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Have you ever been known to say, "I do fine… once I get started" when asked about your work habits? I hear people say this all the time. You think your problem is "getting started." You say that you have a starting problem, but I think you have a stopping problem.
I have no doubt that once you get started, you actually get work done. I bet you get that work done so quickly, though, because you've started it at the last minute and you need every millisecond to meet a deadline. So yes, you are "fine" once you get going, if fine means being in a cold sweat, hoping you can save your backside and get the project out the door before anyone notices it's not already in the hopper. Is this "fine," truly?
Your brain knows about your work habits, too. It knows that as soon as you start a project, there will be no fun. Once you get going, there will be no Facebook, no texting, perhaps no food. Even bathroom breaks will be minimal. And, of course, there will be no sleep and, let's be real, no life.
Right. Let's be honest. Who would willingly sign up for that experience? No one, including you. So you put the project off. You wait until the last minute to get started, because you know that once you begin to work you will have to just plug away until the project's done. You do all those things—Facebook, text, bathroom, nap, clean, bathroom again, and chat with friends—because YOU know once YOU get going YOU don't stop. Therefore, your clever brain figures it's best to get the fingernails clipped, the Tweets out, and the web surfed before ever sitting down at your desk and getting down to business.
Are you happy with this all-or-nothing syndrome? Loving the stressful procrastination? I didn't think so.
There is a better way. As with many things, it will take practice. You will have to develop some trust in yourself, which can be challenging.
Imagine you did something to jeopardize your best friend's trust. The only way to regain her full trust in you is to be consistent in your trustworthy behavior. Consistency in behavior is also exactly what you must do to learn to trust yourself. How else will you learn to trust yourself to do what you commit to doing?
If you really, really, really do what I'm about to suggest, your "starting problem" will very likely completely go away.
How to Fix the Stopping Problem
Decide on an amount of time you will work on a specific project. Start with a tiny number, maybe 10 minutes at the beginning. Give your project your full and complete attention during the allotted time. When those 10 minutes are up, STOP!
Did you hear that? After 10 minutes, STOP.
Do not do "just one more thing." No. Stop. Take your hands off the table. Get up, if you have to. Remember, you're in training to learn to trust your own actions. You began here not trusting yourself to stop once you start; you have to completely stop as an exercise in trustworthiness. Do these exercises a couple of times a day. The most important thing to do is to stop at the very second that bell dings. And look at you, stopping and everything! I knew you could do it!
Soon, you'll be able to work like "other" people do. You'll be able to start a project easily and stop doing it at a reasonable time. You'll have time for a social life and for your work! And those "I'm too old for this" all-nighters will become a thing of the past.
The goal here is to be able to tell yourself, "I'll just start and do an hour of this." In fact, you will start—and do—an hour of work. And it will feel sweet. How does this sound to you?


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September 3, 2017
Welcome, and thank you so very much for stopping by to check out the new Lindsay Bishop Events website and blog design!
First, if you've been following along with me on Instagram over the past week, I just want to say thank you! Thank you so much for being a supporting factor in my journey. I hope that you've enjoyed getting to know more about the heart behind Lindsay Bishop Events, and why I love helping couples intentionally plan and design one of the most memorable days in their lives.
While the Core Values that I shared have always been present in my business, they haven't necessarily been reflected in my online presence. The old Lindsay Bishop Events website may have been pretty, but as I evolved as a wedding planner, designer, and as a person, the disconnect between my website and the why behind it grew.
When I begin the design process with each of my couples, one of the first questions that I ask them is "What colors would I find in your closet?" As soon as a couple gets engaged, they're instantly inundated with photos of gorgeous weddings in magazines, and snapshots of killer styled shoots on Pintrest. But, by talking about things like what they wear every day, or what their favorite piece of furniture is in their home, I'm able to dig a little deeper into who they are in their daily lives. It's always each couples' goal to make sure that, when their guests arrive at their wedding, they know whose wedding they're arriving at. It should feel like them. But, with all of these outside influences, it's easy for a girl who has a wardrobe featuring the colors black, white, and black to get caught up in the idea of a perfectly pretty pink wedding. Which is, unfortunately, the exact thing that's keeping their wedding from feeling like it's theirs.
Well, without even noticing it, I had broken the most important design rule. I had packaged Lindsay Bishop Events up in a pretty blush website, tied with a lace bow, and sent it out into the world. Why? To be honest, it's hard for me to even remember how it happened. Maybe it started because I thought that's what I needed to do in order to appeal to the brides I wanted to attract. Or, maybe it stemmed from seeing so many wedding professionals with light, airy websites, that I felt it was what I was supposed to do. I was the girl with the black and white (ok, navy and white!) wardrobe throwing a blush and bashful wedding, and blending in with everyone else.
Even though I started the process of refreshing my brand almost a year ago, it wasn't until a wonderful friend of mine asked me to be a part of a photo shoot this past March that I really understood how needed this change was. She asked me to flex my design muscles in a way that made me feel a little uncomfortable, and in turn, made me realize how much distance there was between that lovely website, and the person behind the screen.
You see, I don't plan and design weddings because I love pretty things. I chose this career for the moments.
I want to make sure that a mother can spend a stress-free morning with her daughter on her wedding day, so that she'll have those memories to look back on for years to come.
I want to make sure that a bride and groom have a sliver of alone time during the whirlwind that is their wedding day, so that they can quietly celebrate the commitment that they made before being all caught up again in the hugs and laughter of everyone they love.
And, I want to help design a wedding that feels like the wedding of two people in love, from the moment that their guests arrive. I want to ask meaningful questions, and have a little more weight behind the answers than "it's so pretty". I want to talk about why you're drawn to all of those gorgeous blush pictures on your Pintrest board. Maybe it's because they feel romantic, maybe it's because they feel feminine, or maybe it's because they feel sweet. I want to help uncover the why behind what you love, so that we can find a way to take those images and transform them into something that feels like you!
This time around, I made choices that reflect who I am as a person, and as a designer. Clean, classic, and without all the frills. Most importantly, this new site shares a lot more about what makes Lindsay Bishop Events different. From the "Lindsay Bishop Bride" facts at the top of the Details Page (one of my favorite parts!), to our Philosophy, to the Favorites at the bottom of the Meet Us Page, I wanted to make it easier for each of you to know who I am. More importantly, I wanted to make it more apparent why I love each and every one of the couples that I work with the way that I do.
So, if you've stuck with me through all of that, thank you! I truly hope that you enjoy exploring the new site! If you already know me, I hope that if feels like it's mine from the moment that you arrive. And, if we don't know each other yet, I would love to help you plan a stunning pink wedding, with a little edge 😉
Love Always,
September 8th, 2017 at 1:16 am
LOVE the redesign!! Also, that is so funny I do the same thing with my couples who are struggling with their color palette! I say "I'm standing in your closet, what colors are surrounding me???" I am loving your true-to-yourself vibe on this rebrand. I think we are all so guilty of falling into that "trendy" trap where we get stuck being something we aren't and projecting that towards our clients! I love the sleek and sophisticated look of the site. Bravo!
September 8th, 2017 at 6:45 pm
You are so awesome! I am so glad to see another creative take a step back and refocus themselves onto what matters most. I, too, have felt the same way with the light and airy pretty things. Don't get me wrong, I love some pink, but I tend to have more darker likings. I mean to answer your questions as to what is in my closet…black… lots of black. Thank you for being transparent on your blog. We need more that in our industry!
Much love as you journey on being the best YOU!
September 8th, 2017 at 9:29 pm
Yay! I love the new look! It's so "you"!
September 12th, 2017 at 5:12 am
This is all so beautiful Lindsay! Can I just say, I love that you ask clients what is in their closet. I think that's so smart and you get to know their personality and style a little bit more. Also, I LOVE that you describe what a Lindsay Bishop bride is on the Details Page. So good!
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
County Attorney
The County Attorney is a County Officer created by the Colorado Constitution, and by State statute appointed by the Board of County Commissioners. The County Attorney's Office provides legal advice and representation to the Board of County Commissioners, elected officials, county departments, and other agencies when authorized by the Board of County Commissioners. The office handles all civil matters for Pueblo County, including civil litigation, land use, employment issues, property tax, election issues and contracts. The office does not handle enforcement of the criminal code, which is the responsibility of the District Attorney's Office for the 10th Judicial District.
The County Attorney's Office also provides advice and representation to the Department of Social Services and handles dependency and neglect cases, adult service matters and other civil matters related to the Department. The office also files civil claims for enforcement of child support orders on behalf of the Department.
No Public Legal Advice
By law, the County Attorney's Office is prohibited from giving legal advice to the general public.
See Legal Resources below, for general assistance.
Pueblo County Public Records Policy


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Something colourful
27 November, 2010
26 November, 2010
yay…something VERY cool, you can now SCAN this blog's very own nifty-handy-dandy BARCODE into your Crack…er, BLACKBERRY phone and visit me all the time….
But then that means I have to write things that would attract you, right? Pen arguments that grab your attention, yes? Ok, I promise, I know I've been shaky over the past weeks, but I'm here for you now, it's the very least I can do.
