text:
A breakdown of the gear used to get me and my motorcycle around the world on two wheels
Before my 65 country road trip, I had no experience traveling away from home. Not one single long-distance trip. I had no network of peers taking such trips, and I didn't even realize there was much of an overlanding community out there. When I started to plot out my trip, I really just went back to brass tacks and common sense for trip prep. That is sort of what I recommend to everyone else, however I know more than a few people are curious what is worth packing so here is my big gear overview.
I'll start with just the buckets. If you just read that and fill in the buckets "your way", I think you will be much better off than reading the details to follow.
For me, those buckets of items fell into:
Those headings should be self-explanatory. But here is what I thought about for each, and ultimately what I considered / packed / or replaced along the way. The big thing to remember though is on almost every one of these buckets, you can go towards minimalism, with the inevitable tradeoff being a much larger expense of money or time down the road.
1. Security
Heading solo out onto the road, I was considerably nervous about my 'stuff' getting stolen. Despite many of post out there that people are good, and things don't get stolen – they do. And there are opportunist thieves in every country on earth who do not get a care that you are a nice overlanding fool. However, I was pretty lucky on my trip. Nothing was ever stolen off of my moto. I attribute that to being careful, more than everyone being nice to me.
Approach: I choose hard panniers (Suzuki OEM adventure cases) with lockable clasps specifically to make my luggage less open to thieves. Whatever people say about soft panniers, they are always going to be more of a target for people who will look for something they can easily open when you are not around. Same idea with my top case (Caribou Cases) – which was even more secure than my hard panniers. At the start of my trip I could not find a tail or tank bag that locked. I began with Wolfman bags, and bought small airport luggage padlocks to clasp the zippers. Eventually I replaced with SW Motech bags, which were a bit more waterproof but still weak in locking entry. I did not trust that they would stay on my bike either – I bought small bicycle cable locks and looped the strapped to the frame to further deter thieves. In addition, I bought a pair of longer cable bike locks for either side of my frame, one of which I would routinely loop through my helmet, the other through the sleeve of my riding jacket. These solutions were never perfect, and I was perpetually unhappy with the extra time in daily prep they caused. However, nothing was ever snatched so for that purpose they worked.
In addition, I bought a few items to secure the motorcycle itself. I bought a front disk lock and used it for the first time on night number one of my ride. Which is code for inferring that I forgot it was there and on morning (day 2) put the bike in gear and zipped forward with it still on. Hilarity ensued with me flying off my bike in the motel parking lot. I was lucky the bike was undamaged, however the lock was destroyed. Four months later I bought another one and this time wisely paid the extra few bucks for the orange stringy cord that loops over the handlebars as a reminder that the lock is still on. I also bought a motion-sensitive high pitch alarm. I always wanted to use it, and in reality it never falsely went off. But too often I was afraid of it going off by accident due to the wind, annoying the neighbors more than scaring a thief. Plus, all it is really good for is preventing the bike from moving, since the only practical place to affix it covertly on top of the chain so that the alarm triggers if someone tries to steal the bike. That is almost never going to happen with a 600 lb motorcycle when left in a secure area. Or even outside of a well-lit motel. So eventually it was buried in my top case. I bought a long thick cable lock to strap the bike to a light pole in high risk areas. But the cable never seemed long enough to be practical. I did use it a number of times when stuck parking the bike on a street – in Mexico City, Peru, Cape Town, Europe, New York – but I always figured someone will probably still mess up my bike if they choose and the cable will not prevent that.
For the number one security mechanism, I bought a Dowco Waterproof Motorcycle Cover. I am not sure if it was "the" difference maker, but I would not repeat the trip without buying the exact same thing once again. It was strapped over my motorcycle every single night of the trip, regardless of how safe the area was. Not only did it mask what kind of bike I had from prying eyes, it also effortlessly covered all of my luggage so that I worried less about sticky fingers grabbing my tent or something as mundane (yet hard to replace) as my Patagonia rain jacket in the tail bag. The cover does not come with a lock, so I grommetted the strap under the cover and bought a small Samsonite combo lock to loop through it.
Never just expect or hope that people will respect your property – 99 out of 100 will, but all it takes is one to negatively impact your day or your whole trip.
2. Daily wear
Clothing is entirely a personal thing. I know first-hand that most riders could care less about how they smell. Some are proud that they wear the same clothes for weeks at a time and smell worse than an old boot. I met some people who would buy clothes and crudely throw them away in the developing world since replacement were so cheap. Either way, you will carry some daily items and they will take up some space.
Approach: I personally enjoy wearing clean, dry clothes, and was willing to consume extra space such that I could have decent things to wear over a laundry cycle that could stretch to 15 days.
Let's start with the list. After backpacking for years, this list came pretty easy for me.
3. Daily Essentials
These items are of varying importance based on your individual needs and preferences. Some people have allergies and special needs. I did not. Pretty much I never found anywhere in the world – Nepal to Namibia, Australia to Argentina – that did not have some shop where I could buy the regular stuff.
Approach: Again, to be cost effective, I usually would stock up when I reached a cheap store like Wal-Mart. But I noticed that there would always be a place in-between if I had to have something
Food basics – I tended to keep in my panniers a full bag of spaghetti, sauce, cans of chicken, and dry bags of soup. Those items could get me through any place I might be waylaid or unable to find camp food for the night. On some stretches I would buy the more expensive dehydrated pouches, but I never found them to be cost-effective compared to local diners or meals. I also had flavor pouches for water, and tended to always have peanuts or peanut butter.
Toiletries – I had a simple zip pouch for all of my bathroom essentials. Again I did not have any special needs, so more or less just had simple Dove bath soap, Herbal Essence shampoo, and Colgate toothpaste – all of which were basically sold in every city in the world. A few other items like sun screen, dental floss, lip balm, etc – but make up your own list here.
Other – I always had a spare bottle or two of water. Do not go into a trip like this thinking you will purify the putrid (or nonexistent) local water with some filter or Lifestraw. I am all for minimizing environmental impact, and think plastic bottles suck. But trust me, in places like Zambia or Uganda, the alternative of gut flu sucks worse so spend the extra money for bottled water and dispose the right way. Other daily essential items vary for all of us.
4. Weather Gear
This is a big one if you actually want to enjoy month-after-month on the road. And for your mental sanity, I hope you do. Some people skimp just to save baggage space. Which is entirely workable most days, but as much as you can plan to ride the seasons for better weather, mother nature sometimes refuses to cooperate.
Approach: My personal trip was to everywhere. It originally was just to ride from Alaska to Patagonia, but even with that I obviously am crossing almost every season and climate zone on Earth. So, I prepared for it all, and carried it all with me.
Clothes - As mentioned earlier, I had a couple pair of cold weather wool socks. I also brought long-underwear (pants, shirt) which honesty were worth every ounce of space since timed applications of those layers made almost every riding day a comfortable one. Also in the minor luxury bucket, I brought a very light (and kind of expensive) Patagonia down shirt. But so versatile and flexible. On ultra cold days it was a perfect layer under my riding jacket. On dry but brisk walking days it was the perfect outer-wear jacket. My North Face gear also worked well in cold weather. I found a knit skullcap discarded on the sidewalk on a hot day in Washington, and it quickly became my favorite hat on the trip for cold hiking. I kept a pair of think North Face cotton gloves for cold hiking, and for riding found a balaclava and neck sleeve super comfortable to beat back the biting wind. My Aerostich jacket was waterproof, but for walking I had a Patagonia rain jacket. And also I bought a simple collapsible umbrella – another luxury which truly was super valuable on the many wet hikes of my trip. On top of my Asolo boots I layered Aerostich rain covers. The only item I felt I never got right was gloves. I bought mid-season gloves which were so comfortable and versatile. But not waterproof, and almost worthless in cold weather like the Arctic Circle. In hindsight I should have done more research and had two sets of gloves.
5. Camping Gear
Another one of the buckets some people discard completely and save plenty of bike space by staying in hostels or hotels (or couchsurfing) their whole trip. Again, a personal choice, I like all of those options and honestly that was more than 70% of my nightly stays. But I really enjoyed camping. Not just for the cost savings, but for the pure love of the outdoors.
Approach: I brought every item I would have brought on a backpacking trip. In fact, for a quarter of the trip I think I continuously had an actual backpack (a cheap second-hand one) strapped under my tail bag.
As a lifelong backpacker, I was pretty comfortable with my choices here. At most I could see adding a chill hammock, but that is really just a pleasurable luxury that I never had time for – I never sat around this trip, I was either hiking, walking, or riding almost all of my waking hours.
6. Electronics Gear
Another bucket that could shrink down to zero for some people. Maybe on my next big long trip it will be so for me. Trying to photograph or videorecord a long trip really is inconsequential when you think about it.
Approach: For me, I started with the goal to professionally document my trip, and unlike some people who wear away and cut it off at some point, I was fine to hold onto all of my gear and keep using it until the end. With that in mind, I filled and entire pannier with electronics gear along with my tripod filling a corner of my top case. All of my gear is listed in my Photography 101 post so I will not repeat it hear. But again – the sub-buckets you have to think about are video gear (GoPros or helmet cams), drones (DJI), still cameras (Canon, Sony, Nikon), relevant batteries, lenses & accessories, as well as some type of bag for carrying or at least protecting the items. Again, you save a lot of hassle, worry, and space by just relying on your phone for photos of your trip.
7. Bike Gear and Spares
This can again be minimalist to save space or proactive to save money and time. What I did pick up after two years on the road is that you really can find help and whatever you need as you go. It will cost you. Time and money. So choose to your comfort level. Do you pack your old wheel bearings as spares in the back of your top case – one more thing among things that you may never use. Or do you leave them out and quite possibly be stuck in Sudan for 2-3 weeks waiting for an iffy shipment to arrive.
Approach: When I started my trip, enroute to Alaska, I carried zero spares. Nothing. Just hoped my new motorcycle would hold up. And it did. But had it failed on the road to Prudhoe Bay, I would have been rudely stuck pending a friendly freight truck. As I moved south of the border, I added spares on most everything. Fuses. Brake pads. Spark Plugs. Chain. Oil. That only gets you so far, since the one thing I needed to replace (a faulty rear bearing) was the one thing I didn't pack. Fortunately for Suzuki's it is a generic bearing which I found at a local hardware store in Chile, but the lesson is that items like that, or a clutch cable, can fail at any time. Just learn to adapt to the road. Be practical what you might want to carry, and if you have the budget, just replace all replaceable parts at routine intervals. Then you shouldn't have to worry as much.
As to other bike items, I had an Airhawk seat cushion which ranks up there with the favorite items of my trip. I had a good upgraded Sargent Seat, but it was not even close to the comfort of sitting for 8 hours on an Airhawk (which also when partly blown up supplemented my back-pack tent pillow.
I bought a custom Adventure Designs toolkit specialized for just the items to repair a Suzuki V-Strom. They make kits for every style of moto. No complaints – the case was small (maybe a little too small) and a couple wrenches were not great quality. I eventually had to get a more solid toque wrench at Home Depot to continue with chain adjustments. But the toolkit worked as advertised. I also had a Tubeless tire puncture repair kit which I lugged over a 100,000 mile and never used. Zero complaints about that. Better to have and never use, than to use for a dozen tire repairs. Speaking of tires, I also bought a nice digital pressure gauge which got more use than I ever would have expected.


