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I've been doing a bit of research on canoe sailing rigs, from Iain Oughtred's MacGregor to Hugh Hortons Bufflehead, and everything in between, however in the end I decide to go simple first to actually see if I liked it before getting more than toe deep
A very well respected Oz designer Mike Storer has a simple drop in rig that he has developed, more for kayaks than canoes, but it seemed it would work with my MR Reflection 15, so I bought the plans (came via email as a PDF) and set to work.
Once I looked at his original layout, I couldnt see how I could make it work over the length (15ft) of my canoe, (having to maneuver from a sitting position in the bottom at the rear quarter of the boat to the front quarter over a kneeling and portage thwart to adjust things like leeboards, downhauls and halyards didnt seem to me like a good idea in a canoe 30 wide) so I laid everything out in Autocad, and started changing things!
Using Todd Bradshaws book I worked out the CE of the sail (in the end I got it wrong, I was 17mm out), and used that to place the mast thwart, having already decided to centre the leeboard thwart in the middle of the boat.
Next I didnt have the time or the inclination for making a set of wooden mast and spars, so I opted for aluminium tube, I found a site clickmetal which would deliver small amounts at a very reasonable delivery price, 1 ½ 16swg for the mast and 1 ¼ 16swg for the yard and boom.
I had previously been checking out ebay for dinghy bits and pieces, and had bought a job lot of pulleys, deadeyes, cleats etc, so I was sorted for them, last thing was wood.
Falkirk wood supplied all the ash, even squaring and planning a length for me, really good customer service, Ive already talked to Andy about supplying Douglas Fir and Western red cedar for another project.
My local Beatsons supplied the exterior grade 6mm and 9mm ply I decided to use.
And I used the chandlers at Port Edgar for any st.st fittings and the various cord/ropes I needed.
Ready to rock;
Ali tube
Sail design, the addition of spar bend etc is well explained here, polysails, I used the balanced lug.
Initial layout
Cut out
Lofting floor (living room floor)
Theres quite a bit of the sail build I didnt document, the tedious zigzag sewing (by machine) the triple reinforcing everywhere, and adding the grommets, to be fair it didnt really take that long, as usual the preparation took the longest.
The thwarts were fairly simple to make, finding fair points to measure things from was more taxing, the mass produce aspect of this canoe showed itself here, some careful measurements were taken (and to be frank probably not really required) to acquire the centre of the canoe, from then I used this as the datum.
The mast thwart set up ready for drilling. ( I found this the most aggravating part of the build, the hole saws I bought were garbage, the didnt run anywhere near true, so in the end I used an undersized Forstner bit and a pillar drill sanding attachment to fit it to the ali tube.
Next up was the leeboard, Mik had very definite ideas on what a leeboard should look like, (basically a symmetrical naca airfoil section), so I glued 3 sections of 6mm (5.5mm actual) ply together, let them cure while I made a jig for my ½ router to create an airfoil section. It was my first time using gorilla glue, and I screwed it up, not enough coverage, unfortunately this didnt become evident until after the foil was half shaped. No choice but to make a new one and start again.
Again theres quite a bit missed out, I sanded the foil, then used ronseal exterior grade varnish to seal it. The brackets etc were from Groovski, I drilled out the rivets and reused the various bits and pieces.
The leeboard thwart was a simple ash plank bolted using the existing portage yolk holes to the canoe, then Groovskis leeboard thwart screwed to it, (not the best arrangement but all I had time for)
Again theres a lot not documented, simple stuff like the holes required in the yard, boom and mast for various ropes, cleats etc, making a mast foot and installing it with a slight rake to the rear, fitting the various bits and pieces to control the halyard and downhaul lines;
Also as you can see from some of the photos I took the ever real threat of a capsize in the middle of a loch seriously, and added 2 dinghy floatation bags, rated at 45kg each. I used p clips from stagonset to fit them to the gunnels.
So mast, boom, yard sorted. Sail sorted. Rigging sorted. Leeboard sorted, flotation sorted, whats left? Stearing, I really wanted to fit a stern rudder, but there just wasnt enough time so I opted for using a paddle and a thwart with a rowlock;
Wasnt very good but it worked after a fashion.
I also added some webbing to help spread the load from the sail throughout the canoe;
When I was sorting out all the components at Glenfinnan I found that the mast foot had come unstuck, and was gone, so an emergency one was made from spare foam kneeling mat, this worked so well that it didnt move a mm over the course of the week, pretty impressive.
We're not looking at a lot of money here, use pine instead of ash, cheaper still. The trill of barrelling along upwind, with the port gunnel, almost submerged is indescribable, huge grin factor. Give it a go.
Here's the youtube video of the trip, along with some shots of the rig in action
PS I've already started making a proper rudder;


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Aptos resident Jennifer Willoughby won the Summit Rock Half Marathon women's race and and Aptos' Gareth Ewing made the top 10 of the men's race in Sanborn County Park in Saratoga on Saturday.
Willoughby finished the race in 2 hours, 11 minutes, 24 seconds for the win and 25th place overall. She was followed by Tiffany Meyer, who was up from Eugene, Ore., and finished in 2:16:27 for second place [37th overall], and Zhimin Yang of San Jose who finished in 2:19:26 for third place [40th overall].
Ewing took sixth overall, crossing the finish line in 1:53:13. San Carlos' Leor Pantilat won in 1:33:27.
Watsonville's Mark Thompson placed 19th in the 5-kilometer race [actually 3.3 miles], which was run in conjunction with the half marathon, in 32:13. The 5k was won by Manuel Calero.
Results included in this report are from the Brazen Racing website.

subset: commoncrawl


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Take the King Air
Beechcraft King Air 350 on the apron at Richmond International Airport
City Twilight
Downtown RVA as seen from Libby Hill at sunset
James River Railway Bridge
The beautiful James River Railway Bridge. Opened for rail traffic in 1919 and is still in use today.
Trophy Hunter
Offshore sport fishing boats at dock. Oregon Inlet, Outer-banks North Carolina.
Neptune - Ruler of the oceanfront
Virginia Beach Oceanfront, Virginia Beach, VA
Canal Blues
Canal crossing of the 7th Street footbridge to Browns Island and the Richmond Virginia skyline at night.
Route 66 Riders
Route 66 Riders
Route 66 motorcycle riders travel into the southern California desert sunset.
Autumn on Monument
Fall colors as seen above Monument Ave - Richmond VA
Color Run Style
Big City Night Panorama
Downtown Chicago Illinois USA
Grand Teton National Wyoming
Grand Teton National Park - an American national park in northwestern Wyoming
The valley beyond
Downtown Richmond Virginia - looking west over Main Street
Last Night Under the Milky Way
On a night in late May the weather cooperated but the meteors didn't. Lots of people turned out to view the Camelopardalids Meteor Shower, a handful of Richmond Astronomical Society members and perhaps 25 or so Richmond Photography Meetup Group Members. For several hours we had our own mini star party! While most everyone enjoyed the dark skies the meteor shower was a no show. Fortunately the stars were spectacular and much observing and photography ensued.
Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, Florida, USA
Stately Elegance
Capitol Storm
Lucky enough to capture this lightning bolt while taking some night images of the US Capitol building. I did manage not to get fried or soaked.
Sunny Days - Charlotte NC
Colorful fall neighborhood street scene - #RVA Richmond VA
Nekoro Williams
Nekoro Williams - Dummer for PBR - People's Blues of Richmond, plays like a boss! Riverrock RVA
Waterside Color Miami
Miami Florida
WatersideColorMiamiMiami FloridaBlue HoursunsetSkylineCityScapeFLFLAcitynightafterdarktwilight


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The Obama campaign has been roundly criticized for an adproduced by the Super PAC Priorities USA Action that appears to link Mitt Romney's former firm, Bain Capital, with the cancer death of a steelworker's wife.
So at a news conference on Monday, the president sought to distance himself from the ad.
"I don't think Governor Romney is somehow responsible for the death of the woman portrayed in that ad," the president said. "But keep in mind, this is an ad that I didn't approve. I did not produce." (Related: Romney Hurt by Democratic Attacks: Poll.)
There is just one problem.
The ad — and the slideshow — discuss GST Steel, which was taken over in 1993 by a group led by Bain Capital, and went bankrupt in 2001 under a heavy load of debt.
Bain nonetheless profited handsomely from the deal, but 28-year employee Joe Soptic was among 750 employees who lost their jobs and their health insurance.
"A short time after that, my wife became ill," Soptic says in the Super PAC ad, but he says she did not seek medical attention initially because of the lack of health insurance. When she eventually did go to the hospital, she was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer.
"She passed away in 22 days," Soptic says. "I do not think Mitt Romney realizes what he's done to anyone."
But the ad fails to point out that Soptic's wife was diagnosed with cancer several years after he lost his job, and that she had health insurance under her own job. CNN first reported the additional details on August 7, citing a telephone interview with Soptic. (Related: Romney Claim on Obama Welfare Doesn't Hold Water.)
In his news conference, the president said that not only was he not responsible for the ad, but that it had only aired once. Priorities USA Action has defended the ad as factual and claims it does not directly link Romney to the woman's death.
But the Obama campaign slideshow appears to do just that.
It displays a purported quote by "Joe Soptic, employee for 28 years, whose wife died of lung cancer after he lost his GST health plan."
"I worked hard all my life and played by the rules, and they allowed this to happen," Soptic is quoted as saying.
—By CNBC's Scott Cohn


