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The SMF admissions office has been releasing admission decisions over the past couple of months and will continue to do so for the next couple of months. Decisions on applications fall into one of three categories:
- Admitted
- Denied
- Waitlisted
The first two decisions are self-explanatory. Based on the questions we have been getting from waitlisted applicants, the third category ("Waitlisted") may require some additional information.
How do I know if I've been waitlisted?
You will receive an email from the SMF Admissions Office informing you that you have been placed on the waitlist.
What happens if I am on the waitlist?
You will either be admitted or denied off the waitlist.
How often is the waitlist reviewed?
On average, it's reviewed once every four to six weeks. The SMF Admissions Office will clear the waitlist - that is, make a decision on all applications on the waitlist - no later than April 30, 2013.
If I am removed from the waitlist and admitted or denied, how will I be notified?
The quickest way to check your status is to check your status online. (A surface letter will also be mailed to you - but depending on where you are, this can take a while for you to receive the letter. As such, we recommend checking your app status online.)
How many people are on the waitlist? What are my chances for admission?
The number of candidates on the waitlist fluctuates depending on timing within the admissions cycle. While we anticipate admitting some waitlisted candidates, the applicant pool and yield on offers of admission varies each year. Therefore, we cannot predict exactly how many candidates will be placed on the waitlist or how many applicants will be offered admission based on previous years.
Do you rank your waitlist?
No, we do not rank our waitlist. We periodically review all waitlisted candidates but waitlisted candidates are not placed in a ranked order.
Do you offer feedback to candidates who have been waitlisted?
The SMF Admissions Committee does not release details of its admission decisions to its applicants beyond the admission decision itself. Therefore, we cannot give you specific reasons as to why your specific application to this program was waitlisted nor can we counsel you on your specific situation.
Can I submit new information to add to my existing application? Will this help?
You are welcome to submit new information - whether or not it will help you is impossible to say. Focus on substantive, meaningful improvements that you feel will make you a stronger candidate or provide information not already presented in your application.
Examples of "new information" might include:
- Updated test scores (e.g. GMAT, GRE, TOEFL)
- Updated resume
- Additional recommendations
Submitting new information is neither required nor necessary and may or may not affect your likelihood of being admitted.
If you wish to submit new information, you may submit updates via email or mail to the admissions office. When possible, email is preferred.
Updates may be sent via email to email@example.com. Supplemental materials sent via surface mail should be mailed to:
Fisher College of Business/Ohio State University
100 Gerlach Hall
2108 Neil Ave
Columbus, OH 43210-1144


text: Insights The latest thinking about higher education trends, innovations, and challenges. Advancement Analytics and Data Integration Cloud for Higher Ed Data Security Enrolment and Retention Financial Management and HR IT Standards and Architecture Modernising the Campus Operational Efficiency (-) Our Approach Student Experience Supporting new operating models Workforce Development Facet Topic (-) University 4-year Private Institution Community College 2-year Private Institution University Consortium Institute of Technology Professional Body Alternative Provider Facet Institution Type (-) Article eBook Video Facet Resource Type Reset Filters Featured eBook Preparing for guided pathways Are you ready? Take this questionnaire. Dive Deeper White Paper Turning prospects into donors: Do you have the right moves Create and deepen relationships with your top donors and prospects. Dive Deeper White Paper The psychology of student attention Getting personal: Engage prospective students the right way. Dive Deeper × Watch Video 02:06 Video Creating a data-driven university Dive Deeper Recommended Reading Article Pioneering smart learning Dive Deeper On-Demand Webinar Enhancing standards of data management and governance Dive Deeper eBook Reduce costs without reducing impact It's time to take control of your institution's travel and entertainment expenses. Dive Deeper Latest Insights Article Enhancing the Student Experience: Digital and Beyond Increasingly, customer experience is dictating strategy - so how does this affect operations, capabilities and technology in higher education? Dive Deeper Article Digital Transformation: Where do you start? Digital transformation is our new blockchain. However, digital transformation can feel somewhat less tangible than other technology 'hot topics' but we must start somewhere. Dive Deeper Article Change management doesn't end at go-live Once the project is completed, the work isn't over. Change management is a continuing process. Dive Deeper Article Change management: The crucial role of engagement Getting all the right people together for a project is only half the battle. For effective change management, you must keep everyone engaged. Dive Deeper Article The importance of alignment in change management Looking to make a change at your institution? You'll need support and alignment to make it work. Dive Deeper Article Change management isn't a checklist—it's about adoption Change in higher ed is inevitable—but how an institution tackles those changes can make all the difference Dive Deeper Article Redefining student experience for success What does the next gen student experience look like? Four CIOs share their visions for the future, how the definition of student experience is evolving, and best practices for implementation. Dive Deeper Article Standardising change in higher education with the 'three Es' In Ian's latest blog, he shares some key considerations about standardising change and how institutions can maximise the benefits with the "three Es" approach. Dive Deeper Article Hubs, spokes, and point-to-point: a quick guide to common integration terminology No matter what integration solutions you're using or exploring, there are some key terms that are important to understand. Dive Deeper Pagination Page of 3 › ›› Total Insights: 23

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Keep the Commandments
31243, Hymns, Keep the Commandments, no. 303
Keep the commandments; keep the commandments!
In this there is safety; in this there is peace.
He will send blessings; He will send blessings.
Words of a prophet: Keep the commandments.
In this there is safety and peace.
Text and music: Barbara A. McConochie, b. 1940. © 1975 IRI


text:
Little more than a century from now, the Earth is diseased, polluted and overpopulated, so the wealthiest citizens have built a utopic environment in space where there's no poverty, no illness, no war.
This is the world of "Elysium," and about 6,000 fans were the first on Earth to see the follow-up from "District 9" writer-director Neill Blomkamp Friday at Comic-Con.
The film stars Matt Damon as an Earth resident determined to infiltrate the secure space paradise, and Jodie Foster plays an Elysium leader determined to stop him. "District 9" star Sharlto Copley returns, this time as a villain.
The seven-minute clip shows Damon working to escape the filthy planet, enduring a mysterious mechanical brain-implant procedure that leaves him with machinery protruding from the back of his head and encasing his arms.
Blomkamp, who debuted "District 9" at Comic-Con in 2009, said he was excited to bring his new footage back to the fan convention.
"There's an element of salesmanship about films that sometimes makes me feel a bit distant as a fan," he said. "But launching footage at Comic-Con is ... actually a true, honest thing. There's no lies about it. It's just completely fans wanting cool footage, so I'm OK with it."
He said he felt he belonged with the fans who filled the San Diego Convention Center's largest hall.
Damon and Foster are fans, too: Both wanted to work with Blomkamp after seeing "District 9." Foster called it "a perfect film."
"I wish I had directed the damn movie," she said.
Damon said Blomkamp is what drew him to the film: "After I saw 'District 9,' if Neill had called me out of the blue and said, 'This is Neill Blomkamp, will you be in my next movie?' I would have said yes."
Copley said he was thrilled to work with his friend Blomkamp again, and to be back at Comic-Con, where "District 9" first built buzz.
"It was a defining moment of my life when I came here in 2009," Copley said. "But I'm not going to cry because my character needs to look tough."
"Elysium" is set for release next year. Comic-Con continues through Sunday.


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From Bill Spohn:
A young man fell in love with a very lovely young lady.
Unfortunately she did not return the feeling. In desperation he went and visited a group of witches searching for a love potion. They informed him that they no longer provided such an item as it was highly unethical to administer a potion to someone without her permission. They did have an alternate solution. They sold him a bottle of small white pellets. He was to bury one in her yard every night at midnight for a month.
He returned to the witches six weeks later, excited and thankful. He and the young lady were to wed in a month.
The witch told him, "Nothin' says lovin' like something from a coven, and pills buried says it best."


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Sotomayor's Imminent Impact
The WSJ Law Blog calls its readers' attention to a New Yorker feature on Justice Sotomayor:
[W]e were delighted to open our digital copies of the New Yorker this week to find a lengthy and wide-ranging article about Sotomayor. The timing, in our minds, couldn't have been better.
The article, by reporter Lauren Collins, is worth reading for a host of reasons. But for our money, the piece is a standout largely due to the nuance with which it treats its subject. She's eminently personable, but has already raised eyebrows with her aggressive questioning from the bench. She's a stickler for preparation, but isn't averse to letting down her hair as well. She's a liberal given to quoting the likes of Carol Gilligan, but still rules for the prosecution the vast majority of the time.
To me, the timing couldn't be better particularly because of this final point. On Monday–F1@1F's first, freezing day in line–the Court will hear Briscoe v. Virginia, and Sotomayor could very well be the fifth vote to reverse last year's 5-4 decision in Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts.
Melendez-Diaz held that the Sixth Amendment's Confrontation Clause requires prosecutors to put forensic analysts on the witness stand rather than simply enter their lab reports into evidence. Justice Scalia wrote the for the majority, in which he was joined by Justices Stevens, Souter, Thomas, and Ginsburg. Justice Kennedy dissented for himself, Justices Breyer and Alito, and Chief Justice Roberts. As we all know, Souter has since been replaced by Sotomayor. Importantly, she is a former prosecutor whose Second Circuit record is friendlier to the prosecution than Justice Souter's criminal law jurisprudence.
Whereas Scalia and Thomas sometimes find that their originalism incidentally leads them to liberal results, such as in Confrontation Clause cases, Stevens, Souter, and Ginsburg had long established themselves as friendlier to criminal defendants than to their government prosecutors. Meanwhile, in Melendez-Diaz, Roberts, Kennedy, and Alito voted for conservative law-and-order principles, but Justice Breyer's pragmatism led him to contest that Scalia's holding would be simply too heavy a burden on the system.
For Scalia, his Constitution wins regardless of the practical effects. But Briscoe addresses the concerns that Scalia ran roughshod over in Melendez-Diaz, suggesting that Scalia's Confrontation Clause ideals have their limits. By forcing governments to expensively transport their limited numbers of lab technicians all over the place, Melendez-Diaz could consequentially require the technicians not only to spend more time on the stand than in the lab, but also lead to hairy procedural defaults when a single analyst's work for different cases comes to trial in several courtrooms at once.
As a trial and circuit judge, Sotomayor exhibited the law-and-order streak and experience-based pragmatism that animated the Melendez-Diaz dissenters. Briscoe is Sotomayor's first test over whether she will bring her Second Circuit preferences to the Supreme Court. If she does, Melendez-Diaz will fall after only one year as precedent, even if her eight senior colleagues don't budge.


