform to those doctrines to a horrible fate. A God I grew up and spent most of my adult life fearing. Maybe it was early imprinting. Maybe it is because I tend to dissect everything to death. Maybe I think too much. But, I no longer believe that if I don't follow a set of man-made or man-written doctrines that God is going to punish me. Because that God just does not exist. I don't believe there is a Christian God. Or a Muslim God. Or a Jewish God. There is JUST GOD. A God with no specific book. No specific religion. No specific name. A God that cannot be anthropomorphized. A God that has many forms, many faces. A God who just IS. A God in whom I CAN believe. With no qualms. With no guilt. With no fear.


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The second wave of checks from the independent foreclosure review settlement hit the mail Friday, bringing the total number of payouts to 2.8 million.
Earlier this week, regulators said some borrowers who received payments during the first wave of mailings had trouble cashing their checks.
The Federal Reserve remedied the situation and by Friday the second round was in the mail.
As of today, $2.4 billion of the $3.6 billion reimbursement payments for homeowners affected by foreclosures processed in 2009 and 2010 have been mailed, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency said.
By the end of business day Thursday, recipients had cashed 434,484 checks, leading to the disbursement of $419 million in funds.
By the end of April, 90% of the checks will have been mailed. The final round of payments will be distributed by mid-summer.
The payments, which total $3.6 billion, are part of the $9.3 billion independent foreclosure review settlement, a deal cut between 13 servicers and regulators as part of an agreement to end the costly national foreclosure review.

