text:
T-shirt - Bandy Melville
Jeans - H&M + DIY - Similar HERE
Watch - Daniel Wellington dupe
Sunglasses - Raybans
Necklace - Forever21 (old)
Clearly, still on the all black train. It's just so chic and easy. You can't go wrong.
In case you missed it, I also did a fall lookbook on Youtube that had an all black theme. You can see that video HERE. Everytime I create a youtube video, I'm always so shocked that all those little clips I film can actually come together to form a video! I'm so terrible with technology that anything I'm able to produce on this computer of mine is a miracle!
Xo, Andrea


text:
Congratulations You Played Yourself.
Michael Gave $13,000 to his friend for what turned out to be a scam. The two are still cool. Did His friend rob him in front of his face?
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Liqueurs - UK - June 2010
This report covers the UK market for liqueurs in the on- and off-trade on which excise duty is paid in the UK. Duty-free sales and personal imports of duty-paid product have been excluded from all data unless specified.
- The liqueurs market splits into two main types: traditional liqueurs, such as Cointreau or Tia Maria are typically thick, sweet products with a spirit base and combined with an infusion of flavours such as fruit or herbs and cream-based liqueurs, such as Bailey's Irish Cream.
- Traditional liqueurs often appear in classic cocktails eg, Cointreau or Grand Marnier in Cosmopolitans. Helped by the continuing popularity of cocktails, Mintel forecasts this segment will grow to represent over half of all liqueur value sales by 2013 in an otherwise declining market.
- Currently, liqueurs are still more likely to be drunk neat (three quarters of drinkers) rather than in cocktails (less than half), primarily due to the dominance of market leader Bailey's Cream which is a rare example of a strong brand in a heavily fragmented market.
- Despite being drunk by a half of UK adult drinkers, the total liqueurs market suffers from its perception, by women especially, as a guilty pleasure to be indulged in only occasionally. For example, a half of liqueur drinkers think "they make a nice treat", a third that "that they are fine in small measures" and a quarter that "they are for special occasions only".
- Key to arresting value sales decline is to increase occasions for usage and offset guilt about drinking liqueurs more often. Becoming more integral in the dessert category can help to replace the diminishing after-dinner liqueur occasion, while mixing liqueurs with functional ingredients such as superfruits can balance indulgence and health.
- Dual targeting is also key to maximising revenue. Older (45+ year-olds) consumers associate drinking liqueurs with in-home, after-dinner "cocooning" occasions. In contrast, 18-24 year olds are much more likely to drink liqueurs as part of a cocktail, therefore perceiving them as exciting, sociable and about going out.
What you get
What's included
- Consumer Attitudes and Behaviour
- Market data
- Competitive analysis
- Risks and Opportunities
- What's Next
- Market Trends
This market report provides in-depth analysis and insight supported by a range of data. At the same time, introductory and top-level content is provided to give you an overview of the issues covered.
Mintel provides a range of market information, frequently through the category level, including market size and forecasting, complete with market drivers that illustrate the forces that shape a category or market.
Mintel's proprietary consumer research provides our analysts with the attitudinal and behavioral data used to provide valuable insight to topical issues.
Mintel provides overviews of the top brands and manufacturers, and uses consumer research to explore attitudes and reactions to brands, as well as insight into what will resonate with consumers.
Market reports provide appendices of data to support the research and insight produced. Our tables of data are easily manipulated and downloadable to support your research needs and covers factors from consumer attitudes to market forecasts.
* This is a sample representation of the report layout and does not reflect the research included in this report.
Why buy from us?
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Table of contents
Issues in the Market
- Definition
- Abbreviations
Future Opportunities
- Liqueurs can benefit from the 'fresh factor'
- Tapping into Cocktail Nostalgia
- Liqueurs can benefit from the 'fresh factor'
Market in Brief
- A tale of two markets
- Traditional liqueur sales will keep market afloat
- Frequency, frequency, frequency
- A tale of two markets
Internal Market Environment
- Key points
- Drinking in slow but steady decline…
- Figure 1: Trends in proportion of the UK population drinking alcohol, 2005-09
- … and the on-trade is feeling the pain
- Figure 2: Trends in alcohol drinking in-home versus out-of-home, 2005-09
- Figure 3: Trends for index of household spend in real prices (2005 = 100), by quarter, for spirits, wine and beer, 2006 Q1-2009 Q2
- Liqueurs helped by the rise in popularity of cocktails
- Figure 4: Consumer attitudes towards trying new drinks, by drink type, July 2009
- … something which has not translated to in-home – yet
- Figure 5: Trends in cooking habits, May 2009-January 2010
- The limitations of seasonality
- Figure 6: Trends for quarterly penetration of liqueur drinking in Britain, 2006 Q1-2009 Q3
- Striking a balance between naughty and nice
- Figure 7: Personal concerns of UK consumers, January 2010
- Key points
Broader Market Environment
- Key points
- Liqueurs hit by escalating duty
- Figure 8: Trends for changes in duty for liqueurs, 2002-10
- But are supermarkets' wings about to be clipped?
- Consumer spend will remain weak in 2010
- Timely growth in 25-34s
- ABC1 growth will continue unabated
- Key points
Competitive Context
- Key points
- Among spirits, only vodka and whisky have a higher penetration
- Figure 9: trends for consumption of different alcohol drinks in the past 12 months (ranked by 2009), 2005-09
- Within spirits, only ARTDs are experiencing a steeper decline in users
- Figure 10: Trends for penetration of different types of spirits consumed, pre-economic downturn (2005-07) compared to post (2007-09)
- Liqueurs is a more female-friendly spirit than vodka
- Figure 11: Usage index (100 =a verage) of liqueurs compared to vodka, gin and whisky, by gender, age group and socio-economic group, 2009
- Key points
Strengths and Weaknesses in the Market
- Strengths
- Weaknesses
- Strengths
Who's Innovating?
- Key points
- Liqueurs target desserts occasion
- Liqueurs as part of pre-mixed cocktails
- Key points
Market Size and Forecast
- Key points
- Liqueurs have been struggling to hold their own in a tough marketplace
- Cosmetically the category will remain stable but not in real terms
- Figure 12: Forecast of volume and value sales of the total liqueurs market, 2005-15
- Factors used in the forecast
- Key points
Market Segmentation
- Key points
- Cream-based liqueurs will struggle
- Figure 13: Forecast of volume and value sales of the cream-based liqueurs market, 2005-15
- Traditional liqueurs will benefit from on-trade cocktail revenue
- Figure 14: Forecast of volume and value sales of the traditional liqueurs market, 2005-15
- Figure 15: Forecast of volume share of the total liqueurs market, by segment, 2005-15
- Shooters are on a downward spiral
- Figure 16: Forecast of volume and value sales of the shooters market, 2005-15
- Key points
Companies and Products
- Key points
- Cellar Trends
- Diageo
- First Drinks
- Pernod Ricard
- Key points
Brand Elements
- Key points
- Brand map
- Figure 17: Attitudes towards and usage of liqueur brands, May 2010
- Brand qualities of liqueur brands
- Baileys rules the roost
- Figure 18: Personalities of various liqueur brands, May 2010
- Experience of liqueur brands
- Baileys most popular, Luxardo little known
- Figure 19: Consumer purchase of various liqueur brands, May 2010
- Brand consideration for liqueur brands
- Baileys most off-putting, others similarly considered
- Figure 20: Consideration of various liqueur brands, May 2010
- Brand satisfaction for liqueur brands
- Baileys best for buyers, Luxardo less appealing
- Figure 21: Satisfaction with various liqueur brands, May 2010
- Brand commitment to liqueur brands
- Baileys has highest loyalty
- Figure 22: Commitment to various liqueur brands, May 2010
- Brand intentions for liqueur brands
- Sweet liqueurs have similar retention
- Figure 23: Future usage intentions for various liqueur brands, May 2010
- Brand recommendation for liqueur brands
- Baileys most recommended, Luxardo a let down
- Figure 24: Recommendation of various liqueur brands, May 2010
- Cointreau
- What the consumer thinks
- Figure 25: Attitudes towards the Cointreau brand, May 2010
- Disaronno
- What the consumer thinks
- Figure 26: Attitudes towards the Disaronno brand, May 2010
- Baileys
- What the consumer thinks
- Figure 27: Attitudes towards the Baileys brand, May 2010
Channels to Market
- Key points
- On-trade decline hits liqueurs revenue
- Liqueurs increasingly reliant on multiple grocers
- Figure 28: UK distribution of liqueurs by volume, by trade sector, 2007-09
- Key points
Brand Communication and Promotion
- Key points
- Advertising spend has increased despite economic downturn
- Figure 29: Spend per year on above-the-line advertising for liqueurs, 2005-09
- Advertising reflects popularity of liqueur sales over Christmas
- Figure 30: Average spend on above-the-line advertising for liqueurs, by month, 2005-09
- Investment in Baileys has driven the market
- Figure 31: Top spending liqueur advertisers aggregated over the period, 2007-09
- Figure 32: Top spending liqueur brands aggregated over the period, 2007-09
- Key points
The Consumer – Usage
- Key points
- Either love them or hate them
- Figure 33: Proportion of people who drink liqueurs and those who would or would not consider drinking them in future, March 2010
- Limited crossover between cocktail and neat liqueur drinkers
- Figure 34: Proportion of people who drink liqueurs neat, as part of cocktails, and/or both, March 2010
- Liqueurs capture a younger, upmarket audience…
- Figure 35: Liqueur drinkers over the past 12 months, by demographics, March 2010
- … but for 18-24s, their experience of liqueurs is all about cocktails
- Figure 36: Net difference* between those who drink liqueurs as part of a cocktail compared to those who drink them neat, by age group, socio-economic group and gender, March 2010
- Liqueur 'rejecters' are mainly downmarket, older men
- Figure 37: Those who have no intention of drinking liqueurs in the future (rejecters), by gender, age group and socio-economic group, March 2010
- Increasing in-home occasions a priority
- Figure 38: Frequency of drinking liqueur either in-home or out-of-home, 2010
- Key points
The Consumer – Attitudes Towards Liqueurs
- Key points
- Liqueurs' indulgent positioning is a double-edged sword
- Figure 39: Attitudes towards drinking liqueurs, March 2010
- Women need to be given an excuse to indulge in liqueurs more often