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There's still time to book an outdoor family photography shoot this spring against the stunning backdrop of View full post »
© 2013 Claire Greenway|ProPhoto Photographer Site by NetRivet, Inc.
"Claire, the pictures are amazing! And you were great with the kids. It will be lovely to have these beautifully taken shots to keep forever." Hamilton family, London
"Wow – these look great! Thanks ever so much, they're gorgeous!" Learmouth family, West London
"Claire recently photographed a special family party - the pictures are outstanding" Vineet Shah, Richmond
"Many thanks for the beautiful photos, we are delighted with them. You have caught Thomas & Emily's characters perfectly and made the whole experience into an adventure for the children. You got some great, unique shots of us all and we will highly recommend you to our friends." Campbell-Starkey family, Windsor
"Oh Claire, the photographs are fantastic! We love them." Farmer family, Cheltenham
"We love the pictures! Thank you, thank you, thank you for such lovely photos! They're brilliant." Adkin family, Cheltenham
"Amazing! We have now had 2 sets of family photos done over the last 18 months by Claire and I cannot recommend her highly enough. The pictures are fantastic and her wealth of experience in all aspects of photography run throughout the fabric of her work. She has the patience of a saint (essential with our 2 year old!) and has an artistic yet practical and professional way of working which ensures she gets some great shots." Cameron family, North London


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Jared Miller's SUZUKI RGV250 VJ22 Red Bull
December 2017,
This month's Customer bike of the month is Jared Miller's gorgeous RGV250 VJ22.
Here's the story from both the owner (Jared Miller) and builder (Duane Coetzee)
Credits and Thanks:
Firstly, as for credits I would like to note thanks to your Tyga representative in South Africa - Mario Smit for bringing in all the Tyga parts and his guidance. Next, Sean from the Tuning Works was great help providing all the bits 'n bobs needed and then to Duane (Builder) and Fanie (Painter) in South Africa who did an excellent job to get it to this stage. Lastly, it's always your family that supports and inspires you and apart from my father whose bike DNA I have acquired and the support he gave locally, my wife was truly understanding and complained very little about this project ...or rather the monies spent (although I do recall having to get some Christian Louboutin's for her.... lol).
The Owners Story:
So, some years back in 2013 I moved from South Africa to live abroad in Dubai. Unfortunately, Dubai does not exactly cater for the best regular street riding which is limited mainly to the ' short winter months' and for the most part, the only 2t bikes I ever saw were riding in the desert. Worse, living in a high-rise apartment does not inspire a guy like me who could probably live in a shed with his 'projects'. Never having owned a street bike before (although drooling over the various bikes my father had ... AKA *polish boy*) I started thinking - "lets get a bike in Dubai"...
Missing home and waiting almost a year for my wife in South Africa to join me permanently, my father went out and bought a tatty RGV VJ21 in a box! He then sent me a WhatsApp picture saying - " here is your first street bike, so now when you visit back home you can work on this...and plan for it". This was actually just a ploy from his side since he didn't want me to go get some ZX10R! Nonetheless, it was his actions that planted the seed for everything that transpired thereafter...
Recalling the Tyga website from my youth and often dreaming to have a bike like the ones advertised on your website I thought at that stage.... "its now or never, just do it! ... however, I felt the VJ21 was not the perfect platform for the Tyga fairings etc. and so we went about to source a cleaner/assembled RGV VJ22. Then, after researching and saving a few years, I finally had the list of major parts and called Mario and Sean and sent them my credit card details...
Another year passed (together with more planning and pictures saved for inspiration) when I finally I could visit South Africa and mock the fairings onto the bike. However, this was not before a rather special find when my father called again and said.. "would you be interested in a SP engine?... by the way, it comes with frame and fairings assembled". It was a great find and although it had been raced hard and the suspension swapped it was the perfect donor bike...
It was then roughly mid-year of 2016 when I was introduced to the "perfectionist" - Duane, who would be manage the last leg of the build and assembly so we dropped off the bike together with many black boxes of parts and I retuned to Dubai to dream of what would be the result...and then finally... after much waiting, anticipation (and hassling) Duane's painstaking work was completed in November of this year.
Overall, I wish I could do projects like this over and over. There is something about these modern classic bikes that just does it for me and the Tyga platform appreciates this and helps 'addicted' people like us get by!
I am really excited that you appreciate the result enough to post on your website and on behalf of Duane and myself, I can say this is a big accomplishment as we walked a long road together to finish the bike.
The Builders Story:
Duane Ceotzee@MotoSpeedShop
For me, this project began with Jared's father, Dudley, dropping off an RGV250SP JV22 engine for a once over and possible rebuild. For the owner, Jared Miller, the project had begun a long time before this. His dream RGV250 was a tribute to the Red Bull Suzuki MotoGP bike John Hopkins' piloted at the 2005 Laguna Seca round of the MotoGP. A one of paint scheme for the team.
Jared had collected a long list of parts for this RGV250SP build prior to sending me the motor. We began discussions on the build via e-mail as Jared was based remotely. The motorcycle later arrived along with all the parts. The Tyga-Performance body kit had been test fitted to the donor rolling chassis. Final adjustments to the body kit fitment were undertaken and then the bike was ready to come apart.
The bike was stripped down completely so that the frame and swing-arm could be washed and cleaned. All mounting hardware, nuts and bolts were cleaned and re-plated to retain original bolts but protect them from further corrosion.
The frame could then be reassembled to receive parts as they were read to be re-assembled. A Nitron remote adjustable shock was installed while fork was rebuilt using an Andreani cartridge kit adding full adjustability to the front end. The fork tubes were gun coated gold to complement the Andreani cartridge kit aesthetic and mounted into the Tyga billet triple clamps and clip-ons. Wheels were powder coated, mounted with fresh Bridgestone rubber and new bearings. Brakes and sprockets were mounted with replated original hardware.
Braking up front is done through a Brembo RCS19 master cylinder and two giant 6-pot Tokico brake calipers painted to match the Brembo rear brake caliper which is hung in the Tyga-Performance brake 84mm hanger. Foot controls are also supplied by Tyga-Performance finishing up the chassis nicely.
Next the engine. The cylinders, pistons and rod bearing clearances were in spec but the crank itself had split through its centre. A new centre, bearings, rods and seals had to be bought and pressed back together. The engine was stripped completely, all casings were glass bead blasted and then reassembled with new seals and gaskets. Cougar power valves have been installed along with Tyga valve covers which drain to a catch tank. New auto lube injectors are installed.
A set of Tyga-Performance stainless expansion pipes with carbon fiber silencers are bolted up onto the motor once it has been installed. An unrestricted SAPC has been installed to compliment the engine.
The body kit was painted by Fanie of GSC Custom in Jet Park with decals supplied by an ebay seller. Tribute bikes allow a bit of freedom so the paint colour is lighter with more metallic in it. A really beautiful choice to make it stand out in the sun.
In the cockpit a nice compact KOSO gauge cluster has been installed to match the rest of the GP styling cues.
Every surface of this motorcycle has been touched and thoughtfully put back together and this is the end result. A bike that I am proud and privileged to have built and more importantly one that meets Jared's expectations.
TYGA-Performance Products:
|Full Tyga street kit with carbon half rear seat.
|Tyga carbon fenders and swing arm guards.
|Tyga fuel cap.
|Tyga step kit.
|Tyga exhausts and carbon cans.
|Tyga top triple clamp and rear brake bracket to fit Brembo 84mm caliper.
|Tyga handlebar set.
|Tyga exhaust valve covers.
|Tyga mirror blanking plates.
Extra bits:
|Derestricted SP motor rebuilt running auto-lube.
|Nitron NTR rear shock.
|upgraded front calipers (Tokico).
|rebuilt front forks using Andreani internals.
|Hel brake lines.
|Lightech clutch lever.
|Brembo RCS19 master brake lever.
|Renthal sprockets and chain.
|Cougar Red power valves.
|Koso RX-1N GP gauge cluster.
|and some carbon frame guards
The inspiration is from John Hopkins Suzuki GP bike when he raced at Laguna Seca.
TYGA-Performance products used listed below:
0 items