As I said at the beginning of this blog, one of the main reasons for its existence is to document how people go about creating sustainable life in Jamaica, everything from entrepreneurship to waste treatment…yup, the WHOLE gamut. So…
So…I'm getting right to it, beginning with a review of products and services offered here in Jamaica to support our local industries…no, there's not really wrong with importing, but when it vastly outstrips what sweet, sweet Jamaica can produce for local and international consumption, then "Kingston…we have a problem"
So look out for it, as we swing into the merry season, I may even come up with sustainable and affordable Christmas gift ideas…cool, no?
ok, much love, I'm off to the land of Nod
you are forgiven
6 November, 2010
let the past go now..
open heart and eyes, begin
to breathe, stretch and feel
6 November, 2010
I need to write. I need to say something. Anything…
I cannot remember the last time I did my full practice. I miss it and need it and yet I struggle to get out of bed most mornings. is this depression, or inertia?
I'm not living the life I want. I want to travel, and write, and cook, and sail and practise and teach yoga and talk about sustainable life in all its forms, yet I feel stuck, like I'm doing what I'm supposed to do for my gender and age and to fit in among my contemporaries…is this cowardice or inertia?
I have a hard time feeling like i belong. I love my country, but feel i stand on the outside of my people, I'm different and I don't mind being so, but I mind this isolated feeling…tell me this will pass soon
I thirst for a partner, a companion, a man who will stand WITH me, honour me and love all OF me…do my dreams stand too tall?
I search for an expression of my spirituality. Converted Catholic. loves her rosary. sees Christ's love in ALL things. struggles with the Catholic church. Straight ally. Buddhist tendencies. Yoga devotee. knows that interfaith understanding is the only way…say that we can create this reality
My hip is tight, my knee injured and my ankle is sore…I long for the days of lotus without pain and standing up from a backbend through the fear – but I have to get back on the mat, don't I? what am i afraid of – is it success or failure?
I believe in awareness and activism and the ideas swirl in my head. Sustainable approaches to health, agriculture and entrepreneurship. Community. Environment. Social Policy. National and regional unity and integration….how do I deliver on my dreams?
This is an open letter. I am private, but I need help, this Libran swings too wildly on her scales, I need balance
I want to let go of fearing loss, so that I do NOT lose
help, please


text:
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text:
Multibanco payments with Sources Public Beta
Use Sources to accept payments using Multibanco, the most popular payment method in Portugal.
Stripe users in Europe and the United States can accept Multibanco payments from customers in Portugal using Sources—a single integration path for creating payments using any supported method.
During the payment process, a Source object is created and your customer is either redirected to the Multibanco website, your website, or a Multibanco ATM to send the funds. After completing this, your integration uses the source to make a charge request and complete the payment.
Multibanco is a push-based, single-use and synchronous method of payment. This means your customer takes action to send the amount to you through a receiver. The pushing of funds may take as little as a few minutes or at most seven days, since your customer must do this outside of your checkout flow. Once the funds have been received the amount is immediately available to be charged. Upon charge, there is immediate confirmation about the success or failure of a payment.
Step 1: Create a Source object
Source object is either created client-side using Stripe.js or server-side using the Source creation endpoint, with the following parameters:
|A positive integer in the smallest currency unit representing the amount to charge the customer (e.g., 1099 for a €10.99 payment).
|eur (Multibanco must always use Euros)
|The URL the customer should be redirected to after the authorization process.
|The full email address of the customer.
To create a source with Stripe.js, first include the library within your website and set your publishable API key. Once included, use the following
createSource method to create a source client-side:
stripe.createSource({ type: 'multibanco', amount: 1099, currency: 'eur', owner: { name: 'Jenny Rosen', email: 'email@example.com', }, redirect: { return_url: 'https://shop.example.com/crtA6B28E1', }, }).then(function(result) { // handle result.error or result.source });
Using either method, Stripe returns a
Source object containing the relevant details for the method of payment used. Information specific to Multibanco is provided within the
multibanco subhash.
See all 41 lines "address": null, "email": null, "name": "Jenny Rosen", "phone": null, "verified_address": null, "verified_email": null, "verified_name": "Jenny Rosen", "verified_phone": null }, "redirect": { "return_url": "https://shop.example.com/crtA6B28E1", "status": "pending", "url": "https://hooks.stripe.com/redirect/src_16xhynE8WzK49JbAs9M21jaR?client_secret=src_client_secret_UfwvW2WHpZ0s3QEn9g5x7waU" }, "receiver": { "address": "12345-123456789", "amount_charged": 0, "amount_received": 0, "amount_returned": 0, "refund_attributes_method": "email", "refund_attributes_status": "missing" }, "statement_descriptor": null, "status": "pending", "type": "multibanco", "usage": "single_use", "multibanco": { "reference": "12345", "entity": "123456789", } }
{ "id": "src_16xhynE8WzK49JbAs9M21jaR", "object": "source", "amount": 1099, "client_secret": "src_client_secret_UfwvW2WHpZ0s3QEn9g5x7waU", "created": 1445277809, "currency": "eur", "flow": "receiver", "livemode": true, "owner": {
Source creation in mobile applications
If you're building an iOS or Android app, you can implement sources using our mobile SDKs. Refer to our sources documentation for iOS or Android to learn more.
Step 2: Have the customer send the funds
When creating a source, its status is initially set to
pending and cannot yet be used to make a charge request. To pay with Multibanco, your customers will need to initiate a transfer of funds from their bank account using
reference and entity numbers provided by you and either their computer, phone, or local ATM.
Portuguese merchants will often display these details within their checkout flow after the customer has confirmed their purchase and by including them in an order confirmation email.
You may also redirect your customer to a Multibanco-hosted page that will display these details for you, by using the URL provided within the
redirect[url] attribute of the
Source object. Multibanco then redirects them back to the URL provided as a value of
redirect[return_url], regardless of whether funds have been sent or not.
When the customer does send funds, the
Source object's status will transition to
chargeable, allowing you to charge the source and complete the transaction. If you don't do this, the status will transition to
canceled after six hours.
Stripe populates the
redirect[return_url] with the following GET parameters when returning your customer to your website:
source: a string representing the original ID of the
livemode: indicates if this is a live payment, either
client_secret: used to confirm that the returning customer is the same one who triggered the creation of the source (source IDs are not considered secret)
You may include any other GET parameters you may need when specifying
redirect[return_url]. Do not use the above as parameter names yourself as these would be overridden with the values we populate.
Mobile applications
To integrate Multibanco within a mobile application, provide your application URI scheme as the
redirect[return_url] value. By doing so, your customers are returned to your app after completing authorization. Refer to our Sources documentation for iOS or Android to learn more.
Testing the redirect and payment
When creating a
Source object using your test API keys, the test payment is fulfilled with a three second delay. Use one of the following test email addresses when you need to test Multibanco payments under different conditions.
|Funds are never sent to the receiver address.
|The next time that the receiver is retrieved after creation, it has received the full amount.
The URL returned in the
redirect[url] field of takes you to a sample payment page. Returning from this page takes you to the URL specified in
Step 3: Charge the Source
Once the customer has pushed the funds, the source's
status transitions to
chargeable and it can be used to make a charge request. This transition happens asynchronously and may occur after the customer was redirected back to your website.
It may take minutes, hours, or days for a customer to send the funds after following and returning from the redirect.
For this reason it is essential that your integration rely on webhooks to determine when the source becomes chargeable in order to create a charge. Please refer to our best practices for more details on how to best integrate payment methods using webhooks.
The following webhook events are sent to notify you about changes to the source's status:
Source object becomes
chargeable after a customer has authenticated and verified a payment.
Source object failed to become chargeable as your customer declined to authenticate the payment.
Source object expired and cannot be used to create a charge.