- Figure 40: Net difference* between statements on liqueurs, women compared to men, March 2010
- Cocktail drinking has shaped younger drinkers' perceptions of liqueurs
- Figure 41: Net difference* between statements on liqueurs, under-45s compared to over-45s, March 2010
- Calorie content surprisingly not a barrier to women
- Key points
The Consumer – Occasions for Drinking Liqueurs
- Key points
- Like it or not, liqueurs are synonymous with Christmas…
- Figure 42: Liqueur drinking occasions in the past year, March 2010
- … but cocktails are expanding liqueurs into new occasions
- Figure 43: Net difference* between occasions for people who drink liqueurs neat, compared to as a cocktail, March 2010
- Liqueur occasions for the younger 'cocktail generation'
- Figure 44: Net difference in drinking occasions for liqueurs in the past year, over-45s compared to under-45s, March 2010
- Key points
- Consumer research
- Advertising data
- Focus groups
- Consumer research
Appendix – Internal Market Environment
- Figure 45: Trends in healthy lifestyles and eating/snacking habits, 2005-09
- Figure 46: Calories contained in typical serves of different alcohol types, 2009
Appendix – Broader Market Environment
- Figure 47: GDP, PDI, consumer expenditure, at constant 2005 prices (ie real terms), 2005-15
- Figure 48: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2005-15
- Figure 49: Forecast adult population trends, by socio-economic group, 2005-15
Appendix – Brand Communication
- Figure 50: Liqueurs, top ten spending advertisers, 2007-09
- Figure 51: Top ten liqueur brands, by advertising spend, 2007-09
- Figure 52: Spend by media type for the liqueurs and spirits category, 2005-09
Appendix – The Consumer – Usage
- Figure 53: liqueur drinkers over the past 12 months, by demographics, March 2010
- Figure 54: Liqueur non-drinkers over the past 12 months, by demographics, March 2010
Appendix – The Consumer –Attitudes Towards Liqueurs
- Figure 55: Most popular attitudes towards drinking liqueurs, by demographics, March 2010
- Figure 56: Next most popular attitudes towards drinking liqueurs, by demographics, March 2010 (continued)
- Figure 57: Other attitudes towards drinking liqueurs, by demographics, March 2010 (continued)
- Figure 58: Net difference between statements on liqueurs, neat liqueur drinkers compared to cocktail liqueur drinkers, March 2010
Appendix – The Consumer – Occasions for Drinking Liqueurs
- Figure 59: UK value sales of alcoholic drinks, by type, 2007
- Figure 60: Occasions people have drunk liqueurs in the past year, by demographics, March 2010
- Figure 61: Next most popular liqueur drinking occasions in the past year, by demographics, March 2010 (continued)
- Figure 62: Liqueur drinking occasions in the past year by whether people drink them neat or as part of a cocktail, March 2010


text:
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The customer and brand answers you'll see above are submitted independently. As we don't review these answers, we can't take responsibility for anything they may say. The responses from Argos colleagues are accurate at the time of publishing. For the latest info, you should check the product page.


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CF70 - Hot Tamales de Mayo!
May 3, 2010
On the menu today: the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, Rockin' the Rails, sushi, Cinco de Mayo, hot tamales (traditional & New Orleans style), & the illustrious Sarah Reinhard with Mary in the Kitchen. The Catholic Foodie... where food meets faith!


text:
- A new APRS symbol for a radiation monitor has been defined using the characters RH. Although this is an H symbol with an R overlay, Bob suggests that there is no reason why APRS clients cannot give this symbol a distinctive icon.
- A new weather field X has been defined for reporting nuclear radiation levels. The format is Xxxx where the first two digits are the precision and the last is the order of magnitude in nanosieverts. So 123 is 12 * 10^3 nanosieverts or 12 microsieverts.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
APRS supports radiation monitors
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text:
Here's the scenario: You have a patient with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) involving the left anterior descending (LAD) artery, who also has significant stenosis of the right coronary artery (RCA). The patient is to undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for the of the LAD, but what do you do with the RCA? Do you treat, or leave it behind?
This was the question that the Complete Versus culprit-Lesion only PRimary PCI Trial (CVLPRIT), the results of which were presented at the 2014 European Society of Cardiology Congress in Barcelona, Spain in September 2014, aimed to answer.
CvLPRIT was an popen-label, prospective, randomized, multicentre trial that included 300 STEMI patients who also had lesions in a non-infarct-related artery. The lesion in the non-infarct-related artery had to be more than 70% in a single plane, or more than 50% in orthogonal planes. All patients received PCI treatment of the culprit lesion. The control group (n=150) did not receive PCI treatment for the non-infarct-related artery, while the treatment group received PCI to treat the second lesion. The second PCI had to be performed during the same hospital admission, and 59% of patients in the treatment group received the second PCI in the same sitting to minimize loss to follow-up and a second puncture.
Results shows that those in the treatment group had a 55% reduction (p=0.009) in composite major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) at 12 months (intent-to-treat analysis). in patients who had complete revascularization at the time of their index admission.
Furthermore, treating both lesions at the same time, although more time-consuming, was not associated with any excess bleeding, contrast-induced nephropathy, or other safety concerns.
The evidence used in guidelines stating that treating the uninvolved artery was associated with harm, were mostly from registries, which has inherent bias: those who received more aggressive treatment were generally sicker, and would have graver outcomes. In contrast, CvLPRIT was a prospective, randomized controlled trial, which minimizes bias.
The authors did not recommend outright PCI for all patients with non-infarct-related lesions. Instead, physicians should still use clinical judgement in deciding whether to treat uninvolved stenosed arteries, based on the severity of stenosis and the condition of the patient.
Reference: www.medscape.com/viewarticle/831349#1


text:
Family Webicine
Monday, October 22, 2012
The Health Benefits of Smiling
By Rod Moser, PA, PhD
I love working with babies, because babies are usually the best smilers. As soon as I walk into the examining room, I regard the patient first and greet them with a warm and welcoming smile, even if that patient is a little baby. This usually sets the stage for a productive visit, not just for the patient, but for me as well. When you smile, the world tends to smile with you. Of course, if you smile too much, people may think you are just crazy.
Smiling should be an essential part of all human encounters, either face-to-face, or on the phone. Our employees are instructed to smile when they are talking on the phone to patients. It is felt that smiling will actually communicate through their voice and promote a friendlier interaction.
A study at the University of Kansas – a state where people tend to smile (except in the winter) found that smiling reduces stress. Participants in this research study who smiled were less stressed doing various tasks than those with neutral facial expressions. Stress levels were especially low in those with genuine smiles. Even those who forced a smile during an unpleasant task seemed to have lower stress levels.
A medical practice can be unbelievably stressful and we never know what is behind that examining room door until we open it. Sure, we sort of know why a person has made the appointment, but this isn't the full story. That story begins with the introductions, and sometimes with the opening smile.
There are all types of smiles. There is the obligatory smile that is required because I smiled first. This is sort of like a weak handshake without the transfer of germs. If the person who smiles immediately goes back to a furrowed frown, then I take this into consideration. I frequently encounter false smiles. This is often from a person is either upset or stressed. They may be rushed or we may not be on time in their rushed opinion. This smile is brief and may even resemble a sneer. Most people will detect that it is not really genuine.
Babies and children are unbridled by social constraints, so you can count on their smiles to be real. Genuine smiles are the best. A genuine smile lowers the babies' stress level in unfamiliar surroundings with unfamiliar people, and it definitely lowers my stress level. I live for those toothless smiles.
Humor is an integral part of my practice. Humor makes people smile. If it doesn't, you need to stop trying to be funny. I like to tease the little kids that I know, saying things like, "Hey, I thought you were in jail?" I will look at the chart and notice that they are here for a sore throat and an earache, but will add "stinky feet" to the list of complaints. Most will smile. Some will admit that stinky feet is one of their concerns. When I look in their ears, I am looking for birds. If this doesn't make them smile, the little bird whistles that I make while I am examining them will do it. When I look in their noses, I always make a booger comment. The words booger and fart are perhaps the two that cause the most smiles in children. Incidentally, I can say those words in a few different languages.
When I was a student making hospital rounds, I had the chance to examine a patient who I felt was having kidney stones. When I reported this to my attending physician, he came to the bedside to make his own assessment. He made a little humorous comment to the patient, and she smiled. He shook her hand only and did not examine her. We walked out of the room together and he told me that she did not have kidney stones. Since he did not examine her, I questioned his diagnosis.
"People with kidney stones do not smile", he calmly told me. He smiled and walked away.
He was right. She did not end up having kidney stones.
Thirty-five years later when I had my own kidney stones, I finally understood.


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There are many ideas as to where we come from. Many times the reality is much more simpler than any complicated crazy theory concocted by lopsided evidence taken out of context.
With that in mind, just about anything can be taken out of context when one doesn't take the time to find the full story
chapter one
Space, for as far as instruments can sense, is huge, dark and foreboding, filled with wonder, dismissive of the foolish who venture within its domain, unconcerned by their death.