text:
Durango Could Be Next Xbox Console
Since Sony has already laid out their cards where the next generation console is concerned with the introduction of the PlayStation 4 (which is far from being released just yet, though), you can more or less say that the rest of the industry and onlookers alike have turned their sights on Microsoft, and see what the Big M intends to do with their follow up to the relatively successful Xbox 360, which is about to come to the end of its life cycle. So far, we do know that Xbox Gold domain registrations have sparked plenty of speculation concerning the Durango name for its next generation Xbox, especially after Microsoft picked up more or less every possible version of XboxGold.com that it could find, and perhaps, even think of.
"Xbox Gold" does seem to point more towards "Xbox Live Gold", so the connection between that and Durango is not quite complete, and it can also be seen to be a defensive measure against scam websites as well as other folks who have malicious intentions. Still, it would be nice to know just what Microsoft is going to call its next generation Xbox, you know, so that no more speculation is required.By Ubergizmo. Related articles: GTA 5 To Arrive On PS4 And Next Gen Xbox, Another Starcraft 2: Heart Of The Swarm Trailer Appears,

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Books on 17th century
Showing all 11 results
Los puritanos
Puritans: Their Origins and Successors
Book Description La historia cobra vida cada vez que el Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones aborda un determinado tema o personaje. Los que le conocieron simplemente como predicador se sorprenderán de la comprensión y el conocimiento que tiene de la historia de la Iglesia {…}. Estas vistas generales y de conjunto nos presentan al Dr. Lloyd-Jones en […]
Tratado de Teología
A Body of Divinity
Book Description Este primer libro publicado por The Banner of Truth Trust en Ingles ha sido uno de sus exitos de libreria, ademas del volumen mas util e influyente de su catalogo a lo largo de los años Ello se debe a varias razones: EI tema del libro. Trata de las principales verdades doctrinales y practicas […]
Scottish Puritans
2 Volume Set: Select Biographies
First-hand sources from the 17th century. 'This is a magnificent two-volume set, calculated to stir the soul and to find a place of honour and affection in every Christian who loves to read the thrilling history of the Scottish church!'—Sinclair B. Ferguson. 568 & 552pp.
From his deep Christian experience, Boston gave the church one of its most enduring spiritual autobiographies. 576pp.
The Works of Stephen Charnock
5 Volume Set
AVAILABLE LATE NOVEMBER Book Description There were theological and spiritual giants in the earth in the days of the English Puritans, and Stephen Charnock (1628-80) was prominent among them. His Works present a feast of rich teaching and exposition, characterized throughout by sound theology, profound thought, and an imaginative style. The five volumes now reprinted […]
The Works of Stephen Charnock
Volume 1
Book Description VOLUME ONE contains a helpful introduction to Charnock's life and work by James McCosh, and the first eight discourses on The Existence and Attributes of God, opening with A Discourse of Divine Providence, based on 2 Chronicles 16:9. In this Charnock sets forth the doctrine of providence with great clarity, and then applies […]
Fair Sunshine
Character Studies of the Scottish Covenanters
These 'Character Studies of the Scottish Covenanters', have a lyrical quality and demonstrate the author's spiritual perception. 208pp.
To Glorify and Enjoy God provides a comprehensive introduction to the background, history, character and contributions of the Westminster Divines and their Assembly. 352pp.
Southern Presbyterian Leaders
1683 - 1911
A fascinating series of sketches of leaders in the Southern Presbyterian Church between colonial times and 1911 when White wrote. 512pp.
Stirring mini-biographies of the Christian heroes of Scotland from the 1520s to the 'killing times' of the 1680s. 672pp.
Vividly retold stories of Alexander Henderson, Samuel Rutherford, John Bunyan and Richard Baxter. 248pp.
Showing all 11 results


text:
WyeSoft Chess v1.21
WyeSoft Chess is an online chess game that allows you to play against other players over the internet or locally (with both players on the same computer).
You can also choose to play against bots with multiple skill level settings. WyeSoft Chess supports both live games, where you make your moves quickly, and long games, where you might only move once every few hours, days or even weeks.
You do not need to keep WyeSoft Chess running for your games to continue. You only need to log in to move if you wish but, if you stay logged in, you will be able to tell when it is your move in a game or if someone has requested a new game with you. The system tray icon will turn yellow if you have unanswered game requests or green if it is your move in one or more of your chess games. You can also configure WyeSoft Chess to alert you by playing a sound and you can even turn on e-mail and SMS alerts for each game.
WyeSoft Chess allows you to play some chess variants as well as standard chess. The variants currently available to play are Chess960, Upside-Down Chess, Pawns Game and Weak!
WyeSoft Chess now also comes with a singleplayer chess-based puzzle game called The Knight's Tour, the aim of which is to move a single knight around the board, visiting each square once and only once.


text:
States' bet on gambling industry to balance budgets hasn't paid off
Why not? This past year has seen gaming revenue shortfalls, some tied to the recession and some part of long-term trends. More specifically, gaming revenue declined 2.6 percent nationally, with 28 of 42 states showing losses. The biggest losers were Oregon (-15.2 percent), Illinois (-14.6 percent) and Nevada (-12.5 percent).
The study looked at the four areas of gaming income; lotteries, casinos, racinos (race tracks with gaming machines) and pari-mutuel wagering. Only racinos have avoided a steep decline during the recession.
In the 10-year period before the recession, the states did pretty well, with gaming revenues growing an average of 4.9 percent annually. For most states, the revenue was still a minor part of the budget, between 2.1 percent and 2.5 percent. However, a few states were much more dependent; Nevada at 13.6 percent of its budget, West Virginia at 9.2 percent and Rhode Island, 7.7 percent.
But casinos no longer seem the bright beacon of prosperity they once did, even though companies like Penn National Gaming (PENN) continue to expand (currently pushing a ballot initiative in Ohio). The growth rate in state casino-derived gaming revenue has been declining since 2000 and actually went into the red in the past 12 months.
A study of six states showed that, despite an increase in the number of venues, the admission rate actually fell by 4 percent last year, a trend that had been developing since at least 2004. (The study did not include Native American casinos, for which numbers were not available. It did estimate that the total revenue from all of these, however, is less than $1.5 billion.)
Lotteries also have experienced a drop. Adjusted for inflation, 33 of the 40 states for which the study had information showed declines this year. Only the increase in video lottery terminals (VLT) in some states has propped up what is a disturbing trend. Without VLTs included, collections fell by 4.4 percent in the past year.
Pari-mutuel betting at horse and dog tracks and jai alai, has dropped precipitously, down 14.8 percent this year, including 41 percent in Pennsylvania. However, the aggregate of all state revenue from this sector is only $163 million, hardly enough to destroy any budget when it tanks.
The racino has been the one bright spot in this universe. The 12 states with these facilities have seen revenue more than double since 1998 and increase 6.7 percent this year. This increase, however, is almost all from Pennsylvania, where five new racinos were opened this year.
From these results, it seems clear that planning to offset weak tax returns in other sectors with gaming revenues is not a productive tactic, since gaming receipts also fall during recessions. It also appears that as the number of venues grows, the income per venue shrinks, like the same pat of butter spread across more pieces of toast.
The study points out that, historically, gaming revenue does not grow as quickly as other state tax revenue or expenditures on areas such as education, so depending on it to replace tax shortfalls or pay for schools is a long-term strategy bound to fail.