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Paris & Normandy Highlights
History lovers and culture connoisseurs will delight in this eight-day exploration of France's Norman villages and D-Day and WWII military sites. Stroll through Claude Monet's evocative garden, marvel at the medieval cities of Bayeux and Rouen, and visit the Paris studio of acclaimed National Geographic photographer and explorer Reza. Cap off the experience with two days in Paris to toast la vie en rose.
Arrive at any time.
Depart for Giverny to visit Claude Monet's garden, inspiration for the artist's water lily series and named as one of National Geographic's "top 10 most magnificent gardens in the world." Continue on to the pretty port town of Honfleur for a walk with our CEO and some free time. Arrive this evening in Bayeux and enjoy a dinner at a local crêperie.
This morning, we immerse ourselves in WWII history with a local, accredited expert. Begin with a lecture on the Allied invasion and visit a museum to view and handle WWII relics including vintage weapons, uniforms, and maps. Then board a WWII transport vehicle to visit Secqueville-en-Bessin War Cemetery to learn about the significance of poppies — the ultimate emblem of military sacrifice. This afternoon, continue exploring with our CEO, visiting Omaha Beach, Pointe du Hoc, and the American cemetery and memorial.
Today, enjoy an excursion to Mont-Saint-Michel, an island commune off the coast of Normandy. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the medieval fortress is considered one of the most stunning and imposing sites in Europe with origins dating back to the 6th century. Take an orientation walk with our CEO then enjoy free time to explore. Opt to visit the abbey, monastery, or museums, or wander the winding lanes and cobblestone streets.
Enjoy a free day to explore Bayeux and its medieval centre. Wander its quaint streets to visit shops and cafés then opt to visit the cathedral and the famed Bayeux Tapestry.
Depart for the river port city of Rouen where we take an orientation walk with our CEO and enjoy some free time. Continue back to Paris where we visit the studio of renowned National Geographic photographer Reza. Enjoy an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour with one of Reza's assistants to learn about his work in conflict zones around the world and how his stunning photos make it from lens to page. After, enjoy some wine and cheese in this artistic setting; if we are lucky, we may even get to meet Reza.
Enjoy a morning walk with our CEO in the medieval centre of Paris; the Île de la Cité. Opt to visit inside Notre Dame, and the Sainte-Chapelle. Afterward, take advantage of free time to explore the city.
Depart at any time.
What's Included
National Geographic Journeys Exclusives: D-Day Historical Experience, Bayeux
National Geographic Journeys Exclusives: Paris Photography Studio, Paris. Tour of Monet Gardens. Excursion to Mont-Saint-Michel. Paris orientation walk. All transport between destinations and to/from included activities.
Itinerary Disclaimer
While it is our intention to adhere to the route described below, there is a certain amount of flexibility built into the itinerary and on occasion it may be necessary, or desirable to make alterations. The itinerary is brief, as we never know exactly where our journey will take us. Due to our style of travel and the regions we visit, travel can be unpredictable. The Trip Details document is a general guide to the tour and region and any mention of specific destinations or wildlife is by no means a guarantee that they will be visited or encountered. Aboard expedition trips visits to research stations depend on final permission.
Additionally, any travel times listed are approximations only and subject to vary due to local circumstances.
Optional Activities
Please see the itinerary for information on optional activities, descriptions and estimated pricing.
Trip Details
Dossier Disclaimer
The information in this trip details document has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith. However it is subject to change, and does not form part of the contract between the client and the operator. The itinerary featured is correct at time of printing. It may differ slightly to the one in the brochure. Occasionally our itineraries change as we make improvements that stem from past travellers, comments and our own research. Sometimes it can be a small change like adding an extra meal along the itinerary. Sometimes the change may result in us altering the tour for the coming year. Ultimately, our goal is to provide you with the most rewarding experience. Please note that our brochure is usually released in November each year. If you have booked from the previous brochure you may find there have been some changes to the itinerary.
VERY IMPORTANT: Please ensure that you print a final copy of your Trip Details to review a couple of days prior to travel, in case there have been changes that affect your plans.
Important Notes
It is important to note that in Europe, all guiding is based around local guides all of whom are licensed to work only in a particular city. As such, our leaders are able to provide orientation walks which will show you the layout of each town and city as well as the location of local services such as post offices and laundromats, but are unable to legally share historical facts and figures in public places.
In Europe it is very rare to find elevators in train stations, hotels or other public places. The carrying of your luggage remains your responsibility at all times.
Please note that this trip combos with other G Adventures tours.
Group Leader Description
This G Adventures group trip is accompanied by one of our group leaders. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. They will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects.
It is important to note that in Europe, all guiding is based around local guides all of whom are licensed to work only in a particular city. As such, our leaders are able to provide orientation walks which will show you the layout of each town and city as well as the location of local services such as post offices and laundromats, but are unable to legally share historical facts and figures in public places. If you wish to take a guided city tour in any location our CEO will do their best to help you arrange this and pay locally.
Group Size Notes
Max 16, avg 12.
Meals Included
7 breakfasts, 1 dinner
Private vehicle, antique WWII vehicle, walking.
Solo Travellers
We believe solo travellers should not have to pay more to travel so our group trips are designed for shared accommodation and do not involve a single supplement. Single travellers joining group trips are paired in twin or multi-share accommodation with someone of the same sex for the duration of the trip. Some of our Independent trips are designed differently and solo travellers on these itineraries must pay the single trip price.
Hotels (7 nts)
About Accommodation
It is important to note that accommodation in Europe tend to be quite different to other areas of the world you may have travelled in. Buildings and rooms are generally old and may not have been renovated or maintained to the highest standard. Downtown hotels in Europe were not built to be hotels but houses of the rich, which have been changed into hotels. Therefore unusual room sizes are common as large rooms have been partitioned in the past, resulting in rather "thin" walls. Reception areas, rooms and bathrooms tend to be very small as they were often added into an existing room, and may have a hand nozzle rather than a conventional shower head.
On this trip you can expect to stay in hotels which will vary a little in standard and facilities: some may not have elevators, air-conditioning or English-speaking staff, but have traditional character, and are in central locations to give you maximum time for exploring the sights. You can expect to find clean, safe, simple accommodation in convenient locations.
Staff can occasionally demonstrate less than perfect customer service. As accommodation is in short supply, especially during the summer months, hotels can charge a premium and there is sometimes little motivation to improve facilities.
Joining Hotel
For details of your joining hotel please refer to your tour voucher, G Account, the G Adventures App or contact your travel agent.
Joining Instructions
Please note that day 1 is an arrival day and no activities have been planned on this day. Upon arrival to the city on day 1 (or earlier if you have booked pre-accommodation), please make your way to the joining hotel (note that check-in time will be in the afternoon). Once you arrive at the hotel, look for a note or bulletin board in the reception with a note from your CEO. This note will give the details of your Welcome Meeting on day 1 (usually between 5pm and 7pm), where you will get a chance to meet your CEO and other travellers, as well as learn more about how the tour will run. If you don't see a note, please ask reception for details!
Getting to Relais Monceau Hotel (please check your vouchers to ensure this is your start hotel):
From Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport:
Follow signs inside the terminal "Paris by train", and take the RER B line direct to Gare du Nord. Journey time is approximately 30mins. Cost is €8.40 EUR. From here it is a short taxi ride (20 mins at €15-20) to the hotel. Alternatively, you can take the metro from La Chapelle Station: LINE 2, to Villiers Station.
From Paris Orly Airport:
Take the ORLYVAL shuttle train to Antony (8mins) where you will take the RER B line direct to Gare du Nord (45mins). Cost is €7.40 (ORLYVAL) + €6.10 (RER). Follow the same instructions as above from Gare du Nord to the hotel.
A taxi from either of the airports to the hotel will cost around €50.
If you are arriving later and will miss the Welcome Meeting, your CEO will leave a note at reception for you with any information you may need, and with morning instructions for the next day.
Arrival Complications
We don't expect any problems, and nor should you, but if for any reason you are unable to commence your trip as scheduled, please refer to the emergency contact details provided in this dossier and contact us as soon as possible. If you have a pre-booked transfer, and you have not made contact with our representative within 30 minutes of clearing customs and immigration, we recommend that you make your own way to the Starting Point hotel, following the Joining Instructions. Please apply to your travel agent on your return for a refund of the transfer cost if this occurs.
Emergency Contact
Should you need to contact us during a situation of dire need, it is best to first call either the G Adventures Local Representative (if one is listed below) or our G Adventures Local Office. If for any reason you do not receive an immediate answer, please leave a detailed message and contact information, so they may return your call and assist you as soon as possible.
G Adventures Office London, United Kingdom
During Office hours (Weekdays, 9am-5:30pm Local Time)
+44 20 7243 9870
For absolute emergencies after office hours please contact: +44 7817 262 559
If you are unable for any reason to contact our local office, please call the numbers listed below, which will connect you directly with our 24 hour Sales team, who will happily assist you:
Toll-free, North America only: 1 888 800 4100
Calls from UK: 0344 272 0000
Calls from Germany: 0800 365 1000
Calls from Australia: 1300 796 618
Calls from New Zealand: 0800 333 307
Outside North America, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and the UK: +1 416 260 0999
What to Take
We recommend using a backpack for your convenience, or a medium-sized suitcase if you prefer. A daypack is also essential for carrying everyday items. Space is limited on transportation, so there is a limit of one main piece of luggage per person. You will be responsible for carrying your own luggage. You must be prepared to carry your luggage up and down stairs, as well as on and off transportation.
Cold Weather:
• Long-sleeved shirts or sweater
• Scarf
• Warm gloves
• Warm hat
• Warm layers
• Flight info (required) (Printouts of e-tickets may be required at the border)
• Insurance info (required) (With photocopies)
• Passport (required) (With photocopies)
• Required visas or vaccination certificates (required) (With photocopies)
• Vouchers and pre-departure information (required)
• Binoculars (optional)
• Camera (With extra memory cards and batteries)
• Cash, credit and debit cards
• Day pack (Used for daily excursions or short overnights)
• Ear plugs
• First-aid kit (should contain lip balm with sunscreen, sunscreen, whistle, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, bandaids/plasters, tape, anti-histamines, antibacterial gel/wipes, antiseptic cream, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhea, rehydration powder, water purification tablets or drops, insect repellent, sewing kit, extra prescription drugs you may be taking)
• Flashlight/torch (Headlamps are ideal)
• Fleece top/sweater
• Footwear
• Hat
• Locks for bags
• Long pants/jeans
• Moneybelt
• Outlet adapter
• Personal entertainment (Reading and writing materials, cards, music player, etc.)
• Reusable water bottle
• Shirts/t-shirts
• Sleepwear
• Small travel towel
• Sunglasses
• Toiletries (Preferably biodegradable)
• Watch and alarm clock
• Waterproof backpack cover
• Windproof rain jacket
Smart Dress:
• Smart outfit (For evenings out)
Warm Weather:
• Sandals/flip-flops
• Shorts/skirts (Longer shorts/skirts are recommended)
• Sun hat/bandana
• Swimwear
Laundry facilities are offered by some of our hotels for a charge or ask your CEO where the closest laundromat is. There will be times when you may want to or have to do your own laundry so we suggest you bring non-polluting/biodegradable soap.
Visas and Entry Requirements
Contact your local embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date visa requirements, or see your travel agent. It is your responsibility to have the correct travel documentation. While we provide the following information in good faith, it is vital that you check yourself and understand that you are fully responsible for your own visa requirements.
All visitors to the EU (European Union) and EEC (European Economic Community) countries require a valid passport (with a minimum 6 months validity). USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand passport holders do not need a visa to visit the Schengen area (see below), however they may not stay longer than three months in any 6-month period.
For other nationalities, travelling in Europe has been simplified with the introduction of the Schengen visa. As a visitor to the Schengen area (Austria, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Portugal, Finland, Italy, Spain, France, Luxembourg, Sweden, Czech Republic, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland) you will enjoy the many advantages of this unified visa system. Generally speaking with a Schengen visa, you may enter one Schengen country and travel freely throughout the Schengen region during the validity of your visa. There are limited border controls at Schengen borders, if any at all.
Please note that the UK and Ireland are NOT part of the Schengen agreement.
A Schengen visa is applied for at the Embassy or Consulate of the Schengen country in which you will be spending the most nights on your trip to the Schengen space. If you are only visiting one country on your trip then you apply for your visa at the Consulate of this Schengen country.
Spending Money
Every traveller is different and therefore spending money requirements will vary. Some travellers may drink more than others while other travellers like to purchase more souvenirs than most. Please consider your own spending habits when it comes to allowing for drinks, shopping and tipping. Please also remember the following specific recommendations when planning your trip.
Money Exchange
Credit cards and debit cards are very useful for cash advances but you must remember to bring your PIN number (be aware that many ATM machines only accept 4-digit PINs). Both Cirrus and Plus system cards are the most widely accepted debit cards. Visa cards are the most widely accepted credit cards. While ATMs are commonly available, there are no guarantees that your credit or debit cards will actually work - check with your bank. You should be aware when purchasing products or services on a credit card, that a fee usually applies.
Do not rely on credit or debit cards as your only source of money. A combination of Euros and cards is best.
Always take more rather than less, as you don't want to spoil the trip by constantly feeling short of funds.
Emergency Fund
Please also make sure you have access to at least an additional USD $200 (or equivalent) as an 'emergency' fund, to be used when circumstances outside our control (ex. a natural disaster) require a change to our planned route. This is a rare occurrence!
It is customary in Europe to leave a small tip for service providers, such as waiters, if you are pleased with the service (€1-2).
Tipping is an expected - though not compulsory - component of your tour program, and an expression of satisfaction with the persons who have assisted you on your tour. Although it may not be customary to you, it is of considerable significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels. There are several times during the trip where there is opportunity to tip the local guides. You may do this individually, or your CEO will offer to collect the money and tip as a group. Recommendations for tipping local guides would range from €3-5 per day, depending on the quality and length of the service; ask your CEO for specific recommendations based on the circumstances and culture.
Also at the end of each trip if you felt your G Adventures CEO did an outstanding job, tipping is appreciated. The amount is entirely a personal preference, however as a guideline €30-40 per person, per week can be used.
Safety and Security
Many national governments provide a regularly updated advice service on safety issues involved with international travel. We recommend that you check your government's advice for their latest travel information before departure. We strongly recommend the use of a neck wallet or money belt while travelling, for the safe keeping of your passport, air tickets, travellers' cheques, cash and other valuable items. Leave your valuable jewelery at home - you won't need it while travelling. Many of the hotels we use have safety deposit boxes, which is the most secure way of storing your valuables. A lock is recommended for securing your luggage. When travelling on a group trip, please note that your group leader has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the trip itinerary if it deemed necessary, due to safety concerns. Your Chief Experience Officer (CEO) will accompany you on all included activities. During your trip you will have some free time to pursue your own interests, relax and take it easy and explore at your leisure. While your CEO will assist you with options available in a given location, please note that any optional activities you undertake are not part of your itinerary, and we offer no representations about the safety of the activity or the standard of the operators running them. Please use your own good judgement when selecting an activity in your free time. Although the cities visited on tour are generally safe during the day, there can be risks to wandering throughout any major city at night. It is our recommendation to stay in small groups and to take taxis to and from restaurants, or during night time excursions.
Water based activities have an element of danger and excitement built into them. We recommend only participating in water based activities when accompanied by a guide(s). We make every reasonable effort to ensure the fun and adventurous element of any water based activities (in countries with varying degrees of operating standards), have a balanced approach to safety. It is our policy not to allow our CEOs to make arrangements on your behalf for water based activities that are not accompanied by guide(s).
Swimming, including snorkeling, is always at your own risk. Read more about travel safety for ways to further enhance your personal safety while traveling.
Medical Form
Our small group adventures bring together people of all ages. It is very important you are aware that an average level of fitness and mobility is required to undertake our easiest programs. Travellers must be able to walk without the aid of another person, climb 3-4 flights of stairs, step on and off small boats, and carry their own luggage at a minimum. Travellers with a pre-existing medical condition are required to complete a short medical questionnaire, which must be signed by their physician. This is to ensure that travellers have the necessary fitness and mobility to comfortably complete their chosen trip. While our leaders work hard to ensure that all our travellers are catered for equally, it is not their responsibility to help individuals who cannot complete the day's activities unaided. Please refer to the physical ratings in this Trip Details document for more information.
Please note that all passengers traveling to Antarctica are required to fill out this questionnaire.
The medical questionnaire can be found online at www.gadventures.com/medical-form.
A Couple of Rules
Illegal drugs will not be tolerated on any trips. Possessing or using drugs not only contravenes the laws of the land but also puts the rest of the group at risk. Smoking marijuana and opium is a part of local culture in some parts of the world but is not acceptable for our travellers. Our philosophy of travel is one of respect towards everyone we encounter, and in particular the local people who make the world the special place it is. The exploitation of prostitutes is completely contrary to this philosophy. Our group leader has the right to expel any member of the group if drugs are found in their possession or if they use prostitutes.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory in order to participate on any of our trips. When travelling on a group trip, you will not be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance has been sighted by your leader, who will take note of your insurance details. When selecting a travel insurance policy we require that at a minimum you are covered for medical expenses including emergency evacuation and repatriation. A minimum coverage of USD200,000 is required. G Adventures can provide you with the appropriate coverage. We strongly recommend that the policy also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage and personal effects. Some tours include adventure activities that require extra coverage (e.g. crampon use); please review your itinerary and make sure that you are covered for all included activities. If you have credit card insurance we require proof of purchase of the trip (a receipt of credit card statement) with a credit card in your name. Contact your bank for details of their participating insurer, the level of coverage and emergency contact telephone number.
Minimum Age
You must be 18 to travel unaccompanied on a G Adventures tour. For minors travelling with a guardian over 21 years old, the minimum age is 12.
International Flights
Check-in times and baggage allowances/restrictions vary by airline and can change at any time. For the most up-to-date information for your flight, please contact your airline. We recommend checking in online in advance to avoid potential delays at the airport.
Trip Map
Departure Dates
|Departure Date
|21 July 2019
|18 August 2019
|29 September 2019
|27 October 2019