text: Seller: veraaxes2012 (407) 100%, Location: Kiev, Ships to: Worldwide, Item: 293532227838 Ancient Celtic Iron Scythe, 3-2 BC La Tène cultureFound in Ukraine; Approximately 8" (20cm) in length; Weight 0.03 kg Condition - fine. Cleaned with using electrolysis. Preserved in a hot wax dip. We will send you purchase items only registered air mail with tracking numbers. Our Feedback Policy: We leave feedback in the hands of ebays automated feedback system. Once postive feedback recieved for us, automatic postive will be left for you. Condition: fine, Material: Iron


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Oliver Cruse emigrated to Cleveland, Ohio in 1851 when he was just 18 years old. Nothing is known of his time in Ohio but for some reason he only stayed for a few years before moving on to Canada. The first record we have of Oliver's life in Canada is his marriage to Jane Sowton on 6th December 1856 in St Thomas, Elgin County, Ontario. Oliver was a carpenter and joiner and a prominent member of the Independent Order of Foresters.
Oliver and Jane had nine known children:
- Fanny Cruse, born on 12th October 1857 in Elgin County, Ontario. She died on 2nd December 1863 and is buried in Orwell Cemetery, Yarmouth Township, Elgin County.
- Amelia Jane Cruse, born about 1869 probably in Elgin County. She married Joseph Ridgeway Sterling.
- Jenny Cruse, born on 8th October 1862 in Elgin County. She died on 22nd December 1863 and is buried in Orwell Cemetery alongside her sister Fanny.
- William Cruse, born on 10th April 1862 in Ontario. He married Mary Ballow in 1883.
- Frank Sowton Cruse, born on 17th October 1864 in Aylmer, Elgin County. He married Mary Bell Kelly on 1st April 1885 in St Thomas, Elgin County.
- Fanny Cruse, born on 29th January 1867 in Aylmer, Elgin County. She married Gabriel Smart on 5th January 1887 in Elgin County.
- John Cruse, born on 27th July 1870 in Elgin County. He died on 10th August 1870 in Elgin County.
- James Oliver Cruse, born on 23rd September 1875. He married Hattie Laura "Louise" Campbell on 29th December 1897 in Coupeville, Island County, Washington.
- Sidney Earl Cruse, born on 21st April 1879 in St Thomas, Elgin County. He died on 21st February 1880 in St Thomas.
In about 1889 or 1890 Oliver and Jane moved with their children to America where they settled in Seattle, Washington. By the time of the 1910 census they were living at 2213 East Madison Street, Seattle.
Oliver died on 21st March 1917. An obituary was published in the Seattle Post Intelligencer on Saturday March 24, 1917:
VETERAN LODGE MAN, OLD SETTLER, PASSESThe writer of the newspaper article seems to have had a little trouble with his mathematics as Oliver would have been 18 in 1852 not 16! Oliver's wife Jane lived for just nine months after her husband's death dying on 4th Dec 1917 in Seattle.
Oliver Cruse, Resident of Seattle Since 1890, Dies at Daughter's Home.
Oliver Cruse, a resident of Seattle since 1890, died Wednesday at the home of his daughter, Mrs. A. J. Sterling, 1226 East Madison street, and will be buried Saturday at 2:30 o'clock from the parlors of Johnson & Hamilton, at Broadway and Union. Services will be in charge of the Masonic order, Interment will follow at Washelli.
Mr. Cruse was born in Bideford, England in 1833. He came to this country when he was 16, locating in Cleveland, O[hio]. Later, he moved to St. Thomas, Ont. Where he remained until he came to Seattle.
In this city Mr. Cruse became state organizer for the Independent Order of Foresters, continuing for fifteen years. He had the distinction of organizing the first court of the order on the Pacific coast. He then took charge of his son William's office, and remained actively at work until stricken with paralysis last November.
Besides his widow, he leaves two daughters and three sons, Mrs. A.J. Sterling, Mrs. G. Smart, Frank and William, of this city, and James O. of Pasedena, Cal.; four grandchildren Mrs. Climmie E. Hill and James O. Sterling of Seattle; E.R. Sterling, Port Huron, Mich., Fred Cruse of Detroit, and eight great grandchildren.
Chris has managed to trace some of the descendants of Oliver and Jane, but there are still a few gaps and we would be delighted to hear from anyone who is related to these families.


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Look over the information on our website for the Susquehanna Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK). If you have questions, please call or email any of the listed contact persons. You can see a list of contact persons by clicking on "Contact Persons" in the list on the left.
Please join us for some of our listed activities. Click on the dates in bold type on the calendar to view details about the event for that date.
Scroll down below the photo for more details or click on the link to "Recent Posts" on your left to catch up on recent news. We hope to see you on the trail or at any of our meetings!
Enjoy a few photos taken by club members on a recent hike by Goodyear Lake, not far from Colliersville, NY. Click on any photo to jump to a larger view in a new window. Close any photo window to return here.
The headwaters of the eastern branch of the Susquehanna River gather in Otsego Lake. Our membership lives in the surrounding area in all directions. Most live in Otsego, Chenango, Delaware and Schoharie counties.
• Midweek and weekend outings - include hiking, pedaling, paddling, rock climbing, snow shoeing, nordic skiing, and camping
• "How to" sessions for adults and youth
• Trail maintenance of miles of trails in area state forests
• "Adopted" the Blue Ridge Wilderness in the Adirondacks
• Monthly meetings with programs
• Cooperation with other local outdoor and environmental groups
• Reference library with maps and books of the United States and other countries


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So let's jump right in, shall we?
In the SewConnected 3 group, Ashley sent out the always fabulous Mendocino fabrics with a pale blue solid and asked for wonky star blocks in a variety of sizes. I was able to make three blocks from Ashley's fabrics.
This first one is 12.5" square:
I had fun with this next one, which finished out at 6.5" wide by 12.5" tall. Every time I look at it, I think that my photo is stretched ... but it's not!
I was experimenting a bit and added some "shards" into the points. See them on the top right and bottom left points in the star above?
And finally, a wee li'l guy that's 6.5" square (with some more yellow "shards"):
Adrienne helped me and all the other Buzz Cuts kids get into the Halloween spirit early this year by sending out some really fun holiday prints for her quilt. I made three blocks, starting with this simple 6.5" pattern:
For my next block, I decided to play a bit with curved piecing. I wanted to go with a more wonky look, rather than precise ... so my disclaimer for the next photo is that the pieces were never intended to match up!!
And I went for another basic but fun block for my third one:
Next up are Karla's blocks for the bee inspired group. She sent a selection of fabrics from the Botanical Pop line and requested disappearing 9-patch blocks.
A simple pattern, but always fun to make. I was able to eke out two blocks from Karla's fabric.
September was a two-member month in bee inspired, and Ann from Denmark was our other assigned member. Like Ashley, she wanted wonky star blocks made from a variety of Christmas fabrics. Here are the two blocks I made for Ann (love those Christmas chickens!):
Over in the Cottage Quilting Bee, Rachel (of p.s. i quilt fame ... I know she loves when I say that : ) requested the always popular string blocks for her fabrics. I really loved the autumnal color palette of Rachel's fabrics:
And finally, September was Amanda Jean's month in the original SewConnected group (which *sniff* is nearing its final month). She requested 15.5" blocks featuring tiny houses sitting in a field of creamy white, inspired by this awesome, amazing, super cool Ingrid Press quilt.
Happy Monday, all!


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Some cities and states, including Colorado, already are requiring natural gas drillers to take steps to reduce toxic emissions in their fracking operations.
Now, drillers nationwide will be forced to join the effort after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced anew set of federal rules Wednesday.
"Natural gas is key to the country's clean energy future," and President Barack Obama has asked that the nation take advantage of its resources without compromising safety, said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Air and Radiation, "These standards do just that."
Environmental advocates praised the federal agency's decision, which came in response to a court deadline to update standards under the Clean Air Act.
"We are pleased to see the EPA taking such strong steps for our health and welfare," said Mike Eisenfeld, New Mexico energy issues coordinator for San Juan Citizens Alliance.
Meanwhile, gas industry advocates, including Kathleen Sgamma, Western Energy Alliance vice president of government and public affairs, said the rules are misguided. The EPA has underestimated the costs of complying with the rules and overestimated the benefits. It could lead to higher energy costs for consumers, she said.
The new rules require natural-gas drillers conducting hydraulic fracturing operations to take steps almost immediately to cut the emission of gas, cancer-causing compounds and other toxic air pollutants.
Drillers have 60 days to begin using flaring techniques to burn off escaping gas and toxins during the fracking process. Also, by 2015 they must be using "green completion" equipment controls.
Green completion is an industry practice where drillers capture natural gas and other toxic emissions produced with the flow-back of water during fracking. The captured gases are put into the pipeline for resale with the other gas extracted during the operation, rather than allowing them to escape into the environment.
The practice already is required to some extent in some states and cities, including Colorado, through local regulations. Many operators around the country use green completion methods voluntarily, McCarthy said.
"In many ways, it's business as usual for the industry," she said, but it is time for the remaining drillers to catch up.
Christi Zeller, executive director of La Plata County Energy Council, said her organization is still working through the new federal rules to see how area drillers could be affected.
McCarthy said the regulations will protect public health and air quality, save drillers money and ensure "precious natural resources are not being wasted."
About 13,000 wells are fracked in the U.S. each year and the EPA estimates drillers nationwide will reap a combined cost savings of $11 million to $19 million through the gas-capturing technology.
Harm to the environment and public health from the nation's rapidly growing gas industry also will be markedly reduced by the rules, federal officials said.
Jeremy Nichols, climate and energy program director for WildEarth Guardians, called the rules "a major American public health milestone" and said they promise safeguards for communities across the nation who are seeing their "clean air literally being fracked away."


