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ACLr Musketeer - Snowy's reconstruction, 9.7.10
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Topic: ACLr Musketeer - Snowy's reconstruction, 9.7.10 (Read 158831 times)
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Posts: 2010
Liked: 8
Re: ACLr Musketeer - Snowy's reconstruction, 9.7.10
Reply #45 on:
July 13, 2010, 01:41:20 PM »
Hiya all you lovely followers of Snowy [oops that sound a bit like a cult but you know what I mean]
Snowy.. good news that things are improving pain wise that quite encouraging ist try to keep resting and not do too much and I'm pretty sure things will come on in leaps and bounds..
Wee question I am trying to decide weather to make up the bed in the den which is downstairs and has a ensuite shower room other than trying to get up and down the stairs to my bed room what do you think? would you have felt comfortable going up and down stairs when you first got home, just trying to decide if it is worth doing even though I love my own bed :Dif I had to get up during the night at least if down stairs I wouldnt disturb Dougie and I could watch t.v or use the laptop without having to negotiate stairs with crutches etc.
Kris.. love the chewing gum idea might just be worth a shot
Lisa the time for your stint in Africe is getting closer I assume the exitement is slowy building it grea to have something like that to look forward to you abviously have such a passion for your work out there. I really hope this small problem you are having can be sorted out easily and you can be O.S less for ever with 2 perfectly working knees
Tony.. Still no word maybe it's time to turn into that squeeking wheel a la Snowy as it must be horrid not knowing when you op will be us 3 muskateers must stay together
Take care all Tez
L K injured 25th June 2008
scope Jan 5th 10
diagnosis ACL rupture
fiberous band excised from acl
ACLr July 19th 2010 scope on 24th Sept 2011
ACL has failed incorrect tunnel placement
23rd July 2012 1st stage of a 2 stage ACL revision
10th May 2013 2nd stage ACL revision
Regular Poster
Posts: 124
Liked: 0
Re: ACLr Musketeer - Snowy's reconstruction, 9.7.10
Reply #46 on:
July 13, 2010, 01:52:26 PM »
Snowy - good to hear things are progressing well, and the initial pain seems to have worn off somewhat. Ive got my own ACLr to look forward to in the coming months, so to hear your personal experiences, (especially with all the details!!
) is a great help, as im sure it is to many others.
lwillson - fantastic video as well! now i know exactly what im getting my self in to!
March 2010: Torn ACL and meniscus damage to right knee (football)
April 2010: Arthroscopy to partially remove meniscus
October 14th: ACLr (hamstring graft)
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Posts: 284
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the hottest thing on 1.5 legs
Re: ACLr Musketeer - Snowy's reconstruction, 9.7.10
Reply #47 on:
July 13, 2010, 02:07:04 PM »
p.s. Lisa I wasn't trying to be a butt so I hope it didn't come off that way
The pillows/no pillows debate is a popular one. I slept with my leg propped up so high it was almost vertical after surgery and I still am trying to break my one-pillow habit (developed while waiting for surgery) so maybe that's a testament to why they're sometimes a bad idea!
12/09 dx- patellar subluxation (not!)
1/10 mri- neg; PT rx failed
4/10 more PT
5/10 dx patellar hypertension
6/7/10 chrondroplasty, patellar decompression, synovectomy and plica excision
5/6/11 dx RA, sjogren's
Posts: 2393
Liked: 16
Re: ACLr Musketeer - Snowy's reconstruction, 9.7.10
Reply #48 on:
July 13, 2010, 02:25:37 PM »
Hi Snowy
Glad to hear that things are easing a bit, liked the pics on fb of you on your crutches, looking good!! J has been very wise hiding the broom, tell her I can provide a wet haddock should the urge to sweep come across you again......
I meant to ask if you know if the doc did anything else as well as the ACLr - we'd mentioned before about the PFS but I assume that things looked good and he just did the necessary rebuild rather than any shaving or anything else? Good news if so, indicates the PFS is inflammation rather than direct wear and tear.
We had a good lunch yesterday - Cosmic and I had the healthy veg salad then destroyed the good work with desserts (lemon possett and bread and butter pud!). Vicks was celebrated as the birthday knee and had fancy tablecloth, serviettes, ballooons and all sorts. I also was very lucky to acquire some superb decorations with which to personalise my sexy Podalux shoe. Mr Onion will be dazzled by it at the 2 week check.
I too am going to have to learn a lesson in patience, which is not my strong point either. I admit I should be able to get about OK with the foot in bandages rather than juggling the whole knee issue and the work isn't anything like as major as the ACLr but it is bone work and I am a bit fearful of how nasty it might feel after that nerve block wears off tomorrow evening! It'll be "Nurse!! Drugs!!!". I'm feling pretty jittery now, have just attempted to pack a bag but my wash bags have all vanished and I can't take my toiletries in a plastic bag. God knows whats happened to them all, I sense a trip to Boots to get some new bag things! I've got a book, Nintendo DS, ipod charging, and some grapes and some Lucozade sports drink to take with me too as i'm in overnight. I suspect I won't fancy eating much immediately after, although knowing me I will be craving a coffee and some cake.
I'm now to be there at 7.00 and am 3rd on the list, not first. I think that may be his list for the morning so I am kind of glad he is saving me til last - don't want him setting the onion pointing sky high because he has a hunger pang. He is also going to inject Bob-knee with a steroid - I thought I'd see what effect it has plus it will be good to give Bib a helping hand whilst he takes more weight for a while. The knees have been SO sore the past two days - but due to sunburn acquired on Sunday!! Ouch!! on fire in a different way!! Thank god the onion was tucked up!
Anyway enough about me, I'm glad you're feeling a bit more in control of the knee. Take things easy. Tez - how are you feeling? How fast do the days go by when you're on that final week don't they? Thinking of you.
Hugs to all knee folk from Bob and the onions,
Bilateral patella OA since 2009, no surgeries.
Euflexxa working well x3 to current
Right forefoot CRPS post fusion surgery 2011
Refusing to let the ailing parts stop me....
Posts: 2555
Liked: 93
Re: ACLr Musketeer - Snowy's reconstruction, 9.7.10
Reply #49 on:
July 13, 2010, 09:01:32 PM »
Good morning all! I can't tell you what a nice feeling it is to wake up in the morning and find so many replies waiting on this thread.
Makes me feel very supported in this strange new post-op world!
Kris and Lisa - I've been trying to hit a happy medium on the elevation and while I've been propping the leg up a lot, I've been putting the pillows under the foot rather than the knee. This encourages the knee into natural extension while giving it the benefits of being elevated, so the best of both worlds!
I put a fresh dressing on the guidewire wound last night, along with a big blob of polysporin; I hope having gauze rather than just the sticky clear plastic will encourage it to heal. Will inspect later today, but hope to spare myself a chewing gum plug.
Lisa - PT is due to start a week or so after surgery, but I may talk to the PT about waiting till staples removal as I think they're going to limit what I can do quite significantly. Today I'm going to try a few more heel slides and quad flexes (PT encouraged me to try these post-surgery) and see how the incisions respond. Hope your meeting goes really well and gives you lots to look forward to! Bristol is close to my old stamping grounds - I grew up in Exeter.
Tony - you have youth on your side, which should be a big help with the healing. I don't think the patellar tendon graft is any more painful than the hamstring graft, but you might be facing more incision pain given the open surgery. I believe Lisa had this too, so she may be able to give you some tips on what to expect. I do hope your surgeon comes through with a date soon - I still have my Three Musketeers beer waiting in the fridge to toast the day that you, Tez and I are all on the other side!
Cosmic - I gave in last night and changed the dressings. I don't think they normally anticipate a 30-degree heatwave when they make the bandage change recommendations! I didn't remove the final layer over the incisions, but I pulled out two layers of blood-soaked gauze padding and replaced it with a fresh layer. It felt much better afterwards; the top layer had dried out and was stiff as a board, which was actually quite uncomfortable on the incisions.
The hamstring doesn't feel too bad at rest, and is okay if I'm sitting on something soft and squishy like the couch. It also doesn't really hurt when I bend over and get on or off the couch, which surprised me a bit. However I really feel it if I sit a little too far back on a harder surface (I'm doing a lot of perching) and it jangles in a shudderingly painful way if I jolt my body at all. It's also responded to dream movements when I'm asleep a few times, snapping me instantly awake in an excruciatingly painful way! I'm finding myself very grateful for my swimmer's shoulders, which mean I can lower and raise myself very easily when required without needing too much involvement from the leg.
Tez - I cannot even imagine trying to get up or down stairs the first 48 hours after surgery, so I would definitely recommend making yourself up a bed downstairs! I'm at a point now where I feel like I could try stairs, but since I don't have to (the only ones we have go up to the roof deck, but we have a smaller deck on the same level as the rest of the condo too) I probably won't be attempting them just yet!
Roo - do you have a date for your ACLr yet? It definitely helps with expectations reading about other people's recoveries (I've been glued to this section of the board for a while), and it's fascinating to see the differences and similarities in our experiences.
Lottie - it's TOMORROW!!! Thinking of you so much right now - those last 24 hours before surgery are definitely the hardest, and in some ways almost worse than the surgery itself. Once it's done at least you know what you're dealing with and can just get on with it one small step at a time, whereas the imagination taunts you with an endless array of possibilities and responses! Loved the pics of your gathering on FB - what a great way to take your mind off things.
Post Op Day Four
A couple of small milestones to report. Firstly, made it through last night without painkillers! Took one pill at about 8pm, went to bed at about 1am, slept till about 8.30am, took two pills at 9am. Rather sore on waking but slept pretty well again. My lifelong insomnia has apparently had a voluntary surrender to the healing need for sleep, at least for now.
Last night and this morning I've managed a couple of room-to-room walks without the crutches. I'm very slow and cautious as the knee still feels quite weak, but it's no more painful than walking with the crutches.
While I was in the middle of writing this, our friend Renee arrived to take me to the doctor to refill my naproxen prescription. (I was going to use this as my first driving test - the doctor is only 4 blocks away - but she told me it's much too soon to be skipping pain meds in order to drive, and came over to chauffeur me on her lunch break.) The pharmacist made some very impressed noises as I crutched my way in and explained that I'd just had an ACL reconstruction on Friday. I have lots of NSAIDs and a selection of new dressings ready for bandage removal tomorrow. The outing was a little tiring and my calf now feels a bit tight and sore again, but it felt really good to be out of the house and interacting with the outside world.
I also cracked this morning and decided I couldn't go one second longer without a hair wash - it was a greasy mess when I woke up this morning and the thought of leaving it another 24 hours for my shower was not an acceptable one. Turned out to be a very easy task using the spray attachment in the kitchen sink, and I feel a million times better. Still very much looking forward to the shower after four days of sponge baths.
A nice yellowish bruise is starting to peek out from under the crepe bandage and make its way down my calf. Will be interested to see how things look tomorrow once the bandages are off, as I tend to bruise up really easily at the best of times.
So...progress is definitely happening, albeit slowly. Looking forward to seeing how today progresses!
Last Edit: July 13, 2010, 09:41:49 PM by Snowy
Mar 11: R Biceps femoris tear (skiing)
Jul 10: ACLr (hamstring autograft)
Mar 10: L ACL rupture (skiing)
Feb 06: L partial ACL tear (kickboxing)
Dec 03: R bone edema (motorbike)
Jan 01: R patellar chip (motorbike)
May 93: R ACL sprain (hockey)
Ongoing: bilateral PFS and OA
Regular Poster
Posts: 124
Liked: 0
Re: ACLr Musketeer - Snowy's reconstruction, 9.7.10
Reply #50 on:
July 13, 2010, 09:45:42 PM »
Hi Snowy. Looks like you have secured cult status here
Sounds like each day is a new step in the right direction, or perhaps even a few sequential steps / hobbles around your rooms without too much support.
I still remain so happily surprised by finding a forum which attracts like-minded patients together to share good news as well as woes, in a way that only fellow patients, past and future, will ever really understand. So it's great to see your comings and goings, and those around us all, and know that things are slowly getting better for all.
Quick question - what's PFS? Showing my ignorance but best to ask.
Good luck for another night of better kip, and here we all go again tomorrow,
30 Nov 2010 - ACLr with allograft and resected meniscus
July 2010 - MRI and athroscopy diagnosed torn ACL and multiple cartilage tears
March 2010 - ACL tear, climbing in snow
March 2009 - ACL partial tear, skiing in heavy slush
1990 - patella re-alignment surgery
Regular Poster
Posts: 124
Liked: 0
Re: ACLr Musketeer - Snowy's reconstruction, 9.7.10
Reply #51 on:
July 13, 2010, 09:46:38 PM »
No, im still waiting for an op date, but every time i hear the post come/phone ring i spring up (albeit slowly) in anticipation. Its getting pretty frustrating waiting to hear, but im sure i dont have to tell many people on these boards about that feeling!! I hurt my knee end of March this year, so i suppose the waiting hasnt been that long yet, but im not used to being inactive...again im sure the majority reading this know all about that.
Out of interest, how long did you wait between injury and your ACLr?
Like you i too have been constantly checking both this and the cruciate section, and all the info has been absolutely amazing! Especially coming firsthand from people such as yourself, who have been through/are currently going through it! In the last week since i discovered this site, i feel like im 10x more prepared for whats ahead then i was before hand, so a big thank you to every one.
After reading your last post, it seems like your progressing fairly fast, especially when i saw that your managing walks without crutches! Slow progress is still progress and your now a few steps (no pun intended) closer to a full recovery!! Best of luck with the continued improvements!
March 2010: Torn ACL and meniscus damage to right knee (football)
April 2010: Arthroscopy to partially remove meniscus
October 14th: ACLr (hamstring graft)
Regular Poster
Posts: 99
Liked: 0
Re: ACLr Musketeer - Snowy's reconstruction, 9.7.10