subset: commoncrawl


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When giving the opportunity, I enjoy trying new places when traveling. And with my in-laws living just 30 minutes away from Fort Wayne, I thought it was time for a trip to Mad Anthony Brewing Company's Munchie Emporium. The trip occurred on Good Friday and I was joined on the journey by my sister-in-law Andi and her husband Dale.
First, a little background. The brewery is named after the city's namesake. General "Mad" Anthony Wayne is a Revolutionary War hero who fought many battles in the Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan. He was referred to as "Mad Anthony" because he could lead an army into battle on little or no sleep. Sounds like he could have been an architecture major, but I digress.
The brewery has been around since 1995. The Munchie Emporium, apparently, has been around longer.
The Munchie is a large restaurant with separate bar and family rooms. The decor is eclectic, including a dead deer head above the bar.
Upon entering the bar, you will notice the beer list on the wall (unless the picture is too dark, then aren't noticing anything). Tonight they had 10 brews on tap: Auburn Lager, Blonde, Oatmeal Stout, Brown Ale, Spring Fling, Winter Ale, Irish Stout, Ol' Woody Pale Ale, Raspberry, and Blackberry Porter. The lager, blonde, ol' woody pale ale, and others can be found in six packs in liquor stores, including the Hop Shop.
They have a full bar at the Munchie, so if beers aren't your thing, you can get something else. Though I don't know why...
My favorite place to sit in a bar is at the bar. It is where the action is and it is the best place to converse with those who know beer best: the bartender. The bartender on this night was Kelly, a very fun and personable keeper. The beers run between 3.50 and 4 bucks. And there is a sampler set that you can order. Kelly was very kind in letting us try a couple of beer samples each on the house.
My sister-in-law Andi is a light beer drinker. Not in terms of consumption, but type. Domestic beers are her thing, with Budweiser being one of her favorites. She stuck with Blonde all night, a good starting point for those who aren't big into craft beers yet.
Her husband Dale sampled, and liked, the Raspberry wheat ale. About half way through the pint, he had about enough of that. He grew tired of the strong fruit flavor. He liked it, but it was too much of a good thing in this case. Thankfully, it did not go to waste. His lovely wife finished it for him.
After sampling a couple of beers, I elected to start with the Ol' Woody Pale Ale, an APA. It is light amber in color and pours with a small white head. The lace clings some to the glass. The aroma was close to non-existent, with very small hints of citrus and hops. When drinking it, I noticed some citrus and clove notes to the flavor. There is a hit of hops, though much milder than most IPA's. It leaves a dry feeling in the mouth with some aftertaste and a little burn in the throat. It's a fine beer that is a great starting point for those who want to start drinking IPA's. I would give Ol' Woody three and a half mugs.
For my next beer, I went with the curiously named Spring Fling, a German-style Amber Lager with a 6.0% ABV. Looks are deceiving with this beer. It has a dark amber color to it with lots of lace and a slight head. I wasn't able to pick up any aroma at all. It was smooth and syrupy in consistency. And it tasted like...well, sometimes beer just tastes like beer. I have a feeling that this was suppose to be Ft. Wayne's version of Bell's Oberon. It's a simple brew that would work well in warmer weather, but it lacks the yeasty complexities that Oberon possesses. Both Andi and Dale sampled this beer and enjoyed it. It's a good beer, but again, a starter beer in my opinion. I give it three mugs, making this an average (but not bad) beer.
At this point, it is about 5 til midnight. We had been there about an hour at that point. Then Kelly yells "Last Call". Last call? At midnight? On a Friday? You're kidding?
She wasn't. They close at midnight Fridays and Saturdays, 11pm Monday through Thursday, and 10pm on Sundays. Early closing for a bar, so if you go, take notice: go early!
Thankfully, I had the opportunity to try one more beer. I decided to try one of the stouts, but which one. I sampled both and both the were good. I decided to go with the Irish Stout. And I'm glad I did.
As expected, it's a dark beer. A blackhole actually. Light does not penetrate. It's brown to black in color and pours with a nice, dark tan head that leaves lots and lots of lace on the glass. It has a pleasant aroma of roasted malts that carries over into the flavor. I think the easiest way to describe this beer is it's like Guinness, but better. More complexities, more malts, a better flavor. A very full and well balanced beer. Four mugs, all the way. I highly recommend to anyone who prefers maltier beers.
I also want to note that, since it was after midnight, my Lenten obligations were over. I elected to order Scotch Eggs from their late night munchies menu. And the Scotch Eggs match well with the Irish Stout.
As seen by the mugs hanging on the wall, there are many that enjoy the multiple beer offerings of Mad Anthony. I was impressed with the number of beers available (five mugs in that category) as well as with the quality of beers. I'd like to go again when the IPA is on tap. It was an enjoyable bar with enjoyable people. I just wish it could have lasted longer.
11 April 2007
Going mad in Fort Wayne: a roadtrip report
3 comments:
ooh, my old stomping grounds!ReplyDelete
Next time get the Scooby Snacks. They're completely addicting.
Good to see some Mad Anthony love :)
Hey, I was just there the day before you were, but had to be in the restaurant side! Also had the Spring Fling - and I agree - it was ok, but nothing to write home about. I wouldn't kick it out of bed on a cold winter's night.ReplyDelete
Whenever I get the Raspberry, I get the 1/2 and 1/2. Something to cut it with. Delish.ReplyDelete
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Also, a friendly reminder.... our annual Christmas Party is scheduled for Wednesday, December 18th. Families are welcome. Everyone is encouraged to bring some festive food to share with the group. Any leftovers will be given to our gracious hosts, the Nokomis Fire Department. Also, if you haven't contributed to the room fund, please feel free to hand your donation to George as we'll be presenting it to the fire department on the day of the party.
George Mindling, author of U.S. Air Force Tactical Missiles, was our first reader. He shared with us an old treasure he found while going through some of his old projects and found a piece about a conversation with Shirley MacLaine. In his story he documents a call in to a local radio show where Shirley was the guest. As the call came from his home (and his daughter), he was prompted to record it for posterity purposes. The subject brought up by his daughter on the call was the metaphysical and pets. I don't think it surprised anyone to hear that the subject matter was too complex for a mere call in to the radio show. The cheekily dry humor at a celebrity giving spiritual advice was fabulously spot on.
Next, Kitt Crescendo shared her poem, Brave, about personal strength, compelled by the bullying situation that hit the headlines based on the situation in the Miami Dolphins locker room. The topic sparked a lively discussion surrounding what peoples' perceptions of bullying are as well as how to respond to bullying (and our personal responsibility to be stand up for ourselves).
Pat Patterson followed with a big thank you to the folks who gave him critique on his manuscript. Included on his list were Ernie, Ed, Don, JoAnne, Jack and Peter. He also shared his discovery of a software program called Clear Edits that assisted him with both line and content edits for his WIP. The cost is $80 and comes with email support. Instead of sharing from his manuscript, Pat has boldly branched out with his writing into the world of poetry. He wrote a lovely piece called "To My Grandson" where he answers the boy's question about where the wind comes from. His second poem was simply called "Dan", a loving tribute to the brother he lost and the son he gained who honors his name.
George Collias, author of Sandspurs: Limericks by a Native Floridian and Myahmuh: A Novel of Miami, Florida read an excerpt from the latter book. In this part we are introduced to a murderer through the eyes of a dead boy's ghost as he performs his rituals of putting cigarette burns on the body of his victim post mortem. The tone is definitely eerie and leaves us wondering how this horrible criminal will be caught.
Ernie Ovitz follows with some information surrounding how he researched his book and characters. He explained that his best sources of information were on descriptions he found of Armenia and the great persecution in 301 AD that were outside the traditional text books/history books/encyclopedias. He then continued on to Chapter 5 of his WIP in which the ambassador finds out that his wife has been kidnapped and makes plans to give chase to get her back.
Our in house comedian, Ed Ellis, read a short story he wrote entitled "My Feathered Friend." In the story he talks about the ice shanty he and the other half of his "honey do" twins build together. Their whole goal in building this fancy shanty was to drink Wild Turkey and escape their wives and the "honey do" lists that went with them. Once it was complete, their days were filled with the three "F"s. Fishing, Football and Feathers...until the blizzard that came that winter. The cold combined with the turkey caused them to hallucinate bikini clad co-eds out on the ice. As is always the case with an Ed Ellis story, the ending wasn't that simple...or that boring. The punchline came when the "honey do" twins discovered their missed opportunity. They found out that the co-eds weren't hallucinations at all, but participants in a contest held by the local radio station.
The sweetly soft spoken Barbara Frickel took a turn at sharing next. Het two pieces were inspired by her meditations (along with her mother's birthday) and magic pencils (her magical version of colored pencils). Her first piece was a dedication to her mom called "The Color of Comfort". For Barbara, the color umber reminds her of softness and warmth...and her mother. The second was called "My Tree" and was written while at Myakka Lake looking at her tree and meditating. To her, that tree spoke of strength, friendship and a promise of good times. Between the art work and photo and Barbara's sweet words, she warmed our hearts and left us smiling.
Don Westerfield wrote a couple of poems to honor those like him who served our country well as we headed towards the Veterans Day holiday. The two poems were entitled "The American Fighting Man" and "Fields of Stone." Both of his poems were powerful pieces for different reasons, so I selected one to share on the blog.
Fields of Stone
Taps ever echo o'er this hallowed place.
Flags adorn where fallen heroes lie in grace.
Here, each dawn reveals an alabaster glow
of white stones in perfect patterns, set
Row on row.
They honor those who served this country well,
reminding us why; why each hero fell.
On each stone a name, for Ages to cite;
memories etched in glory on a field of
White on white
Letters spell only of who the grave;
Even requiems can't acknowledge all they gave.
Our tears yet flow like the blood most shed
upon foreign shores where they
Bled and bled.
Not for self, did they fight and die,
but for country and all; now in peace they lie.
They paid freedom's toll and so here they bide
under silent white sentinels, resting
Side by side.
Followed by Don's patriotic and heartfelt words was JoAnne Phillips, author of Adventures of a Sea Hag.
She read from her current work in progress, "Matrix of Life". The chapter she shared with us was called "Legion" and surrounded a special gift that the local chapter of the American Legion and their gift to her grandfather. In honor of all his years of dedication the guys gave him a hunting dog (a beagle) named Legion. As often happens in these more humorous moments in her book, humor and chaos ensued as the "hunting" dog became spoiled and babied under her grandfather's "watchful" eye. Laughter filled our meeting as JoAnne described the day that Legion stole the "turkey-duck-chicken" (the turducken moniker came much later with John Madden and the turkey bowls) her grandmother had prepared for Thanksgiving dinner, managing to eat a large portion before it could be saved.
Suzi Lynch, one of our newer members, decided to be bold and share a trilogy of poems she'd written a few years back for us. "Why I Don't Write or This Will Be On Your Permanent Record" was a powerful piece where she explored her fears of being published and how, in her mind at that moment in time, being unpublished also felt like being protected...from critics, reviewers and from the world at large. Her follow up, "No Love Lost" explored how when dreams come true (in this case, her classroom curriculum), it could be taken and changed and turned into anything...possibly even something completely different from what she'd intended. In her final piece, "A Happy Pregnancy", she discussed the hope, potential and something greater than herself growing within her writing...and that as long as she chose to hold it within and "not deliver" it, her thoughts, her writing was safe. Her three poems were powerful pieces to which every writer, artist or creator can relate. The strength of her voice was beautiful even as it probed insecurities and fears.
Andrew Parker introduced us to his newest WIP, a piece called "Playing Chess at 91." The first character we meet is the protagonist, Simon Shuster. He lives in a rent controlled boardinghouse filled with other senior citizens who do a lot of drugs (which he doesn't partake in) and "brownies" (which he does). They spend the larger part of their days playing chess while under the influence. Their handyman is over 100 and on crack. There are only 2 younger people who live in this house with them. One is in charge of their "nutrition" and the other "therapy." We're still unsure where Andrew's piece is going to take us, but one thing is guaranteed. Laughter and the outrageous will follow. It's one of the joys of hearing Andrew's work.
Our final reader for the night was Jung Suk Yo, back from his recent hiatus from our group. He shared a chapter from his current WIP called "In the Boat" where he described a frightening scene where his protagonist, Bach (a lawyer) is kidnapped by two masked men from his home in Florida where he'd been hiding and brought out to a ship in the Gulf of Mexico. Bound and gagged, he's uncertain if they came for him because the billionaire whose wife he'd been sleeping with found out about their nefarious plan to kill him with an insulin overdose or if it was something else entirely. It definitely left us a bit chilled and nervous about walking out into the dark Florida night to go home.