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Weekend Box Office – 'Dr. Seuss' The Lorax' Tops the Charts
Theodor Geisel — better known as Dr. Seuss — died more than a decade ago, but his legend lives on. Case in point? The movie 'Dr. Seuss' The Lorax' opened strong with $70.7 million in revenues, topping the box office charts this weekend.


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text:
To Catch a Thief
Dial M for Murder
High Noon
Rear Window
The Swan
Green Fire
Fourteen Hours
The Country Girl
The Children of Theatre Street
High Society
The Bridges at Toko-Ri
All Grace Kelly photos
All Grace Kelly films
Movies.com, the ultimate source for everything movies, is your destination for new movie trailers, reviews, photos, times, tickets + more! Stay in the know with the latest movie news and cast interviews at Movies.com.
Copyright © 2020 FANDANGO MOVIES.


text:
Just like love, spirituality is an action word. Don't just read about it, live it. Be it. Thrive. #SexySideofSpirituality— Denise J. Hart (@motivationmama) January 25, 2015
Edward De Bono: Lateral Thinking: Creativity Step by Step (Perennial Library)
Edward De Bono: Creativity Workout: 62 Exercises to Unlock Your Most Creative Ideas
Michael Michalko: Thinkertoys: A Handbook of Creative-Thinking Techniques (2nd Edition)
Eric Maisel: The Creativity Book: A Year's Worth of Inspiration and Guidance
Ph.D. Eric Maisel: Making Your Creative Mark: Nine Keys to Achieving Your Artistic Goals
Ph.D. Eric Maisel: Coaching the Artist Within: Advice for Writers, Actors, Visual Artists, and Musicians from America's Foremost Creativity Coach
Iyanla Vanzant: Acts of Faith: Daily Meditations for People of Color
Iyanla Vanzant: In the Meantime: Finding Yourself and the Love You Want
Michael Bernard Beckwith: Spiritual Liberation: Fulfilling Your Soul's Potential
Eric Butterworth: Discover the Power Within You: A Guide to the Unexplored Depths Within (Plus)
Marshall Goldsmith: Mojo: How to Get It, How to Keep It, How to Get It Back If You Lose It
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: Creativity: The Psychology of Discovery and Invention
Michael A. Singer: The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself
Michael E. Gerber: The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It
Marc Allen: Visionary Business: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Success
Susan L. Taylor: All About Love: Favorite Selections from In The Spirit on Living Fearlessly
Stephen M.R. Covey: The SPEED of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything
Daniel Goleman: Emotional Intelligence: 10th Anniversary Edition; Why It Can Matter More Than IQ
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Marianne Williamson: A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles"
Guy Kawasaki: The Art of the Start: The Time-Tested, Battle-Hardened Guide for Anyone Starting Anything
Howard Zinn: A People's History of the United States: 1492 to Present (P.S.)