Reply #52 on:
July 13, 2010, 10:15:25 PM »
Hi Snowy
Sounds like your recovery is coming along nicely - I had the dream movement and it made me shoot straight up - awful feeling..
I echo you on the need for the shower - It feels so nice to get in the shower and get cleaned up. I hope everything looks good when your bandages come off tomorrow - you should notice greater ROM without thick bandaging. I hope you';re bruising isnt too bad as well.
You may be right about the PT after staples come out - but wait to speak to your PT before deciding. The staples at the femur graft site are really tight for me, almost embedded - I ma slightly scared of getting these snipped out - eeugghh - the hospital gave me the snippers to take to the clinic - they dont look too clever
Progress - no matter how slow - is good. Keep it up and bear with it patiently.
Take care
Posts: 643
Liked: 2
Re: ACLr Musketeer - Snowy's reconstruction, 9.7.10
Reply #53 on:
July 13, 2010, 10:36:25 PM »
Well, Snowy...looks like you've got yourself a cyber fan club going here
Glad to see that you've gotten so much support and encouragement for it sure helps. Glad to read that you are having a better day today and that the pain is diminishing. Woo Hoo!! May things continue to progress for you. AND BTW...I thank you for all your posts that encouraged me on the days when I felt like I'd made a big mistake. Will look forward to checking in with you again soon. Keep up the good and patient work:)
Jan. 12: PKR.
June 10: Meniscus surgery.
Most of '09: PT to help constant knee pain.
Posts: 2010
Liked: 8
Re: ACLr Musketeer - Snowy's reconstruction, 9.7.10
Reply #54 on:
July 13, 2010, 10:38:53 PM »
Snowy excelent news about walking crutchless, you seem to be coming alone really well, not that I'm surprised as from what I have learned about you over the last few months you aint gonna let anything get you down for too long
Thanks for the advice about stairs I was pretty sure I was doing the right thing with the bed down stairs but thought i would check just in case going up and down stairs wase't too bad. thanks also for telling us about having to change the dressing cos I might invest in some stuff to do likewise just in case I need to, saying that after my scope I was given a load of waterprood dressings by the ward staff before I was discharged, so not sure if the same will happen this time
Roo I hope you get your surgery date in soon I know from experience the waiting is a killer, Its 2 years since I injured my knee and its been a long process to get to this stage.. 5 days to surgery!! its a scary thought but I really just want it over with so I can get on with living my life.
Lawrance this site has been a godsend for me, I have learned so much about all things knee related and the support and encouragment I have recieved has been amazing.
Lottie I have posted in Cosmics cafe to wish you well for tomorrow but in case you reading this as well good luck for tomorrow I hope all goes well and toryboychopperwhateverelsehescalled is on good toryboy chopping form
Take care All Tez
L K injured 25th June 2008
scope Jan 5th 10
diagnosis ACL rupture
fiberous band excised from acl
ACLr July 19th 2010 scope on 24th Sept 2011
ACL has failed incorrect tunnel placement
23rd July 2012 1st stage of a 2 stage ACL revision
10th May 2013 2nd stage ACL revision
Forum Faithful
Posts: 284
Liked: 0
the hottest thing on 1.5 legs
Re: ACLr Musketeer - Snowy's reconstruction, 9.7.10
Reply #55 on:
July 13, 2010, 11:59:16 PM »
Walking without crutches... sleeping through the night on one dose of meds... and you're bruising! Look at you go, these all seem to be GREAT signs of recovery.
Your greasy hair comment made me laugh out loud. I only had to wait 24 hours to shower after my op and the way the vicodin made me sweat (like a ho in church) I was already getting a little... ripe? shall we say? It's amazing how we take our clean heads for granted when we are well-kneed. Good luck with the heel-slides. I do wonder what kind of PT they expect to do while you are stapled so I will be interested to hear what the verdict is with that! Also the pillow solution sounds the best- you are like the ACLr sensei...
I also just wanted to wish lottie best of luck with her hot date with toryboy (again) and I'll catch all of you fine folk later
12/09 dx- patellar subluxation (not!)
1/10 mri- neg; PT rx failed
4/10 more PT
5/10 dx patellar hypertension
6/7/10 chrondroplasty, patellar decompression, synovectomy and plica excision
5/6/11 dx RA, sjogren's
Posts: 2555
Liked: 93
Re: ACLr Musketeer - Snowy's reconstruction, 9.7.10
Reply #56 on:
July 14, 2010, 06:58:44 AM »
Lawrence - PFS is patellofemoral syndrome, a chronic condition characterized by anterior knee pain. Lottie and I are both sufferers; in my case it's caused by maltracking patellars. I had recently started working on it with my current PT when I suffered my ACL tear, and until that point had been making good progress on it; unfortunately a lot of the ACL rehab involves exactly the things that irritate the PFS (squats, leg presses, etc) and with this being a much more acute issue, addressing the PFS will have to take a back seat for a year or so. It's likely to complicate my rehab a bit if it flares up, which is unfortunate.
I echo the immense value of this forum - it's so hard to explain to people exactly what it's like trying to live your life around a chronic knee condition or acute injury, and it's great to have a place where people not only just get it, but can share their own advice and experiences with the same issues.
Roo - I waited just over four months from injury to surgery. I was actually quite lucky; wait times here are horrendous and I was initially warned that it could be up to two years before surgery, but I made myself into a very squeaky wheel and managed to speed things up considerably. With ACL tears they prefer not to operate right away as they usually want you to regain as much extension, flex and strength as possible prior to reconstruction (if you go into the op with less than full ROM, it's likely that you won't get it back again after.) I've heard 6-8 weeks post-injury cited as the optimal time for surgery (balancing preparation with the risk of further damage that comes from having an ACL-deficient knee) but the advantage of a delay is that you can really use the time to build muscle strength. I remember that feeling of waiting for the phone to ring well; my cellphone accompanied me to every work meeting while I was waiting for my date!
Zaiem - when are your staples coming out? Do let me know how it goes. How's your knee doing at the moment?
Tez - anything that makes life easier, even if it's just a tiny bit, is worth doing! Warn Dougie that you will need to be waited on hand and foot for at least a couple of days.
I'm so relieved to be in this condo for my surgery and recovery; we have no required stairs, and it's nice and spacious. When I busted my knee four years ago we were still living in a 560 square foot one-bedroom condo, and being on crutches in such a tiny space was a nightmare - I just had no room to operate at all! J's big worry here was actually that she'd bump or kick me while asleep because our bed isn't that large (she's a very active sleeper) but in fact it's been fine - I guess the subconscious remembers that there's an invalid in the bed.
Robin - thank you - and I'm so glad if anything I said helped get you through a bad day! Now I'm on the other side too, I know just how important the support and encouragement is!
Kris - we've been having a major heatwave here (my surgery day was the hottest of the year so far) so I've been sponge bathing twice a day, but I'm still longing for that shower - it's just not the same! My hair wash this morning made me feel like a new person; wish I'd realised sooner that it would be so easy to do.
Day 4 roundup
Apart from my excursion to the doctor and pharmacist today, I've managed about 90% without crutches today! It's not much of a walk yet - painfully slow, limpy, and very cautious - but it's amazing how much easier it makes life having my hands free while I move around. It helps lessen my demands on poor long-suffering J, too.
Finally got some exercises underway; 3 sets of 100 quad flexes, a few gentle heel slides, and a few attempts at seated extensions. My quads haven't shut down this time, which is great - I lost them for a while after the original injury, and it was a real battle getting them to fire again. Flex is at 76 degrees on the heel slides. It feels like I can extend the leg almost straight; however, with the bandages in the way I'm likely still a few degrees off. Have been in touch with my PT via email, and he says this is all good for four days post-op and as long as there aren't any setbacks, we should be thinking about a first appointment on Saturday or Monday.
The knee definitely appreciated the dressing change, and the guidewire wound has finally stopped bleeding! The knee itself is still very swollen; it looks quite alien at the moment. The incisions are now driving me insane because they're itching like
; I think this is good (I believe it means they're healing) but I just want to scratch them!
As the other pains ease up a bit, I'm becoming very aware that I have a lot of random numbness and occasional tingly patches in my shin. I don't think this is a cause for concern (my understanding is that nerves are moved, knocked about a bit and sometimes even cut during the op, so odd nerve referrals are to be expected) but it feels very strange. Has anyone else experienced this? How long did it take to pass?
Stretched the pain meds way out today - three doses only, 6 hours apart. By the last one in the evening the pain was breaking through, but overall I managed okay on the reduced dose. I'm not loving the oxycodone as it makes me very sleepy, so although I have a full week's supply I'm hoping to move myself onto something a bit less intense over the next couple of days.
I'm also starting to get really damn sick of my rehab nest on the couch, and a bit stir crazy from being stuck indoors with just movies, books and the net to keep me busy. I love reading and being online, but at heart I'm an outdoors girl and at the moment things feel very unbalanced. I guess it's a good sign that I'm feeling better enough to start noticing how restricted I am, but not so good that I'm not yet able to do too much about it! My calf swells if I'm upright for too long, so I know the couch needs to remain my primary home for a while.
As the reality of this new, slowed down, not-so-mobile body with all its restrictions sinks in, I'm starting to feel the pangs of loss for all those things I won't be able to do for quite some time to come...especially my bikes, which I'm going to be missing through all the perfect summer and fall biking weather. I think I'll feel a bit better about this once the staples come out and I can at least get back in the swimming pool and reclaim one activity, but at the moment my mind is very much on those things that I won't be able to do for a long time yet.
On a more positive note, J made the most amazing homemade chicken soup for dinner - packed full of organic chicken, broccoli, onions, carrots, garlic and chilli flakes - and my appetite suddenly came back with a vengeance! My in-laws sent me a wonderful get-well-soon chocolate truffle assortment which also arrived today, so tonight I feel very well fed indeed.
Mar 11: R Biceps femoris tear (skiing)
Jul 10: ACLr (hamstring autograft)
Mar 10: L ACL rupture (skiing)
Feb 06: L partial ACL tear (kickboxing)
Dec 03: R bone edema (motorbike)
Jan 01: R patellar chip (motorbike)
May 93: R ACL sprain (hockey)
Ongoing: bilateral PFS and OA
MICROgeek (<20 posts)
Posts: 4
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Re: ACLr Musketeer - Snowy's reconstruction, 9.7.10
Reply #57 on:
July 14, 2010, 11:24:53 AM »
Hi Snowy,
Glad you are still going well keep up the great posts.
I know like you I will miss the activitiy levels for a while but just think of what you will be like after rehab thats pretty much what drives me along whilst I await my outcome.
Knee Arthroscopy 1992 - Wash out knee
Knee Arthroscopy 1995 - Remove bone debris
2007 - MCL grade 2
2010 - Torn ACL awating recon
Posts: 1863
Liked: 26
How 'bout them Cowboys!
Re: ACLr Musketeer - Snowy's reconstruction, 9.7.10
Reply #58 on:
July 14, 2010, 02:12:44 PM »
Snowy, just checking in to say hi and glad to see you appear to be doing well. Sleeping through the night? I'm so jealous. Although I had a completely different op, regardless, sleep evaded me and it was just awful and annoying LOL. Cool to hear that you are walking around and decreasing the pain meds and everything. All positive steps in the right direction. Keep up the awesome work!
Mar '07 - plica excision
Oct '09 - femoral + tibial derotational osteotomy & TTT
Aug '10 - hardware removal
"You control your leg. Don't let it control you." -Smart trainer
"Get your a$$ in gear and go for it! Nothing will happen until you make it!" -Smart doctor
Regular Poster
Posts: 99
Liked: 0
Re: ACLr Musketeer - Snowy's reconstruction, 9.7.10
Reply #59 on:
July 14, 2010, 05:53:34 PM »
Hi Snowy
You are doing really well - you are at about the same stage as me in terms of rehab (although my op was 1st July). I too have ditched the crutches around the house. Feeling ok getting around without, and also attempted (stupdily) the stairs with a 'normal' climb/descent - not a clever idea, hurts like buggery - especially quite high up the side of the thigh. This is where I think my graft at the femur has been secured quite high up - the slight complication that the OS spoke off.
You are doing a good job with your work on your quads - I dont think you will see much muscle loss there.
Chicken soup is a cure all - nice work Jen
Take care guys
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Signing a contract can be freakin' scary. And yes we get you. As creators ourselves, we never liked to agree on a long-term partnership and give away % of my income to a company I barely know.
We treat our creators a little different. We only take a percentage of a brand deal we get for you or a lower percentage if you'd like to manage all your deals. If you would like, we can also help you to start your own beauty, fashion brand or help you start merchandise. We take a percentage of every sold product, but in return we help you with finding high-class manufactures, set up your store and more.
You never have to pay us something upfront. We always take commission based on your success.
Okay, so what you should definitely should know 👇
As we are going to help you to become a better creator, there will be more and more brands keen on working with you. On every revenue we generate for you, we take 25% commission. If you get revenue yourself, you don't have to pay anything. If you'd like us to manage it anyways, we take 15%.
We have plenty of brand deal enquiries every week so we'd love to forward you to our (potential) clients.
It could be that we have a brand deal which allows you to sell products OR that you want to start selling your own products. We can help you find the right manufactures, set up your store, register your company etc. We take a management fee per sold product.
For us, the most important is that you succeed. Because when you succeed, we do. We have years of experience in working with content creators in Europe, China and Asia and we are always happy to share our knowledge with us. We will organise regular creator meetups so you can meet up and learn from other creators, but also go more in-depth in the business part so you know how to earn money with creating content.


