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Wednesday, June 15, 2005
I Narrator
Over the recent weeks, I've been reading Gene Wolfe's Wizard Knight, Caitlin Sweet's A Telling of Stars, Matt Stover's Heroes Die, and Dan Simmons' Olympos. These very different novels and authors have each added to my thoughts on the power of perspective storytelling. Many of us are familiar with the pull of stories told in the typical 3rd person format. Some people are truly drawn to 1st person narrative for the obvious reasons of the immediacy of the story and the main character's reactions. For me, I've realized that I enjoy types of "Telling", to borrow Caitlin's term, a narrative within the larger narrative. This "telling" can come out in different styles and forms in written works, but they all have in common the sense of a deeper sharing of the story, readers and the characters.
Much like a play unfolding before an audience, certain aspects of this "Telling" style draw the audience into plot, setting, development, suspense, more directly than many other forms. Gene Wolf's Sir Able, in Wizard Knight, is writing a letter to his brother, a letter that we are reading. Through the process, the character has to contextualize his experiences, his gained understandings of the events going on around him. He also happens to underexaggerate, smooth over, forget, avoid and lie about certain details. The telling here becomes a living thing. The entirety of the novels exist as this letter; however, Wolfe has managed to create a story that is somehow larger, more complex than the entirety of the written work... he managed to put his letter-styled novels into a larger context without even writting it.
Caitlin Sweet's A Telling of Stars is both a telling and a story about a series and intersection of many tellings. The novel is tied together in a weave of different characters stories, partially revealed for the most part, that bring a greater understanding and deeper feel to the overall story, which turns out to be a Telling of it's own. While the novel is not directly a first person account, it does force to reader into multiple and ever-changing understandings of characters, events and situations as each new element and telling brings in a new texture to the main chracter's world. The interesting thing is that these interconnected tellings seems to be the power behind the reader's connection with the characters and the story. There is a kind of power in the constructed words of the characters in this novel that allow us to sit next to the characters for the revealing.
Both Simmons and Stover use "Telling" in more conceptual ways in the noted novels. In Ilium and Olympos, Simmons is working with a multi-part story, one part revolving around a re-telling of the epic battle for Troy, Homer's Iliad, from the perspective of an on the field scholar. This part of the novel also happens to be in 1st person narrative. Thus, we get commentary on actions, characters and developments from an observer. This device allows the reader to enter into the novel in a different way... with specific context and conversation as much as a simple reading of the plot elements. Simmons explores the ideas of "Telling" in other ways as well... the events of the war of Troy enter into another arc of the story, but as a form of media entertainment... also as an intended means of education. This gives characters not involved with the Troy arc an odd connection and interplay with the other section of the novel. As events unfold, the reader finds themselves in much the same situation, holding "observed" information from the Troy arc as new characters and events unfold. Finally, Simmons' has created a society where history has been lost, for the most part, and the power of the story has been reintroduced. So in one book, you get a narrated story of a war, a complex interaction with that narrated story, and actual stories of events and developments that happen off the page. All in all, this creates the sense of a much more developed and complex world and story than simply spelled out on the pages.
Stover goes at this in even another way. In Heroes Die, Stover creates a world that watches actors transport to another world for the purpose of adventure. It is like reality tv and fantasy high adventure combined. The interesting aspect for the reader is that Stover places us on both sides of this "Telling". We are sometimes in the PoV of a watcher of events, the PoV is actually coming from a person virtually "living" the main character's events. At other times, we are getting a more standard style of story, though the character will break into monologue for the benefit of those watching his "adventure". In this way, the reader gets involved in several different levels of the story, from the main characters personal thoughts, his carefully crafted and contextualized telling of events, and a completely removed and almost secondary connection to the story. It is an interesting concept, and it was used to great results in the novel.
What captures you when reading? Are there times when you feel more connected to a story than at others? Is there a narrative style that makes novels more immediate to you when you're reading?
For me, an author's ability to involve me in the story by changing my typical relationship to the words on the page makes all the difference. "Telling" makes me feel involved in a novel in ways that are different... I can be further removed and seeing the story through the lens and context of a character, or I can be so far into the events and actions of a character that it's difficult to make out a larger story. The styles and techniques are different, but I enjoy the results.
Anyway, I'd love to hear any thoughts or comments.
5 comments:
- Angel said...
I have to say that I prefer to read a book in which I can observe more than be a part of... if that makes sense. It can be very annoying to be reading a book and it seeming that things are happening to 'me' due to how the book has been written as opposed to observing what is happening to the various characters.
As I have not actually read any of the books you have discussed in your post, I can only relate to what you are saying in general. Perhaps I will try to read them and then give some feedback!
- Jacob said...
I know exactly what you mean, Angel. I'm not really talking about being so involved with a story that the actions seem to be happening to me. It's more the author's ability to pull me closer to the story, almost an active or present observer rather than merely a removed, passive one.
I'm certain that people have different styles that they enjoy, and there is certainly nothing wrong with that. What is reading if not a mostly self-indulgent activity... after school that is. I've just been interested in aspects of stories that seem to set the reader in slightly different relationship with the material that they are reading.
I've not given this subject much active thought...now you force me to do so..Dern ya!!
Okay.... I (after a bit of cogitation) seem to have no true preference as to the "telling" of a tale.. I can deal with any form of narration(1st-3rd)and not be put off in the least if I find the work engaging...and at this point things become highly subjective.
Allow me to list a few of my favorite pieces of fiction and see if, by example, I can draw a picture ofof the types of "telling" I ultimately find myself drawn to...
