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After Villa de Leyva and the wonderful pre-Christmas volunteering, I was overwhelmed by the constant presence of people. I could not remember the last time I had actually been by myself, and so I decided a few days alone in the mountains was just what I needed. And though I was surrounded by wilderness on all sides, this would not be such an easy task to accomplish.
I left Villa de Leyva on small 1st and 2nd gear roads going north. The gnarly dirt road was a rainbow of colors – the mud changed according to the mineral deposits from which the road was carved: gold to grey to red to tan… always shifting, always mixing to form a dynamic guide along the fertile valleys. Giant waterfalls lined the mountain faces and quenched the thirst of endless gullies – thick with bush and tree, capped by a tireless fog.
After 6 hours of riding (which only brought me 60km) and a fall in the mud, I decided to spend the night in the tiny village of Gambita, which sits in the middle of Igague National Park – there I passed Christmas, mostly alone.
From Gambita I made it as far as Mogetes (only 140km away) 6 hours later, where I got Georgia thoroughly cleaned (from the dump in the pretty, yet very slippery mud) and got the fuse replaced for the headlight. With rain clouds gathering again, I was only too happy to get off the road then and there, knowing I would not make it to Cocuy that night.
The ride to Mogotes was excellent! I had the pleasure of hitting 3rd, and even 4th, gear! Beautiful mountain-scapes, more bucolic valleys (though every once in a while wild and uninhabited ones too), and an excellent twisty road – almost completely devoid of cars. Shifting colors in the mud were replaced by undulating smells – sugarcane, both fermenting on the road and being cooked; pine and the sharp smell of a northern forest; and that glorious smell of nothing at all – just clean air.
I found a route on the map which cut diagonally to Cocuy, but everyone who I asked (who knew what Cocuy even was) said that the road doesn't go there. But I decided to take a leap of faith and trust google maps on this, even though it has put me in the soup more than once before, and rode on.
The next day I broke my rule of not driving at night yet again, to make it to Cocuy. It was worth riding 30 minutes in the dark to not pay another 15,000 pesos for a hotel. Most of the 4 days it took me to get there were spent off-road, only briefly, and very rarely, ever hitting 3rd gear.
When I finally got to El Cocuy I was informed of a fact which I had conveniently ignored before: that they are at the height of tourist season. My dream of being alone shattered within 5 minutes of arriving at what should have been the jumping off point to peace and quiet. I wanted the absence of colorless fireworks, blaring music, ceaseless barking of dogs, the screaming of children, and the constant drone and roar and choking exhaust of motor vehicles.
On my way there I had encountered a dozen places I wanted to make my home, if only to camp and be alone for a little while. It is some form of great stupidity that I never did – that I chose to neglect the perfection of those spots – just off the side of almost deserted roads – and continue to the touristy mess which is El Cocuy.
Though I had found a place to stay for less than anywhere is town, I still went to the hostel to see about their prices and possibly meet other hikers. There was no one there really (groups just having left for the lakes and glaciers), but I thought I would try my luck and see if the owners knew of a place I could be alone. At first they repeated what everyone else had said, but then they pointed to a lake far off to the east, which looked to be almost outside the park. They said the views were great and that I could possibly leave my bike with one of the last farmers on the road before hiking. I didn't have too much time to think as the next day the town's fiesta was starting, and the last thing I wanted was more people and more noise.
By the time I had packed the following day it was past noon. There was a horse parade to start off the fiesta, and more than a hundred riders from the surrounding villages came to participate. Of course they were on the road I needed to get out, so my late start was delayed even more. As I was leaving I saw a group of pretty girls and for a moment my heart seized, as it usually does, in doubt and regret for leaving. Trying to get to the end of the road before the hike meant dropping Georgia 3 more times. I dropped her as much for her being underpowered and heavy, as for my own lack of off-road riding skills. I truly am a road biker playing at the adventure rider. Thankfully there was a farmer, Jose, the last farmer on the road before the wilderness, who saw me and helped me to right Georgia. All of that, just to be alone for a few days. By the time I got to the end of the road, repacked my backpack, tucked away and covered Georgia, it was already 3pm. Jose walked with me as far as the river, which is the boundary between his land and the park which stretches all the way to the border with Venezuela – encompassing both glacial peaks and jungle.
I continued across the river and began the slow climb to the lake. My bag was heavy and poorly packed (the sleeping bag hanging off the back) because it's too small to fit everything for a solo trek. It made breathing even harder, and brought a mind-numbing pain to my neck and shoulders. In a dozen years of hiking I cannot recall ever having the right backpack and having it properly packed. As much as I love the mountains every trip has been more trouble, almost, than it was worth – particularly at elevation.
What is said to be an hour's walk took me about two. When I finally huffed and puffed my way to the last peak, I discovered there was no lake – at best it was a bog with patches of water – tiny ponds perhaps. What was told to be a lake by 3 people, and what looked like a lake on the map, was nothing to look at, no view of anything else, and no place to camp. But because of my late start it was already growing dark and I had little choice but to look nearby for a place to break camp and abandon the idea of finding the lake. Between two years of smoking, lack of cardio, and the altitude, every step cost me what seemed to be an ounce of life. But I managed to set up camp and boil a cup of tea before dark. I then settled in to read, but was asleep by seven – only to wake up two hours later and spend the rest of the night in the contemplation of my own death.
Riding ever further from civilization never ceases to bring forth awe inspiring beauty. At night there is no light pollution and the sky is littered with millions of stars. The sun setting over mountain peaks sets them, and the truant fogs, ablaze, while casting the valleys in rich purple hues. The days bring vistas of mountains stretching for what seems to be a hundred kilometers to the horizon; of bucolic valleys with cows and sheep lazily grazing their days away; and rivers meandering noisily through fields and glades, snaking their way into distant dreams of the simple life.
As I sat there, alone, in a place which only in part met my hopes, I was keenly aware that I was in fact running away. This whole trip, regardless of every good reason, purpose or possible outcome, was, at its heart, a fleeing. It may sound silly, and I thought I was intelligent enough to know better, but in the end it's not about intelligence, and the truth is that I was running away from myself.
How can one run from themselves? The very you you wanted to leave behind? I realized this when I spent yet another sleepless night, though alone in the wilderness like I wanted – the place I was supposed to be most at peace - thinking of my own death. Though I am "living the dream", as everyone likes to tell me, easily a third of my thoughts are spent in the contemplation, and desperate attempt at prevention, of killing myself. What is ever more troublesome is how much closer I'm getting again to that moment. When I was 16 I didn't think, I just went for it (in a stupid way I'll grant you). My biggest regret to this day is that I did not research it and do it properly. Since then the thought of my actions destroying my mother's sanity and life has brought me back time and time again, but that torture is never-ending and it makes a big part of my life a living hell.
There is some irony in the fact that Love seems to be the cure for this. Of the last 24 years of the hell, about 5-6 were spent relatively free of these thoughts – the years I was in love. For one reason or another, real or invented, I parted ways with the three loves I had known. And now though I know the medicine I need, I fear of committing myself to someone. I didn't want to be wrong: get married, have some kids, and discover that love was not the answer after all and that I am doomed to this torture forever out of the responsibility I would have for my wife and kids (to say nothing of my mother). And so I ran, and I ran, and I ran… until I found myself in the middle of Colombian wilderness no better for it, with no new hope to light my way forward.