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2011 Men's Panerai Luminor 1950 10 Day GMT PAM00270 Watch
In 1938 on the eve of the Second World War, Panerai created a watch for the Royal Italian Navy. Today Panerai has kept their original design of their watches that they made for the Royal Italian Navy, high water resistance rating, durable case, and easy to read luminescent dial. This model is called the Contemporary Luminor 1950, with a heavy stainless steel case and a rich brown strap this is a very durable dive watch. Featuring a Panerai manufacture 10 Days Automatic movement and GMT function, giving the watch unique complications that you would not normally see in a dive watch. The watch is in impeccable condition at a fraction of the original retail price!


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Thomas Hardy's "Jude the Obscure" focuses on the life of a country stonemason named Jude Fawly, and his love for his cousin Sue Bridehead, a schoolteacher. From the beginning Jude knows that marriage is an ill-fated venture in his family and his great aunt Drusilla tells him so, and he believes that his love for Sue curses him doubly, because they are both members of a cursed clan. While love could be identified as a central theme in the novel, marriage is the novel's main focus. Jude and Sue are unhappily married to other people, and then drawn by a bond that pulls them together.
Their relationship is plagued with tragedy. Before all that occurs however, in the first two parts of the book, the focus is on Jude as a working-class boy determinedly attempting to educate himself. He struggles patiently to realize his dream of a university education, but is thwarted by a cruel fate and rigid, conservative social order. Jude's view is an illusory one. As a child, he was always fascinated with Christminster. He sees it is a "city of light," where "the tree of knowledge grows"; it is like "a castle manned by scholarship and religion.
Even years later, when he realizes his ambitions are futile, Christminster remains a shining ideal of intellectual life, "the intellectual and spiritual granary of this country. " Beaten by life, Jude is still very much attached to the place and returns, hoping to die there. Sue does not share his romantic ideals and viciously attacks Christminster as an "ignorant place, full of fetishists and ghost seers" (Part III, Chapter 4) and a "nest of common schoolmasters" with a "timid obsequiousness to tradition" (Part V, Chapter 8). Its intellectual life is dismissed as "new wine in old bottles" (Part III, Chapter 4).
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Jude is not wanted at Christminster, and often the university is described in unfavorable terms: "the rottenness of the stones–it seemed impossible that modern thought could house itself in such decrepit and superseded chambers" (Part II, Chapter 1). In Part VI, Chapter 2 the "gloom, bigotry and decay" of the place are stressed. The terse note from the master of the Biblical College, crushing Jude's hopes, accentuates the loneliness of Jude's struggle. Social and educational structures are criticized for being so rigid that someone like Jude: bright, hard- working, but lacking in means, is permanently excluded from the academic scene.
Hardy seems to want to emphasize that Jude will always remain an outsider access to improvement denied to him—not because he lacks in ability, but due to his social status. The end of the book highlights this isolation with Jude on his death bed while the revelry of Remembrance Day takes place outside. Much of this though, is not fairly presented. "Jude the Obscure" was published in 1896, a time when great expansion and liberalization were taking place in the universities. Ruskin College at Oxford had begun to accept working class people. Both Oxford and Cambridge had begun to stop being so exclusive and started to look outward.
Cambridge led the way with University Extension lectures, and Biblical College (Oxford) started a similar program in 1878. In the same year Oxford followed Cambridge in founding a women's college. The fact that part of these reforms had started is recognized by Jude himself (Part VI, Chapter 10), when he hopes that its doors will be more open to poor men like himself. In the second part of the book, Jude abandons his plan of entering Christminster and the focus shift to Sue. The Themes of love, marriage, freedom and sexual relations replace the earlier themes of education and idealism.
Marriage is viewed with cynicism, and there are many disparaging comments about the contractual nature of marriage. There are no happy marriages depicted in the book. Jude, when married to Arabella, feels trapped in a hopeless situation. Marriage is compared to being "caught in a gin, which would cripple him if not her also for the rest of a lifetime. " Jude, however, is partly aware even before the marriage that Arabella is the wrong woman for him. Intellectually, he recognizes that there is something in her "quite antipathetic to that side of him which had been occupied with literary study and the magnificent Christminster dream.
It had been no vestal virgin who chose that missile for opening her attack on him" (Part I, Chapter 6). A few chapters later, the reader is told, "he knew too well in the secret center of his brain that Arabella was not worth a great deal as a specimen of womankind" (Part I, Chapter 9). Naive and trusting, he does what he perceives to be the honorable thing and marries her, but he has married the wrong woman and thus the marriage is bound to be a disaster. Sue's marriage to Phillotson is another example of a disastrous marriage of impulsiveness and thoughtlessness.
Jude suspects that Sue has married Phillotson as a reaction to his own marriage as a kind of revenge or a way of "asserting her own independence from him. " She does not realize the gravity of the step she has taken. After the ceremony there is a "frightened look in her eyes," as if she has just become aware of the rashness of her decision. Barely a month later she admits, "perhaps I ought not to have married" (Part III, Chapter 9). Sue is the loudest critic of matrimony in the novel—making sarcastic comments on the custom of giving away the bride, "like a she-ass or she-goat or any other domestic animal" (Part III, Chapter 7).
When her marriage is in trouble, she criticizes the institution, explaining the difficulty she experiences fitting into the conventional mold which society demands. Some women, she says, find they cannot give their love "continuously to the chamber-officer appointed by the bishop's license to receive it. " The nineteenth century tradition of the subjection of women to fathers and husbands is mirrored in Gillingham's advice to Phillotson to be firm with Sue until she has fully submitted to him.
Hardy makes it clear, however, that it is the man here who is victimized in this marriage as Phillotson is far from being a cruel or tyrannical husband. He is an extremely patient and kind husband. Sue's attitude toward sex is complicated by the fact that she has an aversion to any physical relationship. In Part V both Jude's and Sue's divorces come through, but Sue avoids their possible marriage. She calls marriage a "sordid contract" and a "hopelessly vulgar" institution, and she fears that an "iron contract should extinguish" all tender feeling between them.
Her views on marriage are given mostly in Parts V and VI. She feels that the contractual nature of the agreement will kill all romance and spontaneity: "it is foreign to a man's nature to go on loving a person when he is told that he must and shall be a person's lover. " The visit to the squalid registry office (Part V, Chapter 4) is horrifying for her, and she likewise shows an distaste to the ordinary church wedding. She sees it in terms of a sacrifice of the bride: "the flowers in the bride's hand are sadly like the garland which decked the heifers of sacrifice in olden times. Sue's views on marriage are extreme and it should be pointed out that for all Sue's arguments against matrimony, it is not marriage, but the absence of it that leads to the final tragedy: the lack of a home, the deaths of the children and Sue's return to Phillotson. Sue's conversion and remarriage to Phillotson are brought about by her guilt the determination to mortify the flesh. She remarries Phillotson, whom she does not love in order to punish herself and to exorcise her guilt over the children's deaths.
The murder-suicide of Jude's children is no doubt the climax of the book's action, and the other events of the novel rise in a grim crescendo to meet that one horrifying act. From there, Jude and Sue feel they have no recourse but to return to their previous, unhappy marriages and die within the confinement created by the errors of their pasts. They are drawn into an endless succession of self-erected oppression and cannot break free. In a society unwilling to accept their rejection of convention, they are ostracized. Jude's son senses wrongdoing in his own conception and acts in a way that he thinks will help his parents and siblings.
The children are the victims of society's unwillingness to accept Jude and Sue's life style and Sue's feelings of shame from her divorce. Some valid criticisms are also made of the overly rigid attitude of society towards the unconventional and the unmarried. Phillotson's humanity and charity in letting Sue go scandalizes the school authorities, and his career is ruined. Jude and became the subject of cruel gossip at Aldbrickham; the neighbors cold-shoulder them, Little Father Time is taunted at school, Jude loses his job, and the family is forced into homelessness. Society is cruel to those who choose to deviate from its codes.