Make a charge request using the source
Once the source is chargeable, from your
source.chargeable webhook handler, you can make a charge request using the source ID as the value for the
source parameter to complete the payment.
curl https://api.stripe.com/v1/charges \ -u sk_test_4eC39HqLyjWDarjtT1zdp7dc: \ -d amount=1099 \ -d currency=eur \ -d source=src_18eYalAHEMiOZZp1l9ZTjSU0
# Set your secret key. Remember to switch to your live secret key in production! # See your keys here: https://dashboard.stripe.com/account/apikeys Stripe.api_key = 'sk_test_4eC39HqLyjWDarjtT1zdp7dc' charge = Stripe::Charge.create({ amount: 1099, currency: 'eur', source: 'src_18eYalAHEMiOZZp1l9ZTjSU0', })
# Set your secret key. Remember to switch to your live secret key in production! # See your keys here: https://dashboard.stripe.com/account/apikeys stripe.api_key = 'sk_test_4eC39HqLyjWDarjtT1zdp7dc' charge = stripe.Charge.create( amount=1099, currency='eur', source='src_18eYalAHEMiOZZp1l9ZTjSU0', )
// Set your secret key. Remember to switch to your live secret key in production! // See your keys here: https://dashboard.stripe.com/account/apikeys \Stripe\Stripe::setApiKey('sk_test_4eC39HqLyjWDarjtT1zdp7dc'); $charge = \Stripe\Charge::create([ 'amount' => 1099, 'currency' => 'eur', 'source' => 'src_18eYalAHEMiOZZp1l9ZTjSU0', ]);
// Set your secret key. Remember to switch to your live secret key in production! // See your keys here: https://dashboard.stripe.com/account/apikeys Stripe.apiKey = "sk_test_4eC39HqLyjWDarjtT1zdp7dc"; ChargeCreateParams params = ChargeCreateParams.builder() .setAmount(1099L) .setCurrency("eur") .setDescription("Example charge") .setStatementDescriptor("Custom descriptor") .setSource("src_18eYalAHEMiOZZp1l9ZTjSU0") .build(); Charge charge = Charge.create(params);
// Set your secret key. Remember to switch to your live secret key in production! // See your keys here: https://dashboard.stripe.com/account/apikeys const stripe = require('stripe')('sk_test_4eC39HqLyjWDarjtT1zdp7dc'); const charge = await stripe.charges.create({ amount: 1099, currency: 'eur', source: 'src_18eYalAHEMiOZZp1l9ZTjSU0', });
// Set your secret key. Remember to switch to your live secret key in production! // See your keys here: https://dashboard.stripe.com/account/apikeys stripe.Key = "sk_test_4eC39HqLyjWDarjtT1zdp7dc" chargeParams := &stripe.ChargeParams{ Amount: stripe.Int64(1099), Currency: stripe.String(string(stripe.CurrencyEUR)), } chargeParams.SetSource("src_18eYalAHEMiOZZp1l9ZTjSU0") ch, err := charge.New(chargeParams)
// Set your secret key. Remember to switch to your live secret key in production! // See your keys here: https://dashboard.stripe.com/account/apikeys StripeConfiguration.ApiKey = "sk_test_4eC39HqLyjWDarjtT1zdp7dc"; var options = new ChargeCreateOptions { Amount = 1099, Currency = "eur", Source = "src_18eYalAHEMiOZZp1l9ZTjSU0", }; var service = new ChargeService(); Charge charge = service.Create(options);
Multibanco Sources are single-use and cannot be used for recurring or additional payments. Refer to our Sources & Customers guide for more information on how single-use Sources interact with Customers.
Step 4: Confirm that the charge has succeeded
Since Multibanco is a synchronous payment method and the customer has already sent funds, unless there is an unexpected error, the Charge will immediately succeed.
You will also receive the following webhook event as the charge is created:
|The charge succeeded and the payment is complete.
We recommend that you rely on the
charge.succeeded webhook event to notify your customer that the payment process has been completed and their order is confirmed. Please refer to our best practices for more details on how to best integrate payment methods using webhooks.
Disputed payments
The risk of fraud or unrecognized payments is extremely low with Multibanco as the customer has to push funds from their bank account. As such, there is no dispute process that can result in a chargeback and funds withdrawn from your Stripe account.
As a customer can make a payment at any time directly through the ATM, it is possible, although unlikely, for a customer to supply funds to a canceled or expired source. In these cases, Stripe automatically initiates the refund process for the mispaid amount as described above.
Payments made with Multibanco can only be submitted for refund within 180 days from the date of the original charge. After 180 days, it is no longer possible to refund the charge.
Multibanco payments can be refunded through either the Dashboard or API. Multibanco does not itself provide any facility for refunds, and so Stripe handles this by creating an IBAN credit transfer. We contact the customer at the email address provided during source creation, and a credit is sent to the customer once they've supplied their account information. No interaction from the merchant is required beyond the initial refund request.
Some users may want to manage the collection of the refund IBAN details themselves. Multibanco refunds require the customer's IBAN number, account holder name, and the full address including street, city, country, and postal code. Please contact us to learn more about this option.
Sources expiration
chargeable Multibanco source must be charged within six hours of becoming
chargeable. If it is not, its status is automatically transitioned to
canceled and your integration receives a
source.canceled webhook event. Once a chargeable source is canceled, the customer's authenticated Multibanco payment is refunded automatically—no money is moved into your account. For this reason, make sure the order is canceled on your end and the customer is notified when you receive the
source.canceled event.
pending sources are canceled after seven days if they are not used to receive funds. This ensures that all sources eventually transition out of their
pending state to the
canceled state if they are not used.
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text:
One of the more powerful variants in the Mini stable is the Mini Countryman John Cooper Works, which we had the opportunity to drive on launch recently. We also drove the Mini Cooper All-four, which sits a bit more low down to the road, and probably handles a bit better. However in SA, the SUV reigns supreme, and if you love Mini, the John Cooper Works edition, and have deep pockets to the tune of 640 K , then this is the car for you.
The styling cues are all sporty, in line with the JCW brand, and racing stripes are the order of the day. Brembo brakes, sports suspension and 18-inch black alloys complete the picture. The Countryman is a big car, at 4299 mm in length, and width of 1822mm it has a lot of space for people and luggage. Coupled with a relatively high drive feel, it ticks a lot of boxes for drivers looking for these items. JCW logo appears on the front hexagonal grille, as well as the rear.
Being a full 5-door car, the Countryman can accommodate 5 people with ease. These seats are all JCW-badged , as well as the sports steering wheel and styled gearknob. The iconic round dial dash with different drive-modes is familiar and enjoyable. Different lighting for each mode makes night driving a pleasant experience.
It has class leading boot space at around 45Ol , and with 60:40 fold down options, takes it to another level. One unique option for pit stops in distinctive MINI style is the Picnic Bench, a flexible surface that folds out of the luggage compartment and provides seating for two people. Another optional fitting is an electric tailgate control that allows touchless opening and closing in conjunction with the standard Comfort Access.
The Drive.
Thanks to an All-Four system, the drive in the Countryman is pretty phenomenal. Our launch drive took us over the Outenique Pass, and with wet weather and steep, sheer drop-offs of well over 500m, it was imperative that the Countryman be on point, handling wise.
And it was very good, thanks to the all-four system regulating power to the wheels that needed control etc, we were doing some hairy speeds, and at some stage an oncoming vehicle decided not to give way, and we were forced to the edge of the cliff.It did not feel out of control at all, obviously coupled with a competent driver at the helm as well.
The Mini Countryman comes with a 4-cylinder 2.0L turbo engine, that puts out 17kw & 350Nm of torque. It has great sound characeristics in Sport Mode as well. It does 0-100km in a creditable 6.4secs, with a max speed of 235km/h
The 6-speed manual & 8-speed Steptronic auto transmission is smooth and responsive. The twin-pipe exhaust system is sporty looking as well as looks the part as well. Fuel efficiency is not too bad at a claimed 7.4L/100km. Handling in conjunction with the Brembo brakes and all-four is exemplanary, and cornering is a dream with the go-kart feel.
Fittings & Drive Systems.
The new MINI John Cooper Works Countryman also demonstrates fascinating performance and great versatility in the area of connectivity. Going beyond the familiar functions of an in-car infotainment program, MINI Connected acts as a personal mobility assistant in the top athlete of the model range, too Based on a flexible platform, the Open Mobility Cloud, MINI Connected integrates the vehicle seamlessly into the MINI driver's digital life via touchpoints such as the Apple iPhone and Apple Watch.
The program of optional equipment items for the new MINI Countryman is also available for the extremely sporty model version. These include a panorama glass roof, 2-zone automatic air conditioning, seat heating for driver and front passenger, electrically heatable and folding exterior mirrors and an alarm system with a red LED status indicator in the fin antenna.
The price is probably a talking point, and at R638 900.00 would be termed expensive, when you can buy a big SUV with more space such as a Fortuner or Pajero Sport for less money. Some Mini lovers would definitely make the leap.
The new MINI John Cooper Works Countryman: an overview of the facts and figures.
– 4-cylinder turbo engine with 170 kW and 350 Nm torque.
– Efficiency-optimised all-wheel drive system ALL4 as standard.
– Sports suspension with Brembo sports brake system and 18-inch light alloy wheels.
– Engine, suspension and aerodynamics harmonised based on John Cooper Works racing expertise.
– Sprint from zero to 100 km/h in 6.5 seconds, maximum speed: 234 km/h.
– John Cooper Works Aerodynamics Kit with especially large air inlets at the front.
– Model-specific interior with John Cooper Works sports seats.
– Exclusive standard trim include LED headlamps, MINI Driving Modes and Comfort Access.
– Five fully fledged seats, and a significant increase in space, luggage compartment size and versatility as compared to the predecessor model.
– MINI Connected as a personal mobility assistant for everyday use and when travelling.


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I started a second blog for my little nods of the world around me. Maybe someone will want to share in my signal. Alas it is still new and does not have so much as a feather as a wing yet. I came to this site to do some maintenance and some venting… let's see how that bloody well works.
- 6 months later
- In a dark place….