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Hello you wonderful QuiBids customers, you. No, please, don't get up. Keep clicking on those auctions and I'll make your acquaintance from right here.
The name's Matt and I'm your new resident blogger around these parts. Jill and Blake will still be here too (they're my new office-mates, in fact), and they'll be posting information to enhance your experience with our website from time to time. But I'll be your primary blog-ministrator from here on out, and I want to know what sort of information you would find valuable. But I also want you to get to know me and vice versa, because this whole Internet thing can get sooooooo very impersonal sometimes. And that's just no fun.
Previously I worked as a writer and online editor for Oklahoma City's informative, wonderful alternative-weekly newspaper, Oklahoma Gazette and graduated from the University of Oklahoma. Building on that theme I joined QuiBids, a terrific company with headquarters nestled right here in the comfy middle of the country's heartland. It's a pretty awesome place to be right now, what with the economic shift toward natural gas, the Thunder winning more NBA games than any team that doesn't feature Derek Rose, and a vibrant artistic community that's reaching full bloom. I guess I'm Pro-klahoman.
Let's sprint through a few quick hits: My friends call me by my last name, dudes I play basketball with say I shoot like Matt Bonner, LCD Soundsystem is absolutely the best band in the history of the known universe, I like to shoot photographs of musicians in my free time, and I do a healthy bit of tweeting. Also, I kinda have a thing for Taylor Swift.
But on a more meaningful note, I'm thrilled to toss my hat in with QuiBids because I believe this company is uniquely positioned to register an enormous, positive impact on the people shop all over the world.
Today being only my second day as QuiBids' resident copywriter, I'll testify that this company's full of friendly people who work hard with your convenience in mind. Yesterday morning I gave the company Code of Ethics a read and got floored by their dedication to fair business practice: actively listening to and communicating with our users and avoiding conflicts of interest. After years of working for newspapers, I'd become pretty jaded toward most retailers' practices, but there's a healthy sense of good will and youth about this company that I'm proud to start contributing to.
And by contributing, I mean using this blog space as an opportunity to help answer your questions, and provide you — our ever-valued customers — with information you can use to save time and money while shopping on QuiBids. So please sound off in the comments or feel free to shoot me an email at email@example.com if there's something on your mind that you think's worth a post on the blog. I'll be excited to hear it!
Happy bidding!