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Gordon Campbell on the Snowden revelations and ACT's position on incestFebruary 27th, 2014
Ever since the existence of the Echelon spy system was revealed in the 1990s, the risk of using cyber-espionage for commercial gain and trading advantages – rather than for military and security reasons – has been obvious. So it should come as no real surprise that the NSA whistle blower Edward Snowden is about to reveal information along these lines about the 5 Eyes spy network to which New Zealand belongs. These documents will show this country has been spying on some of our key trading partners. China and Indonesia are likely targets. Given that the Pacific is seen as one of our zones of responsibility, it also seems likely that we would have been spying on our friends among the Pacific Forum countries as well.
It is not simply that our spies have been moonlighting as corporate snoops, for the benefit of our export drive. That's not big news, since the security services are viortually compelled to do so, by law. One of the GCSB's three objectives for instance, is to "contribute to the economic wellbeing of New Zealand." Even the very word 'security' is defined in the 1969 SIS legislation as including anything that "impacts adversely…on New Zealand's economic wellbeing."
Spying on the likes of China by our security agencies is also an inevitable by-product of treating some of our most important trading partners as security threats. It would be comforting to think that – somewhere along the line – someone in MFAT might have done a cost/benefit analysis as to which perception of China is of more value to this country. Do we gain more by embracing China as a trading partner and near neighbour with whom we should be cultivating friendly relations during the 21st century? Or do we gain more by treating it as a hostile military and security presence in the Asia/Pacific region?
Right now, we seem to be treating it as both. As a result, it seems likely that our exporters are going to cop the backlash from the Snowden revelations, once they finally see daylight. Our perishable export goods will be targeted for bureaucratic delays, and some of our business executives may even be detained, if the Chinese decide that certain New Zealand companies have been a party to, or have benefitted from, any illegal surveillance activities. In the long run, such consequences may prove beneficial – if they trigger a public debate about whether we get more out of being a genuine ally of China, than a snoop on what they;re doing. For now, we're trying to have it both ways. A friendly trading partner, and a hostile sneak, largely on a behalf of the Americans. One can hardly blame China for making us pay a higher price for being so…ambivalent.
ACT and incest
Well, Jamie Whyte is certainly making his mark as leader of the Act Party. If people were having difficulty telling the shaven-headed Whyte apart from that other shaven-headed guy who used to lead the Act Party, now they know – Whyte is the guy who thinks that incest should be legal. Oh, but only between consenting adults. This begs the question. Given the power dynamics within families – and the difficulties that already exist in establishing consent (and the lack of it) with respect to sexual offending outside the family, Whyte's proposal would seem to put a new category of people, many of them women, at risk of sexual predation by their kin. Erosion of the consent defence would be a more likely outcome of the legalising of incest than the protection of those relatively rare cases where brothers and sisters fall afoul of the law when they freely and jointly seek to pursue a marital relationship.
Is incest the end product of libertarianism in full flower? Or has Whyte taken a leaf from Colin Craig's handbook – whereby a small and insignificant party gets the oxygen of media exposure simply by issuing a stream of controversial statements? Whyte may have concluded that there is no such thing as bad publicity, even when such proposals mainly serve to creep out the electorate. What is underlines is that Prime Minister John Key's likely coalition buddies after this election – Craig,Whyte and Winston Peters – are a motley crew, indeed.
One final thing: as this column has argued previously, if ACT is to perform its role as a ginger group it has to come up with new policy ideas for the centre right, and not simply recycle fusty old ones like flat tax. Astoundingly, even the NZ Herald has now taken ACT firmly to task on exactly the same flat tax point in an editorial:
The flat tax idea involves the applying of one tax rate to everyone regardless of income. It is advocated on the grounds of simplicity, fairness, transparency and economic growth. Gone would be deductions, loopholes and tax shelters. There are several thorns in that rosy picture, however. In practice, a flat tax has a greater impact on low and middle-income earners because they pay much more tax proportionate to their income. This has led to the concept being condemned as a ploy to make the rich richer and the poor poorer.
Advocating the policy here will open Act to the same criticism, the more so given increasing concerns about the cost of social inequality. Already, New Zealand's tax system is more lenient than most on those who make money, a consequence of the opening of its economy to the world. A top tax rate of 33 per cent is lower than all other nations in the OECD when other income taxes are taken into account. There is no effective tax on capital gains and few exemptions to GST. That framework works well in terms of international competitiveness, but it seems the lowering of tax rates has been a factor in the gap between the rich and poor widening over the past quarter-century.
When even Granny Herald turns against flat tax and preaches against the income inequality being generated by our 'lenient' tax system, isn't it time for the new ACT leadership to scratch its bare noggin and come up with an idea that's less than 20 years old?