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Horse Temperatures
When you take your horse's temperature, make sure you use a large animal rectal thermometer. These thermometers are extra thick, so they will be less likely to break if dropped. If you have one with a ring on the end, you can attach a small alligator clip with some nylon or fishing string, so the thermometer can be clipped to the horse's tail when you take it's temperature. This will keep the thermometer from breaking if the horse swishes its tail and knocks it out. First, shake the thermometer down. Do this by holding the ring end between your finger and thumb. Shake it downward with short, snapping motions. Do this until the mercury is down to below 35 degrees. How low you shake it does not really matter unless the horse's temperature is way below normal. If this is the case, shake it all the way down. Lubricate it with petroleum jelly before inserting it.
To take the horse's temperature, stand on its left side, facing its rear, and set your hip so it is resting against the horse's leg. Grab the tail with your left hand, about six inches from the root. Hold the thermometer in you right hand. Slowly but firmly raise the tail up and to the side, and insert the thermometer. Push it in gently until only about half an inch is sticking out. Then, clip the alligator clamp on the horse's tail hair. Leave the thermometer in for about three minutes. When you remove it, be sure to unclamp the clip first. When you have removed it, wipe it through a few strands of the horse's tail hair to clean it before you read it.
The normal temperature for a horse is 37.0 to 38 degrees C. The Victorian Department of Primary Industries state that if your horse has temperature of 39 degrees C then you must stay at home and call a vet.


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Blog Archives
Peak Filmgoing
I haven't been to my once-regular hangout, The Redford Theatre, at all this year, and it seems unlikely that I'll go over there before the school year concludes in a few short weeks. The likely reason for this is the lingering satisfaction – even nearly a year later – of getting to see my favorite James Bond movie On Her Majesty's Secret Service at the Redford on the big screen last June.
After seeing the film onscreen once before – and coming close to seeing it onscreen nearly 20 years ago in 1998 at the Brattle Theatre back in Cambridge – I was still excited to see it again. Reasons were similar to why I am often drawn to reissues or revival screenings: the immediacy of the cinematic experience can't be replicated in your home or in a lighter setting. That's especially true with this Bond movie, which offered a level of intensity and character that was arguably unmatched until Casino Royale appeared on screens 37 years later.
The previous screening, at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, offered the excitement of 007's 50th anniversary year and took place in October, 2012. I'd made a special trip to the city for the event, and was not disappointed – mostly – except for the fact that a key sequence of the film was completely missing from the print that they showed. Thankfully that did not happen at the Redford and the emphasis was on the quality of the experience, complete with old-style intermission as is customary with their classic film showings.
Of course another part of the appeal of this experience stemmed from having visited the primary filming location itself, as referenced in my YouTube clip below, high in the Swiss Alps. I'm currently looking in to making a return visit there, just over 10 years after when I previously went, and am hoping it will work out.
So with the peaks of an experience like that with OHMSS, why would (or how could) I top that? It's nothing against the Redford, though, and they continue to be a strong resource and community member of Detroit.
The Fifty Thousand Pound Allegory
The other night I once again found myself pulling out the stalwart and timeless DVDs of The Avengers. This time my attention was drawn to an episode near the end of Emma Peel's second and final season, entitled The 50,000 Breakfast. I wanted to watch it initially based on a remembrance of the episode's unusual music score, which does not recur as much as some others do in other episodes of the series and thus, stands out more on its own. I did not expect on revisiting the episode at this particular moment in time to see a clear allegory for the present uneasy political moment in the USA.
In the story, our heroes Steed and Mrs. Peel encounter a team working for the mysterious and accomplished Litoff Organization, focused on finance in Central London. Of particular note in the present era comparison are the two lead individuals they interact with from the company. One person is Miss Pegram who is not given a specific job title but is clearly the woman in charge, an idea which is quite revolutionary for 1967. In the other camp is company butler Glover, whose exact raison d'etre for being part of the company is not made clear by the script (well, I guess he's Mr. Litoff's butler, but Mr. Litoff is never seen) and so Glover stands as a bastion of an older time, where men and women had more traditional and formal gender roles. Near the end, when Glover is revealed to have malicious negative intentions that place him aligned with the rest of the villains, he presents a brief and strikingly abrupt (for the rest of the series) monologue, claiming that he "want(s) to be ill mannered and rude and uncouth, and order people about, especially women. I look forward to being excessively rude to a considerable number of handsome women!" – and so he is obviously, with the present day parallel, an elder Donald Trump, while Ms. Pegram, with ambitions to conquer the "man's world" of finance and accomplishment, clearly evokes Hillary Clinton.
And that is another of many ways that The Avengers remains both timeless and ahead of its time.
The Avengers Endure
I've written before here about my enduring appreciation of The Avengers (NOT The Marvel Avengers.) On June 25th of last year, an inevitable day came to pass when series star Patrick Macnee died at age 93 of natural causes after a long and full life. I held off from viewing any episodes for four or five months after that, as I wasn't sure if knowing that Steed (the central character) was no longer with us would affect my perception of the many episodes he left behind and continuing to watch the show.
When I did pull out the DVDs again, I deliberately chose a Steed centric episode from what many fans consider the series' best season, its last in black and white, to honor Macnee in my mind. To my surprise, the episode endured in nearly the same way as before, and I even felt I was looking at it with fresh eyes. This could have been because of a long gap in viewing episodes, the changed circumstances without Macnee, my long-lasting appreciation of British culture on the whole, or some other reason entirely. Whatever the case, not only did the episode continue to feel like "visual comfort food" – my occasional term for watching the show – it still felt fresh in the present day, now just over 50 years after it was first transmitted.
In the past couple weeks, for one reason or another, that appreciation has grown into a celebration, as I've watched more episodes in a month-long time frame (or so) than over the past five years. They all continue to be emblematic of the 1960's era in which they were made. However, based on certain aesthetic choices of the series producers, perhaps centered around decisions to have limited extras and not too much rooting in that same era, the episodes can come forward in time and still remain just as entertaining and relevant. If Steed and his various partners were seen dancing in Swinging London or hanging out at a Stones or Beatles concert (which they may have done in their off-screen time), the impression would be more nostalgic and arguably dated.
As it is now, the shows stand on their own terms, and they are each like little mini-films within themselves, as more than one writer about the series has come to observe. And I know I'm not the only one for whom this continuing appreciation of this series endures.
Visits with Secret Agent Friends
My recent visit back to England gave me some nostalgia over my original introductions to British culture, which came in the visual entertainment format of The Avengers television show and the James Bond film series. So I decided to re-visit some of their output during some downtime back here in the USA.
First up was the Avengers fourth season episode entitled A Surfeit of H20. This story comes right in the middle of the series' best season, and it made me quite unsettled when I watched it in my younger years. It seems to take a more unique spin on the standard Avengers formula than the episodes surrounding it, with two particularly eccentric guest allies complimented by two particularly devious guest villains. As always, the story is anchored the inimitable Patrick Macnee as the suave John Steed and Diana Rigg as his stylish partner Emma Peel. As an aside, the episode's plot gets summed up rather well via Tumblr.
In the modern era it is intriguing for me to look back (or rather look again) at many of the episodes which were frequent childhood/younger years viewing material for me. This had its ebbs and flows, coming first with the series showing regularly on the A&E network around 1990, and then a few years later on the Encore Networks "Mystery" channel from around 1995 to 97. The point is that I got to know the material very well.
But, of course, with the now-older personal perspective, the material seems … different. wittier. more classic as time goes on. Those feelings felt particularly evident in the case of this episode, which, as I mentioned, spooked me when I was younger with its atmospheric black and white sequences, but now more amused me. At the same time it stands as a hallmark of the series' black and white filmed era, with a tight attention to detail, location filming, and carefully chosen guest stars.
Next up was a look at one of the color episodes of the Emma Peel era, Something Nasty in the Nursery. This is another one that I remember particularly enjoying when I was younger, but somewhat neglecting in the years since.
The story takes a more pedestrian slant than most of the earlier tales in the series, but it's indicative of the general campier and goofier direction of the series at this point in the production history. Steed and Mrs. Peel are tasked with discovering why top secret "hush hush" secrets are (again) leaking from higher-up government operatives. Turns our that the men in question had (conveniently) all been disciples of one Nanny Roberts, who later oversaw development of "GONN", the Guild of Noble Nannies, a seemingly well-mannered finishing school for ladies in training. But it turns out that the current leaders of GONN, a Mr. Goat and Miss Lester, have other plans.
This episode lacks the memorable style and depth of some other installments, and has a number of continuity errors (or simply bad edits) that detract from its appeal. A side plot involving an ultra upper class toy shop is more intriguing than the primary plot. But the story continues to show the series' careful, deliberate and tasteful attention to style – especially in the color era – with vibrant hues bouncing off the screen and distinctive characterizations that live up to what writer Rodney Marshall calls the "subversive champagne" of the series, where dramatic layers are presented subtly with a slightly humorous edge.
Finally, my re-viewing extended to a pair of James Bond films made thirty years apart – Casino Royale and The Spy Who Loved Me. But I will save those thoughts for another post.