text: Stamp Farms Land, Equipment to Hit the Auction Block March 4, 2013 10:00 AM Tweet A land auction, which includes 2,200 acres of farmland in 26 parcels, a large shop and storage building and three homes on smaller acreage, will be held March 27 at noon in Lawton, Mich. The auction, a result of Mike Stamp and Stamp Farms, LLC declaring bankruptcy in November, will be held at the Lawton Community Center, 646 North Nursery Street, Lawton, MI 49065. Miedema Auctioneering, Inc. was appointed by the secured creditors and trustees to host the auction. The properties for sale were not part of the bulk sale to Boersen Farms, Inc. The land for sale is located in Cass and Van Buren counties. Of the 2,200 acres for sale, 1,500 acres are center-pivot irrigated. For information about the land, including soil types for each property, and a bidder's packet, call (800) 527-8243. Bidder registration will begin at 11 a.m. the day of the auction. Internet and phone bidding will be available, but bidders must pre-register by 3 p.m. March 25. Interested individuals should call (800) 527-8243 and ask for Donna. Download the auction brochure with parcel outlines. You can also see information from USDA's Farm Service Agency, water well and pump records, center-pivot information and pictures. Miedema Auctioneering will also sell trucks, trailers and snowmobiles at 10 a.m. the following day, March 28, at 72718 Territorial Rd., Decatur, MI 49045. Highlights include five Ford pickup trucks from 2004 to 2008, two Kenworth Semi Tractors (1998 and 1999), a 2000 Timpte and Service Truck. The sale is expected to last one hour; no small items will be auctioned. Read more about Stamp Farms: Stamp Farms LLC Sold for $22.8 million February 18, 2013 Full-Circle Fiasco, Stamp Farms Update January 9, 2013 A Finalist, But Not The Winner Dec 07, 2012 Stamp Farms Declares Bankruptcy December 4, 2012 Caught in the Gap November 27, 2012 Farmer's Approach to "Full-Circle Farming" Takes New Meaning November 19, 2012 Full-Circle Farming October 31, 2012 Back to news