On the second day the fog came rolling in again – the sun, no matter how intense, seems to be no match for it. But I could not lay and wallow any longer so I decided to explore my little isolated haven. I found the elusive lake, further away, and higher, than what my phone map showed. It was good that I did not seek it the other day as I would have lost a lot of day light in my search and dry, flat places were scarce.
Colombia's version of an alpine plain is a lovely landscape of mosses, bushes, and a particularly pretty plant which, from a distance, looks like a mix between a cactus and an agave. Up close it looks like tiny sunflowers rising up from a vase of furry leaves growing up, and dryer, pineapple like, ones growing down. The colors of the flora are intense and bright when they are concentrated on furry little leaves that cling to crevices and cracks in mountain walls. But some patches of plants are eerie and wispy, they stand almost like ghosts in the distance, their silvery leaves and sunny heads taunting the senses from their foggy shrouds. There were bare rock strata of many colors running at various angles along the mountains. They threaten of a rougher, more desolate place than what this part of the valley actually is.
Darkness came quickly, as it tends to do in such places, leaving me under a giant bowl of stars, and every so often a distant meteor would streak the sky for a brief second, and I would unwittingly smile.
The next day, rather than burning up the fog, again, the sun boiled the steamy basin of Colombia's northern rainforest and sent clouds to cover the valleys and peaks of Cocuy for the majority of the day.
I began my hike though part Alps, part Middle Earth, at 6am. By 10:30 I found myself on a ridge that snakes from the snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada down to my humble and foggy little valley. To the north-west nothing but endless, and unexpectedly snowy, mountain peaks dissolving into the familiar distant hues of deep purples and blues. To the east the gradually descending mountains, with unmeasurably high cliffs that form tears in the earth, that lead to the rainforest.
After such a difficult start with my fear of crowding, not finding a place to camp, my physical and mental weakness, the view destroying fog, the elusive lake, the crashes with Georgia, and overweight pack, I was sure this would be a wasted trip. But as I sat alone on the soft, mossy ridge, with a commanding view of all cardinal directions, the sun and wind taking their turns burning and freezing me, I was finally content and happy.
But as always in the mountains the hard-won view was short lived. The fog began engulfing my return route and slowly obscuring the snow and dream filled horizon. I had no real map or GPS and could not see any of the landmarks I had remembered on my way up. I had my phone and was able to see my location relative to the lake – but in the high wilderness "relative" can mean the difference between life and death.
Descending blind in the thick fog I misjudged how far I had to go down and ended up descending more than I remembered climbing. I found myself on a ledge overlooking a cliff with nothing but white in front of me. Eventually I realized that I had traversed to far as well and was on the wrong side of at least one ridge.
In moments of clarity I could see the vertical wall behind me and the 90 degree drop in front of me. I knew I had to traverse back from where I came but I knew not to what end as I would be as blind there as I was on the edge of the precipice where I realized the gravity of my error. The thoughts of slipping and falling hundreds of meters, or being stuck in the open, exposed to wind and below zero temperatures were my constant mental companions. However, I stayed calm. It's probably the most important things one can do. The second, is to go back up, gain elevation and to re-orient yourself. This however would be fruitless in this case as the peaks would be just as engulfed in fog as the rest of the range. I knew, or rather hoped, that it would clear up as the sun would set, and if I just followed my instincts, the brief, short range, clearings in the fog and the compass on my phone, by the time it would begin to clear I would be within close range of my tent. Walking at night was not an option as I did not have my light, nor would it be very useful as there are no trails and many rises and falls which could obscure my tent even from a few dozen meters distance.
I began my scramble up the mountain in the direction which seemed the least steep and where a brief lull in the fog revealed what looked like a pass over the ridge which would not require professional rock climbing gear. As I made my way in that direction the fog closed in again. For the next three hours it would be the same over and over again.
I stopped often and sat in doubt – was I actually going the right way? At what point should I start to climb down again? There was only so much strength I had for going up and down at that altitude, would I have enough to keep going?
Brief "clearings", instinct, and a lot of luck finally revealed the side of a ridge on the other side of a narrow valley, and I knew it to be mine. For brief seconds the sun would appear as a perfect, hazy circle in the fog, which confirmed my direction, and in one of those moments it cast enough light on a familiar slope to let me know I would make it before dark.
But all was not yet won as the fog kept coming and limiting my ability to move on immediately and to plan the overall path. I eventually did make it down to the valley and began recognizing landmarks. I couldn't see my tent and the thought that it had been stolen gripped me as much as doubt over my orientation. Then there was more climbing ahead as I had ventured too far downhill and too far west. As the sun's rays grew weaker behind the western range, further dimmed by truant clouds, I finally saw the peak of my little gecko colored shelter. I was saved! And that is not an exaggeration as the likelihood of my surviving with no warm clothes or shelter at night, at over 4000 meters, would be quite slim.
The following morning my head continued to throb, as much from the altitude as from the lack of water and sleep during my 3 day solo excursion into the wilderness of Cocuy. The walk back to Georgia was mostly downhill, but it was still exhausting, and the farmer's dogs, without their master to keep them at bay, barked and bellowed and gnashed their teeth at me for a good half hour.
It was New Years Eve and I wasn't sure I would have a place to stay when I returned to the town. I rode to my last little unheated hovel and was warmly welcomed again. I almost decided to not leave the room, but could not bear to be alone on New Year's for the first time in my life, and so I got dressed again in my dirty clothes and went to the town's square. I met some people from before my trek and we spent the night dancing in the cold mountain air and making fun of the mediocre band. I was in bed by 4am, with no headache, and ready to continue to the first country which actually gave me cause to fear and doubt: Venezuela.
Help Me Search
Common Bonds
Adventure Log
- 01. 08-08-11 Introduction
- 02. Motivation:Why I Chose to Ride
- 03. 08-10-11 First Days
- 04. 08-11-11 Kindness
- 05. 8-21-11 Canada: The Ride, Part I
- 06. 9-1-11 Canada: The Ride, Part II
- 07. 9-2-11Adventures in Glacier:Parts I-II
- 08. 9-3-11 Adventures in Glacier: Part III
- 09.9-4-11AdventuresInGlacier:Part IV-V
- 10. 9-5-11: Losing My Sense of Urgency
- 11. 10-08-11 USA: The Ride – Part I
- 12. 10-10-11 USA: The Ride – Part II
- 13. 11-11-11 Concluding North America
- 14. 09-28-12: S. America Packing List
- 15. 10-01-12: Mexico – First Days
- 16. 10-16-12: Baja Riding
- 17. 10-27-12: From Desert to Sea
- 18. 11-2-12: Dia de los Muertos
- 19. 11-15-12: An Explosion of Art
- 20. 12-1-12: Calm in Guanajuato
- 21. 1-1-13: Climbing Pico de Orizaba, I
- 22. 1-2-13: Climbing Pico de Orizaba, II
- 23. 1-10-13: No Room at the Synagogue
- 24. 1-15-13: Mexico City
- 25.Less Glorious Realities of MCY Travel
- 26. Temazcal: A Journey Within
- 27. 2-1-13: Churches
- 28. Heartbreak in Orizaba
- 29. Veracruz: Endless Fiesta
- 30. 2-20-13: Oaxaca – Contrasts
- 31. 2-24-13: Oaxaca – On the Edge
- 32. 2-26-13: Oaxaca – Another World
- 33. 3-1-13: Sickness and Paradise
- 34. 3-10-13: Chiapas – Zapatista Land
- 35. 3-15-13: Chiapas – Relics
- 36. 3-21-13: End of the Line
- 37. 3-27-13: Belize – An Oversight
- 38.4-1-13:Guatemala-Sweat/Blood/Books
- 39. 4-10-13: 200km in 8 Hours
- 40. 4-21-13: Love and Loss
- 41. 5-5-13: The Crash
- 42. 5-15-13: Guatemala – Perspectives
- 43. 5-30-13: War and Farming
- 44. 6-15-13: El Salvador
- 45. 7-1-13: Honduras – Love or Death
- 46. Scent of a Woman
- 47. 8-1-13: Nicaragua/Costa Rica
- 48. 11-1-13: Life on the High Seas
- 49. The Crash – Peru
- 50. Counting Blessings
- 51. 11-20-13: Colombia – First Steps
- 52. 12-1-13: Down to Fumes
- 53. 12-25-13: Christmas Colombia Style
- 54. 12-31-13: Adventures in Cocuy
- 55. 01-01-14: Ups and Downs
- The Motorcycle
- Choosing The Truth of Our Humanity
- Forever Refugees
- Considering 4000 Years in 2 Moments