text:
Her curiosity piqued, Ginny crept closer to the shed. The doors had been left open, and since her father and Bill never neglected to lock the shed behind them, someone must be in there. Ron was hidden in his room writing to Hermione, Luna and her mum were busy in the kitchen, Dad was at work and Bill was away on Order business. Which left only one person who could be making that noise.
Harry sat with his back against the wall, legs stretched out before him, levitating small pieces of hardware and magicking them into an open glass jar that sat on a table several feet away. Across the shed, its newly-polished chrome fenders gleaming in the early afternoon sunlight, sat Sirius' antique motorcycle. He'd given it to Bill last summer soon after they'd moved into Grimmauld Place, joking in a voice tinged with melancholy that he was too old and too infamous to be courting with it anyway, so he might as well give it to someone who could appreciate its usefulness in attracting women. Ginny remembered thinking at the time that she'd never heard anything more heartbreaking in her life.
Bill'd kept the motorcycle after Sirius' death, until he and Ginny used it to pick up Harry from his aunt and uncle's house last week. As soon as they'd arrived safely back at the Burrow, Bill had handed the keys to Harry and told him the motorcycle was Sirius' legacy to him. It was the only remnant of his life that Narcissa Malfoy hadn't snatched away the moment the inquest into Sirius' death was complete.
Bits and pieces of metal lay strewn across the floor around the motorcycle. Only then did Ginny remember the glass jar had once been filled with her father's collection of nails, screws and bolts. Another, smaller jar of nuts and washers, its lid still screwed tightly on, sat on the floor next to Harry.
Ginny leaned against the door frame and crossed her arms over her chest. "You'll be at it all day, if you keep going about things like that," she said with just the mildest hint of reproof in her voice.
The bolt he'd been directing into the open jar hovered just above the lip before it fell to the table with a clatter. "Bugger," he said softly. "Now I've lost count."
"I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to--"
"Nah." He gave a dismissive wave. "S'nothing."
Without venturing too close into Harry's personal space, she slid down to sit on the floor beside him. "What are you doing anyway?"
He shrugged as he coaxed a large, rusted and bent nail a few inches off the floor. "I tried to open that jar." He jerked his chin in the direction of the table. "But the lid was screwed on so tight that when I finally got it off everything went flying."
"Oh." A few pieces lay scattered nearby and she picked them up, rolling them back and forth between her hands. "Why did you want to get in the jar?"
He gave a ragged sigh. "I was trying to fix the motorcycle. I needed a bolt--" He dug into his pocket and pulled out the piece he'd needed. "--but I can't get a washer and nut to go with it."
Ginny reached over and grabbed the jar that sat next to him. Using her wand, she gave it two quick taps along the side of the lid, then with a grunt and a sharp turn of her wrist she twisted the lid off. "Here you go." She handed the jar back to Harry.
When he turned to her she saw the tracks running down his tarnish-streaked face and realized he'd been crying. He didn't say anything, but gave her an odd look that left her feeling rather unsettled. She set the jar on the floor between them. Harry went back to levitating hardware, a single piece at a time, and returning it to the jar on the table.
After several minutes of uncomfortable silence Ginny got to her feet and dusted off the dirt and debris that had stuck to her bum. "I reckon I'll go back to the house," she said.
She had just reached the threshold when Harry's voice stopped her in her tracks. "Don't go!" he cried with a note of desperation she didn't think she'd ever heard from him before. She turned around to see him looking up at her with an expression she could only describe as pleading. "I could use the company."
The intensity of his request had thrown her for a loop, and for a moment or two she didn't know what to say or do. Finally she said, "Okay. But only if you promise to use a quicker spell to clean up these screws and things."
He gave her a crooked grin. "Okay." With a wave of his wand, all the pieces of hardware sailed into the air and settled in the jar. "Better?"
"Better." She returned to her original spot. "Do you know anything about how to fix a motorcycle?"
He shook his head. "Not really. My uncle used to make me change the oil and transmission fluid on his car, but I don't even know where to begin with this."
"What did you need the bolt for then?"
"I was trying to tighten the saddle. I'd noticed it was missing a bolt while I was polishing the fenders."
"Lovely work there, by the way. I don't reckon they shone so brightly even when they were brand new."
Harry's brow was furrowed when he looked at her. "Are you making fun of me?"
Ginny put on her best wide-eyed innocent look and batted her eyelashes at him. "Wouldn't dream of it."
He made a wry face before looking away. "It's not wise to make fun of someone who can repel a Killing Curse."
She felt her eyebrows shoot up. "Really? Well, it's not wise to underestimate someone who can outprank Fred and George and get away with it."
She saw him glance at her briefly, then away again. "Yeah, I've noticed."
"Good. So now we know each other's limits."
He chuckled. "Reckon so."
Ginny watched him in profile for a moment and considered her next move. On a whim, she thrust her hand toward him. "I'm Ginny, by the way. Ginny Weasley."
She chewed on the inside of her cheek as she waited for his response. He turned to her slowly and looked at her as though she'd just sprouted antlers. Then, just as slowly, almost as though he feared making any sudden moves in her presence, he wiped his hand on his trousers and clasped hers. "Harry Potter."
She gave his hand a firm shake before releasing it. "Pleased to meet you, Harry. I think I've heard my brother Ron mention you once or twice."
She couldn't help grinning when he caught on to her game. "You're Ron's sister? Don't you go to Hogwarts? I think I may have seen you around."
"Yeah, I do. I've got my O.W.L. year coming up."
"O.W.L.s." He whistled. "Good luck."
"Thanks. I'm not too worried, though. S'long as I take more than three, Mum'll be happy."
Harry laughed softly under his breath. His next question, however, surprised her. "What sort of a name is Ginny, anyway?" His cheeks flushed pale pink and he worried at a splinter in the floor. "I mean, is it short for something?"
Ginny leaned her head back against the wall and rolled her eyes. She'd always hated her given name and never shared it with anyone if she could help it. "Ginevra."
"Yeah. It's Italian for Guinevere."
"I didn't know you were Italian."
She snorted. "I'm not. But Mum's mum was, and I'm named for her."
"Oh." Then, so quietly she almost didn't hear him, he said, "It's a pretty name."
He couldn't have knocked the wind out of her more effectively if he'd punched her in the stomach. For what seemed like forever she just sat there opening and closing her mouth like a fish on dry land, unsure how--or even if--to respond. At last she managed a feeble "Thanks."
Harry then made a loud throat-clearing noise that cut through the tension like a knife through softened butter. "Do-d'you know anything about how to make this contraption run?" He gestured toward the motorcycle. "I can't even get the bloody thing started!"
Once again, Harry's mercurial nature had thrown Ginny off balance. She swore internally. Would she ever be able to keep her equilibrium around him? Still swearing at herself, she fished around for an articulate response, only too aware of his steady, penetrating gaze. Finally she blurted out, "Bill's got a manual in his room, I think. D'you want me to fetch it?"
His face seemed to light up with excitement. "Would you? That'd be excellent!"
"You bet." She pulled out her wand and gave it a wave. "Accio motorcycle manual!"
She had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing out loud at the expression on Harry's face. "Your mum's going to have kittens when she sees a book flying through her house and across the garden."
"As long as it doesn't hit anyone on the way, she probably won't even notice. She learned to overlook a lot after raising Fred and George." Ginny looked up as three books sailed in through the open doorway and landed in a neat pile at her feet. "Looks like Bill had more than one manual in his bookcase."
Harry slid closer and took the topmost book from the stack. "None of this lot seems to be for the right model," he said glumly, running his finger along the spine. "Sirius' motorcycle is an Indian, and these are for--" He turned his head sharply to one side to read the titles. "--Harley-Davidson, Kawasaki, and Honda."
"It is an antique," Ginny pointed out. "Maybe Bill couldn't find a manual for the right model, and picked up every other one he could find."
"Yeah, I reckon so."
"C'mon, Harry," she said, nudging him with her elbow. "It's a start, at least. Try to look on the bright side." She picked up the manual Harry'd been examining a moment earlier and leafed through the pages until she found the table of contents. "Look!" she said excitedly, tugging on Harry's shirt sleeve to catch his attention. "There's a section on changing oil. Bill said he'd been meaning to do that for ages when we were on our way to fetch you, but hadn't yet found the time."
Harry slid even closer until they were seated right next to each other, their bodies touching in an almost continuous line from shoulder to foot. "Yeah? What does it say?"
Ginny thumbed to the correct page. "See? There's even a diagram!"
Harry's breath warmed her cheek as he leaned over her shoulder to study the illustration. Her heart, traitorous organ that it was, started to beat a little faster; she hadn't been this close to him in...well, ever. She'd managed to rein in the more tempestuous of her feelings for him over the past year and a half, but she knew that some feelings never truly went away. Even so, she forced herself to focus on the open book in her lap, and not to notice that he was moving his lips right next to her ear as he read the directions for changing oil on a motorcycle.
When he reached his arm across her chest to turn the page, however, she couldn't control the tiny gasp that escaped her lips. She felt him stiffen beside her and withdraw his arm. "Sorry."
She turned her head to see his face just inches from hers. His glasses had slid down his nose so that it seemed as if he were peering at her over them like a disbelieving professor. Up close, the dried tear tracks down his cheeks were even more noticeable than before, but his eyes remained clear. Ginny gave him a weak smile. "It's okay."
"Can I have that?" he said.
"The book?"
She looked down to see she still held the book in her lap. "Oh! Sure." She handed it to him. To her disappointment he scooted away and settled back to study the diagram, pulling up his knees to rest the book against his thighs. Ginny just leaned her head back against the wall and swallowed a groan.
Before she had a chance to indulge in self-recrimination, however, Harry's voice cut into her thoughts. "Ginny?"
Without lowering her chin or opening her eyes she said, "Yeah?"
For a moment she thought he'd ask her if she was okay. If he did, she hadn't the slightest idea what she would say. Instead, though, he said,
"Can you make sense out of this?"
"Out of what?"
"This diagram. I can't make out how it's all supposed to fit back together."
Ginny opened her eyes this time to look at the book as Harry held it open for her. She had to agree with him; the diagram was very confusing. "Maybe it makes more sense if you're working with the real thing."
He turned the book back around to study it again. "Maybe," he said, frowning.
"Only one way to find out."
"True," he said. "Will you help?" She raised an eyebrow. "Neither one of us knows much about motorcycles, so maybe between the two of us we can figure it out." He shrugged and grinned sheepishly. "Y'know, two heads are better than one."
"Tell that to Charlie when he's working with a Bavarian Zweikopf," Ginny said. When Harry gave her a perplexed look she explained, "A species of two-headed dragon. Very ill-tempered, I hear."
Harry's eyes widened. "Oh." Then he grinned, the most genuine and relaxed smile she'd seen on him in ages. "I can see where that might not apply then," he said with a chuckle.
She laughed. "No, probably not."
Still smiling, he asked, "But will you stay and help? I mean...you don't have to, if you've got something better to do."
Despite the smile that lingered on Harry's face, Ginny could see the anxiety in his eyes and hear the doubt in his voice. Her heart went out to him once again. "Of course I'll stay," she said. "I'd be happy to help."
He was visibly relieved. "Excellent."
Ginny and Harry spent the next several days in each other's almost constant company, working on Sirius' motorcycle. They'd take it in turns to wrangle through the stack of manuals, translating the puzzling diagrams while the other tried to put all the pieces back together. No one seemed to mind much their lengthy absences from the main house, although Mrs. Weasley made sure to send either Ron or Luna to the shed with a plate of sandwiches and a jug of iced pumpkin juice every day at lunchtime.
Except when they argued over whether to use a Phillips head or flathead screw, or cursed at an especially poorly-worded direction, few words passed between them. Whenever lunch arrived they immediately fell upon the plate and devoured the sandwiches like monks after a long fast before returning straight to work.
If Ginny had had her way they would've used their wands to make the work easier. However, Harry was so overjoyed at the discovery of a long-forgotten box of tools she couldn't deny his request that they work on the motorcycle the Muggle way. Much of it had rusted or warped over the years, and taking it apart proved to be sweaty, strenuous labor. Most nights she tumbled into bed too tired to shower or change into her nightdress; most mornings she awoke still grimy with grease and dried sweat, her arms and shoulders aching. But she wouldn't have given up a moment of the time she spent with Harry for all the hot bubble baths in the world.
One day Ginny found herself bent over the saddle as she tried to loosen a particularly stubborn lugnut. She'd attacked it head-on at first but couldn't get the leverage she needed, so she decided to work at it from a different angle. Still the nut refused to move, and when the crescent wrench slipped the edge gouged at the tender skin between her thumb and forefinger. "Bugger all!" she swore softly, sucking the injured spot into her mouth.
A warm, heavy weight settled over her and forced the air out of her lungs. Harry's hand, holding his wand, came into view. "Let me," he said next to her ear, and before she could protest he'd healed the cut.
"Thanks," she murmured, but he wasn't through yet. He leaned forward, pressing more closely against her, and retrieved the wrench from the floor. Then, with his hand placed over hers on the wrench's handle, he fitted the crescent around the offending nut. Together they worked it free.
Her breath still hadn't fully returned, and not just because Harry was lying almost fully on top of her. Still she managed a weak, breathy "Thanks."
Harry didn't say anything. He didn't move either. Ginny thought she could feel his heart beating against her back. Hers, she swore, had stopped beating altogether.
She turned her head to the side. His face was so close to hers she almost bumped his cheek with her nose. He couldn't have seen, however; his eyes were screwed shut and he was breathing heavily, almost as if he was in pain. She knew he could feel flashes of emotion from You-Know-Who through his scar and began to worry. "Harry?" she whispered.
His eyes flew open, his face turned redder than she'd ever seen it before, and he leaped off of her with a strangled "Sorry!"
As relieved as she was to be able to breathe normally again, Ginny was nonetheless sorry the moment of brief closeness they'd shared was over. She pushed herself off of the motorcycle and turned around to face Harry, to ask him what was wrong.
Only he wasn't there.
Harry disappeared for the rest of the day but was back in the shed before breakfast the next morning. Ginny took her cue from him and declined to mention his behavior or ask him why he'd run away. Instead she fell to her work, using her wand--with Harry's blessing--to repair rips in the leather saddle and reinflate the tires. Harry, meanwhile, scoured decades of accumulated soot from the exhaust pipe and re-attached it to the frame. Around mid-morning he sat back on his heels and stretched.
"Well," he said, ruffling his fingers through his hair, "I reckon that's that."
Ginny screwed the lid back on the tin of dragon oil she'd been using to clean and soften the saddle. "You reckon we're done?"
"There's not really anything else to do. We've taken the whole bloody thing apart, cleaned it thoroughly, and put it back together again. All that's left is to fill the tank with petrol."
"Yeah. Er...Muggle fuel. It makes machines like this go."
"I know what petrol is, Harry." She snickered at the look of embarrassment on his face. "But we don't have any around here. Dad used to keep a steady supply on hand when he had the Anglia, but Bill used the last of it when we came to fetch you."
Harry's face fell. "Oh. D'you know where we can get some?"
She got up and dusted off her knees. "I think there's a petrol station in the village. It's not a far walk."
"But won't we need Muggle money for that?" His brow creased. "I don't have any, and--"
"It's okay," she said, patting his arm. "Mum keeps a jar of Muggle money in the kitchen for contingencies like this."
He shook his head. "I don't want to use your mum's money."
Ginny sighed. "Then you can pay her back. Exchange some of your wizarding money when we go to Diagon Alley next week and slip it into the jar when she's not looking."
"Are you sure?" He seemed afraid to hope too much.
"It'll be fine. We've all dipped into her jar at least once in our lives. This is just one more step on your way to becoming an official Weasley." She walked to the door. "There's a petrol can on the shelf at the back of the shed. Let me get the money and tell Mum where we're going."
She found Harry waiting for her by the water pump near the front gate. By the looks of him he'd tried to wash the worst of the sweat and grime from his face and hands; she saw a dark stain around his collar and shoulders when he turned to pick up the petrol can. "Found it," he said, lifting the can into the air.