A small ship glides by, followed by another, then a dozen behind it.
Tom, short, thin but otherwise perfectly shaped, leans back and looks at natural space with deep appreciation.
"And beautiful." Tom thinks ironically.
Symbiont, a slurry of chemicals, elements and a miracle of programing, swirls throughout Tom's body as they sense each others thought patterns.
"It is a rather humbling experience for one to have to leave a galaxy." Symbiont notes without a trace sarcasm.
Tom knows enough to wait for it,
Symbiont continues, "Because it has become too small."
Tom mentally bites his tongue knowing that there is a rather large stone of truth to that statement.
As if to provide a reason for provocation Symbiont continues, "You see I find it rather ironic that . . ."
"I don't think you should finish your statement." Tom mentally yells, "Before this body gets to small for the two of us."
Tom can feel Symbiont literally retreat from his head.
It's not often a symbiont and their host mentally separate. For most of Tom's kind the separation can very quickly lead to mental anguish and often suicide, something Symbiont is well aware of.
Returning his attention to his instruments Tom watches as a new system's sun comes into view as a warmly glowing star.
The planet closest to the sun speeds past the bottom of the viewer. As we pull away from the sun there is another planet gracefully spinning by.
As another planet, green and blue with white swirls and three moons gracing it's orbit fills the screen.
Out of habit Tom checks the scanners looking for anything that could distract him from the mental silence. His brow furrows as something different than what he was expecting shows up.
Tom's subsequent euphoric rush of excitement brings Symbiont back.
"A planet we missed!" He blurts out loud in the ship. "How could we have missed this one?"
"This is loud enough," Symbiont pleads, "for the others to hear."
Again Tom mentally bites his tongue before quickly checking a different set of sensors.
Symbiont performs double duty of physically calming Tom's body and rummages through Tom's short term memory to find the planet readings for redisplay in his retinal receptors.
To 'help' Symbiont, Tom starts taking deep breaths in an effort to calm down.
"I wish you wouldn't do that." Annoyed at Tom for taking an active role in what is considered to be Symbionts duty.
Quickly forgetting the complaint, Tom concentrates on his present task of gathering information..
chapter two
Tom walks along the time beaten path, barely stepping aside in time to avoid getting run over by an electric car.
Leaning out the of the car the driver looks apologetic, "Sorry"
Tom smiles in return, "Sorry"
"I'm beginning to think that word has more meaning" Symbiont waxes philosophical, " . . . than I originally gave it."
"Has a strange calming effect." Tom replies as he mentally resolves to be more careful as he continues his journey,
Looking back every once in a while Tom marks his progress by how the town seems to shrink as it retreats into the distance.
For almost a week he had been in town wandering its limited number of streets, marveling at the simplicity at how the inhabitants seemed to live their lives.
One more look back Tom sees that the town is now out of sight and pauses before taking out the local newspaper, 'The New Organ' and again tries to re-read the article, again failing to finish.
Perhaps it was the alluring picture of the author, Eve FairBairn, a beautiful woman in her mid thirties, confidently looking at who ever happened to be looking at her photo in the newspaper, that drew Tom's to this town . . . planet.
Refocusing his attention Tom reassures himself that it was the intellect that went into the article that caused him to stop on this planet.
"She is beautiful?" Symbiont remarks.
Tom responds by putting the newspaper back in his inside jacket pocket before continuing in silence.
"I should be more tolerant." Symbiont says.
"Think nothing of it." Tom continues walking. "I just hope this is the right thing to do."
Symbiont monitors Tom before going into standby mode, this conversation has been played out many times already.
Tom continues walking marveling in the experience. It has been years, dare it be said, centuries since Tom had felt this . . . naked.
The crunching of the graveled road under foot, the breeze on his face, the sun . . .
Tom takes out his kerchief.
" . . . that's something to get used to."
And dabs his face of sweat again, marveling at the dampness from previous dabbing, which reminds him of Symbiont's earlier advice.
Quickly taking a small swig of 'water' from his drinking bottle, Tom looks at the half empty bottle, "Got to be careful, don't want to run out." before taking another longer drink of 'water'.
An odd stone pushes into his foot as he steps on it.
Tom almost spits out the mouth full of 'water' at the sudden new pain and forces himself to hold back his response so as to not wake Symbiont.
Slowing down to make limping easier Tom carefully puts his drinking bottle back in the pouch.
The babbling brook, running through the ditch, provides the distraction as Tom waits for the pain in his foot to subside.
Kerchief in hand Tom dabs his brow again and looks at the dampness frowning at a new thought, "What if I never stop sweating?" putting away the carefully folded kerchief, "That could get annoying."
Pain subsided, Tom is about to take the newspaper out of his inner pocket when he suddenly sees the house through the trees, right where the townsfolk said it would be.
Despite his efforts, Tom's leap of excitement is what brings Symbiont out of standby mode who quickly takes stock of the situation and realizes that Tom is just standing still staring at the efficiently built two story house.
There is a banging sound of a hidden screen door slamming shut. A woman appears with a basket of clothes.
Symbiont increases Tom's visual abilities so he can see that it is the woman pictured in the newspaper. Tom watches as she walks to the clothes line and starts hanging out her wash.
Eve pauses looking up at the sky frowning. There is sparkling flash of bright light which can even be seen in the blazing afternoon sun.
Tom glances at the phenomena.
Symbiont retrieves the memory.
- The planet passing through the mineral trail left by a passing asteroid one hundred and thirty seven years ago.-
Mesmerized Tom takes a step towards Eve and promptly buries his foot ankle deep in . . .
Just as Eve had completely cleared Tom's mind of all else, the stream, used earlier as a distraction, now clears his mind of all else.
For the initiated, those born on a planet, this is a childhood experience that everyone remembers.
"Where is my foot?!?!"
Both Tom and Symbiont can not believe what they are seeing.
Instinctively Tom puts his other foot in the mud and they both watch as it disappear as well.
"A Trap!!"
Of the two of them Tom is the only one able to speak out loud.
Instinctively Tom makes his next step bigger, thankfully on firm ground, and is relived to see his foot still at the end of his leg, completely covered in . . .
Hoping for a repeat Tom pulls his other foot free, still attached and also covered in . . .
Having escaped the trap Tom stands triumphantly before realizing that something different as a whole new set of sensation emanate from his foot. Well, just one foot.
Puzzled, Tom looks at his foot and once again he and Symbiont can not believe what they are seeing.
There is no shoe on his foot.
What sort of device could do such a thing?
Looking at where is his foot had been stuck Tom can clearly see his one shoe protruding from the mud behind him.
Despite being several hundred years old Tom could never have imagined anything like this happening.
"Maybe if I . . . "
Reaching down Tom triumphantly pulls his shoe out of the mud with a loud sucking sound followed by a second sucking sound as he pulls his other hand, used to balance himself, out of the mud.
Surprised Tom looks at the stream, his muddy hand, then back to the stream again as realization and logic slowly replaces wild imagination.
Slowly Tom raises his hand to touch his protruding tongue.
Actually, if one were to look very close, they would see Symbiont covering Tom's tongue in a silvery coating and possibly even see tiny tentacles reach out and take a tiny sample of . . .
"Yes." Symbiont uses it's best reassuring tone, "Mud."
Still unconvinced "A primitive trap?"
"It occurs naturally, a mixture of dirt and water."
Completely reassured Tom puts the retrieved shoe in the crook of his arm . . .
". . . mud"
. . . so he can wipe the mud off his hand . . .
"That was easy."
. . . onto his other hand . . . before using his pants.
Tom puts the retrieved shoe on the ground and fits his foot back in with a squishing sound.
Kerchief out, Tom dabs at his brow again, leaving streaks of mud across his face, and suddenly realizes he is folding a muddy kerchief and mentally steps back and looks at himself.
". . . I am a mess."
"A complete mess." Symbiont confirms.
"A complete mess." Tom reaffirms.
"You can't let Eve see you like this." Symbiont cautions
"You're right, I can't . . . "
Tom suddenly remembers where he is.
Slowly looking up he sees Eve looking at him.
Just as the stream had completely cleared Tom's mind of all else, Eve's presence completely clears Tom's mind of all else
Their eyes meet, Tom's filled with admiration, Eve's filled with . . . amusement?
Symbiont checks again.
"I was hoping . . . " Tom reaches for the newspaper and sees himself covered in mud and is reminded as to how he must look.
"Not amusement, hostility maybe." Symbiont corrects.
Tom's first instinct is to explain the situation and quickly realizes there was no known language with enough words to undo what Eve had just seen.
Closing his mouth in crushing defeat Tom turns to leave and realizes that he would have to walk through that mud again. A quick look both ways shows no other way. Symbiont works overtime to keep Tom's vitals in check, to counteract the crushing defeat leaving him with no choice but to retrace his steps.
"Not from around here?" Like a hammer striking the anvil Eve question cleave through Toms tormented mental haze.
Though, there is that split moment when Tom toys with the idea of pretending not to hear but reluctantly turns to face Eve. ". . . you said?"
"Everyone knows about my creek." Eve explains, "Keeps people out . . . "
Symbiont checks again.
". . . usually." Eve finishes.
A glimmer of hope, "Oh, so I am not the first to step in . . ?" Tom gestures not finding the right word for what he is covered in.
" . . . mud. And . . . " Eve almost smiles, ". . . you're the first."
Symbiont increases Toms visual abilities so he can see Eve relax, even allowing a smile to creep onto her face.
Tom brushes off some of the dried mud, "I would say it works."
They are silent for a few minutes.