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I'm coming to grips at a deeper level that I am more an introvert, than extrovert. I'm sure I will explore this in future posts.
But for now...I'll show you some things that have been taking up some of my time. Lighten it up a bit.
I am so grateful for pinterest...
I am a Secret Santa for one of my colleagues in the office...wanna see some of the things I've made?
I took a jar...and turned it into a Snowman soak...see?
And while I have not had time to do much baking, I did make these Christmas fortune cookies for her...see?
The other two things I've made I did not get to photograph...but I'll try to sneak one!!!!! (note to self)
Final gift tomorrow...check in tomorrow night and see what it is...
Hope you're taking a moment or two out this busy season to contemplate all that is important and meaningful to you.


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From providing hot foil stamping and embossing services Frip Finishing has become an integral part of the UK packaging and print industry, providing the widest range of sheet fed lamination and finishing services available to the UK market.
Operating from five UK sites, Frip provides a wide range of traditional and innovative laminations, coatings, decorative finishes and speciality papers and boards. The recent award of the Double A Grade BRC Accreditation for the Hinckley factory makes Frip the first decorative print finisher in the UK to achieve this highly regarded food industry standard. Shaun Morris, Sales Director at Frip Finishing, spoke to The Grocery Trader.
GT – Shaun, as Sales Director, what is your role day to day? Do you get involved in developing print solutions for clients?
I liaise with our general managers, taking an overview of our capacity across the business, keeping track of the large quotes going through and maintaining contact with key customers, who I regularly go to see and keep my face in front of them.
GT – Who else is in the senior management team?
We have John Burns, the Chairman, Leslie Gibson, the MD and his brother Jamie Gibson, the Commercial Director.
GT – When was Frip Finishing founded? Who owns it now?
The current MD and Commercial Director's father founded the company in 1971, in Dumbarton, Scotland. It initially provided trade foiling for print and carton manufacturers. The business is now owned by the Gibson family and the senior management team.
GT – How big is Frip in turnover and output?
We employ 65 people, including 6 apprentices, some as young as 16, and our sales growth is around 10% per year.
GT – How is Frip Finishing different from other companies in your sector? Why choose Frip?
We are a multi-site operation serving the printed carton industry across the UK, from Glasgow down to London. We are different from our competitors in trade foiling in that we have the largest capacity in the UK and offer film lamination, window lamination and metalised board. Carton manufacturers print sheets, and we have the resources to die-cut, film laminate and foil block, and we have also invested in Pick &Place and window patching technologies.
GT – Who are your major clients?
Our major customers are carton manufacturers who supply the brands. We do a lot of work indirectly for Aldi, Lidl and the major supermarkets, involving foiling or barrier creation between the food contents and the carton.
GT – Do you produce customer case studies?
We're working on it! Much of the time we're working in the background without the end users knowing, but often we go and see them directly and help plan the job, as in our recent work for M&S.
GT – How are you set up to service customers?
Our general managers have regular customers they deal with day to day. We monitor workflow across the business so if we have a capacity issue in a particular location we can move work around within the group.
GT – How many different manufacturing locations do you have?
We have five. Talking to you in November we have a lot of Christmas packaging going through and have 24 hour working when required.
GT – What innovative materials do you work with?
For window lamination, we can laminate a die cut aperture and create a barrier and window at the same time. We're the only people in the UK to offer this, at our Redditch facility.
GT – What difference will the BRC award make to your offering?
The BRC accreditation certifies the whole supply chain, from the end packer down to us as print finishers. M&S and other customers are particularly keen to see this development.
GT – Do you have any other industry accreditations?
We work in accordance with ISO9001, which we've had for some time.
GT – Where do you see Frip Finishing going from here?
We will continue to innovate. We have major investment coming onstream and we want to be seen and recognised as the number one in barrier protection and innovation.
Frip Finishing Limited
Tel: 01455 638630


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Today's skintone tutorial is a tribute, following a weekend of funerals for the souls lost in the church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina. The sadness over this tragic loss is so deep, yet it has been such a blessing to see the love and forgiveness expressed by those who would understandably have been so angry; I'm inspired by their reaction, and I hope many more are as well. We can all use a little more unity!
Coloring ethnic skintones in Copic marker
I've been wishing I could do something to change things – and realized that I do have a tiny bully-pulpit that I can use…not to lecture, but to encourage! In our crafty world, I can continue to share diversity in coloring…and ask others to join me. If we can help to change something as small as the colors we choose to use on cards – maybe we can have our own little impact on the world around us! Read more about my hashtag campaign later in this post.
Today's skintone video is also in answer to many requests….I'm glad to know lots of folks actually do want to learn how to bring some diversity into their coloring. When I bought the Photo Bomb stamp set a while ago, I knew it was going to be perfect for a post like this. I also finally wanted to do a magic acetate card…they were popular years ago and I had never made one back then, so I finally got around to it! Watch the video below or click HERE to see it in HD on YouTube.
If you'd like to print up your own blank sheet for reference….feel free to download them! I put together a group of helpful reference and xolorable charts HERE. If you need other charts – there are some freebie swatch charts on my teaching site, along with hex charts for Copics and pencils:
All color charts
#thehumanrainbow project
So let's see if we can start a mini-revolotion and begin including more ethnicities in our coloring of stamped images! I've already contributed to a hashtag #copicskin before (click HERE to see the whole hashtag), but that's just for Copic marker work…there's a very small collection under #thehumanrainbow, and I think we could add a lot to it! Post pics of your creations, or photos of your group of multiethnic friends, or anything that helps to bring a little skincolor diversity to our world!
Playlist with lots of ethnic skintones
Edited to add: I've been adding to my playlist of colorings of skintones and hair in several mediums – check it out on YouTube here (the latest in the playlist is below, just click the next arrow at the end to go through them all!)
Hope you'll consider adding to #thehumanrainbow!
Compensated affiliate links may be used – that means if you make a purchase using my links, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support of my work on this blog! Read more.
- Mama Elephant Clear Stamps, Photo Bomb
- Lawn Fawn Square Dies – Large
- Lawn Fawn Square Dies – Small
- Silk Ribbon, Red 1 1/4″ by the Yard
- Scotch Double-Sided Foam Mounting Tape
- Stazon Solvent Ink Pad, Jet Black
- Memento Ink Pad, Tuxedo Black
- Copic Markers, EH — DB


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ABUJA, Nigeria, May 31 (UPI) -- A militant group calling itself the Niger Delta Avengers issued a warning to oil companies working in the region that its campaign is about to get bloody.
The Niger Delta Avengers have launched a steady string of attacks on energy infrastructure in the region, issuing a manifesto earlier this month that warned oil companies the attacks marked only a beginning. The group said it was frustrated by what it saw as a lack of attention to the region paid by Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari.
The military said it led a successful campaign against the group during the weekend. In response, the group said it was not engaged in combat with the Nigerian army and no arrests were made.
"The Nigerian military cannot intimidate us by harassing innocent Niger Deltans," spokesman Mudoch Agbinibo said in a statement.
In its latest string of attacks, the group took credit during the weekend for blowing up pipelines operated Royal Dutch Shell and a subsidiary of Italian energy company Eni. It warned Saturday that "something big" is about to happen.
"To the international oil companies and indigenous oil companies, it's going to be bloody this time around," Abginibo said. "Your facilities and personnel will bear the brunt of our fury."
The group's latest statement coincided with a report emailed from Amnesty International that said Shell was not making good on its pledge to clean up decades of oil pollution in the Niger Delta. The company was behind at least 130 different oil spills last year, the advocacy group said.
According to Amnesty, the Niger Delta is one of the most polluted places in the world. The Niger Delta Avengers, for its part, said the region is largely ignored by the Nigerian government.
The Buhari administration said it would start a campaign to clean up the region later this week. From Amnesty's perspective, that gives Shell the opportunity to pass its responsibilities onto others. Rights campaigner Joe Westby said in a statement that oil companies are obligated to clean up after themselves, no matter what the cause.
"The tragedy is that the oil spills continue to destroy the livelihoods of thousands of local people to this day," he said.