"Excellent," she said. "I brought a twenty. D'you reckon that'll be enough?" She held out the note for his inspection.
"I reckon so, but I can't say for sure. I think petrol usually costs about a pound and a half a liter, and this can can't hold more than ten liters."
"Then we'll just have to be sure not to buy more than we have enough money for." She handed him the note. "Why don't you carry this? You have more experience with Muggle money than me."
Harry pocketed the money while Ginny unlocked the gate and swung it open. One of the cows, seeing a potential escape route, tried to push its way past, but Harry shooed it away before he slipped through and helped Ginny close and lock the gate.
"What's the easiest way to the village?" he asked.
She pointed toward some trees at the bottom of the hill to her right. "There's a path through those woods," she said. "Ottery St. Catchpole is just on the other side." She started off down the hill, Harry matching her pace stride for stride.
"D'you go there often?"
"Not as much as I used to. The shopkeepers don't like it when people come in to look around and don't buy anything. Mum likes to do her marketing there every now and then though, and if I'm not at school I might go with her."
"Oh." He didn't have anything else to say after that, so they walked the rest of the way in companionable silence. Ginny rather enjoyed the quiet, much to her surprise; she had inherited her mother's loquacity, but today she was content to walk in silence with Harry beside her and listen to the wind rustle through the trees.
They reached Ottery St. Catchpole just before the watch on Harry's wrist chimed noon and found the petrol station on the outskirts. Harry had more or less correctly estimated the cost of petrol but it turned out the can only held about seven liters. The station attendant, after filling the can, counted out the change in several grubby notes and a few coins into Harry's hand before wishing them a good day with a toothless grin. Harry and Ginny thanked the man and walked out.
"We have just over eleven pounds left," Harry said. "Would your mum mind if we had lunch here?" Ginny opened her mouth, about to reply, when he added, "I'll pay her back for the full amount, I promise. I'm just so hungry right now I could eat a hippogriff."
Ginny couldn't help smiling at him. "You know Mum, Harry. She can't bear the thought of any of her boys going hungry." She chuckled. "But I think Buckbeak would be offended to hear you say that."
He grinned at her crookedly, but her sharp eyes caught the shadow of pain that flitted across his face. She kicked herself mentally for having mentioned Buckbeak; although Harry hadn't said anything to her--or even to Ron, as far as she knew--she knew Sirius' death earlier that summer haunted him.
The shadow passed quickly, however, and was replaced by Harry's usual mask of impassive detachment. "D'you know of a good place we could go?"
"There's a small pub near the center of town. I've only been in there once, but it should do." She led him down the crumbling, potholed street to what passed as Ottery St. Catchpole's city center, a tiny square bordering an ancient horsechestnut tree with several cast-iron benches set around its massive trunk. A wooden sign swinging from one of the buildings that lined the square advertised the Frog & Peach. Ginny took a deep breath to prepare herself for whatever might be inside and pushed open the heavy wooden door.
The interior was dark, almost gloomy, but neatly kept. A few booths in the darkest corners were occupied and an elderly woman stood behind the bar drying glasses, but otherwise it was empty. Ginny spotted a table beneath a hanging lamp and headed toward it.
"I'll place our order," Harry said quietly. "D'you know what you want?"
Ginny pursed her lips. "A jacket potato should do fine."
"Are you sure? We've got enough money if you want something more."
"No, that's okay. I don't have the same appetite you and Ron do." Harry chuckled. "Why don't you give me the petrol can while you get our food." She watched Harry walk up to the bar and speak to the barkeep before sliding into one of the rickety wooden chairs.
Harry returned a few moments later with two tall glasses filled with amber liquid. "It's cider," he said as he handed her one of the glasses. "I reckoned you wouldn't like Muggle soda, and the barkeep said you look too young to be drinking ale."
"Cider is fine," she said. She raised her glass. "Cheers."
He clinked his glass against hers. "Cheers."
The effervescence of the cider tickled her nose when she tilted the glass back to drink. She was thirstier than she'd thought, however, and was rather surprised to see that her glass was almost empty when she set it down. "Blimey," she breathed.
A quiet belch from beside her brought out the giggle she'd tried so hard to suppress a moment ago. "Sorry," Harry said, setting down his empty glass. "Reckon I drank that too fast."
"I reckon it's a good thing the barkeep refused to sell us ale," Ginny said. "Do we have enough money left for refills?" Harry dug into his pocket and pulled out a note. "I'll be right back."
There must have been another employee working in the kitchen, because when Ginny returned to the table their food had already been served and Harry was making short work of his burger and chips. When she handed him his refilled glass, he tried to smile at her with cheeks so fat he looked like a chipmunk in autumn. Ginny just shook her head.
"Sometimes I wonder where you and Ron put it all," she said with a sigh as she sat down.
"Put what?"
"All that food you eat. I've never seen anyone eat the way you two do."
He noisily washed down his mouthful with a gulp of cider. "Dunno about Ron," he said, "but I'm storing up fat for when I go back to the Dursleys next summer."
Ginny looked up sharply, not sure if she was supposed to laugh at that or not. Harry had returned to his food, however, so she kept quiet and began cutting up her potato.
When they left the pub a little while later the sky, which that morning had held only a few fluffy white clouds, had grown leaden and forbidding. Ginny cast a baleful glance upward and pulled her arms around her midsection, hugging herself.
"Looks like it might rain," Harry said just as a roll of thunder echoed in the distance.
"We should go then," she said, heading off down the street. "If we're lucky we'll make it home before it hits."
They walked quickly through the village. The petrol station attendant waved to them as they passed on their way out of town, but Ginny and Harry kept going. Soon they had entered the small forest between Ottery St. Catchpole and the Burrow. The thick canopy overhead blocked out what little light managed to break through the cloud cover, giving the woods an air of darkness and menace. Ginny found herself walking a little bit closer to Harry, drawing comfort from the warmth of his presence.
After they'd walked some distance, when the outlines of the village could no longer be seen through the trees, Harry came to an abrupt halt and looked around, his gaze furtive and mysterious.
He glanced at her, then off into the distance again. "Er, Ginny--" He shifted his weight from foot to foot. "--would you hold this for a moment please?" He thrust the petrol can at her and, scarcely giving her time to grab hold of it, took off at a run into the trees.
"Harry!" Ginny cried. "Where are you going? Don't leave me here!"
"Don't go anywhere," came his disembodied voice. He'd completely disappeared into the thick underbrush. "I'll be right back."
Ginny shivered. Thunder had pealed once again, much closer this time, and the wind had picked up through the trees, making an eerie keening sound that raised goose pimples on her arms. "Hurry up, Harry," she muttered.
Soon she heard a crashing noise in the direction Harry'd run off in. Alarmed, Ginny pulled out her wand and trained it towards the sound. Much to her great relief Harry himself emerged from the underbrush, wiping his hands on his trousers. He froze when he saw her wand pointed directly at him, however.
"Don't DO that to me!" She pocketed her wand. He approached her cautiously and retrieved the petrol can. "Why'd you go tearing off like that anyway?"
His face colored. "I...er...I had urgent business." He dug a trainer-clad toe into the fallen leaves that blanketed the ground.
"Urgent business?" she exclaimed. "What the bloody hell--" Her cheeks grew hot as she grasped his meaning. "Harry Potter, don't tell me you just--" She laughed at his deepening blush. "I am shocked!"
"Sorry," he mumbled, still staring at the ground. "Couldn't wait."
Ginny just laughed again and rolled her eyes. "Boys!" she muttered good-naturedly.
A loud thunderclap sounded very close by, making Ginny jump. "We should go," she said, turning in the direction of home.
Harry's hand on her arm stopped her before she'd gone more than a few steps. "Ginny, wait," he said in a quiet, serious voice.
She gave him a puzzled look. Harry'd always been a mass of contradictions, but they seemed to be even more pronounced this summer than ever before. "Is something wrong?"
"No," he said, running his hands through his hair until it stood on end. "It's just that...there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about."
She led him over to a fallen, hollowed-out tree that lay nearby and sat down, patting the trunk beside her. Rather than sit, however, he chose to prop his foot on the tree and gaze off in the distance. "What is it?" Ginny asked. "What did you want to tell me?" She hadn't the slightest idea what weighed so heavily on his mind, but she feared it couldn't be good.
"It's just that--" He chewed on the edge of his thumb. "I wanted to thank you, is all."
That was the last thing she'd expected him to say. "Thank me?" He nodded. "For what?"
He sighed. "For-For helping me with Sirius' motorcycle."
"Oh!" she said, still perplexed. "Well, I had fun. It sure beat reading tarot cards with Luna."
His smile was vacant and distracted. "I-I also wanted to thank you--" He took a deep breath. "I wanted to thank you for not asking me if I was okay." Ginny stared at him in stunned silence. "I know Ron and Hermione mean well, but sometimes I wish they'd just leave off with all the concern. Sometimes it...sometimes it's worse than the hurt itself."
"Oh, Harry."
"I'm not okay," he said, his fists clenched. "I don't reckon I will be for a long time. But I'm getting through all this, one day at a time. I just...I just need people to give me a chance. To let me do this on my own terms." His gaze, when he turned to look at her, burned all the way through her. "D'you understand what I mean?"
As much as she hated to admit it, she did. She'd felt much the same the summer after her first year, when her parents had hovered over her until she thought she'd go spare. If it hadn't been for the trip to Egypt and seeing Bill and Charlie again, she just might have.
Before she could say anything, however, Harry'd pulled away, closing in on himself once again. "I'm sorry," he said. "I shouldn't have--"
"Harry, wait!" she cried, leaping to her feet. She grabbed at his hand. "Don't apologize. I do understand." She laced her fingers through his, holding him fast. "But I hope you understand that we all love you very much and hate to see you hurting like this."
A small, sad smile turned up the corners of his mouth as he looked down at their joined hands. "I do. That's what gets me through each day."
"I'd like to see you doing better than just getting through."
He took a step closer and squeezed her hand. "Someday, maybe. For now, though, it'll have to do."
The look he gave her then raised the hairs on the back of her neck. His eyes, normally such a bright, clear green, had grown dark and fathomless. Before she could voice her alarm, however, a bolt of lightning ripped through the sky overhead, electrifying the air all around them. She ducked instinctively, throwing her arms over her head, but Harry yanked her to him and held her tight. "C'mon," he growled, "let's go before one of these trees comes crashing down on us!" Then, taking her hand in one of his and the petrol can in the other, he raced for the edge of the forest.
The clouds burst their seams just as Harry and Ginny passed beyond the woods, drenching them in large, icy droplets. Ginny squealed and dropped Harry's hand. "Make for the shed!" she shouted. "It's the closest building!"
Her chest burned as she ran up the hill as fast as she could. Because Harry's legs were longer than hers, however, he reached the gate first and opened it for her just in time. Together they pushed it shut and ran for the shed as though flames licked at their heels.
Ginny fell to the ground just inside the door, panting with exertion. Her lungs felt as though they were on fire. Harry collapsed against the motorcycle and hung his head between his knees, gasping for breath. Beyond the sanctuary of the shed the storm raged.
"Bloody hell!" Ginny exclaimed once she'd regained her breath. She was soaked to the bone and cold to boot. Her hair lay plastered against her face and back and her trainers squelched when she stood up. "Urgh," she said, toeing them off and removing her socks.
Behind her she heard a chuckle. She turned to see Harry trying to wring out his T-shirt. "What are you laughing at?" she said.
"Nothing," he said, though he laughed again. "I don't reckon you know any useful drying charms?"
She shook her head. "We'll have to do this the old-fashioned way, unless you want to risk a run to the main house."
"No thanks," he said. "Your mum'll have kittens for sure if we traipse into her kitchen looking like this."
"She'll send us both straight to bed with warming pans and bowls of chicken soup."
The look on Harry's face made her laugh out loud. "Some Pepperup Potion would be nice right about now," he said.
"Can't help you there." She walked to the doorway and looked out. The rain showed no signs of letting up anytime soon, although she hadn't heard any thunder since the strike that sent them running.
"Looks like we could be here all afternoon," came Harry's voice from right behind her.
Ginny turned to look up at him with raised eyebrows. "You say that like it's a bad thing."
"Nah," he said with a far-off smile. "But now that Sirius' motorcycle is fixed--"
"We couldn't possibly have anything else in common?"
She sucked in her breath when he looked at her, his eyes dark as before. She hadn't meant to sound so arch, but he'd given her the distinct feeling he wasn't keen to spend any more time with her now that they'd accomplished what they'd set out to do. "That's not what I meant at all," he said.
His darkly intense gaze made her nervous, and she crossed her arms over her chest in a feeble show of bravado. "Then just what did you mean?"
His gaze lowered. Feeling even more self-conscious, Ginny pressed herself against the doorframe. "What I meant was--" he began hoarsely. He licked his lips and dragged his gaze up to her face. Ginny felt all her blood drain away. "Oh, bugger this."
Before she had a chance to react, Harry was kissing her. He had her pinned against the doorframe with nowhere to run and he was...oh, dear, sweet Merlin she thought she was going to faint. Water dripped from his hair into her half-closed eyes as his fingers dug into her hips and pulled her closer. Someone, she had no idea who, groaned at the back of their throat.
Just as quickly as he'd begun Harry wrenched his lips free of hers. Ginny opened her eyes to find him staring at her, his face pale, his breath ragged. "Harry?" she whispered, bringing her fingers up to her lips.
"Bloody hell," he croaked. "I-I'm sorry." He took off into the downpour before she could stop him.
Mist curled up from the garden and outlying fields when Ginny stepped out of the kitchen on to the Burrow's back porch. The storm had passed some time ago, but the air still lay dank and humid all around as twilight slowly blanketed the countryside. She trotted down the porch steps and across the garden toward the shed, curling her toes against the sensation of wet, slippery grass. The tiny shapes of gnomes ran giggling past her into the shadows.
She was disappointed to see the shed empty of all save Sirius' motorcycle and her father's collection of Muggle artifacts. No one, not even Ron, had seen hide nor hair of Harry all afternoon. Her mum's anxious starts every time a board creaked or an owl hooted had driven Ginny to the point of distraction, so she fled outdoors the first opportunity she got.
A lantern hung on a nearby peg; Ginny lifted it down and ignited the wick with her wand, then carried it over and set it down on the work table. The lantern's flickering yellow glow danced over the motorcycle's polished chrome fenders and satiny smooth saddle. Ginny ran the tips of her fingers the length of the motorcycle, thinking back on the past several days. This afternoon's kiss notwithstanding, something had changed between her and Harry since they started working on the motorcycle together. She couldn't put her finger on when it happened, or how, or even why, but deep in her gut she sensed things wouldn't ever quite be the same. Part of her worried that the fragile understanding they'd come to the previous year was irretrievably lost. Then she recalled Harry's kiss and couldn't help thinking with an almost irrational hope that something new and wonderful lay just beyond the horizon, if only they could reach it.
Lifting her leg high, Ginny straddled the motorcycle. Her feet barely reached the floor on either side. She'd seen Bill give Harry the keys, but she could use magic to start the engine. Just as she was about to retrieve her wand, however, she sensed movement. Someone mounted the motorcycle behind her.
"Looking for these?" Harry's voice asked. A set of silver keys appeared before her face and jangled gaily.
"Harry, I--" She tried to turn.
She froze. He slipped the key into the ignition and turned on the motorcycle. Ginny felt the powerful engine roar to life beneath her.
"Don't you want to drive?"
"I don't know how. Bill said you could show me."
"I filled the tank with petrol earlier. I've been waiting for you." Her heart leaped up into her throat. "D'you want to take it for a spin?"
Ginny felt, rather than saw, his arms extend past her sides and grasp the handlebars. Unable to speak, she simply nodded. "Okay then, you'll need to show me what to do."
Only too aware of his chest against her back and his thighs pressed tightly around her hips, Ginny leaned forward and set the clutch into first gear. She then released the brake. "Ready?" she asked, her feet on the pedals, her hands atop his on the handlebars.
She felt Harry's head move up and down where his chin rested over her shoulder. "Let's go."