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The Backstory
UberNote Online Web Notes started as a side project built in a townhouse north of Baltimore on nights and weekends. We had our own personal need to keep our notes in the cloud. (This was before mobile apps, smartphones, and our biggest competitors had an online note product.)
As UberNote grew useful for our friends and family, we created a company and left our full-time jobs to travel down the path of a technology start-up. Starting a company with some of your best friends is not something everyone gets to experience and I believe we truly valued it. UberNote went through all the ups and downs of a start-up; funding, a start-up incubator (Launchbox Digital), paying customers, various business models, failed attempts at being acquired and finally shutting down.
Since then, everyone has gone on to do truly awesome things since UberNote. We have employees of Yahoo, Mozilla, and MathWorks among our alumni. UberNote had ups and downs but ultimately I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. One start-up that has emerged out of the dust of UberNote is Referral Rock. Referral Rock is web service for creating customer referral programs for small businesses.
Lessons Learned and Applying them to Referral Rock
The UberNote experience has helped me become a better entrepreneur. Here are some of the best lessons I learned out of the ashes of UberNote and how I'm applying them to Referral Rock:
1. Have a well-defined target market
One of the biggest struggles was identifying our market. We would always say something like:
"Our market is everyone! Students, teachers, web workers! Everyone who takes notes and wants access to their notes anywhere can be a UberNote customer/user".
Without a well-defined target market, we were not marketing well and our product had no focus. We were a jack of all trades and a master of none. In the end, we realized the way people take notes is very personal and we just couldn't effectively develop a product that hit the nail on the head for the whole market were trying to target.
With Referral Rock the idea started with a target market of service based small businesses like independent photographers, dentists, massage therapists, event planners, business coaches… This could be refined further by looking at the success of the product across the various businesses, but so far the product is fitting well across various service based small businesses.
2. Don't be so close to your own product, to where it clouds your vision
We were proud to "dogfood" our product but we became too attached to addressing our own personal needs. We were in love with our own vision for how note taking should be. Yes, that was the primary reason we started UberNote and building a business out of a need you can identify with is a good thing… we just stayed too close to it for too long.
Being so close to our product led us to often make decisions based on what we wanted to see vs what our users wanted. We didn't recognize until it was too late that we were the outliers within our market of note-takers.
At some point, you are not the ideal user for your product anymore. Once you decide your that prototype/proof of concept is suppose to transition into being a business you have to realize you are not the target customer and you are not building this just for you. You have to see where your customers take you and use their feedback to help craft the product. You can still be visionary for your product, just not blindly.
With Referral Rock I am making a concerned effort to practice customer development. I have discussed with customers their needs and their current practices for referral marketing. I have also discussed with them their workflows and the value a product like Referral Rock can bring them. Yes, I have my vision for Referral Rock but it has changed since the onset and I'm allowing it to be fluid as I discover more about my customer's needs.
3. Validating people are willing to pay as early as possible
If you told me what percentage of UberNote's user base were actually willing to pay for a subscription, I may not have continued working on it for so long. We spent an embarrassingly long time (2-3 years!!!) before we actually started charging people for the product. When we finally did start charging, it was out of desperation and we were extremely disappointed. The number of recurring users for our product did not convert into a high enough percentage of paid users.
We thought we were in a land grab for market and charging for the product would just slow us down. I will also admit that not knowing if people would pay for UberNote allowed us to be detached from the reality of if we have been wasting our time with it. We could continue to craft our vision with no responsibility, which was a big mistake.
With Referral Rock (at this point) I have not started charging yet but I plan to…. very soon… I swear. I can't call it a business till it actually makes money. Otherwise it's a dream and a hobby right now.
4. First Mover Advantage
With UberNote we were cautiously pessimistic about mobile apps and never built one. We never capitalized on the green pastures of a new marketplace that would have made perfect sense for our target market of "note takers who want to have access to their notes anywhere". I'm not sure what excuse we have for not building something directly for mobile (except from a mobile version of our web-app). The only thing I can say is the combination of understanding your target market and being close to your product attributed to this bonehead blind spot. Anyone have a time machine I can borrow?
I have yet to come across a way I can apply this to Referral Rock. Hopefully in the future I won't be as boneheaded and will recognize the opportunity when i see it.


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Jump to navigation Jump to search
BLACKlisted weapons are weapons that are unbalanced but not game-breakers. They may be forbidden from matches because of the way they decimate enemy forces with ease. There are no special restrictions on these weapons (any minifig could wield them with impunity) but they tend to overbalance an army's offensive capabilities in such a way that is simultaneously awe inspiring in concept and representative of complete fun-killing douchebaggery in practice. Players may decide on what qualifies as belonging on a particular match's BLACKlist when they sit down to play as there really is no general agreement. Allowed and disallowed rules are the purview of preference.


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(AP) — Illinois' attorney general and the Federal Trade Commission have agreed on a settlement with an Illinois company accused of using computer software to spy on customers who rented laptops.
Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office says Lake Bluff-based Watershed Development Corporation agreed to stop the practice.
Madigan's office says the software allowed the company to remotely lock a computer, record keystrokes and screenshots containing personal information and track users' locations.
The attorney general says the company was using the software to locate customers who had missed payments on lease agreements.
Madigan said Tuesday such practices are "offensive invasions of personal privacy" and violate the Illinois Consumer Fraud Act.
Watershed is a franchisee of Aaron's Inc., which operates stores throughout northwest Illinois.
The company did not respond to a message seeking comment.


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Practice Resources
The Association provides physicians, nurses, diabetes educators and other health professionals with the most current information about breakthroughs in diabetes research and treatment options.
Patient Materials
Do you work with patients at risk for type 2 diabetes? We have materials you can use with your patients to help them prevent the onset of, and improve the management of type 2 diabetes.
Clinical Practice Recommendations
These recommendations are based on a complete review of the relevant literature by a diverse group of highly trained clinicians and researchers.
Journals for Practitioners
Clinical Diabetes provides primary care providers and all clinicians involved in the care of people with diabetes with information on advances and state-of-the-art care for people with diabetes.


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Interest is growing among American specialty crop organizations and growers regarding the value and usefulness of the international Maximum Residue Limit database which has been upgraded as part of a partnership between CropLife America and USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service.
With the expanded database now online and operational (www.mrldatabase.com), officials at CropLife America and USDA are looking to improve both the content and user awareness of the service.
Maximum Residue Limits are defined as the maximum concentration of acceptable pesticide residue expressed in parts per million likely to occur on fruits and vegetables after the use of pesticides in accordance with an Integrated Cultural Management program and Good Environmental Practices.
Program upgrades include features that allow growers and exporters to download information directly from the Web site to a spreadsheet on their desktops and a system that automatically extends e-mail updates to the growers, based on changes to the database.
The database is free to the public and provides users with a searchable catalog of international maximum pesticide residue tolerances, organized by active ingredient, pesticide type, crop, commodity group, and/or importing country. The database allows users to search for nearly 350 fruit, vegetable and nut commodities and 272 pesticides.
Maximum Residue Limits data are included from 76 countries, the European Union, Codex Alimentarius Commission and Hong Kong.
"I find the new Maximum Residue Limits database quite useful in providing residue information to my members who have global businesses. The new features are very useful additions to an already valuable tool," said Donna Garren, vice president of the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association.
Hank Giclas of Western Growers praised the diversity of crops represented in the database. "We represent an extremely diverse group of crops and the Maximum Residue Limits database is an exceptionally valuable tool. It allows us to provide our members with high-quality real-time information for making critical marketing and export decisions."
The database is a management tool for evaluating pesticide residue requirements in leading export markets to avoid technical barriers to trade and helps insure access to foreign markets for U.S. grown specialty crops.


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Angela Dorothea Merkel (German: ( listen); née Kasner in 1954) is the current Chancellor of Germany (since 22 November 2005). Merkel, elected to the Bundestag (German Parliament) from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, has been the chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) since 2000, and chairwoman of the CDU-CSU (Christian Social Union) parliamentary coalition from 2002 to 2005.
From 2005 to 2009 she led a grand coalition with the Christian Social Union (CSU), its Bavarian sister party, and the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), formed after the 2005 federal election on 22 November 2005. In the elections of 27 September 2009, her party, the CDU, obtained the largest share of the votes, and formed a coalition government with the CSU and the Free Democratic Party (FDP). Her government was sworn in on 28 October 2009.
In 2007, Merkel was also President of the European Council and chaired the G8. She played a central role in the negotiation of the Treaty of Lisbon and the Berlin Declaration. In domestic policy, health care reform and problems concerning future energy development have thus far been major issues of her tenure.


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Agnes Fischer has visited with the actor on and off set
Ryan Reynolds, who filed for divorce in December from Scarlett Johansson, his wife of two years, appears to be moving on with his life.
PEOPLE's most recent Sexiest Man Alive, 34, has been getting chummy with German model Agnes Fischer both on and off the South African set of the political thriller Safe House, in which the actor stars opposite Denzel Washington.
Fischer, who reportedly turns 25 next week, has been a frequent visitor to the set and has a small part in the film.
RELATED: Scarlett Johansson & Sean Penn Take Whirlwind Trip to Mexico
South African GQ first identified Fischer as the woman photographed having coffee with Reynolds at Cape Town's Old Biscuit Mill, a popular market.
Fischer's own Web site reveals that the blonde model has graced the cover of several European fashion and fitness magazines, and has been featured in various ad campaigns, including one for Bebe.
Back in North American, Reynolds's ex, Johansson, 26, has been spotted around Los Angeles with actor Sean Penn, 50. Earlier this week, the pair took a one-day vacation together in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
Reynolds's rep had no comment about his reported relationship with Fischer.
Please note: Comments have been suspended temporarily as we explore better ways to serve you. Your opinion is important to us; you can find current discussions at facebook.com/peoplemag.


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afternoon tea slice
- 1 cup (100g) rolled oats
- 1 cup (150g) plain (all-purpose) flour
- ½ cup (110g) caster (superfine) sugar
- ¾ cup (60g) desiccated coconut
- 2 tablespoons golden syrup
- 125g unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of (baking) soda
- 1 tablespoon hot water
- 300g dark chocolate, melted+
- Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F).
- Combine the oats, flour, sugar and coconut in a bowl.
- Place the golden syrup and butter in a saucepan over low heat and cook until melted. Mix the bicarbonate of soda with the water, add to the golden syrup mixture and stir to combine. Add to the oat mixture and mix well.
- Press the mixture into a lightly greased 20cm x 30cm tin lined with non-stick baking paper. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Allow slice to cool in tin.
- Pour over the melted chocolate and refrigerate until set. Serves 8.
+ To melt the chocolate, place it in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until melted and smooth.
Leisa Ferguson
Great slice. Very quick and easy. Kids enjoy it as much as i do.
Katrina Mensah
So good! A huge hit with each of my four kids and also satisfies my chocolate cravings!
Amanda Janotka
So delicious!! Everyone raves about it
donna hay team
Hi Shashini, the recipe calls for unsalted butter but you can swap with salted if you prefer. We have not tested the recipe with milk chocolate melts but if they are your preferred choice feel free to swap them with dark chocolate. The DH team
Shashini Subasinghe
Can I substitute Salted butter to unsalted? and can I use the milk chocolate melts? Thanks!