text:
Home > About NRC > Civil Rights > Outreach and Compliance Coordinaton Program > Equal Opportunity
Equal Opportunity
The NRC complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which protects individuals from discrimination on the basis of their race, color, or national origin in programs that receive financial assistance provided by the NRC. In addition, the NRC also complies with Title IX which prohibits discrimination based on gender/sex in educational programs and activities.
- Agency Policy on Titles VI and IX
- Title VI and IX Discrimination Complaint Process
Statutes and Regulations
The following documents are available through the Web site administered by the Department of Justice:
Page Last Reviewed/Updated Wednesday, August 03, 2016


text:
An elderly Sikh was Manhandled by the police who ended up pinning him down to the ground and taking off his turban.
A 15 year old Sikh girl respectfully voicing in the protest, been taken away and arrested while being harassed by the police officers
Paji Jagmeet Singh (From BASICS OF SIKHI) trying to reason with the officers not to be so rough on "my sister"
Key bullet points for everyone:
1. Met police had advance notice of protest and failed to adequately prepare barriers and road cordons.
2. Large crowds had no alternative to flow on the roads
3. Sit down protest was planned and conducted peacefully
4. Police moved in with exaggerated force including riot police, battons and 8-10 horse mounted officers. Even after these hourses marched into crowds of women and children sikhs remained largely peaceful, but pushed the police lines back.
5. Officers snatched Sikh flags Nishan Sahibs and broke then threw them on the ground, huge sign of disrespect.
6. As heavy handed officers forced there way in stamping on sitting protestors, this further aggravated the situation.
7. Despite agreement, commitments and orders from Cheif Inspector Nick Collins that no officer would attempt to remove Sikh Articles of faith, Sikh turbans and Kirpan for forcibly removed with out provocation.
8. Dispute calls from community leader to allow women and children to leave the penned in area, the police did not allow until 2hrs later.
9. 3 Young teenage girls and boys were pinned against a bus by 15 officers and were totally disrespected and had their Kirpans removed where there was no need and after all groups had been dispersed.
10. The cheif inspector Nick Collins failed to note 2 serious complaints of police aggression, assault and denial of human rights, even after witnessing himself.
11. The police were prepared to allow situation to escalate and arrest more people without any consideration to Sikh religious sentiments


text:
A pre-plant soil test will tell you what fertilizers you need to apply to get your plants off to a good start by providing them with proper soil fertility at planting.
A post-harvest soil test tells you what nutrients your crop removed so you can start preparing your soil for the next crop.
Different plants remove different nutrients at different rates throughout the growing season. Worse yet, some soils readily leach out nutrients while other soils rapidly tie up nutrients into compounds that are not readily available to the plant. By the end of the season, there can be little available nutrients left.
Proper soil nutritional balance can reduce water usage by 40 to 60 percent and dramatically reduce fertilizer requirements by
applying only what the crop needs.
YOU CAN'T GUESS about fertilizer application and expect to attain the best economic yields and plant quality.
Why are TPS Lab's tests and recommendations superior?
TPS Lab uses the Plant Natural® [Carbon Dioxide (CO2)] Extraction Method because it mimics the way plants naturally take up nutrients in every soil type.
This method was developed in 1845 by Charles G.B. Daubeny of Oxford, England and was one of the first extraction methods. It was not until the 20th Century that analytical technologies advanced to allow the method to be further developed by the universities of Arizona and Florida, and others. We have continued to build upon and develop those earlier works for more than 40 years.
Utilizing the Plant Natural® [Carbon Dioxide (CO2)] Extraction Method reveals the amounts of soil nutrients that are immediately available to the plant, as well as those nutrients that are "in reserve" or slowly-available.
Other labs tell you only the total content, much of which may be unavailable to the plant. This explains why more recent testing methods may show certain nutrients as adequate or high, yet the plants show deficiencies in those same nutrients – and why you may see the same test results, year after year.
With our tests you get detailed recommendations for correcting problems and building healthy, live soils using the Albrecht System of fertility balancing – specifically for your soil, your plants and your cultivation practice – whether Conventional, Sustainable or Organic.
See Explanation of Soil Organic Matter here.
In addition to the Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Extraction Method, we also offer the standard methods to conduct nutrient analysis, including DTPA, Mehlich III, Ammonium Acetate (Modified Morgan) and others.
For more details and more information on why our method of Soil Test is superior to assembly-line automated lab testing, please see our page, Why Our Method?
Please contact us today at 956-383-0739 and speak with us about your needs.


text:
Resisting History : Gender, Modernity, and Authorship in William Faulkner, Zora Neale Hurston, and Eudora WeltyMaterial type: TextSeries: eBooks on DemandSouthern Literary Studies: Publisher: Baton Rouge : LSU Press, 2007Edition: 1Description: 1 online resource (184 p.)ISBN: 9780807143827Subject(s): American fiction - Southern States - History and criticism | American fiction -- Southern States -- History and criticism | Faulkner, William - Criticism and interpretation | Faulkner, William, 1897-1962 -- Criticism and interpretation | Gender identity in literature | Gender identity in literature | Hurston, Zora Neale - Criticism and interpretation | Hurston, Zora Neale -- Criticism and interpretation | Literature and history - Southern States | Literature and history -- Southern States | Southern States - In literature | Southern States -- In literature | Sublime, The, in literature | Sublime, The, in literature | Welty, Eudora - Criticism and interpretation | Welty, Eudora, 1909-2001 -- Criticism and interpretation | Women in literature | Women in literatureGenre/Form: Electronic books.Additional physical formats: Print version:: Resisting History : Gender, Modernity, and Authorship in William Faulkner, Zora Neale Hurston, and Eudora WeltyDDC classification: 813.5093522 | 813/.5093522 LOC classification: PS261 .L34Online resources: Click here to view this ebook.
|Item type
|Current location
|Call number
|Date due
|Electronic Book
|UT Tyler Online Online
|PS261 .L34 (Browse shelf)
Cover; Contents; Acknowledgments; Introduction; 1. The Dynamo and the Virgin: Women, Modernity, and the Sublime in As I Lay Dying; 2. Putting the Colonel In: Eudora Welty's Feminist Poetics; 3. "The Anonymity of a Murmur": History, Memory, and Resistance in Faulkner's A Fable; 4. "Tell Them Two Ti Blancs are Coming": Zora Neale Hurston's "I"'s in Tell My Horse; Notes; Bibliography; Index; A; B; C; D; E; F; G; H; I; J; K; L; M; N; O; P; R; S; T; U; V; W; Y
In a major reinterpretation, Resisting History reveals that women, as subjects of writing and as writing subjects themselves, played a far more important role in shaping the landscape of modernism than has been previously acknowledged. Here Barbara Ladd offers powerful new readings of three southern writers who reimagined authorship between World War I and the mid-1950s. Resisting History challenges ideas about history as a coherent narrative and about the development of U.S. modernism and points the way to new histories of literary and cultural modernisms in which the work of women shares center stage with the work of men.
Description based upon print version of record.
Reviews provided by Syndetics
CHOICE ReviewIn looking at the work of three major southern writers, Ladd (Emory Univ.) focuses on elements that clearly bring into question writing and authorship, especially as it pertains to women as authors. She uses exemplary works from each of the three authors: Faulkner's As I Lay Dying and A Fable, Welty's Golden Apples and some of her short stories, and Hurston's Tell My Horse. Ladd demonstrates changing mainstream beliefs about women as subjects in a world emerging from a world war into a state of "industrialization," in which women's mobility and changes in traditional roles provided a great range of possibilities beyond wife and mother. Ladd demonstrates that history is a far less coherent statement than one might suppose. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students, researchers, and faculty. C. R. Bloss Columbus State University
Author notes provided by Syndetics
Barbara Ladd is professor of English at Emory University and the author of Nationalism and the Color Line in George W. Cable, Mark Twain, and William Faulkner.
There are no comments on this title.


text: Air charter Our tailor-made services are available worldwide and comprise cargo and passenger flights, long and short term charters We arrange full and part charter of cargo and passenger aircraft. Through our worldwide network, DSV offers you delivery from any origin to any destination in the world. Our services include door-to-door delivery, transport to and from conflict areas and dangerous goods transports. DSV air charter brokers worldwide Our dedicated team will assist you in all aspects of air charter, including project management, planning and execution, delivering our tailor-made services to you worldwide. Our quality assurance system is your guarantee that we supply the required product and quality. We offer a variety of services, including: • Full and part charter cargo solutions • Passenger flights • VIP flights • Long and short term chartering of aircraft • Transport of sensitive commodities • Landing and overflight permissions • Cargo and passenger handling at airports • Loading supervision and cargo inspections Legal liability insurance DSV offers legal liability insurance for all air charters in addition to the air carriers' mandatory third party insurance.


text:
Advisor and Student Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the advisors are to:
Provide students accurate information about University policies, programs, curriculum requirements - changes, priority registration and registration procedures.
Help students select courses each semester which are appropriate and/or required.
Introduce students to diverse majors and/or career opportunities.
Acquaint students with the resources and opportunities on campus and encourage participation.
Monitor students' academic performance during the academic year and recommend, if necessary, strategies to improve weaknesses and enhance strengths.
Make proper referrals when necessary (e.g. deans, department chairs, directors, Health and Wellness Center, Psychological Services, Career Development Office, Campus Ministry, Disability Services).
The responsibilities of the students are to:
Consult with the advisor, in a timely manner, when necessary, and at a minimum, once a semester.
Make appointments for advising sessions during regularly agreed upon office hours. Notify the advisor or someone in the advisor's office if it is not possible to keep an appointment.
Be prepared for appointments during priority registration and/or registration: have the necessary forms, review the online Schedule of Classes, have ideas of courses and alternates for the next semester.
Clarify some personal values and goals in advance of the session and be prepared to discuss them with their advisor.
Follow through with appropriate action after an advising session (e.g. Dean's Office, Registrar's Office, Career Services Center, etc.)
Know important dates for each semester: last day to change, drop, or add classes; graduation application deadline.
Claim responsibility and accountability for your actions and decisions.
Note: While advisors are available for guidance, students are ultimately responsible for satisfying all degree requirements as spelled out in the online University catalog under which they entered.