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Wokingham, South East England
|latitude: 51.4120318, longitude: -0.8324037
|Browse map of Wokingham 51°24′43.31″ N, 0°49′56.65″ W
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Wokingham is an unitary authority in South East England at latitude 51°24′43.31″ North, longitude 0°49′56.65″ West.
Wokingham is a unitary authority and borough in the South East England region. Together with the unitary authorities of Bracknell Forest, Reading, Slough, West Berkshire and Windsor and Maidenhead it forms the ceremonial county of Berkshire.


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The event commenced with a sudden darkness blanketing the entirety of the Great Hall. A white spotlight introduced the evenings emcees. They called upon the Chairperson, Wan Heng Woon, to give a speech and present the VIP guests, Professor Andy Chau- Dean of the Engineering Faculty- and Mr Mohd Shazereen Kamaruddin- a staff represent- a token of appreciation for their presence.
The murmur among the audience rose as the first performance begun.
The ''Gathering'' started off slow and continuous. As the sound of the drums gained intensity, so did the performers. They danced around the stage with the constant beating of the drums accompanying their every move. With a final shout, the performers leaped onto their drums majestically and ended the evenings first performance.
The next performance, ''Souls Impact'' started off with red lights illuminating the stage, giving it a powerful and domineering appearance. The performers gave up their bodies to the fierce and potent rhythm, flinging from left to right, like ragged dolls. The banging of the drums was climatic and passionate. It was a performance meant to keep you on the edge of your seat.
''Carpe Diem'' commenced with a single performer on stage reverently feeling his drum. The intimate and personal connection the performer felt to his drum was palpable. As more drummers joined the stage, each of them had different instruments, but the way they were able to harmonize them into a perfectly woven melody was a definite treat to the ears.
''Extinct'' begun with a drummer walking towards the audience, topless to signify the rawness of the performance ahead. They screamed in agony and banged thunderously. As a finale, everyone dropped out of sight except one, who walked away from the audience this time, towards the light, to reiterate that ''every light goes extinct at the end''.


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In Memphis, citizens voted in the August election to allow Instant Runoff Voting. At the time, many warned that it will subvert the will of the people. However, egged on by people who want to shape elections, the majority didn't heed the warnings and let it pass.
In Maine, they allow IRV too. That lead to a very unfair election result; one the governor disagreed with as you can read in this story from Breitbart:
Outgoing Maine Gov. Paul LePage decided to troll a Democratic candidate who won a House race on Friday by writing the words "stolen election" on an election certificate certifying the win.
LePage, in one of his final acts as Maine's governor before his term ends, confirmed Democrat Rep.-elect Jared Golden's election win on Friday, but not before scribbling a few words noting how he felt about the election:
And he tweeted: "I've signed off on the CD2 election result as it's no longer in federal court. Ranked Choice Voting didn't result in a true majority as promised-simply a plurality measured differently. It didn't keep big money out of politics & didn't result in a more civil election #mepolitics"
Golden won the election to Maine's 2nd congressional district after two-term incumbent Rep. Bruce Poliquin (R-ME) conceded on December 24, ending a legal challenge contesting the election results.
The controversy in the congressional election stemmed from Maine's "ranked choice" voting system, which allows voters to rank their candidates in the order they prefer.
But if neither candidate wins the majority of votes, the votes are tallied a second time and voters' second and third-choice preferences are added to the voting total.
In this case, Poliquin initially led the race by 2,000 votes but was short of winning an outright majority. Golden then leaped ahead of Poliquin in the polls after election officials tallied voters' second preferences from ballots listing two independent candidates as the first choice in the recount.
Golden won 50.5 percent of the vote while Poliquin pulled in 49.5 percent of the vote after the recount, the Portland Press-Herald reported.
Poliquin called the move unconstitutional and took the matter to court. He asked the court to hold another election or declare him the winner.
LePage is stepping down as governor in January due to term limits. Janet Mills, a Democrat who served as Maine's attorney general, will replace LePage in January.
The outgoing governor told reporters in November he would be getting out of politics and relocating to Florida to take advantage of the state's low taxes.
When Democrats can't win an election the old fashioned way – by winning the most votes – they turn to other methods. IRV is one of them. Contesting every ballot is another, as is counting votes that were not legally cast.


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There are many options when it comes to concrete overlay for pool deck. You can choose between simple dyeing and staining. You can also have the surface engraved or stamped. Thickness can also vary. The overlay can be as thin as a credit card. Some choose to have more than an inch of concrete overlay. If you are working on your pool deck, here are some recommendations on concrete overlays.
Many people would love to have concrete overlays to cover the boring natural gray color of concrete. Overlays are actually a wise choice for almost all colors are possible. Most people would choose earth colors like brown to contrast with the pool's blue color.
An engraved concrete overlay is ideal because they reduce the slippery factor. Engraving can be done in many concrete structures. It can also be done for old and new concrete pool decks as long as that there are no cracks. If there are cracks, you need to have them repaired prior to the installation of concrete overlay.
You may have also seen pool decks that were stamped or stenciled. Normally, there is a patterned to be followed. There are machines to do the job. They ensure consistency on size and shapes.
If you are on a budget, the concrete pool decks can be simply stained or colored just to change its look. They are a cheaper option. The contractors would simply spray the color you want. It is also possible to give the pool deck a texture through spray down systems.
When adding a concrete overlay on your pool deck, it is better to mix cement with polymer resins. They give a high level of slip resistance. You should also ask your contractor for overlays that will be sturdy enough not to be damaged by the sun's UV rays or chemicals in the pool water.