1. Wheel of Time in all it's descriptive rolling grandiose minutiae.
2. Any work by Charles Dickens.
3. Erikson's Epic sprawl that is Malazan Tales of the Fallen.
4. Phillip Jose Farmer's precise prose.
5.Collen McCullough's time drenched tomes(and this word does indeed apply to her thick volumes)Masters of Rome.
6. Eddding's simple yet fun Belgariad/Mallorean
7. The many chnaging viewpoints in Weber's Honor Harringtonseries simply makes me focus on all that is occurring.
8. Chesterton's total delight in alliteration and word play.
9. The information dumping that Chaucer does in The Canterbury Tales.
10. The wondrous writhing monstrosity that is Hugo's Les Miserables ...
11. Faulkner's placement of the reader squarely in the minds of his characters(but, such only works in the hands of a true storytelling master).....
The things I do not find as pulls...most of the time..
1. Hemingway's sparseness..yes..it is a very big detraction for me...
2. Book's like The Scar bore me.
3. Luridity for the sake of luridity..
4. Style and technique over plot and execution..
So..does that give you enough of an idea to open a discussion...from my viewpoint?
I love to fall deeply into the characters and feel things are happening to me...but I also love to view the events fro "on High" ..I guess I have a rather schizophrenic method to my reading.
- Jacob said...
Brad, you've listed a very broad spectrum on narrative styles that enjoy, which is great. Truly, I enjoy a great many narrative styles as well as they are truly a tool for authors. A skilled author and storyteller will find the perspective and narrative style to tell their story... and I'm probably going to enjoy it.
Recently, though, I've been captivated by this style that I'm calling "Telling"... it's almost a narrative style or aspect that creates a story within the story feel. This creates a more obviously filtered perspective of the story, but it also requires us to put it together a little, after a fashion at least.
Brad, you're a reader, and you find joy, entertainment and engagement in the words, in the pages, through the story. All that really matters is the story and style touching something inside of you, sparking your interest... that is what reading is all about. ;)
- Lsrry said...
Nice article Jake and about damn time you posted it here! ;)
Just thought I'd note something that came to mind as I was reading your article: the lyricism of the tellings. For me, the power of historia is that it envokes an emotional ebb and flow that can drift or carry us from point to point, often subconsciously, to those vistas that we just seem to have met in some other time or place but can't recall when or how.
Speaking of Caitlin's work (oh, and I emailed her the link to the article, which she liked), there's an interesting discussion of her first book over at SFF World. Thought you might want to check it out in the near future.
And here's hoping that there'll be more articles from you and others in the near future! I hope to be posting a review either tomorrow or Sunday of a fine YA fantasy by Alison Croggon, and there are elements of what you describe in her work as well, albeit in a different way. But that's for another article, yes? ;)


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As a geek, I think I'm legally obligated to enjoy crunching numbers and making charts.
I can't explain it, but I absolutely love digging into the numbers and uncovering trends and other fun things.
Lately I've been going over my Garmin data, and I've noticed a couple of interesting things.
Unfortunately, I only have data going back to the beginning of last year -- that's when I got Jennifer's old Garmin 205 because she upgraded to the 405 so she could track her heart rate. Even so, my schedule this year is almost identical to my schedule last year, so the data lines up almost perfectly.First off, my weight is following almost the exact same path it did last year (and probably the year before that).
(click me, I get bigger!)
On the chart, "0" indicates the weight I hold without really trying (eating normally, and not really training). My goal is to get down closer to the "-10" mark and hold it. Who DOESN'T have that goal, right??It's not necessarily a good thing, but I don't think it's bad either that I follow the same curve year after year. But when I'm not training for something, my weight starts to creep up on me -- especially over the holidays -- so that's one big reason why my goal this year is to be better about running when I'm not training for something.
My weight is important because that seems to have some correlation with my speed.
Notice how this chart follows a similar trend as my weight?
But something that's interesting is that I wasn't my fastest when I was my lightest:
I weighed the least in week 16 -- the week before the mini. But I ran my fastest race when I was up 3 pounds on my "average" weight (week 9)!
Granted, analyzing my pace like this is flawed because it's comparing runs of different lengths and intensities. This chart is simply showing my fastest average pace of any run for that week (so if I ran 1 mile at an average of 8:00/mile, and another run was a 4 mile speedwork with 7:30's that averaged 8:30/mile, the one-miler would be listed even though the speed miles were faster).
It would be more accurate for me to compare my fastest mile from each week, but it would take too long to gather that data, and I don't think the results would be much different. That would still be flawed, too, because I might not get in a speedwork run or race each week.Averaging all of my runs together to get my average pace by week is similar to the last chart (especially since there were weeks where I only managed one run for the week), but it doesn't kick out how fast I could be like the last one did. (For instance, week 9 where I ran the Anthem last year with a 7:49/mile average is lost on this chart, which has week 9 as being slower than week 11, where I ran the Rodes with an 8:18/mile average.)
Lastly, we have my total miles by week.
So while my weight does seem to affect my speed, I know that my mileage affects it even more. Last year, I was putting in more miles and more cross-training, so it's not surprising I PR'd every race.
This sport has really grabbed ahold of me over the last few years. Initially, I despised every painful 30 second spurt of running I had to do while doing the Couch to 5K program. Now, I'm eager to get out and nail a tempo run, or PR a race.