Suddenly remembering why he is there. "Your article . . . "
Tom reaches for 'The New Organ' and sees the drying mud on his hand. Realizing that there is nothing he can do to salvage the situation.
He muddies the newspaper by taking it out.
" . . . they said you would have nothing to say." Tom shows Eve the article, "But I believe you have much to say."
Curiosity getting the best of her Eve softens her attitude towards Tom's bumbling effort.
". . . nothing to say." Eve smiles slightly amused, "Is that what they said Mr . . . "
It takes a moment for Tom to realize the unfinished statement was in itself a question.
"L'Amour, Tom L'Amour." Tom wipes his hand and offers it but retracts it when he sees how clean Eve's hands are. "That was one of the more . . . polite things they said."
Eve looks off towards town with no small amount of bitterness in her smile. "Well Mr. L'Amour . . . "
"Tom? I prefer . . . Tom."
Eve watches Tom closely, "Why are you here . . . Tom?"
Tom looks at Eve's picture which can't compare to Eve Fairbairn herself.
With a slow knowing smiles Eve continues, "Maybe my chickweed tea?"
Tom blinks confused, ". . . tea?"
"Some kind of beverage?" Symbiont offers.
Eve motions Tom an invite, "There's enough for two."
"Yes . . ." Tom grasps at the life preserver called . . . tea, " . . . that's the other thing they mentioned."
Catching Eve's wry look Tom indirectly apologizes ". . . too much?"
After few minutes with the garden hose Tom stands bare footed and mostly clean giving his clothes one more dose of water.
Standing just inside the screen door Eve pauses.
Besides the weirdest looking boxer shorts, Eve notes that Tom is a good five inches shorter than she is and frowns slightly, "Seemed much taller." Eve thinks before shaking the thought from her mind.
Tom shakes his pants out before putting them on, completely dry.
Unable to frown more Eve looks at the clothes she is holding before throwing them onto a nearby chair.
Pushing the screen door open Eve pretends to not notice the totally clean and dry clothes but motions Tom to a chair at a table already set with a small tea pot, a single cup and other 'tea fixings'.
"I'll get a second cup." And disappears back into the house.
Tom can hear Eve move about the kitchen getting whatever was needed for . . .
Tom looks at Eve's cup, ". . . tea" in silent wonder.
"Some kind of beverage." Symbiont offers.
"You already said that."
" I would need . . . "
Eve interrupts Symbiont and Toms mental conversation. "So you came all the way out here just to see if I look like my picture?"
Tom's eyes immediately dart to the picture in the now soggy newspaper.
"No!" Tom quickly responds as he accepts the cup of tea Eve passes him.
"That would be a very . . ."
There are moments when your conscience can objectively see a life changing moment in process.
Tom sips his tea.
. . . and that moment passes.
". . . trivial thing to do."
Tom valiantly hides the fact the tea is the vilest liquid to pass his lips. He looks at his cup wondering if maybe he had something different then what Eve was contently sipping.
Eve puts down her cup, "I'm just going to get a sweater, it's been a little chilly these past few nights."
Tom nods and watches Eve enter the house again.
The door had barely slammed shut and Tom pulls out a mini probe from his watch and dips it in the tea. So quickly was the scan performed that he had time to put the probe back in the watch before Eve could return.
"So, you still haven't mentioned your thoughts on the article."
Without thinking Tom takes a sip of the tea.
"That's if you read it." Eve continues as she scoop a tiny amount of sweetener into her tea. "Oh, sorry, sweetener if you need it."
There is a brief moment of distraction as Symbiont flashes a revised meaning for the word 'Sorry' as Tom pushes the tea down his throat.
"Um, thank you." Hoping his distaste wasn't being broadcast as loud as he felt it was.
"Others say they read my article." Eve continues as she looks away.
Using the opportunity, Tom quickly scoops in three generous portions of sweetener.
"Despite the oppressive religious views of leaving your planet." Having no idea of the insult he just perpetrated Tom continues, "I was struck by your calculation of the speed necessary to make it to another planet."
Eve finishes, "That would not disprove our Gods existence."
"Mm, I read that part too." Tom tries another sip of tea and finds it a little easier to swallow.
"That's more energy of mind than most." Eve gives Tom a sideways glance.
"That's usually the part where everyone pottles off."
" . . . pottles off?"
" . . . pottles off?" Echoing Symbiont's dismay at another word not found in the local dictioanry.
Tom notes Eve gazing up at the sky as stars appear and uses the opportunity to deftly scoop in another generous dose of sweetener and tries another sip of tea.
"The action of a person who uses oppressive views to lose interest." Eve looks at the half empty bowl of sweentner and smiles.
In the following silence Tom surrenders to the idea he will never like Chickweed tea.
"Do you think anyone is out there?" Eve asks.
"Someone out there is asking the very same thing." Tom states.
Curious, Eve looks at Tom gazing at the stars. Sensing her, Tom meets her look and smiles.
Eve makes her decision, "You probably should head back to town, otherwise you'll lose the money you paid to rent the room."
And for the first time.
". . . wouldn't want the towns folk . . ."
In a long time.
". . . to waste a 'Told you so' . . ."
Tom has a reason to smile.
". . . because of me."
Symbiont sees changes never encountered before, "Would you be OK?"
Within a thick blanket of contentment Tom easily ignores Symbiont.
"I hadn't pay for tonight yet."
chapter three
Eve is sitting at the bridal table looking at the double ring that is binding two of her fingers. It had come as a surprise from Tom who, in the most romantic way, proposed at the kneeling stone.
Eve checks herself in the mirror again for the hundredth time making sure that everything was just right for the ceremony.
The bride handler, after fussing over every detail. finally tells Eve that she is ready.
Eve didn't care that the walk seemed much longer than when rehearsed but used the time to beam at those who said her controversial ideas would cause her to 'expire' a spinster.
The ceremony, short, meaningful, still had everyone curious about the frail man she was to cleave to.
And curious they would stay.
Tom and Eve deftly bypass the crowd as the couple, then as two, now as one, cross the threshold of Eve's house which Tom insisted they keep.
Day of being 13.2456
Eve, sitting at her writing desk, listens intently as Tom, in the midst of his shower, comes to a possible end of his current song.
Despite the haunting sadness and the strange language, a smile plays at the corner of Eve's lips as she returns to her last entry to reread it as she navigates the terrain of her words and feelings.
It is with joy that I take on the traditional task of binding my life to words, to mention that which I thought could never happen which has come to pass. I must admit my happiness of being within the presence of one whom I have seen to be above the mettle of all others before.
Perhaps it is but the joy filled blood that courses through my veins, or perhaps that which is just commonly called love. None the less it is I who can say 'I am the happy one'.
Day of being 45.2458
Eve sits at her writing desk that gives her an unobstructed view of her beloved approaching his task of turning the spring soil for their winters planting.
There can be no bounds to the joy that I can say is felt by both of our beings.
It has been pushed into my mind that my beloved has found even the smallest physical affliction a thing to give him reason to marvel. It was with consternation that I was thus summoned only to have him reveal that his minor affliction of pain brought joy to his being.
My beloved could easily be mistakenly accused of being a simpleton rather than the obvious joy of breath.
Day of being 57.2460
Eve is sitting at her writing desk with the 'pregnancy ' test laying within view. Eve watches the analog readout holding her breath as a quiet beep, the read out showing 'Negative'.
Eve sighs in disappointment.
I have fearsome misgiving about my standing as wife. What is it that my beloved has that prevents my role within the community as cradle of life.
Day of being 134.2468
Eve is sitting at her writing desk as she tries to find the right words to describe the past week of symposiums. Tom had been very helpful in providing ways in which to prove a theory that Eve had been working on for a while.
Can it be that my beloved is a genius without recognition? If so, how would one pass their days of being for so long without the accolades of others to sustain such wondrous thinking.
Perhaps training of such minds is different from where he has thus from. But how can such training take place without records?
. . . where is thy beloved from?
Day of being 42.2476
In the middle of the night Eve wakes to see Tom not there.
It distresses me to think that I have unioned with a non-collaborator of propagation.
Day of being 86.2479
During an event it is noted that Eve is aging faster than Tom.
It is of such sightedness that even those of whom I have never peered upon can see that I am of such homeliness when compared with the beauty of who I have unioned with.
chapter four
Tom brings in the last of the dishes and puts them in the water for washing.
Tom pauses for a moment as he watches the soap bubbles run off his hand to reveal worked hardened calluses. A short look of wistfulness crosses his face and Symbiont, having much time to itself, reappears on the edge of his mind.
"Something amiss?"
The kettle whistles giving Tom a way to ignore the question.
Pouring two cups, adding the tea, setting them aside to steep before he continues washing the dishes.
From the kitchen window Tom can see Eve, much older but still beautiful, standing, looking up at the stars as they start appearing.
Tom pauses at the back door with the two cups steaming, a feeling a dread passing over him.
Reaching out with her cup Tom hands Eve her tea and it is only then that the age gap between them becomes obvious.
Tom finally breaks the silence. "You seem as far away as they are."
Without turning from her study of the stars Eve responds quietly.
"I can't help but notice . . . as I age . . ."
Tom closes his eyes as a look of dread clouds his face. "Healthy living, good food . . ."
The pained look in Eve's eyes as they search his face makes Tom instantly regret what he just said.
Eve goes back to studying the stars and the silence draws on.
"Do you really like Chickweed tea?" Fearing his response Eve refuses to look Tom's face fearing his answer.
Tom looks down at his cup in silence.
Eve continues, "So many times you say things, but you never 'tell' me things."