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|About The Wedding Planning Institute
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subset: commoncrawl


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Trash Society was born out of an idea to create an awareness of simple lifestyle changes that will have a BIG ecological and humanitarian impact.
The concept is based on a few of my favorite scriptures:
Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. — Romans 12:2 (NLT)
Everyone around was in awe—all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person's need was met.
Acts 2:42-44 (MSG)
Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it. James 4:17 (NLT)
It would be wrong of me to say that this was created out of love and joy, but indeed it was not. It was created out of a frustration with our wasteful American society and a deep sadness that there is much poverty and hunger in the world.
We can all make a difference. Small changes can really add up to BIG changes.
Make a choice to contribute a few small lifestyle changes to create a better world for everyone in it.


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Dance Tips for Non-Dancers Just Before the Big Party
This hub is for all those men (and teenager kids) who have no clue about dancing but sometimes situation demands them to be in a dance party for example, prom or a cousin's wedding. The nearer the date approaches, the faster the pulse blips. Even I fell in the same category but thanks to some great friends, I now know how to handle such situations. I don't claim to be a great dancer but I can manage just fine without making a fool of myself.
Nobody likes to make a fool of himself, so I thought I would play the good guy and come up with a 5 minute tutorial for those who have a date for such parties. For those who don't have a date, they don't need this tutorial. They can rock the way they want and have fun - no pressure at all.
I have gone a bit further and apart from writing about tricks I learnt myself or through these friends, I have also browsed through some related pages on web. Here are some thoughts and quick tips for non-dancers caught in such a situation. These tricks can be used for a wedding dance party, a disc, a social do or a business party. The only difference would be the distance between the guy and girl.
In fact, after I finished writing this hub, I realized that it is most useful for the kids going for prom and being 17, are self conscious and nervous like hell. So, all the moms out here can also take help of this hub if their little one comes asking for help just before the prom night.
First some pep talk to boost your confidence and make you comfortable
1. First of all, be assured that if you have a date, she likes you for what you are. You don't have to be a great dancer to impress her.
2. No need to be disturbed and perturbed because of this shortcomings. Be man enough and let your date know in advance that you can't dance. Who knows, you may actually earn brownie points for this dance-challenged status of yours.
3. If your date is close to you, she will try everything to teach you some hot steps before the party. When I was dating my current partner, she said that she actually found it very 'cute' (whatever that was supposed to mean). May be, because she found another area where she could control my 'moves', but that is my story. If she teaches you, you are a winner - whether you learn her moves or not is just insignificant if you know what I mean :-)
4. Most men are not great dancers, so you are in an elite company. Most of the men look dumb, out of place and morons kicking in walls. Point is, you do not have to be conscious about your moves and how you are looking like on the floor. 90% chances are that you are being as obnoxious as the man in the next couple on the floor, so you don't really loose anything. This is the biggest confidence pill I can give you.
Now the actual stuff: how to play around
There can be two forms of dancing - slow and fast.
Slow dancing:
Personally, I find it easier and believe I can pass out fine if it is a slow songs night. It is the simplest two steps bit. Just a little swaying around the music and you are aces. Here are a few things you can do with slow dancing
1. Just put your hand on your date's waist, grab her right hand with yours and do two small steps back and forth. Always remember one thing. Girls want you to stare at them, so instead of watching others' reaction, you are supposed to gaze in her eyes.
2. Put your hands on her hips and she in your neck or on your shoulders, then just sway side to side, moving slightly and gracefully, barely lifting your foot. Pretend you are completely in love by constantly gazing in her eyes. Yours will look the best pair if you can get that lovey-dovey love feeling in your eyes.
3. Turn in a very slow circle. If you gently and slowly rotate around, it will give you both something to look at while the song is playing. It also makes it look like you are dancing, instead of rocking back and forth.
Fast dancing:
In a fast song-dance routine, not even 5% men know what they are doing on the dance floor. And more than 95% girls know this fact. As long as you're not flailing your arms and legs too much and not kicking others, you should come out fine. If they are playing fast songs, you can do a few things -
1. Listen to the music and feel the beat. Do a bit of chair dancing. Sway your body while you are relaxing and the moment you hear a song you like, hit the floor
2. Let the girl take the lead and you just follow her. If it is getting complicated, tell her to slow down. She will oblige (no girl would ever want her pair to look out of place).
3. Someone commented on a webpage that simply swaying your body around the beat is dance. This is correct and becomes more relevant when your partner has gone to the ladies room and you are on the dance floor. Try a simple routine in this case.
- Feet together
- Step with your right foot out to the right and back (around 25% of a full stretch)
- Same with the left
- Repeat (in any direction you want)
You can do the same bit with your partner as well (specially in a setting where the two are not close enough)
4. Don't make your upper body and arm stiff. Let them loose and sway gently with the music. You don't really have to move them, just let them sway naturally. Loose self consciousness and this will happen automatically
Now some practical advice: these are actual tips I can give from my life
1. If you still have some time, PLEASE find a friend, or a sibling or even one of your parents - whoever you are most comfortable with. And then have some practice - even half an hour or an hour for 3-4 days will make you well prepared. It actually helped me. I did practice with my partner's girl friend and boy was she jealous :-)
2. Don't try too hard. It shows and you become a laughingstock.
3. Take frequent breaks to relax and soak in the environment. This is the time when you can have a quick look at other couples and pick up some of their simplest moves.
4. Take time out to get both of you relaxed while dancing. Make a witty remark or unexpected move. If you are not having a very intense and intimate time, talk to her while dancing - creates a lot of comfort (Thanks to a good comment on Yahoo)
5. Be quick to imitate. There would be a lot of men who would have devised their own emergency plans. Imitating them is a smart thing.
If you are still not confident on the big day, don't concentrate on dancing. Instead try to behave a nice guy and have a good time anyway. Let her know that you are not comfortable with dancing and she can dance with other friends of her. Keep joining them for 5-10 minutes on a song which you know and can at least lip sync on an imaginary microphone. This way you can make your presence felt. Your date will understand and your friends will applaud. THIS HAPPENED WITH ME AND SHOULD ALSO WORK WITH YOU.
hiya imm 11 lmao aha
I don't know where to post this so sure! That ^ was personal experience #1 :D
Hi Stooge ;) May I add one more advice? Make sure you drink a lot in front of people to blame the incompetence on the intoxication. I love this one! :D
I liked all your confidence tips prior to the real tips. I truly think destressing and not feeling self-concious about yourself is half the battle. Once your not embarassed the moves tend to just flow freely.
Hi stooge, it's seems like days that we haven't talked but today I'm alittle free so wanted to see more of what you wrote. Thanks for covering saying that I'm not a flirt, I guess you have come to know me very well. But as ChristineKV said that I don't want to share you at all, maybe she's right, maybe I don't.LOL.
Keep in touch, I missed you!
Yeah Stooge, I'm sure you just ate that up, having those ladies say they wanted to dance w/ you - seems like Aeman A really wants to be first and not share your affections or attention w/ another! What a flirt!
I hear what you are saying in regards to dancing being scintillating and sexy and God knows I've got and practiced some sexy moves myself but there are areas of this country (USA) anyway where things have become really over the top and chaperones do nothing to stop it - moves that should be saved for the bedroom.
Oh, forgot to comment last time that I liked what you said about gazing into a woman's eyes....when you can get a woman to gaze back the same way on the dance floor, I'd say unless she's a good actress, a man can at that point be confident that he's captured her interest. I don't say this in hoping anyone will see it as 'conquest' but in hopes there still are some classy Romeo's out there.
Well done Stooge, as well as timely; hopefully some high school students will see it and take it to heart (the way some of them dance these days - portraying sexual moves and positions on the dance floor! It's mind blowing our society has come to this).
This is pure.
Personally, I like Magenas enjoy a couple glasses of wine to relax prior to feeling up for getting on the dance floor, and of course I have to like the music.
Nice hub - it made me smile. Thanks for being so relational and genuine.
i am going to show this to my hubby to be so he knows what he is doing on our bi day!!
Great job!The things you said are really obvious when you read them but in reallity you've never tought about it in this perspective.And Sweetie Pie,yes it's great for having a non-dancer type partner but i can't really say that for myself because my girlfriend is a dancer,so i'm really screwed...I'm usually a good dabncer but normally i'm as stiff as a rock,so whenever we go out with the intention to dance i usually have a few drinks to get the blood pumping and lossen up a bit.Then you can put Stooge's tips on how not to make a fool of yourself.Again-great work,man.
It was a wedding reception and he was walking around helping arrange everything because he was the groom's best friend. So I danced with one person and then only talked to a few people there. It was a wedding where I did not know anyone really.
There are some great tips on this hub and yes it is okay if your dancing partner is not as keen as you about dancing. My ex-boyfriend hated dancing so I never forced him to do it, although I do like to dance sometimes. Good hub with informative tips.
I'll think I'll pass out now. I am sooooooooooooooo swamped!
See you tommorrow! Sweet dreams
Believe me, you're ganna want her to sleep!
Sounds fun! So when are you landing over here?
I wonder why you started late?
It's okay, but how can you be in the office so late? You work too much, how are you ganna make it here and have a dance with me if you keep working like that?
Well today I'm stressed out and pizza is sleeping right now! This hub is kind of a stress relief pill especially after talking to you. Not much! How was your day today?
At least not in public? Where are you actually planning to dance with her?
You know I'm not, I don't have to be. I can find someone else to dance with if you don't need me as a partner!
Hey, I asked you first!!
Sure Stooge - when are you going to be in Perth, Western Australia :-)
Good one! Actually, if I had seen it half a year ago, I probably would have skipped one month of dance lessons. ;)
Dare: you to dance class! It has several advantages for boys not only a) you learn to dance but b) you meet lots of gorgeous girls who won't date u unless u can dance :-) But then Im biased!
I will like to dance with you someday? So keep practising!!!
you're ganna be much older then.......!
ha ha, just keep hoping that we don't meet.
Since when did you see me angry? You heard me getting dissapointed but never angry so how can you be sure how I look when I'm angry?
Yeah you do need a lawyer, that's for sure! You're not ganna be able to handle me yourself!
Well, as I said on one of your hubs that I was born to win in an argument that is ofcourse, I guess I'm not ganna need a lawyer after all. Don't take this matter to court, fight face to face or hub to hub, whatever. You are even more cute when you're angry!
Okay I'll stop before you really sue me!! Being sued for calling you cutie sounds cute though.
ha ha ha try to! Cutie!
I really love this hub, I think this is one of my favorite hubs that you have written so far. Thanks for the tips so people like you can get some points on the dance floor. Doesn't matter how you dance really, if you're looking into her eyes and making her feel important, nomatter whos ganna laugh at you, she will be there for you and she'll make you feel that your the best dancer. But being good in dance doesn't hurt either. Cutie!
wow nice dance...
oh and I appologize for calling you a cutie too!!
Nice hub!
Very original topic. Cute hub. Don't be insulted that I called you cute though... I meant cute in a burly, manly man way.--Cheryl
A good one Stooge!
I especially like these your words: 'Most men are not great dancers, so you are in an elite company. Most of the men look dumb, out of place and morons kicking in walls'
It is true


