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hi all
About a 18 months ago I experienced weeks on end of episodes of vision disturbance (particularly peripheral vision loss), disorientation, lightheadedness (to the point of fainting) and terrible balance. These symptoms tended to create other problems such as stress, migraine and insomnia.
After my first major episode (wheeled out of shopping mall in a wheelchair while on my lunch break!) I went to the doctor, who appeared fairly concerned. He sent me for CT scans on my head and thought he saw something that could be a acoustic neuroma (benign brain tumour relating to ear tubes, apparently). So after being told I could have a brain tumour I had to wait three weeks before I could get an MRI (freaky stuff) which even after injecting dye came up with nothing.
I went back to the doctor and he said the scans suggested it could have been a sinus infection (even though I had had NO OBVIOUS symptoms whatsoever). Apart from feeling a bit put out I was quite glad that I didn't have to explain to my three kids under five that mummy had a tumour and it was affecting her to the point of facing surgery. (Phew)
Unfortunately these episodes have begun again (exactly the same as before, except with a massive migraine following). My partner thinks it could do with deteriorating eye sight but my vision is fine (except during an episode), although they do seem to come on after a lot of reading.
Is it possible the MRI was wrong and the CT Scan was right? Is there anything else it could be? If my doctor just sends me away with a prescription for antibiotics to kill the 'possible sinus infection' and these episodes start happening in another six months, what does this mean? It worries me and if I have something majorly wrong with me I would like to know, my family is too important to me.
Anyone at all able to help?

subset: commoncrawl


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So today is one of Swedens celebration of the darkest day of the year. When I'm searching for information about this celebration, it's a bit confusing. It is said that it has nothing to do with the Sicilian saint Lucia as I have been told, not that much anyway. It is a mix between pre-christian and christian rites. In the old Julian calender, the 13th december was the darkest day of the year and from that day until christmas the risk of being attacked by evil entities was larges. That was fought with light and singing. It was called Lussi.
Some traditions says that young people walked from house to house to sing Staffan-songs (about a horse farm worker) and beg for treats. Thats the guys with the star decorated cones in the background.
Lucia is the girl that brings the light with candles and often waking up the people in the house with singing and treats like gingerbreads and saffron buns "Lusse-bulle".
So its like any other swedish traditions, a mix between several old and new ones. The picture above describes the modern lucia wich was developed during the late 19th century. Its a very beautiful event when the long row of people with candles enter a dark room singing Santa Lucia (but in a Swedish version) . Other songs are the Staffan song, Lusse lelle, and other christian christmas songs.
Lots of schools are celebrating this. But this year Alfons school choosed to not arrange it at all, because of lack of resources (what on earth is happening at that school?..) I have to wait until sunday, when we will see lucia at the youngest kids swim school. A swimming lucia with white dressed children with candles around the pool is also nice.
Update: I got a link from a friend. This is a beautiful way to celebrate, all allone in the forest.
Something that is not so nice about the tradition is the selection of the lucia. Either the teacher selected lucia and it was always the tallest girl with long blond hair or the teachers favourite. Or they had an election at school and it was the popular girl who won. As I was short and had dark hair I was never lucia. Until Highschool when my classmates forced me to put on the crown and wake up our math teacher with singing and cookies. It was fun. Today, thank good they are more nice to young people. They raffle by those who wants.


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I like reading the business section of my morning newspaper – it often has interesting news – if not always news that I can actually use. Today was different however. There is a very interesting and well written story on the front of the business section titled, "Defying gravity – Economic slump can't stop Sybase," by writer George Avalos with The Bay Area News Group [which you can read at this link]. What I found most intriguing was at the very end of the article. Mr. Avalos quoted Terry Tillman, an analyst with Raymond James & Associates as saying:
- "…'Sybase has to stick to its knitting,' Tillman said. 'They will have to make good bets. They will have to be very focused and make the right kinds of bets on where they spend their resources.'…."
This was the summation to an article that talked about the success Sybase is enjoying in the face of a tough global economy. Seems this company and its leadership have been making good decisions based on sound vision. My translation of Mr.Tillman's final comment is that Sybase needs to stick to what's been working up to this point and stick to the basics of good business to keep on this successful track.
Now this is good advice for any business. Stick to what is working and stick to the basics. If the fabric of your business is remaining strong, then don't change the needles at this point, just keep doing what you're doing. Stay focused and make good decisions. Wow. If this is advice a huge corporation like Sybase should follow, then how much more should we who have home-based businesses follow this same advice?
Here's what I think we ought to do:
- keep the vision alive – for the small, home-based network marketing/direct selling business or other type of home-planted business, the vision for the business is born in the dreams you have. Do you dream of early retirement? Would you like to pay off your mortgage? Is financial control something you'd like to hold in your own hands? Whatever your dreams, put on your leadership hat and use them as the driving vision for your business.
- make good decisions – you already made the hardest and best decisions when you chose the business you'd start. I chose direct selling after much research. [I consider my art work to be my "product" and I consider fine artists to be artist-preneurs.] My only decisions now are centered around daily business building.
- focus on the tasks before you – keep distractions to a minimum. If you are like me, with a similar type of business, you do much business utilizing online resources for communication. One of the challenges is ignoring the influx of notices about "the next great thing." Here's what I think: either you are committed to your business or you're not. If you did your due diligence and chose a company and product(s) [or service] about which you are comfortable and passionate, then you won't be lured away by promises of greater riches with some other company. For most of us financial success is not instantaneous...rather it is the result of planned hard work: consistency and determination and persistence.
- work well and make good choices of where you place your resources – one of my greatest and most valuable resources is my time. It is the optimal allocation of my time that is most important.
You know what else I liked about George Avalos' story in today's paper? I liked that it was about a company experiencing success. The current national and global economy causes our media outlets to highlight the gloom and sad stories…it helps to know that there are some people who are not losing their jobs. It helps to know that there are products being purchased and that there are people purchasing them. Hope is a precious thing. Yes, my home-based business has only one employee – me, and I'm not a global player, but there is no reason that my business can't succeed; there is no reason to think that there won't be customers for my products. If Sybase can do it, so can Linda C Smith [the name of my business].
And so can you.
Filed under: Attitude, Business-general, Home-based Business, Leadership | Tagged: Bay Area News Group, belief, business, Contra Costa Times, Direct Selling, economy, home-based business, network marketing, small business, success, Sybase, vision | 2 Comments »