Deeply sighing Tom makes a decision and tosses his tea on the ground. Eve looks at the spot as it steams momentarily before finally looking at Tom to see his faced haunted by the pain of memory, . . . and waits.
"We perfected war to the extent it became a social pastime, with social events, that became smaller and smaller, we would talk about who killed who, and how . . ."
Tom seems stuck on a memory.
". . . what started it?" Eve asked, not for information but to help Tom continue.
"Who knows." Tom shrugs, "By the time I joined, the war was already hundreds of years on, we needed help otherwise we would . . .
Tom cups his hand and asks Symbiont to show itself.
"We developed an assistant to take care of us." Eve looks at the silvery puddle in Tom's hand somehow not shocked or surprised.
". . . it worked?" Again Eve speaks as encouragement for Tom.
The silvery puddle disappears back into his hand.
"Worked so well we decided to make the war an exclusive organization." Tom pauses looking at the stars, "18.62 billion people within a half hour."
On a planet with less than 80 million Eve is dumbfounded, "You killed . . . "
"Everyone not participating in the war. Three quarters of our population." Tom looks at Eve, "Rather ironic, find a way to live forever so that we could kill each other in a war without meaning."
"But why?"
Tom shrugs, "Why do you study?"
There is a long silence as Eve thinks. "What do you mean . . . live forever?"
Tom reaches out his hand and whispers, "Easier to show you."
Suddenly wary, Eve slowly accepts his invite.
There is a slight sound of rushing wind and they are standing on a hilltop.
Eve exhibits the mammalian reflex as she turns to see her house, lights still on, a great distance away.
Eve catches her breath thinking that there is nothing more, only to see solid rock shimmer as they walk through it and step inside a small space ship. Eve has a hard time catching her breath as she tries to take everything in.
Eve looks around, "You really should have prepared me for . . . " and pauses on seeing there are two seats.
Like a child enthralled with the aspect of having free rein at the toy store, Eve slowly sits in one of the seats beaming, ". . . why did you wait so long?"
"I figured it would be OK as long as you thought I liked your tea."
Eve takes a moment from marveling at the ship," You never did like it." smiling at Tom's puzzled look, "You used a fortune's worth of my sweetener."
Tom suddenly feels like the toddler caught in a fib.
Eve smiles knowingly at Tom, "Show me your world."
"Will be a rather disappointing trip." Tom takes his place in the pilots seat, "Seeing as we made it a monument of our destructive power over a thousand years ago."
Eve looks at Tom in breathless anticipation.
Tom shrugs as he set about plotting the course.
chapter five
Tom wakes Eve. "We're here."
Pushing herself up Eve silently winces in pain and favors her wrist.
The planet surface is shrouded in a thick brownish fog, the landscape pockmarked with huge crates, fires that somehow still burn, even after so many years.
Eve is silent as she sees the total devastation, radiation storms and moisture soaking heat waves that leave the surface parched and blisteringly hot.
Relying on instruments only Tom pilots the ship towards a destination that could only be found if known where to go. Suddenly from the brownish mist an oasis of beauty, greenery and health springs into view.
Eve is taken aback. ". . . what is that?"
"A testament of regret."
It takes a few tense moments for Tom to coach the docking system to open and allow the ship to slid in out of the devastating atmosphere. The decontamination process takes hours to complete.
Tom finally opens the door and Eve leaps ahead and enters a beautiful oasis of what Tom's world used to be like.
Eve starts wandering off, absentmindedly rubbing her wrist.
"Careful." Tom warns.
Turning with a smile Eve barely has time to jump as a tall plant seems to shift and 'lunge' at Eve, it's huge green 'jaw' snapping just missing Eve.
Completely white with fear Eve allows Tom to collect her shaking body in his arms.
"Not everything is safe here."
A wispy cloud floats towards them and form into a simulation of a face, and speaks in a very fast paced language. Tom responds in like manner.
Refusing to leave the safety of his arms, Tom looks at Eve, "Interested in learning our language?"
"It sounds like a difficult language to learn."
Tom smiles, "Just breath in the cloud, it should only take a few minutes."
Eve looks at Tom fearfully.
Not letting Eve go Tom points at the mist to reassure, "That is safe."
Tentatively Eve sniffs in the cloud.
Within minutes Eve can understand every word, the spaz of pain in her wrist forgotten.
chapter six
Back home, looking younger, Eve flexes her wrist as she stands, hidden within the shadows, wondering how she could be so lucky that she had found the only person who could give back her youth . . . literally.
Frowning at the despair and disappointment that is obvious in the soul crushing sigh and sagging of Tom's shoulders.
Suddenly Eve's heart goes out to the man she loves realizing there must be something he has not spoken of and steps into the room jolting Tom to the present.
"I'm sorry," Eve whispers.
So common the word neither Symbiont nor Tom respond to it.
Eve sits down beside Tom, "But it looked like you bear the weight of something you can't keep in."
Making no effort to hide the holographic projector, Tom relaxes and shows the simulation. that reveals a huge asteroid.
His life, as he loves it, is coming to an end. The asteroid impacts the planet and the devastation is complete.
Eve frowns trying to understand what the implication are. Tom brushes a strand of her hair away. "My hope was to live here."
Still not understanding, "We are . . ." But there is something in Tom's face. " . . . I mean, we could come back." Eve continues.
Tom smiles at Eve's lack of understanding, "The destruction will be complete, nothing will be survive.
"We'll have our children somewhere else, doesn't have to be here."
Tom smiles in agreement, "You're right."
It is days later standing on the same hillside that Eve and Tom take one last look at their first home together. Above them, radiation pushed ahead of the asteroid, colors the sky a sickening purple.
They turn and enter Tom's ship.
Orbiting the planet from a safe distance, Tom lovingly holds Eve as they watch their home planet consumed by the violent impact.
Eve winces as the sharp pain of arthritis, an unheard of affliction, stabs at her wrist again.
Concerned, Tom looks at Eve who returns a reassuring smile.
"I apologize for the lose of your people."
Eve can't help but smile at the condolences, so clinical, calm and distant. Coming from Tom, a race of people whose sole purpose in life for the last thousand years was to try and kill another, this was the closest he could get to sympathy.
"Are not my sympathies to your liking?"
Eve draws herself up and in Toms language recites the acceptance phrase, "They are noteworthy and I accept them graciously."
Tom notes the way Eve is favoring her hand and frowns slightly, "But . . . ", dropping back to her native tongue, "It is very . . . "
"Rehearsed?" Tom subtly starts a bio scanner, "I suppose . . . "
The scan results gives cause for Tom's distraction as he gives his full attention to the troubling readouts.
Eve looks at her hand worried.
Tom's ship, pitifully small amidst the expanding debris field of a once beautiful planet, drifts slightly in the invisible currents of space.
Inside Eve, frail, thinner and ill, watches Tom as he desperately searches for something his technology was not designed to search for, the essence of life.
So much had been put into the war effort, in understanding the ability to kill, to end life that it had never occurred to anyone the need to understand the beginnings, the essence of life,
Eve's heart goes out to Tom knowing that his, tireless, unending search is for her sake and in all probability, is also killing him.
"You have given me a full life." Despite her efforts, the illness does not allow her the luxury of hiding her weakness with a strong voice.
Almost reluctantly, Tom looks at Eve as she smiles weakly, "More than I could have hoped . . . "
By her side he holds a hand that he does not recognize anymore.
"The radiation from your planet, it . . . " Tom gestures helplessly. Eve smiles weakly understanding what Tom isn't saying. It was the radiation from the planet that allowed it's inhabitants that ability to live, to have such a full life, to stay so healthy.
Despite the efforts of Symbiont, Tom is unable to stop the bleeding of his soul, "What will I do . . . without you."
"I'm sure someone else is asking the same . . ."
It takes several moments for Tom to realize that Eve will never finish her sentence and for the first time in centuries, that small place deep in his being a rage starts to boil and seethe and emotions roar to full life.
Tom collapses unconscious as Symbiont pinches an area of his brain deemed off limits.
Being unconscious had only been for a moment but for days Symbiont has remained hidden in the darkness, not daring to come out of the recesses of Tom's body for fear of what would happen.
Barely visible through the helmet lens Tom is a mask of calm, years of training and practice keeping his emotion intact and held together by fierce power of will.
"Please, you can come out." Tom wills the words into Symbiont, "You are all I have left."
Curiosity getting the better of it, Symbiont peers out and realizes that Tom is floating in space holding a shrouded body.
"I want you to help with these last rites." Tom pleads.
For a long moment both Tom and Symbiont look at the center of the disaster area as he slowly pushes the shrouded body towards it.
Symbiont swirls around Tom's body, programming not designed to deal with this situation, and something changes. Changes so profound, so different that even Tom senses a difference.
". . . I am sorry . . . "
Understanding crashes through Tom's frail conscience.
" . . . I am so . . . "
Understanding smashes through the centuries old barrier releasing the . . . 'other' part of his brain
". . . sorry . . . "
Confused Symbiont Swirls around Tom's body. How could these changes happen? How could programming, stable for so long suddenly rewrite itself.
Symbiont suddenly stops swirling and looks at the shrouded body drift towards what was once her home.
Like Tom, Symbiont finally understands and the last bits of code are rewritten.
Through Toms emotional anguish Symbiont hears the roar of what it is beginning to understanding.
It's so simple . . .
chapter seven
What has started as desire has now turned to purpose
That one simple word can do so much to change a persons life, point of view, direction.
Tom sits in his seat, looking younger, as he studies the remnants of a destroyed home, a destroyed planet, a marble, broken open to reveal a hidden truth just waiting to be discovered
The inside of the ship is different in it's clutter, filled with new technology used to pry open the secrets of life, each piece of equipment breaths new life into Tom as he formulates and computates, as formulas and equations flash across multiple monitors and readouts.