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NEW CASTLE -- Molly Galano lived in Palm Springs, Calif., until she was 10. It's an interesting coincidence, because she's now going home, sort of, playing Polly Wyeth in the New Castle Playhouse presentation "Other Desert Cities," set in -- you guessed it -- Palm Springs.
Galano uses her acting skills to bring Polly, the matriarch of the Wyeth family, to life. Polly is a very certain person, who believes what she believes and is secure in that belief.
"She sees things as black and white, and that can be difficult for some people to deal with. I have known people like that, but I'm not that rigid," Galano said.
"Other Desert Cities" is about a family with different political views and a long-held family secret.
The play's events take place around the Christmas 2004 holiday when the Wyeth family gets together in Palm Springs. The Wyeths' daughter Brooke returns home after six years and announces that she is going to publish a memoir that will dredge up a tragic event in the family's history -- the suicide of her brother, Henry. The line is drawn with Brooke on one side and her parents on the other, creating a tension the audience will feel.
The play carries a strong message about not living in the past.
"As human beings we look back on things we did or said. If it helps us to become a better person that is a good thing, but if the past doesn't help a person to grow then they need to live find a way to live in the present," Galano said.
It is a five-member cast that Galano describes as wonderful people invested in making this the best show they can.
"Other Desert Cities" Is a funny, sad and interesting play written by Jon Robin Baitz, who was a finalist for the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for drama. It is directed by Lester Malizia of Youngstown, who has directed many plays in Ohio and Pennsylvania.
"I am enjoying working with Lester. He has such a wealth of knowledge and experience," Galano said. "Every time you do a show you learn something. No matter how much you think you know, no matter how many plays you have done, you always learn something new. You know you will never be perfect, but you strive for it."
Galano's extensive stage experience includes the New Castle Playhouse, Victorian Playhouse in Youngstown, Youngstown Playhouse, and the Oakland Center for the Arts.
In December 2013 Galano appeared in "A Christmas Carol, the Musical," at the New Castle Playhouse and was thrilled to be dancing on stage again.
"It was on my bucket list, she said. "I started out as a dancer, but I don't practice dancing anymore. But I do yoga and pilates to be as strong as I can be."
Galano's parents were very interested in theater and frequently took their children from Palm Springs to Los Angeles, a two-hour ride, to expose them to live theater.
The family moved to Wyoming when Galano was 10, and she did community theater and was involved in a dancers' workshop. She was primarily a dancer until she got to college, walked into the theater arts class and got hooked on theater.
In 1999 Galano moved to Youngstown because her husband, Sam, had family nearby in New Castle. They live in Youngstown.


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Physician among at least 17 killed in mudslides destroying Southern California communities weeks after wildfires
At least 17 people have died and hundreds of homes have been damaged after torrential rains created mudslides in several Southern California communities that scrambled to escape wildfires just a few months ago, ABC News reports.
Firefighters who fought deadly wildfires in the area in December are now searching flattened homes across Santa Barbara County for mudslide survivors. Montecito, Calif., was placed under mandatory evacuation orders Thursday, forcing approximately 10,000 residents out of their homes for between one and two weeks, ABC News reports.
Among those killed in the mudslides was Mark Montgomery, MD, an orthopedic hand surgeon affiliated with Santa Barbara-based Cottage Health and the Santa Barbara-based private practice Associated Hand Surgeons, according to KSBY-6 News.
Dr. Montgomery and his wife, daughter and son were caught in the mudslide. His wife and son survived, the report states.
In a statement to KSBY-6 News, Cottage Health said, "We're very saddened by the death of Dr. Mark Montgomery, who was a member of the Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Medical Staff. Dr. Montgomery was a respected orthopedic surgeon who specialized in hand surgery. We extend sincere condolences to his family and all who knew him as a colleague and friend. This is an enormous loss for our community."
More articles on hospital-physician relationships:
ACGME grants accreditation to Piedmont Athens Regional's yearlong residency program
AACOM creates graduate medical education group in 'historic' move
Stanford University Medical School physician dies in car crash
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A Magherafelt couple who cut short their sun holiday after an internet company let them down are warning others to beware.
Paddy and Margaret Toner from Magherafelt told the BBC they were left "high and dry" in Spain.
They had paid upfront for a nine-day holiday in Torremolinos via alpharooms.com. But when they got there, the hotel had not been paid.
In a statement on Monday alpharooms.com blamed a "technical issue."
"Owing to a technical issue on Friday 14th October, some of our customer's bookings were mistakenly cancelled," the company tweeted.
"We are in the process of contacting all affected customers and would like to apologise for any disruption caused."
For the Toners, it is too late. They cut short their sun holiday because they did not want to pay their bill twice over.
"I booked and paid £391.05 on 30 September," said Paddy Toner.
He printed off his accommodation voucher from alpharooms.com and presented it to the staff at the MS Agua Marina hotel when the couple arrived last Thursday 13 October.
On Friday evening at 21:00 BST, the receptionist rang their room and asked to speak them.
"She told us that our hotel had not been paid for. I said that we had paid, She gave me back our accommodation voucher and asked me to contact alpharooms.com."
When Mr Toner rang the number, he could not get through.
The following day, the hotel talked to him again about the lack of payment.
"I felt they were putting a bit more pressure on," he said.
"We were told, 'If you want to stay, you are going to have to pay'. But there was no way I was going to pay again."
"We managed to book return flights back on Saturday and that cost us an extra £123.
"There were four or five other people who had also booked and whose accommodation had not been paid."
"We just said, 'Let's get home'. It was very disappointing and we are annoyed."
When Mr Toner got back to Northern Ireland, he rang alpharooms.com again.
"The man on the other end of the phone apologised and offered to re-imburse us," he said.
"But here we are, off work this week and sitting at home rather than Spain."
He said he wanted to highlight what had happened so that other people would not fall into the same trap.
No-one was available for comment at alpharooms.com.