text:
There are no Upcoming Shows listed for this comedian.
Ellen Karis
Ellen Karis is the "Greek Goddess of Comedy" and has performed stand-up comedy all over the US and Canada. Agents and Promoters have described her as the "little dynamo" given her petite stature and unique ability to build a quick rapport with the audience. Ellen can easily entertain any crowd with her brand of sarcastic, observational humor rooted in her conflict of being raised as a traditional Greek American woman in a modern world. Many have described her delivery as "Richard Lewis-esque" given her energy and passion in joking about her recent marriage, her very large and loud family and the idiosyncrasies of the ever changing world we live in. Ellen is very popular in the Greek American community being one of the few Greek female stand-up comedians performing today. She frequently performs at Church fundraisers and Greek events and has recently released her new Greek Comedy DVD "Greek Chicks Rule". Starting out her career as a CPA, she parlayed her quick wit and job experience on Wall Street to become a panelist on many of the Fox News Channel TV shows, a frequent guest on talk radio and a contributing writer for The National Herald and Big Hollywood. She currently co-hosts a weekly internet radio show "Right Now with Jim Mendrinos & Ellen Karis" and is writing a book "Rants of a Greek Goddess". Ellen is also an accomplished actress having been in several independent films and TV shows including "The Sopranos", often being asked if she played Tony's girlfriend Gloria. Some of Ellen's causes that she cares deeply about and has participated in raising funds and awareness for are: T.E.A.L. ("Tell Every Amazing Lady") about Ovarian Cancer, the Rebuilding of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church at Ground Zero and Wounded Warrior Project in Assisting Veterans. To find out more about Ellen go to: http://www.ellenkaris.com
Ellen Karis's Upcoming Shows
Ellen Karis is Known For


text:
Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly
Playstation 2
Genre: Survival Horror
While I'm still catching up with my batch of games from the Halloween season last year, it's been a goal of mine to play through some of the major series of the horror genre since I started up the blog. Fatal Frame's been among the goals since the beginning since I've only played through the first two despite owning the rest of the series. Given my recent look into the original Fatal Frame, I was excited to check out the second game again. Full honesty: I haven't played it since high school and my memory of it was fuzzy but positive.
Now, Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly is one of the heralded possessions for horror collectors on the Playstation 2, though it hasn't quite hit the heights of Rule of Rose or Kuon. It falls squarely into the crosshairs of "relatively affordable" and "rare enough to require hunting for a genuine copy". It has a strong reputation as one of the scariest horror video games available- period. The few vivid memories I had of the game before my replay were of some choice scares so I couldn't really fight that reputation myself. Again, though- it had been a while.
Since October felt like the perfect time to make some headway into the Fatal Frame games, I figured I'd dig out my copy of the fabled Crimson Butterfly and see if I could dust off some of the cobwebs on my memories from years ago. Continue reading
Fear Twice Over and Doubled – Playstation 2 – Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly – 2003
Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly


text:
Fandom: White Collar
Art characters/Pairings: Peter, Neal, Peter/Neal
Art rating: R
Content Notice: graphic injuries, nudity (though all neatly obscured :P), MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH (no kidding)
Dimensions/Resolution: 1400x2000px @300dpi
Summary: Peter is an angel, Neal is a demon and ancient laws are sacred. When their forbidden love is discovered, Neal is executed and Peter is left wingless and banished from the place he used to call home.
A/N: I should probably just hide for at least a week because I killed poor Neal /o\ And I didn't mean to, honest! It was a deadly combination of bunny and character death square, awwww. BUUUUT we're talking angels and demons so I'm just gonna say there is a way to bring Neal back and the boys will be back together *pets them*
This fills the character death square on my Gen Prompt bingo card \o/


text:
Our story begins in the spring of 2013, specifically in a badly-stocked quilting shop (Already a unlucky scene for an apparel sewist). It was a dull and thundery day (not really), almost as if the gods above were colluding to bring about the downfall of our heroine. The girl wandered around searching fruitlessly for clear elastic when suddenly in the corner, nestled in amongst the kitschy quilting cottons she spied a bolt of fabric. Green fabric. Green plaid fabric. Crisp on one side but gorgeously brushed on the other. The girl knew that she had to possess this fabric at any cost and tugged the bolt down from the top shelf. Alas she had only enough money for one meter, so she bought the meager length, unsure of what it could be used for, and secreted it away into her stash.
|I swear the stripes match up in real life!
Fast forward to autumn 2013 when the girl happened upon the plaid and had a sudden brainwave: a green plaid shirt! At the time she was already petitioning her relatives to buy her the Archer shirt pattern for Christmas; it was the perfect crime. One look at the fabric requirements of the Archer sent the girl running back to the shop to buy another meter of plaid. This she also hid away until the time when the Archer pattern was hers.
Fast forward once more to March/April 2014 when the girl, having made two Archers, felt prepared enough to face the plaid. At this point the story becomes a cautionary tale: ALWAYS WATCH YOUR FABRIC CUTTER CAREFULLY TO ENSURE THEY'RE NOT SCREWING YOU OVER! Also always unwrap your fabric when you get home so you can catch these mistakes at the time not a year later... after they've moved. Also if the bolt doesn't state the width of the fabric never just assume that it will be 120-150cm wide because it won't be. As you may have guessed the girl did not have enough fabric. In fact the girl only had 150x90cm (60"x36") , definitely not enough to make a slouchy shirt, especially with pattern matching.
|Have you ever seen such perfect plackets?! (Hint: The answer is no)
They girl sat numbly for a while and seriously considered a mental break down. Instead she decided breakdowns weren't really her style and she'd be much better off keeping a cool head and doing some creative thinking. Suddenly inspiration hit. The girl had remembered the obsession she'd had with Free people's crochet back shirt a few years ago (an A Beautiful Mess's subsequent tutorial). She immediately set to work cutting out the entire shirt, except the back.
Work on the shirt stalled for a while as the girl searched for a suitable cream lace (Because of the plaid's cream stripe) All she could find was over priced white bridal lace. Until one day she randomly popped into the best local charity shop for finding fabric and happened upon a giant, pristine cream crochet lace tablecloth for £4.95. (Actually there were two but the girl didn't think she could justify that much cream lace since she wasn't a bride)
|Business in the front, party in the back- without the fuss of a hair cut :P
Work on the shirt quickly picked up and by the end of May the world's most awesome shirt had been born. Due to the period spent trying to find the lace the girl had actually lavished a lot of time on the shirt. Hand basting the interfacing. Painstaking top-stitching in coordinating thread. Pattern matching and bias cut details (Eek!!). Self drafted tower-plackets for the sleeves (Using this tutorial for reference). In fact by the time the lace had been bought the entire front of shirt, including collar, yoke, buttons/buttonholes, hem and sleeve plackets had be finished.
|Archer in progress
All that was left was to cut out the lace back. She centered the back on a giant rose, omitted the pleat, and used the selvage as the hem (folding the the pattern up 3cm to account for the front hem) . She then used french seams to attach the sleeves, and sew the side seams. She attached the sleeve cuffs (deepening the sleeve pleats to accommodate the tower placket) and was done.
|Mmmmmmm... bias cut plaid...
...Ok, fine, maybe it's the super cool lace back that makes it so awesome, but the labour of love thing still stands.
|Add caption
The girl donned her new shirt and set off into the horizon in search of new project safe in the knowledge that whatever adventure the sewing gods threw at her she would atleast be well-dressed when she faced them.
The end.
Ps. Look at the purty french seams! Look at them!!


text:
Sign Up to be added to my readers' group and receive the first chapter of The Unscripted Life of Lizzy Dillinger!
Lizzy Dillinger fantasizes about her old life before becoming a typical stay at home wife and mom; so much so that she even writes a book about it. She's excited when people love it. She's thrilled when it gets contracted for a movie. Then Tanya Miller, her best friend from college and producer on the film, has another plot twist for her.
Lizzy finds out a romantic lead is being played by her Hollywood crush… Ben Winters! Then, in the ultimate shock of all, Ben and Lizzy hit it off. Now Lizzy has to decide:
Will she stay in her ho-hum marriage or have an affair of a lifetime?
After Ben and Lizzy hit it off, he asks her where she gets her story ideas from.
A waitress came over and asked Ben if he'd like a drink.
He nodded at me. "What would you like?"
"Water with lemon."
"Make that two," he said to the waitress. She bobbed her head, and I stared.
"This is actually really fun to watch."
"Will I make it into your next book?"
"I've always wondered how authors get their ideas."
"There's a shop in Albuquerque." I was pulling this off. I was having a normal conversation with Ben Winters—I mean Ben—and I hadn't even tried to see if he wore boxers or briefs.
"Where did you get the idea for this book?"
"I actually went to Mexico on a humanitarian trip in college."
Where did Iget the idea for this book you ask? Well, I also went on a humanitarian trip to Mexico in college, but that's pretty much where the similarities between Lizzy and me end.
I got the idea one weekend when I had the flu. I was lying in bed, trying to breathe, and binge-watching The O.C. On the second day of this, I started wondering if Seth, Summer, and Ryan from The O.C. would like me if they met me. (I didn't care if Marissa liked me. She was a lost soul.) Then I remembered it was a fictional TV show and they were fictional people and real people may find it odd if I was wondering if I could be friends with fictional people.
I then wondered if the actors playing the characters would like me if they met me. Then my mind kept going. Would a famous actor hang out with a stay at home mom? Why would an actor and a stay at home mom meet? What if the actor and mom met and hit it off? More than friends? Would she stay with her husband?
I thought it was an interesting question. I asked a few people what they would do. It started some engaging conversations. I kept thinking about it and decided to write about it. I had started a book about a girl going on a humanitarian trip to Mexico, but it didn't go anywhere. I took parts from that book and added a lonely stay at home mom, a couple of friends and an actor.
In other words, my Recipe for a Novel
1/4 cup binging TV
1/8 cup cold medicine
1/4 cup watching people and their reactions
1/4 cup imagination
1/8 cup real life
A sprinkle of crying and overreacting (Some around me may say I added more than a sprinkle but they should have more empathy.)
And now it's all put together with a pretty cover.
I bet Summer from The O.C. would read it and LOVE it!


text:
- Home
- Blogs
- Community
- Big Game Hunting
- Regional
- Firearms
- Archery
- Muzzleloader
- Gear Bag
Washington Hunters Can Win 2011 Hunting Permits by Filing 2010 Hunting Reports
Hunters have a chance to win one of nine 2011 special hunting permits if they report this year's hunting activities for black bear, deer, elk, or turkey to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) by Jan. 10.
Those who meet the deadline will be included in a drawing for five deer permits and four elk permits in various areas of the state. Those permits will be valid from Sept. 1 through Dec. 31, 2011.
To qualify for the drawing, hunters must submit a report for each black bear, deer, elk, or turkey tag they purchased in 2010.
All hunters, whether successful or not, are required to submit hunting reports for those species by Jan. 31. Failure to meet the deadline can result in a $10 fine, payable before a hunter can purchase a 2011 license.
Dave Ware, WDFW game manager, said the annual hunting reports are an important source of information for managing the resource and developing future hunting seasons.
"The drawing for special permits is designed to give hunters an extra incentive to file their reports early," said Dave Ware, WDFW game manager. "If everyone waits until the last minute, it creates problems with reporting."
Hunters can report by phone (877 945-3492) or the Internet https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov. Hunters should be prepared to give the game management unit they hunted and their individual WILD identification number, which is printed on license documents.
New this year, WDFW is requiring hunters to file separate reports for general-season hunting activities and for special-permit hunts for deer, elk, black bear and turkey. That change will give game managers more information about hunters' success during both kinds of seasons - general and special permit, Ware said.
Whether reporting online or over the phone, hunters should follow the prompts until they receive a confirmation number for each report, he said.
More information the WDFW's incentive permit drawing is available on page 13 of the Big Game Hunting pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/regulations/).