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Leonard "Bob" Maurer, 91, of Redwood Falls and formerly of Morgan died Friday, April 11, 2014 at Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park.
Leonard "Bob" Maurer, 91, of Redwood Falls and formerly of Morgan died Friday, April 11, 2014 at Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, April 14, 2014 from St. Michael's Catholic Church in Morgan with burial to follow in the church cemetery. Visitation was Sunday, April 13, 2014, from 4 until 7 p.m., with a prayer service at 4 p.m., all at Nelson-Martin Funeral Home in Redwood Falls. Visitation will continue on Monday at the church for one hour prior to services. The family requests memorials be made to the American Cancer Society or to area sports teams. Arrangements are with Nelson-Martin Funeral Service of Redwood Falls. E-mail condolences may be sent via www.nelsonmartinfuneralservice.com.
Leonard Frank Maurer, the son of George and Marge (Ganske) Maurer, was born November 28, 1922 in Sleepy Eye. He grew up on the family farm in Eden Township, Brown County and received his elementary education in the nearby country school and Sleepy Eye St. Mary's High School. Following his schooling, Bob farmed with his father. On February 19, 1946, Bob married Marjorie Hogan in Fulda and the couple lived on the farm where Bob was raised. Later they purchased their own farm in Morgan Township, Redwood County where they raised their family. In 1978, the couple moved into the house they built in Morgan. Bob continued to farm after moving into town, officially retiring in the mid-1980s. Marjorie passed away in October 2002 and in 2009 Bob moved into Garnette Gardens in Redwood Falls. In his youth, Bob was very active in the Brown County 4-H program where he was named the 1943 4-H Corn Growing Champion. He showed the Brown County Baby Beef Champion and then the Grand Champion Baby Beef at the State Fair. Bob's involvement in the 4-H program continued with his children as he served as an adult leader of their club. Bob was a member of St. Michael's Catholic Church. He belonged to the Knights of Columbus and was active with the Men's Sausage Dinner. Bob coached youth basketball at St. Michael's School for many years and was a member of the Morgan Lions Club. Bob loved sports at all levels and enjoyed watching his grandchildren's sporting events; he was still attending high school basketball games this past season. He had an extensive toy tractor collection and enjoyed hunting and fishing. Bob enjoyed going driving to look at the crops – he put many miles on his vehicle and used lots of gallons of gas! He was a kind, gentle man. Bob loved farming but his family was first. He was so proud of his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Bob is survived by his children Sheila (Ken) Schouviller of Corcoran, Ron (Monica) Maurer of Windom, Jerry (Mary) Maurer of Carlton, Craig (Robin) Maurer of Northfield, Joel Maurer of Morgan, Colleen (Lanny) Seifert of New Ulm, and Rick (Kim) Maurer of Morgan. Also surviving are grandchildren Kim Brown, Troy Schouviller, Eric Jones, Dan Jones, Annika Jones, Krista Schultz, Ryan Maurer, Jeff Maurer, Collin Maurer, Meghan Maurer, Lindsey Cressman, Wesley Maurer, Loren Maurer, Erin Bruesch, Angie Wendinger, Cassie Seifert, Cameron Maurer, Gavin Maurer, and Preston Maurer; great-grandchildren Erika Tate, Dana Butler, Tyler Brown, Ashley Brown, Rachel Brown, Ava Schultz, Bennett Wendinger, Orla Cressman and Caleb Cressman; three step-grandchildren; five step-great-grandchildren; and sisters Elaine Deibele of Sleepy Eye, and Marie (Jim) Trautman of Mankato.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Marjorie; siblings, Delrose, Lucille "Sis," Eugene "Sonny," Jerome "Pal," and Rosemary "Rosie" Krueger; and daughter-in-law Shelly.


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December 19, 2015 – Uche Ogbodo Joins Nollywood Nose Ring Gang [PICTURES]
Nollywood's most hardworking single mother Uche Ogbodo has joined Eniola Badmus-led nose ring gang.
Uche Ogbodo was spotted at the Oriental Hotel yesterday rocking a septum nose ring during her bestie's wedding reception.
Hear what her fans are saying about her new look
ezibosco said: U don pass dis level abeg remove that tin from ur nose
honeyberrys said: It doesn't look gud on u
The thing look somehow. I no fit condemn her it's her choice sha!


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So, I kinda went on a little bit of an mbok spree and spent more money than I should have...
But that's okay because I've spent the past few hours rolling around in all of my new things!
All up it was around $2,000 AUD and I used Japonica as my shopping service (they are amazing by the way, they are always so patient with me and my shopping habits) !!
So lets get stuck into it~
Angelic Pretty Royal Gobelin OP with matching headbow, Angelic Pretty Musee du Chocolat sash in brown, Angelic Pretty Royal Creamy Chocolate JSK with matching bow, wristcuffs and socks
Baby the Stars Shine Bright Angel Chiffon JSK, Angelic Pretty Memorial Cake JSK with matching headbow and socks
Angelic Pretty long sleeve blouse released with the Sweet Cream House series, Angelic Pretty Royal Chocolate skirt, Emily Temple Cute chocolate cutsew, Emily Temple Lulu tea cusew
Angelic Pretty Little Bear's Cafe OP, Angelic Pretty Chocolate Rosette crew socks, Angelic Pretty fur cuff crew socks, Angelic Pretty biscuit bag, Angelic Pretty Petite Patisserie Tiered JSK, Angelic Pretty Royal Queen OTKs and chocolate print tights
Milk chocolate bar cutsew, Melissa ballet style flats, Angelic Pretty mini pom pom beret, Angelic Pretty Little Bear's Cafe print passcase, Angelic Pretty black lace crew socks and crown OTKs
Angelic Pretty French Doll OP with brooch and belt, Angelic Pretty ballet style socks and red under knee socks
Accessories pack including many offbrand and swimmer clips and rings as well as Chocomint tea cup two way clip - Angelic Pretty pony ring, pink chocolate ring, biscuit ring and Melty Chocolate series ring - Angelic Pretty Tokemi bow necklace, Melty Donut necklace, Wonder Cookie necklace and spoon necklace - Angelic Pretty Chess Chocolate bracelet, Melty Royal chocolate bracelet and Chocomint two way star clip
I also got a few other non-lolita related items and a whole bag of wigs ready to review as well!
I'm really excited to use all of my new things in a coordinate, my chocolate and food print addiction is definitely growing with me collecting a lot of things based around it !! I also got a few wishlist items in this as well which makes me really happy.
Until next posttttttt~