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Police seek info on SE Atlanta home invasion | News
ATLANTA -- Police are seeking information about a home invasion in southeast Atlanta.
Authorities say six masked men forced their way into a home on Morley Avenue on May 11.
Most of the suspects were dressed all in white and had their faces covered. One suspect tried to kick in the door but needed help from a second suspect who after two attempts, forced the door of the home on Morley Avenue open.
Six suspect then started to enter the home, four of them were carrying handguns, but suddenly stopped and eventually left without taking anything.
Police believe they might have been scared off when a female in the home tried to wake up her fiance. "She made it known that there were intruders inside the house and she advised him to grab a weapon," said Atlanta Police Officer Ralph Woolfolk. "At that point in time they left the location."
Craig Scholz, who lives across the street in the Boulevard Heights neighborhood, said he watched his neighbor's surveillance video. "It looked like they all had guns and they just ran as soon as he said something, so it could have gotten a lot worse, so I'm just happy everyone's okay," he said.
What makes things a bit more unsettling in the neighborhood is that ten days later an eerily similar crime happened on Pershing Avenue.
Eddie Duke said someone tried to break into his home and it seems like crime is picking up in the neighborhood. "It's been quiet for a long time now and it just seems like it's picking up again, which I hate," he said.
Duke has surveillance cameras on his house and he also has a gun. He showed the video to 11 Alive News and it showed a suspect dressed all in white walking up to his front door and peering inside. Moments later he came back with two more suspects and all three looked inside.
Eventually the suspect in white kicked the door three times, but it refused to budge and the suspects fled. By that time Duke and his partner woke up. "I heard I think the last kick and Chris saying 'get up and get the gun' and so we both ran to the front window and saw the car pulling away," he said.
Atlanta police said it was too early to say whether the two cased are connected.
Anyone with information is asked to call Atlanta Crime Stoppers at 404-577-TIPS(8477). A $2,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to arrests.
You can follow Kevin on Twitter @krowson11alive and like him on Facebook


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Back to all reports
Abandoned vehicle in York Road nr. Norman Court
Reported in the Abandoned Vehicles category anonymously at 09:12, Thu 13 June 2019
Sent to Stevenage Borough Council 4 minutes later
Car has not moved for several weeks. Vehicle check shows failed M.O.T.
This report is now closed to updates. You can make a new report in the same location.


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Inside squash: art and sport confined
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The game of squash has come a long way since early players whacked balls at a debtors' prison in London in the early 19th century. From there it traveled to English boarding schools, into the realm of the upper class, where it has an avid following today.
Carlin Wing, a photographer and video artist, played squash at Harvard and was a professional player before going to California Institute of the Arts for her master's degree. Her well-timed show at anthony greaney cleverly examines squash, class, and the spectacle of a sport underwritten by corporate financiers such as JP Morgan Chase & Co. and the now bygone
The main event is two gorgeous large-scale photographs of squash tournaments played in translucent cubes inside Grand Central Station. Chandeliers pour warm light over the elegant, Beaux Arts-style hall, while colder white lights illuminate the modern cube below. High-paying customers sit on the sidelines.
Wing took long exposures; the fast-moving players fade to traces, achieving transcendence. Even so, the box they play in suggests they're trapped, not unlike prisoners. Wing also draws parallels to the white-cube art gallery: The glittering, high-end commodification of art and that of sport meld here into one.
Also on view, Web grabs of squash exhibitions played in the Field Museum in Chicago, at the foot of the Egyptian Pyramids, at Boston Symphony Hall, and elsewhere. In each of these tiny, blurred shots, the bright court is the size of an actual squash ball, giving the installation a purposefully bouncy quality. They reveal the entitled culture of high-end exhibition squash. I, for one, had no idea there were squash tourneys at Symphony Hall.
Finally, Wing includes an elegantly shot video that follows her as she plays squash on the street (including against the mirrored walls of the John Hancock Building), humanizing the game. She sprinkles the video with odd trivia, such as "the British Empire considered sports as civilizing," pulling together all her themes with understated wit. She's found provocative content in her game, and she presents it with a sterling attention to form.
In "A Series of Human Decisions," he examines architectural spaces such as therapists' offices and artists' studios. Jacobson attends to the forms of these rooms, and how they guide the eye. "A Series of Human Deci sions (1941)" shows a small black metal desk and chair set at a diagonal to walls of cherry cabinets and bookcases. There's a precision to the angles and planes of this scene. They feel empty, calculated.
Then he set out for the desert to study the horizon line. The astonishing second group, "Some Planes," features bleached tones and grand expanses; they're almost abstract, and recall the meditative clarity and horizontality of paintings by Agnes Martin .
Some, such as "Some Planes (204)" are almost without texture, just a curtain of pale, pale blue over a sea of beige. Then there's "Some Planes (436)," in which the eternal white sky looms over a field lumpy with hummocks striated in blue-gray and mauve. These are gorgeous works, crisp and unearthly.
"Syntenograph," by Ben Fry and Eugene Kuo, makes drawings based on patterns found among the genetic codes of several creatures. They spring from the viewer spinning a dial that moves the codes around. A random drawing is a random drawing; it lacks human intention. Jennifer Hall gives physical form to patterns of brain waves generated during REM sleep, but here we see an artist's sensibility at work: One of her pieces is made of sterling silver, and looks like a crown made of dribbling mercury.
It's hard to resist "Fleshmap," by Fernanda Viégas and Martin Wattenberg. It features beautiful images of a man and a woman over which they have charted information gathered over the Internet about what body parts people like to touch, and to have touched. It is fun and yummy, if not eye-opening.
Finally, Jason Salavon finds scores of an iconographic image - such as a child in Santa's lap, or a bride and groom - and digitally mushes them all together. The results are like an early Bill Jacobson photo - all fuzz, but with just enough information that you know exactly what you're looking at - as if the essence of Santa has no detail, but is just something you sense.


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Stop 2 of The Wakeskate Tour – Texas Two-Step
The second stop of the Wakeskate Tour went off in Texas this past weekend at the new Hydrous Wake Park in Little Elm just outside of Dallas. They say everything is bigger in Texas and the guys at Hydrous and the Wakeskate Tour took this into account building one of the biggest drops the tour has seen. With a metal rail coming out of the top pool and two perfect metal flat rails in the bottom pond the setup was perfect to display some of the best wakeskating in the world. The System 2.0 was high in the sky giving the riders the sweet, silent pull they were looking for and each heat was more impressive than the last. The crowd stayed amped on Rockstar's magic energizing blends and the park's restaurant, The Tap House's adult beverages and awesome food. Incredible riding was put down by everyone with standout performances (surprise, surprise) by the Pastura brothers. Congratulations to Yan Lecomte who rode like a beast all weekend to claim his first Wakeskate Tour podium. Sorry I didn't take more photos, somehow I made finals (even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and again) and was too busy riding to capture the magic. My terrible photos couldn't have done the riding justice anyway; wakeskating is progressing at a crazy pace and if you haven't gotten the chance to check out one of the Wakeskate Tour stops yet I highly suggest you do. Thanks again to everyone at the Wakeskate Tour and Hydrous in Little Elm for everything. – Words by Danny Hampson
Men's Super Final
1. Andrew Pastura
2. Austin Patura
3. Yan Lecomte
4. Nick Robinson
5. Bret Little
6. Danny Hampson
Women's Final
1. Cassandra Scott
2. Jen GilanFarr
3. Calli Turner
For more info on The Wakeskate Tour check out thewakeskatetour.com


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About Me
Hi! I am a passionate development engineer sharing my knowledge and experience with others. I currently work at ViaSat, formerly at Amazon and Samsung. My views are my own and do not represent a position of my employer.
My current gig is making awesome online courses for Pluralsight. Go check them!
I enjoy writing and have contributed to several blogs like: DZone and SitePoint
I am long term Open Source contributor and have contributed to several projects including Apache Flink and Gatling.
I curate a "Software Architecture and Beyond" group on social media, so if you are interested in this topic you can follow it on: Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+.