Theatrical Throwback: three times seeing an iconic actor onstage during 2007
Inevitably, researching yesterday's post got me nostalgic about the many good times at various theatres in London. From time to time I particularly recall my good fortune in getting to see Patrick Stewart perform three different Shakespearean roles on West End stages in 2007. This was a time when Stewart had moved back to the UK and was specifically focusing on reconnecting with his theatrical roots at the RSC and with other regional arts organizations. It was also, arguably, a time when he wanted to put distance between himself and his Star Trek/X-Men/general Hollywood pursuits. I don't think he feels as strongly in the present era, judging by his current status as a resident of Brooklyn and marriage to an American film producer. His social media and pop culture notoriety have reached a new height in recent years thanks to his many pairings with friend Ian McKellen.
In February of 2007, I was very excited to see Stewart onstage for the first time. I eagerly wrote about it in my LiveJournal the next day.
Last night I had a front row seat to see Patrick Stewart and Harriet Walter perform the title roles in the RSC production of Antony & Cleopatra. It was the BEST show I have seen since returning to London, and you can see more info about it here. The energy of the show was incredible, carried by the two leads but ably supported by the rest of the cast. They also all seemed to be having fun with their roles (impressive, as they've been performing them off and on for almost a year) and with a keen understanding of what the story meant in a larger context. Those feelings were also accomplished through intriguing usage of set and light design, with Cleopatra's "lair" being high above and then center stage, the usage of lights to create a unique map on the rear wall which seemed to change shape every so often, and creative music on the sides of the stage, including Buddhist-esque usage of gongs and cymbals near the end of the play, to denote the Egyptian slant. Seeing everyone in the play remain so committed and energetic, as exemplified by a warm glance that Stewart gave to Walter just before they took their center-stage curtain call, extremely impressed me.
A few weeks after I saw Antony and Cleopatra, Stewart moved right on to rehearsing The Tempest, with him starring as Prospero, for a London run. He gave an interview to The Stage theatre magazine (excerpted here) that seemed to imply he wanted to distance himself from his Star Trek fame. I don't think he is in that same creative place today.
I caught The Tempest with a friend near the end of its run. For some reason I did NOT write about that experience in my LiveJournal. I recall it came at the middle of a particularly tiring week for me, which probably contributed to my lack of interest in writing about it. Stewart was on his own dramatically in that production, not paired with a marquee name and bringing an expectedly high level of gravitas to the role of Prospero. I do recall much emphasis on the isolation of the character and the plot, with windswept drapes across the stage and foreboding sound design throughout both acts of the play.
Nine months later, I was back in London for an "encore" visit to tie up some loose ends from my stint living there and enjoy another abbreviated round of area theatregoing. I was pleased that the plays would include Macbeth featuring Stewart in the title role, and bought a ticket two weeks ahead of time to ensure that I would be able to see the hot – ticket production. I again summarized it on LiveJournal.
Macbeth was a good, strong and edgy production, although perhaps not as spectacular as the critics were claiming it was. Interesting conceptual work (setting it in a Russian hospital, the witches became nurses, the horror film elements of the story were played up) but I had a hard time sustaining my attention at times, either because of an uneven supporting cast (aside from Patrick Stewart's magestical performance) or knowing the story very well.
Bonus: the following night brought the first time I saw my favorite British actress Diana Rigg onstage. So naturally that experience received more attention in the blog post.
All About My Mother was excellent, anchored by tremendous ensemble-centring performances from Lesley Manville and Diana Rigg, who, as many of you know, remains my favorite British actress. Rigg in particular held her scenes very strongly with a combination of humor and vulnerability, and I loved how she struck completely different dramatic angles for each part of the story. In the earlier scenes, she's just a strong-egoed actress, but as her character begins to be revealed, she took on deeper resonance with the mothering themes of the storyline and showed vulnerability. Additionally, the direction of the play was inventive, incorporating frequent use of promenade staging, inventive reverse angle curtain calls as part of the story, and a strikingly spare wide-stage perspective towards the end of the play.
New Series: Theatrical Throwback Thursday
Since this has been a stellar year for keeping up investment in this blog, and taking it to steadier heights, I've decided to attempt to maintain a writing series for the remainder of 2014. Going off of some current popular social media trends, I will be presenting a weekly Theatrical Throwback Thursday and Film Flashback Friday, which also tie in to the two ongoing themes of this blog.
First up for the theatre section: a look back at my time studying at British American Drama Academy in London, England, which began ten years ago yesterday.
It's wholly accurate to say this experience solidified my partnership with the theatre. Never before had I been in such an immersive and appreciative theatrical environment, with countless productions going on across the city of London and a constant awareness of how the craft could impact us built right in to the curriculum. Fiona Shaw dropped by for a masterclass, Daniel Evans came two weeks later, our teachers casually spoke of Derek Jacobi, Judi Dench and other acclaimed thespians. I had a weekly tutorial session with a character actress who'd had a well – known guest appearance on my favorite episode of a certain cult 1960's television show, but I never got up the courage to ask her what being on the set was like.
We had regularly scheduled trips to see the latest theatrical offerings that season in London, with some being immediately memorable and some not so much. I was thrilled by surprise changes in the schedule, such as a trip to the Cheltenham Festival of Literature near Oxford that brought about a brief meeting with Neil LaBute, whose The Shape of Things I was preparing to direct the next semester back at Hampshire College, along with a quick meeting with acclaimed actress Joanna Lumley. All of this was jammed in to the first eight weeks of the program, when the focus was on conservatory – style classes during the day and the nights and weekends devoted to additional theatergoing and getting to know various attractions in Greater London… and quite a bit of going out on the town. All of us crammed in to an apartment building in fashionable St. John's Wood, just two blocks from the local Tube station and in the midst of the city's premier American expat neighborhood.
And then we took a weeklong break, just as the Election 2004 madness was nearing its climax back home, and the Red Sox had won the World Series for the first time in 86 years. I chose to go far, far away from London (and am very glad I did) but ought to have considered a more spontaneous group adventure, such as joining several guys in the program who went to the south of Italy. "The continent" continued to be our playground as we enjoyed what came to be seen as the heyday of cheap flights from the UK, just before climate change became a buzzword and various costs of living started a steadier and sharper increase that continues to this day – as I currently see in considering a trip back to the UK for spring break 2015.
We reconvened back at school ready to spend the remaining six weeks of the program focused on intensive production, where all of us had roles spread out over three full length shows scheduled to be performed over three consecutive nights at an off-West End/Fringe venue on the other side of the Thames River. One group of performers tackled Singer, another explored The Visit, and the third group, including me, examined Roberto Zucco, channeling intensity and French – American anxiety in a story of a disaffected protagonist and the individuals he encounters.
One day during the production process, The Facebook became available to students enrolled at Hampshire College and with a HAMPSHIRE.EDU address, and so I signed up for an account at the urging of my London classmates, with no knowledge of the cultural institution (and national obsession?!) the site would one day become.
For some reason those rehearsal – based days are less clear in my memory than the class experiences, although I warmly recall the excitement of rising to the crescendo of the performance, and not being shy of giving it our all since it was just one night only. And then everyone had to pack up and head out the next day, leading to a random experience for me of traveling on the London Underground with a bathrobe over my jacket, since there was nowhere else to put it in my luggage.
I stuck around Europe through the Christmas holiday in 2004, eventually returning to the US on the 28th of December after an unusual "Eurotrip" with Contiki tours where I was the only American in the group of 30 or so young people, and the trip was half sights I had seen before (Paris, Rome) mixed in with some new territory (Amsterdam and Munich) while traveling by bus throughout the journey. It's an understatement to say it was a very wistful flight home to Massachusetts.
What's interesting to me now, ten years later, is what the BADA experience led to, or, alternatively, what I might not have done if I had not been accepted to BADA and/or chose not to attend, I most likely…
– would not appreciate or be as immersed in the theatre world as I am in the present day.
– would never have moved to Marin County or (maybe) anywhere in the Bay Area.
– would never have moved back to London in the first half of 2007 for a second, more independent stint of theatre life.
– would not have explored Europe to the extent that I have.
– would not have seen as much of the UK.
– would not have met a dizzying array of well – known actors, including, but not limited to: Diana Rigg, Judi Dench and Eileen Atkins (I really ought to have written them down at some point.)
– would not have discovered Humble Boy, a play by Charlotte Jones that kicked off my Div III experience at Hampshire the following fall.
– would not have geekily and happily explored filming locations used in The Avengers and other 1960's television shows.
– might not have embraced the Facebook world as an early adapter.
– might look at theatre from more of a distance, without an understanding of the immersion and cultural relevance of the art.
In this case it is abundantly clear that the choices we make and the opportunities we get have long shadows and lasting effects, and I continue to be grateful for my time at BADA.
Visual comfort food
I really ought to write a detailed post about my longtime relationship with The Avengers (no, not that movie) – the 1960's era British television show. I've been fortunate to see several of the leading stars of the series (Diana Rigg, Honor Blackman, Joanna Lumley) live onstage.