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What has been the three main highlights of studying this course?
The three main highlights of the MSc Brand and Design Management course for me have been, the industry specific knowledge base of all the lecturing staff, the wide variety of module content and the mixture of both art and business modules.
The lecturing staff on this course are outstanding and possess real industry experience in which they draw upon within their teaching methods. We had the opportunity to learn from individuals who have themselves undergone careers in many of our chosen industries, which really enriched my learning experience.
The course included nine modules, opposed to just six and a dissertation. Consequently, we truly had the opportunity to gain an understanding of a range of topics which will allow us to excel within our fields.
The course was also one of the first courses to provide a mixture of both business and art based modules. As an individual who comes from a business education background, I was provided with the opportunity to build upon my existing knowledge, but also have the opportunity to gain insight into the wonderful world of design.


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Ayurveda approach
The best way to prevent constipation is by keeping
vata in balance since it is a vata condition, according to Ayurveda.
Vata-pacifying diet
Follow the vata balancing diet to prevent constipation. Moderate
intake of oil in your diet helps but stay away from dried fruits,
salads, most beans and cold foods and drinks. Add more well cooked
vegetables, warm drinks and food in your diet.
· More fibre
Take more fiber like whole grains, oatmeal, oat bran, wheat bran
and vegetables. They are great help in keeping a regular bowel.
Fruity Power
Take fruits between meals to aid digestion and help constipation.
· Banana snacks
Bananas are natural mild laxative. Take two ripe yellow bananas
after meals, perhaps for afternoon tea, will help relieve constipation.
However, do not combine bananas at mealtimes.
Take only ripe bananas as green ones give constipation.
Also avoid over ripe bananas with blackened skin. A ripe banana
should have bright yellow skin and its flesh is studded with small
black dots.
· Apple
The humble apple is great for regulating the bowels. There is
indeed truth in the old adage: an apple a day, keep the doctor
away. It also help clean the teeth and tongue. Peel and chew on
the apple for an hour after meal.
· Peaches
Take one or two peaches about an hour after meal.
· Raisins and prunes
Prunes or a handful of raisins every day too can be effective
in preventing constipation. Take them an hour after meals.
· Pineapple juice
Have some pineapple juice. It is effective in regulating the bowels.
· Flaxseed
Take this remedy at night. Boil 1 tablespoon of flaxseed in a
cup of water for 2 to 3 minutes and drink everything, seeds and
· Ghee and Milk
This gentle but effective way of relieving constipation is good
for both vata and pitta individuals with constipation. Add 1 or
2 teaspoons of ghee to a cup of hot milk and drink at bedtime.
· Triphala drink
This triphala combination of herbal drink is probably the best
Ayurveda cure for constipation for all dosha types: pitta, vata
and kapha.
Add ½ to 1 teaspoon of triphala to a cup
of hot water, steep for 5 to 10 minutes and drink. It may have
a diuretic effect on some people. If this is so, steep triphala
overnight and drink it first thing in the morning when you get
up so you don't have to disrupt your sleep getting up a
few times to urinate.
For children with constipation:
· Figs
Soak 3 figs in warm water and drink.
For pregnant women:
· Sat isabgol with milk
Take one teaspoon of sat isabgol also known as psyllium husk,
with a glass of warm milk
Ghee and milk is also good for reliving constipation
for expectant women. DO NOT take castor oil or any drastic purgatives
like triphala as it would irritate the unborn child and make the
baby hyperactive.
Aid for severe constipation:
· Triphala tea or dashamoola enema
Using drastic purgatives when constipation is severe can cause
an intestinal obstruction, or perforation which is dangerous.
It is safer to do an enema with plain water or use triphala or
dashamoola tea to regulate bowel movements.
· Castor Oil and ginger tea
For really severe constipation, take castor oil with ginger tea
before bedtime. Boil some freshly, sliced ginger in water or add
some powdered ginger to a cup of hot water. Add 2 – 4 teaspoons
of castor oil, according to desired result, to the tea and drink.
Adjust the dose to what works for you.
Some people may have a dependency on castor oil.
However, it can still be effective in regulating a good bowel
movement without creating a dependency. Take only 2 teaspoons
of castor oil with a cup of warm milk.
Because you may need more time going to the toilet,
it is best to take this treatment during the weekends at home.
Just for prevention:
To prevent constipation, try the following:
· Keep a vata-pacifying diet
· Take lots of warm plain water, 4= 5 glasses each day
and add juice or tea if you like
· Take a lot of fiber
· Exercise regularly
· Yoga exercises like nauli can be helpful
· Yoga asanas like the Sun Salutation, Chest-Knee pose,
and Leg Lift can also help prevent constipation
<< Back


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Fashion News: Rip Curl Sunway Pyramid Relocates with New Eco-Friendly Interior5:22 PM
Remember the Rip Curl store in Sunway Pyramid's Old Wing? Well they have now relocated to a bigger, newer 1528 sq feet space in the mall's New Wing. The store now has an entirely new concept that is totally different from the previous one and definitely more eco-friendly! The entire store was decorated with recycled materials other than just having the initiative to give recycled paper bags to customers. The impressive but down-to-earth decor was sourced from materials such as old wood and metal pipes around Klang Valley which was then used to build wall panels, changing rooms and display cabinets. Looks like Rip Curl has also caught up on the raw industrial styled designs too!
This great move by Rip Curl is also aligned to their brand vision of maintaining the local environment. You may now visit the new store and check out brands Rip Curl, Dickies, Zephyr, Sprayground and Globe Skateboards at - Lot G1.106, Ground Floor, Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall.