My Triple Crown and Mini race times really highlight my progression:
Basically, in 2010 I was just running to support Jennifer. In 2011, I didn't want to be injured again, so I was better about training (although I still slacked off). In 2012, I really got on track and even added in cross-training and some triathlons.
It really goes to show that if you want something, you have to work for it.
What I love most about this sport is how you're really just competing against yourself (unless you're fast enough to win races, that is). I love seeing how I stack up in my division, but what I love most is beating the crap out of my previous record time.
Unfortunately I had to miss the Anthem 5K this year because I was sick, but I've already started making plans for the Rodes City Run (10K) that's a week and a half away. Check back soon for how I'm going to attack that one.
Oh, and thanks for indulging my geekiness.

subset: commoncrawl


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Int J Hyperthermia. 2006 Jun;22(4):263-73.
ROS production and angiogenic regulation by macrophages in response to heat therapy.
Jackson IL, Batinic-Haberle I, Sonveaux P, Dewhirst MW, Vujaskovic Z.
Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
It has been well established that inadequate blood supply combined with
high metabolic rates of oxygen consumption results in areas of low
oxygen tension (<1%) within malignant tumours and that elevating
tumour temperatures above 39 degrees Celsius results in significant
improvement in tumour oxygenation. Macrophages play a dual role in
tumour initiation and progression having both pro-tumour and
anti-tumour effects. However, the response of macrophages to heat
within a hypoxic environment has not yet been clearly defined.
Raw 264.7 murine macrophages were incubated under normoxia and chronic
hypoxia at temperatures ranging from 37-43 degrees Celsius. Under
normoxia at 41 degrees Celsius, macrophages start to release
significant levels of superoxide. The combination of heat with hypoxia
constitutes an additional stimulus leading to increased respiratory
burst of macrophages.
RESULTS: The high levels of superoxide were found
to be associated with changes in macrophage production of
pro-angiogenic cytokines. While hypoxia alone (37 degrees Celsius)
increased levels of hypoxia inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) in
macrophages, the combination of hypoxia and mild hyperthermia (39-41
degrees Celsius) induced a strong reduction in HIF-1alpha expression.
The HIF-regulated vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) decreased
simultaneously, revealing that heat inhibits both HIF-1alpha
stabilization and transcriptional activity.
CONCLUSION: The data
suggest that temperatures which are readily achievable in the clinic
(39-41 degrees Celsius) might be optimal for maximizing hyperthermic
response. At higher temperatures, these effects are reversed, thereby
limiting the therapeutic benefits of more severe hyperthermic exposure.


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My thoughts on Lyft Amp in TheInformation's Slack channel:
I feel this is worth pursuing by Lyft. Especially in the dark it can be a hassle to find your Uber/Lyft after for example a party. Some drivers come up with a solution themselves:
My Uber driver running tech he built himself. Solves the "wtf is my driver" problem. Told him to launch on @ProductHunt pic.twitter.com/kOVme9LrQD
— David J Bland (@davidjbland) November 15, 2016
It might even put Lyft in the hardware business. Camera's facing the road are quite common, but a camera facing the driver and passengers can improve safety for both.
Which reminds me of the following article by Backchannel, arguing that competitors challenging Uber should focus on drivers, not passengers.
Also, if Lyft in the future adds traffic-facing sensors, it is a nice opportunity to gather data for self-driving cars purposes. As argued by Ben Thompson, mapping is one of the mayor challenges for self-driving cars. These sensors can gather data without expensive permits: the driver is still driving, Lyft is just gathering data while doing so.
[warning]Dit bericht schreef ik toen ik nog in het Engels blogde. Binnenkort zal ik het vertalen. Beloofd.[/warning]


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The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The members consisted of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They were soon known as the foremost and most influential act of rock era. Rooted in skiffle, beat, and 1950s rock and roll, the Beatles later experimented with several genres, ranging from pop ballads and Indian music to psychedelia and hard rock, often incorporating classical elements in innovative ways.
John Lennon and Paul McCartney were exceptional songwriters; McCartney was, and is, a truly virtuoso musician; George Harrison wasn't the kind of guitar player who tore off wild, unpredictable solos, but you can sing the melodies of nearly all of his breaks. Most important, they always fit right into the arrangement. Ringo Starr played the drums with an incredibly unique feel that nobody can really copy, although many fine drummers have tried and failed. Most of all, John and Paul were fantastic singers.
The Beatles are the best-selling music artists in the United States with 178 million certified units. They have received ten Grammy Awards, an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score and fifteen Ivor Novello Awards. In 1988, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll and Roll Hall of Fame.
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American singer, dancer, and songwriter born on August 29, 1958 in Gary, Indiana and passed away on June 25, 2009. Michael is also known as The King of Pop or under the initials MJ.
He is the owner of Thriller (1982), the bestselling album of all time, which was awarded 30 times platinum at the beginning of 2016. His other albums Bad, Dangerous and History are all among the best charting albums of all time and all reached the number one position in the US charts.
Elvis Presley
Out of Tupelo, Mississippi, out of Memphis, Tennessee, came this green, sharkskin-suited girl chaser, wearing eye shadow — a trucker-dandy white boy who must have risked his hide to act so black and dress so gay. This wasn't New York or even New Orleans; this was Memphis in the Fifties. This was punk rock. This was revolt. He changed everything — musically, sexually, politically. In Elvis, you had the whole lot; it's all there in that elastic voice and body. As he changed shape, so did the world: He was a Fifties-style icon who was what the Sixties were capable of, and then suddenly not. In the Seventies, he turned celebrity into a blood sport, but interestingly, the more he fell to Earth, the more godlike he became to his fans. His last performances showcase a voice even bigger than his gut, where you cry real tears as the music messiah sings his tired heart out, turning casino into temple.