In the present day, the show continues to have timeless appeal for me as a sort of visual comfort food, meaning that I keep the DVDs close at hand, but don't always turn them on. But when I do, I can sit back, and enjoy, and even look at the individual episodes with refreshed eyes, since I have been watching some of them semi – regularly for 24 years. The show remains popular thanks to its blend of wit, style and unique storytelling.
And so tonight I was oddly drawn to the series' most polarizing episode, with its most ridiculous title: Look – (stop me if you've heard this one) but there were these two fellers.
This story is one of the early episodes of the series' final season, filmed in 1968, and finds John Steed and Tara King on the trail of a series of bizarre murders of businessmen across London. Various clues point towards culprits in the comedy industry, and the two agents are hot on their trail to see where it all connects. Along the way, they meet a handful of British comedy stars known and unknown at the time, including a pre-Monty Python John Cleese, and Bernard Cribbins.
The villains' actions are accompanied by a distinctive piece of music that I recall often imitating when i first saw the episode as an impressionable six year old during the series' rebroadcast on A&E in 1990. In a dramatic sense, the musical accompaniment of the episode doesn't seem to register until close to the end, when composer Laurie Johnson chooses to insert music originally seen in an earlier season episode into this particular story. (Prior to that, there's much repetition of a somber, grey theme broken up by the jaunty villain music.)
I could write for quite a while on the art of periodically revisiting these TV episodes. I think it's interesting that the "lesser known" (to the popular opinion) stories are more appealing to me as time goes on – as in preferring the Linda Thorson season to the Diana Rigg episodes. And, with a more refined artistic sensibility, i notice various acting and story choices that I would not have caught at all in my younger years.
For instance, this episode is bogged down with a lengthy sequence about two-thirds of the way through the story. Tara King is assigned to protect a businessman in danger, and long story short, she doesn't succeed. Their banter is awkwardly protracted and the story seems to forget about the more interesting villain characters. The Tara King character is also at her most naive here, while later episodes in this long season, which was filmed over a 15 month period between late 1967 and early 1969, show Tara as more confident and experienced.
For The Avengers at its most endearingly self – referential, see here:
Reminded of encounters with other Dames
Writing about Helen Mirren reminds me of my chance meeting with Dame Eileen Atkins, originally summarized in a LiveJournal entry on February 16. 2007:
Yesterday I was dropping my theatre resume off at a North London theatre (the Almeida, where The Shape Of Things originally premiered). As I was leaving the building, I noticed the actress Eileen Atkins, who has the lead role in their current production, casually standing outside the theatre.
I thought for about a millisecond, and then looked right at her and said "I love your work!". She then said "Are you American?" — funny how she could tell instantly, though I had read that she likes Americans and working in the USA. We proceeded to chat for a 10 mins or so genuine conversation first about theatre work at the Almeida; she seemed genuinely interested in my theatrical aspirations and suggested that I approach the artistic director in person and thought he might need some assistants…?!
I then asked her a little bit about her career, which she was happy to share including a new film she'd just shot in Rhode Island. She quipped "you seem a bit young to know about my work" but then I explained that Cold Comfort Farm is one of my favorite films, and she smiled and agreed, also adding that she had originally been up for the grandmother role, not the cousin part, but John Schlesinger made a last minute casting switch and had let her know while she was performing a Virginia Woolf one woman show. It was coincidental and inspiring to be able to just chat with someone like her, and definitely keeps me in the "right location, right time, right liveliehood" frame of mind heading into the weekend.
And meeting Diana Rigg on November 26, 2004, also originally posted on LiveJournal (I later had the pleasure of seeing her act onstage at the Old Vic three years later)…
Am still on a high from meeting Diana Rigg this evening. She is by far my favorite British actress and getting to meet her in person, even though it was just a brief conversation, is the icing on the cake for the whole experience here. Her daughter Rachel Stirling had a starring role in the second show I saw today called Anna and the Tropics and she clearly inherited her mother's strong stage presence, easily rising above the material that was already dramatically rich. Earlier today I'd had a feeling that Diana might attend the performance…was surprised that turned out to be correct! She was sitting just two rows ahead of me in the theatre and I recognized her instantly, although the rest of the people sitting nearby were either being blissfully ignorant or courteous of her, so I followed their example even though I really wanted to say something of admiration as I walked out for the intermission right behind her. Once the show ended it became a "now or never" moment. I went out again only a few feet behind her but then she sat down in the foyer, probably to wait to congratulate her daughter. So I went ahead but was thinking "should I or shouldn't I?", having heard via the Avengers.TV forum that she sometimes prefers privacy over recognition. But once I saw an older woman go up to cordially greet her and Diana receiving her very warmly, that sealed it. I went back over to her table and kept it simple, saying "your daughter was excellent. I love your work." (That's all there is to say, really.) She seemed genuinely appreciative, giving me a warm smile and saying "thank you" in a friendly theatrical tone to me that gave a sense of her stage experience even through voice. It was enough to send me running to the bus stop (and I could have gone on down the street home) with a huge smile.


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Photos by: Foxhouse Studio
As a dessert lover, I always get excited to stand in line and try a slice of the wedding cake! Often times it is yummy but not super memorable. I knew I wanted the wow-factor. I never had an exact vision for my wedding cake, until I came across Cakesmith's Instagram page. Michal of Cakesmith is a true artist. I admired her perviously designed marble cakes as well as effortlessly-placed gold flecking and I instantly knew I wanted her work displayed on my wedding day.
The only thing that could make it better was the taste. My husband and I went to our tasting in a cute studio office in downtown Greenville and we were blown away... so much so, we had a hard time choosing which flavor(s) to pick because they were all incredible.
We finally narrowed it down to three flavors. Our main cake, a beautiful three tier marbled work of art, was red velvet with triple cream cream cheese frosting. Our main cake served approximately 80 guests. We also had two sheet cakes (a wonderful option for offering more flavors to guest as well as helping the bottom line if you have a medium to large size wedding). Our two sheet cakes were: almond buttercream with amaretto glaze + cream cheese frosting and chocolate truffle with chocolate mousse filling. We finished off our cake with a gold hexagon cake topper via Etsy.
Our guests raved out the style and taste of our cake. It was the cake of my dreams. If you are in the upstate SC area, be sure to check out Cakesmith for your special event cakes. I can't wait to taste ours again at our 1 year mark. (I might just have to order an anniversary cake...)
Also, see my previous "Wedding Wednesday" posts HERE.
Also, see my previous "Wedding Wednesday" posts HERE.
Xo, C


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The next five years could be a tough time for those with debts, whether credit cards or mortgages. According to projections obtained by a freedom of information request to the Office for Budget Responsibility, the cost of household debt is going to soar. In fact, by 2023, debt servicing costs are likely to increase by 29%. The rise of a third in the cost of having a mortgage or servicing loans could be challenging for many UK households already stretched to breaking point. But where is the cost most likely to bite and what can you do to prepare for it?
Where are we right now?
Most of the UK population is currently unprepared for the reality of what a significant increase in debt cost is going to look like. Over the past five years we have seen debt costs fall 9% and decline as a percentage of household income. However, this has been largely thanks to the way interest rates have remained low. In November 2017, the Bank of England raised interest rates for the first time in a decade and has already indicated that further rate rises could be implemented as early as May 2018. According to the Governor of the Bank of England, the combination of a growing economy, including GDP growth, as well as increasing average wages means it's time for interest rates to start going up.
How much is the increase actually likely to cost?
According to the figures, the average UK household could find itself with an extra £468 a year to pay in debt interest costs. So the average interest cost of household debt will rise from £1,983 in 2018 to £2,451 by 2023. This could be seriously problematic for many UK households that are already struggling. The figures are based predominantly on the cost of mortgages so it's not known how high costs could go for those who also have other types of debt with variable interest rates, such as many personal loans and credit cards.
Who is likely to be the most affected?
Opinions differ on who will potentially suffer the most from the increase in debt costs. According to Andrew Hood, a research economist at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, it is most likely to be felt by richer homeowners who have more valuable properties and larger mortgages. However, independent think tank The Resolution Foundation has identified millions of low-income families reliant on cheap credit as the potential worst hit.
What can you do to protect your own finances?
- Make affordability your top priority. Whether you're shopping for a mortgage or a new personal loan, affordability should be the driving factor in the choices that you make. If you can afford to make the repayments and still live comfortably then you can avoid a situation where a small rise in interest rates starts to make life very uncomfortable. You could investigate the use of a debt consolidation loan to help make your non-mortgage debt more affordable on a monthly basis (but read the small print).
- Reassess the way you use debt. We are a nation of homeowners and buying a property remains the goal for many people – we will get into great debt to do it. However, a surge in interest rates could make mortgages seriously unaffordable. For many people it might be worth looking at renting long-term as a better option than taking on a mortgage that's only going to increase in cost over the next five to 10 years.
- Make a solid repayment plan. If you've been lacking the motivation to get moving when it comes to debt repayment now is a great time to make a begin. Any debts that you have are likely to start costing more in the next five years – so, the more of these you can clear now the easier your finances will feel.