The answer is cause for joy that even Symbiont can celebrate.
A goal, a destination, a direction.
. . . but first a helping hand.
His back to what was once his home Tom is once again floating in space and with a small ceremony releases a small gangly robot into the void.
"I have designed you, given you purpose and now breath life into you."
The robot jolts 'awake' and, as a newborn, struggles for a few moments before finding it's 'feet'.
"And I shall give you the name Forste."
Time alone is a witness to the passing of years, turning to decades, to centuries as hordes of Curators of every imaginable design and complexity swarm the system as they mine huge fragments of the destroyed planet, as they smelt, manufacture pieces and parts that encircle Tom's ship.
Tom sits stoically in his seat as the moon sized sphere is built around him.
The outside of the Eve Machine looks featureless and smooth, except for one area that is a tangle of machinery and technology.
Looking at the picture of Eve saved from the newspaper Tom boldly states "I promised you eternal life and now, I shall give everyone life from you."
The huge moon sized sphere drifts over a, lifeless planet. A pillar of green light streaks down to the surface.
Once again we are witness to the passing of years, centuries, eons as the planet comes to life, vegetation, animals and finally humans.
chapter eight
The interior surface of The Eve Machine is vastly different, honey combed with gargantuan enclosed terrarium that team with exotic life.
A collection maintained with pride, or just biological samples of the many worlds seeded?
To answer that we must journey up to the center of the Eve Machine to the end of a long platform that ends at what is left of a small ship, where Tom stands gazing at all that he has built.
From the inside pocket of his coat Tom pulls out an old newspaper already opened to the picture of Eve Fairbairn.
"My final gift to you."
Tom symbolically turns the picture of Eve toward what he gazes upon so they can watch together.
Behind him on the control panel as if by magic, a new key uncurls, like a fresh new leaf and laying itself among the other control keys.
The keyboard is now complete.
After years of labor, planning and building Tom is ready.
He places a picture of a child and presses the new key.
. . . nothing . . .
Confused, querying, Tom looks around, ". . . nothing?"
Unlike evolution, creation is different, hidden, not what Tom expected.
Despite the years of building new life and creating the nearly impossible, it is the genetic response of centuries of war that causes Tom the miss the little spark of life.
How much time passed before Tom closes his eyes in defeat, Symbiont did not measure.
For the second time in a thousand years Symbiont sense a change within it's programming.
"I am sorry . . . ." Symbiont whispers softly.
The newspaper falls from Tom's hand.
Tom looks dejectedly at the blank monitors, "There is nothing that you can say."
Symbiont retreats to the outer recesses of Tom's mind and waits.
chapter nine
There is a rare plant that Tom's people know about, a plant that does not grow in nature but has to be coached and cultured, and drawn into being.
The knowledge of this plant is kept hidden, deep in the farthest recess of the mind, farther than the vault that held his emotion in check for centuries, where even Symbiont could not go.
Carefully Tom steps off the hover cart into one of the terrariums completely void of all life but for a small patch of ground that Tom now tediously works.
Pausing, Tom looks up at the platform in the middle of The Eve Machine.
Desperately lonely Symbiont peers from the recess of an equally lonely mind, shocked to see how much Tom has aged. With old, but steady hands, Tom wields the mini hand held laser as he carves an intricate looking cane.
Taking a moment, Tom holds it up admiringly, "A cane fit for a beloved companion."
Slowly Symbiont climbs up into the clear, coherent mind of someone with a new purpose.
To Symbiont the design and purpose of the cane is clear in it's use. and a sense of sadness floods through Symbiont's being.
"And this is . . ." Symbiont can't bring itself to say the words, " . . . your decision?"
Tom almost has a moment of regret but it quickly passes. "You will live on, you will do more, possibly even tells stories of me."
The traditions Tom refers to, never spoken of but still known, is enough for Symbiont to end the conversation as he withdraws to 'get ready'
"You will live on." more to himself, "You will live on." Tom repeats before continuing his work on the cane.
From a short distance away Forste watches as Tom, looking even more frail, uses his new cane to approach the small plot of dirt.
"Ah, you are ready." And pulls a small plant out of the ground, careful to avoid the small hissing mouth that tries to bite him.
Forste carefully encases the plant into a special pot and waits for Tom, who speaks to the plant, "You, my friend, shall be a reminder to all that life, not only has an ending, but also a beginning."
Tom turns, almost forgetting his cane.
Forste reaches to pick up the cane.
"NO!" Tom draws himself up to his full height. "You are not to touch this."
Tom picks up the cane, holding it lovingly. "Only one is worthy of this."
Tom peers up at the platform, eyesight already starting to fade.
Forste suddenly wakes from standby mode and beeps an alarm.
Tom continues his heavy breathing, indicating deep sleep.
Forste beeps the alarm again, louder now as hearing, as well as sight, has begun a rapid deterioration.
Groggy but awake Tom, looking all of his forty one hundred years, peers at his plant, now placed in a pot closer to his command chair. It has lost it's luster and hisses less when Tom, now confined to his platform, carefully pulls a petal off and lays it on his tongue.
In an effort to keep from thinking about what he is doing, Tom hobbles to the edge of his platform.
Despite not actually being able to clearly see his collection of life quietly living their lives in terrariums, it still makes Tom happy, giving him the sense that he has come full circle.
The leaf, dissolved and coursing through his bloodstream, causes Tom to lean on his cane as waves of pain wash over him. A silvery liquid gushes out of his hand and runs down the cane freezing into the intricate design.
Feeling light headed Tom recovers from the effects of the leaf and suddenly wishes he could have lived his life as those in the terrariums far below.
In complete oblivion.
Forste, always close by now, carefully 'hands' Tom the elegantly engraved box.
Lifting it almost to his face Tom takes a final look at the engraved picture of the child before smiling.
Painfully and careful beyond all measure Tom slides off his command chair, grunting at Forste's attempt to help. Tom puts the box down just within the ring of light.
Beyond the ability to feel any kind of joy, Tom doesn't even bother to look out over his creation.
Stooped and using a beautifully ornate silver cane, Tom hobbles back to his command chair and pauses, slowly turning and for a long time peers in the direction of the box just inside the ring of light.
Despite being almost blind Tom can still make out the darker blur of the box.
With a sudden change of heart, Tom slowly hobbles back to carefully move the box just outside the ring of light.
Hobbling back Tom doesn't realize that Forste helps him back into his command chair where he carefully hangs the cane on the arm of his chair.
Staring at the cane, a bright glow in his ever waning sight, Tom changes his mind and hangs the cane on the table. Only someone who would understood the purpose of the cane would see the drops of blood evaporate off the intricate silver design.
The last of his strength waning Tom deliberately reaches for the second last petal from the plant and with a shaking hand lays it gently on his tongue and holds it there for a second before closing his mouth.
There is a slight frown of pain as he closes his eyes.
For a long time Forste watches Tom laying still barely breathing.
With great effort he opens his eyes and slowly turns to look at the carefully placed box.
"My love . . ." Tom whispers, "My child . . . "
He smiles gently as he closes his eyes.
His hand relaxes it's hold on the note and picture he is holding.
At this point time has no meaning and the depths of space is common knowledge. It should be of no surprise that something can exist where logic tells you there should be nothing.
The form of a small baby floating in a violet sea enclosed in a capsule floating in space.
Close by Sentinel hovers, protecting a spark of life, where life should not be.
© Copyright 2019 jan tanjo. All rights reserved.
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Laura and I huddled ourselves in front of the only fire in the refuge, leaving behind the 100 km/h winds and freezing temperatures outside. It was a moment of tranquility after our epic and eventful Jebel Toubkal winter ascent.
Moments later, the peace and tranquility of the refuge was shattered. From nowhere, the doors to our right crashed open as a poor soul on a stretcher was brought hurriedly into the refuge room. We recognised him immediately.
A couple of hours earlier, we had met him on our own journey down the mountain. There he was, perched in the middle of the valley, a small black dot on a crisp white canvas. He was an anomaly in the epic scene in front of us. As we got closer, our guide approached him to query why he was sitting in the valley all alone. A minute later we had our answer:
"Broken leg – wait there."
Laura and I let out another sigh after a long two days. The fact that someone had broken their leg on this mountain did not surprise us, given the dangerous conditions we'd faced over the last few hours. With winds of 100 km/h and temperatures plunging to -28°C with wind chill, it was inevitable that there would be casualties that day. In fact, the weather became so treacherous that the mountain was eventually closed for a few days after our climb to let the bad weather pass. As we reached the summit, it became clear that there was no way we should have been on Jebel Toubkal that day.
It had all started innocently enough.
Conquering Jebel Toubkal
We'd arrived in Imlil two days previously, a small village nestled at the base of the Atlas Mountains, and a popular starting point for our epic Jebel Toubkal climb. The next morning, we began our trek to the base camp of Mount Toubkal, a 4 – 5 hour journey that took us from the dusty orange hills surrounding Imlil, through the snow line and onwards to base camp, at 3,207m (10,521 ft). It was a far cry from our sapa trekking experience in Vietnam, or our volcanic Rinjani trekking adventure in Indonesia, as we swapped lush, warm climates for a cold and unforgiving landscape.
The first day was simple enough and very enjoyable, and there isn't much to say except that the views, especially in winter are outstanding. It was almost as though this day felt like a nice stroll through some beautiful scenery. We even had time to stop at a makeshift 'cafe' and sip a cold Fanta and take in the views. It was an absolute delight, and a world away from what was to hit us the following day.