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the talented ladies at OLW! I'm so totally excited about joining this team! It's been a wonderful transition the last couple of months - because even though it was sad to close the door on some of the teams that I've spent a lot of time on the last couple of years {sniff - goodbye to American Crafts this month}, I've realized something in the process. It needed to happen. Especially since my business is growing in a big way.
Sometimes we try to take on too many things, and it doesn't always work out. I've enjoyed my time on the teams working for these companies, but I'm looking forward to what the future holds. The companies and teams that I'm working with now seem like the perfect fit for me, and my style - and that means both parties end up happy, happy, happy!
Here's to an awesome year of inspiration! Word up!


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Midterms! What can I really say about them other than it is stressful part of college life and we all go through it. Right now, I have one Midterm to finish and I'm not ready for it but I know I will do do well. I'm always stressed out when it comes to Midterms and I know I'm not the only one either. But do not fret, because I have some ways to make your Midterm season, a very smooth sailing season.
1. Most of people don't do this but it is very helpful, listen to music. Either music you like but not the type of music that distract you. Me, for example, I love to listen to Soca and Reggae music because it works for me and it gets me pumped up to study.
2. Study Buddies are very useful and reliable to use...utilize it to the best of your abilities. Working in groups makes the workload less stress because you are around people who have one goal, to pass. You make sure your cool with people in your class, get their contact information and set up a Study Buddy date just to study.
3. DO NOT STUDY ON YOUR BED!!!! The worst thing to do is study on your bed because you will not get anything to done because you WILL fall asleep. Trust me, I've been through this plenty of times when I start to study or even when I do homework. Find a place that is comfortable, like a desk, a dinner table or you can even study in school (In a quiet area because loud areas are not the best!) It will avoid you sleeping on yourself.
4. EAT A SNACK OR FOOD!! You cannot study on an empty stomach. I've tried it before and NO it does not work at all. You have to be functionally and functioning without any food in your stomach is the worst thing to do. Make sure you have a decent snack or reasonable food to eat in your system. Food is like our gas and our body is our car, when a car runs out of gas it means it's time to fill up. So EAT!!
5. Always make sure to talk to your professor when it comes down to your midterm. To make sure you are studying the right things because you don't want to be that person when you study and it was completely wrong. The professor is there to help you and to refresh what's on your study guide.
6. Remember GET A GOOD NIGHT'S REST. You want you eight hours or more so you can be completely refresh when it come to your Midterms. You don't want to come to your exam looking like death, run over...it's not a great look. You want to be refresh and ready to kick this Midterm in the butt.
7. BE CONFIDENT. You got this! Smoothing words also work so that the workload doesn't stress you out. Be confident, you own this Midterm, not the other way around.
I hope this helps you out, even though most of you guys finished with Midterms, us in NYC are now in Midterm season!! There's always next semester, you know that you will be prepared and confident in your exams.
How do you stay stress free during exams?


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Another Ladybug dress from Adam et Rope
I got an another Ladybug print rayon georgette dress from Adam et Rope.
These red & black ladybugs make me happy. I'm so in love with this dress that is why I got white one too.
Adam et Rope (Japanese)
Related Posts
- Button-down shirts from MilkFed
- Colourful Pony Holders from Marc by Marc Jacobs
- A Winfield Belt from Jack Spade
- A long sleeved crew-neck sweater from marc by marc jacobs
- Pretty Nylon Medium Tote from Marc by Marc Jacobs


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Photo Credit: Pacific Coast News
And a happy wallet. He's on top of the world since "Sherlock Holmes" turned out to be a hit – 400 million dollars worldwide – despite mixed reviews. Ritchie has offers, and he was thinking about directing an action thriller "Lobo," but he' decided to strike while the iron is hot and get to work on another Sherlock Holmes movie. All the original stars have agreed to return. Life after Madonna isn't so bad.
Posted by Janet on February 2, 2010
9 Comments so far
By Reta
On February 2, 2010 at
He's happy because he got rid of that skanky whore he was stuck with for so many years!! He should be celebrating for the rest of his life for getting rid of that hag!!
By palermo
On February 2, 2010 at
I'm sure he's enjoying the peace and quiet without her
By captain america
On February 3, 2010 at
true……….FAGGOTS WEAR THESE THINGS!!
By Barkley
On February 3, 2010 at
And he still sucks as a director, he's imitation Tarantino and Tarantino himself ain't all he's cracked up to be.
By Lenny
On February 4, 2010 at
Getting Madonna out of your life does a body good, who wouldn't smile.
By E
On February 4, 2010 at
I loved the camaraderie and clever dialog bits in "Sherlock Holmes." The action scenes could have been better.
By bonnie blizzard
On February 4, 2010 at
Did he really think the union with Vadge would last? Get real.
By Sophie
On February 10, 2010 at
He did well professionally before her and, obviously, is doing well after her. It does make you wonder whether she, in particular, has a deleterious effect on his career, or whether settling down with anyone would have that effect.
By icons designs
On September 17, 2012 at
You are right, in it something is. I thank for the information, can, I too can help you something?
P.S. Please review icons