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Published at Monday, February 11th, 2019 - 21:37:38 PM. Bedroom. By Elsie Schumacher.
This bedroom has a white ceiling which, in most cases, would be an unnoticeable feature. However, in this case it stands out, especially in contrast with the black walls. The walls are not just black but also patterned. They are covered with elegant wallpaper. To create a uniform décor, the curtains are also black and the floors have a dark brown stain.
Another possibility is to work with a variety of colors and to make a smooth transition between the dark and light shades, with bold and colorful accents. The little touches of color often bring together everything else beautifully. To better visualize all these possibilities, have a look at the examples we've prepared.
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In San Diego, the International Mobil Film Festival™ took place and a number of filmmakers came to share their films on the big screen with the world. MFF2015 screened 36 official selected films and featured a few others as well. All the films shot with mobile phones. Prakash Gandhi Natarajan screened his film "Michelle's Patisserie" which promoted his wife's company.
When Prakash went back home he decided to open his production company which films most of its videos using mobile video cameras, primarily-the smartphone.
We were happy to hear about this because we are truly mobile film geeks, and we asked him a few questions which we thought we would share with you.
SB: Were you a professional in video production before you began to use mobile phones to shoot?
Prakash: No. I graduated from college for Computers and I am a full time employee as software engineer for the last 12 years. I started film making recently and immediately fell in love with Smartphone Film making.
SB: What made you try making professional videos using your mobile phone?
Prakash: Because the idea of using smartphone for pre-production, production, post-production and distribution sounds like a dream, still its possible through smartphones. Since that dream is a reality I started making professional videos through smartphones only.
SB: What types of films do you make?
Prakash: I have been making videos constantly. Weddings, Small Business promo videos, Events and Screenings.
SB: So you decided to open a mobile film or video production company, correct?
Prakash: Yes thats correct. My mobile video production company name is Dhara Visual.
SB: What made you decide to open a mobile video and/or film production company as opposed to a traditional one, and did you or do you, still have a traditional production company?
Prakash: I love to work alone. I am a one man show kind of person. If I would have end up going the traditional route with a DSLR and accessories then I needed at least one or two person to help with every single project. Going to the smartphone route, gives me the flexibility of working alone without any one's help.
SB: Was MFF2015 the first film festival you submitted your film to?
Prakash: I have submitted to multiple film festivals before that and MFF2015 is the only film festival I attended in person at San Diego earlier this year.
SB: What was the experience like for you?
Prakash: MFF2015 was great. I get to meet other film makers and get to see their films on the big screen. Attended Q & A session with the live audience, walked the red carpet with my beautiful wife and the models. MFF2015 Founder did treat us like celebrities.
SB: Do you plan to make a movie or another film for next year's film festival or other festivals using your phone?
Prakash: I am constantly making videos and submitting my videos to other film festivals. I would love to attend my best work this year to MFF2016 for sure.
SB: We hope you can make it to MFF2016 again! Would your recommend the experience of making a mobile film and submitting it to our film festival in San Diego?
Prakash: Yes. I encourage all the film makers outside, to take a look at MFF2016 as an opportunity to showcase your work to the world and come and meet all the other lovely and kind film makers.
Prakash Gandhi Natarajan is a popular community member in the world of mobile filmmaking. His love for shooting videos, using apps of all sorts and trying different and new accessories makes him extremely versatile in his craft. His talent is diverse and plainly put: cool!
We look forward to seeing Prakash again in San Diego, or as part of other festivals, we have acquired a bit of admiration for his versatility in mobile filmmaking. He has a lot of energy to give to mobile filmmaking and video production and is talented and skilled in technology and the arts.
Here is how to contact Prakash's mobile video production company Dhara Visual:
Gmail : email@example.com
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/dharavisual
Twitter : https://twitter.com/dharavisual
Vimeo : https://vimeo.com/dharavisual/videos
Instagram : https://instagram.com/dharavisual/
Vine : https://vine.co/u/1206424673957847040
Google+ : https://plus.google.com/105622016477039746184/posts
If you at least watch one of Dhara Visual films you may be inspired. Here is one that will get you moving.
MFF2016 is still open for submissions as of the date of this article. The deadline is December 19, 2015. We will not be extending our deadline so please do make a film of about 1 to 5 minutes and submit it to us before the deadline. Part of the award for completing your film and making it as an official selection to be screened during MFF2016 is to come to the event and walk the red carpet, meet other filmmakers and just be a part of it. We will treat you like a star but that is because you deserve it for all your work. Do your best and hope you make it! www.internationalmobileflmfestival.com
© 2015 S. Botello Productions™. All rights reserved.