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by Stephanie Meyer, KF9, Sierra Leone
I eat at Kumba's at least three times a week. I've always been the type that likes to have my "regular spots" – my coffee shop, my bar, my newsstand. I like to think of Kumba's as my lunch spot. It doesn't hurt that everything is so homey. There are only three tables, so people tend to share and chat. By the time I had made three visits, I was granted to privilege of walking through the door to "Eh! Step-nie!" followed by enquiries after the folks I usually eat with and their whereabouts. The food is tasty and it's fast, and on very rare occasions when she knows I'm coming, there's onion stew (my favorite so far). About a week ago, I popped my head into my Kiva Coordinator's office to let him know I was off for "apotho lunch" (me and my weak American stomach eat lunch about an hour before everyone else in the office). He asked where I was going, and I told him Kumba's for Cassava Leaf. "Kumba?" he asked, "You know, she is a client". (check out her current profile here)
I did NOT know that, and it excited me a great deal. I've been fortunate in my ability to have meetings with a large number of clients since my arrival in Makeni, but I often feel a bit rushed and impersonal. The need to communicate through a translator, though essential for my Krio- and Temne- speaking clients, can seem like a wall. Sometimes I suspect I'm getting the lip service answers of "to invest in my business" or "yes, microfinance has been wonderful for me" to my questions, because borrowers can be so startled and awed by my unannounced appearance in their place of business, snapping my camera and spouting my questionable Krio. I like to think, however, that Kumba and I have become pals in my time here. I look forward to seeing her in the afternoons. When I ask her "Eh ma, ow de day?" I'm really curious about how her day has been so far, and what she's been up to. She seems to feel the same way. I mentioned to my coordinator that I would love to interview Kumba for a blog.
At the beginning, he was clearly a bit skeptical. Turns out Kumba has been interviewed before. Some while back (it can be very difficult to pin down exact dates and times here…) a reporter from Scotland visited Makeni to research a human-interest piece on microfinance, and he chose to focus on Kumba. From the sounds of things, she was promised everything but the kitchen sink: donor money would flow in, her restaurant would become famous, etc. etc. (bear in mind I get all this third-hand, but tsk tsk, reporter man). As is often the case in such scenarios, the man returned home, probably wrote a beautiful and moving story about a woman's struggle against the odds, and Kumba never heard a word again. One can understand why she would be a bit reluctant to sign up for round two.
Determined to at least try, I stopped by the restaurant for lunch yesterday, and started talking to her about SMT and my work at Kiva. I mentioned that I would love to write a story about her for lenders to read. Her smile didn't waver, so I pushed forward. Not wanting to repeat the mistakes of my predecessor, I tried almost too hard to be honest with Kumba: this will not mean any extra money for you or any extra funding. Most of the people who read this will probably never visit Sierra Leone, so there will not be any additional business. It won't affect your ability to get new SMT or Kiva loans in the future positively or negatively. After I painted this rosy picture of my post, Kumba waited for a moment, then just grinned, nodded and said "s'okay. Now?". I felt a little flutter knowing that, even though it meant nothing for her personally, Kumba would still do me this favor. We ARE friends!
Turns out Kumba has taken out three loans through SMT so far (she is currently paying back her third). Before opening the restaurant, she worked at two different hotel/restaurants in town, but was unhappy in her inability to manage her own work and hours, and a bit disappointed in her, ahem, erratic paycheck schedule. She opened the restaurant 1 year and 8 months ago (the exact date and the quickness with which she was able to give it to me are testaments to how much this date meant to her). With her first loan, she purchased general supplies: food, drinks, cooking gear. The second went to upgrading her kitchen and getting more pots, pans, and utensils, in order to service new customers. It is the most recent loan, however, about which Kumba seems most proud. In addition to even more general supplies such as food and cooking gear, she purchased new tables and chairs so her customers could sit comfortably. She surrounded the wood-frame building in mosquito netting to keep the majority of bugs out of everyone's food. She even got some tablecloths and posters for the wall (which, I have to say, really do make the ambiance). She's even considering a music system to keep people entertained while they eat. Now, rather than working for unreliable managers, who demand too much, don't allow sick time (missing a day of work due to illness is cause for dismissal at most jobs in Sierra Leone), and rarely pay wages, Kumba is her own boss, and even has a small staff to manage herself. She is clearly proud of her restaurant and her accomplishments, and I like to think of her as an "empowered woman" (though this is a super-American term, I think) who has some control over her life and her future.
I know sometimes it can be easy to see the down-side to microfinance, and the burden it places on people. Sometimes we all wish there was another way, or a better way, to make sustainable change for the working poor in developing nations. I agree that dialogue needs to be kept open: it's the only way more ideas will be generated. I also recognize that for many, microfinance is not all peaches-and-cream, and that it can even make life worse. When I start to get down on it though, it's nice to go to Kumba's, grab some onion stew, and bask in the proud glow of a woman who used a small loan to seize control, and create a new future for herself.
Want to learn more about SMT or lend to other clients like Kumba? Click here/>