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Cancer was the transformer of my life
October 12, 2016
In this opening episode of Unlock Your Health radio show, Dr. Vijay Murthy interviews world-renowned health educator and humanitarian Maya Tiwari about her personal journey of overcoming cancer. Maya was given six months to live. Find out how retreating to a cabin in the winter woods and returning to nature saved her life.
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Job Description
Job Title: Director – Marketing, (PPD US DMIs)
FLSA: Exempt
Function: Marketing (DMI)
Supervisor Title: Dir/AVP – Brand (Pod Lead)
Location: Terminal Stores - 606 W 28th Street New York, NY 10001
Job Summary & Responsibilities
The Director of Marketing is responsible for the long-term development of their products/category on a worldwide basis. This role will be integral in understanding the needs of brand; developing global products and launches along with being part of the development of the brand strategy and long-term vision. This role will be responsible for initiating briefs of new projects, interacting with the labs and the countries, and following through product development to first production run.
Additionally, this role:
- Identifies consumer, salon, and technological trends globally
- Builds the brand DNA
- Strong synergy and positive relationship with US Marketing Team and international countries
- Generates ideas and concepts for products which are innovative and revolutionary to the professional salon industry
- Collaborates with Education, R&D, Corporate, Countries and Zones in refining new ideas and concepts
- Initiates new product strategies, including the positioning, formulation, packaging, advertising, merchandising, and pricing
- Repositions existing brands to stimulate consumer demand
- Conducts extensive market research
- Focus groups
- Survey design and administration
- Competitive analysis
- Provides context for team to work within – including the history, values, trends and future objectives of the division within the market
Job Requirements
- College degree (BFA, BA, or AAS) in visual arts or other creative fields preferred. High school diploma required.
- 7+ years of related Marketing experience, preferably with beauty industry
- Experience in hair color, hair care and/or hair styling marketing preferred
- Exceptional knowledge of professional beauty industry along with products and content that performs best is important. This includes understanding of metrics and performance measures for all distribution channels.
- Proven experience in creating a consistent and comprehensive brand presence across multiple channels preferred.
- Exceptional attention to detail required
- Project management and planning skills required
- Ability to make quick decisions, problem solve and multi-task
- Excellent written/oral communication skills
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills required to effectively manage relationships with diverse international internal and external contacts
- Strong execution, leadership and consensus building/decision making skills.
- Computer literacy on Windows, MS Word, PowerPoint and Excel.
- Ability to travel domestically or internationally periodically (max. 25%).
- Language skills a plus.
- Ability to articulate clear business direction and strategies; to drive goals and objectives. Also, to liaise between different departments, participate in senior level management discussions and facilitate the creative process at all levels.
- Financial acumen to manage budgets for category specific executions required
- Knowledge of the fashion and beauty business preferred
Judgment & Decision Making
- This position requires limited supervision. An ideal candidate will work autonomously to complete projects and assignments as well as work cross functionally to achieve short and long-term brand objectives.
Job Requirements
- Office based role with long periods of sitting and computer work. Minimal physical activities, lifting up to 25lbs. required occasionally. Travel required up to 25% as well.
Required Competencies
5. People Developer
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He was so glad to be home again once the Daedalus had beamed them down, and Carter was smiling from her spot in the gate room. "Welcome home."
"Thanks Carter," he nodded and looked at Ziva who stood nailed to the floor, eyes wide, mouth open. "Close that mouth unless you want to catch flies." John grinned.
Ziva looked at him. "You have flies here too?" she asked, dumbfounded.
"Well not here, but on the planets, sure." he mused.
Speechless, she looked around at the room they were in. While everyone else immediately set about their routine business, she was frozen in place. Ziva could not help but grin at John as his base was simply a beautiful piece of heaven.
"I'd like to welcome you to Atlantis Miss David," Carter said after she made her way down the steps.
"Dah-veed," she immediately replied, a force of habit to correcting the pronunciation of her surname.
"Ziva, meet Colonel Samantha Carter."
She reached out to shake the woman's hand but her eyes were still looking everywhere else, unable to settle on one spot for too long. The fighter in her was mentally calculating defensive measures but not knowing the layout, she felt so vulnerable to everyone.
"John, why won't you show Miss Dah-veed her quarters so she can start settling in?" Sam suggested with a smile. "Then report to me."
"Yes ma'am," John nodded and took the paper with Ziva's quarters written on them from Carter. It was near the armory and oh crapnear his. "Easy peasy."
Ziva hoisted her bag over her shoulder and nodded to John to lead the way. "I don't know how you could even return to Earth at all after living here," she said. "I believe I would fight tooth and nail if Vance tried bringing me back."
"Told you so," John responded and showed her into a transporter where he started to explain how it worked. "This dot, is near you. You press it and it takes you there."
Reaching out to press the area he pointed, she jumped when the doors slid closed and was flooded with light. Next thing she knew, the doors opened again and she peered out. "We are not in the same location?"
"Nope," he said and walked out, taking her hand while doing so. "This level is mostly used for personnel quarters, and the armory."
Ziva nodded. "Good to know. It's been awhile – aside from that Wraith – that I've been in a good fight."
"We try not to get into any fights out there, Ziva," he chuckled. "But trouble always finds us for some reason." He waved his hand over the control panel of her quarters and pointed into her quarters. "As you can see, the Daedalus has been so kind as to teleport your stuff into your quarters."
She was impressed. "Wow, I think this is bigger than the bedroom I had before my apartment blew up," she said walking in. "I was surprised that the SGC okay'd all the things that I wanted to bring. Especially my knife collection. I had thought that would have been denied."
"Yeah well…" he smirked. "Gibbs told me about your ability to handle knives, I would have felt bad if you weren't able to play with those anymore and we had to go out looking for some here in the galaxy." he continued. "Try that without getting into trouble."
"Maybe one day I will have to demonstrate my talents for you," she grinned as she went into the room further and pushed aside the curtains to look outside. "Oh my god! I have a balcony!" she cried out as she tried to figure out how to open the door when it opened on its own. "Did you do that?"
"Nope," he shook his head. "The city is quite intelligent. When we first came here, the lights went on by itself. However, the way that door opened? I think you might have the gene."
Nodding, she went to look outside and was just astounded by how big everything was. "Do you think these Ancients and Dr. Freud had any relation?"
"Who knows," he shrugged. "Freud could have been an ancient for all we know."
"Hm," was all Ziva said in response. "Well I should unpack if you want to go find your Colonel Carter. She mentioned wanting to meet with you before. Um…How do I get you if I have any questions, like how to find this Doctor Beckett for that test you mentioned?"
"Oh don't worry, you'll just focus on settling yourself in, he'll find you." John nodded, not wanting to complicate things for Ziva just yet as the whole experience of just being on Atlantis for the first time was quite the shock to begin with. "Also, as you've never been into my apartment simply because I don't have one, if you leave your quarters and go two doors down to your left, it's my quarters. You can go ahead and check that out too if you want."
She nodded and grinned. "I suppose you don't lock your door then. That should be interesting for us if I were to ever stay the night," she teased.
He chuckled. "Nah, I'm going to unlock it for you and only you to enter before I go and see Carter."
Ziva went up to him and laid a gentle kiss on John's lips. "Thank you for letting me into this wonderful secret of yours," she said.
"Don't thank me, thank your Director." he smiled and kissed her back. "I'll see you in a bit."
"Sounds good. If you're not busy later, I really would like to see what your people have for a gym. I need a good workout after two weeks on that bucket," she said turning to open her first box that contained her off duty clothes…casual shirts, pants, and matching panty sets right on top.
John stopped by his quarters to check and see if he needed to clean anything up before Ziva would come in, but it looked neat enough. He then set the door to open for everyone and made his way to Carter. "You," he said. "Are a meanie."
"How so, John?" Carter smiled. "For giving you extra time with that gorgeous girl of yours? She really is a looker."
"Yeah well, I was ready to come back you know."
Sam shook her head. "But if you did come back when you were supposed to, you might not have this opportunity to work with and pursue your relationship further. Everyone just wants you to be happy and I know I can see that there is something between you."
He sighed. "I was fine without her you know," he pointed out. "Not everyone is wired for a relationship and I certainly didn't expect the IOA and Homeworld to contact SecNav for an NCIS agent afloat on Atlantis, I mean, what is she going to do here?"
"Are you saying that you are not happy around her? And she is a skilled investigator and fighter. We could certainly use her on off world missions. I've read her dossier, the one that included her Mossad background. Think of her as an Earth combination of Teyla and Ronon. The SGC would be fools to pass that up!"
"I'm not saying I'm not happy around her or that she's here… and yes, I already figured that she's a combination of those two but yeah… whatever." he shrugged. "You probably want to know about the Wraith on Earth."
Carter sat down at her desk. "How did the NCIS agents handle the situation?" she asked curiously and pulled out a bag of lolly pops from her desk. A guilty pleasure of hers and tossed John one knowing he had a thing for sweets.
"Ah, I think better than expected," he said, unwrapping the lolly pop and put it in his mouth with a thankful nod. "I think that Agent Gibbs thought we were escapees out of a mental institute at first, ready to put us back."
"Yea, General O'Neill had to deal with him a few times on the phone. He's not an easy character to get around but orders are orders," she sighed. Sam looked at John for a moment debating on how to break the next bit of news to him.
"Well, I don't really understand why Ziva told me that that Gibbs was quite a character, but I didn't have any problem with him whatsoever. Ask Rodney, and he'll say he tried to kill him with his driving," John nodded. "What team will Ziva be on?"
"Umm, I don't have a set one yet for her. I was planning on having her join your team for the first few times off world as you might be the best candidate to show her the ropes around here. Make her feel more comfortable and all…Just don't let me find out about you two doing – things – outside of your quarters or on duty…please," she begged with an entertained smile.
"Sheez Carter, what do you take me for? A hormonal teen who desperately wants to do things whenever it wants to?"
Sam threw up her hands defensively. "I just have to go on record and say it officially. IOA orders. Blaim Woolsey."
"Even Woolsey wouldn't think that I'd do such a thing, I can't help it that some of the members of the Destiny couldn't keep it in their pants while evacuating." He nodded, the story of the Destiny and its crew had of course reached Atlantis, much to everyone's entertainment as McKay couldn't keep his mouth shut. "Dawson's Creek in Space" he called the situation.
"Neither could the crew of the Daedalus not more than five hours ago," she pointed out.
"Nothing happened on the Daedalus."
Carter just smiled, teasingly and dismissed him to go and help out Ziva again. He picked up some bottles of water on his way back and found Ziva standing in the middle of his quarters, knowing that she couldn't possibly have been done yet with her unpacking but that curiosity got the best of her.
"Johnny Cash, above your bed, really?" She said, pointing at the poster. "It has to go!"
"No one touches the Cash."
"Oh I will!" Ziva hopped on the bed and started to take the poster down.
"Hey!" John exclaimed as he ran after her to tackle her down to the bed.
She laughed as she had no intention of really removing it but the fact that she won by stirring up such as response out of him pleased her greatly. Yes, things were going to be quite exciting around Atlantis.


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Your pulmonary fibrosis stories
Stories written by people like you, about pulmonary fibrosis.
Read the stories of people who live with and have experienced pulmonary fibrosis, including IPF (idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis).
Your stories about pulmonary fibrosis
I'm taking each day as it comes
Andy has a rare type of pulmonary fibrosis. At the start of the year, as the coronavirus crisis began, he was in hospital with a pneumothorax. He shares how he's coped with lockdown and how he plans to approach the next few months, as many return to a relatively normal life.
I adapt and stay positive
John has idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). He shares how he's learned to adapt and stay positive.
My IPF and breathlessness
Ann has IPF. She shares how breathlessness has affected her life and how she's learnt to adapt.
My dad's battle with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Kellie shares the story of her dad and how she's determined to never stop running for him.
With my diagnosis, I can make changes to my lifestyle
Lorri wants everyone to be an advocate for their own health to get a diagnosis as early as they can.
Running the London Marathon to give people "new lungs"
Jo's dad died from lung disease. Now she's running the London Marathon to help raise awareness
Oxygen changed my life, but it was hard to get used to
Diz is glad she started using oxygen therapy.
Tell your story
Do you have a story to tell? It could be about your lung condition, a friend or relative you know who lives with one, or how caring for them impacts your life. We'd love to hear what you've got to say.