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Double Screening Emile Parisien with Julien Touéry, Ivan Gélugne & Julien Loutelier
Album info
Label: ACT Music
Genre: Jazz
Subgenre: Contemporary Jazz
Artist: Emile Parisien with Julien Touéry, Ivan Gélugne & Julien Loutelier
Album including Album cover Booklet (PDF)
- 1Double Screening I03:17
- 2Double Screening II04:12
- 3Spam 102:06
- 4Hashtag I02:18
- 5Hashtag II04:00
- 6Hashtag III04:10
- 7Hashtag IV02:51
- 8Spam 301:58
- 9Deux point zero04:21
- 10Elegie pour carte mere03:48
- 11Malware Invasion07:50
- 12Algo03:47
- 13Spam 201:13
- 14Daddy Long Legs05:43
Info for Double Screening
Jazz tradition - continued. In recent times few jazz musicians have gained as much public attention as the French soprano saxophonist Emile Parisien. His new album "Double Screening" combines all of his exceptional qualities. With breathtaking technical skills, great sensitivity, imagination and a good amount of anarchy, Parisien investigates, challenges and expands the jazz genre. The result is fresh, European music, rousing, virtuoso and full of emotion.
There probably isn't another jazz musician anywhere in Europe receiving as much acclaim at the moment as French soprano saxophonist Emile Parisien. The concert recording "Sfumato Live in Marciac" (CD and DVD), with Joachim Kühn at the piano, plus guests Michel Portal, Vincent Peirani and Wynton Marsalis, was released in 2018 and was greeted with rapturous enthusiasm: "An outstanding voice in contemporary jazz", remarked ARD Parisien, and with good reason. Arte Metropolis discerned a "magician on the saxophone", The Times of London called him "Europe's leading soprano saxophonist," and for Der Spiegel, it was "a pleasure to watch Emile Parisien perform his great art". In the US, Downbeat Magazine even considered it an understatement to limit Parisien's importance to the sphere of European jazz, while Rolling Stone magazine confirmed him not only as perhaps the best saxophonist of his generation but also as the leader one of today's most impressive bands. And this is just a sample from many such plaudits...
So it is not overstating the case to describe Parisien as an artist who is setting the direction for his instrument. In the years since Sidney Bechet, John Coltrane and Steve Lacy, no player has devoted him- or herself to the soprano saxophone as intensively or with such a propensity to innovate. No one has brought out the vital, incisive, exotic, vibrato-rich tone of the instrument with such ease, and also recalibrated it and placed it at the centre of wholly new concepts.
Parisien's new album "Double Screening" marks a return to the quartet format, and combines all of the qualities of this exceptional musician. Parisien lets jazz shine through in a way that is inimitable: he poses questions, he elaborates, he finds new answers and new ways to re-define the old. It can be visionary; it is also joyous.
Parisien is increasingly integrating elements from his homeland as he creates a whirling mix of chanson with contemporary classical music, and also with French and North African folklore. His playing radiates improvisational dynamism and originality.
He stacks up the ideas at a fast pace but concentrates on making his lines readily comprehensible to the listener. He doesn't have to overwork any single motif, because they come to him so thick and fast. He never goes the simple route, and yet the compositions, which are all by him or the band members, have rousing energy, demanding arcs of concentration, and astonishing stringency. These organized jollifications are full of unexpected feints and sudden twists and turns. The boundaries between composition and improvisation are cast to one side. The superb way in which these band members communicate with each other and avoid any sense routine is a joy to experience. This jazz is fresh, frantic and original; and it calls out for all the superlatives.
Emile Parisien's prodigious gifts as an instrumentalist are in no doubt; in fact, it is not something he ever needs to prove. When he traverses into expressive free jazz areas, then rushes through tricky melody lines at top speed, lingers over complex ideas, or makes the soprano saxophone sound for a while like a Japanese Shakuhachi flute, it always has the purpose of serving the art. And there again, it's not about just the soloist either, but rather the band which instinctively, almost dreamily steers a course between the succinct and the emotionally honest, jumping out of the rough and immediately landing in the smooth. The music is built with precision, and yet it is full of spaces for individual spontaneity. This is new European jazz that is aware of its traditions, but can also depart from them to break new ground: it's furious, it's virtuoso and never ceases to take the emotions by surprise.
Emile Parisien, soprano & tenor saxophone
Julien Touéry, piano
Ivan Gélugne, bass
Julien Loutelier, drums
Recorded and mixed by Philippe Teissier Du Cros at Studio Gil Evans de La Maison de la Culture, Amiens (France), December 2017
Mastered by Klaus Scheuermann
Emile Parisien
The saxophonist Emile Parisien, born in 1982, enrolls in Marciac college in 1993, where he enjoys a musical formation with experienced musicians such as Pierre Boussaguet, Guy Laffitte, and Tonton Salut.
Over these years, he has the opportunity to work with several leading figures of jazz: Wynton Marsalis, Chris Mc Bride, Johnny Griffin, or Bobby Hutcherson, who give him the opportunity to play with them on the Marciac Jazz festival.
From 1996 on, he pursues further his formation at the Conservatoire de Toulouse where he studies classical and contemporary music with Philippe Lecoq. In 2000, Emile Parisien moves to Paris. Since then, he has played both in France and abroad with musicians such as Daniel Humair, Michel Portal, Jean-Paul Celea, Jacky Terrasson, Claude Tchamitchian, Yaron Herman, Gueorgui Kornazov, Rémi Vignolo, Manu Codjia, Hervé Sellin, Charlier/Sourisse, and Christophe Wallemme.
In 2004, he takes part in the creation of the show HIP 11, which mixes jazz and hip-hop dances. The same year, he asserts his artistic identity by founding the group Emile Parisien Quartet with Julien Touery (piano), Sylvain Darrifourcq (drums) and Ivan Gélugne (double bass). Inspired by composers of the 20th century, such as John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, or Ornette Coleman, this quartet adds a kind of expressionist character to its music, where improvisation is the guiding principle. By pushing the limits of the concrete, the group acquires, thanks to the complicity of its musicians, a very personal and resolutely modern expression.
In 2007, Emile Parisien was elected Talent of Jazz of the Fond d'action Sacem for 3 years in a row. It is with this support that the quartet records its two discs at the label LABORIE Jazz. "Au revoir porc-épic" in 2007, and "Original Pimpant" in 2009, which received good reviews both from professionals and amateurs.
In September 2009, the Emile Parisian Quartet is offered the Franck Ténot prize, discovery of the year of the Victoires de la musique and they are award-winners of the program Jazz Migration which is put into place by Afijma.
The quartet has today the opportunity to play on European territory (Germany, Swiss, Austria, UK, and Scandinavia) on a regular basis. He is involved in the new quartet of Daniel Humair with Vincent Peirani and Jérome
And plays in their cd "Sweet and Sour" released on 2013.on laborite jazz records. A new cd "live" will be issue on the end of 2014..
In 2012 Emile Parisien was elected "best french musician of the year" by the Académie du Jazz.
in 2014 new recording "Belle Epoque" on Act records in duo with Vincent Peirani, and he is one the musician of the "Generation Spedidam" In 2014 he won "the Victoires de la Musique" for his record in duo "belle époque" with Vincent Peirani.
" class="ng-binding ng-scope">Emile Parisien Quintet with Joachim Kühn


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Sharing your Understand project definitions with your team members saves them from needing to setup all of the include paths, macros, file paths etc. An easy way to do that is by adding the project files to your version control system. However in the past the file size and frequency of change made it a… Read more »
Posts Tagged: settings
Key Binding Options
Key Bindings can be accessed via Tools->Options->Key Bindings this page lets you search for key binding, either by name or by the actual keystrokes. This page also has all of the key bindings in one place for easy browsing. There is also a separate page for each Component(Category) of key bindings in the navigation pane…. Read more »


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Wisconsin Literacy's Plain Language Webinar focuses on the fundamentals of plain language, including the benefits of using it in your work place.
Introduced in this hour-long webinar are several strategies for clear written communications such as
- simplifying word choice
- grammar tips
- active vs. passive voice, and
- layout and design.
Attendees will learn improved communication strategies that can be implemented immediately, and be able to ask discussion questions online at the end of the presentation.
This webinar will be recorded, but will be available for only one week.
Sponsored by IFLS, SCLS, SWLS, WRLS, NFLS, BLS, ALS, KCLS, LLS, MCFLS, MLS, MCLS, OWLS, and WLS
Monday, April 8, 2019 - 10:00am
Event Category:


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Bodwell's string of championships with the North Shore Athletic Association and the Greater Vancouver Independent School Athletic Association is a testament to the expertise of our coaches and the genuine team efforts of our student athletes. Bodwell has the benefit of a full gymnasium, indoor pool, and other close by facilities. However, the individual perspectives of our international student athletes are what add richness to the Bodwell athletic experience.
All of our athletes work on the cornerstones of teamwork and sportsmanship to ensure their own success and their teams, both on and off the field. To a Bodwell student athlete, winning is an effect of hard work, dedication, cooperation, and an open mind.
Here we give you a roundup of Bodwell's sport teams since September 2014. This post features a look at the Bodwell ski & snowboard team.
Ski & Snowboard
The ski and snowboard team only trained two days up at Cypress Mountain for the North Shore terrain and slalom competitions up at Whistler on January 30th and February 12th. Despite the variability in snow conditions up at Whistler, the team were still able to adjust their carving technique during their races. This was the first year that Bodwell competed in the Terrain GS race and our team impressed everyone. Liliya Nesterovich placed 3rd out of 38 in the experienced girls ski category and Hiroki Udagawa placed 9th out of 30 in the experienced boys snowboard category. Liliya went on to compete in the ski provincial championships for the second year in a row!
Fabio ALMADA, Taihei HIRATA, Masashi HWANGBO, Tatsuhiro IZAWA, Ryuki KAWAMOTO, Mandy LADD, Matthew LADD, Terry LIN, Teddy LIN, Liliya NESTEROVICH, Tommaso SACCUCCI, Tora SOEJIMA, Chen TOIGANBAYEV, Maksim TUMAZEV, Hiroki UDAGAWA, Tatsuaki YOKOI (Coach: Bianca FERRAJOHN, Kirsten ODEGAARD, Aimee LEES)