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Succeeding in tough times is a choice. As the economy lapsed into recession at the end of 2007 and other states hunkered down, Maryland redoubled its investments in the cornerstones of the state's economic success. Since the start of the recovery, Maryland has re-gained almost 98,000 jobs, more than two-thirds of those lost during the recession. While some may choose to ignore the state's recovery, Maryland's rebound is better than all but seven other states.
Recently the U.S. Chamber of Commerce ranked Maryland No. 1 in the nation for innovation and entrepreneurship. A champion of pro-business policies, the chamber lauded Maryland for its commitments to education, start-up companies and collaboration between business and academia.
The recipe for Maryland's appeal is simple — we reward innovation, invest in our skilled workforce and encourage entrepreneurship through state programs and public-private partnerships. With world-class research labs, brilliant entrepreneurs and highly educated workers, Maryland is uniquely ready to take advantage of a fast-changing global economy in which sectors such as biotechnology, cybersecurity and high-tech manufacturing are keys to good jobs and bright futures.
InvestMaryland and InnovateMaryland, both created in the past 18 months, have $84 million to make venture capital investments in high-tech Maryland start-ups and $5.8 million to commercialize promising technologies from state universities. With input from the business community and Maryland residents, we have also made doing business easier by repealing or revising more than 130 outdated state regulations and streamlining state processes.
Maryland had the nation's highest median household income in 2010, according to the Census Bureau. Marylanders also have the third-lowest state and local tax burden as a share of their incomes, according to Federal Funds Information for States.
The number of millionaires calling the Free State home has increased almost 20 percent since 2007, and by last year Maryland had the greatest concentration of millionaire households in the country, according to Phoenix Marketing International. The latest year of data available from Maryland's Comptroller (2010) shows a 16 percent increase in the number of millionaire tax filers, following the dip during the recession. The latest IRS figures (2010) show that thousands more people are moving into Maryland than out.
Why? For the quality of life Marylanders have cultivated for decades, our abundant natural resources, our commitment to innovation, our proximity to key federal agencies — and also because Maryland has the nation's best public school system, ranked No. 1 by Education Week for four years running. The state also boasts an affordable public university system with gems such as University of Maryland, Baltimore County, which was ranked No. 4 in undergraduate teaching last year by U.S. News and World Report. While many states cut education spending during the recession, Maryland increased its investment in the workforce of the future by 7.4 percent per student, the third-highest increase of any state.
Today, Maryland companies make solar panel arrays that power bases in Afghanistan, produce vaccines that protect against influenza and anthrax, design athletic wear for top athletes and launch satellites that power international commerce. In a world increasingly driven by technology and innovation, Maryland will continue to invest in our people, nurture their ideas, reward their entrepreneurial spirit, celebrate their achievements and abolish obstacles to their success.
Christian S. Johansson is Maryland's secretary of business and economic development.


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111 W 7thHays, KS 67601ph: email@example.com
Monday- Saturday 11am - 2pm
(M-Th) 4:30pm - 9pm
(F-S) 4:30pm - 10pm
Restaurant Phone: 785-623-4088
We are located at the corner of 7th and Fort in downtown Hays, KS. Just south of the post office.
Trying to find us from I-70? Just head south on Vine St, then west (right) on 8th St., turn south (left) on Fort St. and we are on the left, past the post office.
Planning an up coming event or just have questions? For best response time please call 785-623-4088 during business hours.
You can also fill out the form below so we can get the correct information to you.
Copyright 2010 Gutch's Bar & Grill. All rights reserved.
Web Hosting by Yahoo!


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Hustle Kings™ [PS Vita]
Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe
Game Unlock Released 22 Feb 2012
Buy this product for PlayStation®Vita and get the PlayStation®3 version FOR FREE. After purchasing, simply head to the PlayStation®Store "Download List" for your PS3™ and you'll find this product ready to be downloaded.
Fancy yourself as a pool hustler? Are you a trickshot wizard? Or are you after a quick game just to kick back after a hard day?
Whatever your ability level, you'll find a game to suit in the world's coolest pool hall. Prepare to enjoy incredibly realistic pool action wherever you go, with super-sensitive touchscreen controls and matches against PlayStation®3 players via Cross-platform Play.
Using your PlayStation®Vita system's touchscreen and rear touch pad, skilfully position your cue, adjust the angles, add spin and fine-tune the power of each shot. With so many new gameplay techniques, anyone can easily pick up and play Hustle Kings™. But do you have enough skill to progress through the game's Career Mode?
Choose from a variety of pool rules, including Eight Ball, Nine Ball and Killer. Pot balls, pull off trickshots and win matches to earn credits, then spend them on new equipment in the Hustle Kings™ Store. Then when you've really honed your abilities, head online to do some proper hustling and earn even more.
Ready to play? Then rack 'em up and let's get a game on. To find out more about Hustle Kings™ on PlayStation®Vita and PS3™, take a swerve shot over to eu.playstation.com.
Download the free trial or purchase the full game now.
Gameplay requires PlayStation®Vita memory card (sold separately).
Compatibility Notices: 1-8 Players, 2-8 Network Players, Network Features, Minimum Space Required 800MB, Touchscreen/Rear Touch Pad, Dual Analog Sticks, Front and Rear Cameras, Motion Sensor, Cross-platform Play (PS3™)
Download of this product is subject to the Sony Entertainment Network Terms of Service/User Agreement and any specific additional conditions applying to this product. If you do not wish to accept these terms, do not download this product. See Terms of Service for more important information. One time fee for use of downloads on up to 2 activated compatible Portable Console* systems.
* See Terms of Service for further information.
Hustle Kings™ ©2012 Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. Published by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. Developed by VooFoo Studios. "Hustle Kings" is a trademark or a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. All rights reserved.