Led Zeppelin
Heavy metal would not exist without Led Zeppelin, and if it did, it would suck. Led Zeppelin were more than just a band — they were the perfect combination of the most intense elements: passion and mystery and expertise. It always seemed like Led Zeppelin were searching for something. They weren't content being in one place, and they were always trying something new. Led Zeppelin are widely considered one of the most successful, innovative, and influential rock groups in history. They are one of the best-selling music artists in the history of audio recording; various sources estimate the group's record sales at 200 to 300 million units worldwide.


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Atmospheres of distant worlds probed with new technique
Astronomers on two research teams, including an astronomer at Penn State, have demonstrated the power of a new technique to determine the chemical composition of the atmospheres of planets far outside our solar system. Using the technique — called narrow-band transit spectrophotometry — the teams discovered the element potassium in the atmospheres of giant planets similar in size to Jupiter.
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Christie's Offers Up Some Major Ring Bling
The Christie's catalog descriptor really does not do this December 10 item justice. CAPS notwitstanding. Sale 2752-Lot 496 is much more than "A DIAMOND RING." Think more along the lines of "Rich Guy BFF."
The fluctuating suggested price range for this massive 52.58 karat Golconda diamond is currently set at $9.5 to $12.5 million. While we're no Christie's browsing experts, it does seem as if the Web side of the operation could use a better photo stylist. Seriously, does that picture on the right look in any way like something that would make a point-one-percenter start polishing their numbered paddle?
Maybe Jay Z (hyphen-free since this past July) can do some early Beyonce Christmas shopping. Or perhaps one of these guys can grab the ring for their Significant Other's stocking.
In all likelihood, next week's winning bidder will choose to remain anonymous. Still, whoever that person turns out to be, they will be giving auction site Rockefeller Plaza some gleaming temporary new meaning.


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Spot the High-Fat Ethnic Foods While Dining Out
- 10 Months ago
- 4.0
Many of us dine in restaurants instead of home significant numbers of time. When your plan to dine at an ethnic cuisine spot, it is tricky to know understand the menu, when we are not familiar with the cuisine. It makes more sense to know what not to choose while dining in such places. Which foods signal higher-fat choices?
Foods that are deep fried such as samosas, pakoras, bajjis, kachori, papads, etc. In the gravy dishes, like the more famous dishes, chicken tikka masala or paneer tikka masala, the chicken/ paneer pieces are usually grilled, but are then added to a rich creamy sauce, so it's the sauce that is high in the fat content. Curries in general are also rich in cream or coconut milk, so indulge sparingly. A lower-fat choice would be something that is made in tandoor (marinated meat/ paneer/ veg cooked in a special clay oven). Just watch what you dip these tandoor items in.
Deep-fried items in Mexican cuisine are hard tacos (including taco salads, which tend to have deep-fried taco shell bowls), tortilla chips that come as a side, tostadas, and chimichangas. You could instead opt for tamales or burritos that are. Be sensible of portion sizes, even for steamed versions, and be wary of "wet" versions of tamales and burritos that are drowning in heavy sauces.
We all know that spring rolls are deep-fried. But did you know that many noodle dishes are also high in fat? Chow mein noodles are pre-fried to begin with, and then more oil has to be added during cooking to prevent the noodles from sticking. Items which as a description like "crispy," and ones "with special sauce," will be high in fat as well. Some popular dishes chicken/ veg balls in sauce the chicken/ veg balls are battered and deep-fried before the sauce is added. For lower-fat choices, look for sautéed, braised, or steamed items or noodle soups, and ask for any sauces to be served on the side.
Tempura is the well known term for deep fried items in Japanese restaurants. Other items that are often deep-fried include katsu or karaage-style dishes. Yaki soba is pan-fried noodles, which can be quite oily. Safer bets are to request broth-based noodle dishes like ramen and udon, robata or yakitori (grill) items, or just the traditional sushi.
Southeast Asian - Thai, Malay, Singaporean
Any dish sporting the term "goreng" or "char" in its name signals either a deep-fried or higher-fat choice. Southeast Asian curries are coconut-milk-based too, so enjoy sparingly.
The Bottom Line
It is best to cook your meal from scratch but many of us rely on restaurants or take away options these days and this is a reality. It is good if you learn to spot the higher-fat menu choices so you know how best to manage your fat allowance. "Working the small plates" is also a good option to control your intake. That is, order two or three small appetizers and make that your meal.


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VISALIA, Calif. (KABC) -- It's been a tough ride for a Central California teenager battling cancer. So, a group of people came together to help make his journey a whole lot easier.
Since being diagnosed with osteosarcoma a year ago, Diego Jimenez, 14, would frequently wake up at 3 a.m. to board a bus from his home in Visalia to make it to the City of Hope in Duarte for treatment.
Kim Savage with Megan's Wings, a nonprofit group that helps cancer patients and their families, recommended Diego and his family for the "Recycled Rides" program.
"There couldn't be a more humble and deserving family for this wonderful gift," Savage said.
Farmers Insurance donated a car, and a team at Caliber Collision-Monrovia volunteered to refurbish it.
The regional director for Caliber Collision, Rachel Delgado, said all Diego ever asked for were for items to help his mother.
"For restaurant gift cards so his mom wouldn't have to cook because she's so tired from having to take care of him and take care of the other kids," Delgado said.