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Purpose: The US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program was formed in 1977 to identify players and create a player pool in each age group from which a National Team will be formed. As a State association, we are tasked to provide high-level training to benefit and enhance the development of players at the highest level. Through the use of carefully selected and licensed coaches, we form a State Pool within each age group to showcase and compete at the Region 4 ODP Championships and select Region 4 events. The Alaska Development Program, was created for players that are either too young or too old to compete at ODP Championships. Current Organization: From 1982 until the present, international events for youth national teams have increased substantially. US Youth Soccer ODP has kept pace by instituting trials and player pools for five age groups for both Boys and Girls
How are Players Selected: Players are selected, in Alaska, on the basis of an open tryout. The tryouts are conducted by Alaska ODP Staff Coaches, who are recognized for their ability to identify and train players with superior skills. Selection of these players is not an easy task. The AYSA Director of Coaching or State Coach will, in most cases, be assisted in the selection process by several other qualified coaches from the club level. Players are evaluated on the four components that make up a soccer player:
What are the Benefits of Participating in US Youth Soccer ODP:
What is the Sub-Regional Camp: The sub-regional camp offers players the opportunity to work with and be trained by the Regional Staff Coaches inside their own environment. The information gathered at this event allows coaches to use the data gathered and compare in real world environment at ODP Championships to make educated decisions on player's abilities to go on and compete at Regional Camp.
What is Regional Camp: US Youth Soccer is divided into four regions, each which offers a regional camp for state association ODP teams in each eligible age group. The camps are designed to provide high level competition and training for participating players. During this training and competition, players who are capable of performing at a higher level of play are identified for possible national team camp, Regional pool, or Regional team participation. Each region varies somewhat as to the specifics and the cost of their camps
What is National Camp: National Camps and Interregional events are held throughout the year at various locations in the United States. The National Team Coach or a National Staff Coach is present at these events to observe, train, and identify players for placement in the national pool or on a national team.
Alaska Pathway: Club Team<ODP State Team; ODP State Team<Regional Team; Regional Team<National Team


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Comment and Highlight on Websites with commentto
The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here.
Name: commentto
Quick Pitch: Comment anywhere.
Genius Idea: Commentto is a browser add-on service that allows users to highlight, bookmark, comment, save and share bookmarks and excerpts on websites.
Do you ever want to add extra knowledge to a news story or other content on the web? Well, browser add-on commentto lets you comment on anything you want.
Commentto allows users to highlight paragraphs on websites and add additional notes or comments. Users can also save information from a webpage to a personal commentto account folder. In the commentto popup, users can edit the title of the clip, add comments, and place the excerpt into a folder. Commentto does not track website history, but keeps a digital record of the websites and excerpts saved.
This add-on feature is especially helpful for those doing research and want to return to a webpage at a later date. Students could benefit from sharing notes, too. It can also be a useful tool for programmers, or anyone really.
"I code everyday, and many times I search online for solutions to problems I have with my code," said Kandarp Dave, the founder of commentto. "When I find a solution, all I do is select, and save the information to commentto."
Dave started working on commentto in 2009 while he was studying computer science at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. He earned a master's in computer science in December 2011 and now his complete focus has turned to his startup. Commentto relaunched last month with a shinier exterior. Dave said he listened to feedback from its 185 users to make the site better, faster and easier to use.
He has built commentto solely with his own funds. The add-on has not been profitable, but Dave hopes to accept advertising in the future.
"I started commentto, because I was really bothered that I always had to comment at the end of, say, a news article," he said. "That's not really a conversation. If we want to bring real-world conversations online, we have to provide users a way to comment anywhere."
Mostly Dave's friends and social network are the ones using the site. He hopes more will try it out. To start using commentto, sign up for the add-on's free service and then download the browser extension on Firefox or Chrome. From there, a user can comment on anything on the web and save content to folders. Watch Dave's video to see the browser add-on in action.
"Once you start using it you will really love it," Dave said. "It is very easy to use."
The positive side to this add-on is knowledge could be more widely shared. The down side — comments could clutter the web or be completely inaccurate. Although, only those who have the commentto add-on can see comments.
Will you use commentto? Tell us why or why not in the comments below.
Series Supported by Microsoft BizSpark


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The New Hampshire Maple Experience will return to The Rocks Estate this spring, bringing with it all the tradition, sweetness, and fun of maple sugaring season! Dates for this year's Maple Experience are March 16, 23-24, 30- 31, and April 6.
The Experience includes an interactive
step-by-step demonstration of crafting maple syrup – complete with a visit to the
onsite sugar house – as well as a horse-drawn carriage ride through the historic Rocks Estate and a syrup tasting with the traditional pairing of sour pickle and homemade donut.
"Parents looking for kid-friendly
events often bring their children to the Maple Experience, and inevitably the
whole family ends up learning a lot about maple sugaring – and everyone has a
great time," said Nigel Manley, longtime Rocks Estate manager. "We keep the
Maple Experience fresh by adding new features each season."
Other highlights of the Maple Experience include a visit to the
interactive maple museum and education center; the "Taste of New
Hampshire Maple," featuring local chefs demonstrating how to make their
favorite maple recipes; a relay race where participants are timed on how
long it takes to fill a 10-gallon container (enough sugar maple sap to
make one quart of syrup); and tasty treats from Kingdom Kernels Kettle Corn.
Reservations for the Maple Experience tours are highly recommended, but walk-ins are welcome on a
space available basis. For more details, please visit our online calendar. To learn how to turn your Maple Experience into a weekend-long adventure, complete with a stay at one of our partnering inns or hotels, check out our Maple Experience Vacation Package.
See you this spring at The Rocks!


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Singapore's leading event focusing on diversity and inclusion is back once again!
The Conference on Fair & Progressive Employment Practices 2015 themed "Inclusiveness: Advancing Workplaces in Singapore" will engage local and international experts, leading employers, academics as well as tripartite leaders.
Singapore's workforce has become more diverse and will continue to be so characterised by multi-generations, gender, culture and other differences such as education and thinking styles. Recognising and valuing diversity in the workplace will be increasingly key as a competitive advantage.
The ability to build Inclusiveness as a business value into the workplace will become central to assimilating the diverse talent who work, live and play together.
This conference aims to bring about a vibrant exchange of ideas and perspectives from companies and business leaders in different industries.
Participants will have an opportunity to understand and be inspired by how companies in different industries practise inclusiveness as a business imperative.
Our keynote speaker, Dr Helen Turnbull, author of two psycho-metric assessment tools on Unconscious Bias and Inclusion and an internationally recognised Thought Leader in global inclusion and diversity practices will bring participants further into the journey of inclusiveness, to navigate the complexity of inclusion.
In the afternoon, participants can select and attend topical workshops to suit their organisations' needs.
These breakout sessions include:
•Session 1A: Women in Today's Workforce: Can They Have It All?
•Session 1B: Inclusiveness: The Heart of Tomorrow's Workforce
•Session 2A: Older Workers: 60s Is The New 40s
•Session 2B: Work-Happy: Flexible Work Arrangements Made Easy
In conjunction with the conference, HR professionals will have a special opportunity to come together to discover how they can undertake the role as change agents and put into practice the principles of inclusiveness in the workplace at our Day 2 Workshop - HR Professionals: Charting the Path Towards an Inclusive Workplace.
|Organised By:
|In Partnership With:


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…Every year around New Years' time I reflect a lot on my life, and think of the people I've encountered along the way that have had an impact on me. I wanted to reach out to you to let you know how inspired I was by your honesty and encouragement at the talk you gave early one morning to our group…
I am absolutely blown away with your art! Your attention to detail is unmatched. I really enjoyed getting to meet you and thank you for spending so much time talking with us about your art. I will be a collector for life!
Scotty, I LOVE LOVE LOVE my new art!!! I can't believe it came so quickly! We put it up immediately. You and Angie are such sweet souls. I cannot wait to get my next piece! I wish I could leave more stars!!!
If You See Kay – Studio Edition Sometimes all the pieces just fit in perfect [...]
RockStars of Art Gallery Opens in Corona del Mar Fine Art by Scotty is pleased [...]
Why a Custom Framed Original is Worth the Investment. I Eat Ferrari There are times [...]
Scotty Ziegler wins Fisher-Price Toy of the Year for On-the-Go Baby Dome What a better way [...]
Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas 2017 We are deeply saddened by the heinous actions of one individual. [...]
Fine Art by Scotty is pleased to announce Scotty's work is now on display at [...]
Fine Art by Scotty June 2017 Newsletter "Anything worth doing is worth doing to excess." [...]
Fine Art by Scotty January 2017 Newsletter Thank you for taking the time to read [...]
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Past Events
Fantasy Fest Key West 2018
RockStars of Art Gallery Corona del Mar Sept 2018 Show
Barrett Jackson Las Vegas 2018
RockStars of Art Gallery Grand Opening
Barrett Jackson Scottsdale 2018
New Year's Eve Key West 2017
Barrett Jackson Las Vegas 2017
Oh My Godard Gallery Las Vegas July 2017
Barrett-Jackson Northeast 2017
Fantasy Fest Key West 2017
Memorial Day Weekend Key West 2017
Barrett Jackson Scottsdale 2017
Barrett Jackson Las Vegas 2016
Barrett Jackson Scottsdale 2015
Barrett Jackson Scottsdale 2016
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The Coach House | Abersoch
Bedrooms: 5 | Sleeps: 14 | Pets: Yes | Changeover Day: Friday | Short Breaks: Yes
● Central Location
● Open Plan
● Parking for 4 Cars
●Electric Wall Heaters
● Sky TV
●Outside Shower
Ground Floor
LOUNGE AREA An inviting space which features an inset wood burning stove and log storage space below. Wall mounted Curved Smart TV with Sky basic package, DVD player. A comfortable seating arrangement with two custom made sofas, large rug, coffee table, round table and chairs. Built in shelves under the stairs with DVD's and books. Dual French doors lead out to an under-canopy decking area and front lawn. Quirky variable level shelving separates the dining area and lounge area with cupboard space below. Plenty of natural light and vibrant artwork makes the living area a pleasant place to be.
KITCHEN/DINING AREA A bright and practical kitchen with white granite worktops, integrated dishwasher, stainless steel sink with pull out spray tap, Smeg American fridge freezer. Tiled from the worktop to ceiling, creating a great sense of space. Wall mounted units with LED up lights and strip LED down lights. Dual fan assisted ovens, ceramic hob with stainless steel extractor above. Solid slate wine holder, island with units below, matching white granite worktops, bar stools and glass pendant lights above.
DINING AREA with large solid wood table, rug below and seating for 14 people. Dual aspect windows and French doors, Stable door main entrance off the kitchen.
CLOAKROOM with W/C and wash basin. Automatic lighting.
BOOT ROOM Wall units with built in microwave oven. Oak work top below and wine rack. Window looking out to the back of the property.
UTILITY Housing washing machine and tumble dryer below an oak work top.
GARDEN Front lawn with mature borders. Drive way with stable gates which make the area enclosed. Raised patio area with dining table and chairs. Charcoal Weber BBQ.
OUTSIDE SHOWER (Hot and cold) with corrugated paneling for privacy. Great for hosing down after a splendid day at the beach.
First Floor
LANDING An open landing with snug area, corner sofa, Smart TV and DVD player. Feature pendant light above staircase. Windows looking out to the rear of the property. Side unit with lamps.
BEDROOM 1 Master Bedroom with Super King size bed and En suite bathroom.Ottoman at the bottom of the bed, burro with drawers and fold down desk, chest drawers, wall mounted coat hooks, bedside units with drawers and reading lamps. Window looking out to the front of the property. Double slim line doors lead into the En Suite Bathroom. Offset quadrant shower cubicle tiled floor to ceiling with wood effect tiles. Free standing bath with centre mixer taps, window looking out to the front of the property, towel radiator, wall mounted His & Hers sink with mirror flush to tiles. Wall mounted lights each side. W/C with storage unit above.
BEDROOM 2 King size bed, window looking out to the front of the property. Bedside units with drawers and lamps above. Chest drawers and reading lamp, Ottoman at the bottom of the bed, wall mounted coat hooks.
BEDROOM 3 King size bed with dual aspect windows looking out to the side and front of the property. Bedside units with drawer and reading lamps above. Wall mounted coat hooks, chest drawers.
BATHROOM 1 A warm feeling bathroom with dark, wood effect wall tiles and woven vinyl flooring. Bath with shower over. Wall mounted vanity unit with drawers, rustic wooden mirror and light above. W/C, electric stainless steel towel rail. Window looking out to the side of the property.
BEDROOM 4 Twin room with full size single beds. Dual aspect windows looking out to the rear and side of the property. Bedside drawers with lamps above, chest drawers and wall mounted coat hooks.
BEDROOM 5 Full size bespoke bunk beds built to fit the room, sleeping 4 people. 2x Pull out single floor beds. Individual wall mounted reading lamps to each bunk bed. Ottoman and chest drawers. Window looking out to the side of the property.
BATHROOM 2 An almost identical bathroom to bathroom 1, on the opposite end of the property. Dark wood effect wall tiles and woven vinyl flooring. Bath with shower over. Wall mounted vanity unit with drawers, rustic wooden mirror and light above. W/C, electric stainless steel towel rail. Window looking out to the side of the property.
PARKING for up to 4 cars, in front of the property.
Beds are made up for your arrival and towels are included. Guests are to bring their own beach towels.
Tesco, Asda & Waitrose online grocery orders can be delivered to this property


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Author(s): Nicole Taylor; Michael Watts
Extensive reading is essential for improving fluency and there is a real need in the ELT classroom for contemporary, low-level reading material for younger learners. This level 2 Popcorn ELT Reader is based on the hit animated film _Turbo_. It tells the story of a young snail who dreams of becoming the fastest snail in the world.


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Cruising Albany Western Australia
Cruising Albany: Western Australia Cruise Holidays
The small port city of Albany is located in Western Australia and is approximately 400km south of the busy and prominent city of Perth. This city around the Princess Royal Harbour was the first European settlement established in this area. Today cruising Albany is popular for its fascinating history as well as the beauty of its coastline and national parks in the vicinity.
Albany's Port: Albany Docks
The commercial wharf, east of the city centre, welcomes ships do dock when arriving in Albany. The walk to the town centre is a short one and the Port Authority will usually also operate shuttles to help passengers get there even faster. Should the wind prove particularly strong, ships might need to anchor in King George Sound and have passengers transferred ashore by tender boats.
The City of Albany: What to See and Do in Albany
History enthusiasts will love Albany and all the pieces of Australia's past on display throughout the city.
The Albany Convict Gaol was once a prison designed to hold British convicts taken to the colonies in 1852. After its restoration, it now serves as a museum. This prison in conjunction with the Residency Museum and structures that date back to the city's early settlement days, provide a detailed account of Albany's fascinating history.
There are several other buildings of historic significance throughout the city. These include the Princess Royal Fortress, the old Whaling Station and the Old Post Office. Western Australia's oldest surviving home is now the Patrick Taylor Cottage Museum and is one of the top historic attractions in the city.
Not too far from the city centre, passengers can enjoy some beach time at Emu Point or Middleton Beach. They are both swimming beaches and Emu Point is particularly great for families with children due to its sheltered nature.
Any passengers who prefer can visit the Leisure and Aquatic Centre if they aren't in the mood for splashing about in the open ocean. Diving and whale watching tours are some of the best ways to spend the day in Albany. There are also several walking tracks worth exploring. Some of which are scenic trails that explore Mount Clarence and others take you to various historic locations downtown.
As rich as this city is in natural attractions, it is just as abundant in urban sights and activities. There are a number of restaurants and many of them serve delicious fresh seafood. There really is nothing quite like that just caught taste! If you are looking for a spot to rest your legs, enjoy a drink and a chat, you will find cafes and bars throughout the city as well.
Every Saturday morning the city holds the Albany Farmer's Market. The Boatshed Market is held on Sunday mornings and it is located on the harbour itself. This market offers all the freshest produce include fresh caught seafood, locally produced jams and scrumptious baked treats.
Cruising Albany: Cruises to Suit Everyone
The only cruise line that offers frequent cruises to Albany is Princess Cruises. Most of the trips are made by the Dawn Princess and Albany forms part of an itinerary that includes the circumnavigation of Australia. Apart from Albany, these cruises also allow passengers to visit top cities in Australia like Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Melbourne, Sydney and many more.
When looking for cruises to Albany and other top destinations in Australia, Go 4 Cruise Holidays has you covered! This easy to use site will provide you with a wide range of cruises to choose from.


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Changing Attitudes | Influencing Behaviours | Impacting Outcomes
Your key to business success
Add to this, great skills and a plan of how you intend to reach that outcome. Now add flexibility and support and your success rate has just rocketed. Along with my guests on The Business Hour, we are focussed on supporting you to have a greater impact on your outcomes. Sharing with you key principles, strategies, practical approaches and how to in order to grow success; Our Subject Matter Experts will talk from experience not only the what to do, they will also share what not to do.
Our experts come from various backgrounds, professions, industries, sectors and countries.
The Business Hour will cover various business streams, from Sales to Employee Engagement, from Social Media to Franchises, from Reputation and Brands to Apprentices and so much more.
Get Involved
Listen in to show every week on Friday at 10:00-11:00 on RadioHarrow
Join the conversation on Twitter @RadioHarrow or Email email@example.com
Join us on The Business Hour which airs Friday's 10:00 – 11:00GMT
Listen in to show on Friday at 10:00-11:00 on RadioHarrow
Join the conversation on Twitter @RadioHarrow or Email firstname.lastname@example.com
About Margo


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Jonathan Cainer 18th December 1957—2nd May 2016
Remembering Jonathan Cainer
As well as this page, a special section of the July Astrological Journal will be devoted to Jonathan's memory. Comments and extracts are being compiled by the Editor Victor Olliver. If you have memories and tributes you would like to be included there or on this special web page, please email Victor at: firstname.lastname@example.com
Roy Gillett writes...
It was in 1990 that I first met Jonathan Cainer. We were at the ITV studios, participating in the recording of a James Randi programme to 'examine the validity of astrology'. Jonathan had agreed to do the chart of a 'mystery guest', who turned out to be Hugh Laurie, accompanied by Stephen Fry. I thought he did a pretty good job, although both men seemed determined to disagree!
Beginning around then and increasingly ever since, this has been an ongoing part of Jonathan Cainer's life in the limelight; taking the brunt and answering attacks from a strange alliance of entertainers and academics who seem to think that astrology is a phenomena to be attacked without knowing anything about it.
Only a part, of course! He will be mainly remembered for his remarkable ability to take just one key concept (the Sun's birth position)], relate it the changing movements of all the planets in heavens that day, and write sensitive general comments that helped millions of individuals throughout the world understand their lives. Many astrologers may feel that only considering the Sun and excluding other birth planets over-simplifies astrology; even makes it vulnerable to attack. Always sensitive to this, Jonathan used his Sun sign ('stars') columns as a bridge to broaden the public's astrological understanding and to promote other astrologers and their activities. Significantly, this section of his column on the day of his death was focussed on Pluto. He wrote: "Some of my colleagues wonder whether its current position, one not previously attained since its discovery, is linked to the way we have lately lost so many celebrities."
Less known to the public was Jonathan's generosity to the astrological community. He enjoyed the rewards that came with his star status, but there are many organisations (including the Astrological Association), business initiatives, events and individuals that have benefited, even succeeded because of Jonathan's generosity.
Above all, his remarkable gift to make generalised Sun sign comments relevant to individuals is shown by what he wrote for his own sign (Sagittarius) for 2nd May 2016 - the day of his death.
'WE'RE not here for long. So make the most of every moment. We forget this so often, and get caught up in missions, and desires. We think we have forever and a day. In one way, we may be right — for are we not eternal spirits, temporarily residing in finite physical form?'
Maybe not every Sagittarian in the world died on 2nd May 2016, but a very important one did and, for the rest all with Saturn transiting their sign, Jonathan's words will open the deep purpose of their lives... and that is pretty relevant too! Thank you Jonathan - thank you so much!
3rd May 2016