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You can feel the fear; smell the stench of the whaler as she sets out to sea; the hatred and putrid corrosion of the human spirit as you join the ship Volunteer as it heads out into the dark waters, on its journey to the Arctic Circle in search of whales.
The men on board are hardened men, used to living in the tough and gruelling conditions that go with life on a whaler. On this voyage they have been joined by Patrick Sumner, a disgraced ex-army surgeon who takes on the role as the ships medical officer.
Henry Drax is a brutal, bloodthirsty crewman and harpooner, a man who is as bloodthirsty as he is vicious. As the days role into weeks Sumner gets to know the depths Drax will go to achieve his ends; ends that have nothing whatsoever to do with whaling and everything to do with sabotage and death.
The story is one that is a real as it is gruesome, enthralling and fast paced, involving the reader in totality, as the men on board the Volunteer discover that things on this voyage are far from normal.
Sumner thought he had seen the worst life and men could stoop too, but realised that there were indeed deeper levels than those already experienced.
Trapped on the ice in the depth of an Arctic winter the horrific nature of the plotting becomes apparent as he and Drax are forced to face off, leaving one dead and one struggling to survive.
This is a masterful work, difficult to put down and one that will appeal mainly to male readers as the narrative is descriptive, leaving no misunderstanding about the scenes being created both on paper and the imagination.
Cruel, fast paced and brutal, life on a doomed Whaler is spelt out in all its magnificence.
|Ian McGuire
|Scribner UK
|Simon And Schuster
|February 2016


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Officials are investigating the death of a 14-year-old from Perry Township who shot himself on Monday.
PERRY TWP. Officials are investigating the death Monday evening of a Perry Township teenager.
The teen died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the Stark County Coroner's office. Police and investigators with the coroner's office were called to the residence in the 4400 block of Malta Avenue SW shortly before 8 p.m. An autopsy was conducted on Tuesday.
The name of the 14-year-old hasn't been released because of the pending investigation.
Perry Local School officials tweeted a statement Tuesday stating the "community mourns the loss of one of its students in a non-school related incident. Our hearts are broken over the sudden passing" of a middle school student.
"We, as a school district, will be available to all students to provide them with the resources they need to cope with this loss or other situations they are facing. Counselors will be on site and available to assist students with the grief process," a second tweet read.
It's the fourth student death at Perry Local Schools in four months.
Perry Township Police Chief Mike Pomesky said the four death investigations aren't connection. The circumstances from Monday's death all are non-school related, he said. Likewise none of the circumstances surrounding the other three student deaths have uncovered issues related to school, Pomesky said in a statement.


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I feel like it helps set the tone for transition in a fun way, and I enjoy celebrating in these cute, easy, subtle ways.
When I took our patriotic summer decor down, I replaced it with some simple back to school decorations to last us until we're ready for Fall decor (which is coming up soooon!)
One of the things I always have fun decorating is my kitchen sink. I'd love to have a window over the sink, but since I don't, I dress it up instead. (I'll share my sink decorations for all the seasons eventually!) I usually get everything from Target's one spot and the dollar store, and since I've collected a lot of little pieces, it's fun to just get something little to add each season when I pull everything out and arrange it.
How cute is that chalkboard washi tape? I found it in the one spot at Target and added it to this little black flower pot I'd gotten there over the summer.
The ceramic crayons are also from the one spot, as is the flag (which was from a pack of 3 in July, and I thought fit the school theme pretty well, tool), and the apple lights draped over the top of the sink. The wooden + cork apple sign below is from there, too. The fake fruit is from Dollar Tree, and I re-purposed them from the Back To School photo shoot I did with Matilda Jane.
This banner is strung together flash cards - I found them in the classroom decor section of the one spot at Target and thought they'd work perfectly! My kids have loved talking about what is on each of the cards.
The chalkboard below was patiently waiting for first day back to school pictures!
I'd made a couple little banners out of Matilda Jane postcards for our Back To School photo shoot, and they were so cute I wanted to reuse them somehow. I hung them in the boys' bathroom (I know I won't get away with cutesy decor like this forever!) and wrote a little happy note on their chalkboard. I switch out the saying every now and then, and they always notice!
You can see those prints that are backward in the mirror on this post if you're interested - they're from Willowbee Expressions on Etsy. I love the little every day encouragement they add to the boys' bathroom.
So, silly to decorate for back to school? Maybe, but it was all super simple and easy, and I love the little details everywhere while we wait for Fall!
Do you decorate for BTS?
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Extra strong, quick drying, 2 part glue suitable for jewellery making, sticking glass, metal, wood, concrete, china & ceramics. Water resistant. Syringe packaging. Dries clear.
Delivery starts from as little as 95p (First Class only £1.95) and we aim to dispatch all orders within 48 hours.
Free First Class delivery is available for UK orders over £25 and free Courier delivery for UK orders over £150.
Want your order quick? Try our Next Working Day delivery service for £6.50, guaranteeing your order for the next working day if placed before 10am.
We also ship internationally from as little as £3.00, simply select your country at the checkout. Is your country not listed? Contact us and let us know!
Click here to find out more about our Delivery Prices and services.
We pride ourselves in offering a high level of customer service (and love to talk about beads!) so feel free to get in touch. Our friendly customer service team is available Monday to Friday 10am-1:30pm. If you would like to speak to us in person, you can call us on 0161 274 4040. Alternatively, please email us at firstname.lastname@example.com or click here to contact us via our contact form.
We look forward to hearing from you!