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The Morenci Garden Club chose the property of Ramiro and Jeri Sanchez on Coomer Street as Garden of the Month for June. Ray and Cheryl Cowgill's unique rooftop garden, at the corner of Main and Orchard streets, is July's Garden of the Month.
During the July 14 meeting, club president Betsy Smith presented Lorene Whitehouse with a plaque in honor of Morenci Garden Club's 55th anniversary. Lorene is one of the club's founding members. A gardening book was also purchased and donated to Stair Public Library in memory of Lorene's husband, Dr. Keith Whitehouse.
The club recently welcomed new members Anita Prats and Annette Nichols.
Club members will visit Schedel Arboretum & Gardens in Elmore, Ohio, on Saturday, Aug. 29. To learn more about the Gardens, visit schedel-gardens.org. Anyone who would like to attend this garden tour as a guest should contact Sandy at 458-7237 or Renée at 458-7179.


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Want a little community with that coffee? Starbucks is launching a new in-store digital network in an effort to make customers' coffee house experience a little more social.
It's the coffee giant's latest shot in its battle against independent coffee houses.
With over 16,000 stores in more than 50 countries, Starbucks often is mocked for the ubiquity of its outlets and a cookie-cutter feel of its corporate-owned outlets. Starbucks' latest weapon in the fight against that image is to deploy free Wi-Fi and an in-store digital network that will offer news and entertainment as well as localized content to encourage neighborhood involvement. Customers will be able to access the digital network later this fall.
Whether this digital network actually draws people out or simply buries them more deeply behind their digital devices remains to be seen.
As Starbucks removes the fees from its Wi-Fi network — a move announced in June — some independent coffee shops have started ditching the digital connection. Many say it creates an isolating environment or encourages squatters who consume more bandwidth than coffee.
But Starbucks is sticking with its digital vision as part of a turnaround effort that seems to be working. The coffee chain was among the first to feel the pain of the recession, but Starbucks CEO and founder Howard Schultz has taken back the reins, and the results have been impressive, with profits up 37 percent in its latest quarter.
After researching what people are doing before and after they enter its stores, Starbucks teamed with content partners to offer customers digital one-stop shopping for their activities. When customers log into Starbucks' Wi-Fi network, they will come to a splash page for the Starbucks Digital Network that they can either explore or navigate away from.
Review site Zagat will let users look up local restaurants for dinner after caffeinated drinks. Runners, bikers and walkers will be able to plan their routes through Rodale on geo-targeted maps highlighting Starbucks outlets. Patch, a community news site, will provide Starbucks patrons a chance to learn about events in their neighborhoods. Nonprofit DonorsChoose.org will suggest local educational projects they need funds.
"In some ways one of the most interesting and important aspects of the Starbucks Digital Network is that it actually can be a hyper-local, community-oriented offering," said Adam Brotman, vice president of digital ventures for Starbucks.
While the network will serve as marketing, it will also produce revenue for Starbucks through revenue sharing with some of its partners when Starbucks customers buy downloads or subscribe to partners' services.
Future possibilities include collaboration with more nonprofits and volunteer groups and local news from outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, USA Today and New York Times. Music from local bands could be featured through iTunes.
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Customers connect in a variety of ways and the digital network is Starbuck's way of recognizing that, according to Brotman.
"That Starbucks experience, part of it sometimes is connecting with somebody physically who's across the table from you, or connecting with our baristas, sometimes it's connecting with somebody over the Internet," he said.
Brotman said Starbucks will watch for possible laptop gridlock in its stores.
"We'll keep an eye on it and if it becomes a problem, like we always have, we'll address it with our customers and through maybe ideas like different store design or different layouts. But right now we're feeling like this is something our customers want and we're feeling good about it," Brotman said.
© 2013 msnbc.com. Reprints


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Chiang Rai, ThailandKirsty Turner
This picturesque northern province is situated 785 kilometres from Bangkok and shares borders with Myanmar in the north and Laos in the east. The city of Chiang Rai was founded by King Mengrai in 1262 and the centrally located King Mengrai the Great Memorial depicts the king in all his former glory.
This is a great place to visit if you appreciate cool weather, walking amongst attractive natural scenery, good food and chilling out in a city that has all the charm and atmosphere of a small village.
The city of Chiang Rai has a rather sleepy, relaxed feel to it, and exploring the streets can yield some interesting sights. The pure white temple of Wat Rong Khum has to be seen to be believed, whilst Wat Phra Kaeo is the original home of the Emerald Buddha, now located in the temple of the same name in Bangkok. Also worth exploring are Wat Pa Sak and Wat Phra That Doi Tung.
Although not as large as its neighbour in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai's Night Bazaar is a great place to pick up a bargain or two, whilst the sleepy village of Chiang Saen with its interesting history, warm welcome and architecture is a great place for a day trip.
But it is Chiang Rai's natural beauty that draws most visitors to the area. As well as enchanting jungle waterfalls such as Khun Korn Waterfall and Pong Phra Bat waterfall, there are also dozens of hot springs scattered around the area, where you can soak up the goodness of meltingly hot water and natural minerals either in public pools or secluded in your own private tub. Look out for the Pha Soet Hot Springs and Huai Hin Fon Hot Springs and Waterfall with its stunning jungle backdrop. What could be better than listening to the insects and wind in the trees as you enjoy a good soak?
The Hilltribe Museum and Education Centre is a great place to learn about the local people before going on a trek, and The Hall of Opium museum also provides a lot of interesting information about life in the area, both past and present.
No visit to the area would be complete without a trip to the absolutely stunning Phu Chi Fa Forest Park, and animal lovers can get up close and personal with the elephants at the Mae Sa Elephant Training Center.