- Start budgeting. If you aren't committed to budgeting then it's time to get involved. The increase in debt costs is going to require better financial management from anyone who doesn't want to find themselves with serious problems when it comes to covering the cost of living and keeping up with debt obligations. Whether you sit down once a week with a pen and notepad or use a budgeting app, now is the time to take control of your finances.
So shop around for the best deals on debt. Deals on credit cards, mortgages and personal loans can vary widely depending on where you're looking. If you want to ensure that you're getting the very best deals on interest rates and other costs then it's a good idea to shop around. Online lenders often offer the best deals but some high street banks can be competitive too. As the costs of debt begin to rise don't be afraid to ask for the deal you want before signing on the dotted line. Use our QuickStart tool to help you narrow down your loan choices, and our free enquiry service to make your credit application.
Related Stories
- Are you taking on debt you can't really afford?
- Is consumer spending getting out of control?
- The UK cities where thousands of people have debt problems


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Movie Reviews
Zoolander No. 2
Reviewer: Philip Price
Director: Ben Stiller
Stars: Ben Stiller, Benedict Cumberbatch, Billy Zane, Christine Taylor, Cyrus Arnold, Fred Armisen, Justin Theroux, Kristen Wiig, Kyle Mooney, Milla Jovovich, Olivia Munn, Owen Wilson, Penelope Cruz, Will Ferrell
Released: February 12, 2016
I'm not one who necessarily believes that comedy sequels are necessarily going to be horrible. I understand the case that is made for why many of them are and do in fact agree that Dumb and Dumber To may be one of the worst movies ever made, but as a rule of thumb, as a blanket statement, I like to think there is more to this phenomenon than that. No one will argue that comedy is the most difficult genre to pull off successfully and when one does so to the effect that it connects with a large group of people it is hard to not want to return to that well in hopes of capturing those same gracious returns once more. What is strange about this latest nostalgia-fueled sequel though, is that it didn't seem to connect with many people upon its initial release back in 2001. Ben Stiller likely knew this about his dimwitted male model character when he came up with it for a pair of short films for the VH1 Fashion Awards in 1996 and 1997. Stiller knew there was never a real chance the character would catch on or even that his modest comedy would make a boatload of cash, but he clearly loved the material and put his creative mind to the petal to not only come up with something silly, but something topical that provided commentary on the frivolity of the fashion world when compared to something as sobering as sweat shops and child labor laws. Then, something happened that Stiller never would have guessed or foreseen in a million years-Zoolander became something of a staple of the post 9/11 world in that it was released a few weeks after the attacks and provided some much needed silliness to divert our national consciousness away from all the horrible things that were happening. In this regard Zoolander, a film about the titular idiot model becoming the pawn of corrupt fashion executives in order to assassinate the Prime Minister of Malaysia, held a special place in many people's hearts. It didn't hurt that the film was a genuinely good, funny comedy, but that fondness for this safe haven of a comedy has now snowballed into a world dominated by social media that consistently referenced and recapped the original enough that Stiller and co-stars Owen Wilson and Will Ferrell (each who have long since passed their pique popularity) couldn't help but to re-visit these characters in hopes of reaping those gracious returns once more. Instead of being the warm, safe place to return to in times of sadness or stress though, Zoolander No. 2 only makes it clear how sad the reality of these characters lives actually is. Even worse, the legacy of Stiller's once pristine fashion satire is now tainted by having dressing it up in something ugly.
To give you an idea of where I'm coming at this sequel from though, I love Zoolander. At the time of the original films release, I was fourteen years old and didn't see the movie until early December while attending a couple of friend's joint birthday party where we all decided to see a movie at the local dollar theater. We didn't know what Zoolander was, but we knew it had the guy from Meet the Parents and the guy with the nose from Shanghai Noon that was also in Meet the Parents, so we were game. It may not have been an instant classic, but over the years Zoolander became the kind of flagship film for the once domineering Frat Pack and a reliable quote factory for people of a certain generation. In fact, I could give you a handful of signature moments from the film if you were to stop me on the street at any moment I've watched the film so many times, but all of this only made my concern for a sequel even greater. Obviously, comedy sequels have that certain reputation I touched on earlier and with all of the three main stars having careers that have more or less been on the decline in recent years it seemed the reason to do a sequel to Zoolander was more a desperate attempt at capitalizing on one of their more cherished properties rather than for any artistic or relevant story reason. If something radical had happened in the fashion industry or if Stiller again wanted to craft a social commentary through the guise of male models running around with their shirts off I could understand and see where, given the climate, it might be fun to explore how Stiller's Derek and Wilson's Hansel might fit into such a conversation, but none of these things are the reason we have a sequel to Zoolander. Rather, it seems we have a sequel to Zoolander because Stiller has now made three Focker and three Night at the Museum films a piece and with his last directorial effort, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, not going over as well as expected-it was the obvious, reliable choice. That and it feels like Justin Theroux has been working on the script since 2005.
For as long as it seemed that Theroux (who returns here as the creepily suspicious DJ) worked on the script though, it is concerning to think that what we have here is what he worked on for so long. Even more frightening is that he collaborated with both Stiller and Nicholas Stoller (director of Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him to the Greek, and Neighbors) as well as long-time Stiller collaborator John Hamburg and what we have is a hodgepodge of ideas that have something to do with the fountain of youth and Zoolander's son, Derek Jr. (Cyrus Arnold), who just so happens to be the chosen one. In the end though, I don't even think they stick with that outlandish narrative, but rather just use it as an excuse for Ferrell's Mugatu to hatch this master plan of breaking himself out of high security fashion prison. Going in and through the first few scenes I was hopeful though. There were real hints of what made the first movie so ridiculously fun and yes, ridiculously good looking. It becomes apparent that Stiller is not only aware of how absurd it is that he's just now making a sequel to a fifteen year old property, a property that fifteen year old's these days will relate to the same way fifteen year old's in 2001 related to Ghostbusters, but that despite this time span he is still able to be very much in tune with this character. In seeing so many of these nostalgia-fueled follow-ups that have graced our big and small screens over the last few years it has become clear it's not always easy to fall back into a character you thought you'd left behind long ago, but Stiller does so with ease here. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Christine Taylor as she's abruptly forced out of the picture to make way for Penelope's Cruz's new character or for Ferrell who in some scenes seems to be playing a different character altogether. There are times, especially during the climax when Ferrell reaches back into his bag of tricks and pulls out something that would have fit perfectly into the original film, but other times and surprisingly when he's sharing the screen with Kristen Wiig's plastic surgery obsessed designer Alexanya Atoz, the jokes are as flat as his platforms are high.
Believe it or not, Zoolander No. 2 isn't all bad though, and interestingly enough what saves the film is what begins to pull it down after its rather promising start. The set-up is golden, the recap of what's happened in the interim between 2001 and 2016 is actually pretty great in how it breaks down each year and the progressive decline of Derek's life that leads to him living in a cabin in extreme Northern New Jersey. We then are swiftly delivered the Billy Zane cameo we were promised giving way to Derek and Hansel making their way to Rome and reconnecting for the first time in fifteen years. Their arrival just so happens to coincide with the fact all of the world's most beautiful people are being systematically assassinated with Zoolander's trademark "Blue Steel" look on their face. This brings Cruz's Interpol agent into the picture as she recruits Derek and Hansel to help her figure out what is happening and why Zoolander's signature look seems to be at the center of it. So far, so good right? Sure, well enough at least even if Wilson is on more of his autopilot level of performance than actually seeming to care about anything, but then the cameos pick up as do the retreading of old jokes and the ambition of what this sequel could have been begins to go down. Some of the references are subtle enough they're funny without being distracting, but others are so blunt they are basically repeating the same joke in hopes of getting a laugh for nothing more than recognizing the fact it's the same joke.Zoolander No. 2 runs into this problem a lot: stating the obvious about pop culture components and expecting a laugh for simply recognizing them rather than crafting a joke around them. Like some of the old jokes, some of the cameos work. I won't spoil too many of them, but Kyle Mooney in a supporting role absolutely kills it as does Kiefer Sutherland in a recurring bit that has him sporting a bizarre relationship with Hansel. On the other hand, poor Fred Armisen. Of course, none of this is enough to make up for the many shortcomings and shortcuts this sequel takes. I wanted so badly for Stiller and his crew to buck the trend of comedy sequels and for him to not pollute the legacy of the original, but in the end Stiller has made of Zoolander what should never be able to describe a model, much less the most famous one in the world: a hot mess.
Color Out of Space – a terrific adaptation of Lovecraft's story
While watching movies, we experience a lot of emotions, from happiness to nostalgia, depending on what movie we are enjoying....


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The R&B singer and Maroon 5 keyboard player returns to his native New Orleans East with a new mixtape and big plans.
[Updated] PJ Morton spent much of this past spring letting people know he's back in New Orleans. The R&B singer has been part of the Cash Money family and is the son of Bishop Paul S. Morton, leader of the Greater St. Stephen Mass Choir, but musically he's best known as the keyboard player and backing vocalist for Maroon 5. That gig took him to Los Angeles where he has lived for the last six years, but Morton moved back to New Orleans in late 2015, and he plans to make the city the home base for his new venture, Morton Records.