text:
MakeNine 2020
I had such success with my #makenine challenge in 2019 that I decided to go for it again in 2020! You can read all about my 2019 goals and my 2019 reality in my past blog posts. I didn't finish everything on the list, but I did at least make progress!
So let's take a look at what I have planned for this year!
Make Nine 2019
I've seen the #MakeNine challenge around on Instagram for a few years now, but I've never participated before this year. Usually I have waaayyy more than 9 projects that I want to accomplish in a year. And to be honest, I still do have more than 9 for 2019 as well. But the problem with having SO MANY ideas and plans is that it is SO EASY to get side tracked and bounce around from one thing to the next. Which is exactly what I do. So in any given year I do make a lot of things, but I also start and never finish a lot of things, and I often have projects that end up on my to-do list for years that I keep meaning to do.
Which is why I have decided to partake in the #MakeNine challenge this year!
Me-Made-May 2018 Tracker!
I've got a great little downloadable freebie for you guys!
I've always loved the idea of Me-Made-May, but I've always been intimidated by it. For those of you who don't know, MMMay is a challenge started by Zoe Edwards of SoZo to help sewists develop a better relationship with their handmade wardrobe. It is a huge deal on instagram every year, because most people pledge to wear all handmade for the entire month, and post a selfie every day on instagram using the #MMMay18
Which is super intimidating right?? My handmade wardrobe is not nearly filled out enough to wear only handmade all month. And posting a picture of myself every day to instagram is quite a commitment for me.
But then, I listened to episode 38 of the Love to Sew Podcast, which featured Zoe and the MMMay challenge. And Zoe emphasized that this challenge is NOT a photo challenge, and it is NOT the same challenge for different people. You get to choose what you want to challenge yourself to do. You don't have to wear me-mades from head to toe. And you don't have to post an instagram selfie every day. You can track your challenge however you want!
So of course, my mind jumped straight to bullet journaling!
I'm obsessed with my bullet journal, and I love creating new spreads to help me keep track of my life, so I whipped up a few pages to help me track my newly inspired MMMay!
I love new years.
And I love making new years resolutions.
I know, I know, it is a completely arbitrary date, but really, what is so bad about a trigger to help people remember to reflect on their life and inspire change? Who cares if it is arbitrary, really? Not me!
I'm not saying that you have to have a new years resolution, or that if you don't make a change on Jan 1st, you have to wait another year. But there is something to be said for group efforts. When everyone around you is determined to better their life, it can help inspire you to do the same. It does for me.
So as 2016 wraps up, and along with it my busiest season of business to date, I've been reflecting a lot on what this year has brought me, and where I want to go with my business and my life in 2017.
Looking back at my goals for 2016, I've realized that this year was all about growth for me. I've grown in so many different ways, from expanding my knowledge, to growing my audience, to bringing in more sales than I ever have before. I added another self employed day to my week, and I grew my network of like minded creatives for support. I also grew more confident in myself and my business this year. One big milestone was my interview on the Etsy Conversations Podcast. It took me months to work up the confidence to apply, and even more gumption to actually listen to myself on the podcast (you know it's hard!) but I did, and in the end it was an extremely fulfilling venture outside my comfort zone. Another milestone in comfort was participating in the Yelp's Totally Bazaar. I was extremely intimidated by my fellow vendors (a lot of brick and mortar businesses that are much more established than me) but it ended up being one of the hightlights of my year!
Growing my business in 2016 has meant a growing workload as well, which has really affected the way I've begun thinking of 2017. I've noticed my growing jealousy towards sewers who have a wardrobe full of self made items. Jealousy is not a fun emotion to feel, but for me it's a red flag of what I'm missing in my life. And I've realized that this specific envy is occurring because instead of adding a business into the rest of my life, my business has simply taken over the time I used to take for myself (and then some). My constant focus on growth has lead me to be more and more of a workaholic these last few years. The other day I realized that it had been 3 years since I had sewn a piece of clothing for myself. THREE YEARS. This is not ok. I know that it's a trade joke that "the cobbler's children go unshod" (aka my entire closet needs alterations) but if I keep this up, I'm going to burn out.
So instead of growth, (although I do still hope to grow) my target in 2017 is going to be FOCUS. Or maybe another good word for it would be INTENTIONAL. I want to take a step back, and make sure that the business that I am building is what I WANT, and not just the path I am swept down on my way to the faster growth. This means choosing where I want my business to go in the long run, and working towards that, with more balance in my life, more me-time, and more long term strategic thinking.
My Goals for 2017 (in no particular order)
1. Continue Blogging and Emailing Once a Month. This has been working well for me in 2016!
2. Create at least 4 Clothing Sewing Patterns. Sewing patterns (and kits) is the direction I want to take my company. This means I need to really focus on creating more patterns, even though it means months of work before I can start bringing in profit from it. In the long run, these items are evergreen and can be sold forever.
3. Plan Out Patterns for each of my Sewing Level Categories. I have the categories, so now I need to fill them!
4. Sell my DIY Kits in stores. I love love love my kits! They use up discarded fabrics, and my original patterns. So obviously I need to spread the love.
5. Update all my PDF Instructions to include information about my Facebook Pattern Group. No one will know about the group if I don't go back and add it into the instructions! This is a fast goal, but a tedious one I've been putting off.
6. Work towards #FitTheFlux. This is something that has been running around in my brain for a while, and I'm hoping to get it started this year. Patterns that fit, even when your size fluctuates. If you are going to spend all that time on making your own wardrobe, you want to be able to wear it for a long time, even if your body is in flux.
7. Sell My Products in a Store in Fort Wayne, and on Mass Ave. I love being able to reach more customers and I love working with other local business owners.
8. Grow my Facebook Pattern Group. It's a community for people who use my patterns and kits, and want to get tips and share pics.
9. Super Slow Fashion Project. This is a project that I have always wanted to do, and I feel like it may help me to better appreciate my profession, and the professions surrounding me. I want to create a piece of clothing from scratch. As scratch as I can get. This means not only sewing it, but weaving the fabric. And spinning the yarn to create that fabric. And shearing the sheep to get the wool to make that yarn, and so on. I'm not entirely sure how this project would even work, or who I would need to contact to make it happen. But in a world full of super fast fashion, I want to take a time out to really appreciate what creating clothing used to look like. If anyone has any idea who could help me make this happen, I am all ears!
10. Take a Textiles Class. Textiles are my weakness! Especially because I get a lot of hand me down fabrics. I don't always know what fabric I'm working with, or how to take care of it. If I'm going to get serious about these patterns, I need to be able to recommend fabrics to people who use them, and I'd like to be able to help people take care of their finished garments. (once again, if you are going through all the effort to make it, might as well make it last!)
11. Pay Myself a Percentage of Profits Each Month. I've been struggling with how to start paying myself from the business without crippling my business if I have a slow period. I heard on a podcast that another creative business owner gets around this problem by using percentages. You take 20% (or however much) of the profit each month, and that way your business still gets profits as well. And it is a little extra incentive to make more sales to get paid more... I'm happy to say that I'm starting this method this month! :)
12. Give Myself a Raise. Any of you who have read my past blog posts know that I struggle with pricing my items. I made a big effort in 2016 to get my prices to a (mostly) fair point, while being able to pay myself (theoretically) $11 an hour. But really, as the CEO/CFO/Marketing department/Designer/Seamstress/Customer Service Rep/Blogger/Website Designer/Salesperson/Researcher/Buyer/Social Media Rep of Goheen LLC I think I deserve a raise....
13. Create a Consistant Sizing Chart. If I'm selling clothing patterns, this is a must!
14. Create a Line Sheet. I'm hoping this will streamline my wholesale/consignment pitches.
15. Use Pattern Testers. I can't catch all the mistakes myself. Plus, I've gotta have all the different sizes tested out!
16. Contact 5 Sewing Blogs. Blogs are a great way for people to learn about new patterns, and once I have some new ones, I'm hoping to connect with my fellow online sewers and spread the word.
So, 16 goals is a lot (although 4 fewer than last year. I'm getting better I swear). Some will take me a day, some will take me all year. And I need to make sure that these goals don't crowd out my personal goals for the year (like they did in 2016). It won't be easy, but after reflecting on all this I am refreshed, and I am ready to get started!
How have I not written a blog post about this yet?? I was so busy telling everyone I know in person, and on social media that I forgot to even mention it here on the blog!
Basically, for anyone who missed it, I have had the great honor of being interviewed by Ijeoma for her Etsy Conversations podcast last month! This is a huge thrill for me! I have been listening to this podcast since I first thought of selling on Etsy a few years ago. It has been a truly encouraging, informative and inspiring resource for me as a business owner. I made it my goal for 2016 to contact Ijeoma and offer to be on her podcast, and I did, but I never really thought it would happen! I am so honored to be a part of Etsy Conversations, and I hope that my story helps to pass on some of the same encouragement that I've received!