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We just returned home from the Give Hope to Haiti benefit concert here in The Woodlands and Aaron Ivey was one of the talented artists set to play. I was very much looking forward to hearing him. Little did I know when we arrived, he was no longer there. Not because he had already played. In fact, he never played. He was in The Woodlands, ready for his music set, when he received word that Amos (the boy they have been trying to bring home from Haiti for a very long time to join their family) was on a plane to Orlando. As in Florida. As in the United States! They immediately left the The Woodlands, headed straight to the airport, got tickets and boarded a plane. You must watch the video below. It's the song Aaron wrote to Amos and his promise to him to bring him home. To know that as I am typing this post and publishing it to my blog, this man and his wife are on a plane to get their boy, Amos, is almost too much for me to bear. To know that our God can bring something so incredible and so wonderful out of such horrific tragedy gives me hope.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Hope Out of Tragedy
If you would like to follow this journey or find out how you can help the children of Haiti, go here.
Posted by at 9:59 PM
2 comments:
- Tanni said...
Beautiful.....just beautiful. Tears rolled down my face as I listened to the song. I would love to share your blog post on my facebook it touched me so much, but wanted to check with you first. Let me know. What a story! God is good! :)
- January 23, 2010 at 10:27 AM
- Tiffany said...
Praise God, He is good!
- January 24, 2010 at 9:46 AM
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Yet while at the table we do have to adopt an owner's mindset for the responsibilities and consequences of the contributions and decisions we make while still understanding we are temporary custodians and part of an ongoing leadership legacy. This is true whether we serve in a formal leadership position or if we are someone who simply has accrued access and influence that gets us attention. Unless we are founding members of an organization, many have come before us and many are still to come.
Embracing our temporary role as owners applies to both formal leadership positions and informal leadership in the moment or a meeting: contribute, but ensure others can do so also. Effective leadership orientation and transition can reinforce this premise. Here's an example from my distant past.
|1980-81 Executive Board, Illinois Association of Student Councils
During my term, I often returned to their thoughts for inspiration and perspective. Each reading helped change my thinking about "making my mark" on the association. The pages reminded me I was one of many. My job was to build on what others had created, add my contributions to it, and turn it over to the next person ... both the scrapbook and my seat at the table.
Begin planning for leadership transition the day you come into office, not a few weeks before you leave.
What rituals could you create to reinforce the understanding you want your volunteer and staff leaders to embrace about their temporary seat at the table?


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Bees can make the University of Maryland campus a healthier place, and teaching students and faculty about these pollinators is an important step in ensuring the species' well-being, said sophomore computer science major Marcus Fedarko said.
Last week, the Student Government Association passed a resolution to become BEE Protective Ambassadors — students dedicated to outreach and education about pollinator health. Passing this resolution is the university's first step in the BEE Protective program hosted by environmental nonprofit Beyond Pesticides, said Aubrey Stevenson, a fellow with the organization.
"Once you pledge, that means you are an ambassador, but it also means you have to have a continuous relationship with us in order to earn the right to call yourself BEE Protective," Stevenson said. "It basically is the term for the liaison."
Beyond Pesticides provides campus administrators and landscape managers with alternatives to toxic chemicals that might threaten pollinator species, said Jen Ruocco, executive assistant with Beyond Pesticides.
Many people don't understand the relationship and the effects bees have on our everyday lives, Stevenson said. Without bees and other pollinators, the overall health of the environment would suffer, and "you wouldn't have a lot of the food that you eat today," she added.
Fedarko, a member of the student sustainability committee, will be one of this university's first BEE Ambassadors.
"It's a cool opportunity," Fedarko said. "I'm really excited to get the chance to let people on campus know about … all the ways they can help make the campus a healthier place."
BEE Protective is a project for communities — including universities and towns — which requires participants to complete three tasks: begin an education campaign about pollinator health, create a pollinator-friendly habitat, and work with campus administration to pass a campuswide resolution to protect pollinators and reduce the use of pesticides, Stevenson said.
The SGA is already taking steps to meet BEE Protective requirements. They have plans to plant a pollinator garden with Dining Services — the location is yet to be determined — and coordinate education and outreach about the harmful effects of pesticides with other organizations such as MaryPIRG, said Emily Starobin, a sophomore environmental science and policy and Spanish major.
"Education is key for this [program]," said Starobin, who is also a member of the Student Sustainability Committee. "People don't even know why bees are important and why people should care, so I'm excited for getting students involved."
Last fall, Beyond Pesticides contacted Errin Saunders, another Student Sustainability Committee member, about becoming a part of the BEE Protective program after the organization heard about the SGA passing a resolution last semester requesting information about on-campus pesticide use, Saunders said.
"They've been so proactive and helpful," said Saunders, a junior environmental science and policy major. "The sense of the program is that they provide us with materials and information, whatever support we need in order to encourage pollinator protective measures on campus."
The final step the SGA would have to complete for the campus to be BEE Protective is to ask the administration to sign a community resolution to stop using neonicotinoid pesticides, which are harmful to pollinators, Ruocco said.
Once the steps have been completed, the SGA and other organizations involved will have a continuous relationship with Beyond Pesticides in order to become BEE Protective certified.
"That's the whole point of working with college students," Ruocco said. "We find that they're full of surprises and are really great at brainstorming and thinking outside of the box."