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Find hotels in Lockport using the list and search tools below. Search for the cheapest discounted hotel and motel rates in or near Lockport, NY for your upcoming personal or group travel. Discover the most favored Lockport, New York hotel and motel rooms. Browse the Lockport area hotels to find the perfect lodging! Please use the provided map of the Lockport hotels. Booking 5+ Rooms? Find Lockport Group Hotel Rates
The Lockport center is about 12 miles north of Buffalo and Erie County Public Library and 13 miles northeast of Amherst Pepsi Center.
How should we direct your call?


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First Person: Damaries Cruz
By Bonnie Goldman
Welcome to This Positive Life!
Thank you.
When were you diagnosed with HIV?
I was diagnosed on November 23, 1991.
It's amazing you still remember the exact date.
It's part of a celebration of my life, so I have two birthdays. I cut a cake when it's November 23 and I celebrate that I'm surviving.
I imagine you saw a lot of people die in those years. That was before treatment was available.
Yes. Unfortunately, I just recently lost a friend two weeks ago.
Was this another person who had had HIV for a very long time?
Yes. I think since 1996. Unfortunately, she had cancer too and they were doing chemotherapy. It didn't go too well.
Tell me what it was like in 1991 to be diagnosed with HIV.
I was diagnosed when I was 21 years old. They told me back then that I had one year to live. I really thought it was the end of my life.
Soy (Preview)
Groundbreaking Spanish-language media campaign now being broadcast on Spanish media, created by Univision and Kaiser Family Foundation, 2008. To see the full-length video, click here.
What was your CD4 count? Do you remember?
Let me think. It's been a long time. The last number I can remember is 600, a few years after that.
Damaries Cruz
Your CD4 count was pretty high, yet you were given a bad prognosis?
Yes, but they gave me that prognosis because they assumed that HIV means "dead," so you're going to die regardless. They just didn't know a lot about it.
How do you think you were infected?
I know how I was infected -- it was by my fiancé at the time. I met him and I asked him if he was positive, if he ever tested, and he said, "Yes, I'm negative." Then I started to have a lot of yeast infections for a whole year, vaginal infections. The doctor thought that I had cancer and he said, "Go and get tested for cancer. Do a biopsy, because I'm sure you have cancer. Do HIV just to rule it out." The biopsy came back negative and the HIV test came back positive.
When I went home and I told my fiancé, he said, "I knew I was going to take someone with me. I never thought it was going to be you." He knew all along that he had it!
What did you do?
I reacted to it. It didn't hit me until later on. I still was going to marry him for a few reasons. For one thing, I didn't think anyone was going to accept me with HIV. And I was in love with him and my heart doesn't know how to hate someone.
But the week before the wedding I found him with someone else in bed. He passed it to her too.
You found out later from her?
No. I found out later on from someone else that she had it.
Did you break off the wedding when you saw them together?
Yes, I did. He passed away two years later.
He left a big trail behind him.
Yes, he kind of did.
What happened then? What a traumatic way to end a relationship!
It was really hard because that first year, I really struggled a lot. We were going to get married right away after we were diagnosed; then this happened. I was with my mother in her house, and she had to do everything for me because I said, "Well, I'm going to die in a year anyway." She had to feed me because I was so depressed that my mind threw me in bed.
What happened is that someone from church passed around. They took me to a retreat and I felt that God healed my soul.
How long was this after you were diagnosed?
A year passed.
When you were first diagnosed, who did you tell?
I told my fiancé first because he was my partner; then I told my mother.
Was your fiancé much older than you were?
Eight years older.
When you told your mother, what did she say?
My mother is a very religious person. When I told her, I was trying to be calm, telling her everything was going to be OK. I remember I had to step out. When I came back, everything in the house was all over the place. She was enraged, but she was calm and said everything's going to be OK.
It's been a learning process since then. She's been OK because I'm OK.
Did you go to any doctor after you were diagnosed?
After I was diagnosed, it took me a while to accept my diagnosis. I got retested six times. I went from New York to Puerto Rico six times because I thought, somewhere, they were doing something wrong.
Where did you get tested, in New York or Puerto Rico?
The first test was in Puerto Rico.
Were you and your fiancé living in Puerto Rico at the time?
Yes, we were.
How did your fiancé get HIV?
There were so many different behaviors, so to this day I'm not sure. He used to use drugs for a long time before I met him. He had tracks on his arms and everything. I don't know if it was from that. He was also in prison, so I don't know if he had sex with men in prison because he was there a long time. He used to do stuff on the streets, so I don't know if women would come and do sexual favors to get stuff from him.
I didn't know about any of this behavior when I met him.
You found out later.
Later on.
How long did it take you to go see a doctor?
I went at the beginning, and then after that I didn't go. I take care of myself now, but I kind of block some of the time out, so I cannot pinpoint if I used to go all the time. Then I moved to New York. When I was there I saw a doctor for a little bit, but that was it.
When did you start treatment?
Actually, I'm not on treatment.
You never took treatment?
I don't take medications. I was diagnosed with AIDS two years ago because my T cells went down. They came back up. I never took a medication, I never had a symptom. I do holistic things.
Are you in any long-term studies of people who don't progress very much?
Yes, I have been. I'm not anymore, but I was in a research study with the University of Miami.
Why do you think it's important to be public about living with HIV?
For me, personally, it's important to be public about living with HIV because it's part of my healing. That's what helps me to keep going: knowing that someone, hopefully, is listening and won't get infected. I think that's very important. I go to schools a lot and talk to kids. Whoever I talk to, actually, it helps me.
It might sound like a selfish reason. [laughs]
No, but it helps them, too.
Yes. It helps me to help them. That's my medicine right there.
When you say you do holistic things, what kinds of things do you do?
I take Chinese herbs. I have a hypnotherapist. I get hypnotized once a month. We visualize my T cells going up and the virus going down. I do a lot of meditation. I'm on a regimen of supplements and vitamins.
What kinds of supplements and vitamins?
I take Ester-C, omega-3, selenium, B complex, pre-natals, seaweed pills. I know I'm missing a few.
How do you educate yourself about HIV?
I don't like to read or anything like that. I moved here to Florida almost 10 years ago, and I started volunteering at a center where I was a client. Volunteering, getting involved in activities, I learned more about HIV and then I started working in HIV. That's how I learned more.
What center was this where you were a client?
We used to have it. They closed already, but we used to have Center One. That was in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Aside from your mom, have you told other people?
Oh sure -- it's been a long time. Slowly she's been telling her family herself. I tell other people.
Is she living in Puerto Rico?
Yes, she lives in Puerto Rico.
How accepted is it to be HIV positive in Puerto Rico?
It is not. [laughs] I don't know about now, but it was horrible then.
How was it horrible?
I was made fun of, I was pushed to the side, I was left behind on dates.
What do you mean "left behind?"
I would go out on a date and tell the person, "By the way, I just want to let you know I have HIV." I would have to take a taxi home.
They would just --
Leave me behind.
Walk away from you?
Yes. They ran away, not walked! [laughs] They ran away.
But you kept going out on dates? You were very brave! [laughs]
I had the great opportunity to meet great people and have great relationships. They didn't know anything about HIV when they met me, and they were willing to learn because they got to know me for who I am. That gave me the opportunity to teach them.
So not all of the men ran.
No -- most of them.
Most of them ran.
But not all of them! [laughs]
The good ones, we can say, stuck around.
I would say the open-minded ones, the smart ones, the ones who learned about HIV, yes.
You got very strong.
You know, you have to. No one likes rejection. I'm not going to lie: I would cry and I would not understand it. But after so many years, you have to learn that it's not about you, it's just that they don't know about the virus. Because I'm just like anyone else. I just have an illness that has no cure.
Right, and you got tested and maybe they didn't.
Exactly. Maybe they were running away because they were scared about something they did in the past, and they don't know how to face it.
Do you think there's a lot of discrimination in Puerto Rico?
I think everywhere, not only Puerto Rico. I think everywhere there's still a lot of stigma, a lot of discrimination. People don't want to learn about this disease. I really don't know why. I think they're scared to face their own behavior.
What's the worst thing that ever happened to you regarding discrimination?
I can tell you a small story. I can tell you the first time I disclosed. I don't know if this will be discrimination, but the first time I disclosed was two years after I was diagnosed. I was doing some things I was not supposed to do, because I was on the streets.
I remember this guy and we kissed. He pulled a gun to my head because he thought I gave him HIV through kissing. I really thought that moment that I was going to die of a bullet in my head. I had to calm him down, and we talked. What happened is that he had done some things in the past, and he was looking for someone to blame. He got petrified.
That's the worst thing that happened to me, I think, aside from the point that maybe some friends -- because we were so young -- would not hang out with me because I had HIV and they thought they'd get it. If I was drinking from a cup and they knew I had HIV, they threw the cup away. They wouldn't touch the cup right in front of me.
This is when you were living in Puerto Rico?
You said you were doing something on the street. Could you tell a little bit about that?
Not really. [laughs] We all have a past. It was just doing stuff. You're young and you're silly and you follow people. That's part of it.
How old were you when you moved to the United States?
It was always back and forth. I was diagnosed and I stayed in Puerto Rico another two years, then I went to New York. I was there for a few years and then I went back. Now I've been here 10 years in Florida.
You're happy in Florida?
I'm super happy!
I live in Deerfield Beach, closer to Boca Raton. I work in Miami.
Have you been able to form a community and find lots of people that you can talk with?
You know, I've been really blessed because, just before that center closed, I got to meet a lot of people. I have no family here in Florida, but I have -- in my circle of friends, my closest friends -- I have 30 of those people that you can call any time. I'm really, really blessed. I have 30 of those. If I need them, if I just need to vent, they're always there.
That's great!
I think that's really important. Your support system is what's going to get you through this -- and, of course, your faith. Without my faith I can do nothing. I'm very spiritual. My support system is great.
What do you think is the hardest thing about living with HIV?
The hardest thing about living with HIV is breaking with the stigma. It's hard. When I go and teach, I ask first how a person with HIV looks and how can you tell when someone has HIV? You still hear those things about, "You can see sores." Or the kids will say you can see pink lips, or red eyes, or something. I think the stigma is terrible.
Do you think it's worse in the Hispanic community than in other communities? Or is it the same?
I used to say it was the same, but then I got to work more with the Hispanic community here in Miami, and I think it's worse. Some people pass by the table where we have information and they don't even want to go to see what it is about because they see the word "HIV." I think it's because of the taboo.
I don't know if things have changed nowadays, but back in the day when I got infected we never talked about sex, we never talked about condoms, we never talked about anything. That's why I ended up getting infected. I think it's because they don't talk about it.
You think that talking about HIV is forcing people to speak about things that were formerly taboo?
Of course! Because then you have to talk about sex. Then you have to talk about behavior. Maybe my parents don't want to know; my mom never talked to me about sex.
What is the most important thing that HIV has taught you?
Wow. [laughs] You know, it turned my life upside down. I don't take anything for granted. I live like I'm a child. Every little thing -- yesterday I was walking on the beach and I saw a dolphin from far away. I'd never seen a dolphin in my life! [laughs] I looked like a little kid because I was so excited. Little things make my day.
So you're excited to be alive.
I'm excited even to wake up, yes.
Is that why you have two birthdays?
[laughs] When I was diagnosed I had to find a way to turn this horrible thing, this negative thing, into a positive. I had a choice: I could sit there and cry and let this thing eat me alive or I could just celebrate my life and beat it. That was my choice.
What would you advise somebody who was just diagnosed?
That's really hard to do. When I was diagnosed as HIV positive, a person that was positive came into the room and I didn't care what she was saying because it was not her, it was me. But I realized that there's hope. There's life after HIV. Your life doesn't stop. For me, my life began. I stopped smoking, I stopped drinking, I changed my life around.
It sounds like you grew up very quickly.
I had to. [laughs] Even though I like to act like I'm 18 -- that way I can try to look like I'm 18 -- I have to face life. The sooner you embrace it, the sooner you will really live life and enjoy it.
Because you had such bad experiences at the beginning, did you purposely seek out positive people?
Actually, no. After that happened to me at the beginning when I disclosed, everybody that I dated was negative until I moved here in 1999. The first person I dated was positive. Then after that they were all negative.
I was so fed up of disclosing and I was just tired of being rejected.
When I first moved to Florida, I remember I went to a women's group. The first thing this lady said was, "I've been diagnosed for a year, and I don't think I'm ever going to date again and I'm never going to have sex."
I remember I looked at her and I said, "No, you'll be OK. You watch, in another year you'll be fine." The next year she met someone and they're already living together. I said, "You see!" The person was negative.
There's hope. You're not HIV. You are you. You have a soul just like everyone else.
How does your connection to being religious help you in living with HIV?
I'm more spiritual than religious. I was raised Catholic but I learned other things when I moved here to Florida. I learned about reiki, which is energy, and Japanese healing techniques. That helped me to bring my T cells up and to be happy. I believe in God, because without Him I can't be here. That helps me to keep going.
What do you advise others to do about disclosing their status?
You've got to get to know the person at least a little bit and feel if it's worth it for you to tell them that you are positive. But if you are going to be intimate, then you definitely have to tell them you're positive. It depends on you. If you like this person and you think they're educated enough, you should tell them.
Well, you know, it depends on you. People notice here that I'm positive because of the kind of work I do, because I've done campaigns. They even have an intervention tool and I'm a participant on it. It's really cool. But if you were in a regular place and it's not necessary for you to disclose, why would you disclose?
I think some people mistakenly worry that it's their responsibility -- they're thinking, "What if I fall and I bleed or something?" They're not very knowledgeable about transmission, so they think, "Well, I should tell." What's your experience been?
I worked in the corporate world before I was with the [Miami-Dade County] Health Department and it was nothing related to HIV. I never told them because it has nothing to do [with my job] -- if I'm a receptionist, why am I going to tell them that I'm HIV positive? It's not like they're going to get it from the phone. You've got to educate yourself and know what type of risk you're putting people in. If you think you're putting people at risk, you should disclose it if that's what you want to do.
Thank you so much for talking with me.
This transcript has been edited for clarity.
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Soy (Full Version)
Groundbreaking Spanish-language media campaign now being broadcast on Spanish media, created by Univision and Kaiser Family Foundation, 2008.