Head on over to Ijeoma's website, or to Sitcher or Itunes and listen to my episode! #145
The Dreaded Question
"So what do you do?"
It's a pretty standard question, regularly asked at parties, club meetings, family gatherings and networking events. But ever since I started my business, this little question has given me big anxiety. Because I don't know what to say.
The easy answer is to tell people that "I work in a drapery workroom". It's true, it's short, I feel comfortable saying it, and it doesn't generally illicit more questions: a definite plus for my introverted self.
Buuuut, this answer is really me hiding. Hiding my insecurities of starting a business behind the cover of having a day job to talk about. I could tell people that I'm a small business owner, but when I say that I feel like an imposter. I feel like Owning A Business is a Big Deal, and that when someone hears that I have a business, they probably have certain expectations. Like that I'm making a profit. Or I have employees. Or I don't have a day job. All of which are not true. At least not yet. So I have this reluctance to tell people that I am a business owner. I feel like I'm not big enough, I don't know enough, I don't have enough experience, I'm not good enough yet.
This is no good. I DO own a business. And I can't grow my business if I'm constantly hiding the fact that I have one. So I made it a goal for 2016 to self-promote, and even wrote it up in a blog post here. But even knowing what I need to do, it's not easy.
Early on in the year, I met my sister and her friend for breakfast one day, and her friend asked me what I did. And I gave the cop-out answer "I sew…" and got put in my place by my big sister!
"I thought it was one of your goals to not say that anymore! Aren't you supposed to talk about your business??" Yikes! Apparently people do read this blog! But she was right, and she gave me the accountability kick I needed to get serious about this goal.
I actually practiced with my husband, pretending to introduce ourselves, to try to get comfortable with what I had to say (and he is my hero for not making fun of me for this). And we cycled through a few answers to see what fits me best.
"I'm a fashion designer" – For me, this gives the wrong idea. I'm not at some couture fashion house in New York.
"I have an Etsy shop" – True, but my business is more than Etsy. And some people have no idea what Etsy is anyway.
"I'm an entrepreneur" – this sounds like I really like to start lots of businesses. I don't. I just want this ONE business, because it is my passion.
"I'm a business owner" – I don't like just saying I have a business without saying what I do!
For now, I've settled on: "I own a design business" or "I run an online sewing business" or something along those lines. But it's still hard to say.
After settling on what to say, the next step was to put myself in situations where I would need to introduce myself. The only way that I am going to become confident with my self, and my abilities, is if I see that my fears (ridiculous fears of people yelling at me, telling me I'm an imposter) are unfounded. So here we go, out of my comfort zone.
I started an Etsy team. I wanted a group of like-minded people in the area, to meet up with and talk about our businesses. To help each other through problems, and celebrate each other's successes. A group like this didn't already exist, so I decided to just make it myself. This means that I get to meet new people who come to our meetings! On the scale of imposterism, this was pretty low, because we are all Etsy business people, so I felt more at home.
I went to other club meetings. I've been visiting some local sewing clubs, like the American Sewing Guild, and the Sewing Professionals Network. This is a little harder to introduce myself at, because there are lots of women with a whole lot more experience than me at these meetings. But I'm trying. I have one more to check out.
I contacted store owners. Thank goodness for email, or this would be a truly terrifying process. Still, meeting in person to discuss selling my products in stores definitely takes some self promotion! And as of next week, I will have two local businesses selling my wares!
I taught a class. This one was very nerve wracking. I taught a class at the Indy Trade School, all about digital sewing patterns. This was very nerve wracking because teaching someone something means you are telling people that you know a whole lot more than them on that subject. Which is possibly not true at all. But I survived, and my class was very nice to me, and I'm going to submit another class proposal this week.
The next step in my journey of self promotion, (aka self confidence) is to ask people to model for me. This would be super helpful, but I'm a very novice photographer, and asking people to be in my photos (that may or may not turn out) is almost laughable to me. But it is something I need to do eventually.
Because hey, I can't let myself get too cozy here in my comfort zone, right?
Why Are My Prices Changing??
You may have noticed a change in my prices this month. I have been working hard to standardize my pricing these last few weeks, with lots of excel spreadsheeting involved. My goal by the end of the year is to be paying myself at least for my time sewing and patterning for my business. (paying myself for my admin is a whole 'nother issue I need to tackle) Right now, all of the money I make goes straight back into the business, buying supplies and marketing materials, etc.
My pricing breakdown is something like:
Profit I get from Etsy = price + shipping cost - cost to wash fabric - cost of shipping supplies – cost of material – my actual cost to ship - my labor (cost of my time patterning and sewing, cost of my time listing the item, cost of my time shipping the item) – 3.5% Etsy fee – (3%+.25 direct deposit fee)
Wholesale Profit = (retail price * .5) - cost to wash fabric – cost of material – cost of my product presentation and packaging– my labor (cost of my time patterning and sewing, cost of my time interacting with store owners)
I am trying to juggle these two formulas, and also trying to standardize some of my profit margin: 25% if it's resale, and 15% if its wholesale
That 15-25% profit? It is there to help cover random overhead costs of my business: my car fuel, my administration work hours, my internet, my website, assets like my camera and much more. Is it too high? Is it too low? I'm not sure yet. Only time will tell. Covering those overhead costs depends a lot on how many items a year I sell, as well as how expensive of an item it is, and the total of my overhead costs, all of which I don't have nailed down yet. I also haven't been super strict when it comes to these numbers, because the products I sell are so varied in price. So 15% of a $10 item is much much different than 15% of a $400 item. So sometimes I adjust accordingly.
I have no idea if I am doing this right. In fact, I have no idea if there is a "right" way to do it. It is simply what I came up with for now. And this change in pricing isn't final. My product prices are very likely to change again. Here's why:
The moral of this story? Pricing is complicated. And in order to be a profitable business (that can actually pay me) I am doing my best to figure out how to price my items to cover all of my costs. So bear with me as I make changes. They aren't random, or greedy, or personal attacks on your wallet. They are just a reflection of a small one-woman business trying to figure it all out as she goes.
P.S. I am always open to tips on how to price things! Let me know if you have any suggestions, or see that there is anything I can do better!
Progress, not Perfection
One fourth of the year is over!!
So what does that mean for my
Well… let's see.
Things I HAVE accomplished:
I taught a class for Indy Trade School (boy I was a nervous wreck!)
I've released 2 new sewing patterns so far
I've taken a photography class
I've applied for craft shows
I made business cards and I streamlined my shipping process
I've created a spreadsheet with all the details that go into pricing, to get me on track to pricing correctly (and then onto paying myself for my work)
I ran a 10K
I volunteered for a garden
I started my wedding quilt
I patterned a skirt for myself
I've read 3 (printed, physical) books so far.
Things I CANNOT accomplish:
Things change, and that's ok. One of my goals for the year was to run Steve's Run, one of my favorite road races. But Already I know that this won't happen because we have a wedding that day! It was a nice goal, but it will just have to wait until next year.
Things I MIGHT NOT accomplish:
I've had a realization about some of my goals: They aren't in my control. This might have been quite obvious to an outsider, but it wasn't obvious to me when I made the goal. One of the goals that falls into this category is: SELL ONE ITEM EVERY MONTH (even the slow months). Problem: This isn't actually in my control. I mean, I knew this ahead of time, I knew that I can't force sales or somehow magically control when someone decides it is time to buy. But I figured there were plenty of things in my control: putting up items consistently, creating new products, blogging, social media posts, having the right key words on Etsy, shop updates, promoting myself, emails (etc. etc.) And all these things do help to bring in sales, so I figured setting a goal of getting sales would inspire me to keep up with all these different tasks. But then March happened. I listed several new items, renewed several more, blogged, emailed, and posted updates. And I got great results in views and favorites! I haven't had that many eyeballs on my shop since October of last year (and October is my busy month!) But no sales came! This is when I realized that I didn't actually have control over this goal. (duh) I DID end up getting a sale in March, on the very last day of the month actually (funny how things happen). But in the end, I may reach this goal, or I may not. I guess this is one of those times that reaching the goal isn't actually the point. I would like my sales to come in more consistently throughout the year, and it's the constant striving for this goal that (hopefully) pays off in the end.
My overall feelings: I've made good progress, but I have a long way to go in these last 3/4 of the year!
How are your goals for the year coming?
My personal Goals for 2016
I've given you my business goals, but that isn't the only aspect of my life that I make goals for! Just in case you are wondering what I aim for outside the business realm, here are 20 goals for me. (Apparently 20 was the perfect number this year?)
Personal goals for 2016:
madeline stage
creative business owner. designer. hoosier. crafter. runner. sewer. swing dancer. outdoor enthusiast. entrepreneur. wife. material hoarder.
July 2020
My Instagram Feed:
Contact Me
Madeline Stage firstname.lastname@example.com
Indianapolis, IN
Weekly Mantra
Give yourself time.
Click here for the Privacy Policy