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Why yes, I did. But for some reason I couldn't find the key that puts TWO STUPID FUCKIN' DOTS OVER A VOWEL.
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
A Sociologist Examines Life in the 1960s Based on Beatles Lyrics
You're going to lose that girl.
In the 1960s, women were possessions of men. This doesn't mean they weren't valued, as these two lines imply: men don't warn other men about the potential loss of a wad of lint or a corncob. "Hey, buddy," no male would ever say, "you better drive slower or you're gonna lose that clump of bird shit on your roof."
If you don't take her out tonight,
She's going to change her mind.
These two lines give us a hint as to the root of the problematic female treatment. The female is above all fickle: despite an established, long-standing relationship, if her man disappears for an hour or two she's got her thumb out by the side of the road. Since loyalty is a trait identifiable with more developed species, this pinpoints the female's position on a societal scale to just above that of a cat, since a cat would share the sentiment but not be able to mouth the words, "You're not gonna feed me? Then, buddy, I'm gonna find somebody who will."
And I will take her out tonight,
And I will treat her kind.
One can easily recognize the objectified woman in these two lines, since there is no parallel in male-dominated societies. If Google wanted to steal a valued male employee from Apple, for instance, they wouldn't threaten to take him rollerskating in their daddy's Mustang. The male requires a multi-year, multi-million dollar contract to switch allegiance while the female is settling for less. "Raisinettes and a Sprite?" she chirps. "Okay, buddy -- I'll go home and pack right now."
I'll make a point
Of taking her away from you, yeah,
The way you treat her what else can I do?
Even the most clueless reader must sense the unreliability of the narrator here. On the surface he's expressing unselfishness with this offer to help the beleaguered female, but if he felt even the slightest bit of empathy this song would be about bringing sausages to Darfur. Competitiveness rather than altruism is the motivating factor for action here.
If you don't treat her right, my friend,
You're going to find her gone,
Female as object is reiterated here, though her value is again unspecified. Perhaps losing a woman is like losing your car keys, with both cases leaving the hapless male frantically checking his pockets. But perhaps it's more like a preoccupied male spotting an empty space on a bedroom shelf and realizing he hasn't seen his Kylo Ren action figure in something like six weeks.
Cause I will treat her right, and then
You'll be the lonely one.
In the end, it's the lack of female volition that is most troubling in this work. We're left with the idea that male action alone is what prompts female fidelity. She can stay or she can go, but otherwise her opinion doesn't matter. It may seem smug to congratulate ourselves on living in a more enlightened time, but if this song were written today it would certainly include a discussion of the male's qualifications, perhaps with a couplet like this:
If you don't treat her right, my friend,
Then she might mobilize,
Cause I have got a job, and then
there is my penis size.
Thursday, April 6, 2017
ME: Um, you don't actually wear this cologne, do you?
GERMAN BOYFRIEND WHO IS TALLER THAN ME: No. NO! DEFINITELY NOT! (PAUSE) Only when I'm out of David Hasselhoff.
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Kendall Jenner Helps A Desperate World
ROMAN HANS: Hey Steve! What are you up to?
STEVE: I'm drinking a Pepsi and welding. You?
ROMAN HANS: I'm wearing my hijab and looking at the photos I took in the Sudan. Starvation is such a downer I could really use a cappuccino. Wait -- there's a protest going by my apartment. Why don't we join them?
STEVE: Protest? Against what? Now that Trump is president everything is perfect.
ROMAN HANS: Do we have to protest against something? I'll bet when Martin Luther King led the March on Wherever he just wanted to meet chicks and show off his new shoes.
STEVE: Okay, count me in! It'll be fun: we'll paint up signs with flowers on them and then have a nice walk through the center of town. The only paint I have is from the Martha Stewart Soda Collection but I guess it'll have to do.
ROMAN HANS: Wow. I'm so glad we came. As a hard-hitting photojournalist I've discovered something far more important than civil rights abuses or starvation: young people standing up and saying, "I don't know; what do you think?"
STEVE: All these protest signs are making me realize something: communication is vitally important. Like, I probably should have told someone that America needs comprehensive single-payer health care with no exclusion for pre-existing conditions.
BYSTANDER (SLAPPING HIS FOREHEAD): Why, you're absolutely right! I'll get right on it!
PHOTOGRAPHER: Come on, Kendall, concentrate! It took thirty-nine hours of work and six Reynolds Oven Bags to make that dress.
KENDALL JENNER: Okay, I'll put on my serious acting face. (THINKING TO HERSELF) I've got to take a dump. I've got to take a dump. I've got to take a dump. (She sees HOT ASIAN MAN WHO BROUGHT A CELLO TO A PROTEST.) Goodbye, patriarchal wig! Adios, capitalist lipstick! Hey, guys -- wait!
TWO RANDOM PEOPLE: Hi! We're transgender women who have never heard of North Carolina's bathroom bill.
BLACK MAN WITH CORNROWS: A white person has shown up! Thank goodness. Decades of Hollywood movies have shown me that indigenous and minority communities are fun and colorful but they can't solve problems by themselves. Introduce a white person, though, and wonderful things happen. I'll bet within a week or two we have the world's best bobsled team.
POLICEMAN #1: Okay, captain, just tell me one more time: we're not firing tear gas at these kids because they have kicky signs?
POLICEMAN #2: Wow! I was worried about all these protesters because they were walking down the street carrying potentially dangerous weapons. Now that they're jumping up and down and waving their arms, though, I see no problem whatsoever.
POLICEMAN #3: Who'd have guessed that when I shot all those unarmed black people I was just thirsty? Thanks, Kendall Jenner!
BLACK MAN WITH CORNROWS: Yeah, thanks, Kendall! Now where's my bobsled?


text:
So, I've just changed the layout of my page to make my images appear bigger and all the same size, which is great now that I have a great camera and my images are good quality. However, I only got my camera just under two weeks ago and before that I used my ipad… those photos look terrible now. I just wanted to warn you guys before you fall off your chairs in total disgust! If I have to go back to my ipad I will definitely change the layout again to make the photos appear smaller – lets hope that doesn't have to happen though!
Laura x