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Preparing for an Emergency
In the past year, our region has experienced two significant and lengthy power outages, one in late December, the next in July. The loss of electricity presents different challenges in different seasons. The thing which both seasons have in common is the need to have an adequate supply of water. In winter, if you have a heat source and access to clean snow, put them together and you at least have "grey" water (clean but not acceptable for drinking) for washing, and flushing toilets. In the summer, you may not have any reliable source of water, unless you have a way to haul it from the river. The Red Cross guideline for water is 2 litres of drinking water per day for each person plus an additional 2 litres per person for washing and flushing. If you have pets, you have to factor in their needs for water, which will be dependent on their size, age, and species. Our hierarchy of needs in an ongoing power outage may be stated this way:
1. Heat (in winter)
2. Communications (to call for help, reach family, receive information crucial to the situation)
3. Water
4. Food
I've placed food at the bottom of the list because it is easier to prepare for than the loss of water. We can survive longer without food than we can without water. Most of us can fairly easily figure out a way to have enough food for a period of 3-5 days, but water is much more complicated. Those large bottles are heavy and awkward to handle and store. Also, they should be rotated every year.
My husband and I reviewed our strategy for an emergency. Our household includes two adults and several pets. Our two dogs are substantial water consumers. We managed just fine in the December ice-storm, with an alternate heat source and a yard full of snow, and several bottles of drinking water. We were lucky in July. Our power stayed on, but it started us thinking about the dilemma we would have faced if the situation had been otherwise. I'd like to share our solution because it may be helpful to others.
We purchased a large well tank. The tank we bought holds 350 litres which should be plenty to get us through most crises. We had the plumber install it just before the hot water tank and set it so it would have no effect on the water pressure in the house. Well tanks have a pressurized bladder inside. They steadily release pressure until it hits a certain minimum and then a valve opens to receive more pressurized water from the line. By setting the maximum to the same pressure as the line and the minimum a few pounds below that, the tank has little effect on the pressure in the house. The pulsing of the pressure and the constant flow from hot water use keeps the water stirred and fresh. Since the next thing in the line is the hot water tank, the minor pressure difference is buffered and we didn't notice any difference after installation. Placing the well tank before the hot water heater had two more advantages. The first was that the water in the tank is pre-heated by the ambient temperature of the room which will lower the amount of electricity needed to heat our hot water. The second is related to the first. By putting it after the tee from the cold water line, we don't raise the temperature of our cold water. We mounted the tank on cinder blocks as we needed it high enough to place a good-sized container under the tap at the bottom.
Our solution was certainly more expensive in the short term than buying and rotating plastic water bottles but it is completely automatic and maintenance free for many years to come.


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THIS is "miracle" boy Stephen Capnerhurst - the teenager who suffered 90 per cent burns and survived.
The 13-year-old is the only Birmingham child in 20 years to live through such serious injuries, which he sustained in a blaze in a house that he had broken into.
Today, Stephen's mum Deborah admitted he had been a "rogue" but said he had paid a high price for his crimes.
"We call him our miracle boy," she said. "He realises how lucky he is to be alive.
"He was egged on to go into the house and he knows he must pick his friends more carefully.
"He was a bit of a rogue before, he got in with the wrong crowd. But he's changed and has become more responsible for his younger sisters."
Stephen was burned from head to foot when an unoccupied house he broke into in Kings Road, Kingstanding, caught fire on June 28. Two 14-year-olds were later charged with burglary in connection with the blaze.
One has already been handed a community service order and the other is due to be sentenced next week.
Stephen spent three months on the brink of death in the intensive care unit at Birmingham Children's Hospital.
His mum, 35-year-old dad William, brother Andrew, aged 22, and sisters Lisa, aged 20, Sarah, aged 11, and Demileigh, aged three, were told to prepare for the worst before being finally told he would live.
But Stephen underwent 20 operations and countless skin grafts and will be scarred for life as a result of his ordeal. His care included the pioneering growth of skin cells in a laboratory, which were then placed on the sites of his burns.
The devoted Blues fan, who was sent a signed shirt by his heroes, also lost the top of his ears, can only walk short distances and will never regain full use of his hands, crushing his dreams of becoming a mechanic when he leaves school.
A pupil at College High School in Perry Common, he is due to leave hospital next month. And 40-year-old Deborah, who lives with her mother, Lorraine Nicholls, at Aldridge Road in Great Barr, said she was delighted he had made it.
She also relived the chilling moment she found her son's body outside the blazing house and said she could never repay hospital staff for their compassion.
"We didn't think he would be here for Christmas because burns victims hardly ever survive those kind of injuries," she said. "The only parts of him that weren't burned were his feet and his groin.
"He was lying in the front garden. I just broke down. I was told to prepare myself for the worst. I collapsed in my mother's arms.
"He was in intensive care for months and could have died at any time. But after around four months, the doctors said he would definitely pull through. I was over the moon when I got the news.
"I cry even now when I think about it. It still hurts when I see him. He's such a brave boy.
"What happened to Stephen was every parent's worst nightmare and I can't thank everyone at the hospital enough for all their care."
A Birmingham Children's Hospital spokesman hailed the treatment which helped Stephen survive.
"His treatment included conventional skin grafting, the use of artificial skin and the growth of skin cells in a laboratory," he said.
"It is very rare for anyone to survive burns this extensive, but these pioneering techniques are improving all the time."
* Have your say on this story at www.icbirmingham.co.uk/mail/news/yoursay


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U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development secretary Julian Castro says tobacco must go but e cigs can stay – for now at least.
The Weekly Standard reported that this week, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development secretary, Julian Castro banned the use of tobacco cigarettes in the nearly 1 million public housing units across America. When asked why e cigs weren't banned as well he responded, "that "research to date on [electronic cigarettes] is still developing and lacks clear consensus, in contrast with research on the effects of cigarettes and other tobacco products."
Finally it seems that someone in government is getting it. In our other blogs we reported on foreign governments that have actually done research on e cigs and found them to be a safe alternative to traditional tobacco products. Unfortunately, the American FDA, in a very rare move, decided to issue warnings against the use of e cigs because of "lack of data."
While the US FDA continues to warn against e cigs, millions of people worldwide have been able to break the smoking habit by using electronic cigarettes. What more data do they need? They know that smoking kills and they have come to realize that even second hand smoke can cause health problems. Any thinking person could then deduce, that if e cigs are helping smokers quit, they serve the purpose of reducing both first and second hand smoke. The logical next deduction is that e cigs are better for you and those people around you than smoking tobacco products.
It's almost laughable that on their websites, government health agencies are recommending nicotine gum, patches and other products that feed nicotine directly into your blood stream, but in the same paragraphs they warn against e cigs because of the nicotine. That leaves most of us scratching our heads. What is even more frustrating is that they are touting these products as smoking cessation products that work. Oh really? Talk to a few smokers and ask them whether chewing gum, swallowing pills or wearing a patch got rid of their urge to puff. Most will tell you that the urge remains with them especially when they are faced with triggers.
As a former smoker I can tell you that I tried to quit more than a dozen times. I tried everything, even the "FDA recommended smoking cessation products". None worked and I remained stressed at my inability to quit until I tried a Puf Cig. I picked one up and never smoked another cigarette again. Once I stopped smoking, my husband, who smoked two packs a day for 45 years decided to quit. He did it on his first try using an e cig. Today he walks everywhere he can and has the breathe in his lungs to whistle as he does.
Still skeptical, my father who is now 80 and began smoking when he was 11 stopped smoking 2 years ago using Puf Cigs. The doctors are amazed at the sudden improvement in his health.
The FDA continues to say there isn't enough data to recommend e cigs. But there is enough data to know that second hand smoke is unhealthy. Why then do they insist on sending e cig smokers out to stand in doorways next to tobacco smokers if they want to puff their e cig? If the second hand smoke doesn't get us, caving to temptation caused by the smokers around us will.
Thank you Secretary Castro for using common sense when issuing your ban. Please send a memo to the FDA to do the same