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Tracking Calls as Conversions in Adwords
Many of our customers link their Call Tracking Metrics accounts to Google Analytics so that calls will show up as events in GA, but did you know that you can also sync those events into Adwords as conversions?
Todd Fisher, our lead engineer, recently wrote a great tutorial on how to set it up.
Its a three step process:
- Connect Call Tracking Metrics with Google Analytics
- Adding Goals to Google Analytics for Call Tracking Metrics
- Importing Goals from Google Analytics as Conversions into Adwords
Once you've got it set up, your calls will automatically show up as events in Google Analytics and as conversions in Adwords. Now you can optimize your ads in one place!
Let us know if you have any questions as you set this up.


text: 1980's rock icons, Huey Lewis and the News, are back on the road this summer providing good music and nostalgia across the U.S. and Canada. Check out their official website calendar for dates near you. Sonic Sound Magazine will catch up with the gang on September 8th at the Silver Creek Event Center at Four Winds Casino in New Buffalo, MI. We promise to provide a play-by-play of all the fun. Until then don't forget that it's Hip to be Square 😉


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Our camping site had electricity and its own resident squirrel and a very handy port-a-potty.
The 180 degree view of the lake from our own personal peninsula was spectacular. We camped at the Army recreation area up at Thurmond Lake, about a 45 minute drive from here. By going during the week, there were few people there. We choose a camping area with electric outlets. Handy for the pump to inflate the air bed. Unhandy for a serene night view, we later discovered. The mercury lights were so bright we could read by them. Way too bright for a camping spot.
We had just set up camp, had lunch, watched a squirrel, who we named Fred, scamper around our picnic table. We were enjoying the clouds when they turned dark. We could see the storm on the other side of the lake, a nice distant sight — until we realized it was heading across the lake, straight towards us. We scrambled. The storm hit with such a strong wind it blew off the top cover from our tent. I bailed inside while outside Bruce battled the wind and rain to put the top back on, fastening the clips differently. Nine gallons of water later, the storm ended and I gathered up our soggy bedding and headed to the dryers at the laundromat. Fortunately, as dry as it's been, the ground was not muddy. That was Day One.
Day Two we went for a drive, gone about an hour. We returned to find Fred the squirrel munching our loaf of bread — inside our covered plastic food box. Fred was eating our bread! He had eaten his way through the heavy plastic lid! If I could have gotten my hands on his scrawny rodent neck, he would have been a dead Fred! Our food box went to live in the trunk of the car. I went to the local store for a new loaf of bread. Bruce stayed at the site, armed with pine cones to pelt old Fred.
Day Three was uneventful. We listened to a Braves game on the radio and watched the boaters on the lake. Binoculars are great for checking out the fishermen and jet skiers. Fred decided to befriend other campers after finding the Stephens had locked up his buffet.
Camping is wonderful fresh air lesson in self sufficiency. However, nothing beats air conditioning in Georgia in the summer. The next trip will be to the north Georgia mountains. Sometimes we just have to sacrifice.


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This extrusion, when fabricated into a frame with the corners of aluminum extrusion mitered and heliarc welded, provides a gasket assembly that can be installed with flat-head screws. This design makes retro-fitting in the field a relatively easy task while at the same time providing a positive stop for controlled compression of the EMI gasket.
For applications requiring a moisture seal, an elastomer strip can be bonded to the edge of the extrusion opposite the gasket or a dual purpose EMI and weather seal gasket can be installed in place of the wire mesh.
An added barrier to EMI/RFI interference can be achieved by utilizing a double-shielded construction. The double-shield gasket is recommended for large doors where controlling the mating surface joint unevenness can be difficult and expensive. A further consideration for utilizing the rigid frame approach is the load bearing support of extruded aluminum that aids in applications where shock and vibration are encountered.
- Built to your specifications: MAJR's engineering team will work with you to design a Rigid Frame EMI Gasket to meet your custom requirement.
- Versatility of Materials: MAJR provides the standard knit wire mesh in either monel, tin-plated ferrous or knitted mesh over core as well as conductive elastomer profiles to best accommodate your requirement.
- High EMI/RFI Attenuation Levels: The highest possible attenuation levels are achievable with MAJR's EMI/RFI knitted wire gasketing. Attenuation levels beyond 110 dB in the E-Field and 65 dB in the H-Field are common with MAJRís EMI shielding gasketing. Higher levels of attenuation are attainable with special materials and special design available through MAJR's engineering team.
- Resilient Gasketing Material: MAJR's knit wire gasketing material acts like thousands of tiny spring members which are compressed and released with each opening and closing of a cabinet door or enclosure cover. The spring-look gaskets assure long life with consistent point-to-point contact, providing high shielding effectiveness and long life.
Rigid mounting frames, which provide a positive stop to prevent over-compression of shielded EMI gaskets, can be mounted to the access cover or enclosure. Mounting to the access cover is the recommended method. This minimizes the possibility of damage to the EMI/RFI gasket during servicing when the cover is removed. Also mounting to the cover will add to the rigidity of the cover assembly.


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Great news! We've upgraded our look, functionality, and the ability to get your career on the right track! Over time there will be updates, tweaks, and improvements on the overall user experience.
Found a bug? Want to suggest a feature? No problem – send an email to email@example.com and we'll see what we can do. 🙂
Cheers to all, and happy learning!
-iD Team