Morton reintroduced himself to New Orleans with a free mixtape, Bounce and Soul, Vol. 1, and in a cheeky bit of synergy, gave away free physical copies of the CD in PJ's Coffee shops. He's joined on it by DJ Raj Smoove, Juvenile, Trombone Shorty, Lil Wayne, Mack Maine, and 5th Ward Weebie among others, and 5th Ward Weebie also appears in the video Morton shot for "I Need Your Love," one of the songs given a bounce remake for the mixtape. His return has been so measured that it borders on viral. He played a show at The Howlin' Wolf, a Jazz Fest night show with Christian Scott, and on Saturday he'll perform not at the Superdome but at the Convention Center, the site of the Essence Empowerment Seminars. He'll perform a free show at 4 p.m. with an expanded band that includes special guests DJ Raj Smoove, Dee-1 and 5th Ward Weebie. Those aren't the sorts of events that make big splashes, but they're more in keeping with what Morton is trying to do.
"I'm one of those guys, I never planned on moving back," he says. "I love home for my family and to eat my mother's cooking, but growing up here, I felt suffocated in a way. I wasn't a jazz musician, and I couldn't sign to No Limit. I wasn't a rapper. With the aspirations I had for pop music and R&B music, I had to leave. The reason I left is related to the reason I came back. Now that I've had some success, I want to bring some infrastructure so that some people don't have to leave the way that I had to leave."
Morton is personable. Guys who join well-known bands often are because nobody successful needs to take on a difficult personality. Over coffee, he laughs easily but takes conversation seriously. At the mixtape listening party at PJ's Coffee's Bywater warehouse, he schmoozed effortlessly and made anyone who talked to him feel like they connected. He has an everyguy quality, which explains how he can move effectively through different professional worlds. His songs are impeccably musical, but sometimes it's hard to know Morton through his songs. Ironically, Bounce and Soul, Vol. 1 puts him in sharper focus, even though he has already released versions of the songs before. The mixtape is clearly the work of someone who loves bounce and New Orleans hip-hop, and the snappier percussion throughout leads Morton to nimbler, less deliberate vocals.
At the same time, he's someone who also knows how to stay in his lane. Morton never assumes that he shares the rappers' gifts, nor does he pretend to be an underground guy. His instincts are those of someone who reaches for broad audiences, which was more likely part of his appeal to Maroon 5 than a result of his time in the group. His pop/soul chops helped get Stevie Wonder to the party, but little on Bounce and Soul, Vol. 1 will confer underground cred on any but the most bookish listeners. On the other hand, he clearly hears the possible commercial applications of beats associated with bounce.
When Morton first left town in the early 2000s to live in Atlanta, he didn't see a musical future in New Orleans. Although it's a music city, it's one that didn't know what to do with someone who didn't play jazz, funk, or hip-hop--many would argue it still doesn't. As a pop/R&B guy, Morton didn't see a path forward, nor was there the sort of infrastructure to help musicians find their way to the marketplace. The city's mentality didn't help.
"Play here five times a week, so people don't value you," he says. "Kermit will play here and you can get in for $10, then he goes to New York and they're paying $50 and $100 to see him."
When Maroon 5 played Jazz Fest, Morton started to reconsider New Orleans. Being there with Maroon 5's entourage instead of local friends, he found it easier to see all the talent and things there were to love and not fixate on the things that drove him crazy. "I think that's when the seed was planted. I think I want to be back home and shine some light on it."
When Morton joined Maroon 5, the band rehearsed regularly and sometimes spontaneously. He had to be nearby and available when duty called, but the band's success and singer Adam Levine's role on The Voice have forced schedules to be more rigorous and projected out farther in advance. When the show is taping, Morton knows that he's at liberty. The Internet has also made it easier for him to be farther from Los Angeles. He can be at meetings from remote locations if necessary, and he can also participate in the music business from two time zones away. And that is the goal. Morton's not trying to run New Orleans or be a big fish here.
"What I love about New Orleans is, they don't really care what's going on in the rest of the world," he says. "That's why I think it should be packaged and shipped out. I want to get this sound and get this talent and make it here, but it's all about exporting for me. But it's about this being the epicenter for the creativity to happen."
Since Morton's father is a minister, PJ's journey started in a spiritual place, and he began writing gospel music. Because of his background, it's tempting to hear spiritual thoughts coded into his songs, but Morton says that's reading more into his songs than he intended. "I think soul music in its very essence always has a spiritual connect to it, but I'm never explicitly giving a message like that," he says. "My message is definitely more based around love. That is God to me. Love is our religion."
The gospel industry assumed that he'd go its way, and early on he had a gospel duo with his sister. That wasn't in his heart though. "I felt a fraud trying to be an R&B Christian artist," Morton says. The songs he wrote were love songs, so he tacked on "God" to put a Christian fig leaf on them. His career would have been simpler if he had gone down that path. He certainly would have started making money sooner. Churches wanted him and his sister to sing to their youth ministries, and some of those churches paid very well. In that world, fees are agreed upon up front and don't fluctuate based on your draw or how much booze you sell. But Morton passed. "I didn't run from something. It just wasn't something I was called to do."
When Morton talks about this subject, the word "calling" comes up a few times, and it's clear that he remains fluent in the language of Christian faith. He still gets offers to perform at churches and considers them in a way he once would not have. In 2009, he wrote the book, Why Can't I Sing About Love?, so if churches ask today, the odds are good that they actually want him and not simply Bishop Morton's son. If asked, he can do a G-rated show. "I didn't leave angry, so I didn't have to rebel," he says. "A lot of these R&B cats when they're mad at the church, they try to use as much profanity as possible and as many naked girls as possible. I never went to that extreme because I wasn't running."
Morton understands why people might be tempted to hear Christian thoughts in his music. "That's in me," he says. Growing up in church affected his notions of drama, of theatrics, of performance, and of passion. "My father taught me when I was singing early as a kid, You've got to put a little cry in your voice," he says. "You've got to make people feel what you're saying. These are lessons he taught me when I was seven or eight."
He didn't learn about music from old jazz guys; he learned from singers in the choir and players in the church. He never learned to read music, so he considers his ability miraculous. "My father prayed over my hands when I was a child," he says.
Morton came to the same realization that other R&B singers with similar backgrounds did. "My shows start to feel like church because of what's in me," Morton says. "I think that's no different from Aretha Franklin or Sam Cooke. That's not what I'm singing about, but that's the spirit it comes from. Because it's the same soul."
Morton grew up in New Orleans East. His father's church was there, his family lived there, so it's appropriate that Morton is building his studio on the lot where his father taught him to drive. He hopes to one day be able to do some kind of festival in New Orleans East as well, but for now he's just trying to get his business up and running. The studio won't be one he hopes to rent out though. Instead, Morton envisions it as his work space for his own music and as a place to write and produce for others. "I want to get my friends who are musicians to come to New Orleans to record their records and show them this special place," he says.
"I should be more concerned about starting a record label right now than starting a studio," he jokes. His degree from Morehouse College is in marketing, and he sees the financial future of Morton Records being tied to connections with brands and tapping into the marketing budgets and reach that they can provide. It's not a willy-nilly thing. He thinks the key is to find the right connections, and Morton is putting that theory to the test by partnering with McDonald's to play their booth Friday.
"Coca-Cola and T-Mobile spend a hundred million dollars on marketing"—only a small fraction of which is needed to make a record and put it out, Morton says—"so if you find the right artist who'd be right for that brand, then it saves the label from spending that money. I think it's the future."
He is also bringing a lesson to Morton Records that he learned while in the Young Money Cash Money family. At a time when many the sound of the boardroom can be heard on many albums as decisions are made to cover bases and reach markets, he wants to trust artists. "Make some music you actually believe in instead of chasing hits," Morton says. "They let artists be artists. No chasing. Leading. That's more risky, but when you win, you win."
Morton Records' first release is Bounce and Soul, Vol. 1, and he deliberately kept it light. He didn't want to overwork it or overthink it. "I can make some very serious music," he says, so while he and his family were staying at his mom's house, he set up a mini-studio and started playing around. Morton enjoyed hearing bounce on the radio and realized that it was something he'd never tried. Once he started chopping up beats, he liked what he was getting. When his business partner Ezra "Izzo" Landry suggested they see if Juvenile would be up for laying down a guest spot, Morton asked. He said yes, as did Mannie Fresh and other guests, and the ease with which the project came together made him optimistic. "I think we've got something," he thought. "But I was just messing around."
He conceived of the mixtape as a gift to the city, so the guests just made it a better gift. When he played a mixtape release show at The Howlin' Wolf, the guests were all there including Dee-1, Trombone Shorty and Mannie Fresh, who dropped by on his way to his own gig.
"It felt like love," Morton says. "I wanted some kind of confirmation that I was in the right place—that i was supposed to be home—and that seemed like it. It was almost like, We're happy you're home. Whatever you want to do, let's do it."
Updated July 6, 1:12 p.m.
The "Sticking to My Guns" video was added to the post.