text:
NOTE: Notwithstanding Clause 1, Distance Education courses may be used to fulfil the Residence Requirements of the non-co-operative degrees of Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Commerce (Honours), Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Business Administration (Honours), and Bachelor of Nursing (Post-RN).
2.a) Candidates shall complete at this University the last thirty credit hours required for the degree as full-time and/or part-time students.
b) Courses taken at universities/colleges which are included in formal institutional exchange agreements with this University are not subject to the requirements of Clause 2.a) above.
c) Notwithstanding the requirement in Clause 2 above, where special circumstances warrant, and only if at least half the courses required for the degree are completed at this University, the appropriate Committee on Undergraduate Studies may permit candidates to complete not more than fifteen of the last thirty credit hours or equivalent required for the degree at another University, provided the courses which comprise those credit hours are approved by the appropriate Department.
3. Students who have taken courses in the subject of their Major at another University are
required to complete at least twelve credit hours in that subject at this University.
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text:
Monty Williams
Download Gift of Spiritual Intimacy (The)
J. gifts that God gives to help his children develop intimacy, and the rewards of intimacy. Intimacy with God: The Spiritual Worship of the Believer Pub.. Spiritual Intimacy with God: Moving Joyfully Into the Deeper Life. Spiritual Gifts - Pursuing Intimacy With God (Intimate. Spiritual Intimacy with God : - Google Books . Spiritual Gifts . Spiritual Intimacy -Spiritual growth & Christian living resources. Date: 11/23/2002 Publisher: Nelson, Thomas, Inc.. gifts that God gives to help his children develop intimacy, and the rewards of intimacy. A Spiritual and Emotional Union. J. [Spiritual Intimacy] [Hearing from God-Book] [Hearing from God Book Stores] [Back to Homepage] A Celebration Of Sex: A Guide to Enjoying God's Gift of Sexual. This book covers the spiritual worship,. *FREE* super saver shipping on qualifying offers. . Mother's Day Gift Guide;. The Gift of Spiritual Intimacy - Monty Williams - Novalis A timeless and invaluable tool for anyone seeking to develop a deeper sense of self and God. Click here to request the PIWG I & II Study Books Free. Gift of Spiritual Intimacy (The) [Monty Williams] on Amazon.com. Intimacy with God (Six Pillars From Ephesians Book #3): The. Lee Grady says, "Spiritual Intimacy with God will
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The International Education Benchmark for New Zealand report, which surveyed 1,781 undergraduate and postgraduate respondents, found on average, education agents recruited 38.7% of universities' international student populations.
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text:
Unfortunately my favorite editor took sick. He's well now and only working part time, so I must postpone the scheduled release date for my new Christian novel entitled "Forsaken" until October 15th. My prior Christian novel, "Victory in Defeat, A Story of Salvation in the Civil War" is the story of the Harcourt brothers, Matthew and Luke, who fought both physical and spiritual battles during the Civil War. It is the story of one soldier finding Jesus amidst the shooting and killing of the last great and failed fight at the stone wall at Gettysburg; of standing with bullets flying all around calling on the name of Jesus is available from barnesandbnoble.com search Tony Flye for all my books or search for "Victory in Defeat, A Story of Salvation in the Civil War"
Kindle users can download mobi format from www.smashwords.com/search?query=tony+flye as well as your other favorite ebook sellers.
"Forsaken" is the sequel to my Civil War Christian novel which takes place immediately after the war and is the continuing story of Matthew Harcourt, finding his calling to preach God's word, finding the love of his life and how he loses it all and how it effects him.
My Jake Curtis / Vanessa Malone Mystery series is selling, if you'll pardon the expression, like hotcakes. "Death in Amish Country" Jake Curtis and his wife Vanessa Malone, private investigator and lawyer respectively are called to prove Jake's Marine buddy innocent of murder and find the real killer amidst the bucolic beauty of Pennsylvania's Amish Country. In one of the many startling twists in this investigation, a totally unexpected person in the middle of a psychotic episode admits to the murder.
My novel "Death in Divorce" is the story of Blanche Bickers. Hours after winning a divorce from her cheating husband, she was found naked in bed with a bullet hole in the center of her forehead. The police were baffled. Talks revealed a Southern Belle who said something about the murder to Jake and Vanessa that no one outside of law enforcement knew. What she told Jake and Vanessa led to the discovery of the surprising murderer.
My novel "Death in the Primrose Hotel" During Prohibition The Primrose Hotel housed a speakeasy. A speakeasy that housed a long dead skeleton. The investigation leads to a old woman who knows the truth about what happened and is and determined to take the secret with her to her grave. After days of repeated questioning, the truth is painstakingly pried from the old woman's lips revealing who killed the skeleton and who it was who shot Jake Curtis.
If you are a fan of mystery, I'm sure you'll enjoy my three "Death in…"
novels. Death in Diamonds, the one I think is the best of yet is waiting for it's second draft to be completed.


text:
Jan Reynolds is a writer and photographer who just can't get far enough away from it all. Jan has been from the highest to the lowest, from the hottest to the coldest on earth to get her material for her books. Jan set many world records for climbing and skiing, then went on to live with an indigenous tribe on each continent, for her Vanishing Cultures series. She is always on the go and brings her real-life adventures alive in the form of books for kids. She is author of the Vanishing Culture Series, which includes Mongolia, Sahara, Far North, Himalaya, and Down Under.
Recent Work
Only the Mountains Do Not Move
Cycle of Rice


text: Bring the oil to a simmer in a pot. While it's heating up, crush the onion-flavored rings and cheese puffs into crumbs with a food processor or a mortar and pestle. Transfer to a shallow dish, add about 1/2 cup water and stir to make a batter. Scoop out a spoonful of mac and cheese and dip it in the batter. Deep-fry it in the oil until it develops a crust, about 5 minutes. Place each mac and cheese morsel on a cracker. Add a drop of hot sauce if you'd like to spice things up.