Many other businesses donated glass, tires, tinting and auto parts.
When everything ready, Diego and his family members were presented with a shiny new 2013 Hyundai Sonata. Well-wishers applauded as Diego stepped into the vehicle.
It was almost too much for the young cancer patient to take in.
"It feels great. I wasn't really expecting them to actually go this far as to give me a car," Diego said.
To date, the program has given away 150 cars.
"It takes a village to help cure a patient, and that's basically what this is all about. It's not just the people at City of Hope. It's all of you who are helping us," said Diego's physician, Dr. Judith K. Sato of City of Hope.
Osteosarcoma is an aggressive bone cancer that can lead to fractures and tumors. In Diego's case, it led to serious infections that almost lost him his leg. Those four-hour bus rides from Visalia added to his pain.
The car and other donated items will go a long way to help ease his family's stress. It's all so overwhelming for Diego, who has hardly had a thought for himself.
"I told my mom that God gives his biggest challenge to his bravest warriors," Diego said.
Car donation eases journey for Central California teen battling cancer
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Cruise ships have a range of accommodation to meet your budget and specific requirements. Some of the rooms can accommodate more than two people, making it easier to have your family share a cabin with you. The lowest cost rooms are the standard inside rooms.
Ship cabins range from a standard cabin, perfect for solo travellers to a sumptuous suite for those special occasion voyages. All cabins have the following amenities as standard: spacious wardrobe, bathroom with shower (deluxe suites have bathtub ), interactive TV, telephone, internet connection (payable), mini bar, safe, air conditioning. Room sizes range from 11 metres, up to 52 square metres.
Daily programme
The daily onboard programme is both relaxed and structured. Passengers can choose to do as little or as much as they like. It is quite possible to spend a full day on ship relaxing onboard, with a swim and a sunbathe, a book, a dinner and a show. Others will be up with the dawn, ready to take on the day with an action-packed itinerary of activities. Cruise… your way.
Start the day
Breakfast is served from 7am – 10am, or you can call on room service to deliver a continental breakfast to your cabin.
Excursions – full day, half day, short visits
To take full advantage of your cruise holiday, we heartily recommend you join MSC cruise on a number of awosome shore excursion. These take the form of full- or half-day visits or shorter trips of a couple of hours. Join a luxury cruise in a discovery of art and architecture, archaeology and adventure, shopping or sightseeing. As well as guided tours and city visits from a huge array of exciting activities such as diving, snorkelling, 4x4 jeep safaris, visits to artist ateliers and botanical gardens, foundations, museums and galleries, local villages and global landmarks. These are not to be missed! Please consult the dedicated Excursions Section for more details.
Morning activities
Choose to spend your morning in one of the many onboard facilities, such as (depending on your ship) swimming (adults-only and kids-only pools available), aqua park, gym, bowling, mini-golf, the games arcade, 4D cinema, browsing in the library, catching up in the Internet café, a moment in a Spa, or joining in one of the general activities which are free and open to all.
Midday meal
Lunch is served in one of four onboard restaurants; please note that serving times vary depending on ship and geographic location, but all offer broad timetables for relaxed dining. You can choose the full-board options or to dine in our specialty or à la carte restaurants.
Afternoon activities
Why not relax in the beauty salon, or take a class. Stroll the decks or enjoy a game of tennis or badminton. Participate in an art auction or try your luck in the casino. Take tea in one of many delightful onboard cafés, catch up with new friends, and treat yourself to a holiday gift in one of the Italian boutiques or artisan stalls.
The kids' clubs occupy children all day, with dedicated activities from tots (under 3) to teens (aged 17).
Evening meal
Enjoy a gourmet supper prepared by cruise ship master chefs; whether you choose Italian cuisine, French bistro gastronomy, old time American favourites, TexMex all that can be said is buon appetito!
Into the night
Evenings are given over to cabaret and dance, theatre, music and spectacular shows. Dance the night away in our glamorous nightclubs and join the crowds on the disco dance-floor. Open until late.
MSC Cruise ship, South Africa
The price of your cruise includes stateroom accommodation with all home comforts:
Opulent Casino | Enjoy free access to the casino, slot machines and gaming areas.
Onboard Activities | Fun activities may be organized throughout the day, from quizzes to hobbies. These are open to everyone.
Kids Club programs | Kids under 18 travel free with MSC. There is an exceptional programme of activities for children, which run from early morning to early evening. These are free of charge.
24-hour Room Service | All passengers can use the Room Service facility to order extra snacks and drinks or to request information or assistance.
Fitness Facility | Most of luxurious cruise liners are equipped with a fitness facility. Access to the gym is free of charge.
Library and Card Room | Enjoy a quiet game with friends or sit in our tranquil onboard library with its porthole ocean views and collection of books.
Nightclubs and disco | There is no entrance charge for any of the nightclubs or discos on board ships.
Broadway Style Shows | All the evening shows, from musical medleys to dramatic theatre productions are open to everyone, at no extra cost.
Some charges apply to additional activities onboard, these include:
Access to Aurea Spa and Spa treatments | Please consult the Spa brochure for a list of treatments and prices.
Internet Café | There is a small charge to use the facilities in the internet café.
Beauty Salon | A comprehensive list of hair and beauty treatments at attractive prices.
Shopping | All cruise ships have a range of fantastic boutiques on board as well as a small shop for 'essentials'.
Art Auctions | It is possible to bid or purchase works of art in sales, and these must be transacted on board.