text:
Red Curtain Spoken Word
I've been meaning to record and upload my spoken word for awhile now and I finally stopped being lazy and did so. Below are just some of the pieces I've written and performed over the years. "The words of the mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream." – Proverbs … Continue reading
Jay Z makes himself an exhibit
This is what happens when you put artists from different cultures into a big white room and enter an A-list hip-hop artist to perform to them. Not only perform, but connect with each one of them, breaking the boundaries and exploring a whole new territory! "The Artist Is Present", Jay-Z you are a genius! … Continue reading


text:
It is no surprise that hunting, particularly bowhunting, requires skill, patience, luck, and time. Most of today's youth are accustomed to video games, their cell phones, and uninterrupted access to the internet. Hunting doesn't provide that instant gratification they are used to. When a young man or woman expresses an interest in the outdoors they are venturing into an unfamiliar world outside of their social media accounts, Call of Duty Campaigns, and movies. They should be welcomed with nothing but positivity and encouragement.
I was there once. Nobody in my family hunted, and I really wanted to get into it. I ended up scouring hunting magazines and learning a bit from online forums but most of what I learned was based on trial and error in the woods.
These are 5 tips I wish I knew when first getting started.


text:
A Colloquium with Dr. Niki Akhavan, Assistant Professor, Media Studies, The Catholic University of America
Where: 108 Hannan Hall
When: Monday, November 12, 6:00 p.m.
About the Speaker:Niki
is an Assistant Professor of Media Studies at The Catholic University of America. Her research examines the relationship between New Media technologies and Iranian transnational political and cultural production, with a specific interest in how state actors have participated in and reacted to New Media landscapes. She recently completed a manuscript, "Electronic Iran: The Cultural Politics of an Online Evolution", which is currently under review for publication. She has published on the Iranian blogosphere as well as the role of other forms of media in contemporary Iran.
Abstract: Notoriously factionalized at the level of state powers and oppositional forces alike, shifts in the Iranian political scene occur regularly but unpredictably. As such, an examination of the Iranian Internet requires approaches that can account for the richness of both new media developments and the social and political contexts in which they are received. While many of the difficulties that arise in this regard are unique to the specificities of the Iranian Internet, they provide opportunities for reflecting on the challenges of digital scholarship more broadly. In outlining research obstacles and the solutions devised to address them, this presentation considers what lessons the case of the Iranian Internet might hold for scholars and professionals concerned with the study and management of information on the Internet.
Note regarding accommodations: Please contact David Shumaker, email@example.com, at least five business days in advance to request accommodations for individuals with disabilities. This includes the need for materials in an alternative format (i.e. large print or Braille), Sign Language Interpreters, accessible seating, and parking information.


text:
Centurion (2010)
I know what you're thinking; '2010? Surely that's a good five decades out of your usual range!' Yes, I tend to like reviewing older films but I do modern ones as well sometimes. Besides, this looked like it had potential and I always like to check out Roman films. Starring Michael Fassbender, Olga Kurylenko, Dominic West and Liam Cunningham, this was made by Brit director Neil Marshal (who most of us will only know from Dog Soldiers). Unfortunately, Centurion is not in the same league as Marshal's earlier work. There are some good performances and some interesting ideas, but for the most part it comes across as a dingy, gore-for-its-own-sake sort of film.
The story is another take on the disappearance of the Legio IX Hispana which was stationed in Britain and disappears from records in 120AD. Roughly inspired, though certainly not based on, the theory in Rosemary Sutcliffe's The Eagle of the Ninth, it follows the notion of the legion being attacked in northern Britain by an uprising of tribes.
The film begins with Centurion Quintus Dias (Fassbender) being captured and tortured by Britons after his outpost is attacked. He escapes, and manages to find the advancing Ninth Legion who are on their way to subdue the Picts. The legion is ambushed on the march, having been betrayed by their 'Brigante' scout Etain (Kurylenko), and only a small handful survive, including Quintus. Whether Etain genuinely was Brigante or whether she was a masquerading Pict is left ambiguous so I'll forgive them calling her Brigante at the start and a Pict near the end. The Legion Legate General Virilus (West) is taken alive and the little group of soldiers, including Liam Cunningham's character, Brick, decide to attempt a rescue.
Right, now to review. The ending is one of my issues so I'll put in spoiler alerts before that – if you see it and you want to avoid, skip to the next paragraph. This was a film that really should have been good but wasn't, and it's not even that obvious why. There are plenty of flaws in it of course, but then there are flaws in other films that are good overall. We'll take a look at some of that below but I think the main problem was that it should have been gripping and it just never really managed it.
One little but obvious problem is that the writing at the start looks like it's white against a background of white mountains, and in pretty small text. Superficial flaw I know, but it doesn't fill you with confidence. The whole film is lit with a deliberately grim and cold light and while I get what they were aiming for, the lack of any real change is tiring and gives the film a slightly monotonous feel.
Sort of connected to that is the fact that it tries way too hard to be gritty and shocking, and just winds up being pointlessly gory. After the first bit of blood splatter you're pretty well immunised to its effect, in my case just shrugging and thinking 'oh, so it's that sort of film.'
There are a few other little drawbacks along the way but my only big issue with it was that the ending made no sense (minor spoiler – it's not worth waiting for but skip if you want). The logic is that the Roman Governor is killing off Quintus to cover up the massacre of the Ninth Legion because it could cause him embarrassment in Rome. But what about all the soldiers who saw them go and never saw them come back? What about the requests for a legion's worth of pay suddenly stopping? What about the friends and families of the officers, who in the Legate's case would have been fairly prominent people? There is no way to cover up a legion disappearing, and is an unexplained vanishing really that much better-sounding than a report that says they were ambushed? He can pin the blame on a careless general and talk his way clear, something he can't do when word of this missing legion is inevitably reported to his superiors. It just struck me as a serious plot hole and a pretty rubbish excuse for the mystery (and an obvious ploy to undermine Romans in general and drive Quintus back to his girl).
A last, and fairly minor, issue is that a hefty amount of the first act is almost carbon copied from The Last of the Mohicans. I know that there are allegedly only seven stories in the world or something, but sometimes things can be really close. Etain, a villain for whom we have a grain of sympathy, has lost everything at the hands of the conquering Romans. She feigns being a guide from a friendly tribe and then leads Roman soldiers into a trap in the woods, revealing that she is in fact part of a warlike, antagonistic tribe, and she then spends the rest of the film trying to kill the few survivors. You know; completely unlike Magua; a villain for whom we have a grain of sympathy because he's lost everything at the hands of the conquering English, who then feigns being a guide from a friendly tribe and leads English soldiers into a trap in the woods, revealing that he is in fact part of a warlike, antagonistic tribe, and spending the rest of the film trying to kill the few survivors…
As far as historical realism there is some artistic licence (making Pictish sound like Gaelic when it should sound more like Welsh was a grievous sin from my point of view, but at least they admit their fault in the special features), but for the most part it has a believable look to it.
No matter how bad the film, it failed to make bad actors of the main cast, and Fassbender made the most of what he was given as did Kurylenko and West. Cunningham was, as ever, good value for money, and I did love his 'Roman Geordie'. The man is Irish but when not using his own voice or putting on a posh English one, he does seem fond of a Geordie accent.
There were some good moments in the film – the part where a man is left for the wolves is very memorable – but overall I have to say I was disappointed. It had a great deal of potential with a good story concept, a good cast, and a proven director behind it, but fell victim to the infamous 'Van Helsing Syndrome', whereby all those things somehow don't combine to make a good film and at best it becomes a watchable guilty pleasure.


text:
We want your product to last as long as possible and give you the comfort and support you need. If you put your foam core into the washer or dryer, it won't come out looking how it did when it went in. Instead, spot clean only with damp cloth. Do not put the foam in the washer or dryer.
Our pillowcase is made for whatever you throw at it. And if you happen to throw something that gets it dirty, just remove the cover and throw it in the washing machine. Machine wash with cold water and mild detergent, gentle cycle. Tumble dry low to give it that nice warm fluffy finish. Do not bleach or iron.


text:
GQ Launches Revamped iPad App
GQ has relaunched its iPad app, and Mashable says that it's nicer, but not that nice. There are improved layouts, embedded slideshows and video and audio additions, but the overall app leaves something to be desired:
Less welcome are the frequent bugs and crashes we experienced during tests. Text isn't selectable and there is no easy way to share content via email or social networks — a head-scratching omission, to put it lightly.
It's also $4.99 — two dollars more than the cost of previous single issue copies, and it's now available only on the iPad. No subscription option is available at this time.
Ah, right. There's that whole "a single iPad issue costs almost half of what a year's print subscription costs" thing. When FishbowlNY found out that GQ was going to up the price of its app we were puzzled, and now that it's relaunched – still without much incentive to purchase it – we're more than puzzled. We're perplexed. Or something like that.
Why would people purchase the app when they can get a year of the print version for a couple more dollars? You can keep reading, but we don't have an answer for you. Like we said, we're perplexed.


text:
Since its incorporation in 1764, Boothbay has been a flourishing center of farming, fishing, shipbuilding, and tourism in the heart of midcoast Maine. But less commonly known is what lies in the town's western reaches - a serene village and island reached only by one of Maine's two surviving manual swing bridges.
Welcome to Trevett, a small community on Barters Island known for its gorgeous surrounding waterways and delightfully quiet way of life - one that is best experienced when you rent one of our peaceful Trevett vacation homes.
Trevett is part of the town of Boothbay, but it occupies the southeastern corner of Barters Island, just across the Back River from the Boothbay Peninsula. The island's only access point is the swing bridge from Hodgdon Island - a beautiful and functional structure that was featured in the 2001 film "In the Bedroom." You'll be just three miles west of central Boothbay, four miles northwest of Boothbay Harbor, and 14 miles south of Wiscasset on the banks of the Sheepscot River.
Named for Samuel Barter, a home builder who settled in the region in the mid-18th century, Barters Island offers a tranquil and scenic glimpse of seaside living in midcoast Maine.
Spend your mornings one mile south of Trevett in Porter Preserve, a 19-acre expanse known for its old growth spruce, oak, and pine trees; a sheltered cove and beach; and half a mile of coastline on the Back and Sheepscot Rivers. Also operated by the Boothbay Region Land Trust is the Schoolhouse Pond Preserve, a scenic cranberry bog and one-mile loop trail that is two miles north of Trevett.
Drop your boat in one of the surrounding waterways, or visit Tidal Transit Kayak Company in Boothbay Harbor to rent a kayak, test your skills at stand-up paddleboarding, or join a guided excursion of the nearby lighthouses. But there's no better place to mingle with the local seafarers than the Trevett Country Store, a favorite among island residents for its fried haddock and fresh lobster rolls.
Trevett is also just one mile from the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, a gorgeous 270-acre facility that offers plants and blooms in every season on the shores of the Back River.
Thanks to its central location among the charming villages, rocky islands, and gorgeous country roads of Midcoast Maine, Trevett offers no shortage of options for unforgettable day trips.
Head north to Wiscasset for lunch at Red's Eats, the beloved seafood shack known for its ever-present line down the street. Follow Route 1 west for 11 miles to reach Bath, the historic shipbuilding city now home to the Maine Maritime Museum. Or, drive east for 33 miles to explore downtown Rockland, the working harbor known for its beautiful breakwater and its fantastic local restaurants.
To experience one of the best boating excursions in all of Maine, stop by Maine Kayak in Bristol, just 28 miles east - you'll have your choice of sea kayaking tours that trace the stunning Pemaquid Peninsula.
Experience midcoast Maine as it once was and should be - book your stay in one of our Trevett vacation homes today!