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Two Kazakh men, Cambridge man, face charges in disposal of backpack owned by Boston Marathon bombing suspect
Two men from Kazakhstan and a man from Cambridge were arrested and charged today in the Boston Marathon bombings investigation, federal prosecutors said.
Azamat Tazhayakov and Dias Kadyrbayev, both 19 and of New Bedford, were charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice by plotting to dispose of a laptop computer and a backpack containing fireworks belonging to bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the US attorney's office said in a statement.
Robel Phillipos, 19, of Cambridge was charged with making false statements to law enforcement officials in a terrorism investigation, prosecutors said.
All three were, or had been, students at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, where Tsarnaev, 19, was also a student.
Tazhayakov and Kadyrbayev face maximum sentences of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Phillipos faces a maximum sentence of eight years and a $250,000 fine, prosecutors said.
At a brief initial appearance this afternoon in US District Court in Boston, Tazhayakov and Kadyrbayev waived their right to a bail hearing. They will appear in court again May 14. In a separate appearance, Phillipos also waived his right to a bail hearing. Another hearing was slated in his case for Monday.
Phillipos's defense attorney, Derege Demissie, said after the hearing that Phillipos had nothing to do with the actions of Tazhayakov and Kadyrbayev and was simply charged with making a "misrepresentation'' to authorities.
Tazhayakov "feels horrible and was shocked to hear that someone he knew'' was involved with the bombings, said his defense attorney, Harlan Protass. "He looks forward to the truth coming out in this case.''
Kadyrbayev "absolutely denies the charges,'' said his defense attorney, Robert G. Stahl.
Tazhayakov, Kadyrbayev, and Phillipos all began attending UMass Dartmouth together at the same time in 2011. They were all friends with Tsarnaev, authorities said.
The trio told investigators that Kadyrbaev removed Tsarnaev's backpack, which contained fireworks that had been opened and emptied of gunpowder, from Tsarnaev's dorm room on the evening of April 18, shortly after the FBI released photos of the two bombing suspects (which the FBI later identified as Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and his brother, Tamerlan), according to an affidavit by Special Agent Scott Cieplik attached to the complaint.
Kadyrbayev and Tazhayakov both admitted they agreed to throw away the backpack after concluding from news reports that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev must be one of the bombers. Kadyrbayev decided to remove the backpack from Tsarnaev's room "to help his friend Tsarnaev avoid trouble,'' the affidavit said.
Kadyrbayev allegedly later threw the backpack in a dumpster at the New Bedford apartment complex where Kadyrbayev and Tazhayakov lived.
The backpack was taken away by a garbage truck, but was recovered last week inside a black garbage bag by the FBI at a New Bedford landfill, the affidavit said.
The affidavit also alleged that Phillipos changed his story, saying at first that he had never gone to Tsarnaev's dorm room but in a fourth interview admitting that he had joined the two others and gone to the room and taken the backpack. He said he had discussed with the two others what to do with the backpack but had fallen asleep and, upon awakening, discovered the backpack was gone.
The backpack, when it was found, contained the fireworks, a jar of vaseline, a UMass Darmouth homework assignment sheet from one of Tsarnaev's classes, and other items, the affidavit said.
Kadyrbayev told investigators he decided to take Tsarnaev's laptop as well because he did not want Tsarnaev's roommate, who was there when the trio stopped by, to think Kadyrbayev was stealing or behaving suspiciously by just taking the backpack, the affidavit said. It wasn't immediately clear from the affidavit what happened to the laptop computer.
The FBI searched Tsarnaev's dorm room several days later. It has disclosed in court documents that agents found BBs, a large pyrotechnic, and a black jacket and white hat matching those worn by the bombing suspect in surveillance footage who was later identified as Tsarnaev.
Kadyrbayev first met Tsarnaev after starting college in fall 2011 and became closer friends with him in the spring 2012, often socializing with him and even meeting with Tsarnaev's family at Tsarnaev's home. Tazhayakov also became friends with Tsarnaev at UMass Dartmouth in fall 2011, the affidavit said. The affidavit also said Phillipos was friends with Tsarnaev.
Tsarnaev is facing federal charges of using a weapon of mass destruction and malicious destruction of property resulting in death in the twin bombings that struck near the Marathon finish line on April 15. His brother, Tamerlan, 26, was killed in a confrontation with police in Watertown several days afterward as the two tried to flee the area. Police say they were trying to subdue Tamerlan Tsarnaev after a shootout when Dzhokhar Tsarnaev ran him over in a desperate escape.
Authorities say the Tsarnaevs also killed an MIT police officer as they tried to escape the area. No charges have been filed yet in that case.
The White House and law enforcement authorities have previously suggested that the Tsarnaevs may have acted alone without clear ties to foreign governments or terrorist groups.
But investigators have continued to eye other people who knew the brothers to see if they provided them with any help before or after the attacks.
Before the criminal charges were announced today, Tazhayakov and Kadyrbayev appeared before a federal immigration judge on charges they overstayed their student visas.
Lawyers for the men said at the hearing the men had cooperated with Homeland Security and FBI investigators for hours and were only college buddies with Dzhohkar Tsarnaev and should be released.
The men were being detained in the Suffolk County jail and appeared before Judge Steven F. Day via videoconference, wearing prison scrubs, from the jail. The consul of Kazakhstan, relatives of one of the men, as well as US government officials were in the court.
The hearing marked the men's first court appearance since immigration officials arrested and jailed them 11 days ago in New Bedford.
The hearing raised questions about why the men were allowed to stay in the United States if their visas were allegedly invalid.
Kadyrbayev, who had studied engineering, was dismissed from UMass after the fall semester, but stayed in the United States. His lawyers argued that he should be allowed to leave the United States voluntarily. A hearing on Kadyrbayev's case will be held on May 22.
Tazhayakov, an economics major, had his visa terminated on Jan. 4, but he was allowed to reenter the country on Jan. 20 in New York, the judge said in court. The discrepancy puzzled Judge Day. "That doesn't make any sense,'' he said. Day set a bail hearing for Tazhayakov for May 9.
A UMass Dartmouth official said both Robel Phillipos and Kadyrbayev left the university after the fall semester. Phillipos withdrew for reasons that were unclear today, while Kadyrbayev was expelled for poor grades.
Tazhayakov was enrolled until this week, but university officials suspended him today when the criminal charges were filed. "The normal procedure when a person is accused of a crime is to suspend him pending the outcome of that case,'' said John Hoey, assistant chancellor for public affairs.
The Tsarnaev brothers once lived in Kyrgyzstan, which neighbors Kazakhstan. People in both countries speak Russian because they all lived in the former Soviet Union, where the official language was Russian.
The UMass Dartmouth campus, still reeling after learning that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was a sophomore here, had more bad news to absorb today.
"It's kind of hard to digest that students who came here to study could do such a thing,'' said Raja Nageswaran, 25, an MBA grad student.
He said the two Kazakhs had been to the off-campus housing he shared with other international students a few times for parties. He remembered they played pool with his roommates. One came more frequently than the other, but he was not sure which one. On one occasion, Tsarnaev also attended.
The last time the Kazakhs were at a party was in October, before Halloween, he said. Nothing much stood out, although the Kazakhs liked to drive their black BMW hard, making it squeal, he said. He knew them only through mutual friends.
The school has several hundred international students, he said, who tend to bond because they are internationals. "They were definitely fun-loving. That stood out. They loved to party,'' he said.
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text: A Blue View is a weekly perspective on the life aquatic, hosted by National Aquarium CEO John Racanelli. From the smallest plants and animals invisible to the human eye to entire ecosystems, every living thing depends on and is intricately linked by water. Tune in to 88.1 WYPR every Tuesday at 5:45 p.m. as John brings to the surface important issues and fascinating discoveries making waves in the world today. November 28: Man, Eating Shark Listen to John discuss the importance of protecting shark populations around the world from overfishing. Can you guess what the following things have in common? Lightning; driving to the beach; dogs; falling coconuts... Give up? Each one is more likely to kill you than a shark. And yet, shark populations in all of our oceans are in danger of collapse, mainly due to overfishing. Commercial and recreational fishing kills up to 73 million sharks every year—including tens of millions solely for their fins. That's roughly 200,000 sharks every day! Here's what you can do to help save sharks: Just say no to shark fin soup! Don't patronize restaurants or stores that serve or sell shark products. The Animal Welfare Institute has compiled a database of restaurants that have shark fin soup on the menu. You can also take the Shark Savers pledge to say you're FINished with fins. Write a letter to your representatives, or sign a petition from our partners at Oceana, asking those with the power to change and enact laws to do so. If you're a Maryland resident, support the bill that will be introduced in Maryland's next legislative session that would ban the possession or distribution of shark fins in the state. This legislation will ensure that Maryland is not contributing to the supply and demand of shark fins. Avoid eating seafood that is caught in a way that brings in sharks as bycatch. Download Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch card for a list of ocean-friendly seafood and what to avoid. Spread the word. Share this information with your social networks by clicking on the icons at the top of this page. The more awareness we can generate about this issue, the better. Stay tuned next week for our next A Blue View series! Tags: a-blue-view, national-aquarium-2, npr, ocean-conservation, overfishing, public-radio, shark-fin-soup, shark-finning, Animals, wypr Categories: Animals, Conservation, News Previous Post Next Post


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Lohan told "Access Hollywood" she doesn't pay attention to reports that she's lost too much weight, but acknowledged there is a lot of pressure in Hollywood to stay slim.
I'm disappointed in her.
who wants to cuddle with a bag of bones?


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"Great things
never come from
comfort zones"
Denise Kaiserseder
Laser Application Technician
Profile: Denise Kaiserseder
My profession:
Laser Application Technician
Employed with Trotec since:
July 2014
My personal work motto:
Great things never come from comfort zones
This is how I would describe my job to a friend:
I work on applications on the laser and come up with cool designs. I develop laser samples for the website, trade fairs, demo rooms, direct mail, and several other areas. In addition, I do parameter tests and laser training (for internal and external employees). I also always have laser-engraved samples to show people so everyone can get an idea of what it looks like.
I spend most of my work day...
…in front of the laser developing new designs.
"I was supposed to reproduce a pattern for a new demo room. The pattern was finished in over an hour in the laser, so I take it out...and I dropped it. The pattern broke, of course. So I had to make the pattern again, and of course I was especially careful the second time! By the way, for anyone who has seen our DIY laser patterns: I am always the one with the leather bracelet on, which is seen quite often in the photos."- A funny anecdote from my work life - Denise Kaiserseder -
The coolest thing about my job is...
...the travel opportunities (international trade fairs, customer visits, visits to branches); always meeting new people in training sessions; inspiring customers with the patterns.
In addition, after I have finished my work, I can also use the laser for private things (e.g. lasered gifts).
The thing I appreciate most about Trotec is:
The familiar environment and the flexible work hours
Something personal about myself
I do a lot of sports, like yoga, for example, which I have been doing for six years. And I have a cat who is waiting for me every day when I get home from work and goes out to my car to get me.


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Finance and personal financial planning majors belong to numerous organizations across campus. The Department of Finance and Commercial Law supports the student-run Financial Management Association and the Financial Services Club, which offer opportunities for students to learn more about careers in finance and to network with fellow students and with finance professionals during their time at Western Michigan University. In addition, the Business Law Society provides programming for those interested in a business law career path.
Business Law Society
- Faculty advisor: Dr. Norm Hawker
- Open to all business majors and minors, and students interested in business law careers.
Financial Management Association
This professional organization of financial executives, analysts, professors and students live and work in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas, Hong Kong, London, Montreal—all around the world. The Financial Management Association brings together students, professors and professionals for mutual benefit. Membership establishes you as an integral part of an important network of finance professionals and demonstrates your commitment to the profession.
- Faculty advisor: Dr. Wenling Lu
- Open to all finance and personal financial planning majors and minors, and students interested in finance careers.
Financial Services Club
The Financial Services Club is an organization of students interested in financial services careers such as financial planning, insurance, accounting, estate planning, wealth management, etc. Student membership includes membership in the Society of Financial Service Professionals, which is made up of professionals from across the country. The Financial Services Club brings together students, professors and professionals for educational, social and networking opportunities.
- Faculty advisor: Dr. Wenling Lu
- Open to all finance majors and minors, personal financial planning majors, accountancy majors and minors and students interested in financial services careers.