text:
"Important!! Information re: 2013 Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon" screamed the subject line, followed immediately by 'Weather Information!' in large letters. My heart sank. Last year, after a lengthy drive, I picked up a similar email apologising for the weather-related cancellation of the Hadrian's Wall Half, and I worried that this weekend was about to go the same way. Communications from the organisers earlier in the week had been bleak: beware snow, beware ice, beware wind, beware a 'feels like' temperature of minus ten. Generally don't get your hopes up.
The race is intimidating enough as it is – the pre-race hill murmuring is among the loudest I've encountered, but unlike so many other races, it is justified here. The profile is brutal, with some considerable rolling hills leading to the infamous Spring Hill climb after 6 or 7 miles. Between the weather warnings and the course itself, coupled with the Team Cornwall Half Marathon Smackdown (a competition entirely of my own invention whose protagonists remained blissfully ignorant of their participation) being staged at this race, I was getting a little edgy.
|Cold already. Still indoors.
I spent the weekend at my parents' house in Sevenoaks, about a 25 minute drive from the start line in Tunbridge Wells. My brother Nick (notorious teacher of maths) was racing too and so we had the morning to swap notes and safety pins before Mum drove us to the race. It was bitterly cold. Even with leggings, a base layer, shorts, vest, hat and gloves I was shivering a little. The sooner this race got underway the better…
Once through the traffic and at Race HQ we fell into the familiar pattern, and after catching up with Matt 'Bathmat' Pritchard, preparing for his first race, first half marathon and also first 21 mile run (more anon), we worked our way through the portaloos, bag check, T-shirt pick-up, portaloos, start pens and portaloos in time for the off. The start-line announcer had been given three things to say: that two of today's runners had run the first ever TW ½ in 1983, that this was the 30th anniversary of the race, and that the mayor was firing the starter's pistol. Not wanting to mess with success, he told us these things quite a lot of times. But no matter – clearly he got his message across as I remember them all. Kudos.
Nick and I started together, arbitrarily a few metres behind the 1:50 pacers, and immediately lost then found each other half a dozen times as we weaved around slower runners. The route takes in some major roads where one lane was closed for our use (more than enough), and a number of smart, quiet residential areas where the roads didn't appear formally closed but were totally devoid of traffic and a joy to run on. A couple of miles into the race the views started to unfold from behind buildings – rolling hills, red brick cottages and verdant green farms that make you feel like spending the rest of your life in rural Kent. Bliss. Apart from the cold.
Nick caught me for the umpteenth time and we swapped positions as he edged a few metres ahead. We were averaging around 8 minutes a mile, comfortable but not easy off my slow training regime, and at around mile 3 he surged off into the distance. I let him go, already practising my gracious loser face at the Team Cornwall Half Marathon Smackdown press conference. Moments later I had a tap on the shoulder. The tall, broad and devastatingly handsome figure of Chris 'These guys call me Steve' Stevens was bearing down on me at an impressive clip. Nick and I had failed to find him at the start line but he bumped into Matt, who told him what we were wearing so he could track us down. Chris had put in some very fast miles to catch us and I was grateful for the effort.
I pointed out Nick - now maybe 15-20 metres ahead - and Chris and I silently fell into step and stuck together for a little while. When Nick veered off the road for a pit-stop in a field (evidently not having visited the portaloos enough times), Chris and I cruised past him, slightly smug. Nick caught us again, and we ran together for a few more miles in a vaguely social peloton, the silence only broken by Nick shouting things at us over the huge volume of his headphones. Our fellow runners were particularly startled when Nick took a cup of water, and finding it inconvenient to drink on the run, bellowed "THIS IS DIFFICUUUULT!!!" at such a volume that I can't think of an adequately surreal simile to describe it. Racing without headphones (as I always do these days) I advised him to turn his music down a touch.
|Nick, me and Chris in a rubbish peloton.
With apologies to SportCam.
Winding past more picturesque corners of the countryside; ivy-covered cottages and stone hump-backed bridges and rolling fields and I think even a petrol station with a thatched roof, we came upon the infamous Spring Hill. Being the only one in our peloton with much hill training in my legs I eased into the front, got my head down and started overtaking. It really is a beast of a hill, probably more than a mile long and steep enough to make a lot of runners resign to walking, this less than halfway through the race. I didn't look up until I was sure it was over. Even then I only peeked. There were more hills to come.
Emerging from the hill-trance with screaming quads but having made up a hundred places or so, I discovered that Nick had been on my shoulder the whole time, but we had lost Chris on the climb. Nick and I ran in step for the next few miles, slowed only by icy winds and occasional snow flurries. The crowd support through the villages was quite amazing given the weather, and some brave and foolhardy souls had even pitched up in the remotest corners of the course. It's always such a joy to see so much local support for these events, handing out sweets and high-fives. One small boy clearly hadn't managed to keep control of his jellybaby offerings, as the road was strewn with hundreds of jelly casualties, gradually being trampled underfoot in a tragicomic reminder of the transience of the humble jellybaby's existence. I felt better by comparison.
My lungs were burning with the cold, my left shin, calf and knee were sore and a fresh crop of blisters were maturing on my insteps, but the end was nearing as Nick and I picked up the pace. Things were going well – there would be a joint winner in this year's Team Cornwall Half Marathon Smackdown. Until, that is, somewhere between miles 11 and 12, I noticed that I had lost Nick. I slowed to let him catch up, but he claimed to be (and also looked) totally spent and told me to go on. I briefly protested but to prove his point he slowed down even further. With plenty of bounce left in my legs and no more than a mile and a half to the finish, I put the hammer down and really went for it, arms pumping, legs turning over in rapid, long bounds (or so they felt) and streaming past runners who had run a more even race. The last half a mile or so afforded runners little more than a cycle-path in width so as to allow the traffic to flow again, which limited my overtaking capacity, but no matter. Before long I lurched over the line to take the First Annual Team Cornwall Half Marathon Smackdown trophy, and also a beautiful medal presented to me by Team GB Paralympic footballer Alistair Heselton, whose congratulations were probably the most sincere I have ever heard from someone doing such a lengthy and repetitive job. Thanks Alistair, it meant a lot.
Nick finished one minute and ten seconds later, Chris followed two minutes behind him. We reconvened and started the obligatory process of swapping war stories and demolishing anything edible in our goody bags, including the peculiar non-alcoholic beer. Matt phoned Chris about ten minutes later, presumably to say he'd finished, but Chris missed the call and we could only guess. Matt, Chris and absent-Ed are running the Barcelona Marathon on March 17th, and Matt decided to use the TW ½ as his last long run. So he finished the race in 1:57:40 for a debut PB, collected his medal, ate as much as he could fit in his face, then ran another eight miles, still wearing his race number and with a medal in his pocket. What a legend. We bumped into Ed's brother Mark, who had also run a debut half at TW in preparation for the Silverstone half…which is this week. An unusual training plan for sure, but nice to catch up!
As we left the race HQ, runners still finishing with 2:40 on the clock, it started snowing again as if to really confirm that it was very cold indeed. We took the hint and went home for Sunday lunch and an afternoon in the pub.
Congrats and thanks to Tunbridge Wells Harriers for putting on such a well-managed event, high-fives to Nick and Chris for their silver and bronze medals in the Team Cornwall Half Marathon Smackdown, but frankly I reserve my greatest respect for Matt – there could not have been a more hilly, cold and challenging environment in which to run one's first 20+ mile effort, and even then with the enormous and quite reasonable temptation of stopping after 13.1. High ten to you, sir.
Happy running,
2013 to date: miles run - 197.23, races: 1, parkruns: 1, miles biked: 3