The refuge, however, was humble and cold. With only one room with a fire, we huddled together with the handful of other hardy souls who'd decided to take on Mount Toubkal in winter. Even an EPIC sunset couldn't lighten the mood, and that night we slept fitfully in our cold dormitory, anxious about the climb ahead.
Morning came, and it was time to make our final ascent to the peak of Mount Toubkal. Toubkal is the tallest peak in North Africa, and the third highest in Africa, towering over the continent at 4,167m (13,671ft). It is now the highest peak we have conquered in our travels, and it's fair to say it was also the toughest and most dangerous, especially given the amount of injuries and, sadly, deaths on the mountain.
Only a few months prior, a girl had fallen from the summit and lost her life, information we found out AFTER our climb. We were under no illusions as to the challenge that lay ahead of us, especially given this was a winter ascent, through the snow and ice. The route ahead reminded us of our snow and ice covered ascent of Volcan Villarrica in Chile, another incredibly tough climb that we've taken on.
On went every layer of clothing we had, we slipped into our walking boots and trudged out to the entrance where we clamped on our crampons, grabbed our walking sticks and ice axes, and trudged outside into the burgeoning morning mountain light. To our left, the scale of our challenge was clear to us, and we could make out a group which had set off 45 minutes earlier, mere black specks on the white canvas of Toubkal. Can you spot them?
It was awe inspiring. And daunting.
Quite obviously, climbing Mount Toubkal in February is far harder than when it is warmer. The ascent, coupled with snow, ice, winds and freezing temperatures makes it all the more difficult. It is not a decision to be taken lightly.
We began by climbing up the valley above our refuge, zigzagging left and right which made progress slow and demoralising. After an hour into our climb, a howling gale would sweep down the valley every couple of minutes, whipping up snow and ice and pummelling us with glee. On many occasions our only option was to crumple down onto our knees, turn our backs to the wind and snow, and wait it out.
What had we let ourselves in for? As it turns out, this was nothing compared to what lay ahead.
The next couple of hours were monotonous and arduous, as we slowly made our way up through the valley. The routine was always the same, trudge upwards and left a few steps, turn and climb upwards and right for a few more steps, huddle down as the wind whipped up. Repeat again and again. Sounds great doesn't it?
Our guide suggested it was some of the worst he had seen when the mountain hadn't been closed to climb. Again, we should not have been on that mountain on that day. But look how calm it appeared!
After a couple of hours, we reached the top of the valley, stopping for a couple of minutes to eat a banana and some chocolate. Ahead of us, however, lay the real challenge, a steep 30 minute climb up to the ridge above us, and then an hour long trek along the ridge to the summit. If we were to turn back, it would be now. Sensible Laura and Barry would have turned back, but whilst it had been tough going, we were unaware of the hazardous conditions at the top of the ridge. We would find out soon enough, and by that point it would be too late to turn back.
And so onwards we went, climbing the steep side of the ridge. As we reached the top, we got our first glimpse of the summit, and our first hit of winds upwards of 100 km/h. It was at this point that I (Barry) began to really struggle with the altitude, constantly unable to catch my breath. I struggled on for 20 minutes before collapsing down behind a boulder on the ridge, desperate just to catch my breath and take a break from the incessant winds.
It's in these moments that your mind finds absolute clarity. Up on that ridge, as the 100 km/h winds howled around us and the temperature plummeted to -28°C with wind chill, a million things ran through my head. I was dizzy, cold and there was no real options for me to back out now. We were now on the ridge, ahead of us were both the summit and our route back down the mountain.
There was literally no turning back, we had committed to the summit. Despite the conditions and the fear, in our minds it was clear that these were the adventures we lived for, these were the great challenges and moments that make us travel to far flung places. These were the experiences that shaped us. On that ridge, with Laura huddled with me, we were together. We were experiencing a real adventure, something we would never forget. Something we could tell people about and be proud to say we achieved. In spite of everything, these moments were why we travel the world.
Looking back at it, and reading people's experiences of the summit climb, it seems like we had some of the very worst conditions imaginable. Even our guide (the coolest, laid back man in the world) was beginning to get agitated and worried about the conditions. If there is one thing we've learnt from our travels, it's that guides NEVER get worried. Or at least never let you know. And yet, here we were, alone on the ridge, huddled behind a boulder, without any other trekkers, freezing and windy, as I waited to catch my breath.
After a couple of minutes, my head cleared, and my breathing returned to normal. I grabbed a (frozen) snickers bar, sucked some water from my now frozen water bottle, and we set off again, this time for the peak.
As the ridge was still covered in snow, we had to take a detour along the edge of the ridge, a 1 foot wide ledge with the rocky side of the ridge to one side, and a sheer drop the valley below. At this point we were both scared, no shame in admitting that. If we had known that we would have had to take this part of the mountain on, we would not have gone up. It was a case of putting one foot in front of the other, and slowly but surely work our way along the ridge.
It was at this point that something completely unexpected occurred, but that's another story for another time. For now, we were focused on reaching the peak, a mere 100m in front of us.
Reaching the peak was an emotional moment for us. The sky was a deep blue, and the horizon was punctured by sharp, jagged forays into the sky from the deep orange and white mountains below and all around us. It was an epic scene, and to look at it you would think the most serene moment. We crumpled down onto the summit, our guide telling us not to get up unless he was next us, his fear of us falling off clear to us.
We huddled in together for 30 seconds, taking in the view as much as we could. But it was time to go. It was too cold and too windy to stay there any longer than that, with temperatures as low as -28°C and wind speeds of 100 km/h, staying there any longer and the cold and fatigue would have set in. We needed to go.
As we left the peak, we felt relief to be making our way back down. We had conquered North Africa's highest peak in some of the worst conditions, and we lived to tell the tale. As we sat in the refuge a few hours later, we watched the doctor work on the man with the broken leg, it was at this moment we felt truly drained, physically and emotionally. As the doctor energetically asked him a series of questions, first about his condition and then about his insurance situation, it became clear the options were either call a helicopter to the refuge (the insurance option) or, somehow, get this guy to the nearest village of Imlil on a stretcher which was a four hour trek at the best of times, nevermind having to carry someone down. The options looked bleak.
Our guide looked on quizzically, before turning to us:
"At least he is alive, a few months ago a girl fell off the top of the mountain."
We later verified this and found the story of this poor girl who fell in the October prior to our ascent. Trekking Mount Toubkal in winter is not a decision to be taken lightly, and our advice would be to monitor the weather conditions carefully before beginning the trek.
Reflecting back on the climb now, it's a shame the weather was so bad that we weren't able to fully enjoy the views. But what we lacked in views we make up in memories of an epic challenge that we're proud to say we achieved. We'd attempted, and succeeded, a winter ascent of Mount Toubkal, easily one of the biggest physical challenges we've faced, and certainly the most proud to say we achieved.
The Hike Details & How To Arrange A Trip
SUMMARY: The starting point for the trek, Imlil village, is only a 2 hour drive from Marrakech (and Marrakech airport) therefore you could skip Marrakech altogether by arranging to be picked up from the airport and taken directly to Imlil village. You could even do all of this over a long weekend from the UK or Europe if you don't have a lot of time!
LOCATION: Atlas Mountains, Morocco
TOUR COMPANY: Atlas Trek Shop
Day 1: Pick up from Marrakech medina and transfer to Imlil village – overnight in Dar Adrar Hotel
Day 2: Trek to base camp of Mt Toubkal – overnight in Toubkal Base Camp Refuge
Day 3: Ascent of Mt Toubkal – overnight in a Toubkal Base Camp Refuge
Day 4: Trek back down to Imlil and overnight in Dar Adrar Hotel
Day 5: Trek around local area/villages then transfer back to Marrakesh
ESTIMATED COST: £260 GBP (approx $390) USD for full tour including accommodation, meals, guide and transport to/from Marrakesh, but check tour company website for latest prices.


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Schell (Mandate of Heaven, 1994, etc.) explores ``the depths of our collectively imagined Western version of Tibet as it seemed on the brink of reemerging in popular culture'' through the mythmaking of overheated reports sent home from travelers and in the technicolor fantasies of Hollywood.
Schell concentrates on the two vehicles that he believes have delivered a virtual Tibet to our modern consciousness. One is made up of the narratives written by visitors to the rooftop of the world (``a corpus of romantic transferences''); the other is Hollywood's confection as served forth in such films as Kundun and Seven Years in Tibet. Schell's historical overview, not surprisingly, is terrific: a lightfooted, sentient presentation of material from first colonial and missionary contact to Alexandra DavidNeel and the adventures of Heinrich Harrer. Each produced descriptions that spun an illusion of paradise built on a yearning for the poise, dignity, and spirituality that Tibet supposedly counterposed to the travails of modern Western life. This is the Tibet of Lost Horizon and ShangriLa. Hollywood's version, as experienced by Schell primarily through his attendance on the set of Seven Years in Tibet, reeks of glamour, tawdry sensationalism, and narcissism. By his own admission, Schell is sucker-punched by the glitter machine: at one point he is as eagerly awaiting Brad Pitt to be ``revealed'' to him as the Dalai Lama was revealed to Tibetan commoners way back when. Schell fortunately keeps on his feet long enough to explain just how little celluloid and the real Tibet have in common.
Schell's reality check will surely spoil lots of sincere, if vapid, dreams out there, but if Hollywood is indeed the dream merchant (as Schell acknowledges even by his own starcrossed lights), that can't be all bad, or bad at all.


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Consuelo Macias
Consuelo advises on the establishment, authorisation and maintenance of Irish regulated funds including UCITS, non-UCITS, hedge funds and other specialised fund products as well as on ongoing compliance, legal and regulatory issues. She also advises service providers to such funds including promoters, administrators, custodians and investment managers.