text:
Brian Leatart
Smoked turkey drumsticks can be found in the meat section of most supermarkets. If unavailable, substitute smoked ham hocks.
WHAT TO DRINK: A pale ale with a spicy finish, like Sierra Nevada.
- Yield
- Makes 10 main-course servings
- Chowder
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 smoked turkey drumsticks (4 to 4 1/2 pounds total)
- 2 cups chopped applewood-smoked bacon (about 10 ounces), divided
- 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, diced
- 5 cups chopped onions
- 4 cups chopped celery
- 3 cups chopped carrots
- 12 large garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 12 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth
- Cayenne pepper
- Garnish (optional)
- 24 pearl onions
- 24 small fresh brussels sprouts
- Very thin strips of fresh sage
- Pumpernickel and Cranberry Croutons
- For chowder:
- Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add turkey; sauté until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to plate. Add 1 cup bacon to pot; stir 1 minute. Add next 5 ingredients. Sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 15 minutes. Mix in tomato paste. Add 12 cups broth; return turkey to pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer until turkey and vegetables are very tender, about 45 minutes.
- Transfer turkey to large plate; cool. Cut meat into bite-size pieces, discarding all skin, bones, and tendons. Working in batches, puree chowder in processor until smooth. Return puree to same pot; add diced turkey. Thin chowder with more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if too thick. Season with cayenne, salt, and pepper. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Rewarm before serving.
- For garnish:
- Cook onions and brussels sprouts in pan of boiling salted water until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain; peel onions. Cut onions and brussels sprouts in half through core. do ahead Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.
- Sauté 1 cup bacon in skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon drippings. Add onions and brussels sprouts to skillet. Toss until heated through.
- Ladle chowder into bowls. Top with onions, brussels sprouts, bacon, and fresh sage. Serve Croutons alongside or on top of chowder.