text:
When Samsung acquired Harman International Industries last year, it was pretty obvious the tech brand had eyes on the Harman Kardon audio division. The pair have worked together on a few projects since --smartphones and tablets featuring Harman-owned AKG-tuned audio, for example -- but now the collaboration is taking Samsung further into the premium audio sector. Two new co-branded premium soundbars developed with Harman, the Samsung HW-N950 and HW-N850, will go on the market later this month.
Samsung's Harman unveils its new premium soundbar lineup
Sponsored Links
Both feature Dolby Atmos and DTS:X for a rich, three-dimensional sound, plus up- and side-firing speakers. The HW-N950 is the more premium of the two, with four speakers and two wireless surround sound speakers with 7.1.4 channels -- the largest number of channels available in a soundbar. The HW-N850 is a more pared back version, with a main unit speaker, woofer and a 5.1.2 channel.
Both will be available from September 1 in the Netherlands. Details on other launch regions and specific pricing is yet to be confirmed, but European figures suggest the HW-N950 will retail for around €1,500 ($1,700) and the HW-N850 for €1,000 ($1,130) -- certainly not the cheapest soundbars on the market, but a fair price for kit that's got both Samsung and Harman expertise squeezed into it.


text:
Where will the registrations open?
On our website at http://inscription.epic-asso.com/
Quand est-ce que les inscriptions ouvriront ?
En général elles sont annoncés 2 à 4 semaines avant. Consultez l'évènement en question pour connaître la date exacte.
When will the registrations open?
Registrations are annouced 2 to 4 weeks before the open. Look at the event to know exactly the date.
Can I enter in several Japan Expo Cosplay Contest with the same cosplay ?
A cosplay can only be worn once for all contest, for example you can't enter in the Thursday contest and the Friday contest with the same cosplay.
Is my registration complete as soon as I send all the element asked?
A complete and valid registration must include every element asked. These elements are specific for every masquerade (picture, file type, media duration… ). If everything is fine, you will receive a notification through mail to confirm your registration. Take your time to read every element asked.
Can I send another media later?
No, a registration once confirmed can't be modified. So you must send the VALID media. If you wish to change your registration, we'll have to downgrade your registration.
What type of pictures must I send?
For the pictures, we'd prefer official artworks, screen captures as much as possible. You can send several pictures or, even better; edit them to put them on one file only.
As a last resort we will accept fanarts from official costumes.
Can I use my msn/hotmail address? I only have this one!
Communicate us a valid email address, Best choices are the ones from your internet providers, gmail or yahoo.
We won't accept hotmail/msn/live email address due to some possible spamming/backlisting issues.
I have a weapon but I won't use it!
In regards of security issues, you must declare if your costume includes any weapon ( more details below ). If you don't declare a weapon, it will be taken away from you… at best.
Can I enter a contest with a bought/commissioned costume or one made with regular clothes ?
Every costume allowed to enter the contest must mostly be made by hand. The cosplayer must promise that at least 50% of his costume is made by himself or with help from friends/family. Every bought/commissioned costume will be unauthorized to register, without any regards to the percentage done by the cosplayer.
I am under 16, can I still enter the contests?
Every cosplayers below 16 years old will have to be with an adult. This adult must read, agree and sign the rules for the regarding contests.
Before my exhibition begins, can I go on a specific spot on the stage ?
-On the day of the contest when you arrive to confirm your registration, you will specify us if you wish to play your media:
*As soon as you get on the stage
*After you are placed on a specific spot on the stage (as long as it doesn't take too long)
-the media will be played just like you will have asked.
-When your exhibition is over, you go off the stage (as quickly as possible, in order not to have any incidence on the following cosplayers)
Can I install some accessories on stage before I begin my exhibition?
-On the day of the contest when you arrive to confirm your registration, you will specify us if you have any accessories to put on stage.
*By yourself before your media starts.
*By us asking kindly our staff
(once again try to be quick on that matter)
-Once your exhibition is over, you have to take them out of the stage.
How do we do to register for the original creation/fanarts/custom costume?
You will just have to specify it when you will register for the contest as long as it fits the themes of the festivals (Manga, Anime, Asian culture, Comics, Steampunk, Movies, TV Series, Video games, J-music, Sci-Fi, Medieval, Fantasy, Heroic-Fantasy).
In this category are allowed:
-Original creations
-Fanarts costumes
-Customized official artworks costumes
You will have to provide sketches/illustrations of the costumes and/or your inspiration. The registration manager and the organization team will decide if your creation fits within the themes of the festivals.
I'd like to sing on stage, can I have a mic?
In regards of security issues, we can't lend you a mic for your exhibition on stage.
What kind of media can I send?
Audio files have to be mp3 only. We don't allow video files due to some logistic restrictions and also in order to bring the audience complete satisfaction.
Can you edit my media file?
No editing will be done by our staff members, before or during the masquerade.
Can I use "SPECIAL" effects on stage?
In regards of security issues, pyrotechnic in all its forms is forbidden as well as liquids.
Glitter, Confetti etc… are forbidden too.
Can I use a Boken or a Sword/Katana?
Weapons (katanas replica and so on…) are forbidden, except the one made by the cosplayers, with the only restriction that these weapons must not be harmful/dangerous.
This FAQ will grow with your questions.


text:
"A year later, I can't say that I've done the quest justice. What I can say is that with each post I wrote came invaluable lessons I could not have imagined."
And a year later, I can't say that I've done the quest justice. What I can say is that with each post I wrote came invaluable lessons I could not have imagined. As I close out this year (yep, I'm taking the summer off from blogging to bask in the sun, relax, and listen to God for what's next), I wanted to share my top five beautiful lessons God reminded/taught me through 44 Sundays of blogging:
1. As much as we are individuals, we need each other
Thank you so much for sharing your comments and impressions on the posts. When I write, I can only hope and pray that what I'm sharing is inspiriting someone. Your emails and comments helped me to keep going! And those who have been vulnerable to share your faith story through The Sunday Blog have graced readers with your own uniqueness. God has given us each a gift and a purpose, and The Sunday Blog has helped remind me that it takes someone to receive it in order for that gift to come alive; and that we indeed need community!
2. Staying focused is the reward
When the desire is to be used by God and be pleasing to God by being true to whom we were created to be, then what the ego becomes concerned with loses power. The accolades, the numbers of "fans" on the Facebook page, etc. become irrelevant. Sure, there is appreciation (going back to #1) but when we are used as vessels then we know God's plan will come to fruition in God's time. Staying focused and on the path is the reward in itself. Life can take us away from what we commit to, especially when it's an internal commitment. Our spiritual practice (like writing) helps us find our way to what is true. Agree?
3. Push-ups build muscles
We know by now that the more we do something the stronger it and we become. Still, I have to recognize that writing weekly about my spiritual impressions and experiences has strengthened my spiritual walk. Taking the time to listen and create and share, without judgment of myself as a writer (whew), has helped me listen more deeply to God. To surrender my expectations of what's to come next so that I can be used without me interfering in that process. The more we practice (listening, praying, writing, surrendering) the stronger we become, right?
4. No room for excuses
I will be honest, there have been some Sundays when I thought I could not write anything. Weeks where I was beyond busy and "didn't have time" to write. Weeks where I felt it wouldn't matter if I missed the "deadline" because "Who's reading this anyway?" Weeks when I just wasn't "feeling it." It's easier to make excuses than to push through fatigue, anxiety, doubt. But isn't that what a spiritual practice is all about? Doing spiritual push-ups? We hear "no" so much from the outside world that with The Sunday Blog, I just wanted to say "yes." Even if it meant getting a little less sleep or becoming frustrated because I had no idea what to say. Being open to this unknown element is what gives our walk texture.
5. God does not color inside of the box
Speaking of this "unknown element…" As we grow in our relationship with God we tend to have a sense that we know God. This is great! God wants to be known. I believe God's deepest desire is for us to commune with Him/Her. At the same time, I don't think we can fully know God. Who God is is too much for our mind to hold, let alone comprehend. The creative process helps us to see God move in ways we could not intend but we must be cautious to not expect God to always move in a particular way. Yes, God's nature is the same towards us but God cannot be predicted. And yes, God is a God of order but... not our order. God doesn't follow our rules. Think about it. If God did, the sky would not be vast and limitless, would it?
I believe 3rd Spaces, the home for The Sunday Blog, is just beginning. We're just finding our voice and place. We're still figuring it all out. I don't know what God has in store for me, us or this vehicle, but I will admit, I am completely excited about being on the journey and whatever is next and!
Thank you for being a part of this with me. Thank you for your prayers and support. Thank you for your contributions. Thank you for being present.
Now, let's meet for lemonade and talk awhile! :-)
Happy summer!


text:
- A Buffalo Wild Wings takeover has only a 50% chance of succeeding, UBS Analyst Dennis Geiger said.
- The wing chain has shown good fundamentals after it changed the price of its wings.
- See the company's stock price here.
Though Wall Street welcomed the possibility of a Buffalo Wild Wings takeover – gobbling up shares following a report Roark Capital submitted a bid for the chicken wing franchise – the chances of a takeover is just 50%, a UBS analyst said.
Analyst Dennis Geiger believes that while there is solid reasoning for a takeover, the company's brand "is still strong and differentiated within casual dining." He is optimistic that the wing chain could improve its stock performance on its own.
Buffalo Wild Wings is showing signs of a turnaround from otherwise lacklustre performance, he said. Roark Capital's bid came just ahead of the company's better-than-expected third-quarter results, which showed it has the ability to control its costs, Geiger said.
The company said the the price of its chicken wings are "historically high," and has since cut back its popular half-price wings promotion to address that concern. Geiger said that wing prices are now around 20% below their recent highs, which could give the company more sales momentum in 2018 as the lower prices and cost savings work their way through.
This would give the company some leverage in navigating a takeover bid.
"We believe the company could either reject the bid or be looking for a higher bid," he said. It was already reported that there may be more than one potential bidder for the company, according to a report by Street Insider.
Geiger raised his price target to $US148 from $US140 based on the company's fundamentals and a potential takeout valuation.
Buffalo Wild Wings' stock is trading at $US145.85 per share, down 3.89% this year.
To read more about how Buffalo Wild Wings can make a turnaround, click here.
Business Insider Emails & Alerts
Site highlights each day to your inbox.
Follow Business Insider Australia on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.