Professional Background
Consuelo joined Maples and Calder in 2013. She previously worked in the investment funds group of a large Irish corporate law firm.
The Institute of Bankers in Ireland. Professional Diploma in Compliance
Law Society of Ireland. Diploma in Finance Law
University of Alicante, Spain. Masters Degree in Intellectual Property
University of Navarra, Spain. Bachelors Degree in Law
Bar Admissions
2002 - Admitted as a solicitor in Spain
2010 - Admitted as a solicitor in Ireland
2013 - Admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales (not practising as an English solicitor)
Areas of Expertise
We are an entrepreneurial, innovative firm guided by our core values.


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Tourism Australia's 10-year marketing plan for China will be expanded into the country's fastest-growing second tier cities, after new research.
The research findings were released on Monday following last week's international visitor arrival and spending figures which confirmed China as Australia's fastest-growing and most valuable inbound tourism market.
Chinese tourism was worth more than $3.8 billion to Australia in 2011, up 15 per cent on the previous year, with a record 558,000 Chinese visiting us in the 12 months ending January 2012.
This is the first time Tourism Australia (TA) has commissioned comprehensive research into the tourism behaviour and travel preferences of consumers living in China's secondary cities, many of which are bigger than New York which has a population of 8.1 million.
The 13 cities where research was conducted included Shenzhen with a population around 13 million, Tianjin with more than 12 million, Suzhou 11.7 million and Hangzhou 8.7 million.
At the moment TA's marketing is focused on the big three centres of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou which are thought to have a combined population of around 58 million.
Managing Director Andrew McEvoy says the research is essential for TA to maximise its marketing reach and impact.
Under TA's strategic plan, announced in June 2011, more than 30 tier two cities will be targeted in three phases between now and the end of the decade.
"We plan to use these findings to help prioritise our marketing activities in China," Mr McEvoy said in a statement.
"Tourism Australia will make a further record investment in marketing resources in China in 2012, for the market is unprecedented in terms of its high growth and high value."
Mr McEvoy said long-term success in a highly competitive China depends on a greater understanding of the many millions of customers who live outside of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, and what drives their travel decisions.
"That's where the real China growth opportunities lie," he said.
The research found no significant differences between people in tier 1 and tier 2 cities, in terms of the key drivers for leisure travel.
"This will allow us to achieve some significant economies of scale as we seek to expand our marketing across what is a vast and still largely untapped market," Mr McEvoy said.


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So yeah, that was May, June and July. Throw in a few week-long trips: two to Jo'burg, including the ill-fated househunting trip (more on that later), one to Majorca for "business", and madness begins to set in.
By mid-July, I was starting to lose my grip a little. Not so you'd notice, really. (Don't say anyyyything, Miss T!) But I started playing even more tennis, often just hitting balls with a girlfriend of mine. Ronalee was moving over the summer too, and both of us just needed to wear ourselves out so we could sleep at night. So three or four hours a day of exercise... would that do it? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. And then I still needed to fit in all the stupid and exasperating chores like getting estimates from moving companies, getting pages added to my passport, arranging for carpet cleaning and online banking and selling a car and .. and ... and... the list was endless and unrewarding.
And then, at last, it was August. We thought we'd found a house to rent in Jo'burg -- just the details of the lease needed to be finalized. Now, it was time to pack up our house in Ascot. The removals company showed up Monday, August 8th, worked all week,and by Friday the 12th, I was sitting all alone in a completely empty house. Once more. Not even a tissue around to blow my nose in. (Crying again? Oh, come, come now... stiff upper lip, girl!)
Phew. Another chapter finished. The household goods would go off by sea and we'd meet up with them in late September, when we'd unload everything into the South African house. What a great plan!
But of course, this is MY life you're reading about, so did it go to plan? Again, are you JOKING? We flew off to the United States, to see friends and family, and when I opened my emails in Portland Oregon on Tuesday the 16th, I read that the lease agreement for the Jo'burg house had fallen through, and it was all off.
Well, didn't that just take the cake?!?! Because if I'd known I wouldn't have any of my "stuff" for three months, I certainly would have packed differently. Too late now. Surprise, you're screwed!! Ah well, one can certainly get along with less. Less is more, right?
Monday, October 3, 2005
Less is NOT more; Less is less
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Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Things I loved before I got pregnant that I now HATE!
Scrambled Eggs - I could tolerate the smell of eggs and their taste...tolerate, but I made breakfast for supper about a week ago and I almost got sick when I took the lid off the pan of eggs. Ewww!
I never knew that my tastes and smells would change so much. There is even one of my husband's colognes that I can't stand to smell anymore. And not only have I found things that I once loved and now hate, but once hated and now love...like water. I used to never be able to drink water without getting really sick to my stomach and now I crave water, bottle after bottle of it. Which is a good thing. I just never expected SO many changes!! LOL
What are some things that you ladies out there loved but then hated once you got pregnant?
10 comments:
- amulbunny said...
I didn't have much smell sensitivity but I craved salsa, the fresher and hotter the better,when I was pregnant with my first baby. With the second one it was spinach and soda crackers.
Good luck. I hope you'll feel better.and water is good for you. Keeps you hydrated and your veins open.
- Wednesday, March 17, 2010
- Miss Melissa said...
Cute belly pic. Love the green. :)
There was never one particular thing I hated that I formerly loved when I was pregnant (15 years ago-WOW!), but often I'd eat something that started out perfectly yummy and halfway through I'd go "Oh barf. Why did I want to eat this?" and toss what was left. Ranch dressing was the most frequent offender.
How are things going with the protein in your urine? Reading that worried me, as you are NEVER supposed to have that, pregnant or not. The fact that you have waited 3 days for a call back from your doc ticks me off, too. Hello Kristina's doctor, this is important! Give him heck for it when you do talk to him-this is you and your baby's health here and being familiar with your body and how you tick makes you the best advocate for it. Take care and keep us posted.
- Wednesday, March 17, 2010
- Nicole said...
Veggies in general, and tomatoes in particular. Unfortunately, the first trimester of all three of my pregnancies has come during tomato-canning time! Carrots and corn, which I normally love, set off my gag reflex like crazy. Fortunately, this all resolved itself after I had the babies. I also (especially with my first little guy) kept thinking I smelled something in my house....my sense of smell got completely out of control! LOL! Glad you're feeling better!
- Wednesday, March 17, 2010
- Lori said...
Cheese! I hated cheese of any kind. The smell and taste was horrible. I'm still not too crazy about it now ~after almost 11 years.
I ate Spaghetti O's every morning for breakfast. My son loves them and can't get enough of them.
- Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Kristina, I am so happy that you posted an update. I was wondering how you were doing. I love reading your preggy updates.
Isn't every day a new experience? You never know what will happen!
By the way, will you find the sex of the baby? I am thinking, girl.
Like I have told you before, even if I don't agree with you on most issues, I still have a great deal of respect for you.
In answer to your question, I loved chicken and one of the things that I loathed when I was pregnant was chicken. I couldn't stand the smell of it, the look of it, the whole idea of chicken.
I can tell you that the only thing I loved were carbs: bread, tortillas...you name it. The bad side of it, I gained a lot of weight during my pregnancy. The doctor took me off carbs and it was very difficult.
I only had two major cravings...one was for a huge bacon hamburger. My husband made if for me and it was perfect. The other one was ranch dressing. I wanted a bowl of it.
Is your morning sickness almost gone? Once it is gone, you will get to experience the really good side effects of pregnancy: EVERYTHING you eat will taste a million times better.
If I may be so bold to ask, how are you preparing for the arrival of your baby? Do you have a nursery theme? Are you taking prenatal classes?
Okay, long post, but I hope you keep us updated of the pregnancy.
- Wednesday, March 17, 2010
- Eight said...
Horray to the almost second trimester--I've seen that food will look a LOT more appealing in a couple of weeks.
I've heard of cravings of some extremely odd things whilst pregnant: Dirt, chalk, charcoal, even women who've crazed raw meat! (My very good friend is a sonogram tech, so she's heard some of these in small talk.)
I hope this list hasn't made you ill! You look fabulous and I love that you wore green for St. Paddy's Day! Keep us updated on your little blessing,
- Thursday, March 18, 2010
- T said...
So happy to read an update!
Well before my first child I loved hot pockets and hamburger helper. Once I became pregnant I couldn't stand the smell or taste of either. Once I walked into a building where someone in a totally different office was microwaving a hot pocket and I had to literally run outside to heave. Not pleasant. I also began to crave cheese. I would eat cheese on anything!
I didn't really begin to hate anything with my second pregnancy as much as I craved things. Except for smells. I didn't like the smell of anything. Anything at all could turn my stomach. I constantly craved Italian food with her. I think we must have eaten out three times a week and began regulars at The Pasta Company.
Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy!
- Thursday, March 18, 2010
- Erica said...
I'm about 19 weeks now and REALLY craving fast food! I used to eat it maybe once a month or less before I got pregnant and now its a few times a week unfortunately. I also can no longer stand scrambled eggs!
- Thursday, March 18, 2010
- Otter Mom said...
I don't really care for ham, but I wanted it the entire time I was expecting my daughter. I have always liked hot salsa, and I wanted it more while I was pregnant. After she was born, it took a while for my taste to go back to normal - it seemed like things tasted very different. It's different for everyone.
- Thursday, March 18, 2010
- Courtney, Jer.33:3 said...
That's funny about your husband's cologne.......my husband's scent/shampoo/body wash bothered me too for awhile. LOL!
- Tuesday, March 23, 2010