Shore Excursions | The shore excursions and activities offer the best way to view the top sights and attractions in the ports. Please contact your travel agent for more details or request full excursion details including pricing and programmes, once on board.
Bar Drinks | Drinks are not included in the full board package.
Personal Fitness Trainer | Passengers can choose to have a one-to-one session with a personal trainer, for a small fee.
Exercise Classes | Special exercise classes, such as aerobics, pilates, yoga etc are payable on a class-by-class basis.
Public areas
Shuffleboard, 2 Pools, Minigolf, Tennis, Basketball, Volleyball, Five-a-side football, Jogging track, Gymnasium, Solarium, Children playroom, Teenagers area, Video games room, 2 Jacuzzis, Beauty salon, Hairdresser, SPA, Thalassotherapy, Turkish bath, Sauna, Bars, Fitness center, Restaurants, Cafeteria, Internet café, Discotheque, Karaoke, Theatre, Cinema, Casino, Library, Play room, Cigar room, Conference room, Meeting room, Photo gallery, Shopping area. Medical center. Duty Free Shops.
Incentive facilities
Projectors, DVD, VHS, MD, overhead projector, white board, microphone, wireless microphone, PPT computer, slide projector, Internet access, telephone socket and connection, follow-spots, audio system, video system.
The Sinfonia offers 2 main restaurants, Il Galeone and Il Covo and an outdoor restaurant, La Terrazza. Each one boasts a top gastronomic selection thanks to the variety of dishes and the high quality of the foods, from choice Italian meats, scrupulously controlled, to fresh fruit. Every product is fresh and carefully handled, such as bread baked on board with the passion and knowledge of the most distinctive boulangerie. Dishes range from traditional and tasty Mediterranean fare, to the most refined international recipes. For a quick lunch choose Caffè del Mare buffet restaurant offering the utmost quality and variety in Italian and international cuisine.
Bars and Lounges
On the Sinfonia guests can choose from 8 bars, inspired by different themes and inimitable in their wine and food selection, thus satisfying even the most sophisticated and demanding palates.
MSC Cruises' uncompromising dedication to its passengers is nowhere more evident than the unrivalled entertainment programmes and facilities offered on board the Sinfonia, with its about 600 state-of-the-art seats Teatro San Carlo, futuristic Pasha Club Disco and San Remo Casino with over 400 square metres of casino gaming and Galaxy Video Games, video games room. New purpose-built areas for children, a new Baby Club, Mini Club, Juniors Club, Young Club, Teens Club and a new Spray Park.


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Lexington Access Site can be found at Boynton St 7347. The following is offered: Boat Launches. The entry is present with us since Sep 8, 2010 and was last updated on Nov 14, 2013. In Lexington there are 1 other Boat Launches. An overview can be found here.


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|Sat 11 Nov 2017, 7:00pm–8:30pm
|Sun 12 Nov 2017, 7:00pm–8:30pm
Additional fees may apply
Show Me Shorts Film Festival is New Zealand's leading international short film festival.
The regional touring programme, 'The Sampler', is a great way to sample what Show Me Shorts is all about. The screening includes eight of the top short films from Aotearoa and across the world. These are some of the most accessible, heart-warming, vibrant and fun short films.
The stories feature family ties, a misread psychic prediction, a kosher butcher in disguise, a couple of Game of Thrones stars, and the unexpected thrill of eating avocado on toast. These shorts were selected from almost 2,000 submissions, so you can be sure of a fantastic night out.
Estimated total run time: 91 minutes. Censorship rating to be advised.
Good things come in small packages.
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► The APEC CEO Summit 2017 is expected to discuss global economic issues and difficulties facing enterprises in the region, which I think are worthy macro-oriented and concrete activities that will support startups in Vietnam in general as well as BankGo, which are all small in scale and financial resources and are limited in business development experience. This is also an opportunity to solidify support in the business environment and capital sources to support the development of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), especially startups. We expect to have more information on the startup forum soon and have the opportunity to take part, which would help BankGo and other Vietnamese startups approach large partners and investors from other countries. Startups such as BankGo are looking forward to the APEC meetings, especially the APEC 2017 Startup Forum, which will be attended by global startup networks, investment funds and investors, the private sector, and business support agencies, all of which can help Vietnamese's enterprises increase the level of interest among foreign investors in Vietnamese startups.
► This is the first time APEC has held a forum for startups, which means that APEC members have an interest in the global trend. I think this is an optimistic sign for startups in Vietnam because it brings many opportunities to meet and approach foreign enterprises as well as foreign investors. Only a small number of startups, however, have full information on the APEC CEO Summit 2017 and the APEC Startup Forum. This is a barrier for them in approaching and researching international groups. In my opinion, information is one of the most important matters for enterprises, especially startups, to exchange and gain experience. It is therefore necessary to have official websites that provide exact information for Vietnamese startups and that support the completion of business procedures. I think it is difficult for foreign investors to seek startups in Vietnam because of unclear tax and investment structures. Many investors want to come to Vietnam and invest, but they want the startups to register their headquarters in other countries.
► The APEC CEO Summit is a major opportunity for leaders of large businesses and also for Vietnam to display its development. We have never had a problem with showing others the potential of a market with more than 90 million people, but we have never shown them how willing the market is. For startups, the willingness factor is not as important as the potential factor. It is therefore logical that we should promote Vietnam's image and its startups during the APEC CEO Summit. The strength of Vietnam startups is the level of rapid technology adoption, low-cost human resources, and the potential of the market. Weaknesses include entrepreneurship. APEC is a good opportunity for the government to facilitate local startups, as it is an international competitive opportunity. I hope the government will conduct activities to promote the image of Vietnam's startups among the large businesses and investors. This is a great opportunity to show the superiority of Vietnam's startups to the region, thereby significantly increasing foreign investment in this sector. Vietnam often promotes its big companies but our businesses are still small compared with large enterprises in the region, and we often don't have contact with them. Promoting startups will show that Vietnam has caught up with the world.