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Long Live Love! 9 Wedding Moments of Total Love
We've selected 9 candid wedding moments of pure love that are guaranteed to make your heart melt!
If you don't know by now, let us tell you, we love weddings. More than anything, we love seeing brides and grooms sharing authentic moments of love and happiness on one of the most important days of their lives. This post is dedicated to all of the happy couples and those little moments of love that make wedding celebrations so special. A smile, a shared glance, a special kiss – these are some of the things you will see in these nine moments of total love.
1. There's No One Else
It doesn't always happen, but there is one particular moment amid all of the chaos when the sea of guests surrounding you seems to disappear and you feel like it's just you and him.
2. Just Kiss Me
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There are kisses that are posed for the camera. Then there are candid embraces that communicate pure, authentic emotion, like this one.
3. Between You and Me
We love the natural and spontaneous moments when couples take a break from tense camera poses to be themselves. The groom's look of surprise when he first sees the bride, their first moment alone together before the reception – these are the genuine moments that we live for.
4. Silent Gestures
We love when the couple expresses their love without actually saying anything. Some gestures, smiles, and caresses speak for themselves.
5. Together at Last
When finally, no one is watching and the center of attention for once is not you, it's time to relax. There's nothing quite like that first moment of peace and happiness between the newlyweds.
6. Happy Travels
A picture is worth a thousand words. This image is the perfect metaphor for the new journey that awaits after marriage: joy, happiness, and love. Could there be anything better?
7. Contact
On the wedding day, it's impossible not to notice the contact between the newlyweds. We love when the couple can't keep their hands off of each other.
8. United
Like we said before, contact is very meaningful. Hands intertwined, eyes closed, united as one – now that't love.


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Almost ten years ago I started teaching the history of Documentary Photography and Photojournalism at the International Center of Photography. It has been an incredible experience to hear so many ideas and opinions and see such a wide range of projects from around the world. The diversity of the students, over half are international, is one facet that makes the programs so exciting.
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Oil City gas station damaged in hit and run
A Greendale Township gas station was damaged when a vehicle struck the building Sunday and the driver fled the scene.
Midland County Sheriff's deputies are investigating the accident, which occurred at 8:39 p.m. at the Oil City Sunoco, 48 S. Coleman Road. The vehicle struck the east side of the building, causing serious damage.


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Service Available to Indian Customers Only
Contact Us to Book this Breed
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Thai Bangkaew Dog Breed Information
This breed was originally developed in a rural region of Thailand. This breed was used as working dogs by the fishermen in the region. They are great swimmers and hence are also used as rescue dogs at times. Now they are used as family dogs and also as guard dogs. They are medium in size and also square in appearance. The body of this breed is covered with double coat. The outer coat is harsh and also rough in appearance and is covered with long hairs. Their tail is plumed, and is slightly curved towards the end. They are available in black, brown, grey and also red. This breed is very smart and also intelligent. They are great working dogs, and also athletic, they are swift on their feet, and are good swimmers. They are loyal and also devoted to their master and their family. The easily get attached to the family. They are gentle and also calm around kids. They love the care and attention they receive. But they should never be left alone with children, as they can unintentionally hurt the children. They might act aggressively around strangers and also unfamiliar animals. This should be avoided by providing proper socialization to this breed. They might act dominantly at times, in order to avoid this kind of behaviour, they should be properly trained. They have a natural tendency to hunt down and chase smaller pets like rabbits and also hamsters, hence they should be kept away. They are very fearless and protective at certain times. They are loud barkers, and alert their master with frequent loud barks. They are hard to train, hence is not a good choice for in experienced owners. The average height and weight of a healthy male Thai Bangkaew dog is 46 cm to 56 cm and 19 kg to 20 kg respectively. In case of females, the average height and weight is 41 cm to 51 cm, and 16 kg to 18 kg respectively. They can easily adjust in apartment, if they are properly exercised. They should be taken out for walks and also swims. The average life span of this breed is 10 years to 12 years.
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The path to finding a mate for life is not easy. Through my personal life and my work as a marriage and relationship educator and coach, I have seen how perseverance, courage, discernment, and commitment are all essential. We and the world need strong, happy marriages that are fortresses of well-being.
We are not yet living in a world that has established a common pattern of courtship based on the Baha'i Teachings. As a result, individuals and couples are experimenting and trying to find their way – sometimes joyfully and sometimes with more difficulty.
As you know, courtship practices differ greatly from one culture to another, and it is not yet known what pattern of courtship will emerge in the future when society has been more influenced by Baha'i Teachings. However, there is no indication that it will resemble the practices extant in existing cultures…. In this interim period, the friends are encouraged to make great efforts to live in conformity with the Teachings and to gradually forge a new pattern of behavior, more in keeping with the spirit of Baha'u'llah's Revelation.1
The challenge we face is how to engage in patterns of courtship that strive to implement Baha'i principles in a world that is "a bewildering moral environment"2 and in "a society in which materialism, self-centeredness and failing marriages are all too common."3
So, when we look at what possibly aligns with Baha'i courtship, what is important?
For one, I believe that it's significantly about character, as Abdu'l-Baha asks us to "exercise the utmost care to become thoroughly acquainted with the character of the other, that the binding covenant between them may be a tie that will endure forever."4 This means developing our own characters and then experiencing someone's ability to consistently demonstrate a variety of qualities, such as being kind, courteous, compassionate, responsible, courageous, truthful, and trustworthy.
The Universal House of Justice focuses us on the topic of character and its importance (the bolding of certain words in quotations was added by me for emphasis):
A couple should study each other's character and spend time getting to know each other before they decide to marry, and when they do marry it should be with the intention of establishing an eternal bond.5
…your sons may well feel that it is wise to have a long period of courtship in which the prospective partners spend much time together and become thoroughly acquainted with each other's character, background and family.6
My experience has been that I can adjust to a partner's profession, daily habits, quirks, diet, and more IF the foundation of his character is solid. Then I can trust his words, motives, and actions. I can relax with him instead of constantly monitoring for concerns, and we can focus outward on our service to others.
I have found it helpful when I've been looking for a partner to keep in mind this guidance below, which has helped me choose to spend time with a prospective marriage partner by serving others and participating in community activities together, all the while growing in my understanding of his responses to a wide variety of circumstances. Spending time with others in this manner doesn't necessarily make it easy to adhere to Baha'i standards, but it helps.
… there is nothing in the Baha'i Writings which relates specifically to the so-called dating practices prevalent in some parts of the world, where two unmarried people of the opposite sex participate together in a social activity. In general, Baha'is who are planning to involve themselves in this form of behavior should become well aware of the Baha'i Teachings on chastity and, with these in mind, should scrupulously avoid any actions which would arouse passions which might well tempt them to violate these Teachings. In deciding which acts are permissible in the light of these considerations, the youth should use their own judgment, giving due consideration to the advice of their parents, taking account of the prevailing customs of the society in which they live, and prayerfully following the guidance of their conscience. … [A]dherence to this standard cannot be over-emphasized as a basis for true happiness and for successful marriage.7
Chastity is one of those terms in the Teachings that seems to make us uncomfortable. Chastity means maintaining sexual purity and reserving sexual attraction, thoughts, responses, and intimacy as a special and respectful gift to share with a marriage partner. In the Baha'i Faith, sex and sexuality are not "impure" or "unholy"; sex is a natural impulse, but it belongs in a certain context, which is within a healthy marriage. Marriage is a divine institution, within which sexual intimacy serves as a unifying factor for a married couple. (If you'd like to read more about chastity, Janna wrote an article called "An Honest Letter to Baha'i Youth About Sex".)
It's common to hear the process of learning about character phrased as, "investigating someone's character," but, from what I've read, this term does not appear in the Writings in English, and my concern is that it implies being a detective. It can reduce the joy and interesting challenge of getting to know someone well to an unpleasant-sounding task. Someone shared with me his concern that unmarried Baha'is are avoiding the term "in a relationship," as everyone is potentially "investigating" everyone else, which can result in suspicion and intrigue. He also perceived a how lack of public commitment and exclusivity during courtship could make difficult the levels of investment and emotional intimacy necessary for a couple to adequately ready themselves for marriage.
How to identify couples who are courting would vary from culture to culture, from situation to situation, and from couple to couple. However, regardless of how it is done, thoroughly knowing a partner cannot happen isolated from family and community. I believe that what can be helpful is for community members and family to acknowledge couples who are courting, and for community and family to guard against making a big deal out of couples going through this process. The Universal House of Justice writes:
Although a Baha'i may, if he chooses, seek his parents' advice on the choice of a partner, and although Baha'i parents may give such advice if asked, it is clear from the Teachings that parents do not have the right to interfere in their children's actual choice of a prospective partner until approached for their consent to marry. Therefore, when discussing the issue of courtship with your sons, it would be best to discuss it on the level of principle without reference to individuals.8
What can be very helpful is when parents, families, friends, and communities provide opportunities for couples to serve together and be together in supportive environments. Getting to know each other well and being chaste are easier when couples fill their lives with joyful activities that moderate the emphasis on physical attraction.
Concerning your wish for a marriage partner to enhance your life and service, you are encouraged to trust in God, pursue your purposes with a joyful heart, and identify opportunities, through your own prayerful consideration or through consultation with others, to meet a man to whom you could consider being married.9
A couple may or may not decide to marry, but they will have every opportunity to determine that for themselves.
These are a few of my thoughts about creating a new dating culture for singles. If you'd like to read more, I've co-written a book called Starting with Me: Knowing Myself Before Finding a Partner (which you can purchase here).
- The Universal House of Justice, August 28, 1994, to an individual [↩]
- Letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, February 5, 1992 [↩]
- The Universal House of Justice, August 28, 1994 [↩]
- Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baba, #86 [↩]
- Letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, Lights of Guidance, #1269 [↩]
- The Universal House of Justice, August 28, 1994, to an individual [↩]
- Letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, February 5, 1992, to an individual [↩]
- The Universal House of Justice, August 28, 1994 [↩]
- Letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, August 25, 2010 [↩]