text:
I spent a good chunk of yesterday attempting to teach my children (four and two years old) the fundamentals of golf. The results were interesting.
The younger one, my daughter, thought the best way to get the ball in the hole was to pick up the ball and put it in the hole.
The older one would swing every time with as much power as his little body could muster and would either miss entirely or knock the ball quite far, often much further than the hole.
Maybe they need one on one lessons.
I am searching for an excel spreadsheet template, or similar product, that will produce an combined amortization for several "parents plus" student loans. We have a total of five such individual loans, and we make a single payment monthly to Dept of Ed. that is applied over the several loans. They each have different Int rates, and staggered starting dates, as we have not consolidated the loans related to our youngest, who has one more year of college remaining. I would like to start snowballing (as Dave Ramsey would put it) these loans, and would like to chart the best candidates for prepaying principal, if that is possible.
I have looked at MS at Home, Templates, page and asked this question on a forums page, but did not see anytype of response.
– Sandy
If you're looking for just a debt reduction calculator, I'd look at the spreadsheet available from Vertex42, a site that just makes lots of Excel templates. I downloaded it and it seems at least close to what you're looking for.
If you're doing that, though, it's vital that you also prepare an overall budget so that you have some idea of what you can realistically afford to put towards the snowball. The best free spreadsheet for that (by far) is Charlie Park's PearBudget spreadsheet, which is really good.
Excel really can do many of the tasks that you might want to use Quicken or other software for if you don't mind manually filling in the data.
It's older parents with dementia. When older people start with dementia they can't handle their finances like they used to (or maybe worse than they used to). They often will hide it too. I have personally seen this in some friends and also in our own family. They will run up huge credit card debt which they think they can pay but can't. The credit card companies will then take advantage of them by calling and demanding huge payments by intimidating them. Then, often, they don't even remember authorizing payments and can't make it until next payday. They let sorry family members and friends take advantage of them (with "loans") because of their generous nature or because, in their mind, they still have that unlimited income. Sometimes a family member will move in with them "to help them out" when they are actually helping themselves to their income and free-loading. If would advise any responsible child of an older adult to keep their eyes open for clues that this could be happening. It's hard to get the parent to admit it and a pure nightmare to get it cleaned up.
– Cindy
This is absolutely true. I witnessed this in my own family within the last few years, as my grandmother began to slip into dementia a bit during her final year or two of life.
She began making lots of strange choices, spending money in very strange ways, and often failing to make ends meet at the end of the month after having no problem whatsoever doing so for decades beforehand. It caused untold problems.
The best thing to do to prevent this is to talk about it now, before dementia ever even has a chance to begin. Plan for this with your parents. Come up with a power of attorney arrangement that allows you to protect your parents from themselves when the time comes.
Please would you let your readers know how you're progressing with your Rubik's cube challenge. I was really intrigued when you first mentioned this in The Simple Dollar.
– James
I can do most of the solving of a Rubik's Cube very quickly. I can solve a single face in about twenty to thirty seconds and line up the adjacent rows with about another ten. After that, I get really, really slow for some reason.
The thing is that I haven't really mastered (or figured out) about half of the solution, but I'm really fast at the other half. I'm not really sure why this is, other than I need to practice a lot more mostly at the second half of the solution.
I practice with it on occasion even now.
What are your thoughts on pre-paying a mortgage if the person does not plan on owning the house for very long?
I bought my place in Nov. 2008 and plan on staying here maybe another 5 years. I currently owe $143,350 on a fixed 30-year loan at 6.375%. Lately I've had an extra $100-200 at the end of the month, and I am trying to decide whether to pay down the mortgage or invest the money. I have no other debt, have a very comfortable emergency fund, and am maxing out my Roth IRA. I am 27 and single with no kids, so I am comfortable taking some risk with the money. I feel to some extent like I should be paying the mortgage off, but it is not a huge stressor for me, and knowing that I will never pay it off entirely is not really motivating me to put more money toward it. I think I would be happiest with whichever route saves/earns me more money in the end.
What I would love your help with is calculating how much I could save in interest vs. how much I could earn by investing at a reasonable rate of return (either way, assuming $100/month for 5 years). There are lots of amortization calculators online but they all seem to show savings over the life of the loan, not a shorter period. I am struggling with how to calculate this.
– Andrea
If you put extra money into your mortgage, you're essentially buying an investment that says "I return 6.375% a year (or maybe less, depending on your tax situation) but I am very illiquid." In other words, it's a solid, steady return, but in exchange for that, you don't have the opportunity to get that money out very easily.
As a short term investment (five years would be short term), the stock market is akin to gambling. It's truly impossible to estimate how much your five year return would be in a broad-based stock investment. It might be 0%. It might be 15% per year.
If you're looking for a very stable investment over that time frame, your mortgage is probably your best bet. Other highly stable investments don't return as well as your mortgage does right now.
My husband took a buy-out/retirement offer from his work, after 33 years of service. He's 51 and has wanted to retire for about 25 years now. (semi joking)
His original plan was to find a part-time job earning about $5,000. per year, continue to pay some taxes and contribute to Social Security. From what we were told, if he does not pay into SS, he will be penalized when he reaches retirement age.
He is loving his life right now and really has no desire to find a job. Is it possible to pay into SS on your own? We live quite well off his pension and have ample money to contribute to SS. I can't seem to find this info anywhere!
– Kelli
For your husband's situation, the comment that he has to keep working in order to receive Social Security benefits likely isn't true. You need to check out the annual document you receive from the Social Security Administration to make sure, but it's likely that if he has been working full time for 33 years, he's accumulated more than enough work credit to earn his full benefit when he retires.
You might want to read through this great Social Security primer from CNN Money for more information on that.
If he doesn't want to work and doesn't have a financial need to work, working just to pay more into Social Security isn't really necessary.
I've begun the search for a used car somewhere in the range of $7-12K. One problem that I feel I will encounter is how to pay for the car. I fear that I may not be able to get a loan with a decent rate, or at all, because of the fact that my debt is very high, even though I've never missed a payment, I wouldn't have a co-signer, and my FT employment history is very short at only 4 months. Do you have any suggestions for finding a decent loan with a decent rate for someone fresh out of school?
– Andre
My first suggestion would be to get a co-signer. I had a co-signer on the first vehicle I ever purchased (thanks, mom and dad!); without it, my student loan situation (and likely my burgeoning credit card debt) would have made such a loan a complete non-starter.
If you don't have anyone who can co-sign the loan with you, your best avenue is to just keep building your credit in a positive direction right now. Keep making your loan payments on time (each time you do this and your debt goes down a little, that's a positive). You should also make sure you're seeking out a full time position in terms of employment, both for the higher income and for the stability.
I don't know exactly what your credit looks like, but you may be eligible for a car loan now. You might want to check your credit report from the government and then use a FICO score estimator just to see where you're at.
I am in my early twenties, and for some time now I've been dating this man and things look promising. What worries me about him is that he has a "spender" mentality- he's had his parents' financial support for most of his life (and his mom's pampering), and his idea of "holding back" is not spending who knows how much on collector comics, etc. His paycheck is small. He's listened to me about reducing his spending (eating out once every week and a half is an accomplishment), but the root of the problem seems to be that he likes to own stuff- something I can't wrap my mind around. It is not enough to watch a movie, for example, but the more fancy the purchase is the happier he is (HD, blue ray, etc.) In a few months he is enlisting in the armed forces, something I hope helps. Regardless of how this relationship turns out, what can I do to help him overcome this destructive mentality?
– Katherine
Very rarely can someone else force a person to change their behavior or mindset. The need to change has to come from within.
Maturity might be part of the answer. He might also need to hit financial bottom at some point, or have his pampering cut off from his parents. Something has to change for his mind to change and if he's able to survive doing what he does now, he really doesn't have that motivation.
The military might help with this, but it also might not make one bit of difference. It depends on how his mind processes what he picks up there.
The best thing you can do is keep your finances separate for as long as possible and don't bail him out of trouble. Yes, it's a "sink or swim" mentality, but if you give him a life raft, he'll think he can keep on "swimming" the way he always has.
I knew that I had some old debt sitting in collections but I had been ignoring them, focusing instead on the current debt I've had. I recently pulled my credit report so I could focus on paying down these debts and was shocked at what I found. I owe over $6,000 to one hospital for medical expenses from when one of my daughters' was a month old, and $2,500 to the medical group and hospital system we are a part of.
The hospital debt is broken up into 2 collections. At the time, we had Medi-Cal (low income health insurance in California) who said if we paid the first $1,800 they would pay the rest. I don't know if that still applies because it's gone to collections.
The medical group is a lot of little debts, ranging from $50-200 with only one debt being significantly higher than that ($700). I honestly don't know what they were for at this point. The medical group itself doesn't seem to care much because we still see them regularly and no one has even mentioned how much I owe or that I owe.
I really want to take care of these debts, but I don't know where to start. I don't get harassing phone calls or letters about these debts. I've been told that I can settle for less than I owe, but since it's the same companies for multiple debts, I'm not sure how they would settle. I really want to pay these off, but I don't know where to start. Right now I could pay lump sums on a lot of the little debts, paying one off every month. There is no way that I could pay off the lump sum of the larger debts right now and I wouldn't have a lump sum to pay the $6,000 to the hospital for at least a year.
Do you have any advice on what to do with all this medical debt?
– Jacqueline
I'm going to assume that you're committed to paying these debts off instead of just trying to dodge them.
The first thing you need to do is go through your records and figure out what all of these debts actually are. Make sure that they're legitimate and not based on identity theft or other mistakes.
Once you've done that, call up Medi-Cal and find out if the debt consolidation still applies. My guess is that it does not if they've sold off the debt to someone else, but I'm not entirely sure what the situation is based on this question.
After that, you're probably using the right approach in just paying off each of these debts as you can afford to.
Good luck. This is going to just take some time and patience to resolve.
I'm in my late 20's and currently between jobs. I have no debt, no big financial responsibilities, and $75K in savings. I'm also in a long distance relationship with my boyfriend of 3 years. He lives in Europe. We are trying to be together, but it is very hard.
I moved to his country for a year to be with him. I had a job that I liked, but it was low paying and not something I'd want as a career. So I moved home, worked, and saved some money. He is looking to move here with me, but he is not as mobile as I am. I also live in a city that has a high cost of living, so living here on 1 income is hard enough, let alone no income.
Now I'm considering giving up on my local job search and moving back to be with him. I am not 100% certain that he is "the one", but he is important to me and I am willing to give it a shot. My problem is that I know it is not a financially-responsible thing to do. We have talked about it and he is able and willing to support me. But I read blogs like The Simple Dollar and have many financial goals for myself, and do not like to be financially dependent on my partner. I could earn more working here than living and working in Europe – but then I would be without him.
Is this worth it?
– Ginger
If you have $75K sitting in the bank, there's no question what you should do: go. Go there, get a low-paying job for a year, and just spend that time figuring out if he is the one for you.
If you are in a situation where there is a life-altering decision in front of you and you have at least some economic stability, you should always take the road less traveled.
If you don't, you'll regret it for the rest of your years, and that's not something that's worth holding in your head.
A background on me: 28 years old, no wife, no kids, great stable job. I now only have two pieces of debt: a mortgage with a $165K balance @ 5.25%, and a $21K student loan that still has about 15 years left, but it has an interest rate of only 2.13%. I now have about $7K in my emergency fund, good for around two months of expenses. I've also got about $16K in a brokerage account. I currently contribute about 9% of my $90K base salary to a 401(K) and my company throws on an additional 3%, and I also contribute another 4% to a Roth 401(k). On top of my base salary I get an additional $30K to $35K a year in cash and stock bonuses.
As of right now I have a little over a grand left to spend each month after all of my expenses. My question for you is, what should I do with it? Should I bump my emergency fund up a couple months? Pay down my mortgage? Increase the money I put in my 401K or my brokerage account? Surely I shouldn't pay off the 2.13% student loan, right? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
– Nick
Again, this is all about goals. Where do you want to be in five or ten years? Your answer to that question changes what you should do here.
Do you want to switch careers or go back to school in five years? If that's the case, you want to hammer your debts hard, as reducing your monthly expenses is the best thing you can do for that, and bolster your cash emergency fund quicker.
Do you hope to be considering marriage and children? If that's the case, cash savings or even investing would probably be the best thing to do.
Do you hope to be earning as much as possible and be shooting for retirement as early as you can? I'd have every dime possible jammed into retirement accounts and what you can't jam into there jammed into brokerage accounts.
It's all about your goals. Where do you want to be in five years? Figure that out first.
Got any questions? Email them to me or leave them in the comments and I'll attempt to answer them in a future mailbag. However, I do receive hundreds of questions per week, so I may not necessarily be able to answer yours.