► One of the problems for startups in Vietnam is poor connections to global as well as regional markets. Since startups are still focusing on meeting local demand, not many aim beyond borders. The APEC CEO Summit 2017 is a good chance for young businesses to stay abreast of their regional counterparts and open up connections, to exchange and develop visions and capacities. APEC brings both opportunities and challenges for young Vietnamese businesses. To be honest, we are not looking for financial investment from foreign funds. We already have products ready. Our current focus is how to self-finance and develop based on these products, with an ambition of reaching out to international markets. However, we do expect "investment" in terms of experience, systems, connections, and opportunities at the regional level. This "investment" is more or less a shared need of every startup, to enhance their ability to deliver products outside of the domestic market and approach other opportunities.
► This is a great opportunity for Vietnamese startups to access the experience of large enterprises within APEC on human resources management, capital management, and investment. It also provides opportunities for startups in Vietnam to cooperate with giant enterprises and investment funds from dynamic APEC economies such as the US, Australia, Japan, South Korea, China, and Singapore. The government should build the necessary mechanisms and support the startup ecosystem. It should also finalize and optimize procedures for receiving foreign investment and attracting foreign investors. Activities within APEC should be fully prepared, in order to influence and attract foreign investors to participate.
► The APEC CEO Summit 2017 is a great opportunity to meet and learn from individuals who have succeeded in creating and scaling their business in Vietnam. The biggest struggle in doing business in Vietnam is that the economy and business landscape are always changing rapidly, and the best way to learn how to adapt is from those who have been doing it for many years. Another barrier for some Vietnamese businesses is the difficulty in connecting with foreign partners or investors. Many countries around the world are looking towards Vietnam as one of the next economic leaders in Southeast Asia, but at the same time many local businesses struggle to get connected with foreign partners. The APEC CEO Summit 2017 is a great way to not only meet foreign partners and investors but to also learn about ways to connect Vietnamese businesses with the world, through imports and exports or expansion.
► The APEC CEO Summit 2017 will expand opportunities for businesses, corporations, investment funds, and investors from APEC economies, allowing them to better understand Vietnam's startup community and share their experience and tools. Because of a lack of information sources, however, many startups don't know a great deal about the APEC startup workshop, so the opportunity to access exchanges is limited. Another difficulty for startups in Vietnam is that they have to compete with strong competitors from other countries. We also recognize, however, that the opportunity for Vietnamese businesses, especially startups with young leaders, is to improve their individual as well as collective capabilities. In addition, through the framework of APEC activities, we expect more investors to transfer capital to Vietnam and if Canavi is a good startup there will be many good investors and partners hoping to join us.
► The APEC CEO Summit will open up a tremendous opportunity for all Vietnamese businesses in general, including startups and especially young startups. Startups are a strong trend in Vietnam in all fields, due to the potential presented by its population being 60 per cent young people. Young Vietnamese are quite dynamic and up-to-date on world trends in all fields. As we know, the world is "flat", so any domestic business can target the "common" market, which is the global market. This is also a huge challenge, however, because we must also allow other countries to develop their products or services in Vietnam. The first challenge is greater competition in the domestic market. Startups need to upgrade their products and services to match global standards.


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For more than two decades, Tim Harris has been a leader in the real estate industry, first as a top producing agent and now as the nation's most sought after real estate coach. Through his experience and success, he has learned what it takes to change your life and increase your profit.
Listen in to learn Tim's rules for success.
Tim Harris' Rules for Success: Contrarian Advice That Just Might Change Your Life and Increase Your Profit
Time stamped show notes:
[3:11] Married his high school sweetheart. They're from Ohio.
[3:31] They [him & wife] pooled money together to buy their first investment property.
[3:57] Sold 100 houses in their first year of business.
[5:17] People started asking them to be speakers. They built momentum and got into coaching
[7:41] They've always made decisions based on profit.
[8:03] Rich: When your money works for you / when you don't have to work for your money
[8:35] They don't take debt because they've never seen a person with no debt go bankrupt.
[10:42] When the market changed [2007], they pivoted and started teaching agents how to go after the distressed market.
[14:12] Rule: Don't follow your passion. Your passion will betray you.
[17:12] Passion is an emotion tied to ego.
[17:35] People who follow their passion only work/achieve at a high level when they feel a certain way about something.
[19:58] Doing what you don't want to do, when you don't want to do it, at the highest level
[25:34] When you're trying to help someone, your ego can't be the loudest voice.
[28:10] Ego = fear
[28:18] There's two types of fear: (1) psychological and (2) physical
[29:46] Psychological fear = ego fear
[31:59] Psychological fear is optional.
[37:32] Most people go into business because they want to have a sense of freedom.
[39:35] You have to have product as your profit.
[40:14] If you don't have profit as your main driver, you won't have any (unless it's a social venture).
[45:11] Why is actual profit a taboo topic?
Three key points:
- Doing what you don't want to do, when you don't want to do it, at the highest level
- When you're trying to help someone, your ego can't be the loudest voice.
- If you don't have profit as your main driver, you won't have any (unless it's a social venture
Last question:
Listen to their daily podcast: Real Estate Coaching Radio
Read their book: Harris Rules
How to contact: [email protected] dot com


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It's been 11 years since my "Mom" passed away and hardly a day goes by when I'm not thinking about her. You reach for the phone to tell her good news, bad news, accomplishments, exciting news, about something that made you cry or laugh. Now that conversation tends to start with "I wish I could tell my mom about ......." or "mom would laugh about Cleo and the Chipmunk". I have tried to make a point of keeping her alive in my life. When talking to my kids I will often start a story off with "Nana or Granma would be ... (stealing that last chocolate bar or looking for a cookie)".
My mom was in my life for 44 years and I was also lucky enough to have my "mom-in-law" in my life for 37 years. Their influence was tremendous. These 2 women helped to make me the mom I am.
Being the only daughter in a family of 5 and the baby to boot, I had a fair bit of responsibility (my brothers would say I was a brat - who did a pretty good job of a "pout" whenever I wanted something - not true). My brothers, John and Jim did a wonderful job of introducing me to 2 more women, who have left their mark on me. Maureen and Eileen added 6 children to our family. Mom now became Nana and the official babysitter of these 6 children ranging in age from 0 to 5. Being 12 years old at the time I was "in training" for 15 years before my own children came along.
It wasn't unusual to have John drive by the local park on a Friday night to get me to come babysit. My favourite job (non paying) in the world. Changing diapers, burping, walking them to sleep, leaning over their cribs patting their backs, I learned at the expense of my nieces and nephews. My children Andrew, David and Rachel thank Danny, Jacqueline, Jamie, Julie, Colleen and Miranda for helping to get the kinks out of my techniques (this was the time of diaper pins - ouch)...
My mom had this quiet disposition about her. She loved having her family around her. As children we were a part of every aspect of their lives. If there was a party we were included, we were there until we fell asleep on a chair. We learned all the old army songs, wasn't sure what they were talking about thankfully, but we could sing along with them. Christmas dinners - if there were too many of us, there wasn't any fretting about where people would sit or if we had enough dishes, the fact that we were all together was more important than the table settings. One big happy family, lol, no this isn't a fairy tale, we all had our moments and most of the time mom just let us sort them out ourselves.
|Mom in the middle, her family just keeps on growing.
Mom-in-law was also the ruler of a family of 5. I married the baby and only boy. We really are a remarkable combination. :). I went from being the only daughter to a daughter-in-law and adding 2 more sisters-in-law into the mix and 5 more nieces and nephews. Girl Power was starting to rule.
These 2 remarkable women were born in an age that helped to change the way women were treated. They grew up through wars, depressions, women's lib, burning bras, rising divorce rates, the maple leafs actually winning the Stanley Cup. (lol just had to add that in) And during all this still kept their family values, encouraged all of their children (3 each), grandchildren (6+5) and great grandchildren (14 + 7) (gosh I hope I have added right) to instill those values in their own families.
They introduced us to baking (was there anything better than opening that door after school to the aroma of the current fresh fruit pie baking). Gardening - every year at this time my mom and I would go out to buy her petunias, marigolds, and geraniums. Jim's mom would start checking on her peonies and making sure the rhubarb and raspberry patch were ready to fill up her freezer.
These 6 women (Mom, Mom, Maureen, Eileen, Lindy and Deni) all so different from one another, but when it came to their most important job all being so alike. Hard when they had to be, but most of the time "silly putty" in the hands of their children.
I was also lucky enough to move into a neighbourhood as my children were born where I was introduced and fell in love with 4 beautiful women and their families. Lindsey, Mary Jo, Dale and Sharon helped me raise my children. Tonsils, chicken pox, birthday parties, hockey, soccer, car pooling, school pick ups. They made my life as a mother so much easier. Sharing worries and achievements over a coffee and the odd glass of wine. A big hug to all the Tribbling Women, the best friends, the best confidants.
Happy Mothers Day to all the Grandmas, Moms, Sisters, Aunts, Nieces, Daughters in the world, continue spreading the love, dedication to family, causes, true love of this planet earth. You make a difference in so many lives.
love you mom always in my heart xoxoxoxo


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Confetti Yogurt Pops
Recipe submitted by: Amy Pickett
Recipe courtesy of: http://www.parents.com/
Yogurt and fresh berries make this a healthy frozen snack for kids.
What's in it
2 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt
• 1 cup assorted berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, chopped strawberries)
• 5 pretzel rods, halved, or 10 baked snack stick crackers
How to cook it
- In a large bowl gently stir together the yogurt and fruit. Spoon into 4-ounce ice-pop molds or 3-ounce paper cups. Cover molds or cups with foil; use a sharp knife to cut a small hole in the foil and insert cut side of pretzel rod or snack stick. Freeze until firm. Remove foil and mold or cup before serving.
- Store for up to a month. Makes 6 pops.
- Nutrition Facts Amount Per Serving: cal.(kcal): 67, Fat, total(g): 1, chol.(mg): 2, carb.(g): 12, fiber(g): 1, sugar(g): 8, pro.(g): 3, vit. A(IU): 49, vit. C(mg): 4, Thiamin(mg): 0, Riboflavin(mg): 0, Niacin(mg): 0, Pyridoxine (Vit. B6)(mg): 0, Folate(µg): 8, Cobalamin (Vit. B12)(µg): 0, sodium(mg): 94, Potassium(mg): 126, calcium(mg): 91, iron(mg): 0, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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